Gadgets

Ugh, Netflix is raising prices again

Netflix is raising prices across all of its subscription tiers, according to an updated Plans and Pricing page spotted by Android Authority . The company last raised prices in January 2025, when the cost of all of its tiers were jacked up by $1 or more. As of this latest price hike, Netflix's ad-supported Standard plan is going from $8 per month to $9 per month, while the ad-free version is rising from $18 to $20 per month. The company's Premium plan, meanwhile, which supports things like 4K streams, spatial audio and the ability to watch content on four devices at the same time, is jumping from $25 to $27 per month. Netflix is also making the cost of adding an extra member to your plan more expensive. Adding a member to an ad-supported plan now costs an additional $8 per month, while adding someone to an ad-free plan now costs $10 per month. When asked to comment on the price changes, a Netflix spokesperson shared that the company is updating prices in the U.S to reflect improvements to our wide range of entertainment and the quality of our service. The new prices will roll out to current subscribers in the coming weeks. Existing members will be notified by email a month before the new prices are applied to them, the spokesperson said. The exact timing will depend on the specific members billing cycle. Netflix is not quite at the point where it's raising the cost of its subscription every year, but it's getting close. Prior to last year's price hike, the company last raised prices in 2023 . The streaming service's growing subscription fees have helped Netflix to continue its push into streaming live events like sports and reality TV competitions , and to license new kinds of content like video podcasts . If Netflix hadn't dropped out in February, they also would have served as financial backing for the company's acquisition of Warner Bros . Even though Warner Bros. Discovery ultimately decided to take Paramount Skydance's offer , Netflix didn't leave the deal empty handed: Paramount paid the company $2.8 billion to formally end its acquisition of the historic film studio. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/ugh-netflix-is-raising-prices-again-202318277.html?src=rss

Judge tosses out X's advertiser boycott lawsuit

A US District Court Judge for the Northern District of Texas has dismissed X Corp.s lawsuit against advertisers it claimed participated in an illegal boycott of X, Reuters reports . X originally filed its lawsuit in 2024 in response to advertisers pulling ads from the social media platform, a decision reportedly motivated by X's lax approach to moderating hate speech. Judge Jane J. Boyle was not swayed by Xs claims that advertisers like Twitch , Shell, Nestl and Lego pulling advertising amounted to an antitrust injury. The companies named in Xs lawsuit are members of the World Federation of Advertisers Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), an organization used by advertisers to bargain for certain safety standards from the platforms they advertise on. Advertisers took issue with X's approach to moderation and responded accordingly, purchasing ad space on other social platforms instead. The decision hurt X's ad revenue, but as Boyle writes in the dismissal, the company made no claim that advertisers did so to benefit a competitor or to form their own competing platform. They also didn't prevent X from selling ad space to other companies not in GARM. The very nature of the alleged conspiracy does not state an antitrust claim, Boyle writes, and the Court therefore has no qualm dismissing with prejudice. Xs lawsuit being dismissed with prejudice means the company will be unable to refile the lawsuit at a later date. Separately, Judge Boyle also denied X the ability to appeal her decision. The company's rancor for advertisers was apparent when owner Elon Musk compared X's lawsuit to going to war , but the vitriol appears to be all for naught. X claimed in January 2026 that nearly all its top advertisers had returned to buying ads on the platform. As a subsidiary of xAI , the social platform is now also facing new, even more pressing issues, like its AI assistant Grok's alleged willingness to generate sexually explicit imagery of minors . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/judge-tosses-out-xs-advertiser-boycott-lawsuit-184832071.html?src=rss

Blumhouse's horror-centric cozy game Grave Seasons will be released on August 14

The spooky, yet cozy, game Grave Seasons is coming out on August 14, which was announced at today's Xbox Partner Preview event . This is basically Stardew Valley , but set in a Lovecraftian nightmare of a town. Players farm, mine and romance villagers, but also solve murders and deal with the occasional bloodthirsty demon or two. It looks fun! This is being published by Blumhouse Games, which is a division of the film studio that pumps out modern horror hits like Happy Death Day , M3GAN and Five Nights at Freddy's . Perfect Garbage is the development studio behind the game, which previously made the narrative-driven cyberpunk title Love Shore . Grave Seasons is coming to just about every platform out there, including Xbox Series X/S, Steam, PS5 and the Switch. It's truly a golden age for cozy gamers. This isn't the only cozy game with a darker undercurrent. Titles like Graveyard Keeper , Cozy Grove and Spiritfarer have all experimented with this idea. Even Nintendo's recent smash Pokmon Pokopia is set in some kind of post-apocalyptic world. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blumhouses-horror-centric-cozy-game-grave-seasons-will-be-released-on-august-14-184042880.html?src=rss

Dispatch is coming to Xbox this summer

Dispatch was one of 2025s standout titles and one of the best narrative games in years, which made its no-show on Xbox all the more puzzling. Luckily, thats being rectified this summer. Announced during todays Xbox Partner Preview broadcast , Dispatch is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud later this year. It will also be an Xbox Play Anywhere title at launch, so you can play it on your console and continue on your PC or Windows handheld, or vice versa. ICYMI last year, the game is pitched as a superhero workplace comedy by developer AdHoc Studio, which was founded by a group of ex-Telltale developers. You play as the excellently named Robert Robertson, a recently out-of-work superhero whos talked into reluctantly taking a 9-5 desk job that involves him dispatching other heroes. Dispatch is an episodic game, which rolled out gradually on PS5 and PC last year but will presumably be available in its entirety straight away when the Xbox version arrives. Gameplay is divided between interactive narrative segments that will feel familiar to anyone who played Telltales previous titles, and the management sim-like dispatch missions. Both are very well done, but I was shocked by the quality of Dispatch s writing and animation when I played it on PS5. Its essentially a prestige animated superhero show that you participate in, and I genuinely agonized over loads of decisions. It helps that the star-studded voice cast, which features Breaking Bad s Aaron Paul, Laura Bailey and Jeffrey Wright, is bringing its A-game across the board. The game was a big hit with the wider Engadget team too, making it into our best games of 2025 list. Dispatch has also since made its way to Switch, but that port was highly controversial after it emerged that some of the games content had been censored. I would assume that all nudity and explicit content will be present and correct in the Xbox version, which will cost $30 or $40 if you want the Deluxe Edition, which includes four digital comics and a digital artbook. A firm release date was not announced in the stream. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/dispatch-is-coming-to-xbox-this-summer-183735998.html?src=rss

Stalker 2 is getting its first DLC, Cost of Hope, this summer

Stalker 2 is getting its first DLC, titled Cost of Hope , this summer. The expansion and its general release window was announced during today's Xbox Partner Preview showcase. It's been more than a year since the base game finally released, closing a long development cycle that was disrupted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where the studio GSC Game World was initially based. Stalker 2 was released on PlayStation 5 in the interim, but otherwise, the team has been focused on making this substantial DLC. Stalker 2: Cost of Hope will add two new regions and a new story that takes place alongside the events of the base game. You still play as protagonist Skif as you negotiate between two factions, Duty and Freedom, that have opposing views of the Zone and how to approach it. The blog post teased that there will be a second expansion on the way to close out the full Stalker 2 story as a trilogy. For now, the survival-horror saga will continue when Cost of Hope drops for the Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud, Xbox on PC, PC and PlayStation 5 this summer. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/stalker-2-is-getting-its-first-dlc-cost-of-hope-this-summer-183009759.html?src=rss

Google begins rolling out Search Live globally

Following a false start last week , Google has begun rolling out Search Live globally . The tool allows you to point your phone's camera at an object or scene and ask questions about what you see in front of you. With today's expansion, Google is making Search Live available in every location and language where it offers its AI Mode chatbot . With that, people in more than 200 countries and territories can use Search Live to get answers to their questions. Behind the expansion is Google's Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model. According to the company, the new AI system was designed to be natively multilingual, and capable of more natural conversations. It should also be more reliable and faster. Separately from Search Live, Google is bringing Live Translate to iOS . Live Translate, if you need a reminder, allows you to put on a pair of headphones and get a real-time translation of what another person is saying. With today's announcement, Google is also bringing the feature to more countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan and the UK, across both Android and iOS. All told, Live Translate can now understand more than 70 languages and work with any set of headphones. Neat. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-begins-rolling-out-search-live-globally-180938407.html?src=rss

The EU is investigating Snapchat over possible child protection breaches

The European Union has opened a formal investigation into whether Snapchat has breached Digital Services Act (DSA) regulations regarding the safeguarding of children using its app. Regulators say that the company, whose audience demographic has always skewed young, may not be doing enough to protect minors from grooming and recruitment for criminal purposes. The EU is also looking into whether Snapchats younger users are too easily accessing information on how to buy illegal drugs and age-restricted products. Brussels argues that while Snapchat requires users to be at least 13 years of age to sign up for an account, its self-declaration age assurance system may not be an adequate means of ensuring those younger than the minimum age cant engage with the platform. The European Commission also says the current measures fail to assess whether users are younger than 17 years old, which it says is necessary for an age-appropriate experience. It also alleges that adults are able to exploit the current system to lie about their own age and impersonate minors. Investigators believe that the app itself doesnt allow for other users to report accounts they suspect are being used by people younger than the minimum age requirements. Moreover, they argue that reporting illegal content found on the app is not easy enough, and that Snapchat may not be informing its users about possibilities for redress. Other issues being looked at by the European Commission include child and teen accounts being recommended to other users by Snapchats Find Friends feature and insufficient guidance on available account safety features. The investigators are now in the process of gathering evidence, sending out interview invitations and requesting information from Snap. The Commission says the investigation is based on analysis of the last three years of risk assessment reports filed by Snapchat, as well as an information request it sent on October 10 in 2025. The safety and wellbeing of all Snapchatters is a top priority, and our teams have worked for years to raise the bar on safety, a Snapchat spokesperson said in a statement to Engadget. Snapchat is designed to help people communicate with close friends and family in a positive, trusted environment, with privacy and safety built in from the start - including additional protections for teens. As online risks evolve, we continuously review, strengthen, and invest in these safeguards. The company added that it has acted proactively and transparently in its efforts to meet the DSAs requirements, and said it would fully cooperate with the Commission throughout its investigation. Snap is one of a number of social media companies currently facing increased scrutiny regarding the safety of minors using its platform. In 2023, the company added new features designed to make it harder for teenagers to connect with strangers. One of these measures involved increasing the amount of mutual friends users must have before appearing in search and suggested accounts. Along with TikTok , the company recently settled a lawsuit that accused its platform of causing social media addiction. The case was brought by a 20-year-old woman who said shed been harmed by addictive features on Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap as a child. This week, a jury ruled against Meta and YouTube in the trial, with the companies ordered to pay the woman, who was named as K.G.M in official documents, $6 million in damages. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-eu-is-investigating-snapchat-over-possible-child-protection-breaches-174722759.html?src=rss

Serious Sam: Shatterverse will hit Xbox platforms this year

The Serious Sam game franchise is back with a new entry, giving the FPS series a co-op roguelite twist. Basically it's getting the Nightreign treatment in the same way Elden Ring did. The latest title is Serious Sam: Shatterverse , where teams of up to five players will take on waves of perennial foe Mental's monster goons. Each run will offer the usual roguelite approach of upgrade options to make your team more powerful. And if you're a long-time fan of the series, the trailer has plenty of the same broad, loud humor; for instance, the three upgrade cards shown are all ball jokes.Behavior Interactive, the studio behind Dead by Daylight , is helming the project. Serious Sam: Shatterverse will arrive on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud some time this year. Considering the first quarter is nearly over, the team is probably targeting the second half of 2026, but that's only a guess. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/serious-sam-shatterverse-will-hit-xbox-platforms-this-year-174620271.html?src=rss

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez introduce a bill to pause US data center construction

File this one under hings that might have a shot after the midterms. On Wednesday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act. The bill would require an immediate pause on data center construction until specific new regulations are passed. The legislation aims to address the problem that AI is advancing faster than Washington's regulatory response ( basically none ) has kept pace. Despite its benefits , the technology poses grave threats to the job market and the environment . Rapidly advancing deepfakes could soon leave people unable to determine truth from fiction. (That is, more than online propaganda already has .) AI also makes mass surveillance easier than ever , potentially giving unelected tech leaders unfettered control over society. Last year alone, AI was responsible for over 54,000 layoffs nationwide, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said in a press conference. And when we talk about those jobs, it's not just a number. These are industries. These are communities. These are families... All of this harm has occurred not in spite of, but because of, the absence of federal legislation to regulate AI. SOPA Images via Getty Images The bill would mandate not only an immediate pause on new data center construction but also on the upgrading of existing ones. This moratorium would only be lifted after one or more laws were passed to provide federal oversight of AI products. First, AI products would need to be proven safe for humanity. (That includes not just physical safety, but also areas like civil rights, privacy and public health.) The wealth AI generates would need to be shared with the American people, not just the billionaire tech bros pulling the strings. Protections would need to be in place to safeguard against mass unemployment. (Increasingly, companies are flat-out admitting that their layoffs are due to AI automation .) The legislation would also require future data centers to be environmentally safe. They would need to avoid increasing electricity or other utility bills for Americans. AI data centers would have to create union jobs with strong labor standards. Communities affected by them would be empowered to approve or reject their construction or upgrades. And no government subsidies could be provided for them. A moratorium will give us time, Sen. Sanders said. Time to understand the risks. Time to protect working families. Time to defend our democracy. And time to ensure that technology works for all of us, not just the few. Tom Williams via Getty Images On the one hand, these could be popular proposals. In a December poll , 60 percent of Americans including majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents said they supported more AI regulation. However, in Washington's current environment, well, dont get your hopes up. AI companies are pouring enormous sums of money into campaigns for both political parties. The industry spent at least $83 million in federal elections last year and that was an off-year without national elections. And of course, anti-regulatory Republicans currently control the presidency, both chambers of Congress and (essentially) the Supreme Court. So, fat chance it goes anywhere right now. But depending on how the 2026 midterms (and beyond) shake out who knows? One can dream, anyway. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/sanders-and-ocasio-cortez-introduce-a-bill-to-pause-us-data-center-construction-174451974.html?src=rss

Wikipedia has banned AI-generated articles

English Wikipedia has banned the use of generative AI when writing or rewriting articles. The platform says it came to this decision because using AI to whip up copy often violates several of Wikipedia's core content policies. There are a couple of minor exceptions. Editors can use large language models (LLMs) to refine their own writing, but only if the copy is checked for accuracy. The policy states that this is because LLMs can go beyond what you ask of them and change the meaning of the text such that it is not supported by the sources cited. Editors can also use LLMs to assist with language translation. However, they must be fluent enough in both languages to catch errors. Once again, the information must be checked for inaccuracies. My genuine hope is that this can spark a broader change. Empower communities on other platforms, and see this become a grassroots movement of users deciding whether AI should be welcome in their communities, and to what extent, Wikipedia administrator Chaotic Enby wrote . The administrator also called the policy a pushback against enshittification and the forceful push of AI by so many companies in these last few years. There is one thing worth noting. Wikipedia is not a monolith. Each Wikipedia site has its own independent rules and editing teams. Some may decide to embrace LLMs. However, others may go even further. Spanish Wikipedia, for instance, has fully banned the use of LLMs, with no exceptions for refinement or translation . Also, identifying text written by LLMs is not an exact science so Wikipedia's human moderators could miss some spots of slop every now and again. This is more likely on pages with less frequent moderation. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/wikipedia-has-banned-ai-generated-articles-173641377.html?src=rss

EU says Pornhub and others failed to stop minors accessing adult content

The European Commission (EC) accused four porn platforms of not doing enough to prevent minors from accessing their content. In its preliminary findings of a 10-month investigation , the European Union's regulatory arm said Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA). The EC said the platforms have an ineffective self-declaration measure they only require users to make a single click to state they are over 18. Nor do efforts like content warnings, page blurring and restricted to adults labels effectively prevent minors from accessing harmful content. As such, the EC said the platforms are failing to protect the wellbeing and rights of minors, and it demanded that they put privacy-preserving age verification systems in place. Furthermore, the EC said the quartet did not use objective and thorough methodologies to fully assess the risks to minors accessing content on their platforms. The regulator determined Stripchat, Xvideos and XNXX either misrepresented or failed to take into account consultations with organizations that specialize in children's rights and age verification systems in their risk assessments. It also suggested that the platforms' risk assessments disproportionately emphasized business-centric concerns, such as reputational damage, rather than focusing on the societal risks to minors. The platforms now have the chance to review the EC's preliminary findings and respond to them. They can implement measures to remedy the alleged DSA breaches as well. However, if the Commission confirms that the platforms failed to adhere to the DSA and it decides to issue a non-compliance decision, the porn providers could be on the hook for fines of up to six percent of their global annual turnover. In the EU, online platforms have a responsibility. Children are accessing adult content at increasingly younger ages and these platforms must put in place robust, privacy-preserving and effective measures to keep minors off their services, Henna Virkkunen, the European Unions executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a statement. Today, we are taking another action to enforce the DSA ensuring that children are properly protected online, as they have the right to be. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-says-pornhub-and-others-failed-to-stop-minors-accessing-adult-content-155632108.html?src=rss

AMD's Ryzen 9950X3D2 chip features an incredible 208MB of on-chip cache

AMD just revealed the Ryzen 9950X3D2 Dual Edition desktop processor , which is a beastly follow-up to last year's 9950X3D . This is the company's first desktop processor where both chiplets have been equipped with AMD's proprietary 3D V-Cache technology, which seems like a boon for gamers. Each chiplet includes 104MB of cache, offering an incredible 208MB total on-chip cache. 208MB of cache means more game data, more assets and more working data sitting right next to the CPU cores, AMD Senior VP Jack Huynh explained in an announcement video. Just like last year's release, the 9950X3D2 features a 16-core processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. This new release has increased to a 200W TDP, compared to the 170TDP of the original. This could indicate an increase in speed and performance, but with more heat output. AMD AMD says the chip will be great for both gaming and for creative workloads, like compiling game engines, running AI models and rendering 3D objects. The company says it can deliver a five to 10 percent performance boost when using applications like Unreal Engine, Chromium, Blender and DaVinci Resolve. Last year's 9950X3D chip was already an absolute powerhouse, so we are looking forward to putting this one through its paces. The Ryzen 9950X3D2 chip will be available on April 22, though we don't have a price just yet. The standard 9950X3D currently costs around $675 . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amds-ryzen-9950x3d2-chip-features-an-incredible-208mb-of-on-chip-cache-154137156.html?src=rss

How to use Apple's Playlist Playground to make AI-generated mixes

With the release of iOS 26.4 , Apple Music's Playlist Playground can now generate playlists with the help of AI. Best of all, you don't need an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone to take advantage of the new feature. As long as you're a US Apple Music subscriber with your language set to English, you can start using Playlist Playground right now. Here's how to get started. How to create playlists using Playlist Playground A pair of screenshots showing off Apple Music's new Playlist Playground feature. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget For the time being, there are two ways to access Playlist Playground. For the time being, the company is highlighting the feature within the Top Picks for You section of Apple Music's Home tab. If you don't see a shortcut there, Apple integrated the feature into the app's existing playlist creation tool. Just tap the new icon found in the Library tab. If you're new to Apple Music, the flow looks like this: Open Apple Music. Navigate to the Library tab. Tap the playlist creation button. Write a prompt describing the mood or style of music you want to hear. To help people get started, Apple provides a selection of sample prompts. One pro tip: it's possible to use metadata in conjunction with Playlist Playground. For example, after Apple Music generates a playlist, you can tell Apple's model to edit it by removing any songs released before 2016. Of course, you're also free to add and remove songs manually as you please. Once you're happy with your new playlist, Apple Music treats all Playlist Playground mixes like it does any other playlist, meaning you can save it to your Library, download for offline playback, play it from your Apple Watch and share it with friends and invite them to add songs. FAQ What Apple devices is Playlist Playground available on? As of the writing of this article, Playlist Playground is a beta release only available to Apple Music subscribers in the US with their preferred language set to English. An iPhone or iPad running iOS 26.4, or an Apple Vision headset running visionOS 26.4 is also required. As Apple releases the feature in more countries and languages, we'll update this article. Is Playlist Playground available on Android? Yes, if you use Apple Music on Android, Playlist Playground is available there too. How does Playlist Playground work? When generating mixes, Playlist Playground pulls from both trending data and your personal listening history. Along with other AI-powered Apple Music features like AutoMix and Lyrics Translation, Playlist Playground runs as part of the Apple Music service. Thats one of the reasons Apple can offer it outside of Apple Intelligence-capable devices. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/how-to-use-apples-playlist-playground-to-make-ai-generated-mixes-134500610.html?src=rss

HBO Max finally launches in the UK and Ireland

Its been a long wait, but HBO Max has finally arrived in the UK and Ireland, rounding off the streaming services European expansion. Oscar-winners One Battle After Another and Sinners are both available to stream at launch, alongside Max Original shows like The Pitt . Season three of Euphoria arrives in April, and HBO Max is also home to mega-franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, both of which are celebrating their 25th anniversaries in 2026. Starting today, March 26, UK audiences can choose from three plans. Basic with Ads costs 5 per month, and offers all HBO shows and select Warner Bros. movies at 1080p, with movies that first stream on HBO Max after their theatrical release excluded. Then there's Standard with Ads for 6 per month, which includes those straight-from-theaters releases and 30 downloads at the same resolution. Both can stream on two devices at a time. For an ad-free experience you can purchase a Standard or Premium plan. The former has all titles available on two devices, up to 30 downloads and, obviously no ads. Finally, the most expensive 15 per month Premium plan allows streaming on four devices in up to 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos. You also get 100 offline downloads on this tier. Eligible Sky TV customers will automatically have HBO Basic with Ads rolled into their packages at no extra cost, thanks to an expanded partnership between Sky and Warner Bros. Discovery. This extends to NOW Entertainment subscribers, who will find HBO Max integrated into the NOW app. HBO Max is also now home to TNT Sports in the UK, which streams over 50 matches in the Premier League, as well as being home to the UEFA Champions League and various other sporting competitions, including MotoGP and the Tour de France. HBO Max launches in the UK as Warner Bros Discovery sets a date for the shareholder vote on its merger with Paramount Skydance, which was finally agreed last month. Netflix was paid a $2.8 billion fee for breaking up its initial well-documented deal to buy the historic studio. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/hbo-max-finally-launches-in-the-uk-and-ireland-133406342.html?src=rss

March Madness 2026: How to watch the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight this weekend

Its time to lock in those brackets. The 2026 NCAA basketball tournaments, affectionately known as March Madness , begin this week. In fact, some of the action on the mens side starts tonight. Both the mens and womens tournaments are available to stream through various apps and services, but navigating the web of broadcasters and TV channels can be confusing. Weve broken down when all the games are happening, where to watch and the best options for saving some cash doing so. What does the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight start? The mens NCAA Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 begins on Thursday, March 26 with four of the eight games. The first game begins at 7:10PM ET with the others following at 7:30PM ET, 9:45PM ET and 10:05PM ET. A similar schedule is expected for the second slate of Sweet 16 games on Friday, March 27. The Elite Eight will then follow on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 with two games each day. Start times havent been announced for those just yet. On the womens side, everything is offset by a day. The first four Sweet 16 games take place on Friday, March 27 at 2:30PM ET, 5:00PM ET, 7:30PM ET and 10:00PM ET. The second set of matchups follows on Saturday, March 28 at 12:30PM ET, 3:00PM ET, 5:00PM ET and 7:30PM ET. The Elite Eight matchups are on Sunday, March 29 and Monday, March 30 with two games each day, but start times havent been announced for those. Heres the full schedule for each tournament: 2026 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament First Four: March 17-18 First round: March 19-20 Second round: March 21-22 Sweet 16: March 26-27 Elite Eight: March 28-29 Final Four: April 4 Championship game: April 6 2026 Womens NCAA Basketball Tournament First Four: March 18-19 First round: March 20-21 Second round: March 22-23 Sweet 16: March 27-28 Elite Eight: March 29-30 Final Four: April 3 Championship game: April 5 How to stream the 2026 Mens NCAA Tournament Jacob Kupferman via Getty Images CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery share the broadcast rights to the mens tournament, so TV coverage will be spread across four networks. During the course of March Madness, games will air on CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV, with the final rounds and championship game landing on TBS. If you already have a paid TV plan (such as traditional cable), a good way to watch the mens tournament is with the March Madness Live app or website. There's a big catch though: CBS games aren't available in the app. That means this is really only a good option through the Elite Eight. Once you log in with your TV provider credentials, you can watch games on the other networks in one spot with features like multiview (up to four games at once) and a Fast Break stream that covers all the in-progress games in one spot. The app also offers ways to follow your bracket, if you filled it out on MarchMadness.com. And when youre watching on desktop, the crucial Boss Button will throw up a fake work screen to keep your job safe. In addition to your laptop or phone, March Madness Live is also available on Amazon devices, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, macOS, Google Play, LG smart TVs, Roku and Xbox consoles. The most affordable option to watch every game is to actually use two services. Its not ideal, I know, but it will save you a lot of money. HBO Maxs Basic plan is $11/month and gives you access to live games from TNT, TBS and truTV with three-game multiview (46 games total). That includes the Final Four and National Championship as those three games are on TBS this year. If you splurge for a pricier plan ($23/month), you can stream games in Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos surround sound. For the CBS games, youll need a Paramount+ Premium subscription that costs $14/month ($6 for two months for new users). So, with this best price scenario, streaming all of the mens tournaments will cost $25 across two apps. A live TV service like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV is over $80 more per month at full price, but they would offer you all the games in the mens tournament in one place. YouTube TV is currently on sale for $60/month for the first two months after a free 10-day trial. Hulu + Live TV now includes Disney+ and ESPN Select, hence its higher price. How to stream the 2026 Womens NCAA Tournament Joe Buglewicz via Getty Images While Warner Brothers Discovery owns the rights to the mens NCAA Tournament, ESPN has the womens bracket locked down. Every game of the womens tournament will be spread across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS, including the First Four matchups. The Final Four will be on ESPN, but the championship game will air on ABC. All three of those culminating games will stream on ESPN+ (and in the ESPN app) as MegaCast feeds. ESPN says the MegaCasts are available in two options. First, Beyond the Rim provides an aerial camera angle with the main commentary and replays, plus the addition of enhanced stats. On the Rail shows you game action the full length of the floor. This feed will offer natural sound and replays. Since ESPN+ wont get every game, its not an option if you want to watch the entire tournament. However, since last years March Madness, Disney debuted standalone offerings for ESPN. The most affordable option here is ESPN Select which includes womens college basketball and costs $13/month. You could also opt for a live-TV streaming service like Sling , YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV for a comprehensive experience. Sling is the cheapest of these, with the requisite Orange and Sports Extra plan costing $57 (Sling is currently offering a discount on the first month of Orange). YouTube and Hulu live TV options are both more expensive at over $80/month (YouTube TV currently discounted to $60 for the first two months), so its a matter of which set of content and features you like best. YouTube TV offers a handy multiview tool so you can watch up to four games at once, but Hulu + Live TV comes with Disney+ and ESPN Select for that cost. Once you have a TV plan that includes the ESPN family of networks, the ESPN app is the best place to watch the tournament. The mix of scores and info, along with multiview streaming for up to four games at a time on Apple TV and Xbox, make the app a well-equipped conduit for the womens tournament. The March Madness website only shows scores and news for the womens tournament. None of the womens games will be available for streaming live on the website. Are any of the March Madness games available to stream for free? Michael Reaves via Getty Images Without a TV provider login, you can watch all of the games broadcast on CBS on the March Madness website and mobile apps. Sure, its a small sample of the tournament, but its completely free and a good option for casual fans who dont have a paid TV plan they can exploit for more of the action. Its also a good way to watch the first round at work, if your company hasnt blocked streaming sites, or if you can discreetly watch on your phone. For the womens tournament, there arent any games available for free. Unless you have an old-school OTA antenna, that is, in which case you can watch womens games on ABC (and mens games on CBS) without any kind of streaming plan. Of course, as this is a streaming guide published in 2026, Id consider an antenna an extraordinary move. If you were hoping to use a free trial period to watch March Madness, Ive got bad news. None of them will last long enough to cover the entire tournament. Some services dont offer a free trial at all, but the longest is YouTube TV at 10 days. Sadly, that wont even get you through the second weekend. What if I want to stream both the mens and womens tournaments? If youre hoping to stream all of the mens and womens NCAA tournaments, I hope you ordered Samsungs eight-TV bundle . In terms of streaming services, just jump straight to a live-TV option like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. I prefer the former because of its multiview feature. At times when there are multiple games that you want to watch, especially during the first two rounds, youll want multiview in order to keep tabs on all of the action. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/march-madness-2026-how-to-watch-the-sweet-16-and-elite-eight-this-weekend-154903032.html?src=rss

Sonos Play review: The company's best portable speaker so far

Its been a rough couple of years for Sonos. In mid-2024, the company released a redesigned and thoroughly busted update to its app, which Sonos owners need to set up new products, manage their speaker groups, play music and access a host of other crucial features. The fallout from that was far-reaching the company replaced its CEO, canceled a few planned products and released no new hardware in 2025. The Sonos Play, announced earlier this month , is the companys reset button, a way to remind people what the company does well. The Play is a portable speaker that sits between the $499 Sonos Move 2 (which is large, expensive and extremely loud) and the $179 Roam 2 (the cheapest Sonos speaker and tiny enough to bring anywhere). The $299 Play sits right in the middle of the companys portable lineup in both size and price and after spending a few weeks listening to it, I think its a very smart addition to the collection. Thanks to its impressive sound quality, versatility and portability, the Play is immediately one of the best speakers Sonos sells. The timing couldnt be better, either, with warmer weather finally on the way. Feature set Like all other Sonos speakers, the Play is a Wi-Fi smart speaker that can stream audio from dozens of services; you can also play content on it via AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth. The USB-C port on the back also lets you connect to turntables, CD players and other audio devices via a line-in dongle, or you can also use that port for an Ethernet connection (again with the corresponding dongle). Finally, you can also control the Play via Amazon Alexa or the Sonos Voice Assistant. And like the Roam, the Play is IP67 rated for water and dust resistance. Thats all standard fare at this point, but I appreciate that Sonos included Ethernet and line-in capabilities, two things the Roam doesnt support. It makes the Play a much more versatile option for being a centerpiece of your indoor setup as well as something you can take on the go. And since the Play comes with a wireless charging base, its easy to keep it charged up during indoor duty and equally simple to just grab it and go without fussing with cables. (Strangely enough, it does not come with a power adapter, so youll need to provide your own USB-C brick.) The real panel of the Sonos Play. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Physically, the Play reminds me of the Sonos Era 100 with its width squished down to make it more portable. Unsurprisingly, it comes in the same white and black color options; I had been hoping for a few more options like the vibrant Roam colors. The one touch of color youll see is on the light green grab loop attached to the back; you can remove it if youre not a fan. At 7.6 inches, its slightly taller than the Era 100, but its much thinner and lighter. Based on the initial product renders, I expected the Play to be larger than it is in reality, but it feels quite compact and easy to move around. Its not a throw in your bag and forget it speaker like the Roam, but its far more portable than the Move. The Move is a speaker Id really only use in my house or in the backyard, whereas Id toss the Play into a backpack and take with me unless I really needed to save space or weight. The Era 100 (left) and the Play (right). Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Side view of the Sonos Era 100 and Play. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Its diminutive size is even more impressive when you consider the audio components Sonos packed inside. The Play features a speaker array nearly identical to that of the larger Era 100. It has two tweeters angled at 90 degrees for some stereo separation, along with a mid-woofer and two passive radiators for bass performance. The passive radiators are unique to the Play, specifically included to help bass levels in settings where there arent walls for the sound to reflect off of like anywhere outside you might take a portable speaker. Two Sonos Play speakers paired in stereo. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Audio quality The Plays flexibility only matters if it sounds good. Fortunately, Sonos has never struggled with producing a speaker thats a pleasure to listen to, and the Play certainly fits the bill. My top-level and unscientific analysis is that the Play sounds nearly as good as the Era 100 , an impressive feat considering its comparatively small frame. I tested a single Play speaker as well as a stereo pair in my small office, where I typically listen to music through a stereo pair of Era 100 speakers. I also used them in stereo on my larger and more open first floor, both streaming music and playing on my turntable via the line-in jack. Finally, I got to test them outside on my deck on a few lovely early Spring days that the Boston area was graced with recently. I used the auto Trueplay tuning feature throughout; it uses the Plays built-in microphone to optimize audio for whenever youve placed the speaker. Sonos has offered various versions of Trueplay for over a decade now and it consistently makes its speakers sound better. And given you dont have to do the old wave your phone around the room method to use Trueplay, theres really no reason not to have it on. While in my office, I did a lot of A/B testing of the Era 100 vs. the Play, typically playing Apple Music lossless via the Sonos app, but I also tried AirPlay and Spotify Connect as well as other music services including YouTube Music and Bandcamp. The biggest differences I noticed between the two speakers are the Era 100 is louder and has a more pronounced mid-range. The Play comparatively feels like its EQ is scooped, and it just isnt quite as loud at the same volume level. The Play also doesnt maintain quality quite as well through the full volume range I wouldnt say that it got distorted when I was playing it at 75 percent volume, but its not as clear as the Era 100 either. These differences I mostly only noticed when I was flipping back and forth between the two speakers when I just sat back and listened, I was extremely happy with the Plays sound. When listening to a single Play, the angled tweeters did provide a small degree of stereo separation when things were hard-panned to the left or right channels. For example, the backing vocals in the chorus of Soundgardens Black Hole Sun jump from one channel to the other, and I did pick up on that effect. Top controls on the Sonos Play. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget The Play sounds very well-balanced and neutral, capable of reproducing songs without over-emphasizing any particular frequency. My usual listening habits include a ton of 90s-era alternative and more modern indie rock, plus some modern pop and the occasional film or video game score, and the Play sounded great across the board. Daughters Be On Your Way is an atmospheric track juggling strings, electronic underpinnings, reverb-drenched guitar and a gorgeous vocal track, and all those elements shined here. The dance-influenced beats of Nine Inch Nails Less Than had appropriate thump and power behind them, and Stay Down by Boygenius sounded great, whether it was the acoustic-tinged intro or the layered, full-band climax. Heavier fare like Metallicas Battery and Tools Fear Inoculum hit with the appropriate intensity as well, particularly when I was running two Play speakers in stereo. My go-to film score for these kinds of tests is Howard Shores Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , and its often the case that doesnt sound as majestic on smaller speakers. But the Play did a great job with the intricate orchestral arrangements that jump between delicately intimate moments and full-throated majesty the first song Glamdring has all these elements in less than four minutes, and it sounded excellent. I also love Gustavo Santaolallas score for The Last of Us with its tortured strings and host of organic acoustic sounds alongside unsettling electronics, and all its various elements were faithfully conveyed here. The line-in connection on the Sonos Play. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Using the speakers line-in capabilities with a USB-C to 3.5mm audio input worked easily as well. The only real issue I noticed is that my particular turntables output meant I had to turn the Play up much louder than I would when streaming music, so its top volume level is much lower. That wasnt exactly a problem, but if you really want to push a lot of volume from a line-in source, this might not be the speaker for you. I was also worried that Id switch from line-in to streaming and forget to adjust the volume down, but the speaker is smart enough to re-adjust from the line-in volume down to wherever it was set previously. While the Play isnt the loudest speaker out there, it has plenty of power when outside. I set the volume to around 60 and walked from my porch to the sidewalk and could still faintly hear the music (though not loud enough to be too offensive to passers-by or neighbors). Back up on the deck, the Play maintained its detailed profile despite the lack of surfaces for the sound to reflect off. It feels like a great device to have playing in the background when youre entertaining outdoors, but something like the Move 2 will do better if you want music to be the centerpiece of a gathering. The Plays Wi-Fi connection is strong enough that I didnt need to switch to Bluetooth when I was outside, but its simple to use if you need it. Theres a dedicated Bluetooth button on the back; pressing it turns it on, while holding puts the speaker in pairing mode. Bluetooth is probably the easiest way to give someone else control over your Sonos system. If you start streaming music to it, you can then group other speakers with the Play to get those tunes anywhere in the house without having to give a guest access to your Sonos system. The Sonos Play and its charging base. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Sonos included a new Bluetooth feature with the Play that theyre also bringing to the Move 2. If youre away from Wi-Fi and playing audio via Bluetooth, other Play or Move 2 speakers can join a group just by pressing and holding the play/pause button. This works with Play or Move 2 speakers that have previously been set up on the same Sonos system, and its as simple as it sounds. I just paired my phone to one speaker, started playing some music and then held the play/pause button on the second speaker to get them in sync. As for battery life, the Play is a huge step up over the Roams rather paltry 10-hour estimate. The Play is rated for up to 24 hours of playback, same as the Move 2, and I think Sonos just about hit that mark. I spent several work days playing music for eight-plus hours and the Plays battery only dropped about 30 percent each time. Your mileage may vary, but I think the Play has plenty of battery life considering its smaller size and given how easy it is to just drop on a charging base when youre done, I dont think most people will run its battery down too often. Sonos also made the battery in the Play user-replaceable, a good option to keep the speaker running for years to come. Side-by-side comparison of the Sonos Era 100 and Play. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Competition While there are loads of portable Bluetooth speakers out there, the Plays position as a Wi-Fi speaker that can group with others in a household as well as be used on-the-go with Bluetooth makes it a rather unique option. The $269 Bose SoundLink Plus sounds great, can be paired in stereo or grouped in party mode, and is a similar size as the Play. But its battery doesnt last as long and, more crucially, it only works via Bluetooth. Some people wont care, but I prefer the much wider variety of playback options that the Play provides. JBL also has a host of portable Bluetooth speakers, as well as Wi-Fi enabled options meant for home use but again, the combo of Wi-Fi playback and portability seems to be mainly limited to Sonos right now. As such, the main competition for the Play comes from Sonos itself, with the Move 2, Roam and Era 100 all offering different pluses and minuses depending on what youre looking for. Sonos Play speaker sitting outside. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Wrap-up If it isnt obvious, Im a pretty big fan of the Sonos Play. While its not quite as portable as the tiny Sonos Roam, it sounds significantly better than the smallest Sonos speaker while still being easy to carry around. Its probably the most versatile speaker in the Sonos lineup right now, and a smarter choice than the $499 Move 2 for most people. Unless you really need massive outdoor volume, the Play is the best portable Sonos speaker. The only catch is its price. $299 is fair when you consider its sound quality and feature set. But its also $80 more than the Era 100, or $110 more than the Era 100 SL (which drops the microphone but is otherwise identical to its more expensive counterpart). So youll have to decide how much portability is worth to you. For me, the Play is an excellent addition to my existing setup. But if youre likely to do most of your listening indoors, the Era 100 and its superior sound quality might make more sense. To be clear, thats not a knock against the Play. The latest Sonos speaker offers impressive sound quality, flexibility and portability, and its the kind of product that can help Sonos rebuild its reputation after its recent difficulties. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-play-review-the-companys-best-portable-speaker-so-far-130000688.html?src=rss

DJI Avata 360 drone review: 360 video hits new highs

After achieving action camera success, Insta360 invaded DJIs turf with the first mass-market panoramic drone, the Antigravity A1 . It had instant appeal for drone pilots, offering 8K 360 video and features like subject tracking, obstacle detection and FPV flying. Though beaten to the punch, DJI has responded quickly with the Avata 360, aided by its drone experience and camera tech from the new Osmo 360 action cam . It has a lot in common with its rival, but its safer to fly around people and offers single camera 4K footage on top of 8K 360 video. To find out how the Avata 360 stacks up against the A1, I tested it both indoors and out, around people and even stunt horses. The Avata 360 isnt perfect, but it is far more polished than its rival. As with other DJI drones of late, though, US availability remains unclear. How the Avata 360 works The 360 camera makes the Avata 360 different from any other DJI drone. It features two ultrawide cameras with f/1.9 lenses and 1.1-inch 64-megapixel sensors, with one pointing up and the other down for unobstructed 200-degree views. Those are then stitched together by software to create 360 degree video at up to 8K 60 fps. This setup fundamentally changes the way you pilot a drone and capture video. Since the 360 camera records everything around it, you can focus on flying and reframe shots later in DJIs Studio app. That 360 view is also handy when piloting in FPV mode. With the head tracking on DJIs Goggles N3, you can look all around you simply by turning your head. Unlike the Antigravity A1 that only shoots 360 video, the Avata 360 supports regular single-camera shooting as well. When you switch to that mode, the camera rotates forward and shoots 4K video at up to 60 fps with a 28mm field of view. DJIs drone also works with a regular controller, which isnt an option on the A1. You have to use the Insta360s goggles at all times. Design Because of the chunky 360 camera, the Avata 360 is slightly bigger than the Avata 2. Its also quite a bit heavier at 455 grams (one pound) and so, unlike the 249-gram Antigravity A1, youll need a permit to fly one in most regions. The Avata 360s propellers are shielded to protect the drone and keep it safe indoors or around people, unlike the open-prop A1. For additional protection it has two omni obstacle sensors on the side, a Lidar sensor up front, landing sensors on the bottom and, of course, a camera that points in all directions. To keep the lenses off of bare ground, it comes with a foldable 18x18-inch landing mat. DJIs Goggles N3 (available with the RC Motion 3 controller as an option) are comfortable and allow you to wear eyeglasses. Unlike the Goggles 3, though, theres no external camera to see outside. If youd rather pilot conventionally, you can get the Avata 360 bundled with DJIs RC 2 screen controller in another kit. Performance and features As an FPV drone, the Avata 360 is fast and agile. It can hit speeds up to 40 MPH in sport mode (without obstacle avoidance) or 35 MPH in normal mode. When used with the optional FPV Remote Controller 3, you can do flips, rolls and other cinewhoop style maneuvers. Once you get used to flying it that way, its incredibly fun. The 38.7Wh batteries have 26 percent more capacity than the Avata 2s cells, but rated endurance is about the same at 24 minutes. I never got more than about 18 minutes in real-world flying though, so its a good idea to buy the Fly More kit with three batteries and a fast charger that can replenish them all in about 100 minutes. Samuel Dejours for Engadget Part of my testing of the Avata 360 was capturing trick riding horses, so it was important that the drone noise didnt spook them. At 81db the Avata 360 is louder than the Mini 4 Pro (67 db) and less banshee-like than the Neo 2 due to the larger propellers, so the horses werent alarmed. Video is transmitted to the Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller (or the RC screen controller) at 1080p 60 fps via DJIs OcuSync 4.0+ system. The maximum flying range is 20 km (12.4 miles), double that of the Avata 2. This is an impressive distance for an FPV drone. The 45GB of internal storage (42GB usable) can fill up quickly when youre shooting 8K video, but the drone also has a microSD slot. To get your footage onto a PC or smartphone, you can transfer it via the USB-C port or over Wi-Fi using DJIs Fly app. The Avata 360 has DJIs usual tracking and obstacle detection features, but theyre available only with the RC 2 controller and not the Goggles N3. To follow a subject, simply draw a box around them on the controller to enable Focus Track and its three modes: Spotlight, Point of Interest and ActiveTrack. The latter tracks a subject automatically and lets you control the drones position via an on-screen steering wheel. Steve Dent for Engadget To test that, I biked in a narrow forested lane and walked around a bamboo-covered obstacle course. When using Focus Track, the drone dodged most obstacles and was only confused by small leaves and branches. If it did contact one of those, it sailed right through without crashing thanks to the propeller guards. Subject tracking works in both 360 and single camera modes, but when using the latter, The Avata 360 cant see and avoid obstacles behind it. It contacted branches several times during my testing, but fortunately the prop guards prevented crashes. Other automatic features include Dronie, Rocket and Quickshot modes that let you capture clips for social media. Video The Avata 360 prioritizes FPV freedom and flexibility over pure video quality. Though the specs promise 8K, that only applies to the full 360 degree video your final, flat video will actually be 4K or less after processing. And the 360 camera zooms digitally (not optically), which further reduces resolution. On top of that, you can often see a seam in the video where stitching occurs, and dewarping (used to output flat video) can create softness at the edges. With all that, video is less sharp than DJIs regular Mini, Air and Mavic drones. Because the camera is fixed when shooting 360 video, the Avata 360s gimbal cant smooth out jolts or correct for roll. Instead, it uses action cam-style electronic stabilization. Whats more, that type of smoothing causes motion blur and artifacts in low light due to the lower shutter speeds something I also noticed with the Osmo 360. Steve Dent for Engadget With that said, video quality was as sharp and color-accurate as the Osmo 360, and a touch better than the Antigravity A1 when filming in daylight. For tricky, contrasty conditions like a shaded path on a sunny day, the D-LogM option boosted dynamic range, helping me bring out shadow detail and tone down overly-bright highlights. However, the cityscape I shot at night was soft and occasionally blurry due to the aforementioned stabilization issues. In exchange for this lower video quality, the 360 camera provides incredible flexibility. For a vlog style tracking shot, for instance, I usually need to film twice to show the forward and backward directions. With the Avata 360, though, I was able to get both POVs from the same shot and output an overhead view too for good measure. DJI Studio is where you go to select your desired framing and output the flat video. Its not quite as versatile as Insta360s app, but it allows you to reframe shots and create smooth transitions between camera angles. And to save time, you can use the Intelligent Tracking feature to center your subject. The app also offers color correction and other features, but I found it easier to export the final shots to DaVinci Resolve for any additional work. Flat video a mixed bag. Sharpness is mildly better than the 360 video, but the lack of a gimbal roll axis means that the camera cant level itself when the drone banks into the wind. As a result, most of my footage was tilted and often unusable. Wrap-up Steve Dent for Engadget With the Avata 360, DJI has a surprisingly sophisticated drone that offers better video quality and more features than its only rival, Insta360s Antigravity A1. It can do everything youd expect from a DJI FPV drone like tracking, obstacle avoidance and acrobatics, while operating safely around people (or horses). DJI also managed to undercut Insta360 on price, with the Avata 360 starting at 459 euros (approx. $530), or 939 euros ($1,089) in a kit with a screen controller, three batteries and a charger. Its also available with the extra batteries and charger, DJIs FPV Goggles N3 and the RC Motion 3 controller for 939 euros ($1,089). As mentioned, theres no word yet on US pricing, but the Avata 360 has been approved by the FCC so it could appear in the US soon. Like 360 action cams though, this is a niche product. If youre a vlogger, extreme action shooter, FPV pilot or solo filmmaker who wants speed and flexibility, the Avata 360 is a great choice. If its pixel perfect image quality you want, however, youre better off with DJIs Mini 5 Pro, Air 3S or Avata 4 Pro drone. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-avata-360-drone-review-360-video-hits-new-highs-120014666.html?src=rss

OpenAI drops plans to release an adult chatbot

OpenAI has indefinitely abandoned plans to release an a erotic chatbot for adults following concerns from employees and investors, the company confirmed to The Financial Times . Plans for such a feature, first announced in October 2025 for release in December last year, had already been delayed while company debated whether to release it all. It's the second app OpenAI has decided to shelf this week, after announcing on Tuesday that it was shutting down its Sora video generator. The adult-oriented chatbot, reportedly called Citron mode, is now on hold with no planned release date. The company reportedly had difficulty training models that previously avoided erotic content and also removing illegal behavior like bestiality or incest, two people familiar with the matter told the FT . Open AI said that it wanted to conduct long-term research on the effects of erotic chats and user attachment to AI, adding that there was currently not yet enough empirical evidence on the subject. The company also said it wanted to focus on its core productivity tools like coding assistants and drop side quests like Sora and the erotic chatbot. The idea for adult features came after OpenAI announced that it would add parental controls and automatic age detection features for ChatGPT. CEO Sam Altman said back in October that the company had always been careful about such issues over concerns around unhealthy AI attachments, but felt comfortable that it could safely relax the restrictions in most cases. However, the adult mode had reportedly caused concern among investors, particularly amid the controversy caused by rival xAI's Grok model that generated deepfake nudes of real people and children. Staff also worried about the feature, with one senior employee even leaving the company over the issue. AI shouldnt replace your friends or your family; you should have human connections, he told the FT . Another challenge is OpenAI's age-checking tech, introduced following lawsuits from families who said that ChatGPT harmed their children. The tech reportedly has an error right higher than ten percent, which would still give a large number of young people access to the tech. OpenAI said that figure is in the industry standard range and that it is continuing to work on its accuracy. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-drops-plans-to-release-an-adult-chatbot-113121190.html?src=rss

Uber and Pony.ai are testing a robotaxi service for Europe

Uber and Chinese company Pony.ai are gearing up to launch a robotaxi service for Europe, starting with Zagreb in Croatia. The companies are working with Croatian company Verne, which will provide the service ecosystem and operational framework for the service. Theyre using Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles made by Beijing-based automaker BAIC Motor powered by Pony.ais Gen-7 autonomous driving system. Initially, the autonomous rides will be offered on Vernes app, but they will eventually be available through Uber. In their announcement, the companies said they have already started on-road testing in Zagreb, where the service will be available soon. Theyre hoping to expand it to other European cities in the future, and then to more markets, with the goal of deploying a fleet with thousands of robotaxis over the next few years. Verne will be in charge of securing regulatory approval for the rollouts, while Uber has agreed to invest in the Croatian company. This is but one of Ubers partnerships centering around its efforts to offer more and more driverless rides to its passengers. Just earlier this month, it announced that it was launching a pilot program for a robotaxi service in Tokyo in late 2026 with Nissan and UK self-driving startup Wayve. Uber also started offering robotaxi rides to passengers in Las Vegas at the same time. The fleet deployed in the city is made up of Hyundai Ioniq 5 autonomous EVs, developed in partnership with Motional. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-and-ponyai-are-testing-a-robotaxi-service-for-europe-104811944.html?src=rss

Oversight Board tells Meta expanding Community Notes outside of US poses 'significant' risks

Meta didn't consult its Oversight Board last year when it announced sweeping policy changes to content moderation and a rollback of third-party fact checking in the United States in favor of Community Notes. But the company did ask the board for advice on how to expand the crowd-sourced fact checks to other countries. Now the Oversight Board is publishing its advice to Meta. In a 15,000-word policy advisory opinion, the group urged Meta to be cautious with an international rollout, warning that an expansion of the program could pose significant human rights risks and contribute to tangible harms if safeguards are not put in place. The board, notably, was asked to weigh in on a fairly narrow set of questions, including how it should evaluate whether to withhold the feature in certain countries. Meta respectfully asked the Oversight Board to avoid general critiques about the system, which it has said is modeled after X. In its opinion, the Oversight Board said that Community Notes could enhance users freedom of expression and improve online discourse with enough safeguard. But it recommended Meta withhold the feature in countries with high polarization, as well as countries in the midst of a crisis or protracted conflict. The board also said that Meta should avoid countries with a history of organized disinformation networks, because the notes may be more easily manipulated in such places, and countries with linguistic complexity that Meta may be ill-equipped to understand. Depending on how you interpret that advice, that could exclude quite a few countries, though the board stopped short of making country-specific recommendations. Still, it raises questions about how closely Meta will follow the suggested guidelines. For example, the United States could be considered a country with high polarization. (Community Notes has been live in the US for more than a year.) While the Oversight Board was careful to say it neither endorses nor opposes an expansion of Community Notes, it did discuss Meta's approach to fact checking, noting that its partnerships with outside fact-checking organizations are still largely in place outside of the US. And the opinion cautions against ending these relationships, noting that research into Community Notes on X shows that authors writing notes often rely on work done by professional fact checkers. Community Notes and fact checking are not mutually exclusive, Oversight Board member Paolo Carozza tells Engadget. One doesn't have to replace or substitute for the other, they can coexist. And in some situations, there are really important reasons for them to coexist. The board really deliberately stayed away from any kind of suggestion that the introduction of Community Notes ought to result in the removal or ending of fact checking. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/oversight-board-tells-meta-expanding-community-notes-outside-of-us-poses-significant-risks-100000213.html?src=rss

PSA: T-Mobile customers have a week to sign up for a free year of MLB.TV

Today marks the start of the 2026 baseball season and in what has sort of become an annual tradition, T-Mobile is once again offering a free subscription to MLB.TV . In order to take advantage of the deal, T-Mobile customers simply need to log into the T Life app , navigate to the Benefits tab and then hit Redeem after clicking the banner for a free season of MLB.TV. From there, you just need to download the latest version of the MLB app to your mobile device and sign in or create an account. That said, this is a time-limited offer, so if you want the ability to stream regular season baseball for free, youll need claim the deal prior to March 31 at 4:59 AM ET. For anyone on a different carrier, this may be enough time to switch providers and still get in on the savings. Unfortunately, MLB.TV is subject to blackouts and market restrictions, so depending on where you live and where your favorite team is playing that day, you may not be able to catch every game. Sadly, this includes tonights 8:05 PM ET matchup between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants , which is streaming exclusively on Netflix. Even so, with a one-year subscription to MLB.TV currently going for $150, this is one of the best perks available from any of the big cellular carriers. In addition to full season of games, an MLB.TV subscription also includes access to a collection of baseball documentaries, game streams from previous years, World Series films, highlights, news and more. And with over 1.25 million customers having redeemed last years offer, this is potentially one of T-Mobiles biggest offers of the year, with the company claiming to have delivered more than $1 billion in savings since it first started running the promotion 10 years ago in 2016. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/psa-t-mobile-customers-have-a-week-to-sign-up-for-a-free-year-of-mlbtv-211306444.html?src=rss

Razer's new Blade 16 has Intel's latest chips and ultra-fast RAM

After leaning into some questionable AI antics at CES 2026, Razer is making some altogether more practical updates to its 16-inch laptop by giving it newer chips and faster RAM. The new Razer Blade 16 features Intel's new Core Ultra chips and speedy LPDDR5X-9600 MHz RAM, and is available to order today for $3,500. The Razer Blade 16 is designed to split the difference between the portable Razer Blade 14 and the monstrous Razer Blade 18, mostly by being thin but offering improved performance. Razer says the 2026 Blade 16 is 0.59 inches (14.9mm) at its thinnest point, which matches the thinness of the 2025 Blade 16 . The laptop also has a similar 16-inch QHD+, 240Hz OLED screen to last year's model, though the company says it's 100 nits brighter than before. Port selection also remains respectable: the laptop includes three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a Thunderbolt 5 port, a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port and a UHS-II SD card reader. Razer The real notable upgrade is Razer's switch from AMD Ryzen chips to new Intel Core Ultra 9 386H chips on the 2026 Razer Blade 16. The new Core Ultra chips are some of Intel's first processors made with its new 18A process and pitched as the company's comeback. Razer says the new chip es 16 cores and an integrated NPU that provides up to 50 TOPS for things like image generation and live translation, which the Razer Blade 16 supports natively as a Copilot+PC . The efficiency of the new chip also contributes to the laptops up to 15 hours of battery life. Of course, if you want power, the Razer Blade 16 has it: the laptop includes NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs and up to 64Gb of LPDDR5X-9600MHz RAM, which should give the Razer Blade 16 plenty of pep for games. Hardware upgrades don't come cheap, and the higher $3,500 starting price of the Razer Blade 16 which includes 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and a GeForce RTX 5080 GPU at a minimum is likely reflective of the growing cost of memory and storage that's already negativelyimpacting the PC industry. The Razer Blade 16 is available to purchase now through Razers website. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/razers-new-blade-16-has-intels-latest-chips-and-ultra-fast-ram-185858799.html?src=rss

YouTube is bringing affiliate shopping features to more creators

YouTube creators can start making money earlier in their careers. On Wednesday, the company said it's reducing the Shopping affiliate program subscriber threshold from 1,000 to 500. The affiliate program launched in 2022, allowing creators to earn kickbacks when viewers buy products tagged in their videos. It applies to YouTube Shorts, VOD and Live content. Creators will still need to meet the YouTube Partner Program's other requirements to reap the benefits. Perhaps not a coincidence, the move comes only a day after Meta added shopping links to Reels . Creators on Facebook and Instagram can now link to up to 30 distinct products from marketplace partners in a single video. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/youtube-is-bringing-affiliate-shopping-features-to-more-creators-183927027.html?src=rss

Jury rules against Meta and YouTube in social media addiction case

A jury in Los Angeles has found that Meta and YouTube were negligent in a closely-watched trial over social media addiction. The companies were ordered to pay $3 million in damages to the woman who said she was harmed by their addictive features as a child. The case was brought by a 20-year-old woman, named in court documents as K.G.M, who sued Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap, saying that she had been harmed by the platforms as a child due to addictive features. TikTok and Snap reached a settlement ahead of the trial. According to NBC News , Meta was ordered to pay 70 percent of the $3 million in compensatory damages with YouTube taking on the remaining portion. Punitive damages have not yet been decided. We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options, a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. We disagree with the verdict and plan to appeal., Google spokesperson Jos Castaeda said in a statement. This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site. The weeks-long trial has been closely watched because it's the first of many court cases in which plaintiffs have argued that social media platforms harmed minors due to how they were designed. Meta's lawyers and executives have disputed the idea that social media should be considered an addiction. CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified that the company wants Instagram to be useful, and repeatedly accused the plaintiff's lawyer of mischaracterizing his past statements. This is the first time in history a jury has heard testimony by executives and seen internal documents that we believe prove these companies chose profits over children, Joseph VanZandt, one of K.G.M.s lawyers, said in a statement to The New York Times, For Meta, it's the second legal setback in as many days. The verdict comes one day after a jury in New Mexico ruled against Meta in a trial over child safety issues. The company was ordered to pay $375 million in penalties ; the company said it would appeal. Update, March 25, 2026, 11:22AM PT: Added a statement from Google. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/jury-rules-against-meta-and-youtube-in-social-media-addiction-case-181344860.html?src=rss

Here's your first look at For All Mankind spinoff Star City

Apples excellent For All Mankind might be wrapping up after its recently confirmed sixth season, but as one big-budget alt-history sci-fi show departs, another is born. Apple TV has just dropped the first teaser for Star City , which focuses on the reimagined space race of the 1960s from the Soviet perspective. ICYMI, For All Mankind has been running for nearly five seasons now (the fifth arrives later this week), with its debut season in 2019 asking, what if Russia had beaten America to the moon? For All Mankind has jumped a number of decades ahead since then, but Star City returns us to that initial premise, taking us behind the Iron Curtain to see how the Soviet Union orchestrated its fictional historical triumph. The brief teaser doesnt show us much in the way of plot, but you straight away get what vibe the streamer is going for with a show it describes as a propulsive paranoid thriller. We also get a look at some of the cast, which includes House of the Dragon s Rhys Ifans, Anna Maxwell Martin and Agnes OCasey. Interestingly, Star City s two-episode premiere lands on Apple TV on May 29, right after the finale of For All Mankind season 5, which takes place in the 2010s. That could make for a pretty jarring backwards time jump if you watch both seasons back to back, but nobody can say that Apple isnt serving its sci-fi audience. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/heres-your-first-look-at-for-all-mankind-spinoff-star-city-174359587.html?src=rss

Google's Lyria 3 Pro can now generate AI music (slop) up to 3 minutes in length

Google just introduced Lyria 3 Pro , an updated version of its AI model that generates songs based on prompts. The biggest improvement here is the ability to make full three-minute songs, up from 30 seconds when the product launched last month . The tool also brings a lot more customization into the mix. Users can now prompt the model to create specific elements within a song, like intros, verses, choruses and bridges. Google says Lyria 3 Pro better understands musical composition when compared to the previous model and that it's great for experimenting with different styles or generating songs with complex transitions. It's already available for paid Gemini users and for enterprise customers on Vertex AI. Additionally, developers have access to the tool via the Gemini API and Google AI Studio. The company is also integrating it into Google Vids , an AI-based video-generation platform. Google says that responsibility was foundational when designing and training this model, so it only uses materials that the company has actual rights to. Additionally, all Lyria 3 Pro outputs are embedded with SynthID, which is a watermark for identifying AI-generated content . That's all well and good, but do we need yet another AI music-making tool? Current estimates suggest that around 50,000 AI-generated tracks get uploaded daily to Spotify alone. The platform had to delete, and this is not a typo, 75 million of these tracks last year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-lyria-3-pro-can-now-generate-ai-music-slop-up-to-3-minutes-in-length-172738752.html?src=rss

Meta lays off hundreds of workers, including more from Reality Labs

Meta is laying off more employees. Of the hundreds of cuts made on Wednesday, the Reality Labs division is one of the prime recipients. The layoffs come a day after news broke that Meta executives (sans Mark Zuckerberg) could be set for windfalls of up to $2.7 billion each under new pay packages. Today's cuts of hundreds fall well short of its reported 20 percent workforce reduction plans that leaked earlier this month. At the end of 2025, Meta's workforce stood at around 79,000 people. However, this could simply be a smaller initial round before the larger cuts come into play. Earlier in March, Meta reportedly asked some managers to prepare cost-cutting plans. The company is looking to offset its costly AI infrastructure investments, which include a plan to spend $600 billion on data centers by 2028. YouTube / Meta The layoffs are also said to affect Meta's recruiting, sales, Facebook and global operations divisions. But the Reality Labs cuts further illustrate how the company's VR and metaverse bets failed to pay off. Todays cuts follow layoffs in January that shed over 1,000 jobs from the division, which has lost over $70 billion since the beginning of 2021. Now, despite the 2021 rebranding that pivoted from social media to the metaverse, Zuckerberg now increasingly views Meta as an AI titan . In January, the CEO forecast the AI world Big Tech is creating when he said he was beginning to see projects that used to require big teams now [being] accomplished by a single very talented person. That sure sounds peachy for the dwindling few reaping the benefits. Those farther down the food chain may have different thoughts. Speaking of that sweet, sweet C-suite life, Meta is taking a page from Tesla's Elon Musk pay package . SEC filings reveal that the company is planning a lucrative new incentive system for six executives: CTO Andrew Bosworth, CFO Susan Li, COO Javier Olivan and CPO Chris Cox. They're set to receive more stock-based compensation tied to performance. Bosworth, Cox, Li and Olivan could reportedly be looking at bounties of up to $2.7 billion apiece. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-lays-off-hundreds-of-workers-including-more-from-reality-labs-171536879.html?src=rss

The Afeela 1 came too late and now is gone too soon

One of the most overly hyped, unfortunately named and curiously positioned cars has been officially killed . It's the Afeela 1, better known as the PlayStation Car, and it was meant to be an ultimate intersection of personal mobility and digital media. It is, instead, dead, killed by a combination of headwinds that even the most pessimistic of mobility analysts couldn't have foreseen when it was first revealed six years ago. That said, the six year interval might have been the biggest blow to the Afeela 1's chances. How did we get here? What was to become the Afeela 1 debuted at CES 2020 as the Sony Vision S , a car that made headlines not so much for the way it looked (it was pretty plain) or the way it was supposed to drive (Sony didn't really talk feel). It was notable simply because it was a car from a company best known for TVs that looked amazing and video game consoles that were impossible to find. A few years later, Sony paired up with Honda to show that this wasn't just a Gran Turismo fantasy made manifest. This was going to be an actual production car. In 2025, it was given a price tag: $100,000, along with a maximum range of about 300 miles. With cars like the Lucid Air already on the road, going 400 miles on a charge and costing less, Afeela 1 looked out of date well before it entered production. Back then, I said it was already shaping up to be a PS4 in a PS5 era , and a year later, the unveiling of a slightly taller SUV version didn't exactly shift the fates in the Afeela's favor. That incredibly long rollout, teasing a car for six full years, was pretty damning, but that was far from the only factor in the demise of the Afeela 1. A geopolitical EV catastrophe The interior display is one of a few interesting aspects of the Afeela 1. Tim Stevens for Engadget Back in 2020, the future was looking electrified. Manufacturers around the world were gearing up for an anticipated European ban on internal combustion by 2035, many of them promising to have fully electrified fleets years ahead of schedule. Government incentives were generous, free chargers were popping up all over the place, and the global cheerleader for emissions-free motoring, Elon Musk, was still mostly respectable. In the years that followed, everything fell apart, especially here in the US. Electric cars became a political firestorm, with Trumps campaign taking every opportunity to decry them. Our federal rebates were scrapped, incentives for charger deployments were terminated and suddenly, the global automotive landscape became mired in a turbulent web of tariffs that shifted with the winds of hot air billowing around Washington. EVs were now seen as an incredible folly by a considerable percentage of American consumers. The CEO of the world's largest EV manufacturer goose-stepping along to the beat didn't help. What was a market ripe for electrified innovation in 2020 turned into a mobility landmine by 2026. Autonomy when? Afeela 1 Tim Stevens for Engadget One of the key selling points of the Afeela 1 was to be Sony deploying the full might of its digital empire onto four wheels. PlayStation gaming on the go! High definition movies in the dashboard! Ratchet & Clank on a weird little LCD on your bumper for some reason! This was exciting stuff back in 2020 because autonomous cars were right around the corner. Waymo was doing incredible things, others were hot on its heels, and a significant chunk of industry analysts were predicting that hands-off, eyes-closed autonomy would be a tick of a box on vehicle configurators in just a few years' time. Fast-forward to 2026 and, in many ways, we're no closer to that dream. Sure, we have a number of hands-off driver assistance systems available today, some more aspirationally named than others, but there are no mass-market, eyes-off autonomy systems on American roads. That means the inclusion of Sony's media empire isn't quite the flex it was. Sure, your kids in the back seat can have a hell of a time, but chances are they already have enough devices to keep them well entertained without you having to drop six figures on a new car from a new company with a funny name. The intangibles Afeela 1 Another key strike against the Afeela 1 was that it, quite simply, didn't look very good. That first Vision concept had a few striking lines about it. But by the time Sony Honda Mobility came about, they'd all been ironed out. A white, featureless sedan is something that's hard for anyone to get excited about. Not every car needs to be exciting to behold, but the Afeela 1 didn't really deliver in other regards. I've sat in a few different versions of prototypes, and while they were all nice enough, none held a candle to the sorts of posh appointments you'd expect were you to drop $100,000 on a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW. Sony was really betting on the car's media chops to deliver value to its hardcore fans, but there are plenty of amazing-sounding cars on the road today, cars that look better and cost less than the Afeela 1 would have. Sony cachet simply wasn't enough. Honda's cold feet Honda 0 Series EV Honda The final death knell of the Afeela 1 came at the hands of Honda. While the Afeela 1 was born of a Sony dream, it was to be produced in partnership with Honda. When I met with Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe last year, he was already getting cool on the company's American EV prospects. The volume initially will probably be less than we had envisioned earlier, he said. Since then, Honda took things further, canceling its 0 Series EVs . That struck me as a real shame . Where the Afeela 1 looked anonymous and was set to cost too much, the 0 Series machines were stunning and intended to be affordable. They had a real chance. Their death effectively ripped the platform right out from under the Afeela 1. It's conceivable that Sony could take its content, car and characters to a new platform, and indeed, the press release on the cancellation of the Afeela 1 leaves the door open, saying: SHM will continue discussions with Sony and Honda regarding its future business plans. But, that seems extremely unlikely to me. So the Afeela 1 is dead, and so too is the dream of the PlayStation car. If you've read my coverage of the thing in the past, you know that I was never bullish on it. Pessimistic is closer to the truth, yet I still feel incredibly bad about this turn of events. I spoke with and interviewed a fair few Sony Honda Mobility employees over the years, and all were extremely excited about what they were building. And why not? They were trying to do something new, a radically different experience in a wholly new car from a wholly new brand. Thats not something that comes along very often. Sadly, the Afeela 1 will go down in history as a lesson of exactly why that is. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/the-afeela-1-came-too-late-and-now-is-gone-too-soon-164845008.html?src=rss

Supreme Court rules ISPs aren't liable for subscribers' music piracy

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on March 25 that Cox Communications is not liable for copyright infringement committed by its subscribers, reversing a 2024 appeals court decision that had upheld the ISP's liability. Sony Music Entertainment and other major labels sued Cox in 2018, arguing the company failed to terminate internet service for subscribers repeatedly flagged for pirating copyrighted music. A jury awarded $1 billion in statutory damages after finding Cox willfully infringed all 10,017 copyrighted works at issue, though this was overturned on appeal and a new trial was ordered. Writing for the court, Justice Clarence Thomas said a provider is not liable for merely providing a service to the general public with knowledge that it will be used by some to infringe copyrights. A provider is liable only if it intended or actively encouraged the infringement, Thomas wrote. The decision applies the same framework the court used in 2005 when it found file-sharing service Grokster liable for promoting piracy. Cox serves approximately six million subscribers and contractually prohibits them from using their connections to distribute copyrighted content. A firm enlisted by the labels to track piracy sent Cox 163,148 infringement notices over a roughly two-year period. Cox terminated just 32 subscribers for copyright infringement during that span. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/supreme-court-rules-isps-arent-liable-for-subscribers-music-piracy-163412791.html?src=rss

Spotify is testing a tool to help real artists deal with AI slop on their profiles

Low-quality, mass-produced AI songs have been flooding music streaming platforms like Spotify for a couple of years now. This is annoying, but relatively easy for fans to avoid. However, it leads to real problems for artists. There's so much slop coming in that some gets falsely attributed to actual musicians on these platforms. This messes with brand identity and audience retention, but Spotify is testing a new tool to help real artists exercise more control over their profiles. The platform's Artist Profile Protection feature lets musicians review releases before they go live and become associated with their profiles. Spotify This should prevent AI slop from creeping in, as the actual artist will have final say when 100 new songs show up out of the blue that sort of sound like them but with all of that pesky soul removed. It's in beta right now and if an artist denies a track, it won't be associated with their profile, won't contribute to stats and won't show up in user recommendations. This looks to be a simple and potentially effective solution to an ongoing problem . Music has been landing on the wrong artist pages across streaming services, and the rise of easy-to-produce AI tracks has made the problem worse, Spotify wrote in a blog post. We know how frustrating this can be for both artists and fans alike. This comes just a week after Sony requested the removal of more than 135,000 AI-generated songs from Spotify after it was discovered the tracks were impersonating real artists. This even happens to bands that have opted out of Spotify entirely. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard left the platform last year , to protest CEO Daniel Ek's investment in a weapons manufacturing company, but a deepfake artist quickly filled the vacuum . Some of this isn't malicious. It's a numbers game for the creators of these tracks. Statistics vary, but it's been estimated that around 50,000 AI-generated songs get uploaded to Spotify each and every day. The platform deleted 75 million of these tracks last year. With this many uploads, it's easy for tracks to accidentally end up on the wrong artist's profile. Bad actors looking to attach their slop to a known quantity compounds the issue. In any event, it's good that Spotify is doing something about this . We don't know when the tool will exit the beta phase and become available for all artists on the platform. That day can't come soon enough. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/spotify-is-testing-a-tool-to-help-real-artists-deal-with-ai-slop-on-their-profiles-161013653.html?src=rss

Sony's upcoming Bravia 3 II is a mid-range LED TV available in sizes up to 100 inches

Sony just revealed the upcoming Bravia 3 II mid-range LED TV. It'll be available in sizes all the way up to 100 inches, for those in need of a home theater centerpiece. It's considered a mid-range device, but is still outfitted with plenty of tech typically reserved for the company's high-end displays. First of all, these TVs ship with Sony's XR processor . This grants access to the company's proprietary Clear Image algorithm, auto HDR tone mapping and more. It's nice to see these features expand beyond flagship products. The 4K LED display supports Dolby Vision, Atmos and DTS:X, with refresh rates up to 120Hz. It also features four HDMI 2.1 ports, so you can hook up a Switch 2, a PS5 and an Xbox Series X all at the same time with a port to spare. The software here is integrated with Google Gemini, allowing for all kinds of voice commands. Finally, the TVs ship with Sony's new Inclusive Remote Control, which has been designed for accessibility. The Bravia 3 II line will start showing up at retailers this spring. Prices start at $600 for a 43-inch model and go all the way up to $3,100 for that 100-inch monstrosity. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sonys-upcoming-bravia-3-ii-is-a-mid-range-led-tv-available-in-sizes-up-to-100-inches-160002697.html?src=rss

Sony adds the Bravia Theater Bar 5 and Bar 7 to its soundbar lineup

Sony already has a robust collection of soundbars in its Bravia Theater lineup . Today, the company is adding two more, as well as new rear speakers and three new subwoofers. The Bar 7 will sit in Sonys premium tier, alongside the existing (and larger) Bar 8 and Bar 9 models, while the Bar 5 will offer a more compact and more affordable solution just below the current Bar 6. The Bravia Theater Bar 7 utilizes nine total drivers to produce Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and IMAX Enhanced sound. More specifically, that arrangement includes three woofers, two tweeters, two up-firing units and two side-firing drivers, in addition to four passive radiators. Compare that to the Bar 8 and Bar 9 which house 11 speakers and 13 speakers respectively. Sony says the Bar 7 has new two-way front speakers and the center, up-firing and side-firing drivers all have the companys oval-shaped X-Balanced design. In terms of features, you get Sonys 360 Spatial Sound Mapping and Sound Field Optimization for more immersive audio performance. The Bar 7 will come bundled with Sonys new Bravia Theater Sub 7 for $870, but you can also purchase it without the subwoofer (pricing TBA). For a more robust system, the Bar 7 can be paired with the companys Bravia Theater Rear speakers. Sony Bravia Theater Sub 7 Sony Speaking of subwoofers, Sony debuted three new models today. The aforementioned Sub 7 is the smallest, employing a 5.1-inch driver for the low-end tone. Move up to the new Sub 8 and you get a 7.9-inch driver for enhanced atmosphere, clearer bass, according to the company. The largest of the new options is the Sub 9 which has two opposing 7.9-inch drivers for powerful, clean bass. Unfortunately, these add-ons dont come cheap: the Sub 7 is $330, the Sub 8 is $500 and the Sub 9 is $900. Sony also touts dual subwoofer connectivity as part of the refreshed Bravia Theater lineup. All three of the new subs can be used as a pair, so long as you have a Theater Bar 7, Theater Bar 8 or Theater Bar 9. You can also use two subwoofers with some of Sonys receivers (STR-AZ7000ES, STR-AZ5000ES, STR-AZ3000ES, STR-AZ1000ES and STR-AN1000). The company explains that opting for two subs provides stronger, more balanced bass, obviously, that fills the room for a more cinematic effect. Sony also says two subwoofers enable richer, fuller bass at lower volumes. Rear speakers are something youll need if you truly want immersive audio, and the new Theater Rear 9 units are a big upgrade over the current Rear 8s. Most notably, you get an up-firing driver for enhanced overhead sounds along with two passive radiators, in addition to a tweeter and a woofer. The drivers all have aluminum diaphragms instead of paper, and the Rear 9s come with a swivel wall mounts that enable 60-degree movement. A pair of Theater Rear 9 speakers will set you back $750. Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5 Sony If all of that sounds too expensive for your living room, Sony has something more affordable in the midrange area. The Bravia Theater Bar 5 is just $350 and still offers Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio. It doesnt have up-firing drivers, its a 3.1-channel setup, so any overhead effects will be simulated. Still, thats probably okay if you have a smaller space or live in an apartment as the upmixing tech (S-Force Pro Front Surround and Vertical Sound Engine) should provide ample immersion. The Bar 5 does come with a subwoofer though, and you can employ Sonys Voice Zoom 3 feature for enhanced dialogue. The Bravia Theater Bar 7, all three of the new subwoofers and the Rear 9 will be available for pre-order later this spring. The Bar 5 is up for pre-order starting today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sony-adds-the-bravia-theater-bar-5-and-bar-7-to-its-soundbar-lineup-160000680.html?src=rss

Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang and Sergey Brin join Trump's tech advisory panel

The leaders of several major tech companies will offer the White House their opinions on tech and science policy as part of an advisory council. Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, Michael Dell and Larry Ellison the CEOs of Meta, NVIDIA, Dell and Oracle, respectively are joining the panel alongside Google co-founder Sergey Brin and AMD CEO Lisa Su. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who has donated to super PACs that support President Donald Trump, will serve on the panel too. The latest iteration of the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has 13 members, though that could expand to 24. White House AI and cryptocurrency czar David Sacks co-chairs PCAST alongside Trump's science advisor, Michael Kratsios. Under President Trump, PCAST will focus on topics related to the opportunities and challenges that emerging technologies present to the American workforce, and ensuring all Americans thrive in the Golden Age of Innovation, the White House told The Wall Street Journal in a statement. Zuckerberg said he was honored to join the presidents council and work with other industry leaders to help ensure the US is the world leader in AI. George W. Bush established PCAST with a 2001 executive order, and some notable executives have been involved with the panel. Barack Obama's advisors included then-Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and former Microsoft chief research and strategy officer Craig Mundie, while ex-Disney CEO Bob Iger served on PCAST during Trump's first term. Joe Biden's panel included Su. The tech CEOs all have a personal and professional stake here, given the potential impact of federal rules on them and their businesses. Its worth noting that Meta, Google and Huang all chipped in to help pay for the construction of Trumps White House ballroom. Google, Meta and NVIDIA were among the companies that each donated $1 million to the committee for Trump's second inauguration. Meanwhile, Ellison whose family has spent much of the last couple of years building a media empire that includes Paramount and potentially Warner Bros. Discovery has close ties to Trump. Oracle is also one of the companies that backed the takeover of the US version of TikTok, a deal that Trump approved with an executive order. It was reported this month that the Trump administration is receiving $10 billion for brokering the buyout. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/mark-zuckerberg-jensen-huang-and-sergey-brin-join-trumps-tech-advisory-panel-144722797.html?src=rss

Stephen Colbert is writing a new Lord of the Rings movie

Its been quite a while since we visited Middle-Earth on the big screen (anime prequels aside), but it looks like Lord of the Rings fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming years. We already knew that Andy Serkis The Hunt for Gollum was in the works and by all accounts is progressing nicely but another Rings-related film is in development too, and its being co-written by none other than Stephen Colbert. The announcement came from Peter Jackson himself, in a video posted by Warner Bros. to coincide with Tolkien Reading Day. The director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy provided a quick update on Serkis film (the British actor is both directing and reprising his role as Gollum), before introducing very special partner and diehard Tolkien fan Colbert on a video call. With The Late Show nearing its end, its host was seemingly going to be out of work in the summer. Colbert is working with his son Peter as well as screenwriter Philippa Boyens (who co-wrote the original film trilogy). They'll adapt some early chapters of Fellowship of the Ring that never made it into Jacksons 2001 film. The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past is actually set 14 years after the events of Return of the King , and will see Sam, Merry and Pippin retrace the first steps of their famous adventure. So while the new film is inspired specifically by Fellowship chapters III (Three is Company) through VIII (Fog On The Barrow-Downs), it sounds like were actually getting a sequel of sorts, in which well also see Sams daughter Elanor make a huge discovery that puts her on her own quest. Colbert and his son had been scribbling away at their idea for several years before plucking up the courage to show what they had come up with to Jackson, but the legendary 64-year-old filmmaker was clearly a fan. And given the timing of the announcement, Colbert will soon be able to commit all of his energy to the project, which has not yet named any cast members. Will Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan be dusting off their hobbit attire? Only time will tell, but the time jump would presumably make it possible. The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past doesnt have a release date, but its announcement coincides with the 25th anniversary of Fellowship of the Ring , which has already been marked by the whole trilogy returning to theaters earlier this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/stephen-colbert-is-writing-a-new-lord-of-the-rings-movie-143004743.html?src=rss

Ring adds 4K to its battery-powered video doorbells

Ring has today announced a spec bump to its battery-powered video doorbells for all those folks who cant wire their units to power. The flagship Battery Doorbell Pro (2nd gen) gets 4K video, with 10x zoom and the promise of far longer time between recharges than the previous model. At the same time, its bringing 2K imaging to its lower-end battery doorbells, the Battery Doorbell Plus and Battery Doorbell (2nd gen). The former, as fitting its higher price, gets a quick-release battery pack, while both models get 2K video and 6x zoom. Naturally, these features are already available on Rings wired products, the bulk of which were announced back in September 2025 . The company is also aware that swapping out batteries isnt ideal if you really need a doorbell to work all of the time. Thats why its also launching a new Solar Charger which integrates into the mount, keeping your doorbell running for longer between trips to the wall outlet. Theres also a bigger Solar Panel, which pumps out more juice than its smaller sibling, and can be mounted in a wider variety of places. All of the above are available to pre-order from today, and are priced as follows: Pro ($250), Plus ($180), Battery Doorbell ($100), Solar Charger ($50), Solar Panel ($60). This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/ring-adds-4k-to-its-battery-powered-video-doorbells-130021181.html?src=rss

Sennheiser's owners want to sell its consumer headphone business

Hearing aid company Sonova has put its Sennheiser consumer audio division on the auction block less than five years after acquiring it , the company announced on Reddit . Today Sonova announced they intend to divest the business and will focus on Hearing Care, Sonova wrote, adding it intends to find the right new owner. Sennheiser's consumer audio division mainly manufactures high-end headphones like the HD 400, HD 500, HD 600 and HD 800 series and recently launched the HDB 630, $500 wireless headphones aimed at audiophiles. The company's most (in)famous lineup is the HE series, which includes the $55,000 HE 90 and 89,990 HE 1 . Sonova originally purchased Sennheiser with the intent of expanding its demographic to younger customers. At the time, it said even if [young people] don't have hearing loss, most of them will gradually get hearing loss with age, and devices like Sennheiser's allow us to have earlier consumer access to such people. For its part, Sennheiser said it wanted to relinquish its consumer business in order to focus on its pro audio, business and Neumann (high-end microphone) divisions that it still owns. Things apparently didn't go to plan, though. Sonova's Sennheiser division's sales in the last half-year declined significantly year-over-year and the company was hit with a 6 million fine over its retail pricing practices (that occurred prior to the acquisition). However, the company's recent products have been praised by the audiophile community as a return to previous form, with Engadget's audio reviewer Billy Steele calling the HDB 630 a sonic marvel. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/sennheisers-owners-want-to-sell-its-consumer-headphone-business-121830441.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy A37 and A57 hands-on: The cheaper phone might be a winner

Late last year, Samsung launched its newest generation of affordable A-series phones, starting with the entry-level A17 . Following the arrival of the flagship Galaxy S26 line , the company has returned to flesh out the rest of its midrange portfolio. The more affordable Galaxy A37 and Galaxy A57 sport some interesting upgrades, even when compared to some of their pricier siblings. Core specs and features Before we dive into my hands-on impressions, I want to do a quick rundown of each phone's specs as that should help set up (or temper) expectations. As you'd expect based on their numbering, the A37 is the more affordable of the two with a base price of $450 for 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. You can also choose 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage for $540. Notably, when compared to the A17, the A37 features a much more recent and more powerful Exynos 1480 chip that brings a big jump in NPU performance and helps unlock much of the phone's newfound AI capabilities. It also comes with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 5,000mAh battery and three rear cameras. However, two of those will likely get more use than the other as the A37 packs a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide, along with a 5MP macro shooter. The Galaxy A37 will be available in four colors: charcoal, white, lavender and graygreen. However, the middle two are Samsung.com exclusives and the last one is only available from Best Buy. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Meanwhile, the Galaxy A57 is a bit more expensive, starting at $550 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, or $610 for the 8GB/256GB version. It also features a slightly more powerful Exynos 1680 processor and a higher-res 12MP sensor for its ultra-wide lens, but aside from that, it has the same general camera setup as A37 and the same size battery. One small difference is that the A57 has Bluetooth 6 connectivity and Wi-Fi 6E, but the A37 is still stuck with BT 5.3 and basic Wi-Fi 6. For some reason, the A57 is only available in one color: navy. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Both phones come with IP68 ratings for dust and water resistance (which is an upgrade from IP67 on the A36) and 120Hz refresh rates. However, the most important shared trait is that while neither supports wireless charging, they can both take wired power at up to 45 watts, which is actually faster than a base Galaxy S26's limit of just 25 watts. Finally, in addition to six years of OS and security updates, the A37 and A57 are getting some trickle-down AI features from its flagship siblings. Those include improved support for Google's Circle to Search , Object Eraser and better transcription and translation capabilities in the Samsung Voice Recorder app. Galaxy A37 impressions Both phones have nearly identical designs, right down to the same screen size and number of cameras. That said, one area where Samsung cut corners on A37 is that it features a plastic frame instead of the A57s aluminum. But even when you hold them side by side, it's rather difficult to discern between the two. There's no obvious difference in appearance or button layout, so the main way to tell the two apart is by feeling for the cooler touch you typically get from a metal chassis. Alternatively, if you look closely, you'll notice that the A37 has slightly thicker bezels around the outside of its screen. Here's a closer look at the A37's color options. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Compared to the Galaxy A17, the A37's Exynos 1480 felt significantly snappier and much better equipped for multitasking or AI-based tasks like removing unwanted objects from photos. Regardless, as the less expensive of Samsung's new midrange phone options, the company did a really good job disguising the major differences between the two new models. Galaxy A57 impressions To be honest, the A57 wasn't quite as appealing as the A37 due to its higher price and no additional features. The main tool it has that isn't available on its more affordable sibling is Samsung's Best Face camera tool, which allows the phone to analyze people's expressions so you can select your favorite reaction and put it in the photo you want. On paper, its Exynos 1680 chip should be a bit faster, but in normal use, it's really hard to tell. And unlike the A37, which comes in four colors (white, charcoal, lavender and gray/green, depending on the retailer), the A57 is only available in navy. Early thoughts While they look the same, the A57 features an aluminum chassis instead of plastic like on the A37, which should be better for long term durability. Sam Rutherford for Engadget As a more powerful and more premium alternative to the $200 A17, the A37 feels like a worthy upgrade for the money. It offers noticeably smoother performance along with a more elegant hole-punch selfie cam (instead of a waterdrop) and stereo speakers (instead of mono). Starting at $450, the A37 can also undercut the Pixel 10a while offering a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display (versus 6.3 inches for the Pixel) and a smattering of equivalent AI features. And in some ways, the wider selection of colors just reinforces that Samsung is probably placing bigger bets on the A37's market prospects. If I were looking for an affordable Android phone with a big screen, I'd give more consideration to this new middle child in Samsung's A-series lineup. Aside from bezels that are a tiny bit bigger, the Galaxy A37 (left) looks almost exactly the same as the more expensive Galaxy A57 (right). Sam Rutherford for Engadget As for the A57, it's certainly not a bad phone, but starting at $550, it suffers from being in a much more competitive price bracket. For those who prefer smaller devices, the $500 Pixel 10a is cheaper while offering even better AI tools, a cleaner UI, wireless charging, a slightly larger battery and unmatched photo quality. However, the A57's biggest rival is arguably another Samsung phone: the Galaxy S25 FE . Aside from slower wired charging, it has an even nicer design, an extra year of software and security updates (seven total) and a proper telephoto camera instead of a macro lens. And while its MSRP is a bit higher at $650, it's regularly on sale for under $600 ( or less ), which effectively sidesteps the A57's biggest advantage. That said, no matter which one you prefer, more options for affordable gadgets are always welcome especially with the price of smartphones and PCs increasing due to the global RAM shortage . The Galaxy A37 and A57 will officially go on sale April 9. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-a37-and-a57-hands-on-the-cheaper-phone-might-be-a-winner-120000965.html?src=rss

Apple introduces age verification for iCloud accounts in the UK

Apple has introduced more than just new features, like an AI playlist generator, with iOS 26.4 in the UK. The company now requires users in the region to verify their ages and to prove theyre 18 years old or above before they can access certain services or features, or take certain actions on their account. Users can verify their ages in Settings by linking a credit card to their account or scanning an ID. For people whove had an Apple account for a while, the company will check if they already have a payment method on file that can prove theyre of age. The company says it will automatically switch on its Web Content Filter and Communication Safety features for everyone under 18 and for those who havent verified their ages. These tools are integrated into Apples operating systems and can restrict users from accessing specific websites on Safari and third-party browsers, as well as warn users when theyre receiving or sending images and videos containing nudity. Ofcom, the UKs communications regulator, praised Apple for the decision, especially since its not required to implement age verification for the iOS or its App Store under the regions Online Safety Act . Apples decision that the UK will be one of the first countries in the world to receive new child safety protections on devices is a real win for children and families, the regulator said. Our rules are flexible and designed to encourage innovation, particularly in age assurance. We've worked closely with Apple and other services to ensure they can be applied in a variety of contexts in order to ensure users are protected. This will build on the strong foundations of the Online Safety Act, from widespread age checks that keep young people away from harmful content, to blocking high-risk sites and stepping up action against child sexual abuse material. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-introduces-age-verification-for-icloud-accounts-in-the-uk-115340237.html?src=rss

Sony and Honda kill its Afeela EVs

Sony Honda Mobility, the automotive venture from two of Japans most storied companies, has swung the axe on its EV project. In a statement , it said it would discontinue the development and launch of the Afeela 1 and 2, its long-in-development electric cars. The company added it would review its business direction, and announce its future plans at the earliest possible opportunity. Which, if were honest, probably means the whole thing is going to be shut down, or scaled back so much its no longer worth talking about. 2026 has not been a great year for Honda. On March 12, it posted an up-to $15.7 billion loss as it wrote off a big chunk of its investment in EVs. The US pivot toward fossil fuels, removal of federal EV tax credits and the imposition of tariffs has hit its business pretty hard. Not to mention the high-profile embarrassment of its current F1 engine project with Aston Martin, which promised so much and has delivered less than nothing. Sonys journey into the automotive world began six years ago with the announcement of the Vision-S, the car which would eventually be re-christened Afeela. But while the product looked good on trade show stands, it stood still while the rest of the car world sprinted ahead. In January, Tim Stevens said Afeela 1 looked a little dated, and a little lacking in emotion, and a lot more expensive than comparable models from rivals. Its also worth noting Sony and Hondas vision of a smart device on wheels is hardly a novel concept these days. Not to mention that Afeela 1 is a sedan, being sold to a world thats increasingly fallen out of love with the type in favor of higher-riding SUVs. In Sony's statement, however, the SUV-aping Afeela 2 didn't even get a mention by name, which hints that it was as much an afterthought for the company as we might have guessed when it was announced. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/sony-and-honda-kill-its-afeela-evs-100426852.html?src=rss

X is changing its revenue-sharing policy to deter users pretending to be Americans

X is updating its revenue-sharing incentives to give more weight to engagement from a users home region, Nikita Bier, the companys Head of Product has announced . Bier said the change in policy was to encourage content that resonates with people in [the users] country, in neighboring countries and people who speak [their] language. Bier continued that while X appreciates everyones opinion on US politics, the company is hoping the new policy can disincentivize gaming the attention of US or Japanese accounts. The US and Japan have the largest number of users on X. Bier didnt mention it outright, but dozens of popular accounts tweeting pro-Trump sentiments and commentaries focusing on US politics in general were revealed to be based outside the US late last year, when X rolled out a transparency feature that exposed users locations. Those accounts, which pretended to be from the US and garnered millions of likes, views and reposts, turned out to be based in countries like India, Kenya and Nigeria. X will be a much richer community when there's relevant posts for people in all parts of the world, Bier said. When one user responded to his post that some countries barely have any users, making it hard to earn money from the website, Bier just suggested that they should write about their day-to-day experiences. Of course, youre welcome to continue chiming in on America politics. We just wont send money overseas for that content, he said. Xs new policy will start taking effect on Thursday, March 26. Weve love to hear your thoughts about living in Portugal. Im sure you have plenty of great stories about your day to day experience there. Of course, youre welcome to continue chiming in on America politics. We just wont send money overseas for that content. Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) March 25, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-is-changing-its-revenue-sharing-policy-to-deter-users-pretending-to-be-americans-090701729.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review | A refinement-driven flagship rather than a radical one

Samsungs Galaxy S26 Ultra, the flag-bearer for the South Korean brand in 2026, has been launched with upgrades that seem necessary and natural

Meta is letting creators fill their Reels with shopping links

It's about to get a lot easier for creators on Facebook and Instagram to push products to their followers. Meta will now allow creators to include clickable shopping links for products directly in their Reels. Brand partnerships and affiliate links, in which creators earn a portion of sales generated by their recommendations, are central to how creators earn money from Facebook and Instagram. But Meta has limited the ways in which they can direct their followers off-platform. As a result, creators often rely on third-party link in bio services for managing links to the stuff they endorse. Now, Meta says it will allow eligible creators to link to up to 30 distinct products in a single Reel. the feature will be available on both Instagram and Facebook, though Facebook creators are limited to tagging products from marketplace partners like Amazon. The change could be a boon for lifestyle creators and others who rely on their followers regularly buying the stuff they recommend. It brings Metas apps up to par with TikTok and YouTube Shorts , both of which have had affiliate shopping features for years. It will also make shopping content a lot harder to ignore, which could risk alienating some people if creators go overboard. For Meta, the change will give it new insight into what its users are buying. A Meta spokesperson says the company isn't taking a cut from creators' sales via these links for now, though it's probably safe to assume the company will use the data gleaned from them to bolster its ad business. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-letting-creators-fill-their-reels-with-shopping-links-232406681.html?src=rss

Jury rules against Meta, orders $375 million fine in major child safety trial

A jury in New Mexico has found Meta liable for violating the state's consumer protection laws in a high-profile civil trial over child exploitation and other safety issues. One day after closing arguments in the weeks-long trial concluded, the jury ruled against Meta on every count and ordered the company to pay $375 million. The case was brought by New Mexico's attorney general in 2023 and centered around allegations that Meta knew its platform put children at risk of exploitation and mental health harms and failed to put safety measures in place. In the end, the jury ruled that Meta was liable for both counts of violating New Mexico's consumer protection laws for misleading people in the state about the safety of its services. It imposed a penalty of $375 million, the maximum amount under the law based on the number of violations. During the trial, jurors were shown numerous internal documents throughout Meta's history. These included the results of research into mental health issues facing teens, and email exchanges in which Meta executives discussed safety problems like sextortion, self harm content and grooming. Prosecutors argued that these documents showed Meta knew children were experiencing harms on its apps, despite public statements that it prioritized safety. In a statement, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the company would appeal the verdict. We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal. We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are clear about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content, he said. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online. The verdict isn't the end of New Mexico's case against Meta. The state will argue that Meta is a public nuisance at a bench trial (a trial with a judge and no jury) that's expected to begin in May. In a statement, Attorney General Raul Torrez called the verdict a historic victory for families affected by Meta's safety lapses.Meta executives knew their products harmed children, disregarded warnings from their own employees, and lied to the public about what they knew. Today the jury joined families, educators, and child safety experts in saying enough is enough. The New Mexico trial has been closely watched as it's among the first of many cases against Meta over child safety issues. A jury is currently deliberating in a separate trial in Los Angeles over social media addiction . A coalition of dozens of other states have also brought a lawsuit against the company for harming teens. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/jury-rules-against-meta-orders-375-million-fine-in-major-child-safety-trial-224215209.html?src=rss

Sony is reportedly shutting down Dark Outlaw Games, run by former Call of Duty director

Sony is shutting down Dark Outlaw Games , a first-party game studio led by former Call of Duty producer Jason Blundell, Bloomberg 's Jason Schreier reports . Before leading Dark Outlaw Games, Blundell was the head of Deviation Games, which was an independent studio, but also happened to be developing a PlayStation game before it shut down, Schreier says. Dark Outlaw Games had yet to announce what it was working on, but considering Blundell's experience with the Call of Duty franchise, it seems likely the studio was developing a multiplayer project for PlayStation. Blundell was a programmer and producer at Activision before making the jump to Treyarch to work on Call of Duty 3 , and he contributed to multiple Call of Duty: Black Ops games after that, including serving as the director for the campaign and Zombies mode of Call of Duty: Black Ops III and the career and Zombies modes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 . Engadget has contacted Sony for more information about the fate of Dark Outlaw Games. We'll update this article if we hear back. The studio's shutdown is being paired with cuts to staff at PlayStation focused on mobile development, according to Schreier. Sony has made a habit of laying off staff and shutting down studios in the last year, seemingly as a way to retreat from an earlier investment in online, live-service multiplayer games . The company shut down Bluepoint Games in February following attempts to get a live-service God of War game off the ground. Sony also closed Firewalk Studios after the spectacular failure of multiplayer shooter Concord in October 2024. And a year before that, Naughty Dog officially abandoned work on a standalone multiplayer version of The Last of Us in December 2023. That leaves Sony with at least two Horizon Zero Dawn spin-offs, a co-op game from original developer Guerilla Games and a MMO from developer NCSoft; Fairgame$ , which is still in active development despite the departure of Haven Studios head Jade Raymond; Arrowhead Game Studios' Helldivers 2; Bungie's Destiny 2 and Marathon ; and if you really want to stretch, Gran Turismo 7 . Sony clearly hasn't given up on producing online multiplayer games, but it's not hard to characterize its attempt to expand into the space as a disaster. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-reportedly-shutting-down-dark-outlaw-games-run-by-former-call-of-duty-director-215634410.html?src=rss

Baltimore sues xAI over Grok deepfakes

Grok has already taken extensive heat after the AI chatbot's image generation tool was used to create an estimated 3 million sexualized images over 11 days, including 23,000 of minors, according to the Center for Countering Digital Hate. Regulators around the world have limited access or launched investigations into the platform's potentially illegal and nonconsensual image generation. The US government hasn't made any moves against xAI or its platform at the federal level, but today, the city of Baltimore began a municipal lawsuit against the company. The lawsuit takes a different tactic, arguing that Elon Musk's businesses violated the city's Consumer Protection Ordinance. This complaint , as reported by The Guardian , said that xAI marketed Grok as an all-purpose AI assistant without disclosing the risks and exposure to harm of using both Grok and the X social network. Baltimores consumer protection laws exist to safeguard residents from exactly this kind of emerging harm, City Solicitor Ebony M. Thompson said . When companies introduce powerful technologies without adequate guardrails, the City has both the authority and the obligation to act. We are stepping in now to protect our residents, hold these companies accountable, and prevent these harms from becoming further entrenched as this technology continues to evolve. The other notable action against Grok within the US stemmed from a potential class action filed by three teenagers who alleged that photos of them were used to create child sexual abuse material. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/baltimore-sues-xai-over-grok-deepfakes-214135922.html?src=rss

OpenAI is shutting down its Sora video generation app

OpenAI is shutting down its Sora video generation app. We're saying goodbye to Sora, the company wrote in a X post published Tuesday afternoon. For now, OpenAI has yet to say when the app and its related API service would become unavailable. Instead, promising to share those details at a later date. We've decided to discontinue Sora in the consumer app and API. As we focus and compute demand grows, the Sora research team continues to focus on world simulation research to advance robotics that will help people solve real-world, physical tasks, an OpenAI spokesperson told Engadget. Were saying goodbye to Sora. To everyone who created with Sora, shared it, and built community around it: thank you. What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing. Well share more soon, including timelines for the app and API and details on Sora (@soraofficialapp) March 24, 2026 While today's news might come as a surprise for some, there were warning signs Sora was heading in this direction since the start of the year. While Sora hit the top of the US App Store charts shortly after its debut, interest in the platform appears to have quickly fizzled out thereafter. At the start of 2026, data from analytics firm Appfigures suggested the app was seeing successive month-over-month declines in both new installs and user spending. In December alone, a time of year when most apps typically flourish, Sora reportedly saw a 32 percent decline in new downloads from November. The shutdown also aligns with OpenAI's recent shift in strategy. Since the release of GPT-5.2 , the company's code red response to Google's Gemini 3 Pro model , OpenAI has tried to court professionals like coders and data analysts with systems that excel in those domains, seeing enterprise customers as a route toward profitability. However, todays shutdown does appear to come with an additional cost for OpenAI. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Disney is exiting the deal it signed with the AI lab at the end of last year , and wont, as a result, invest $1 billion into it. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-is-shutting-down-its-sora-video-generation-app-211023358.html?src=rss

Zoox is bringing its robotaxi to new cities and expanding coverage in Las Vegas and San Francisco

Zoox has announced plans to bring its robotaxi to Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida for the first time, along with offering expanded service in San Francisco and Las Vegas. The company formally launched its robotaxi service in September 2025, and shared earlier in March that it would begin testing in Dallas and Phoenix . A Zoox retrofitted testing fleet has been operating in Austin and Miami since 2024, but offering rides with company's purpose-built robotaxi designed to be more of a rolling social space with seats facing each other is an important step towards Zoox running its full service in both cities. At least to start, rides will be available in a small part of both cities and only for Zoox employees, their families and friends, but the company says it'll expand who can hail a ride as testing continues. For anyone who lives in San Francisco or Las Vegas, Zoox's coverage area and options for pick-ups and drop-offs are also becoming more convenient. Zoox is now able to pick up riders from more locations in Las Vegas, including the Las Vegas Convention Center and a majority of the major hotels along the Strip. The company will also provide limited service to high-traffic events at The Sphere and T-Mobile Arena, and eventually plans to send its robotaxi on trips to Harry Reid International Airport. Starting this spring, Zoox is also expanding where it will offer rides in the eastern half of San Francisco, covering the Marina, North Beach, and Chinatown, as well as Pacific Heights and along the Embarcadero. Besides being able to pick up riders in more places, Zoox is rolling out two product updates to improve the experience of riding in its robotaxis. Find My Zoox will let the company's robotaxis use distinct lighting and sound cues, to signal to riders which robotaxi is theirs, and Zooxcast will let riders play their audio over Bluetooth while they're in a robotaxi. In comparison to all the cities Waymo currently offers its robotaxis , Zoox is playing catch-up, but the company is also approaching its business a bit differently. Zoox is focused on using custom robotaxi for rides, while Waymo has expanded quickly on the back of cars retrofitted with the sensors that makes its Waymo Driver software work. Waymo plans to incorporate its own robotaxis co-developed with Geely into its fleet over time, but for now, rides with Zoox are a bit more bespoke. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/zoox-is-bringing-its-robotaxi-to-new-cities-and-expanding-coverage-in-las-vegas-and-san-francisco-195410391.html?src=rss

AccuWeather is now available inside ChatGPT

Who among us hasn't tormented over the burden of having to exit an AI app to check the weather? Well, I haven't, and I'm guessing you haven't either. But AccuWeather has a solution regardless. On Tuesday, the company rolled out a ChatGPT app to spare someone that pain. Snark aside, there may be a few niche situations where this provides a slight advantage. AccuWeather suggests asking ChatGPT, When is the best time this afternoon to go for a run with the most comfortable weather conditions? or Will it rain on my planned vacation this weekend? Of course, you could just read the dang forecast to get those same answers. But hey, to each their own. After you've connected the AccuWeather app to your ChatGPT account, your weather-related queries will be answered in an interactive weather module. Available info includes MinuteCast, RealFeel and RealFeel Shade. This isn't the first time AccuWeather has adapted its service perhaps questionably to emerging technologies. In 2017, it pushed out a virtual reality app for Samsung's Gear VR headset. Engadget noted at the time that it sounds like one of the least exciting VR experiences imaginable. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/accuweather-is-now-available-inside-chatgpt-192637363.html?src=rss

Splitgate's 1047 Games is starting work on a Titanfall-style movement shooter

At the close of a video announcing the second season of Splitgate: Arena Reloaded , the company's co-founder and CEO Ian Proulx revealed that a small section of the team has started work on a new game. He said that the next project will be a movement shooter in the style of Titanfall and Black Ops 3 . Those two tidbits are really all that 1047 Games had to share. People can sign up to participate when playtesting begins, but considering the latest release is only just hitting its second season, it's a safe bet that we'll have a while before this project gets a title and a trailer, much less a release window. Splitgate is a well-made game with smart traversal and movement mechanics, so it's likely that they'll have good ideas to bring to this sliding and gliding subgenre of FPS. Whether players will continue supporting 1047 Games is a different question. The studio leadership bungled a lot of things in the past year, starting with Proulx's questionable fashion choices and even more questionable handling of said choices . 1047 Games also pulled a bait-and-switch with the release of Splitgate 2 , yanking it back to beta after release and cutting jobs before re-releasing and reimagining the sequel as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded in December. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/splitgates-1047-games-is-starting-work-on-a-titanfall-style-movement-shooter-192551191.html?src=rss

Three new Gemini features come to Google TV

Google has announced a trio of new AI-powered features for its Google TV platform, after showing off smarter Gemini integration at CES back in January. Google TV can now provide richer visual help when you ask it a question. Request the current sports scores, for example, and Gemini will bring up not only a live updating scorecard, but also where you can watch the game. If youre looking for a recipe, itll pair its results with a video tutorial where possible. If youd rather learn something new than binge away at your latest Netflix fix, Google TV can also now do visual deep dives on topics that interest you. If theres an economic trend, scientific phenomenon or technological innovation thats on your mind, Gemini will create a custom, interactive walkthrough on the subject in question, allowing you to ask follow-up questions afterwards. The idea is that the feature lets you turn passive viewing into meaningful screen time. It would appear that even your TV is now telling you off for watching too much TV. When you ask about a topic, you can either click Dive deeper to learn more, or navigate to the Gemini tab at the top of your home screen and select the Learn option. The last new addition is Gemini-powered sports briefs, which function in the same way as the news briefs Google introduced last year, but strictly for sports. Designed as an alternative to checking your phone, you can ask your AI-assisted TV for timely, narrated overviews of the latest goings-on in any league you might follow. Already, the feature supports the NBA, NCAA basketball, NHL, MLS and NWSL, and it will live in the Gemini tab. Deep dives and sports briefs are initially limited to those with Gemini-enabled devices in the US, with Google promising wider device support later in the spring. Richer visual help is rolling out today in the US and Canada, and Google has also announced that its various Gemini Google TV features are coming to more countries in 2026, starting with Australia, New Zealand and the UK in the coming months. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/three-new-gemini-features-come-to-google-tv-175724155.html?src=rss

Apple confirms ads are coming to Apple Maps

Apple Maps will soon have ads, Apple confirmed in a blog post announcing the company's new Apple Business platform. Reports that Apple planned to expand its ad business outside of the App Store and Apple News broke as recently as yesterday, but the company has been rumored to be exploring putting ads in its navigation app as far back as 2022 . Ads in Maps, as the new advertising program is called, will allow businesses to create ads that can appear when users search in Maps, at the top of search results and at the top of a new Suggested Places experience in Maps, which will display recommendations based on whats trending nearby, the users recent searches, and more, Apple says. The program will be open to Apple Business customers in the US and Canada starting this summer. Any advertisers using the existing Apple Ads experience will also be able to book space in Apple Maps. Like the other ads Apple offers to businesses in the App Store and Apple News , ads in maps will be clearly marked and are designed to maintain users' privacy. What ads users interact with and their current location is not associated with their Apple Account, and personal data stays on user's devices and isn't shared with third-parties or collected by Apple. Apple's slow expansion into advertising most directly benefits its over $100 billion Services business , which covers obvious things like Apple TV and Apple Music, but also includes the fees it takes from in-app purchases made through the App Store and the money it makes selling advertising. At least so far, Apple's ads are easy to ignore, and based on the samples provided as part of its announcement, that'll stay true in Apple Maps. Ads in Maps are bundled in Apple's larger Apple Business program, an enterprise offering that's designed to appeal to multiple different sizes of business. Apple Business includes things like mobile device management (for distributing apps and managing user accounts), the ability to set up a business email, calendar and web domain through Apple and the aforementioned Ads in Maps. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-confirms-ads-are-coming-to-apple-maps-175613751.html?src=rss

For All Mankind is returning for a sixth and final season

Apple TV's long-running sci-fi show For All Mankind has just been renewed for a sixth and final season , ahead of this week's season five premiere . This seems more like the natural endpoint of the story instead of a cancellation, according to remarks made by some of the creators. Getting to explore the For All Mankind universe over six seasons has been an amazing privilege, and were thrilled to have the opportunity to finish the story the way weve always hoped, co-creators and showrunners Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi said. Were incredibly proud of what this series has become, and grateful to Apple TV and Sony Pictures Television for helping us see it through to its final chapter. The plan for the show has always been to bring it up to the modern day and it looks like the creators will get to do just that. Season five takes place in the 2010s, which gives season six plenty of time to catch up to the 2020s. For the uninitiated, For All Mankind is an alt-history series that started in the 1960s with Russia beating America to the moon. The show absolutely loves time jumps, with each season covering a decade or two. That initial discrepancy with our reality has ballooned into all kinds of butterfly effect-type stuff. For instance, humanity quickly moved beyond the moon to occupy Mars. Al Gore also got to be president in that timeline. Despite the numerous time jumps, several of the show's original cast members are still on board. Joel Kinnaman's character, astronaut Ed Baldwin, is quite literally in his 80s at this point. The actor must be getting tired of all of those fake wrinkles. Apple TV has unveiled first-look photos for Star City, the upcoming For All Mankind spinoff series that explores the same story from Russia's point of view. The series will debut with two episodes May 29 on Apple TV, running through July 10. https://t.co/QFE7hDgBRw pic.twitter.com/t6fXW8h6c6 Variety (@Variety) February 26, 2026 In any event, season five of For All Mankind premieres on March 27. The mainline show is coming to a close, but there's still a spin-off to look forward to. Star City premieres on May 29. This looks to be a take on the events of the original show from the perspective of Russia. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/for-all-mankind-is-returning-for-a-sixth-and-final-season-173859683.html?src=rss

iOS 26.4 is here, with Playlist Playground and new emoji

iOS and iPadOS 26.4 are here, with a surprising number of new features for a point release. Chief among them is a new AI playlist generator, similar to one Spotify launched in 2024 . Playlist Playground is Apple's branding for the song list generator. It works as you'd expect: Type a prompt, and it spits out tracks that match it. As MacRumors noted , your prompts can relate to mood, feelings, activities and more. Also new in iOS 26.4, an ambient music widget puts background sounds on your home screen. Like the corresponding Control Center tool, it brings up (Apple-curated) sounds for sleep, chill, productivity or well-being. Yet another music feature is Bandsintown integration : upcoming concert dates in your area will appear in the Apple Music app. Unicode's latest emoji characters arrive in the update, too. This includes Hairy Creature, also known as Bigfoot. Another fun one is fight cloud. (Think old-timey cartoons beating each other up inside a puff of vapor.) Also onboard are a trombone, a treasure chest, a distorted face, an apple core, an orca, ballet dancers and a landslide. The update also has fixes for some of iOS 26's nagging bugs. In Apple's latest attempt to stem the tide of complaints about Liquid Glass , there's a new Reduce Bright Effects setting. There's also a fix for a keyboard bug that caused errors when typing rapidly. Although we arent seeing it on our devices just yet, macOS Tahoe 26.4 should be arriving today as well. The update brings back the option to use Safaris compact tab bar. (Youll find this in iPadOS 26.4 as well.) Mac users can also customize their maximum charge level anywhere from 80 to 100 percent. Meanwhile, watchOS 26.4 finally lets you start a workout with one tap. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-264-is-here-with-playlist-playground-and-new-emoji-171343120.html?src=rss

Bandsintown integration for concerts is coming to Apple Music

The live music discovery platform Bandsintowns partnership with Apple goes way back , but iOS 26.4 brings the deepest integration between the two companies to date. Concert listings from Bandsintown will now appear in Apple Music , allowing you to find out when either a band you already love, or one youre discovering for the first time, is next playing live. Artists who use Bandsintown to advertise their tour dates can promote upcoming shows in a number of ways through Apples app. A new Concerts tab will live within Search, allowing subscribers to search for shows by their genre, location and date, while participating artists can also connect their Bandsintown dashboard to their Apple Music artist page. By doing this, their tour dates will automatically appear in an Upcoming Concerts section within 48 hours of connecting the two services. Apple Music users can tap listed events to see more details about a show and will be able to buy tickets through direct links to sellers. If you follow artists, you can also set up push notifications for their announced shows. Bandsintowns platform is already built into a number of other Apple apps and services, with the likes of Shazam, Apple Maps, Photos and Spotlight Search all able to pull through live event data. The new Apple Music features will be available on devices running iOS 26.4 when it leaves beta. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/bandsintown-integration-for-concerts-is-coming-to-apple-music-170034229.html?src=rss

The Punisher's one-off TV special hits Disney+ on May 12

We knew Disney+ was prepping a standalone special for The Punisher, but we didn't know it was coming so soon. The Punisher: One Last Kill premieres on May 12. This is just one week after the season two finale of Daredevil: Born Again , which starts up this week. It's possible The Punisher will be featured in that, so we could be in for eight straight weeks of skull-shirted shenanigans. Frank Castle returns in A Marvel Television Special Presentation: The Punisher: One Last Kill May 12, only on @DisneyPlus . pic.twitter.com/4I3H10grXz The Punisher (@ThePunisher) March 24, 2026 One Last Kill was actually co-written by star Jon Bernthal, who has been playing the vigilante for a decade now . It's been described as a love letter to the character, but plot details have been kept under wraps. Marvel TV head Brad Winderbaum has called it a shotgun blast of a story. Reinaldo Marcus Green is directing, who previously made We Own This City with The Wire's David Simon. We do know that Frank Castle survives whatever violent ordeal he goes through in the special. That's because The Punisher is featured prominently in the trailer for the next Spider-Man film . This will be the first time Bernthal's take on the character will show up in an actual movie. He first took on the role in season two of the original Netflix Daredevil show. Bernthal was a fan favorite, which led to two seasons of a spin-off show before Netflix and Marvel ended their whole joint TV experiment. This isn't the only Netflix-era hero getting a resurgence on Disney+ and beyond. Charlie Cox returned to the role of Daredevil for Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law before getting his own show . It's also been reported that Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones is coming back this season on Born Again and Mike Colter has been dropping hints that his version of Luke Cage could be gracing televisions in the near future. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-punishers-one-off-tv-special-hits-disney-on-may-12-162208769.html?src=rss

There's a new Payday game, this time in VR

The popular co-op heist franchise Payday is coming to VR. Payday: Aces High will release for the Meta Quest platform and SteamVR later this year. It looks like it has everything people love about the series, but with some of that VR-style immersion. Just like the mainline games, this version tasks players with planning and then pulling off elaborate heists. It offers four-player co-op, with each person filling a particular role within the group. These are your standard heist movie archetypes. There's the planner, the brawler, the gadget nerd and the silent but deadly assassin. The developer also promises plenty of gear and weapons, with an arsenal that keeps growing. This leads to the usual Payday gameplay loop. Each successful heist lets players buy more weapons and gadgets. Rinse and repeat. Fast Travel Games is making this one, and the developer has a decent pedigree in the VR space. It helped make Cities: VR and Apex Construc t , among many others. The graphics here look decent and we already know the gameplay is solid. Plus, there are clown masks. We'll find out if Payday: Aces High makes the grade later this year. This is just the latest major gaming franchise to experiment with virtual reality. There are VR versions of Half-Life , Assassin's Creed , Horizon and many more. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/theres-a-new-payday-game-this-time-in-vr-160051276.html?src=rss

Epic is laying off more than 1,000 workers, citing a downturn in Fortnite engagement

Epic Games has announced sweeping layoffs of more than 1,000 employees. The downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025 means we're spending significantly more than we're making, and we have to make major cuts to keep the company funded, CEO Tim Sweeney said in a memo to workers on Tuesday. Sweeney wrote that, combined with over $500 million of identified cost savings in contracting, marketing, and closing some open roles, the layoffs will give Epic more stability. He added that the layoffs are not related to AI. Back in 2023, Epic laid off 830 employees . At the time, that was 16 percent of its workforce, suggesting around 4,000 employees remained at the company. If those numbers havent changed too much in the meantime, that means Epic is culling around a quarter of its headcount this week. Along with a dip in Fortnite engagement, Sweeney pointed out that Epic isnt immune from systemic issues the games industry is contending with, such as a slowdown in growth, reduced spending, tougher cost economics and a battle with other types of media for consumers attention. However, Epic has some issues of its own to deal with. Despite Fortnite remaining one of the most successful games in the world, weve had challenges delivering consistent Fortnite magic with every season; we're only in the early stages of returning to mobile and optimizing Fortnite for the world's billions of smartphones; and in being the industry's vanguard we have taken a lot of bullets in a battle which is only in the early days of paying off for ourselves and all developers, Sweeney wrote. (He previously said Epic spent over $100 million in legal fees alone on its App Store battle with Apple.) The path forward for the company, per its CEO, is to create awesome Fortnite experiences with fresh seasonal content, gameplay, story and live events, perhaps in an attempt to recapture some of that magic hes referring to. Speeding up work on developer tools amid the transition to Unreal Engine 6 is important as well, Sweeney indicated. He said that the workers Epic is laying off will receive at least four months of their base pay, though theyll get more depending on the length of their tenure at the company. Epic will pay for extended healthcare coverage, including for six months for affected workers in the US. The company which is not publicly traded will speed up the vesting of stock options through next January and extend equity exercise options for up to two years, Sweeney said. Epic announced the layoffs days after it increased the price of Fortnite s V-bucks currency. The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and were raising prices to help pay the bills, it said. As part of the changes at the company, Epic is killing off three Fortnite modes. Rocket Racing (which was built by Rocket League developer Psyonix) will shut down in October. Fortnite Ballistic a 5v5 tactical shooter mode and Festival Battle Stage , which is a competitive version of the Fortnite Festival rhythm game, will vanish on April 16. We've built a lot of Fortnite modes, and in some cases we failed to build something awesome enough to attract and retain a large player base, Epic said on X . The company noted in its Year in Review recap last month that although the hours that players spent in third-party titles on the Epic Games Store increased by four percent in 2025, overall gameplay hours declined year over year, hinting at a dip in Fortnite numbers. The company said PC players spent $1.16 billion on the store in 2025, an increase of six percent from the previous year. Of that, $400 million was spent on third-party PC games. However, Epic Games Store vice president and general manager Steve Allison told Polygon in February that, factoring in first-party revenue and the 12 percent cut the company takes from third-party games, the store is already even with all this stuff marginally profitable now. Here is the full memo Sweeney shared with Epics employees on Tuesday: Today were laying off over 1000 Epic employees. I'm sorry we're here again. The downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025 means we're spending significantly more than we're making, and we have to make major cuts to keep the company funded. This layoff, together with over $500 million of identified cost savings in contracting, marketing, and closing some open roles puts us in a more stable place. Some of the challenges we're facing are industry-wide challenges: slower growth, weaker spending, and tougher cost economics; current consoles selling less than last generation's; and games competing for time against other increasingly-engaging forms of entertainment. And some of our challenges are unique to Epic. Despite Fortnite remaining one of the most successful games in the world, weve had challenges delivering consistent Fortnite magic with every season; we're only in the early stages of returning to mobile and optimizing Fortnite for the world's billions of smartphones; and in being the industry's vanguard we have taken a lot of bullets in a battle which is only in the early days of paying off for ourselves and all developers. Since it's a thing now, I should note that the layoffs aren't related to AI. To the extent it improves productivity, we want to have as many awesome developers developing great content and tech as we can. What we now need to do is clear: build awesome Fortnite experiences with fresh seasonal content, gameplay, story, and live events; accelerate developer tools with greater stability and capability as we evolve from Unreal Engine 5 and UEFN to Unreal Engine 6. And we'll be kicking off the next generation of Epic with huge launch plans towards the end of the year. This isn't our first time being here. Epic survived upheavals in 1990's with the move from 2D to 3D with Unreal 1; in the 2000's building console games with Gears of War; and in 2012 moving to online gaming with Paragon and Fortnite. Each time, we rebuilt our foundations and earned a renewed leadership position. Market conditions today are the most extreme we've seen since those early days, with massive upheaval in the industry accompanied by massive opportunity for the companies that come out as winners on the other side. That's what we're aiming to do for our players, and we aim to bring other like-minded developers in the industry along on the journey to build an increasingly open and vibrant future of entertainment together. At Epic, we pride ourselves in only hiring the industry's best, so it is very painful to part with so many talented people. The folks impacted by the layoffs will receive a severance package that includes at least four months of base pay, with more based on tenure. Were also extending Epic-paid healthcare coverage. For example, in the U.S., theyll receive paid coverage for 6 months. Well also accelerate their stock options vesting through January 2027 and extend equity exercise options for up to two years. We'll have a company meeting Thursday to talk about the roadmap in more detail. -Tim This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-is-laying-off-more-than-1000-workers-citing-a-downturn-in-fortnite-engagement-154436905.html?src=rss

Samsung's cheaper Mini LED TVs are now on sale

Samsung has unveiled the budget M70H and M80H Mini LED TVs, promising a bright picture and accurate colors starting at just $400 for the 50-inch and $1,200 for the 85-inch models. The company also revealed a pair of new higher-end TVs with the company's Quantum Mini LED tech, the QN70H and QN80H, that offer precise backlighting and 100 percent color volume. Mini LED TVs have been dropping rapidly in price over the past couple of years while also improving in quality. The M70H and M80H are among the cheapest we've seen so far, with, most 50-inch Mini LEDs currently on sale costing $400 or more. Samsung is promising pretty decent specs as well like 10-bit panels that can display a billion colors, Samsung's HDR+ and a 144Hz refresh rate with FreeSync Premium or 240Hz with DLG at 1080p. Samsung's M70H Mini LED TV Samsung Other key features include Samsung's One UI Tizen with Smart Home support and Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple TV) compatibility, along with Samsung's Gaming Hub for cloud gaming and adaptive sound (but not Dolby Atmos support). The company didn't mention some key specs like brightness, color gamut and the number of local dimming zones, so you can likely assume those aren't top-of-the-line. The prices are very good, with the 43-inch M70H at $350, the 65-inch M70 priced at $530 and the 85-inch M70H running $1,200. The M80H starts at $700 for the 55-inch model and runs up to $1,800 for the 85-incher. All models are now on sale, and Samsung said that a 100-inch Class M90H model is arriving later this year this year. Samsung Samsung also revealed a new line of higher-end Neo QLED models powered by its Quantum Mini LED technology. With the QN70H and QN80H, Samsung is promising rilliant brightness and 100 percent DCI-P3 color volume, thanks to the quantum dot tech and more precise backlighting. Samsung said this model would have more local dimming zones than before (though again, it didn't say how many), which should result in better contrast and less looming caused by light leakage from neighboring pixels. Features are largely the same as with the M70H and M80H, but the QN models also offer Dolby Atmos and 360 audio along with a slightly highter 288Hz DLG refresh rate at 1080p. The Neo QLED 4K QN70H starts at $600 for the 43-inch model and goes up to $1,200 for the 65-inch version and $2,300 for the 85-inch model. The 55-inch QN80H, meanwhile, costs $1,299, the 75-inch model is $2,000 and the 100-inch TV is $5,500. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-cheaper-mini-led-tvs-are-now-on-sale-150034289.html?src=rss

Akai just released a portable and relatively budget-friendly MPC sampler

Akai just revealed specs and other details about the MPC Sample after teasing the gadget earlier this month . This is a portable sampler and groovebox that looks eerily similar to Teenage Engineering's EP series . It also resembles some legendary Akai gadgets from decades past, including the MPC3000 and MPC60. In other words, it's easy on the eyes and sort of looks like a Super Famicom. It seems pretty capable. The Sample has 16 velocity-sensitive MPC pads with poly aftertouch, which should please finger drummers. It can handle 32 stereo voices of polyphony and there's a sequencer for making actual beats. Akai As for sampling, there's an easily accessible chop mode, in addition to time-stretching and repitching capabilities. Samples can be edited via waveform, thanks to a full-color LCD display. The machine can resample internally with FX, letting creators make some unique soundscapes. The MPC Sample boasts access to four effects engines and 60 effect types. The gadget ships with over 100 factory drum kits, but users can easily add whatever they want. It comes with just 8GB of internal storage, but there's a microSD slot for more. It can, of course, connect to MIDI keyboards for playing melodic samples. The Sample also hooks up to DAWs. Akai The RAM is on the lower side, at just 2GB. However, this is the standard configuration for some more expensive units, like the MPC Live and Live II. It should be able to get the job done, but the MPC XL is the product to pick for those looking for maximum horsepower . That one has a whopping 16GB of RAM. It also costs nearly $3,000. The rechargeable battery here lasts five hours, which is respectable but not groundbreaking. Teenage Engineering's EP series boasts better battery life, but requires pricey AAs. Finally, there's a speaker, but I've never had much luck with speakers on this type of thing. Bring some headphones to actually hear what's going on. Perhaps the biggest news here is the price. The MPC Sample costs just $400, which seems reasonable given the form factor and features. It's available right now. Casio announces this release Casio SX-C1 ... Casio is sooo back and i want it so bad. pic.twitter.com/plMtbdqZU6 LozaxPixel (@LozaxPixel) January 26, 2026 Casio recently unveiled another nifty-looking portable sampler called the SX-C1 . It also resembles a Nintendo product, but this time it's a Game Boy and not the Japanese SNES. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/akai-just-released-a-portable-and-relatively-budget-friendly-mpc-sampler-140047113.html?src=rss

Ultrahuman opens US pre-orders for Ring Pro

At the end of February, Ultrahuman announced its latest smart ring which promises up to 15 days of battery life on a single charge. Sadly, if you were based in the US, you werent able to pre-order the Ring Pro, as the company has been locked in a longstanding legal tussle with ring rivals Oura. Now, however, it appears the situation has been resolved, with the US Customs and Border Protection giving its blessing. Consequently, pre-orders for the Ring Pro are starting today, with the first 1,000 customers to sign up getting a hefty bonus. The smart ring market is still in its infancy, which means its fiercely competitive as companies try to keep their rivals at bay. Market leader Oura has been willing to protect its IP in court, issuing patent lawsuits against Ultrahuman, Samsung, RingConn, Reebook, Circular, Zepp, Nexxbase and Omate. In October 2025, Oura secured what it called a decisive legal victory over Ultrahuman, banning the import and sale of its rings in the United States. On its own website , Ultrahuman stated the lawsuit was lacking in merit, and that it was an attempt by a rival to hold down a ew player with a superior product. Even so, the company's Bhuvan Srinivasan told me in January that the Ring Pro has been designed to avoid any such legal drama going forward. The standard price for the Ring Pro is $399, but youll need to fork out another $100 for the fancy schmancy charging case that adds so much more to the rings arsenal. But, for those 1,000 early birds, youll be able to pick up both the Pro and its case for $349, which is quite a hefty discount all told. If youre customer 1,001 dont feel too despondent, however, as Ultrahuman will still offer you some sort of discount if youre quick. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ultrahuman-opens-us-pre-orders-for-ring-pro-130043933.html?src=rss

Spotify's SongDNA can tell you all about the track you're listening to

Spotify has started rolling out a feature called SongDNA that can show you the people behind your favorite tracks and give you an insight on how they were created. You can access it by opening the Now Playing view while listening to a specific song and then scrolling down to the SongDNA box. Tracks that support the new feature will show you all the artists, writers, producers and collaborators behind them. Its yet another way to make more music on the platform discoverable, since youll be able to tap on their icons to see their profiles and the other pieces they worked on. The box will also contain the samples and interpolations that helped form a tracks sound, as well as the covers it inspired. Spotify says its giving eligible artist and label teams the power to review and manage the components of the feature, so its bound to be supported by more and more tracks as time goes on. SongDNA is designed to make a songs creative lineage more transparent so fans can easily explore the people and influences behind the music they love, said Jacqueline Ankner, Spotifys Head of Songwriter & Publisher Partnerships. By bringing collaborators, samples, and covers together in one place, were making it easier for fans to discover new music and see how songs connect and come to lifewhile giving songwriters, producers, and rightsholders meaningful recognition for the role they play in creating it. SongDNA is making its way to paying iOS and Android users around the world, but its still in beta and might still go through revisions before its more widely available. It will roll out more broadly to Premium users throughout April. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/spotifys-songdna-can-tell-you-all-about-the-track-youre-listening-to-130000809.html?src=rss

The Morning After: WWDC 2026 is happening June 8th

Its coming. Apples Worldwide Developers Conference ( WWDC ) will take place from June 8-12. Going on past timings, CEO Tim Cook will take the stage for the keynote on June 8, most likely at 1 PM ET. WWDC is a software-focused affair, so expect to see the upcoming 27 operating systems, now that the new naming convention has settled. Apple will likely cover iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, visionOS 27, watchOS 27 and macOS 27. However, Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman is suggesting that WWDC will be a fairly muted affair, but in all fairness, WWDC has never been that explosive. Still, there are things I want to hear about: Rumors suggest that iOS 27 will deliver big upgrades to Apple Intelligence and possibly that overdue Siri overhaul. Reports also suggest the presence of split-pane multitasking, if youre aching to juggle spreadsheets, web browsing and more on your mobile device. Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning Engadget review recap: Lots of Apple, Galaxy S26, Dell XPS 16 and more Wing expands its drone delivery service to the Bay Area Billionaire OnlyFans owner Leonid Radvinsky has died from cancer at 43 Apple will reportedly start stuffing ads into the Maps app Twitter turns 20 And now what? Senior reporter Karissa Bell marks two decades on Twitter. Twitter/X as changed a lot, especially in the last five years, as AI slop, clickbait, and ragebait keep the algorithm ticking over. More recently, Xs AI assistant was able to undress anyone you ask it to. Great. The social network has moved far away from its exciting heyday of live tweeting, memes and more or even a place to make new friends and contacts. In fact, I got my job here at Engadget through Twitter DMs to former Engadget editor Richard Lai. As Karissa puts it, Twitter stopped being that place a long time ago. Continue reading. Nothing Phone 4a Pro review A new midrange champ? Engadget The Phone 4a Pro punches well above its $499 price tag. Nothing has successfully refined its hardware into a more premium, all-metal unibody, losing the jarring camera bump of its predecessor in favor of a sleek design that houses a genuinely impressive camera. There are still a few signs that its not quite a flagship (mediocre video recording performance and a lack of wireless charging), but at this price, these seem like minor complaints. Nothings next flagship phone needs to offer something, right? Continue reading. Samsungs new S26 series can AirDrop like an iPhone A new update has added support. Android AirDrop sharing is expanding to more devices. Samsung announced earlier this week that its Galaxy S26 Series is getting AirDrop support via the Quick Share feature. Google first introduced the Quick Share feature on its Pixel 10 phones last year. The setting allows Android users to send and receive photos and files from an Apple device. Yknow, like AirDrop. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121555441.html?src=rss

OnePlus Nord 6 with 9,000 mAh battery launches on April 7 in India

Nord 6 also claims to support sustained 165 FPS in titles such as BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile and Free Fire

Denon expands its multi-room speaker lineup with the Home 200, Home 400 and Home 600

If the Sonos app saga still has you down, Denon has three new multi-room speakers that give you some fresh alternatives. The companys Home 200, Home 400 and Home 600 offer audio flexibility with other HEOS-enabled products. These new devices were also designed so that they blend in with home decor better than most speakers, coming in stone and charcoal color options for that purpose. As you progress up in number, the speakers not only get physically larger, but their sonic output is also more robust. The Denon Home 200 houses three drivers and three amplifiers for natural, room-filling sound in a compact speaker. More specifically, you get two 0.98-inch tweeters and a single 4-inch woofer. The Home 200 looks a kind of like the Sonos Move 2, although Denons new compact unit isnt portable. However, you can use a pair of them for a stereo setup, or connect two 200s to Denons Home Sound Bar 550 and Home Subwoofer for a 5.1 home theater system. Next up is the Home 400, which carries two 0.75-inch tweeters, two 4.5-inch woofers and six amplifiers, in addition to two 1-inch up-firing drivers. Here, Denon says you can expect a wide, airy soundstage that provides room-filling audio coverage. Whats more, those upward-facing drivers project sound overhead, so theres a greater sense of dimensionality and immersion here. Denon Home 600 speaker Denon The Home 600 is the largest speaker in the new trio, with dual 6.5-inch woofers alongside two tweeters, two midrange units and two up-firing drivers. Denon explains that this configuration offers deep, authoritative bass that provides more depth in your tunes than other two models. All three of the new Home speakers have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C and aux connectivity with the wireless streaming powered by Denons HEOS tech. As such, you can connect these Home speakers with up to 64 other HEOS devices including A/V receivers and Denons new DP-500BT turntable and arrange your audio gear in up to 32 different zones. Youll have access to tunes from Tidal, Amazon Music HD and Qobuz in the HEOS app, and all three new Home speakers support Dolby Atmos Music where available. The Home 200, Home 400 and Home 600 speakers are available today for $399, $599 and $799 respectively. Theyre available from Denon directly or other authorized retailers. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/denon-expands-its-multi-room-speaker-lineup-with-the-home-200-home-400-and-home-600-080000916.html?src=rss

The US bans all new foreign-made network routers

The Federal Communications Commission has released a notice today designating any consumer routers manufactured outside the US as a security risk. The rule states that new foreign-made product models for network routers will land on the Covered List, a set of communications equipment seen as having an unacceptable risk to national security. Previously purchased routers can still be used and retailers can still sell models that were approved by the prior FCC policies. In an exception to the usual rule, routers included on the Covered List can continue to receive updates at least through March 1, 2027, although the date could potentially be extended. The move stems from a goal in the White House's 2025 national security strategy that reads: the United States must never be dependent on any outside power for core componentsfrom raw materials to parts to finished productsnecessary to the nations defense or economy. The notice from the FCC states that companies can apply for conditional approval for new products from the Department of War or the Department of Homeland Security. However, that requires the businesses to provide a plan for shifting at least some of their manufacturing to the US in order to receive that conditional approval. Few, if any, brands known for consumer-grade routers currently build products stateside. It seems likely this sweeping provision could face legal challenges from and cause confusion for the many companies that have production facilities overseas. In addition to Chinese tech giants like TP-Link, US companies will also be affected. NetGear, Eero and Google Nest are all headquartered domestically but have manufacturing in Asia. At least some of that manufacturing activity happens in regions like Taiwan that have historically been on good terms with the US. Until the sector sorts out this new restriction, don't expect to see any new router models on store shelves. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-bans-all-new-foreign-made-network-routers-223622966.html?src=rss

Claude Code and Cowork can now use your computer

Anthropic announced today that its Claude Code and Claude Cowork tools are being updated to accomplish tasks using your computer. The latest update will see these AI resources become capable of opening files, using the browser and running dev tools. When enabled, the Claude AI chatbot will first prioritize connectors to supported services such as the Google workplace suite or Slack, but if a connector isn't available, it will be able to still execute an assigned task. Claude should ask for permission before taking these actions, but Anthropic still recommended not using this feature to handle sensitive information as a precaution. Claude computer use will initially be available to Claude Pro and Claude Max subscribers on macOS. This feature is still in a research preview, so will continue to be adjusted based on Anthropic's user feedback. It will also support use with Anthropic's Dispatch feature, which allows a person to message the chatbot in a single continuous conversation across phone and desktop. Claude Cowork was introduced in January. It's an iteration of the Claude Code AI agent for programmers that is designed for more casual users. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/claude-code-and-cowork-can-now-use-your-computer-210000126.html?src=rss

EA is nuking Battlefield Hardline on consoles

EA has put another game on the chopping block, or at least the console versions of it. The company says it will delist the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Battlefield Hardline from digital storefronts on May 22, and shut down the online services on June 22. The single-player campaign will remain playable for those who own the game. The PC version of Battlefield Hardline isnt affected by these changes. In its announcement on X, EA didn't explain exactly why it's ceasing support for the game on PS4 and Xbox One. It pointed readers to a FAQ on its website that lays out some of the typical reasons why it ends online support for its games. These include factors like declining player bases. Battlefield Hardline, which was released in 2015, will still be available on Steam as well as EA's own PC app. The Steam version has a peak concurrent player count of 41 so far this year. It's hardly uncommon for a publisher to end online services for games with declining player bases, but it's an issue that's come into greater focus over the last few years thanks in part to the Stop Killing Games movement. EA alone has sunsetted dozens of games. Its website has a full accounting of these, spread across three webpages . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-is-nuking-battlefield-hardline-on-consoles-193321551.html?src=rss

Apple will reportedly start stuffing ads into the Maps app

Apple is reportedly planning on inserting ads into the Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman . An announcement could come as soon as this month, with the ads themselves appearing on iPhones this summer. This will likely work similarly to ads in Google Maps and Yelp, which lets retailers and brands bid for coverage with particular search queries. I've personally never found the ads in Google Maps to be that annoying, so let's hope Apple's implementation is similar. This potential ad revenue could seriously bolster Apple's services business, which currently generates $100 billion a year for the company. This division accounts for around 25 percent of annual revenue but faces challenges in both the short-term and long-term, as regulators around the world push for changes to App Store policies . Apple has yet to comment on the matter. This idea has been floating around since last year , with rumors going all the way back to 2022 . The company already displays ads on the App Store and on the News app , so the jump to Maps isn't coming out of left field. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-will-reportedly-start-stuffing-ads-into-the-maps-app-182311634.html?src=rss

Wing expands its drone delivery service to the Bay Area

Wing's drone deliveries are coming full circle after adding Bay Area to its service locations . The drone delivery startup has been rapidly expanding to metro areas across the US, but is now targeting the tech-friendly Silicon Valley region. Going back to its inaugural deliveries, Wing ferried office supplies across Google's Mountain View campus in the Bay Area with its automated drones. It was still a startup out of Google's X, The Moonshot Factory incubator at the time, but early users were already asking for home delivery services, according to Wing. Now, Wing's latest delivery drones can deliver groceries, food, or whatever else fits in a small package weighing up to five pounds in 30 minutes or less to Bay Area residents. It may not be that common to spot a Wing drone yet, but the company expanded its service to 150 more Walmart locations across the US, including Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Miami, earlier this year. The drone delivery company also extended its hours of operation to 9 AM to 9 PM in its Charlotte and Dallas-Fort Worth metros, with approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Beyond the recent Bay Area expansion, Wing has previously mentioned Orlando and Tampa as potential markets to enter. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/wing-expands-its-drone-delivery-service-to-the-bay-area-175748410.html?src=rss

Apple's WWDC 2026 is set for June 8-12

Apple announced that this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place from June 8-12. The company tends to be consistent with event timing, so it's no surprise that CEO Tim Cook will take the stage for the keynote on June 8, most likely at 1PM ET. Much of WWDC will take place online and will be free to attend, though there will be an in-person component for select developers, students and media at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. You'll be able to take in WWDC via the Apple Developer app , website and YouTube channel . It will also be available in China on the Apple Developer Bilibili channel . What should we expect this time around? This is a software-focused event and all indications point toward a reveal of the upcoming 27 operating systems . This would include iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, visionOS 27, watchOS 27 and macOS 27. We don't know for certain what new features these operating system updates will bring to the table, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggesting that WWDC will be a fairly muted affair this year. Rumors have indicated that iOS 27 will deliver much-needed improvements to Apple Intelligence along with the delayed Siri overhaul. Reports also suggest the presence of split-pane multitasking, a redesigned Health app and a new battery management system for iPhones. In any event, we don't have that long to wait. Engadget will be on hand to report on all of the announcements and reveals. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apples-wwdc-2026-is-set-for-june-8-12-171359493.html?src=rss

Billionaire OnlyFans owner Leonid Radvinsky has died from cancer at 43

Leonid Radvinsky, the billionaire owner of OnlyFans, has died. He passed peacefully after a long battle with cancer at age 43, according to a statement from the platform published by Forbes . He was born in Ukraine, but grew up in Chicago. Radvinsky didn't create OnlyFans. He purchased it back in 2018, though is largely credited with transforming it from a niche website to a gigantic porn empire . The platform became so huge that reports have indicated that Radvinsky personally made nearly $2 million every day in 2024. His net worth at the time of his death grew to $4.7 billion, which had more than doubled since 2021. Leonid Radvinsky, the owner of OnlyFans, has died at 43 after a battle with cancer. We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Leo Radvinsky, an OnlyFans spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. Leo passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer. His family pic.twitter.com/xJetAcTZmU Variety (@Variety) March 23, 2026 It has been reported that he was in talks to sell OnlyFans in a deal valued at $8 billion . It's long-been rumored that he bought a controlling stake in the platform for around $30 million back in 2018, though that number has never been officially confirmed. Radvinsky was famously secretive and avoided giving interviews, but his history is not without controversy. He built his fortune with websites that were much shadier than OnlyFans. Radvinsky founded a similar site called MyFreeCams back in 2004 when he was in college, which has been involved in numerous scandals . He also founded a website called Cybertania, which provided links to various pornograpy sites. Some of these links claimed to direct users to illegal content involving children and animals. Forbes did a deep dive into this and found that the site didn't actually lead to the offending content, but it's still likely that Radvinsky and the platform made money by getting people to click on the links. Records also indicate that Radvinsky held domain names like websyoungest.com and aretheylegal.com until 2014. It's currently unknown what those sites hosted. He's also been sued for everything from spamming users to impersonating large companies like Microsoft and Amazon to direct traffic to his pornography sites. These cases were all settled outside of court for undisclosed sums of money. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/billionaire-onlyfans-owner-leonid-radvinsky-has-died-from-cancer-at-43-163211324.html?src=rss

LG Sound Suite review: Dolby Atmos FlexConnect in a powerful package

The premise seems simple enough. LG promises that you can set its Sound Suite speakers anywhere and Dolbys home theater tech will make them perform well. The soundbar, subwoofer and speakers dont have to go in prescribed locations for the best results, which means you can place them where you need to and move them as you see fit. Of course, this all hinges on the reliability of the underlying tech and LGs ability to make individual speakers that actually sound good. Like most premium soundbars and complete home theater setups these days, a complete Sound Suite collection is expensive . The centerpiece alone, a soundbar that most people will want in their customizable configuration, is $1,000. However, if you have a recent LG TV, or are planning to buy a 2026 model when those arrive, theres no better option for boosting your living room entertainment experience. The components of the LG Sound Suite There are four different devices that make up the Sound Suite. The centerpiece is the H7 soundbar ($1,000) , which is the first one that works with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect (DAFC) technology. Then theres the 8-inch W7 subwoofer ($600) and the M5 and M7 speakers ($250 and $400). LG allows you to pick and choose between these products to build a home theater set up that suits your needs up to four speakers and one subwoofer. The only real caveat is that you need the H7 soundbar or a recent LG TV (2025 OLED G5, C5, CS5 and QNED 9M, or an upcoming 2026 model) to serve as the primary device for Sound Suite to work. Thats because the underlying tech requires LGs alpha 11 Gen 3 AI processor, which is inside the soundbar and the companys newer TVs. The H7 houses a dozen Peerless drivers comprising front, side and up-firing units. Theres also four woofers and eight passive radiators for bass and low-frequency audio. The soundbar has a pretty basic design, plain enough to sit in front of an LG OLED (or other premium TV) without being a distraction, and short enough not to block it. Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are available here, so AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect are all supported. The W7 wireless sub has an 8-inch woofer that gets really boomy at times. Its quite large at 16.1 x 16.3 x 7.6 inches, but you can use it standing up vertically or laying down horizontally whichever orientation fits your needs or available space. The M5 and M7 speakers offer basically the same features, including AirPlay and Cast, and can be used either by themselves, as a stereo pair, as a four-speaker array or as rear satellite speakers with the H7 soundbar. The main difference is the M7 has two full-range drivers, one up-firing driver and a woofer while the M5 only has a tweeter, an up-firing driver and a woofer. What is Dolby Atmos FlexConnect? FlexConnect is a home theater audio technology that Dolby announced in 2023 . It was available on TCLs Z100 speakers last year, but LGs Sound Suite marks the first time the feature has been available on a more robust living room product that includes a soundbar. FlexConnect allows you to position speakers anywhere in a room without sacrificing audio performance. The tech uses a TV or soundbar as the lead device to locate speakers so it can tune the sound to match their positioning. The system can also quickly adapt when you move a speaker maybe for a party or other special occasion. FlexConnect works as advertised, but there is one caveat that shouldve been obvious, although I didnt anticipate it. Every time you add or remove speakers from a DAFC group, youll need to recalibrate the system, which includes the software playing sounds from the speakers so that the TV or soundbar can locate them and Dolbys tech adjusts their output. It doesnt take long, but there is audible noise from each unit in the group, so youll want to factor in that time and potential annoyance for anyone else in the house. Other Sound Suite features LG Sound Suite H7 soundbar Billy Steele for Engadget Sound Suite offers some of the same features as LGs other home theater products. Those include Night Mode, Room Calibration Pro, AI Sound Pro+ real-time audio upscaling and Clear Voice Pro+ for enhanced dialogue. For the Sound Suite, LG has also introduced Sound Follow, a feature that allows you to adjust the sweet spot for the system based on where youre sitting. Once you set your current position with a tap in the ThinQ app, Sound Follow is supposed to change the levels and tuning accordingly. Im not entirely sure this was working on my system. Unlike my demo at CES, the seating position on the FlexConnect layout in the app was never updated. And while the UI seemed to indicate the change was made when I tapped the buttons, I couldnt hear any difference in the audio. I asked LG for more information to ensure Sound Follow is functioning properly. A word about setup Like most soundbars and speakers these days, you have to use an app to get them all connected and properly set up. And like Samsung, LG makes you do that through the same app that handles all of its connected devices including appliances. Once you unbox and plug in the Sound Suite speakers, you add them in the ThinQ app as a new home theater arrangement. The software shows you which speakers are available to use and allows you to select which ones you want in the initial Dolby Atmos FlexConnect grouping. The app will ask you to set the distance between the soundbar and your primary seating area before running the sound optimization (tuning) process. ThinQ will display the speaker layout and you can edit the DAFC group at any time. If you move a speaker though, youll need to run the optimization again for the best audio performance. And if youre using an LG TV as the lead device, all of this is sorted onscreen rather than in the app. Overall, the process is pretty straightforward, although I encountered some pretty significant connectivity issues that were very frustrating. I review soundbars and speakers regularly, so Im familiar with the process of using an app to connect devices to my home Wi-Fi in order to get them up and running. With the H7, it took a few days to get it connected, which meant I could only use the soundbar with the audio options available on LG C5s menu and wasnt able to set up a larger Sound Suite configuration. After several router and soundbar reboots, I was finally able to get the H7 to connect and become available to finish the install. Ive never had this problem before, so perhaps LG did something different with the Wi-Fi components here. LG Sound Suite M7 speakers Billy Steele for Engadget When I was adding the M7 speakers to my DAFC setup, I had no issues connecting them to Wi-Fi initially. However, I did have trouble adding them to the FlexConnect group, which required each piece of the Sound Suite playing an audio calibration clip. Repeatedly, the ThinQ app told me there was a connection issue with one of the M7s, although eventually they all somehow got added anyway. I also had trouble removing speakers from the arrangement. Even though the app said sound was only coming from the H7 soundbar, one of the two M7 speakers was still connected and emitting sound when I didnt want it to. For some reason, this only happened when playing music over AirPlay TV audio over HDMI eARC always functioned as intended. If youre using the TV as the lead device, you do all of the setup on the screen. I found this method to be more straightforward and reliable, although it blasted the calibration sounds at a deafening volume. There is a big issue though: Once connected to the TV as a DAFC setup, the speaker settings werent available in either the ThinQ app or on-screen menus. This meant I was stuck in standard mode, with things like AI Sound Pro+ inaccessible. I asked LG for more info on this because it greatly impacts the overall experience. Which configuration sounds best? Before I get into describing the various Sound Suite configurations, I need to make an important note about the limitations for the possible setups. LG only allows a maximum of five speakers in any Sound Suite arrangement, but you can mix and match however you want. Just remember if you dont opt for the H7 soundbar, youll need a compatible LG TV as the lead device for FlexConnect to work. You can also use the M5 and M7 as standalone speakers in another room and swap them in and out of your living room or home theater setup as needed. In the multi-room scenario, Sound Suite speakers function much like a Sonos system would, and the M7 is more than capable of being a standalone music speaker with plenty of detail and decent bass. I wasnt able to test the M5, so I cant vouch for that one. Keep in mind that if you opt for the M5 or the M7 for your living room, youll need at least two of either one to use FlexConnect with your LG TV. After testing multiple configurations of the Sound Suite, I think the combination of the H7 soundbar, W7 subwoofer and two M7s is the ideal arrangement. Ill hedge that a bit as I prefer to disable the M7s in the rear of the room when watching live TV especially sports as the same audio coming from the soundbar and those speakers didnt really enhance the experience. Plus, arena noise seemed overly echo-y and off-putting. This setup is well-suited for streaming TV shows and movies, things where Dolby Atmos, or at least LGs spatial upscaling, is at the height of its powers. The LG Sound Suite W7 subwoofer is quite large Billy Steele for Engadget In this setup with the H7 as the lead, you get Sound Suite in its most immersive form. I always use Netflixs Drive to Survive as my first test of a new home theater system, and LGs lineup handled it like a champ. You get excellent directional audio, which makes the cars sound like theyre zooming around your living room. And the in-car shots are so enveloping, its like youre sitting right behind the driver. This configuration also works well for music, though I preferred to use either one of the M7 speakers or the soundbar/sub duo rather than the whole shebang. My second favorite setup is four M7s. Once again, this configuration requires an LG TV as the lead device, but if you have that, you can definitely save some room in front of your television with separate front speakers. Unfortunately, you cant use a subwoofer too because if youre using a TV to power the speakers, you can only add up to four. Thats a real bummer, but the TV speakers will be used as a center channel (dialogue) boost, so its not a complete waste. However, this arrangement would benefit from more bass. The four-speaker setup could be particularly beneficial for people who mount their TVs on the wall and dont want a soundbar underneath. And, again, FlexConnect allows you to put the speakers anywhere, not necessarily flanking your TV. You also get the option of moving these smaller speakers around when you need to something you cant really do with a soundbar. The only sacrifice I noticed audio-wise is that two M7s in the front doesnt offer the same overhead sensation for Atmos content as the H7s up-firing drivers. If youre just using four M7 speakers for home theater duties, youll enjoy the immersive audio these Sound Suite speakers will provide. Theres lots of directional sounds with Atmos content, and theres plenty of subtle detail that comes through on movies and shows. However, for live sports, this arrangement pulls commentary audio from the TV speakers and puts much of the arena/stadium noise in the rear M7s, which makes it difficult to hear the announcers at times. This is one area where the inability to adjust the audio settings really hampers the experience. If youre hoping to invest in something that can pull double duty for music, I prefer one or two M7s for that purpose. And while theres decent low-end thump, streaming your favorite tunes is where youll notice the absence of that W7 subwoofer. The competition The controls on the LG Sound Suite M7 speaker Billy Steele for Engadget If youre looking for alternatives to LGs Sound Suite, you have to make some sacrifices. The only other option right now that offers Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is the TCL Z100 speaker. Obviously, youll need multiples of this $300 device, and youll probably want to add the $350 subwoofer, too. Like the LG M7, youll need a compatible TCL TV to serve as the lead device for FlexConnect (a QM6K, QM7K, QM8K, QM9K or X11L model). I havent tested these 1.1.1-channel units, so I cant provide a direct comparison to the Sound Suites M5 or M7. For those who can live without FlexConnect, Samsungs Q990 series is consistently the best all-in-one setup you can buy. I havent reviewed one since 2024 because the company has been keen on shipping new models with minimal updates, which means the hardware and most of the features remain the same. The HW-Q990H will be the latest installment when it arrives later this year, with the biggest differentiator being a new dialogue boost called Sound Elevation. While the Q990 always comes with rear speakers and a subwoofer alongside a powerful soundbar, some features will only be available if you also have a Samsung TV. One of those is Q-Symphony, which utilizes TV speakers alongside the Q990s drivers for more detailed and immersive sound. For the entire Q990 package, youre looking at $2,000 $100 less than the comparable Sound Suite arrangement of the H7 soundbar, two M5 speakers and a W7 sub. Wrap-up Theres no denying that LG has created a powerful and immersive living room experience with its Sound Suite lineup. I also like that the company allows customers to decide what they need without sacrificing the main draw of FlexConnect. While I did experience some setup and software issues, those are things LG can iron out over time Sound Suite is still brand new, after all. I would like to see the company offer some discounted bundles and continue to add more audio features over time to justify the hefty investment. If youve got a couple grand to spend, especially if you have a recent LG TV, Sound Suite will be your best option for building out a home theater setup. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/lg-sound-suite-review-dolby-atmos-flexconnect-in-a-powerful-package-160000544.html?src=rss

Wheely, an on-demand chauffeur app, makes its US debut in NYC

When the Uber Black isn't premium enough, New Yorkers now have the option to call for a Wheely instead. Whimsical name aside, the London-based company is breaking into the US market by offering its chauffeur-hailing services to residents of New York City first, as first reported by Bloomberg . Think of it like Uber, but for business executives and VIPs who prefer better service and riding in Cadillacs and Mercedes. New York has long been requested by our customers, whether that be New Yorkers who have traveled with us in Europe and the Middle East, or our international clients who regularly visit the city, Anton Chirkunov, founder and CEO of Wheely, said in a press release. Wheely Besides its black car Business SUV service, New Yorkers can opt for Wheely First that offers a Mercedes-Benz S-Class W223 filled with amenities like Fiji water and towels. For a more dedicated service, Wheely has its Perfect Airport Pickup where drivers will track flights to line up a pickup, and the Chauffeur for a Day option that lets users reserve a chauffeur that will also pick up friends and family or run errands for you. For interested drivers in New York City, Wheely will port over its in-house Chauffeur Academy, which is expected to grow to a network of 5,000 qualified drivers over the next five years. While Wheely currently operates in London, Paris and Dubai, the company plans to expand to five major US cities within the next three years. According to Bloomberg , Wheely is considering markets in Texas, Miami and Palm Beach, Fla. as well as Washington, D.C. Wheely's entry into the US market comes about a week after the announcement of the Uber Elite program, which targets a similar demographic. However, Uber Elite is only available in Los Angeles and San Francisco currently, with plans to expand to New York soon. However, Uber may have Wheely beat when it comes to hailing a helicopter, thanks to its upcoming Uber Air option. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/wheely-an-on-demand-chauffeur-app-makes-its-us-debut-in-nyc-143233840.html?src=rss

Xbox lines up a Partner Preview showcase for March 26

Microsoft has locked in its second games showcase of the year. A Xbox Partner Preview stream will take place on March 26 at 1PM ET. It'll be available on the Xbox YouTube and Twitch channels. There'll be dedicated Twitch and YouTube streams with ASL interpretation, another featuring British Sign Language and one with audio descriptions in English on the main Xbox YouTube channel. The YouTube stream will be in 4K at 60fps (other channels are limited to 1080p) and have subtitle support for nearly three dozen languages. The broadcast will be available on regional Xbox channels as well. This showcase is all about upcoming games from Xbox's third-party partners. It will feature an in-depth look at Ryu Ga Gotokus Stranger Than Heaven (formerly known as Project Century ), an update on Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl and the latest peek at The Expanse: Osiris Reborn . Along with those, expect some world premieres. Of course, many of these projects will be coming to Game Pass. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-lines-up-a-partner-preview-showcase-for-march-26-140117249.html?src=rss

Samsung's Galaxy S26 will get Apple AirDrop support starting today

As Google promised, Apple AirDrop sharing is expanding to more Android devices. Samsung announced today that its Galaxy S26 Series is getting AirDrop support through the Quick Share feature. Google first introduced the Quick Share feature on its Pixel 10 phones last year and, in February, shared plans to increase the number of devices included. The setting allows Android users to send and receive photos and files from an Apple device, much like two Apple users do with AirDrop. To get media from an iPhone, Android users need to turn visibility settings onto everyone for 10 minutes. Starting tomorrow, March 23, Samsung will begin rolling out this AirDrop support in Korea. It should then expand to areas such as North America, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, and Latin America. Once again, Samsung states that additional devices should be able to get AirDrop compatibility soon. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsungs-galaxy-s26-will-get-apple-airdrop-support-starting-today-110452832.html?src=rss

Instax Mini Evo Cinema Review | Less of a practical upgrade, more of a lifestyle choice

If you are someone who values aesthetics, nostalgia, and the joy of physical photos, this camera makes sense

Amazon Plans Smartphone Comeback More Than a Decade After Fire Phone Flop

The phone is seen as a potential mobile personalization device that can sync with home voice assistant Alexa and serve as a conduit to Amazon customers throughout the day, the people said.

OnePlus launches Nord Buds 4 Pro with spatial audio and ANC

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro also supports slide controls for volume

Poco X8 Pro Max, Poco X8 Pro and Poco X8 Pro Iron Man Edition launched in India

Both devices feature a metal frame, and racetrack-inspired camera modules paired with dynamic RGB lighting

Apple unveils second-generation AirPods Max at $549

Live translation, first introduced on the AirPods Pro 3 in September, enables users to translate in-person conversations across languages using Apple Intelligence

Google Pixel 10a Review | More incremental refinements rather than a major upgrade

Googles Pixel a series has gradually shifted its positioning in India. What earlier felt like a relatively accessible entry into the Pixel ecosystem now sits much closer to the premium mid-range space

Apple MacBook Neo Emerges As Companys Most Repairable Laptop in More Than a Decade

Apple is widely believed to be targeting the same education markets with its MacBook Neo that Google targets with its low-cost Chromebooks

Ai+ Smartphone partners Optiemus to make phones, tablets and IoT devices

Together, they plan to invest 125 crore in India-based manufacturing for over 5 years with a claim of creating around 1,200 direct and indirect jobs

iQOO launches Z11x with MediaTek processor and Sony sensor

iQOO has used a 7200 mAh battery in iQOO Z11x, paired with 44W charger inside the box

Xiaomi Pad 8 launched in India with HyperOS 3 and Snapdragon processor

Xiaomi will offer four years of Android OS updates and six years of security updates to Pad 8

Motorola Edge 70 Fusion launched in India with Sony sensor and Qualcomm chip

The phone features dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio support

Nothing Phone 4a and Phone 4a Pro launched: Price, features and availability

Nothing also unveiled a new over-head headphones, Headphone a, at more accessible price point, claiming around 135 hours of playtime.

Apple launches new MacBooks with M5 chips, bigger base storage

The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,099 and now comes with 512 gigabytes of storage as standard, double the base storage of the previous generation

Samsung rolls out more AI, new privacy shield mode with the new Galaxy S26 lineup

Samsung on Wednesday unveiled its latest Galaxy smartphones, which boast an even bigger toolbox of artificial intelligence technology

Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 unveiled along with Xiaomi Pad 8 series: Features, price and India launch

The series comes with optical set up co-engineered with German lens maker Leica