Gadgets News

OpenAIs head of ChatGPT says posts appearing to show in-app ads are not real or not ads

Those might not exactly be ads you're seeing on ChatGPT, at least according to OpenAI. Nick Turley, OpenAI's head of ChatGPT, clarified the confusion around potential ads appearing with the AI chatbot. In a post on X , Turley said there are no live tests for ads and that any screenshots you've seen are either not real or not ads. The OpenAI exec's explanation comes after another post from former xAI employee Benjamin De Kraker on X that has gained traction, which featured a screenshot showing an option to shop at Target within a ChatGPT conversation. OpenAI's Daniel McAuley responded to the post, arguing that it's not an ad but rather an example of app integration that the company announced in October. However, the company's chief research officer, Mark Chen, also replied on X that they fell short in this case, adding that anything that feels like an ad needs to be handled with care. Weve turned off this kind of suggestion while we improve the models precision, Chen wrote on X. Were also looking at better controls so you can dial this down or off if you dont find it helpful. There's still a lot of uncertainty about whether OpenAI will introduce ads to ChatGPT, but in November, someone discovered code in a beta version of the ChatGPT app on Android that made several mentions of ads. Even in Turley's post debunking the inclusion of live ads, the OpenAI exec added that if we do pursue ads, well take a thoughtful approach. Turley also posted that people trust ChatGPT and anything we do will be designed to respect that. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-head-of-chatgpt-says-posts-appearing-to-show-in-app-ads-are-not-real-or-not-ads-190454584.html?src=rss

X shuts down the European Commissions ad account the day after major fine

Just a day after receiving a roughly $140 million fine , X has terminated the ad account of the European Commission. Nikita Bier , X's head of product, accused the European Commission of using an exploit to artificially boost the reach of its post announcing the major fine. In the post, Bier said that the commission logged into [their] dormant ad account to take advantage of an exploit in our Ad Composer and posted a link that deceives users into thinking its a video and to artificially increase its reach. Bier explained in a separate post that the exploit has never been abused like this and is now patched. However, X still revoked the European Commission's ability to buy and track ads on its platform. While X decided to remove the European Commission's ad account, it still needs to submit specific measures and an action plan to address the concerns associated with the $140 million fine. The European Commission's spokesperson for Tech Sovereignty, Defence, Space and Research, Thomas Regnier, said that this is the first-ever fine under the Digital Services Act . The European legislative body claimed that X has a deceptive system when it comes to verified accounts, lacks transparency with its advertising repository and doesn't provide effective data for researchers. In response, X's owner, Elon Musk, replied to the European Commission's post, calling it bullshit . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-shuts-down-the-european-commissions-ad-account-the-day-after-major-fine-173553267.html?src=rss

Missing NBC on Fubo? Here's how to watch Sunday Night Football this week and more

If you're a Fubo subscriber, you've certainly noticed that NBC and all NBCUniversal-owned channels have gone dark on the platform. For over a week, customers have gone without NBC programming like the Today Show and The Voice , and for the second week in a row, customers will have to find alternate methods of watching this week's Sunday Night Football game, too. It's all because Fubo and NBCUniversal are having a contract dispute, so channels like NBC, USA Network, Telemundo, and Bravo have been unavailable on Fubo since Nov. 21, and as of now, there's no projected date for their return. A message released by Fubo to their customers explains, Fubo believes customers should have the option to choose among multiple distributors to access the content they love. Unfortunately, NBCU has offered terms regarding pricing and packaging that are egregiously above those offered to other distributors. A statement from an NBCU spokesperson adds, Fubo has chosen to drop NBCUniversal programming despite being offered the same terms agreed to by hundreds of other distributors. Unfortunately, this is par for the course for Fubo theyve dropped numerous networks in recent years at the expense of their customers, who continue to lose content. (Fubo, for instance, cut Warner-owned channels back in 2024.) You can read more about exactly why Fubo is countering NBC's proposed deal here . While the companies are continuing discussions to come to an agreement, there is still no resolution. Fubo has already begun issuing $15 credits to subscribers' bills as a gesture of goodwill, but if you're a Fubo customer and are wondering how to watch this week's biggest games and shows, here's everything you need to know about the Fubo-NBC blackout, which channels are missing and your options for where to watch them. How to watch Sunday Night Football without Fubo This week's Sunday Night Football matchup between the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs airs at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, but you'll also be able to stream it on Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. What else is on NBC this week? In addition to this week's Sunday Night Football game, there are loads of sports on NBC, USA, Universo and more that you won't want to miss, including extensive Premiere League coverage, NBA and NHL games, plus dozens of new show premieres this week like Stumble and The Voice . On Bravo, there are new episodes of The Real Housewives of Potomac and The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City , and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills , too. Which channels are no longer available on Fubo? The following is a list of channels owned or operated by NBC that are not currently available on Fubo: Local Channels: NBC Local Affiliates Telemundo Local/National Regional Sports Channels: NBC Sports 4K NBC Sports Bay Area NBC Sports Bay Area Plus NBC Sports Boston NBC Sports California NBC Sports California Plus NBC Sports California Plus 3 NBC Sports Philadelphia NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus National Channels: American Crimes Bravo Bravo Vault Caso Cerrado CNBC CNBC World Cozi Dateline 24/7 E! Entertainment Television E! Keeping Up Golf Channel GolfPass LX Home Million Dollar Listing Vault MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) NBC NOW NBC Sports NOW NBC Universo True CRMZ New England Cable News Noticias Telemundo Ahora Oxygen True Crime Oxygen True Crime Archives Real Housewives Vault SNL Vault Syfy Telemundo Accion Telemundo al Dia The Golf Channel Today All Day Universal Movies USA Network Why are these NBC-owned channels currently unavailable? Per Fubo , NBC channels were pulled from the platform because of a disagreement over their long-standing content distribution agreement that has yet to be resolved. When will the missing channels return? There is no information available as to when NBC's lineup of channels will return. Negotiations between the companies are ongoing. Is Fubo offering a rebate while these channels are missing? In a message to subscribers, Fubo stated, If NBCU programming remains off of Fubo for an extended period, we will directly credit $15 to your Fubo account. At least one Fubo customer on our staff received an email confirming the credit would be automatically applied in the December billing cycle. What alternatives do viewers have in the meantime? Looking to switch from Fubo? You've got plenty of options, including Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. Here are some of your choices: Watch NBC on Peacock Get a deal on Peacock with Walmart+ Try DirecTV free for 5 days, and get $30 off your first month Try Hulu + Live TV for free Other services to watch NBC If I switch to a different service, can I cancel or pause Fubo in the meantime? Fubo does not allow customers to pause their subscriptions, so if you're looking to make a change, you can cancel your plan outright. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/missing-nbc-on-fubo-heres-how-to-watch-sunday-night-football-this-week-and-more-014052821.html?src=rss

Judge puts a one-year limit on Google's contracts for default search placement

A federal judge has expanded on the remedies decided for the Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google, ruling in favor of putting a one-year limit on the contracts that make Google's search and AI services the default on devices, Bloomberg reports. Judge Amit Mehta's ruling on Friday means Google will have to renegotiate these contacts every year, which would create a fairer playing field for its competitors. The new details come after Mehta ruled in September that Google would not have to sell off Chrome, as the DOJ proposed at the end of 2024. This all follows the ruling last fall that Google illegally maintained an internet search monopoly through actions including paying companies such as Apple to make its search engine the default on their devices and making exclusive deals around the distribution of services such as Search, Chrome and Gemini. Mehta's September ruling put an end to these exclusive agreements and stipulates that Google will have to share some of its search data with rivals to narrow the scale gap its actions have created. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/judge-puts-a-one-year-limit-on-googles-contracts-for-default-search-placement-215549614.html?src=rss

Apple's Johny Srouji could continue the company's executive exodus, according to report

Apple's Johny Srouji may be the latest company executive to seek greener pastures, according to a report from Bloomberg . The report said that Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, told Tim Cook that he is seriously considering leaving in the near future. While the report didn't mention if Srouji has another job lined up, Bloomberg 's sources claimed that he wants to join another company if he leaves Apple. Srouji joined the company in 2008 to develop Apple's first in-house system-on-a-chip and eventually led the transition to Apple silicon. If Srouji leaves Apple, he would be the latest in a string of departures of longtime execs. At the start of the month, Apple announced that John Giannandrea , the company's senior vice president for machine learning and AI strategy, would be retiring from his role in spring 2026. A couple of days later, Bloomberg reported that the company's head of interface design, Alan Dye, would be leaving for a role at Meta. Adding to those exits, Apple also revealed that Kate Adams, who has been Apple's general counsel since 2017, and Lisa Jackson, vice president for Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, will both be leaving in early 2026. The shakeup at the executive level comes after Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman previously reported that Cook may not be preparing for his own departure as CEO next year. Gurman's prediction counters a report from the Financial Times that claimed that Apple was accelerating succession plans for Cook with an expected stepping down sometime next year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apples-johny-srouji-could-continue-the-companys-executive-exodus-according-to-report-200750252.html?src=rss

Waymo's robotaxi fleet is being recalled again, this time for failing to stop for school buses

To prevent its robotaxi fleet from passing stopped school buses, Waymo is issuing another software recall in 2025. While it's not a traditional recall that pulls vehicles from the road, Waymo is voluntarily updating software for its autonomous fleet in response to an investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to Waymo, the recall will be filed with the federal agency early next week. Mauricio Pea, Waymo's chief safety officer, said in a statement that Waymo sees far fewer crashes involving pedestrians than human drivers, but that the company knows when our behavior should be better. As a result, we have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to appropriately slowing and stopping in these scenarios, Pea said in a statement to multiple news outlets . We will continue analyzing our vehicles performance and making necessary fixes as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. According to the NHTSA investigation, some Waymo autonomous vehicles were seen failing to stop for school buses that had their stop signs and flashing lights deployed. The federal agency said in the report that there were instances of Waymo cars driving past stopped school buses in Atlanta and Austin, Texas. Earlier this year, Waymo issued another software recall after some of its robotaxi fleet were seen hitting gates, chains, and similar objects. Last year, Waymo also filed two other software recalls, one of which addressed a fleet vehicle crashing into a telephone pole and another correcting how two separate robotaxis hit the same exact pickup truck that was being towed. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymos-robotaxi-fleet-is-being-recalled-again-this-time-for-failing-to-stop-for-school-buses-190222243.html?src=rss

Engadget review recap: Dell 16 Premium, Nikon ZR, Ooni Volt 2 and more

Weve slept off our collective turkey coma and returned to the review lab here at Engadget. Our team may also be in full CES prep mode , but weve got a few more devices to get off or our desks before 2025 is over. Catch up on all of the reviews you might have missed over the last few weeks a perfect activity for a lazy December weekend. Dell 16 Premium Theres no denying the design of the Dell 16 Premium makes the laptop live up to its name. Unfortunately, all of that polish leads to some issues: a high price and hampered usability. The more I looked at the Dell 16 Premium's beautiful facade, the more I wanted something... more, senior reporter Devindra Hardawar wrote . It needs more usable ports, like HDMI and a full-sized SD card reader. It needs more useful function keys that are visible in bright light and also stay in one place so I can touch type more easily. And for the love of god, just give up on the invisible trackpad. DJI Osmo Action 6 DJIs drone business in the US faces an uncertain future, and the companys action cams could be swept up in the ordeal as well. Thankfully, our contributing reporter Steve Dent resides in the EU where he observed first hand the Osmo Action 6s superior low light performance and battery life. With a bigger sensor and larger aperture than the competition, DJIs Action 6 is now the best action cam on the market for night shooting, delivering clean, sharp video with better stabilization than rivals, he said . Its also ideal for users who output to both YouTube and TikTok. Nikon ZR In keeping with the video theme, Steve also spent time testing the Nikon ZR. While this is primarily a model for shooting video, it benefits from the addition of RED RAW, excellent autofocus and more. With the ZR, Nikon has shown that its finally catching up to and even surpassing its rivals for content creation, he explained . Whether youre doing social media, YouTube, documentaries or even film production, this camera is versatile and powerful with few compromises. Ooni Volt 2 The Ooni Volt brought the companys popular brand of pizza making indoors for the first time, but that model wasnt without it faults. Now Ooni is back with the Volt 2, and the completely overhauled design is a big upgrade over the original. Its easier to use for all skill levels thanks to its clearer controls and large display, I explained . Presets work well, but they can also serve as a starting point for further recipe refinement for experienced users. And the pizza my goodness, the pizza is consistently restaurant quality (or better) across a range of styles. Antigravity A1 Insta360s spin-off Antigravity is now shipping its first drone and our UK bureau chief Mat Smith has already flown it. The A1 comes with a controller and FPV headset to assist with the piloting, but the mix of unique features and crisp video (in good conditions) is also laudable. The intuitive controls and ability to look all around you make it unlike anything else currently available, he said . Its a delightful introduction to drones, FPV or otherwise, but a shame that software issues marred my tests. Other recent reviews On the gaming front, Mat spent some time with Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles while deputy editor Nathan Ingraham put Metroid Prime 4 through its paces. Contributor Tim Stevens stepped back in time with the Analogue 3D to revisit some Nintendo 64 classics after getting behind the wheel of the 2025 Porsche Macan Electric . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-dell-16-premium-nikon-zr-ooni-volt-2-and-more-130000527.html?src=rss

A Marvel beat-'em-up, long-awaited survival horror and other new indie games worth checking out

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. A bunch of titles that are arriving very late to make it into game of the year conversations debuted this week, and we learned some new details about upcoming projects, such as a release date for a rad-looking arena shooter called Don't Stop, Girlypop. Marvel Cosmic Invasion is one of the higher-profile indies to hit consoles and PC this week. It's from Tribute Games and publisher Dotemu, the same pair that brought us Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge . Cosmic Invasion largely draws from the same playbook: it's also a retro-style side-scrolling beat-'em-up with a look that apes the Marvel animated shows from the '90s . It's an enjoyable enough game, largely thanks to the variety of characters and how differently they play. Captain America is one of my favorites. Each character has a secondary move (often a ranged attack) to go with their basic melee strikes, and Cap's one has no ammo or cooldown.I never grew tired of spamming his shield projectile attack and knocking enemies off the screen. I really enjoyed playing as She-Hulk too. Her secondary move involves grabbing an enemy and throwing them around. She-Hulk can also toss them into the air then leap with McTominay-esque athleticism to deliver a kick and send the baddie crashing into its cohorts. The character swap system (each player chooses two and can switch between them any time) evokes tag fighting games and the co-op features work well too. There isn't a ton of depth to Marvel Cosmic Invasion , unfortunately, but the presentation is spot on. It's out now on Steam , Nintendo Switch , Nintendo Switch 2 , PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S for $30. It's also on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. New releases It only took 13 years from announcement to release but survival horror title Routine (from Lunar Software and publisher Raw Fury) has emerged on Steam , the Xbox PC app, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Cloud . It's available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Routine offers up a slice of liminal space terror with a dash of retro-futurism. Lunar Software based the aesthetic on how people from the 1980s might envision a believable moon base with analogue technology. Your mission is to explore the base and try to determine how it got to this state. Lunar wanted Routine to feel as immersive as possible, so there are no waypoint markers and you won't see a heads-up display. Instead, you have a personal data assistant that connects to wireless access points throughout the base and provides you with information about your current goals. Here's another horror title we've been looking forward to for several years . Sleep Awake deals with things that go bump in the night. It's a first-person psychedelic horror game in which a force called The HUSH makes anyone who falls asleep vanish. So, our hero Katja and other residents of the last-known city on Earth try various ways to stay awake, but theyll inevitably have to deal with the effects of sleep derivation. Sleep Awake is from Eyes Out a studio formed by Spec Ops: The Line director Cory Davis and Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck and publisher Blumhouse Games. It's out now on Steam , PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S for $30. How about another horror game? It's the last one we have this week, I promise. Tingus Goose has been on my radar for a while because it just looks so deeply strange. This is billed as a cozy body horror idle game in which you plant seeds in patients, bounce babies for profit and ascend through surreal worlds toward riches. I'm glad for that description from the game's PR team, because I don't fully know what to make of the trailer. A goose emerges from a human being's torso and grows a giant neck and human fingers stick out of it and it's all just so strange. But I kinda dig it? Tingus Goose is from SweatyChair and co-publishers Playsaurus and UltraPlayers. It's on Steam for $5.94 until December 8, and it will cost $7 after that. I haven't seen anything that looks quite like Effulgence RPG before. It's a party-based RPG with a 3D ASCII art style. Here, you'll need to take out enemies to acquire better gear. Andrei Fomin released Effulgence RPG in early access on Steam this week for $10. The solo developer is aiming to release the full version of the game in June and to add more content and quality-of-life updates in the meantime. It's not usually the kind of game that I'd normally be drawn toward, but that art style alone is cool enough to make me want to try it. Looking for something a little more relaxing? Log Away is a cozy cabin builder fromThe-Mark Entertainment. There are several environments to choose from and a variety of decorations at your disposal depending on your interests. You can have a pet too, so that qualifies Log Away as this week's dog game. I've played it a bit and found it to be quite relaxing, a soothing counter punch to the non-stop action of Cosmic Invasion . It's out now on Steam for $10, but if you buy it by December 11 you'll save a dollar and get a Christmas-themed DLC at no extra cost. I adore Sayonara Wild Hearts with every fiber of my being and I appreciated what Simogo did with Lorelai and the Laser Eyes , even if I never stuck with it for long . I haven't played any of the studio's earlier games, though. That's something I'm planning to fix very soon now that the Simogo Legacy Collection is here. The studio reworked all of its first seven mobile games including Year Walk and Device 6 and combined them into a collection that's available on Steam , Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 . It costs $15 though there's a 15 percent discount until December 12. I'm very much looking forward to digging into this over the holidays. Upcoming I've been very much looking forward to Dont Stop, Girlypop! for a while. It's a movement-focused arena shooter with a Y2K aesthetic. Think of it as an anti-capitalist, hyperpop riff on games like Doom Eternal . The demo is a lot of fun and I'm glad there's finally a release date for this game from Funny Fintan Softworks and publisher Kwalee. It's coming to Steam on January 29. Limbot seems like it could be a fun party game. You can play it by yourself, but having three friends join you seems like the optimal way to go. In that case, each of you will take control of one of a cardboard robot's limbs. So you'll have to coordinate to move around this papercraft world effectively and complete precision-based objectives. It sounds like a recipe for an Overcooked -style tiff between friends. This physics-based game from Ionized Studios is coming to Steam , Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It's slated to arrive between April and June next year. Polyperfect's Zlin City: Arch Moderna is a diorama city builder inspired by historical events of the 1930s and '40s and the architecture of Zlin, a town in Czechia (Czech Republic). The developers used 3D printing, photogrammetry and 3D scanning to capture the objects that are used in the game. The result is something that at least at first glance looks beautifully textured. There's no confirmed release window for Zlin City: Arch Moderna as yet. It'll be available on Steam . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-marvel-beat-em-up-long-awaited-survival-horror-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000228.html?src=rss

The 1977 cut of Star Wars will return to theaters in 2027

Here's some good news for the Han shot first crowd. The original cut of Star Wars (1977), the film known today as A New Hope , is coming back to theaters. We first learned in August that some version of the film would be screened again in 2027 for its 50th anniversary. But we know now this will indeed be the version everyone saw before George Lucas made those questionable, CGI-heavy changes in the 1997 Special Editions. The re-release arrives in theaters on February 19, 2027. In a short update posted Friday on the official Star Wars website, Lucasfilm all but clarified that this will be the original cut. It described it as a newly restored version of the classic Star Wars (1977) theatrical release. Gizmodo reported that it received further clarification that this will indeed be the OG one, before those improvements in the Special Edition (and subsequent re-releases). Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in a scene from Star Wars: A New Hope. Disney Plus Those mid-'90s edits included early CGI effects that essentially served as a testing ground before Lucas moved on to the Prequel Trilogy . It also added a CG Jabba the Hutt / Han Solo scene (originally shot with actor Thomas Declan Mulholland as Jabba) that was cut from the original version. Perhaps most infamously, Lucas made Greedo shoot first at Han in the canteen scene. Hardcore fans hated the change. It smoothed some of the rough edges of Han's start. It gave him a shorter, less dramatic journey into the reluctant hero he grew into as the story progressed. It's as if Lucas was signaling, Okay, Han may have started as kind of a jerk, but he wouldn't shoot a bounty hunter in cold blood! Think of the children watching! But in my view, Return of the Jedi had the worst changes in 1997 and later. Although I didn't mind the new celebration music and location montage at the end (others disagree), it also added that cringey and out-of-place musical number in Jabba's palace. But I despised the change Lucas made for the films 2011 Blu-ray release: Darth Vader's overly telegraphed Nooooooo as he makes the climactic decision to chuck the Emperor into the Death Star's reactor shaft. Cmon, George: Its so more powerful for the audience to project Vaders thought process onto his silent helmet. But if Disney sticks with the 50th Anniversary scheme, we'll have to wait until 2033 to see the untainted version of that movie in theaters again. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-1977-cut-of-star-wars-will-return-to-theaters-in-2027-221113091.html?src=rss

Pixel owners: You can now use your phone as a Switch 2 webcam

The Switch 2's lack of a built-in camera means you need an external one for GameChat video calls . But now, if your phone is a Google Pixel , you don't even need one of those. Android Authority reported on Friday that the two now work nicely together (without needing third-party apps), and our tests confirm that. Google has technically supported the use of Android devices as external webcams for two years: The company added it in a quarterly update for Android 14. (Specifically, it added the ability for devices to use USB Video Class mode, or UVC.) But that functionality didn't work with the Switch 2 before the November Pixel Drop . How do we know it was that version? Well, before our Editor-in-Chief, Aaron Souppouris, installed Novembers update on a Pixel, the Switch 2 webcam feature didn't work. After updating to that one today (but before installing the December update), it worked. If that wasn't enough, the November firmware's release notes listed a fix for an issue where webcam mode does not work properly with connected devices under certain conditions. That pretty much cinches it. Regardless, we reached out to Google for official confirmation, and we'll update this story if we hear back. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pixel-owners-you-can-now-use-your-phone-as-a-switch-2-webcam-203407555.html?src=rss

The Netflix and Warner Bros. deal might be great for shareholders, but not for anyone else

Netflix's $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. is, in many ways, the last thing a weakened Hollywood needs right now. The industry is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, where theaters were forced to close and audiences became even more comfortable with streaming films at home . The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, which were driven by legitimate concerns around studio interest in generative AI , delayed production and promotion of many film and TV projects. And the rise of streaming content pushed many media companies towards taking on debt and unwise mergers (see: Warner Bros. Discovery ), which led to higher subscription costs , layoffs and production belt-tightening. How can a troubled media company survive today? The answer seems to be further consolidation. Amazon's $8.45 billion MGM takeover in 2022 heralded future deals, like Skydance's $8 billion acquisition of Paramount . But Netflix's WB deal goes even further: It could fundamentally reshape the media industry as we know it, from theatrical movie-going to the existence of physical media. What will the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal include? After next year's already-announced separation of Warner Bros. and Discovery , Netflix says it plans to acquire all of Warner Bros. remaining assets including its film and TV studios, HBO Max and HBO for $82.7 billion. According to Game Developer , representatives also say Warner Bros. Games, which includes Mortal Kombat developers NetherRealm, will also be part of the deal. Will the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal be approved by regulators? Even before the deal was formally announced, it was clear that whoever bought WB would be facing government opposition from every side. Yesterday, Paramount sent WB a letter questioning the fairness and adequacy of the acquisition bidding process (which also included Comcast as a potential buyer). Afterwards, the New York Post reported that Paramount CEO David Ellison, son of the Trump-boosting Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, met with administration officials to make his case for buying Netflix. As of this morning, the Trump administration views the Netflix/WB deal with heavy skepticism, an official tells CNBC . On the other side of the aisle, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has called the Netflix/WB deal an anti-monopoly nightmare. She added, A Netflix-Warner Bros. would create one massive media giant with control of close to half of the streaming market. It could force you into higher prices, fewer choices over what and how you watch, and may put American workers at risk. At this point, it's too early to tell if the Netflix/WB deal will make it past regulators, but it's clear that both companies should prepare for a rocky approval process. What does the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal mean for streaming video? According to data from JustWatch, a combined Netflix and HBO would account for 33 percent of the US streaming video market, putting it ahead of Prime Video's 21 percent share. As for how the two media companies would co-exist, Netflix says it will maintain Warner Bros. current businesses, which includes HBO Max and HBO, theatrical releases for films and well as movie and TV studio operations. JustWatch streaming video market stats. JustWatch We think its too early to talk specifics about how were going to tailor this offering for consumers, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said in an investor call this morning, when asked if HBO would remain a separate service. Needless to say, we think the HBO brand is very powerful, and would constitute part of our plan for consumers. That then gives us a lot of options to figure out how to package things to offer the best options for consumers. At the very least, we can expect increased prices across the board for HBO and Netflix. There's also potential for the company to offer combination subscriptions, similar to how Disney juggles Disney+, Hulu and ESPN. What does the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal mean for theaters? In short, a combined Netflix/WB wouldn't be great for theaters. Previous mergers, like Disney and Fox's union , led to fewer theatrical releases, not more. Since its transformation into a streaming-first company, Netflix has also been primarily focused on increasing subscriptions and engagement, with theatrical releases of its original content treated as an afterthought. Weve released about 30 films into theaters this year, so its not like we have opposition to theatrical release, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in the investor call (without specifying how short some of those theatrical releases were). Its the longer windows that arent consumer friendly. Life cycle that starts in the movie theater, well continue that. Over time, the windows will evolve to be much more consumer friendly, to meet the audience where we are. He added: All things that are going to theaters through WB will continue to do so. Our primary goal is to bring first-run movies to consumers, and we intend to continue with that. In an April interview at the Time100 Summit , Sarandos also famously called the theatrical model outdated, since most people in the US can't easily walk to a multiplex. Cinema United, a trade group representing over 30,000 movie theater screens in the US, is unsurprisingly against the entire deal. The proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. by Netflix poses an unprecedented threat to the global exhibition business. The negative impact of this acquisition will impact theatres from the biggest circuits to one-screen independents in small towns in the United States and around the world, Cinema United President and CEO Michael OLeary said in a statement. Cinema United stands ready to support industry changes that lead to increased movie production and give consumers more opportunities to enjoy a day at the local theatre, he added. But Netflixs stated business model does not support theatrical exhibition. In fact, it is the opposite. Regulators must look closely at the specifics of this proposed transaction and understand the negative impact it will have on consumers, exhibition and the entertainment industry. What do artists think of the Netflix and WB deal? Writers, directors and producers are already having a tough time getting projects off the ground, so having one less place to pitch isn't going to help. There are also a handful of artists, including former WB darling Christopher Nolan, who have refused to work with Netflix entirely. The end goal of these consolidations is to limit choices in entertainment to a select handful of providers, so they can capture our whole attention, and thus our every available dollar, C. Robert Cargill, the screenwriter behind Doctor Strange and The Black Phone , said in a statement to Engadget. The result will be a gutting of diversity and fresh voices in the industry, sending thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people back to their home towns to start their lives over, as there simply isn't a place for them in Hollywood any more, while homogenizing film and television into the content word we all grumble about hearing. WB has made so many daring choices this year, with executives taking big risks that made real cultural and financial impacts at the box office, he added. And HBO, constant name changes be damned, is still making some of the best television there is, bar none. Will those creative environments survive the merger, or will many of those brilliant execs be sent packing along with the writers, directors, and crews? In short, it's a very scary and heartbreaking time to be a filmmaker. No shade on Netflix and the people that work there; it's just that less choice in entertainment always makes for fewer winners and more people on the outside looking in. What about physical media? Other than noting that Netflix used to be a DVD-by-mail company, there was no mention of physical media on the acquisition's press release or investor call. Thats not too surprising, as physical releases have always been an afterthought for Netflix. A few of its films, like Roma and Frances Ha , are available as discs through the Criterion Collection, and some shows like Stranger Things are also on DVD and Blu-ray. Netflix claims it'll continue to run WB's businesses as usual if the deal goes through, which should include physical media, but those sorts of pre-acquisition promises rarely last for long. WB's home video business isn't entirely its own, either: In 2020, it formed the joint venture Studio Distribution Services with Universal, which also handles physical media distribution for Sony Pictures, PBS and Neon. Given the slowing demand for physical media, its likely one of the first things a combined Netflix/WB would eventually drop. But theres also been a resurgence of premium physical releases from distributors like Arrow Video , so theres a chance Netflix may want to keep it around for special releases. Steve Dent contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-netflix-and-warner-bros-deal-might-be-great-for-shareholders-but-not-for-anyone-else-183000247.html?src=rss

Get three months of Apple Music for only $1 right now

Looking to switch music streaming platforms for no real reason ? Apple Music is holding one heck of a sale right now. You can get three months of use for just $1 . There are some caveats, as this is only for new users on the individual plan. Students and family plans don't count for this. Also, this has to be redeemed on iPhone, iPad or Mac. When you click the link it'll open up the Apple Music app, so click it from an Apple product to get the deal. Finally, it auto-renews after 90 days at $11 per month. Make sure to cancel ahead of time if you aren't enjoying the service. As for Apple Music, it's one of the best music streaming platforms out there and certainly a perfect choice for those already tied to the Apple ecosystem. It lets you import your own files, which is great for anyone still hanging on to an iTunes library. Otherwise, it offers streaming access to millions upon millions songs like all the rest. It does, however, include some live radio stations staffed by actual people, which is cool. The app works with Android devices, but it's really designed for Apple products. We also found the spatial audio to sound unnatural at times, but that's partly a limitation of the tech. Check out our coverage of the best streaming deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-three-months-of-apple-music-for-only-1-right-now-180536582.html?src=rss

More Studio Ghibli 4K restorations are coming to IMAX in 2026

IMAX and animation distributor GKids are bringing more 4K Studio Ghibli restorations to the largest screens in 2026. The announcement follows the IMAX release of Princess Mononoke this year, with the ongoing restorations being directly supervised by Studio Ghiblis Atsushi Okui, whos been with the company since 1993. Okui was the Director of Digital Imaging on 2023s The Boy and the Heron , which was also the first Ghibli picture to get the IMAX treatment. The likes of My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away have also had theatrical re-releases in recent years. GKids heads up distribution in North America for the Japanese animation giants films across all platforms, and has been working with IMAX on various projects since 2021. It sounds like the remaining Ghibli titles set for theatrical IMAX releases in the US will arrive one at a time, and GKids is not saying how many we can expect, or what its following Princess Mononoke with next year. I did a quick check for notable upcoming anniversaries, and 2026 does mark 40 years of Castle in the Sky , but one of the studios newer films might be a more obvious guess for a 4K refurb. Time will tell. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/more-studio-ghibli-4k-restorations-are-coming-to-imax-in-2026-174508476.html?src=rss

India is reportedly considering another draconian smartphone surveillance plan

You know what they say: If at first you don't succeed at mass government surveillance, try, try again. Only two days after India backpedaled on its plan to force smartphone makers to preinstall a state-run cybersecurity app , Reuters reports that the country is back at it. Its said to be considering a telecom industry proposal with another draconian requirement. This one would require smartphone makers to enable always-on satellite-based location tracking (Assisted GPS). The measure would require location services to remain on at all times, with no option to switch them off. The telecom industry also wants phone makers to disable notifications that alert users when their carriers have accessed their location. According to Reuters , India's home ministry was set to meet with smartphone industry executives on Friday, but the meeting was postponed. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears on a screen to deliver a speech remotely as other leaders attend the 22nd ASEAN - India Summit during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025. (Photo by Rafiq Maqbool / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RAFIQ MAQBOOL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) RAFIQ MAQBOOL via Getty Images Predictably, proponents claim the plan is about helping law enforcement keep you safe from the bad guys. (See also: Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four .) The administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has long been concerned that law enforcement agencies cant obtain precise enough locations during investigations. Cell tower data alone can be off by several meters. And hey, what's the privacy of 1.4 billion people next to tracking criminals with an extra 10 ft. or so of accuracy, right? Apple, Google and Samsung are said to oppose the move and have urged the Modi government to reject it. The lobbying group India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), which represents them, reportedly wrote in a confidential letter this summer that the proposal has no precedent anywhere in the world. The group's letter described the measure as a regulatory overreach, which is probably putting it mildly. They warned that it could compromise military personnel, judges, corporate executives and journalists. In a statement sent to Engadget, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) sounded the alarm on the proposal. Requiring phones to have A-GPS enabled all the time would be a horrifying decision by the Indian government with significant impacts on the privacy of everyone in the country, EFF Senior Staff Technologist Cooper Quintin said. With this change, the phone company and law enforcement get your exact location at any time, potentially even without legal due process. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/india-is-reportedly-considering-another-draconian-smartphone-surveillance-plan-173500327.html?src=rss

The best iPad deals this week include $100 off the iPad Air M3

We generally think iPads are the best tablets for most people, but they usually dont come cheap. To help those looking to grab one today get the most value possible, were keeping an eye on sale prices and rounding up the best iPad deals we can find each week. Hopefully you were able to snag whatever iPad youve been eyeing at some point in the last couple of weeks, as most of the all-time lows we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday have expired. If you were late to the party, though, there are still some savings to be had, including $100 off both iPad Air models and an all-time low for the 13-inch iPad Pro . Beyond tablets, other Apple devices like the AirPods 4 with ANC , Apple Watch SE 3 and Apple Pencil Pro are still on sale at their Black Friday prices. Here are all of the top deals on Apple gear we could find this week. Best iPad deals Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M3) for $699 ($100 off MSRP) : The 13-inch iPad Air is exactly the same as its smaller counterpart, only it has a larger and slightly brighter display. We gave it a review score of 89 earlier this year. This deal is $50 above the discount we saw on Black Friday but still $100 cheaper than buying from Apple directly. Also at B&H . Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M5) for $927 ($72 off) : The latest iPad Pro is still far more tablet than most people need, but its class-leading OLED display, impressively thin design and super-powerful M5 chip make it a luxury experience for those who can afford it. This 11-inch model sold for $899 during Black Friday, but the device was only released in October, so any sort of savings is still noteworthy. Also at Best Buy for $949. Apple iPad Pro (13-inch, M5) for $1,199 ($100 off) : Its not a massive discount, but this matches the lowest price so far for the larger iPad Pro, which may be worthwhile if youve got cash to burn and want to use an iPad as your main computer. We gave it a score of 85 in our review. Also at B&H . Best Apple deals Apple Watch SE 3 for $199 ($50 off) : This discount has been around for a few weeks, but its the lowest price to date for Apples newest entry-level smartwatch. We gave this device a score of 90 in our review last month: The big upgrade is an always-on display, which makes it so you no longer have to wake the watch to check the time or notifications. It still includes most of the essential health and fitness features beyond that, plus it now runs on the same chipset as the higher-end Apple Watch Series 11. Also at Walmart . Apple Watch Series 11 for $329 ($70 off) : The SE 3 may be a better raw value, but the Apple Watch Series 11 remains our preferred smartwatch overall for iPhone owners. Compared to its cheaper sibling, it has a bigger, brighter and more scratch-resistant display, longer battery life and a few advanced health features like an ECG app and hypertension alerts. It also earned a score of 90 in our review. This is an all-time low for the standard 42mm model, but keep in mind that theres no pressing need to upgrade if you already own a Series 10. Also at Walmart . Apple Pencil Pro for $95 ($34 off) : The Pencil Pro is Apples most feature-rich stylus, offering pressure sensitivity, wireless charging, haptic feedback and unique gesture controls compared to the standard USB-C model (which isnt significantly discounted). Just note that its not compatible with the entry-level iPad and other older models. While this discount is only $5 below the devices usual street price, its still the largest discount weve seen this year. Also at Walmart . Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5) for $1,349 ($250 off) : The newest MacBook Pro is the best high-end pick in our laptop buying guide and a fine choice for creative types who need something more powerful than the MacBook Air. The latter is still a much better value for most people, but the Pro gets you a superior mini-LED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, more ports and improved performance, especially with GPU-intensive tasks. It can even hold its own with certain games, though its noticeably thicker and heavier than the Air. We gave it a score of 92 in our review. This deal matches the lowest price to date for a configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Also at Walmart . Apple Mac mini (M4) for $679 ($100 off) : The latest iteration of Apples tiny desktop PC has a smaller footprint, a faster M4 chip, 16GB of RAM by default, two front-facing USB-C ports and an extra Thunderbolt 4 port. It can also drive three external displays, though it lacks USB-A ports entirely. We gave a higher-end model with Apples M4 Pro chip a score of 90 in our review. This deal marks the lowest price we could find for a configuration with the base M4 chip, 24GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Read more Apple coverage : The best AirPods The best Apple Watches The best MacBooks The best iPhones The best iPads Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-ipad-deals-this-week-include-100-off-the-ipad-air-m3-150020616.html?src=rss

Meta cuts deals with several news publishers for AI use

Meta has cut several deals with news publishers to help provide real-time data for its AI chatbot services, as reported by Axios . The commercial agreements will allow its Meta AI chatbots to better answer user queries about news and current events. These are multiyear deals where publishers will be compensated for the use of their content, but we don't have any monetary specifics. The contracts do stipulate that Meta's chatbots will link out to articles when answering news queries, potentially offering a slight traffic boost to publishers. The news partners include USA Today , People , Le Monde and CNN . However, there are also a whole lot of conservative outlets included in today's announcement, such as Fox News , The Daily Caller and Washington Examiner . It's a good thing Meta's AI will provide the aforementioned links, just in case a chatbot says something crazy about whatever nonsense culture war topic is going on that day. Meta has announced that this is just a first step and that it will be adding more news partners to cover more topics in the future. This is an interesting move because Meta has long-been averse to paying news companies for access to content . It stopped paying US publishers for access to news in 2022 and the Facebook news tab went away entirely last year . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-cuts-deals-with-several-news-publishers-for-ai-use-163404107.html?src=rss

X hit with $140 million fine from the EU

The European Commission has fined Elon Musks X 120 million (around $140 million) for breaching its transparency rules under the Digital Services Act . The European Unions executive arm announced that it was investigating the social media companys blue checkmarking verification system first introduced when it was still known as Twitter last year, along with other alleged DSA violations. Todays verdict concerns the deceptive design of the checkmark, as well as the lack of transparency of [X's] advertising repository, and the failure to provide access to public data for researchers. The Commission's issue with Xs verification system is that where blue checkmarks were once something that Twitter that Twitter vetted, they can now be bough by anyone. According to the EU, this puts users at risk of scams and impersonation fraud, as they cant tell if the accounts theyre engaging with are authentic. While the DSA does not mandate user verification, it clearly prohibits online platforms from falsely claiming that users have been verified, when no such verification took place, it wrote in a statement. The EU has also ruled that Xs advertisement repository employs design features and access barriers that make it difficult for good faith actors and the general public to determine the source of online ads and spot scams or threat campaigns. It says that X fails to provide information pertaining to both the content of an ad and the entity paying for its placement. The third alleged infringement concerns the public data that companies are required by the DSA to make available to qualifying researchers. The European Commission claims that Xs practices in this area are unnecessarily prohibitive, therefore effectively undermining research into several systemic risks in the European Union. X has 60 working days to respond to the EUs non-compliance decision the first of its nature on blue checkmarks, and 90 days to submit an action plan of how it will address the alleged breaches relating to its advertising repository and access to public data. Failure to comply could result in financial penalties. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/x-hit-with-140-million-fine-from-the-eu-161259324.html?src=rss

The best stocking stuffers you can get for $50 or less

The big ticket tech gifts may get the lion's share of attention during the holidays, but it's surprising how much people appreciate small and thoughtful accessories and gadgets. We picked out a dozen such stocking stuffers for under $50 perfect for a little something extra for a loved one or a welcome gift for a coworker. Just be sure to check the shipping windows to make sure these handy gizmos will arrive in time. Here are some of our favorite techie gift ideas that come in at $50 or less. Best stocking stuffers for $50 or less Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-best-stocking-stuffers-you-can-get-for-50-or-less-130049325.html?src=rss

The New York Times and Chicago Tribune sue Perplexity over alleged copyright infringement

The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune have filed separate lawsuits against Perplexity over alleged copyright infringement. The Times said it had sent Perplexity several cease-and-desist demands to stop using its content until the two reached an agreement, but the AI company persisted in doing so. In the lawsuit [ PDF ], the Times accused Perplexity of infringing on its copyrights at two main stages. First, by scraping its website (including in real time) to train AI models and feed content into the likes of the Claude chatbot and Comet browser . Second, in the output of Perplexity's products, with the Times accusing the companys generative AI products of often reproducing its articles verbatim. The Times also says Perplexity damaged its brand by falsely attributing completely fabricated information (aka hallucinations) to the newspaper. The Chicago Tribune also filed a lawsuit against Perplexity for similar reasons. Perplexitys genAI products generate outputs that are identical or substantially similar to the Chicago Tribunes content, the newspaper claimed in its suit. Upon information and belief, Perplexity has unlawfully copied millions of copyrighted Chicago Tribune stories, videos, images and other works to power its products and tools. These lawsuits are the latest in dozens of legal cases involving copyright holders and AI companies in the US. The Times, for instance, previously sued OpenAI and Microsoft. It accused the companies of training their large language models on millions of its articles without permission. That case is ongoing . Copyright holders have licensed their content to AI companies in some cases, though. OpenAI has struck multiple deals with media companies. The Times and Amazon reached an agreement this year that's said to be worth as much as $25 million per year to the media company. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-new-york-times-and-chicago-tribune-sue-perplexity-over-alleged-copyright-infringement-153656431.html?src=rss

Where the hell is Samsung's Ballie robot?

Another CES is nearly upon us , another year where well see new gadgets aplenty from giant companies and tiny ones youve never heard of. And the not-so-secret secret of CES is that many of these things never make it to market but usually it isnt things companies like Samsung show off. But here we are, nearly six years since Samsung first showed off its Ballie personal robot and it is nowhere to be found. For those who may not recall, Ballie is an adorable circular robot that can putter around your house and project things onto the floor and wall. Its kind of a virtual assistant on the go. Samsung first revealed this tiny robot at CES 2020, but it was more of a prototype than something anyone expected to purchase. And then there was a global pandemic and we all sort of forgot about weird ball-shaped robots for a few. But Samsung triumphantly unveiled a larger and more refined Ballie at CES 2024, saying it would be on sale that year! Well, that didnt happen, but a year later Ballie was back at CES again . Samsung promised it would go on sale in 2025, and followed up with a press release this past April saying it was on track for a summer launch in Korea and the US. As far as I can tell, thats the last weve heard of it. But with CES looming again, I cant help but feel like Samsung will roll Ballie out once more, trying to sell the dream of a cute robotic companion who just gets you. I spent some time watching Ballie do its thing in a carefully controlled demo at CES 2024, and I cant say I was overwhelmed by its purported usefulness or thought thered be much of a market for this thing. I now cant help but wonder if Samsung has data backs up my intuition. If this thing was going to sell like gangbusters, it likely wouldnt be subjected to such a long and public gestation period. It reminds me a little of one of my favorite Samsung gaffes, the Galaxy Home smart speaker. It was announced at a time when Apple and Google were challenging Sonos and Amazon with voice-activated speakers of their own, moving Siri or the Google Assistant from your phone to a more omnipresent place in your home. The first rumor of the Galaxy Home happened way back in 2017 , and the speaker was officially revealed and briefly shown off by Samsung in August of 2018. My immediate reaction was that this product made very little sense for both Samsung and potential customers Bibxy sucked, and there were plenty of speakers with better voice assistants. Apparently, Samsung agreed. After multiple years of vague commitments and references to the Galaxy Home, Samsung just stopped talking about it. Oddly enough, a Galaxy Home Mini speaker was briefly released in South Korea, part of a promotion for people who pre-ordered the Galaxy S20. But I dont think you could ever just walk into a store and buy one, and the larger Galaxy Home never materialized at all. Ballie isnt quite the abandonware situation that the Galaxy Home was, at least not yet. After all, its only been about eight months since Samsung dropped that press release claiming it would arrive soon. The company has definitely pushed Ballie in a more public way than the Galaxy Home, making it a little harder to just drop entirely. Maybe well see a revamped Ballie with even more weird tricks next month, or maybe well just get another vague promise that itll arrive in 2026. After failing to deliver two years in a row, though, Im not going to expect Ballie to show up as a real product until I can punch in my credit card and pre-order it... not that Id do that anyway. Ballie needs to show that its a lot more than a cute rolling robot before Samsung gets my cash. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/where-the-hell-is-samsungs-ballie-robot-151112829.html?src=rss

Engadget Podcast: WTF is up with RAM? (With Will Smith from The Tech Pod)

RAM prices have gone wild, mostly thanks to AI. In this episode, Devindra chats with Will Smith (Brad and Will Made a Tech Pod) about the state of the RAM industry, as well as other hardware we expect to get more expensive. (SSD prices are definitely creeping up too!). Also, we discuss Meta poaching Alan Dye, one of Apple's design executives, and what this could mean for Meta's upcoming devices. And yes, whatever they have next will likely revolve around AI. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, plans deep cuts to his companys metaverse development 1:09 Longtime Apple UI designer Alan Dye to join Metas AI division 7:08 US DOT cuts fuel efficiency standards, doubles down on gas cars 25:40 Waymo autonomous cars recently started driving more aggressively 31:30 Amazon halts its anime dub beta because it sounded terrible 38:00 WTF, RAM?? Will Smith joins to talk about why RAM prices are spiraling upward 44:05 Around Engadget: Metroid Prime 4 is a return to form after 18 years on ice 1:04:42 Working on 1:07:36 Pop culture picks 1:08:32 Credits Host: Devindra Hardawar Guest: Will Smith Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/engadget-podcast-wtf-is-up-with-ram-with-will-smith-from-the-tech-pod-141442002.html?src=rss

Chinese hackers reportedly targeting government entities using 'Brickstorm' malware

Hackers with links to China reportedly successfully infiltrated a number of unnamed government and tech entities using advanced malware. As reported by Reuters , cybersecurity agencies from the US and Canada confirmed the attack, which used a backdoor known as Brickstorm to target organizations using the VMware vSphere cloud computing platform. As detailed in a report published by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security on December 4, PRC state-sponsored hackers maintained long-term persistent access to an unnamed victims internal network. After compromising the affected platform, the cybercriminals were able to steal credentials, manipulate sensitive files and create rogue, hidden VMs (virtual machines), effectively seizing control unnoticed. The attack could have begun as far back as April 2024 and lasted until at least September of this year. The malware analysis report published by the Canadian Cyber Centre, with assistance from The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), cites eight different Brickstorm malware samples. It is not clear exactly how many organizations in total were either targeted or successfully penetrated. In an email to Reuters , a spokesperson for VMware vSphere owner Broadcom said it was aware of the alleged hack, and encouraged its customers to download up-to-date security patches whenever possible. In September, the Google Threat Intelligence Group published its own report on Brickstorm, in which it urged organizations to reevaluate their threat model for appliances and conduct hunt exercises against specified threat actors. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/chinese-hackers-reportedly-targeting-government-entities-using-brickstorm-malware-133501894.html?src=rss

Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC plan fizzled, but it still served a purpose

Microsoft's Copilot+ initiative launched last year with a clear goal: To produce capable laptops for people eagerly anticipating AI-powered features. Read that sentence again, and it's glaringly obvious that Microsoft's plan was flawed from the start. Most consumers aren't nearly as hyped for AI features as the companies eager to foist artificial intelligence upon us. And those features aren't exactly compelling, either. Microsoft's Recall which snaps screenshots of your PC to create a database of everything youve done was dogged by privacy concerns from the start. And to be honest, I haven't found its ability to remember the files and websites I've opened to be that useful. Without any sort of killer AI app, most consumers weren't going to pay a premium for Copilot+ systems either. Not in this precarious economy, anyway. So it wasn't a huge surprise to see sales of Copilot+ systems going practically nowhere over the last year. In the third quarter of 2024, they accounted for less than 10 percent of systems shipped, according to data from Mercury Research ( via Toms Hardware ). The research firm IDC ( via PCWorld ) also found that Copilot+ systems made up just 2.3 percent of Windows machines sold in the first quarter of 2025 (and a mere 1.9 percent of the entire PC market). Instead of continuing to promote Copilot+, Microsoft now wants to make every Windows 11 computer an AI PC . The new Hey Copilot voice commands and Copilot Vision , a feature that lets the AI assistant see what's on your screen, are both cloud-powered. That means you won't need the beefy 40 TOPS neural processing units (NPU) found on Copilot+ systems to use them. Microsoft spent the past few years touting NPUs as the gateway to useful AI features, like Recall and Windows Studio webcam effects, but only one of its new AI capabilities actually requires an NPU. (And even that is just a slight update to Click to Do , allowing you to send Zoom invitations by right-clicking on e-mail addresses.) It's easy to view the whole Copilot+ initiative as a cynical way to ramp up AI hype and push people towards expensive new laptops, especially as the October 14 Windows 10 end of support date loomed . But it also led to some genuinely useful changes: Microsoft made 16GB of RAM a standard for Copilot+ systems, along with 256GB of storage and the aforementioned 40 TOPS NPUs. The launch of Copilot was also the kick in the pants Microsoft needed to revamp Windows for mobile Arm processors . I never thought I'd love a Surface with a Snapdragon chip, but the improved Arm support on the Surface Pro and this year's smaller model finally won me over. The Dell 16 Premium sitting on a ledge. I wouldnt call the Copilot+ program a huge swing, but its still the sort of industry-wide cat herding thats rare to see in the PC space. Microsoft couldnt just snap its fingers and shift all PCs to efficient mobile chips with powerful NPUs, like Apple did with its own jump to M-series chips years ago. Microsoft had to wait for new NPU-equipped hardware from Qualcomm (and eventually Intel and AMD). It had to finally fix the Windows on Arm problem. And it also had to double-down on AI features that felt truly transformative. Its just a shame that consumers didnt seem to care. Microsoft said that Copilot+ systems accounted for 15 percent of premium PCs sold during last years holiday season, but the company hasnt released any new sales figures since then. This is the fastest adoption I've seen of a new category of hardware, and we've done it faster than the normal generational shift of silicon, James Howell, Microsofts VP of Windows marketing, said in a conversation with Engadget. Copilot+ PCs continue to be a transition that we are pushing for and prioritizing. But I can't give you the exact numbers beyond that Just for the last two or three months, we've been doing pretty well with year-on-year growth in the Windows business. Surface Pro Copilot+ Devindra Hardawar for Engadget While Microsoft ultimately doesnt have much to show for the Copilot+ initiative, the steady progression of hardware will lead to AI PCs dominating over the next five years. The research firm Omdia predicts that AI PCs will account for 55 percent of computers shipped in all of 2026, up from 42.5 percent of systems in Q3 2025. By 2029, Omdia predicts AI PCs will make up 75 percent of all systems shipped, giving Windows 80 percent of the AI PC market. Omdia AI PC shipment predictions Omdia Its important to note that this steep adoption curve [for AI PCs] is driven more by the product roadmaps of the PC market, rather than consumers and businesses seeking PCs specifically for AI, according to Omdia research analyst Kieren Jessop. For businesses, and consumers especially, AI-capable PC adoption is more a function of a customer going to purchase a device and that device just so happens to have an NPU. Microsoft was basically right: AI PCs are the future. But it turns out the AI features people actually want to use like ChatGPT, Sora and Microsofts own Copilot are mostly powered by the cloud, making onboard NPUs superfluous. That wont be true forever. There are tangible security, speed and convenience benefits for onboard AI processing, like transcribing sensitive audio instead of sending it to the cloud. But for now, those AI workloads are relatively niche, and theyre not enough to make the Copilot+ a true success by any measure. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/microsofts-copilot-ai-pc-plan-fizzled-but-it-still-served-a-purpose-130000239.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Flying Antigravitys A1 drone is unlike anything else

Spinning off from the action-camera company Insta360, Antigravity now has its debut drone on sale. With 360-degree cameras that capture 8K and offer you a truly unconstrained view of the skies, the A1 is a different drone from everything else out there. Sorry, DJI. Instead of typical drone joysticks, you get a motion controller that lets you point and shoot like video game gesture controls, while crisp FPV goggles put you right inside the cockpit. Engadget Its easy to fly after takeoff, but the A1s myriad parts are often tricky to sync together and pulling video down to the companion app is even trickier. Going on specs alone, like speed and camera sensor size, it doesnt stand up to cinematic drones from the likes of DJI. Still, its not meant to be a cinematic drone. Its a hybrid mix of flight experience, FPV drone and a not-miss-a-thing camera drone. Its truly unique and fun. Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning The best Christmas gifts to give everyone on your 2025 holiday shopping list A shaky year for American EVs could set the tone for 2026 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review Amazon Lunas December lineup includes Hollow Knight, Lego 2K Drive and a few Fallout games Amazon halts its incredibly poor AI anime dubbing beta Ridiculed by all. Amazon has quietly removed its terrible AI-generated English dubs for several anime shows on Prime Video, following widespread ridicule from viewers and the industry. AI dubs were recently added to Banana Fish , No Game , No Life and Vinland Saga , where they were labeled AI beta in the Languages section of the app. For shows lacking an English-language dub, it was a seemingly cheap way to consume anime for Amazon. However, it quickly became clear that the dubs were really quite bad. Baaaad. Voice actor Daman Mills called the AI-generated dub for Banana Fish a massive insult to us as performers in a post on X. Continue reading. Amazon thinks about ending ties with the US Postal Service The company continues to invest heavily in its own shipping network. An Amazon double today. According to The Washington Post , Amazon is considering discontinuing use of the US Postal Service and building its own shipping network to rival it. The e-commerce behemoth spends more than $6 billion a year on the public mail carrier almost 8 percent of the services total revenue. Thats up from just under $4 billion in 2019. That split might be due to a breakdown in negotiations between Amazon and the USPS rather than Amazon proactively pulling its business. Amazon has invested heavily in all kinds of delivery methods, including shipping logistics, buying its own Boeing planes, launching its own electric delivery vans and slowly building a drone delivery network. Continue reading. Amazons Kindle Scribe Colorsoft finally has a release date December 10, just in time for the holidays. Engadget A triple? Sorry. Amazon didnt have a specific release date to share beyond later this year for its latest Scribe slates. And talk about brinkmanship! Here we are in December. The company says the devices will be available on December 10. This is the third generation of the Kindle Scribe line of E Ink writing tablets the first time Amazon has three versions of the Scribe. At the entry level, the Scribe without a front light starts at $430, while the model with a light starts at $480. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft will start at $630. You always have to pay more for color. Continue reading. Nikon ZR camera review A highly capable cinema camera at a reasonable price. The Nikon ZR could be a breakthrough for content creators, largely because it incorporates technology from RED a company now owned by Nikon. The combination of professional-grade video quality (specifically RED RAW) and autofocus comes at a fraction of the cost of dedicated cinema rigs. There are some compromises on battery life and the lack of a viewfinder, but the ZR arguably offers the best video quality for the money. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121538076.html?src=rss

Netflix to buy Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion

Shortly after rumors of a deal between the two media giants broke, Netflix has announced it is buying Warner Bros., HBO and HBO Max for approximately $82.7 billion. If approved, the deal will take place after Warner Bros. has disentangled itself from both its legacy cable and Discovery assets as part of the already-announced de-merger . That's likely to take place in the third quarter of 2026, with this new tie-up taking place at some point after that. In a statement, Netflix said it expects to maintain Warner Bros. current operations, as well as its policy of theatrical releases for its films. But the deal may spell the end for HBO Max as its own product in the longer term, as the statement also says by adding the deep film and TV libraries and HBO and HBO Max programming, Netflix members will have even more high-quality titles from which to choose. Naturally, the deal will see Netflix become one of the biggest players in global media, combining its global reach with some of the most recognizable names in entertainment. That includes HBO, DC Studios, Cartoon Network and TCM, as well as the chunks of TNT not cast adrift with Discovery. It's likely the deal will not go ahead without a lot of objections from other buyers, as well as the government itself. Yesterday, Paramount Skydance said (via the Hollywood Reporter) any deal between WB and Netflix would be the result of an unfair process. Given the close ties between Paramount's new owners and the administration, it's likely any deal will be subject to scrutiny as well as the usual questions around the size of the combined operation. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/netflix-to-buy-warner-bros-for-827-billion-120836295.html?src=rss

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw live today

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw is this Friday. (Hector Vivas - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) Hector Vivas - FIFA via Getty Images The draw for the 2026 World Cup is this Friday at 12 PM ET, where well learn which group the 39 qualified countries and three host nations will land in for the international soccer tournament. The 2026 World Cup draw will air live on Fox. Pre-show coverage of the draw begins at 11:30 a.m. The venues and kickoff times for the World Cup group stage games be announced the following day. Tickets for the World Cup are already available. Here's how to watch the 2026 World Cup draw live, plus what you need to know about buying World Cup tickets, before or after the groupings are announced. How to watch the 2026 World Cup draw: Date: Friday, Dec. 5 Time: 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT Location: Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. TV channel: Fox Streaming: Fox One , DirecTV , YouTube via VPN and more When is the 2026 World Cup draw? The World Cup draw will take place on Friday, Dec. 5. All the group stage venues and kickoff times will then be announced the following day, on Saturday, Dec. 6 2026 World Cup draw start time: The World Cup draw will officially kick off at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, though there will be pre-show coverage of the event as early as 11:30 a.m. ET. What channel is the World Cup draw on? The World Cup draw will air across Fox networks, including Fox and via the Fox Sports app. Coverage will also likely air on FS1. How to watch the World Cup draw: For those with live TV access, you may be able to watch Fox totally free over the air. But if not, here's how we recommend tuning in. How to watch the World Cup draw for free: In the U.S., the draw will air on Fox, but globally in many regions, a livestream of the draw will be available to watch via YouTube livestream, totally free. If you dont have access to Fox, you might want to consider trying a VPN, so you can tune into the World Cup draw free livestream. Dont want to navigate a VPN? Many live TV streaming services offer free trials, so you can also tune into the 2026 World Cup draw for free via a free trial. When is the 2026 World Cup? The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11, 2026 and runs through July 19, 2026. Where will 2026 World Cup games be held? There will be 15 host cities for the 2026 World Cup throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada. They are: United States Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA Boston Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA Dallas At&T Stadium, Arlington TX Houston NRG Stadium, Houston, TX Kansas City GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO Los Angeles Sofi Stadium, Inglewood, CA Miami Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL New York/New Jersey MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA San Francisco Bay Area Levis Stadium, Santa Clara, CA Seattle Lumen Field, Seattle, WA Mexico Mexico City Estadio Azteca, Coyoacan, Mexico City Monterrey Estadio BBVA, Gudalupe, Nuevo Leon Guadalajara Estadio Akron, Guadalajara Canada Toronto BMO Field, Toronto, ON Vancouver BC Place, Vancouver BC How to get 2026 World Cup tickets: Individual match tickets are now available to purchase through the FIFA website . To purchase tickets that are part of a multi-game or hospitality package, you can sign up here to receive more information. In addition, there will also be a final ticket lottery held after this week's draw; fans will be able to submit applications for specific matches once the group-stage matchups have been revealed to try and grab a limited number of lower-priced tickets at select matches. (An exact date for this lottery has not yet been revealed but you can sign-up to receive up-to-date information on the FIFA site .) When do 2026 World Cup tickets go on sale? Tickets for the 2026 World Cup are now on sale, though the match schedule doesn't specify team groupings (yet). Find tickets on FIFA's website Find tickets on StubHub How much are 2026 World Cup tickets? Currently, individual tickets for the 2026 World Cup run anywhere from $1,400 to $3,500 (if you're searching for tickets for matches in Mexico or Canada, don't be scared off by their higher price tags they're all in the same price range after adjusting for conversion rates). Tickets for the group stage, knockout rounds, and the bronze final are currently available. It's important to note that FIFA is employing a dynamic pricing strategy, so prices may fluctuate as we get closer to the tournament, depending on demand. For those lucky enough to enter and be selected in the ticketing lottery, prices are significantly less they're broken out into four categories based on seating, and range from $60 to $620, but these prices are not available to the general public. Hospitality packages, which guarantee entry to multiple matches are also on sale now and start at $5,300. (Note that depending on the venue and package you select, some of these packages can cost up to $68,000 per person, and while that price includes food, drinks and premium seating, it doesn't include travel expenses or accommodations.) Tickets are also available through FIFA's own resale marketplace and on third-party resale sites like StubHub already have single-game matches available, with some starting around $275 per seat and going up from there, depending on the game and venue. Find tickets on StubHub Find tickets on FIFA's Ticket Resale Marketplace 2026 World Cup Schedule ( All times Eastern) The 2026 World Cup will begin on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and the final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026. You can take a look at the existing schedule here. Group Stage June 11 June 27, 2026 Knockout stage matches Round of 32: June 28 July 3, 2026 Round of 16: July 4 July 7, 2026 Quarterfinals: July 9 July 11, 2026 Semifinals: July 14 15, 2026 Bronze Final (3rd Place Match): July 18, 2026 Final: July 19, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-2026-fifa-world-cup-draw-live-today-120501930.html?src=rss

What to expect at CES 2026

CES doesn't start until January, but whispers of the products and announcements that could be in store for tech's biggest annual conference have already started to take shape. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, although the show kicks off with events on Sunday January 4 and a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding hotels all over the city. As usual, Engadget will be covering the event in-person and remotely, bringing you news and hands-ons straight from the show floor. More specific details and pre-announcements should trickle out as CES approaches, but in the meantime, we do know what companies will be hosting press conferences and what tech trends could rear their heads at the show. What we already know about Press conferences and show floor booths are the bread and butter of CES. The Consumer Technology Association has already published a searchable directory of who will have a presence at the show, along with a schedule of every official panel and presentation. On Sunday, January 4, Samsung will kick-off CES with The First Look, a presentation hosted by TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung's DX Division, on the company's vision for the DX (Device eXperience) Division in 2026, along with new AI-driven customer experiences. That'll be followed by multiple press conferences throughout Monday, January 5. LG is hosting its Innovation in Tune with You presentation to share its vision for elevating daily life through Affectionate Intelligence at the start of the day, Intel is launching its new Core Ultra Series 3 processors in the afternoon, Sony Honda Mobility is holding a press conference on its first car and AMD CEO Lisa Su will cover AMD's upcoming chip announcements at a keynote address that closes out the day. Finally, on Tuesday, January 6, Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang will host Lenovo's Tech World Conference at Sphere, using the large and decidedly curved screen to share the company's commitment to delivering smarter AI for all by constantly redefining how technology can engage, inspire, and empower. Outside of the formal introduction of new products and initiatives, reading the tea leaves of what was announced last year and what companies are reportedly working on, we can make some educated guesses at what we could see at CES 2026. New chips from AMD, Intel and Qualcomm CES is frequently the start of a cascade of new chip announcements for a given year, and one of the first places new silicon appears in real consumer products. AMD will likely use its keynote to introduce new versions of its Ryzen chips, including the recently spotted Ryzen 7 9850X3D , which is expected to offer better single-threaded performance, and the Ryzen 9000G series, which could be built with AMD's Zen 5 architecture. The company might also use its CES stage to go over its new FSR Redstone AI upscaling tech. Intel has already publicly announced that it'll launch its Panther Lake chips at CES 2026. The officially titled Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips fit into Intel's overall AI PC push, but are specifically meant for premium laptops. Based on a preview from October 2025, Intel says the first chip made with its 2-nanometer 18A process will offer 50 percent more processing performance than previous generations and for the chip's Arc GPU, a 50 percent performance bump from last generation. Qualcomm is also rumored to be targeting laptops at the show, building on the work it's done moving its Snapdragon chips out of phones and tablets and into other types of computers. The company's Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Premium chips should start appearing in laptops at CES 2026, offering a look at the improved speed and AI performance the company promised in 2025. Brighter, truer screens Sony announced a collection of new Bravia TVs in April 2025, replacing the company's flagship, filling in its midrange options and adding a new budget model to the mix. The star of this updated Bravia lineup is the Bravia 9, which features a QD-OLED panel, but Sony appears to be prepping entirely new display tech for 2026. In March 2025, Sony introduced a new RGB LED panel that uses individual Mini LED backlights colored in red, green and blue to produce even brighter, more accurate colors. In contrast to a QD-OLED, which filters a layer of blue organic light emitting diodes through quantum dots that change color, Sony's General RGB LED Backlight Technology can get as bright as a Mini LED panel without needing an extra filter layer or worrying about OLED's problems with burn-in. The company has already trademarked the name True RGB, which could end up being what Sony calls this new flavor of display if it decides to show them off at CES. It seems entirely likely, because CES is nothing if not a TV show its a sure bet that well see new TVs from the likes of LG and Samsung in addition to Sony. If the company doesn't introduce new display tech for its TVs, it does have a new 240Hz PlayStation monitor coming in 2026 that it could show off at CES instead. Sony isn't the only company hyped on bright screens. Samsung is reportedly pushing an updated version of the HDR10 and HDR10+ standards that could be ready to demo at CES 2026. The new HDR10+ Advanced standard would be Samsung's answer to Dolby Vision 2 , which includes support for things bi-directional tone mapping and intelligent features that automatically adapt sports and gaming content. Samsung's take will reportedly offer improved brightness, genre-based tone mapping and intelligent motion smoothing options, among other improvements. Ballie Watch 2026 The ball-shaped yellow robot lovingly known as Ballie has been announced twice, first in 2020 and then again in 2024 with a projector in tow. Samsung said Ballie would go on sale in 2025 at CES last year and then shared in April 2025 that Ballie would ship this summer with Google's Gemini onboard. But it's nearly 2026, and Ballie is nowhere to be seen. It's possible Samsung could make a third attempt at announcing its robot at CES 2026, but whether or not it does, robotics will still be a big part of the show. Robot vacuums and mops were a major highlight of CES 2025, and it's safe to expect notable improvements from the new models that are announced at CES 2026. Not every company will adopt the retractable arm of the Roborock Saros Z70 , but robot vacuums with legs for rising over small ledges like the Dreame X50 seem like they could become the norm. Roborock could also show off its new Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow , the first of its robot vacuums to feature a retractable roller mop. Beyond just traversing spaces more efficiently, improving robots' navigation could also be a major concern at the show. Prominent members of the AI industry are turning their attention from large language models to world models , which aim to give AI a deep understanding of physical space. Those world models could be the key to making robots, bipedal or otherwise, competent at navigating homes and workplaces, and will likely be a significant talking point at CES 2026. Well be updating this article throughout the month as more rumors surface and new products are confirmed stay tuned for future updates! This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/what-to-expect-at-ces-2026-120000278.html?src=rss

The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2025

Balancing schoolwork with gaming usually means finding a laptop that can do a little bit of everything. The best gaming laptops arent just built for high frame rates. They also need to handle long days of writing papers, running productivity apps and streaming lectures without slowing down. A good machine should feel reliable during class and powerful enough to jump into your favorite games once homework is out of the way. Theres a wide range of options depending on how much performance you need. Some students prefer a slim, lightweight model thats easy to carry to school, while others want a new gaming laptop with enough GPU power to handle AAA titles. If youre watching your budget, there are plenty of solid choices that qualify as a budget gaming laptop without cutting too many corners. Its also worth looking at features that help with everyday use. A bright display makes long study sessions easier on the eyes, and a comfortable keyboard is essential if you type a lot. USB-C ports, decent battery life and a responsive trackpad can make a big difference during the school day. Weve rounded up the best laptops that strike the right mix of performance, portability and value for both gaming and schoolwork. Table of contents Best laptops for gaming and school in 2025 Best laptop for gaming and schoolwork FAQs Best laptops for gaming and school in 2025 Best laptop for gaming and schoolwork FAQs Are gaming laptops good for school? As weve mentioned, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle laborious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: Pay attention to the specs; get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line, so its worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience long term. Also, dont forget the basics like a webcam, which will likely be necessary for the schoolwork portion of your activities. The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. If youre looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models that still feature essentials like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off). Do gaming laptops last longer than standard laptops? Not necessarily it really depends on how you define last longer. In terms of raw performance, gaming laptops tend to pack more powerful components than standard laptops, which means they can stay relevant for longer when it comes to handling demanding software or modern games. That makes them a solid choice if you need a system that wont feel outdated in a couple of years, especially for students or creators who also game in their downtime. But theres a trade-off. All that power generates heat, and gaming laptops often run hotter and put more strain on internal components than typical ultraportables. If theyre not properly cooled or regularly maintained (think dust buildup and thermal paste), that wear and tear can shorten their lifespan. Theyre also usually bulkier and have shorter battery life, which can impact long-term usability depending on your daily needs. Gaming laptops can last longer performance-wise, but only if you take good care of them. If your needs are light browsing, writing papers and streaming a standard laptop may actually last longer simply because its under less stress day-to-day. What is the role of GPU in a computer for gaming and school? The GPU plays a big role in how your laptop handles visuals and its especially important if youre using your computer for both gaming and school. For gaming, the GPU is essential. Its responsible for rendering graphics, textures, lighting and all the visual effects that make your favorite titles look smooth and realistic. A more powerful GPU means better frame rates, higher resolutions and the ability to play modern games without lag or stuttering. For schoolwork, the GPU matters too but its importance depends on what you're doing. If your school tasks mostly involve writing papers, browsing the web or using productivity tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Office, you dont need a high-end GPU. But if youre working with graphic design, video editing, 3D modeling or anything else thats visually demanding, a good GPU can speed things up significantly and improve your workflow. Georgie Peru contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html?src=rss

Netflix is reportedly in exclusive talks to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO

Netflix is in exclusive talks to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's film and TV studios and HBO Max streaming service, according to sources from Bloomberg . That suggests Netflix submitted a superior offer to rivals including Paramount Skydance Corp (owned by billionaire Larry Ellison) and Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal. The deal could be consummated within days and, if approved, would change the landscape of Hollywood and the streaming market. Warner Bros. Discovery's cable channels including CNN, TBS and TNT, valued at more than $60 billion, would not be part of the deal and spun off prior to the closing. However, Netflix would become the owner of the HBO network and its library of series ( The Sopranos , Game of Thrones , etc.), along with its Burbank studios and massive film and TV archive consisting of 12,500 feature films and 2,400 TV series, including properties like Batman, Lord of the Rings and Friends . A big sweetener offered by Netflix was a $5 billion breakup fee if the deal isn't approved by regulators, according to people familiar with the discussions. That's a considerable risk on Netflix's part, as the acquisition is likely to be closely scrutinized by the FCC and even President Trump himself, who reportedly has close ties to Ellison . It would also need to pass muster with regulators from other nations, considering the wide reach of WBD and Netflix. After multiple suitors, including Paramount Skydance expressed interest in buying Warner Bros. Discovery, CEO David Zaslav put the company up for sale in October. The bidding process has been heated, with Paramount's lawyers complaining that WBD embarked on a myopic process with a predetermined outcome that favors a single bidder, namely Netflix. Paramount argued that its deal would be more palatable to regulators around the world. However, Zaslav's camp has said that it would achieve the best value in a sale by splitting off its cable assets and doing two separate deals, CNN reported. Both Paramount Skydance and Comcast submitted deals to buy all of WBD's assets. Netflix offered around $28 a share for WBD minus the cable assets, according to Deadline . Shares were as low as $7.50 earlier this year. The acquisition would be far and away the largest for Netflix, which has historically favored organic growth. An acquisition could have a huge impact on streaming customers and filmgoers. Would Netflix merge its catalog with HBO Max or continue to run the latter as a separate service? It's also not clear if Netflix would honor Warner Bros.' commitment to theatrical releases, considering that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has called movie theatres an outdated concept . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-is-reportedly-in-exclusive-talks-to-acquire-warner-bros-and-hbo-082233278.html?src=rss

iam8bit is suing Skybound Game Studios alleging fraud and theft of designs

Skybound Game Studios is being sued by indie outfit iam8bit over fraud and breach of contract, including the theft of original designs. Skybound Entertainment, the parent company of Skybound Game Studios, is chaired by Robert Kirkman, who may be best known for creating the original comic book of The Walking Dead . We've reached out to Skybound for comment on the lawsuit but have not received a response as of publication. iam8bit is a video game producer as well as a merchandise operation selling vinyl soundtracks and other geek gear. The company entered into a partnership with Skybound Game Studios in April 2021. Since then, iam8bit alleges that Skybound conducted a multi-year accounting scheme and failed to provide accurate financial reports for the partnership each month. Skybound failed to provide the monthly reports as agreed, the Los Angeles Superior Court complaint reads. It also padded its expenses with millions of dollars in fake line items. iam8bit claims Skybound has yet to explain the line items, even to a third-party auditor that it engaged. The company is alleging more than $4 million in damages related to the accounting issues. iam8bit also accused Skybound of cutting it out of a deal regarding indie video game Stray . According to the company's counsel, iam8bit designed and developed promotional materials for the launch of Stray on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The complaint claims that Skybound used trade secrets from iam8bit to secure its own deal for the Nintendo launch of the game. It alleges Skybound used confidential information about iam8bits royalty split with publishing Annapurna Interactive to cut out its business partner, while also using almost exact copies of its creative output for marketing. The full list of allegations in iam8bit's complaint include breach of contract, fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment and misappropriation. The company's legal team is seeking monetary damages, punitive damages and attorneys' fees in compensation. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/iam8bit-is-suing-skybound-game-studios-alleging-fraud-and-theft-of-designs-000822886.html?src=rss

Cairn's new release date is January 29, 2026

We've been monitoring the upcoming rock climbing game Cairn for several months, as have the many folks who've already enjoyed the demo which has an impressive 99 percent rating on Steam. In September, developer The Game Bakers pushed back the game's planned 2025 debut to give some extra time for polish. Today, the team dropped a fresh trailer announcing the revised launch date for the project. Cairn will be available on January 29, 2026 for Steam and PlayStation 5 for $30. The Game Bakers have a solid track record of indie gems, often with a strong, unique sense of place and character. The survival-climbing experience seems like an excellent new topic for the team behind games including Haven and Furi . Cairn captures the intensity of winding your way up a mountain and paints a psychological portrait of the people who are drawn to tackling that mental and physical challenge. And if you find the basic gameplay isn't difficult enough, there will also be a free solo mode for channelling your inner daredevil without ropes. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cairns-new-release-date-is-january-29-2026-211508330.html?src=rss

Russia reportedly bans Snapchat and FaceTime

Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal agency for monitoring and censoring mass media, has blocked access to Snapchat and FaceTime in the country, Bloomberg reports , citing Russian news service Interfax. The bans were reportedly put in place because the platforms were used to organize and carry out terrorist acts, and commit fraud. It's not clear if either service is still accessible by using a VPN, but banning Snapchat and FaceTime fits with Russias crackdown on communication and social platforms that started after the countrys invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Facebook and X were blocked in March of that year, and Instagram was added to the ban list not long after. In 2024, the encrypted messaging app Signal was also banned, and more recently in July 2025, Russia threatened to block access to WhatsApp . Engadget has contacted both Apple and Snap to comment on the Russian bans. We'll update this article if we hear back. Banning or restricting these platforms is a way to exert control over where and how conversation happens in Russia and prevent the spread of LGBT propaganda, if you believe Roskomnadzor's reasoning for banning Roblox but it might also be an attempt to drive people to use MAX, a state-run super app that offers services like communication, banking and document storage. The app is part of a long-standing push to rely on Russia's tech industry rather than foreign companies, and could potentially give the Russian government an easier method for surveilling its citizens, The New York Times reports . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/russia-reportedly-bans-snapchat-and-facetime-194906404.html?src=rss

Meta says it's fixing its broken support system, with the help of AI

If you've ever had something go wrong with your Facebook or Instagram account, then you probably have a good idea of just how frustrating the support process can be. The company's automated processes are so broken that some people have found that suing Meta in small claims court can be a more reliable way of getting help from the company. Now, Meta says it's trying to address some of these longstanding issues. In an update , the company acknowledged that its support hasnt always met expectations but that a series of AI-powered updates should make it easier for people to get help. The company is rolling out a new support hub on Facebook and Instagram that is meant to bring all of its support features into one place. The hub will also have a new AI chat feature so users can ask questions about account issues or Meta's policies. An in-app support hub might not be that helpful if you can't access your account, though. A Meta spokesperson pointed to its external account recovery tool, which is meant to help people get back into their accounts. Recovering hacked accounts has long been a pain point for Facebook and Instagram users. But Meta says that it's now improved the process with better email and text alerts. AI has also helped the company's systems detect devices and locations you've frequently used in the past. Our new account recovery experience adjusts to your particular situation with clearer guidance and simpler verification, Meta writes. Weve also expanded recovery methods to include taking an optional selfie video to further verify your identity. Meta is also starting to test a new AI support assistant on Facebook that can provide instant, personalized help for issues like account recovery or managing your profile. It's not clear how this will work, or if it will enable people to talk to an actual person who works for Meta. For now, the most reliable way to access live support is via a Meta Verified subscription, though many users report that the chat-based service isn't able to help with more complex issues. A Meta spokesperson said that the assistant is in the early stages of testing and is currently only available to some Facebook users globally. Those who are part of the test can find it via the app's new support hub. According to Meta, these improvements have already shown some success in helping people get back into hacked accounts. The company says that this year it has increased the relative success rate of hacked account recovery by more than 30% in the US and Canada. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-says-its-fixing-its-broken-support-system-with-the-help-of-ai-185348328.html?src=rss

The Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle is still on sale for $50 off right now

Cyber Monday may be long gone, but there are still some deals floating around on the internet today. One deal that wasn't available on Black Friday but made an appearance on Cyber Monday was a discount on the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle . It's back again today at both Amazon and Walmart you can get the bundle for $50 off, bringing the final price down to $449. For Amazon, you have to add the bundle to your cart to see the discounted price. For Walmart, you'll need to be signed in to a Walmart account (which is free to make) and add the bundle to your cart to see the sale price. The long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 came out in June and somehow beat our expectations. We gave it a 93 in our review thanks to features like its larger 7.9-inch LCD screen with HCR and very polished design. We were also impressed by its 256GB of base storage, magnetic Joy-Con and overall much improved performance. Nintendo introduced Mario Kart World alongside the new Switch and we're big fans. It brings wall riding and rail grinds to the Mario Kart franchise in a bright, colorful space. The game is extremely replayable and a great option for anyone looking to quickly pass the time during their travels this holiday season. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-nintendo-switch-2-mario-kart-world-bundle-is-still-on-sale-for-50-off-right-now-150612988.html?src=rss

Amazon Luna's December lineup includes Hollow Knight, Lego 2K Drive and a few Fallout games

Amazon Lunas December lineup of games has been announced, and there are plenty of early Christmas presents to sink your teeth into. For those unaware, Prime members automatically qualify for Luna standard, the entry-level tier of Amazons cloud gaming service, and each month the company also hands out a number of codes for PC games that permanently join in your library once redeemed. Among those claim-and-keep-forever games this month are the underrated open-world Lego racing game, Lego 2K Drive , the very pretty Metroidvania, B: Path of the Teal Lotus , and a couple of retro Fallout games, just in time for the new season of the Prime Video show. Heres the full list of games for December. Most come in the form of codes you can redeem on GOG, but a couple are tied to the Epic Games Store or Legacy Gaming. LEGO 2K Drive B: Path of the Teal Lotus Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game Fallout 2 Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection One Gylt Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two Christmas Adventure: Candy Storm Gunslugs 2 Ashworld Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Three Dreamscaper On the cloud side of things, Luna members can stream the likes of Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition , with Fallout 3 and fan favorite New Vegas already available. Quite the month for wasteland wanderers, then. Mafia: Definitive Edition , Hollow Knight and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition also feature in the current library. Amazon relaunched its revamped Luna service at the end of October, when it also added a beginner-friendly collection of smartphone-controlled multiplayer games for Prime subscribers to play at no additional cost. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/amazon-lunas-december-lineup-includes-hollow-knight-lego-2k-drive-and-a-few-fallout-games-180048528.html?src=rss

Pixel-art cyberpunk game Replaced arrives in March

Based on what we've seen, Replaced is a gaming art director's dream . The long-delayed indie title has lush pixel-art environments, set in a cyberpunk fever dream. And now we finally know when it's arriving. Mark your calendar for March 12, 2026. If you've been following Replaced 's journey, you'll know that's four years after its original release date . Shit happens! In this case, that included having to relocate from Belarus to Cyprus after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. It will be the first game from developer Sad Cat Studios. Thunderful Games is publishing. Gaming still from Replaced. Pit's Diner, set in a dystopian cyberpunk world (pixel art). Various shady characters mill about. Sad Cat Studios / Thunderful Games Replaced is set in a dystopian alternate 1980s America. In this timeline, nuclear winter has reshaped the world. Step into a world where neon lights flicker over rain-soaked streets, industrial decay meets futuristic technology, and every shadow holds a secret, the blurb reads . You play as R.E.A.C.H., an AI unwillingly trapped in a human body. As for gameplay, it's a 2.5D cinematic action platformer. Chain precise melee strikes with satisfying ranged attacks to take down enemies in high-intensity encounters while keeping the flow of exploration, the description reads. Expect plenty of running, climbing and kicking ass. You can see some of the dazzling art direction, fluid movement, and smooth combat in the new trailer below. You can wishlist Replaced now through Steam or Xbox . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pixel-art-cyberpunk-game-replaced-arrives-in-march-170253220.html?src=rss

Amazon's Kindle Scribe Colorsoft finally has a release date: December 10

When it announced the latest series of Kindle Scribe writing tablets in October , Amazon didnt have a specific release date to share beyond later this year. And now that were approaching the final weeks of 2025, the company is meeting its own deadline by sharing that it will be available on December 10. That detail is now posted on the Amazon product page for the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft , if youd like to see the date for yourself. As a refresher, this is the third generation of the Kindle Scribe line of E Ink writing tablets. This year was the first time Amazon made three different versions of the Scribe, turning it into a series of products. At the entry-level, the Scribe without a front light will start at $430, while the model with a front light starts at $480. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which, as it name suggests, can render colors, will start at $630. All three flavors will feature the updated hardware and design thats a bit more symmetrical than previous generations, which had a thicker bezel on one side. Theyre also thinner than older Scribes and come with redesigned Kindle software that can help make note-taking a bit more efficient. Based on my hands-on with the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft , it also seemed to render colors more vividly than competing devices like the reMarkable Paper Pro , though Ill definitely need to get a review unit in for better comparison. For now, check out our hands on of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and review of the reMarkable Paper Pro and even of the last-gen Kindle Scribe to see if this is something you might want. While December 10 is cutting it pretty close to the holiday gifting season , its still weeks ahead of Christmas, so it might still be worth keeping an eye on. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amazons-kindle-scribe-colorsoft-finally-has-a-release-date-december-10-170000910.html?src=rss

Meta is reportedly going to slash spending on the metaverse

Meta is reportedly planning steep cuts to its metaverse division, according to Bloomberg . This is happening just a few years after the company changed its name from Facebook to reflect its renewed interest in that same metaverse. Bloomberg notes that the metaverse department could get hit with significant budget cuts in the near future, with layoffs potentially occurring early next year. The budget cuts could go as high as 30 percent and will likely impact the virtual worlds product Meta Horizon Worlds and the Quest virtual reality headset. The publication did note that this isn't a done deal just yet. Company insiders say this is all part of Meta's annual budget planning for 2026 and that the cuts were discussed at a series of meetings at CEO Mark Zuckerberg's compound in Hawaii. The metaverse team was reportedly asked for deeper-than-average cuts because the technology hasn't exactly taken the world by storm. As a matter of fact, the whole metaverse idea has been a dud with investors, who see it as a drain on resources. Consumers aren't exactly keen on the idea either, even if they still buy VR headsets and traditional games . It's one thing to throw on a headset to shoot bad guys for 20 minutes but it's a whole other thing to, well, wander around a fake Abercrombie & Fitch for hours looking to spend real money on fake clothing for an avatar. $META has spent $37.7B on reality labs over the last two years pic.twitter.com/ppW7uo2sGB Buddy Wiseman-Barker (@buddy_barker) December 4, 2025 The report does suggest that Zuckerberg still believes that people will one day spend the majority of their time in virtual worlds, but these cuts signal that he understands that this idea is still years or decades away from fruition. The metaverse sits within a company division called Reality Labs that has lost more than $70 billion since 2021 . Zuckerberg has also largely refrained from mentioning the metaverse in public and in earnings calls. So what will Meta be spending money on instead? It's reportedly focused on further developing large AI models and chatbots, in addition to hardware products linked to AI experiences like those Ray-Ban smart display glasses . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-is-reportedly-going-to-slash-spending-on-the-metaverse-164547153.html?src=rss

PlayStation teams up with Bad Robot and the creator of Left 4 Dead for a co-op shooter

Sony Interactive Entertainment has signed a deal to produce and publish a game from Bad Robot, JJ Abrams production company. The two sides are keeping most of the details close to their chest for now, but the game is a four-player co-op shooter for PlayStation 5 and PC directed by someone who knows a thing or two about that genre: Left 4 Dead creator Mike Booth. Bad Robot Games which is a fully remote studio was formed in 2018 with the help of Tencent. It has lent a hand on games including Weird West (as an investor and creative consultant ) as well as interactive streaming series Silent Hill: Ascension . This new game is the first one that Bad Robot Games is developing in-house. A few months back, Booth dropped into the Left 4 Dead subreddit to say that he was working on a new co-op game built on the foundations of what made L4D special. If you enjoyed the teamwork, tension and replayability of my past games, youll probably find this one interesting. It expands on the co-op formula in ways Ive wanted to explore for a long time. He added that, while the game was still in early development, Bad Robot was opening up a waitlist for access to playtests. According to a press release , Bad Robot Games is a dedicated game studio working on new and existing transmedia franchises. So, this project could well be part of an entirely new franchise, but the prospect of co-op shooter from the designer of Left 4 Dead thats set in the Cloverfield universe is pretty darn intriguing. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-teams-up-with-bad-robot-and-the-creator-of-left-4-dead-for-a-co-op-shooter-144637802.html?src=rss

Amazon reportedly considering ending ties with the US Postal Service

Amazon is reportedly considering discontinuing use of the US Postal Service and building out its own shipping network to rival it, according to The Washington Post . The e-commerce behemoth spends more than $6 billion a year on the public mail carrier, representing just shy of 8 percent of the service's total revenues . That's up from just shy of $4 billion in 2019 , and Amazon continues to grow. Over the past decade, Amazon has invested heavily in shipping logistics, buying its own Boeing planes , debuting electric delivery vans and slowly building out a drone delivery network . Last year, Amazon handled over 6.3 billion parcels, a 7 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Pitney Bowes parcel shipping index . USPS, for its part, handled roughly 6.9 billion, just a 3 percent increase over 2023. That is to say that Amazon's shipping network can already handle over 90 percent of the volume of the US Postal Service (at least by sheer numbers). The USPS has been in dire financial condition for some time, losing billions of dollars a year. Negotiations between Amazon and the public carrier have reportedly stalled, which, together with the agency's need to keep raising its prices, may create more urgency for the company to eliminate its reliance on the service altogether. The Postal Service has struggled to modernize and adapt (its attempt to electrify the truck fleet was a bust ) in a market where the likes of Amazon and Walmart are investing billions in delivering packages around the country at lightning speed. The ever-accelerating digitization of communication and heavy investment in privately owned shipping operations threatens the very existence of one of the country's greatest public goods. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-reportedly-considering-ending-ties-with-the-us-postal-service-144555021.html?src=rss

Antigravity A1 drone review: FPV flying unlike anything else

The Antigravity A1 is what happens when Insta360s 360-degree cameras are given wings and flying feels like a video game. Spinning out as its own brand, Antigravitys debut drone is a big swing: a three-piece set with a drone that captures 8K 360-degree video, FPV goggles and a motion controller. Challenging the dominance of DJIs (many!) consumer drones is a big ask. Antigravitys approach is to play to its strengths in 360-degree video and smartphone-first editing. A lot of the appeal comes from how the A1 captures 8K video in all directions, meaning you can edit, cut and swap around your footage and hopefully rarely miss a moment youre trying to document. Its a lot of fun, too, if you can get through the early teething issues, updates and the learning curve. The drone Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The A1 drone is just 249 grams (0.548 lbs). This helps it bypass some drone regulations, though flying permissions vary by region. The pair of cameras mounted on the top and bottom of the drone's body is one of its unique features. Its difficult to directly compare the A1 against competitor drones, as it offers a mix of features found across different categories and some unique tools of its own. The A1 can capture 360-degree video at up to 8K resolution, and thanks to Insta360s action cam experience, it can magically remove the drone body from video. This means you can capture video and never see propellers or, well, any part of the drone itself. Along the base of the drone, two landing gears automatically lower when you attempt to land the A1, although you will have to manually retract them when youre looking to launch the drone. You can also lower the landing gear from one of the controllers many buttons. The removable battery has a handy one-touch gauge to monitor levels and provides over 20 minutes of flight time, depending on conditions and whether youre recording video. Antigravity suggests it should last up to 24 minutes during normal filming use. My review device came with two spare batteries and a charging dock. Its very easy to swap out the batteries, and the charging dock can fully charge a single cell in 45 minutes and even charge all three slots at once. Theres a microSD card slot on the rear of the drone, alongside a USB-C port for (slowly) charging the battery. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The cameras have a 1/1.28-inch sensor, f/2.2 lens aperture and an ISO range from 100 to 6,400. To adjust those settings beyond auto, youll have to dive into the menu inside the goggles, which can be laborious to navigate with a gesture-based controller. Fortunately, auto ISO and white balance are usually good enough. Pro-level content creators might want to tinker with levels here, and theres a histogram you can toggle on or even a zebra pattern to highlight overexposed shots and areas. and the A1 can record 8K video at up to 30fps or 4K at up to 100fps. You can also meet in the middle, with a 5.2k recording mode. There are also three different flying modes, which are easy to select on the controller. Alongside Normal mode, Sport mode increases the maximum flight speed and offers enhanced flight performance, improves control sensitivity and turns off obstacle avoidance. Sport mode offers a tangible difference when flying the A1: it doubles the horizontal flight speed compared to Normal mode. Theres also a Cinematic (C) mode, with a lower max speed for smoother video footage. The controller and goggles Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The flight mode switcher is one of many controls, wheels, buttons and sliders that pepper the surface of the A1s grip controller. Intriguingly, though, the main way to control the A1 drone is through gestures, not joysticks or buttons. Instead of pitching control sticks to the left and right, up and down, its more akin to a video game, where you point the controller where you want to go, shown with a reticle, and pull the trigger. The A1 then shoots off in that direction. The crucial part is that this doesnt have to be where youre looking from the drones POV. This means you can strafe and fly in any direction without your view being constrained by static cameras. Its a sensation unlike any other drone Ive flown. It feels more like playing a video game like piloting a helicopter in GTA 5. Youre able to look in any direction, both while in motion and while hovering stationary. There are controls for recording video, controlling vertical flight and rotating your POV without turning your head. Theres even a RTH (return to home) function that can be accessed by long-pressing the emergency brake button. The included goggles deliver a crisp view of everything, with a pair of 1.03-inch micro-OLED displays with a resolution of 2,560 2,560 and a 72Hz refresh rate. Other FPV drone goggles typically offer 100Hz refresh rates, but it wasnt a dealbreaker for me. I feared that latency hiccups could make airsickness an issue while flying the A1, but I didnt experience it. My take is that being able to fully control your view makes nausea less of an issue. Another nice touch, especially if youre flying with friends, is a circular outer display on the goggles, so everyone can see what the A1 sees. Naturally, it cant encompass the entire view of the drone pilot, but theres also nothing duller than watching someone else fly a drone. This offers a mild respite. The other eyepiece is a touchpad for steering through menus inside the goggles without having to point and click with the controller. Performance Image by Mat Smith for Engadget While the Antigravity A1 may offer a more immersive drone-flying experience, in pure numerical terms, it lags behind some competitors. For example, even in Sport mode, the A1 tops out at a maximum speed of just under 36 mph, falling behind the likes of DJIs Avata 2 (60 mph). I was still pleasantly surprised by how responsive the A1 felt, especially in Sport mode. An additional FPV mode (accessible from the goggles) adds more sensitive controls, although I havent been able to test it much since it was introduced in a recent firmware update. For someone with more gaming experience than drone piloting hours, Antigravitys central control system fits like a glove. I could fly where I wanted, confident in the controls and in the knowledge that I would capture what I wanted to. According to Antigravity, you can fly the A1 within a 10km transmission range, although I didnt manage to test that limit in central London. The experience of starting with the drone felt, at times, unnecessarily arduous. Pairing everything together has to be done in a specific order: power up drone, power up goggles, power up controller. And turning off each item isnt a typical long press of the power button. Instead, you use a press-once-press-it-again-and-hold method that I forget pretty much every time. Downloading video from the A1 to your phone is also laborious, but thats not a flaw specific to this drone. Antigravity has attempted some shortcuts, including a microSD card quick reader that connects to your phone or PC via USB-C. However, at the time of testing, manually connecting the microSD is less of an option and more of a necessity. The drone repeatedly failed to connect to the companion app and reliably transfer video files. Some video files recorded seemingly evaporated between firmware updates, only to reappear later. Another file had been converted to two separate circular views, one from each camera, which made it essentially unusable. Hopefully these intial teething problems have been solved by firmware updates and won't be in retail devices. Its a shame everything isnt more stable, especially when both flying the A1 and using Antigravitys editing software are bothis so beginner-friendly. It's something Ive mentioned before with the parent companys action cams, but the ability to create barrel rolls, tilt rotations with just one tap or click is, again, just fun. And because you can reframe and tinker with video warping, create tiny planet effects or simply crop to a more traditional, cinematic camera view, Antigravitys software offers almost infinite ways to present your drone footage. Deeptracking can be done both during recording and editing in post, keeping a moving subject or point of interest centered as the A1 zips around. There are also AI-powered video editing features to chop up your 20 minutes of flying footage into something digestible and engaging with minimal effort. Because its a 360-degree video, the footage can be easily cropped to suit both horizontal and vertical formats. However, with a smaller sensor and 8K resolution spread across a 360-degree view, the A1 is not the best video drone. The video is pleasingly crisp and clear, and while the footage is best recorded in bright daylight or other well-lit locations, murky British November days didnt affect it much. As the A1 has to stitch together its two sensors, theres often a visible seam to your video, but its usually a very subtle glitch. It might stop some video creators from tapping it for their most polished aerial shots though. Recording video later in the day resulted in more noise and less detail. This is when the A1s Cinematic mode (and generally slower flying) is a good idea, but it still wont make up for the fact that this drones sensors are covering such wide angles. More video-centric drones will deliver cleaner video and better performance in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Wrap up Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The Antigravity A1 is available now, with a standard bundle including the drone, controller and goggles for $1,599. The Infinity Bundle ($1,999) adds two extra batteries, quick reader dongle, sling bag and a charging dock. That does make it substantially more expensive than rival FPV drones like the DJI Avata 2, but the A1 is also a very different kind of drone. The intuitive controls and ability to look all around you make it unlike anything else currently available. Its a delightful introduction to drones, FPV or otherwise, but a shame that software issues marred my tests. Plus, pairing all the devices can be convoluted and frustrating at times. If Antigravity is thinking about what to do next, Id be intrigued to see a version with the camera bonafides to take on similarly priced DJI drones. But that shouldnt detract from the companys debut model since the A1 is arguably the most intriguing consumer drone since the Mavic Pro. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/antigravity-a1-drone-review-140026021.html?src=rss

Apple's AirPods 4 with ANC are back on sale for $99

If you missed the Black Friday sale on Apple's AirPods 4 with ANC, you're in luck they're back on sale at the same $99 price for a substantial $80 savings (45 percent). What's more, if you're one who frets about damaging your gear, you can grab them with AppleCare+ for $118 , saving 43 percent from the normal price. We think that the AirPods Pro 2 are the best AirPods overall, but the ANC-enabled AirPods 4 are also a solid choice, especially at this price. We gave them a score of 86 in our review . Apple's AirPods 4 come in two variants, with and without ANC. Though the base model is solid, the version on sale here with ANC offers a number of advantages like Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio and Transparency mode. They also have a charging case that supports MagSafe and Qi-compatible wireless charging, along with a built-in speaker that emits beeps when you activate Find My. And as Apple recently announced , AirPods 4 with ANC supports the company's Live Translation feature. Our main reservation with the AirPods 4 with ANC is that the Airpods Pro 2 are a better noise-cancellation option when they go on sale. At this price, though, the AirPods 4 with ANC are a real bargain if you're looking for new buds especially if you prefer the open-ears type. As mentioned, for extra peace of mind you can also get the Airpods 4 with ANC plus AppleCare+ protection for $118, or 43 percent off. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/apples-airpods-4-with-anc-are-back-on-sale-for-99-140903670.html?src=rss

UK fines porn company 1 million for weak age checks

The UK has fined a porn operator called AVS Group 1 million ($1.33 million) for failing to have strong enough age checks, regulator Ofcom announced . The company which was also hit with an additional 50,000 fine for its failure to respond to information request and now has 72 hours to introduce effective age checks or face a further penalty of 1,000 a day. In July, the UK government announced it would start checking compliance by websites that publish or display pornographic content to implement a system for highly effective age checks. Methods approved by Ofcom include credit card checks, photo ID matching and even estimating a user's age with a provided selfie. However, users have been circumventing the age checks via methods like using a VPN and providing a fake ChatGPT-generated photo ID. The fine is the third such penalty arising from the UK's Online Safety Act designed to protect children and adults from harmful content. In October, 4Chan was also hit with a 20,000 ($26,700) fine for failing to comply with the internet and telecommunications regulator's request for information under the same law. The UK isn't the only region to have implemented age checks. Around half of US states now require it, as do France, Italy, Australia and China. Australia took things a step further by banning social media use by children under 16, including sites popular with young people like Twitch and YouTube. Ofcom's safety director, Oliver Griffiths, said the crackdown on weak age verification for adult sites would continue. The tide on online safety is beginning to turn for the better. But we need to see much more from tech companies next year and well use our full powers if they fall short. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/uk-fines-porn-company-%C2%A31-million-for-weak-age-checks-130056578.html?src=rss

Proton Sheets joins the company's productivity suite

The latest addition to Proton's workplace suite is a spreadsheet tool called Proton Sheets. It will offer real-time collaboration, and users can control who has access to view and edit files. Proton Sheets can also be accessed on any device, including mobile ones. It supports importing CSV and XLS files, and the spreadsheets also support commonly used formulas for calculations. A big part of Proton's pitch is privacy, promising that users' information won't be used for training AI. The company also protects user data with end-to-end encryption by default; the press release pointedly notes that products like Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel don't do the same. The Sheets app will be a part of Proton Drive, which already includes a Docs platform with several features similar to those offered by other productivity tools from big tech brands. Proton also offers a VPN and a Mail app . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/proton-sheets-joins-the-companys-productivity-suite-110000344.html?src=rss

The 29 best PC games you can play right now for 2025

PC gamers have almost too many options when it comes to titles to play, which is a great problem to have. With decades of games to choose from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), the options are endless. You also get the perks of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance if you've got the coin for it when youre building your perfect kit or picking up a high-powered gaming laptop . The whole idea of what a gaming PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose; here are the best PC games you can play right now. Best PC games to play right now Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games , the best PS5 games , the best Xbox games , the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-best-pc-games-150000910.html?src=rss

Meta's Oversight Board wants to expand its powers in 2026

The Oversight Board is getting ready to tackle a new pain point for Facebook and Instagram users. Up to now, users have been able to appeal content moderation decisions related to specific posts to the board, but haven't been able to ask the group to intervene in other situations that affect their accounts. That could soon change. The board says that it will weigh in on individual account-level penalties in a pilot next year. The board noted the change in an impact report recapping its five-year history and what lies ahead in the year to come. In 2026, our scope expands once more as we pilot the ability to review Metas decisions removing and impacting accounts, something that has created ongoing frustration for platform users, the report says. It's not clear how this process will work, but if the board plans to take on account-level issues like suspensions, it would be a significant expansion of its purview. In an interview with Engadget, board member Paolo Carozza said that Meta is expected to refer a case to the board in January that will deal with an account-level issue. The handling of that case will allow the board to explore how it might take on similar cases in the future. We're really excited to take it on because we think it's an important area that really affects a lot of users and their interests, he told Engadget. We all know how many people are constantly coming forward complaining about account-level restrictions or blocking or whatever else, and so if we get it right and it's going to be important to work it out this first pilot we're really optimistic that it's going to help open up a whole new avenue for us to be helpful to the users of [Meta's] platforms. Carozza added that there are a number of technical aspects and other questions still being worked out between the board and Meta. So for now, it's too soon to say whether there will ever be an official appeals process for suspensions, like there currently is for post removals. But he says Meta is equally invested in the effort. It's something we've been talking about with Meta for well over a year, he said. They've been expressing an openness and a willingness to give us access to those kinds of questions. The Oversight Board's report hints at another way its influence could potentially expand. It notes that the group's work has made it well-positioned to partner with a range of global tech companies as they navigate issues arising from free speech debates globally. Both Meta and Oversight Board officials have previously floated the idea that other companies might want to take advantage of its expertise. Up to now, most other platforms have had little incentive to do so. But Carozza says the rise of generative AI has created some new interest from non-Meta affiliated platforms, and that there have been really preliminary conversations with other companies. It feels like quite a different moment now, largely because of generative AI, LLMs, chatbots [and] the way that a variety of retail-level users of these technologies are facing a whole new set of challenges and harms that's attracting a lot of scrutiny, he said. We have had conversations in recent months with other tech companies in this space about the possibility that the board might be able to contribute helpful services to them to help navigate some of these really thorny questions. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/metas-oversight-board-wants-to-expand-its-powers-in-2026-100000385.html?src=rss

Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 AI glasses launch in India

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

Xiaomi launches Redmi 15C 5G for budget buyers in India

The phone runs on Xiaomi HyperOS 2 with Circle to Search and Google Gemini integration

Vivo X300 Review | Industry-leading photography in a compact form factor

Vivo has pushed the boundaries of what mobile photography can be, and with the X300, the company takes an even more confident leap

Nothing to launch Phone 3a Lite Community Edition on December 9

The Community Edition is expected to use the same specifications as Nothing Phone 3a Lite

Apple to resist India order to preload state-run Sanchar Saathi app as political outcry builds

The Indian government has confidentially ordered companies including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi to preload their phones with an app called Sanchar Saathi

Vivo focused upon evolving consumers needs with a premium push, says companys spokesperson

On being the leader currently in Indian smartphone ecosystem, Vivo said that output is not in their control. There are market forces which contribute for a brand to be number one

Vivo X300 Pro and Vivo X300 running new OriginOS launched in India: Price, features and sale

Vivo will offer 5 OS and 7 years of security updates to the X300 series

Apple names Amar Subramanya new VP of AI, replacing John Giannandrea

Apple a laggard in the AI race has been slow to add AI features to its products in comparison to rivals such as Samsung

India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

India is one of the world's largest telephone markets, with more than 1.2 billion subscribers, and government figures show the app, launched in January, has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, including 50,000 in October alone

Sennheiser HDB 630 Review | In a different league

Sennheiser HDB 630 is for people who want everything: high-resolution audio, a neutral tone, massive battery life, uncompromised ANC, and the freedom to ditch cables entirely

MacBook Pro M5 Review: A runner working on VO2 max, not sprint speed

The Apple MacBook Pro M5 is still elite, still efficient, and still the machine almost anyone can rely on. But it is unmistakably incremental

Apple to Open Fifth India Store at Noida on December 11

Apple store will be launched in Noida at DLF Mall of India

Buying a laptop under 20,000 Heres what you need to know

It might be tempting to buy a new laptop without breaking the bank, but is a budget laptop the right choice for you?

iQOO 15 Review | Stands out for what it does best

Starting at 72,999, iQOO 15 features Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a massive 7,000 mAh battery with 100W fast charging, and a stunning 6.85-inch 2K 144 Hz AMOLED display

Ai+ to start a new category of Laptab in Q1 2026

Till date, Ai+ has only launched two entry segment smartphones in India

Nothing launches Phone 3a Lite for mid segment buyers in India

Nothing Phone 3a Lite has features like Essential Key/Essential Space, Glyph light and a transparent design

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Should you upgrade?

Switching from the iPhone 16 Pro Max to the iPhone 17 Pro Max feels like moving from an already superb flagship to a slightly more refined, stamina-focused powerhouse

Oppo Find X9 Pro Review | A flagship that finally feels whole

Oppo has launched the Find X9 Pro, a flagship that combines top-tier performance, impressive battery life, and a refined camera system, positioning itself as a compelling choice in the premium segment

Oppo unveils Dimensity 9500 running Find X9 and Find X9 Pro in global market

They are likely to launch officially in November in India

iPhone 17 Review: The rise of the underdog

In short, this is the iPhone that delivers the Apple experience without compromise or pretence at a competitive price point

Sony WH-1000XM6 Review | A superb all-rounder

With improvements in sound quality, adaptive noise cancellation, and an even more seamless design, Sony positions the WH-1000XM6 as its most advanced wireless headphones yet

Nothing unveils AI-native OS Essential and Playground, its own version of App Store

Nothing said that Essential is going to be the foundation for a future personal operating system

Vivo and iQOO smartphones to shift to Origin OS 6

Vivos sub-brand iQOO has also confirmed the same. Nipun Marya, iQOO India CEO shared on X, We are ready for a new experience. Are you?

Meta expands AI glasses line in a bet on the future

Meta has encountered more success with its frames developed alongside Ray-Ban, offering features including a built-in camera, music playback and voice interactions with the company's AI

Nothing to open its first flagship store in India later this year

Nothings first flagship store would be on the lines of Apple Stores in India, which is also expanding its retail reach in most populated country of the world

Apple set to open retail store in Pune on September 4

There are two Apple Stores in India currently, in Mumbai and Delhi with another new one set to open in Bengaluru soon

Apple in talks to use Google's Gemini AI to power revamped Siri: Report

Apple recently approached Alphabet's Google to develop a custom AI model to power a redesigned Siri next year, the report said

Vivo V60 Review | For those who prefer design, durability and photography

Vivo V60 features an upgraded processor and enhanced camera prowess by adding a telephoto lens which was missing in the Vivo V50