Gadgets

DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review: The only vlogging camera you'll ever need

DJIs Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal-camera was a category-defining camera. Two years since its launch , everyone from vloggers to pro film makers continue to upload how-to guides and gushing reviews to YouTube. When the Osmo Pocket 4 landed at the FCC at the end of 2025 (followed by a credible leak ), creator forums and Reddit threads started to chatter with excitement. Over the following months the Pocket 4 leaked again and again , to the point where theres very little that someone with a passing interest and an internet connection doesnt already know about the camera. But DJI chose today to give us the official reveal , so were here with the full review which, remarkably, does contain some surprises. Whats new For those who were waiting for official, confirmed specs and information, heres a rundown of the headline new features of the Osmo Pocket 4. The camera is still 4K, but comes with an updated 1-inch CMOS sensor that DJI says is good for another two stops of low light performance (for a total of 14). The camera retains the 20mm equivalent, f/2.0 lens but squeezes in an improved max framerate of 240 fps (up from 120 fps) for up to 10x slow-mo. The Pocket 4 can also shoot in full, high dynamic range 10-Bit D-Log, upgraded from the more lightweight D-Log-M available on the Pocket 3. Shutter speeds are now expanded and go right down to 1/4 for extreme light effects. Hardware changes are few, but do include two new buttons below the 2-inch display. One is a dedicated zoom button and the other you can assign a function from a selection of common tasks rotating the gimbal, toggling recording presets and so on. You can assign up to three different controls to this button via single, double and triple clicks. Theres also 107GB of internal storage. You can still use SD cards, but you dont need to if you dont want to. That zoom, DJI states, is good for 2x lossless zoom while shooting in 4K and 4x in 1080p. The Pocket 3s 2x Mid-Tele zoom had to be activated first, but now you can use lossless zoom any time and/or while using ActiveTrack face-tracking. Its available in Portrait mode, too, but if youll need to have the screen in the horizontal position to access the buttons, which means your viewfinder/preview will be teeny-tiny as its rescaled for 16:9. DJI Osmo Pocket 4 James Trew for Engadget DJI has added on-camera Film Tones which are similar, functionally, to film simulations seen on Fujifilm cameras. There are six to choose from at launch and include subtle and not-so-subtle stylized color tones that apply different moods to your videos without having to manually color grade or use a LUT after the fact. As for still images, theres an on-screen button for Live photos similar to what you might find on an iPhone. Live photos were sorta-kinda possible on the Pocket 3, but they are a little bit easier this time around. A lot of DJI drones include Gesture Control, which lets you start/stop recording and engage ActiveTrack from a distance, and thats new on the Pocket 4 too. On the audio side of things, the Pocket 4 now has audio zoom, so if you have two people in a scene and do a close up on one of them, the volume of their voices will be boosted. Its a little crude, but it could be handy in certain situations. The Pocket 4 can also record spatial audio via the three onboard microphones, good for live music and other situations where sound placement might matter. Lastly, the Pocket 4 has a modular component. At launch, theres a magnetic fill light that clips onto the gimbal and can be configured via the camera menus. Its included in the creator combo and opens the door for other modular accessories, though its limited to things that can sit on the gimbal without causing problems. A shotgun-style microphone, for example, could be possible. The display and controls on the Osmo Pocket 4 James Trew for Engadget Battery life also gets a slight boost over the Pocket 3 with a 1,545mAh cell which is almost a 20 percent increase. That translates to an extra 30 minutes or so of recording time for an average of two and a half hours at 4K, more if you shoot in lower resolutions or are using the camera for photos. What we dont see here, an item that you might have been hoping for, is any type of optical zoom. Whats more, the max resolution in vertical mode remains capped at 3K. You still have to rotate the camera if you want full-sensor, 4K video in portrait. Video quality The popularity of the Pocket series is thanks to its combination of high-quality video and a portable form factor. The Pocket 4 builds on this winning formula with exceptional quality for the cameras size. The new 1-inch sensor is noticeably more detailed than the Pocket 3 and DJIs claim of improved low light performance is backed up by stellar results. I took the Pocket 4 out at night and it bested its predecessor with far more dynamic range and better exposure in shadowed areas that come out dark or fuzzy on the Pocket 3. Image performance in general is impressive and a definite strong point for a camera of this size. Colors now look more natural than ever without looking over-saturated. Similar shots on the Pocket 3 look a little flatter when viewed side by side. I like that the f2.0 aperture still provides some light bokeh, and when combined with the new D-Log mode, theres plenty of scope for cinematic shots. These would be harder to achieve with a phone and dont require the setup and planning of a mirrorless camera. With the extended shutter speeds you can get some interesting effects dramatic light trails in traffic for example but its going to over expose any other light source in your shot. So, proceed with caution. The Pocket 3 bottomed-out at 1/25, but the Pocket 4 goes right down to a dramatic 1/4. The 2x lossless zoom surprised me. At first, I was sceptical about DJIs claims of it being lossless, but it does seem to maintain visual quality without noticeable loss of detail. Though if you want to use that 4x zoom in 4K, expect to see some digital artifacts. The Pocket 4s 20mm lens is particularly suited to wider, vlog-style shots, so a usable zoom is a welcome addition. Its worth noting that its better used for static and tripod shots as any gimbal movements and keeping a subject in frame can feel like steering a ship. Film tones Until now, if you were aiming for a more cinematic style, you had to get comfortable shooting in D-Log-M and boning up on color-grading. DJI provided some filters in the Mimo app for a quick and dirty way to add a mood or vibe to your videos, but that still caused some friction in the workflow. The new film modes are on camera, so achieving something more stylized is now just a menu tap away. Ill be honest, Im not a huge fan of the selection available right now as theyre either too hot or too cold. Of the six, Warm and Movie seem the most usable for cozy-style landscapes or B-roll cityscapes. DJI hasnt shared much about whether these are just on-camera filters or true film simulations. Movie and Retro, at least, were already available as filters in the app. If the full effect is too strong, you can dial down the intensity, but thats the extent of the control. Their addition here expands what you can get out of the camera without using the app or having to drag things over to your editing software. Its unclear if well see more options in the future, but theyre there if you need them. New buttons One of my main complaints with the Pocket cameras was the zoom. More specifically, controlling it with the joystick. It always looks slow, inconsistent and a bit amateur when zooming in manually. The new button provides an instant punch-in that can be used for an intentional, attention-drawing effect. I cant count the number of times Ive ruined a shot because I thought I had the joystick set to zoom, but it was still assigned to panning (you had to toggle its use via an on-screen button). With the physical button, I can close in on a target instantly and never worry about accidental pans. The button layout on the Osmo Pocket 4 James Trew for Engadget The second, customizable button is also a real usability upgrade. If, like me, youre constantly recentering the gimbal, youll know that the usual double-click on the joystick is often unreliable. Now you can assign that action to the button plus two more controls from a selection of common actions. I have it set so double-click switches to one of my manual recording presets and triple-click locks the gimbal so I no longer have to jump into the main menu to switch gimbal modes. It even works while recording if I spontaneously decide I want to keep my horizon level. Changing what this button does is simple: Long-press it and itll jump into the settings where you can choose its functionality. Theres still scope for some refinement, as although a double click can instantly start recording with my preferred settings, clicking again doesnt stop it. You have to use the record button. This makes some sense, but Im used to using the same button to stop/start recording, so intuitively I thought that might be the case here. Sadly not. Audio upgrades Something a little unexpected in the Pocket 4 is the addition of spatial audio. Using the three built-in microphones, the theory is you should be able to hear where sounds are coming from though youll need headphones on for the effect to work. In practice, it does create a different audio ambience, one where sounds feel more relative to their location, but it comes at a price. If you speak to the camera, even if youre nearby, your voice will sound distant and muddled so spatial audio is something youll want to use intentionally and certainly not as a default setting. The same is true for that audio zoom. To be fair to DJI, Ive never found an audio zoom I truly liked. You cant capture better audio than what the microphone is receiving, so amplifying it in any way isnt going to improve it beyond what you can do with editing software. In a pinch, this might help with interviews when you have multiple speakers, no external microphone and need to publish quickly, but Im reluctant to recommend it for anything else. You can get an Osmo Pocket 4 bundle with a DJI lapel mic James Trew for Engadget The new Vocal Boost is a more useful option under the Pro settings menu. When activated, it enhances voices by lowering background noise and other sounds. Again, its not a fix for getting good source audio, but in noisy run-and-gun vlogging environments, it can improve your chances of capturing something useful with just the internal microphones. Fortunately, DJI has a much better solution that was already a feature of Pocket cameras native connectivity with its wireless microphones. The Creator Combo now includes a single DJI Mic 3 transmitter and charging cable, and its the absolute best way to get YouTube-ready audio from the camera. One nice tweak with the Pocket 4 is that you can now export videos with both the built-in and external mic audio as one 4-channel file. Open this in your video editor and you can mix and cut between mic and ambient audio without having to deal with separate files as before. The competition The fact that theres no real direct competition for the Pocket series is surprising. For true, like-for-like gimbal cameras, expect to find alternatives from brands youre less familiar with such as Agfaphoto or Feiyu . Most of the nearest competition will be action cameras like the GoPro Mission 1 or Insta360 Ace Pro 2 . Both of these are great portable cameras with solid stabilisation, but they unsurprisingly favor that wide, bright and sharp action-style footage. The Pocket 4s nearest rival for stabilized vlog-friendly filming is still the Pocket 3 . This raises the question of whether the Pocket 4 (445) is worth it over the more affordable Pocket 3 (389) at launch. (DJI cant directly sell the Pocket 4 in the US, so official prices are in British Pounds or Euros.) Both are great, all-purpose, vlogging cameras versatile enough for recording in a variety of situations though less suited to rugged/action filming thanks to the delicate mechanical gimbal. Its likely that the price difference between the two will expand after the launch window. The Osmo Pocket 4 flipped down and powered off James Trew for Engadget Wrap-up The Pocket 4 might not bring defining new features like optical zoom or higher resolution, but its a better camera in every way that matters. There are also several quality of life improvements that make it incredibly compelling. For the extra money, youre getting better image quality that will pay you back over time. The new buttons make the camera even more convenient and that onboard storage alone effectively closes the price gap not to mention the huge convenience that feature alone brings with it. Hardcore fans might have been hoping for more dazzle with the Pocket 4. In reality, DJI delivered a camera that builds on an already winning formula in ways that actually matter: higher quality video, improved usability, modular capabilities and longer battery life. Its hard to argue with that. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-osmo-pocket-4-review-the-only-vlogging-camera-youll-ever-need-120000374.html?src=rss

Anthropic will ask Claude users to verify their identities 'for a few use cases'

Anthropic has started rolling out identity verification on Claude for a few use cases. The company didnt list out those use cases in its announcement, but weve asked it for details and will update this post when we hear back. Anthropic says you might see a verification prompt upon accessing certain capabilities, asking you to verify your identity. You would have to show a valid and physical government-issued photo ID. Youd also have take a selfie with your phone or computer camera that the system will compare against the ID you present. The news, as youd expect, wasnt well-received . Many users are questioning the necessity of identity verification to be able to use an AI chatbot, especially if Anthropic already has their credit cards on file as paying subscribers. People are also criticizing Anthropics decision to use Persona Identities, which also provides age verification services for OpenAI and Roblox. One of Personas major investors is venture firm Founders Fund, which was co-founded by Peter Thiel, whos also the co-founder and chairman of surveillance company Palantir. Palantirs customers are mostly federal agencies and government offices , including the FBI , the CIA and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement . Most criticisms against the company center around the services it provides those customers, as theyre mainly used to expand government surveillance using its facial recognition and AI technologies. In its announcement, Anthropic said that Persona will be the one handling your IDs and selfies. It will not copy and store those images. It also said that Persona is contractually limited in how it can use your data and that all data passing through its process is encrypted in transit and at rest. Anthropic emphasized that it will not use your identity data to train its models and that it will not share your data with anyone else. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-will-ask-claude-users-to-verify-their-identities-for-a-few-use-cases-115754092.html?src=rss

Amazon MGM's 2026 theatrical slate includes 'Highlander' and 'Spaceballs: The New One'

Fresh off the box office success of Project Hail Mary , Amazon MGM Studios has announced its theatrical release lineup for the next year. Most of the titles aren't likely to hit the highs of the Ryan Gosling starrer which has grossed $515 million in theaters. However, there are a number of promising releases like Spaceballs: The New One and Highlander starring Henry Cavill, both sequels to '80s films. Another is The Sheep Detectives with Hugh Jackman, the trailer for which has been a hit on YouTube. Earlier this year, Amazon MGM promised to release up to 14 films in theaters over the next year and leave them to run for as long as 45 days a far cry from its previous policy of releasing just a few films for several weeks at most. That strategy is paying off so far. Four months. Four films. Over $670 million at the box office. And we have nine more on the way, said Amazon MGM's head of domestic theatrical distribution, Kevin Wilson. The company said that it's not about volume, but impact. We are building films that give audiences a reason to leave the house. Films with scale. Ambition, Wilson said. Looking at the slate, though, some of those films are likely to be hits and some not so much. First up is The Sheep Detectives set to arrive on May 8th. You may scoff at the title, but the trailer has racked up 20 million views and mainly positive comments. It looks like fun, family-friendly fare and stars a popular actor, so one could easily see this being a hit for Amazon MGM. Masters of the Universe is next up on June 5, 2026. Director Travis Knight brings the world of Eternia to life on a massive scale with stars Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, and Idris Elba, Amazon explains. The film is based on the Mattel toy franchise and animated series so again, it could be another magnet for kids and their nostalgic parents. How to Rob a Bank is a heist comedy with a solid cast including Nicholas Hoult, Zo Kravitz, Anna Sawai, Pete Davidson, and John C. Reilly, set to arrive on September 4. That's followed by Verity (October 2, 2026) based on the Colleen Hoover novel and Peter Farrelly's I Play Rocky Sylvester Stallone biopic about the production of the 1976 film Rocky . 2027 starts with the The Beekeeper 2 (January 15) starting Jason Statham, followed by The Thomas Crown Affair (March 5, 2027) directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan. Spaceballs: The New One , a sequel to the classic Mel Brooks movie arrives on April 23, 2027 with Rick Moranis, Josh Gad, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman, and Mel Brooks. Other films expected but without release dates yet include The Chosen: Crucifixion , A Colt is My Passport , Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and Highlander starring Henry Cavill based on the 1986 cult classic. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/amazon-mgms-2026-theatrical-slate-includes-highlander-and-spaceballs-the-new-one-094505690.html?src=rss

YouTube now lets you hide Shorts

You now have the power to remove short-form videos from your YouTube feed if you dont want to see them. YouTube has rolled out the capability to set your Shorts feed limit to zero minutes, which could help you stop doomscrolling, at least on mobile. The video-sharing platform originally launched a Shorts feed limit back in October last year, but the lowest option you could choose was 15 minutes. Once 15 minutes are up, youll get a pop-up reminding you to take a break. Earlier this year, it integrated the feature with parental controls, allowing guardians to set time limits for younger users. YouTube said back then that parents will soon see the option to set the timer to zero. Now, the Shorts timer is live not just for parents, but for all users. We can confirm that were now seeing the zero minutes option in our (adult) account and were able to activate it for ourselves. When you select it, you may see a notice that says Scrolling is paused but you may still see individual Shorts. You may also have to refresh your app before short-form videos disappear from your feed. To be able to block stop Shorts from showing up for you, go to your Setting page in the YouTube app for mobile. Look for Time management and scroll down to Daily limits, where you can find the Shorts feed limit section. If you dont want to get rid of Shorts altogether, you can choose from any of the other options, with two hours being the maximum time available. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/youtube-now-lets-you-hide-shorts-085538825.html?src=rss

Opera adds Browser Connector for integrating AI chatbots

Opera is offering a new choice for looping in an AI assistant during browsing. Today, the company introduced Browser Connector, which allows Opera One and Opera GX users to integrate either ChatGPT or Claude into the platform. The chatbots will be able to access page content while a person is browsing and will draw context for queries from the information in your open tabs. The free new feature can be enabled through the AI Services section of the Settings menu. Opera is one of the many browser companies that has been experimenting with an AI-focused service. It began rolling out the $20-a-month Opera Neon agentic AI browser last year. The benefit of something like Browser Connector means you aren't limited to a single brand's product offerings and can switch things up at will. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/opera-adds-browser-connector-for-integrating-ai-chatbots-080000153.html?src=rss

SharkNinja enters India: What its launch reveals about the countrys appliance market

SharkNinja brings its Shark and Ninja brands to India with air fryers, a 14-in-1 multicooker and more a launch that signals a shift in what Indian kitchens can expect from appliances

Samsung Galaxy S26 Review | A strong and compact flagship choice

Galaxy S26 offers performance upgrades, improved optimisation, better camera processing, and deeper AI integration

Microsoft's new college deal is a half-hearted answer to the $500 MacBook Neo

Apple's MacBook Neo is a $600 (or $500 for students) shot across the bow at affordable Windows laptops, and it seems like Microsoft has ready its first response. The newly announced Microsoft College Offer is a bundle of Microsoft 365 Premium, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, custom Xbox controller and discounted laptop that the company thinks could woo students away from Apple's new deal. With the purchase of a discounted machine directly from Microsoft, retailers like Amazon and Best Buy or PC makers like HP, ASUS and Acer, you can get what the company says is an extra $500 of value from its bundle. The laptop deals include a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x with a Snapdragon X chip, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $500 from Best Buy, around $250 off the laptop's usual $750 price. Or if you wanted something even cheaper, Walmart is selling an HP Omnibook 3 for $429, a discount of $270 off its usual $699 price. Microsoft is less generous with the deals on its own laptops and tablets, but you can even get a discount on a Surface Laptop as part of the offer. A discounted laptop is great, but where the value of the Microsoft College Offer gets harder to define is with the services the company is packing in. Getting what would normally be a $200 year-long subscription to Microsoft 365 Premium for free is a meaningful deal, but many colleges give their students access to Microsoft's apps (and other software) with the cost of their tuition. A year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which costs $30 per month as of October 2025 , sounds like significant savings, but the offer is only valid for new subscribers. That leaves the free custom Xbox controller as the simplest bonus of the bunch, a value of around $76. Windows PC makers are expected to make more serious attempts to compete with the Neo over the next year. For now, though, the Microsoft College Offer isn't exactly a bad deal, but it's certainly not as straightforwardly appealing as an Apple-quality laptop for $500 with a college discount. The Microsoft College Offer is available to students starting April 15 and runs through June 30, 2026. Microsoft says redemption of the full bundle of services and accessories its offering needs to happen by July 31, 2026. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/microsofts-new-college-deal-is-a-half-hearted-answer-to-the-500-macbook-neo-215336362.html?src=rss

Federal jury finds concert business Live Nation is a monopoly

Live Nation, which operates the Ticketmaster platform, has been determined to be a monopoly . A federal jury handed down its decision today that the company violated federal and state antitrust rules. This finding won't surprise anyone who has used Ticketmaster and been sticker-shocked by their final bill. However, it's unclear what the jurys decision will mean in practice. For starters, the judge overseeing the case hasn't determined what remedies will be applied. The actions could go as far as requiring Live Nation to sell off Ticketmaster. There are also monetary damages to be awarded, which haven't been set yet. And whatever the judge decides, it's also likely that Live Nation will appeal the decision. We've reached out to Ticketmaster for comment. The Department of Justice and a group of state and district attorneys general sued Live Nation on monopoly claims in 2024. The government agency reached a settlement with Live Nation last month, but the other parties continued their action. There's also a separate case being waged by the Federal Trade Commission questioning whether Live Nation colluded with ticket resellers . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/federal-jury-finds-concert-business-live-nation-is-a-monopoly-203924011.html?src=rss

PlayStation Plus April catalog adds include Horizon Remastered, Squirrel with a Gun and Frank Stone

For PlayStation Plus subscribers, April is going to be a little bit spooky, a tad sporty and extra squirrelly. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium players will get access to The Crew Motorfest , Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered , Football Manager 26 Console , Warriors: Abyss , Squirrel with a Gun , The Casting of Frank Stone and Monster Train . Additionally, Wild Arms 4 will be exclusive to Premium libraries. Expect the full lineup to go live on April 21. The Crew Motorfest , Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered , Warriors: Abyss and Wild Arms 4 will hit PS4 and PS5 consoles, while the rest of the month's additions are PS5 only. In the case of Horizon , PS4 players will receive Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition , rather than the PS5 remaster. Horizon, The Crew and Football Manager are self-explanatory at this point in gaming history, but here's a quick rundown of the more underground titles on April's list: Warriors: Abyss is a hectic hack-and-slash roguelite from Koei Tecmo; Squirrel with a Gun is a silly yet competent third-person shooter from a two-man indie team; Monster Train is a much-loved demonic deckbuilder from Shiny Shoe and Good Shepherd Entertainment; and Wild Arms 4 is a PS2-era RPG from Japanese studio Media.Vision. The Casting of Frank Stone is what PlayStation Plus was made for, in my estimation. It comes from Supermassive, a campy-horror studio that I'm quite fond of, but it's a crossover with Dead by Daylight , a game I've never played, despite a latent interest in its vibe. For whatever reason, Frank Stone never eclipsed other titles in my to-play pile and in the harsh light of 2026, I was on the verge of forgetting all about it. Now that it's free and being shoved in my digital face ( complimentary ), I'm ready to give it a go. And who knows, maybe it'll be a gateway into the rich world of Dead by Daylight . Most of the games on this month's list can fit this description to some degree minus the Dead by Daylight hook, unless you really squint at Monster Train so it feels like a quality batch. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-plus-april-catalog-adds-include-horizon-remastered-squirrel-with-a-gun-and-frank-stone-194534366.html?src=rss

There's yet another study about how bad AI is for our brains

A group of researchers from across the US and the UK have conducted a study on what AI does to our brains and the results are, in a word, grim. These results were published in a paper called AI assistance reduces persistence and hurts independent performance which kind of tells you everything you need to know. We find that AI assistance improves immediate performance, but it comes at a heavy cognitive cost, the study declares. Researchers went on to state that just ten minutes of using AI made people dependent on the technology, which led to worsening performance and burnout once the tools were removed. The study followed people who use AI for reasoning-intensive cognitive labor. This refers to stuff like writing, coding and brainstorming new ideas, which are some of the most common use cases. The researchers recruited 350 Americans, who were asked to complete some fraction-based equations. Half of the participants were randomly granted access to a specialized chatbot built on OpenAI's GPT-5 for help and the others had to go it alone. Halfway through the exam, the AI group had their access cut off. This led to a steep decline in correct answers by the AI group and many instances of people simply giving up. This result, in which performance and perseverance both dropped, was repeated in a larger experiment with 670 people. Finally, the scientists performed one final experiment with reading comprehension questions, and not math. The results were more of the same. Once the AI is taken away from people, its not that people are just giving wrong answers. Theyre also not willing to try without AI, Rachit Dubey, an assistant professor at the University of California and coauthor of the study, told Futurism . Peoples persistence drops. Dubey went on to warn that rapid deployment of AI in the education sector could lead to a generation of learners and people who will not know what theyre capable of, and then that will really dilute human innovation and creativity. The study likens using the technology to the boiling frog effect , in which sustained AI use erodes the motivation and persistence that drive long-term learning. These effects accumulate and by the time they are visible, they will be difficult to reverse. A recent study found that chatbots affected peoples critical thinking performance differently depending on how users engaged with the bots. https://t.co/IBbLLqrNdG Science News (@ScienceNews) April 15, 2026 There are two caveats here. The study has yet to be peer-reviewed. Also, researchers found one tiny bright spot regarding the use of AI. People who used AI tools for hints and clarification had a much easier time once the chatbot was removed when compared to those who used the bot to essentially prompt the answers. This is just the latest study trying to get to the bottom of what AI is doing to our collective noggins. It has been found to increase fatigue among full-time workers who rely on the tools, which led to the term AI brain fry. To that end, researchers discovered that employees who use AI actually end up working harder and longer than those old-fashioned luddites. The results are even starker in the world of education. Studies have found that AI use in school leads to poor social and intellectual development and that kids who rely on chatbots tend to do worse on tests . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/theres-yet-another-study-about-how-bad-ai-is-for-our-brains-183418494.html?src=rss

Google unleashes a native Gemini app for the Mac

Not content with stuffing Gemini into all of its own apps and services, Google wants you to adopt its AI assistant on desktops and laptops too. The company released a Gemini Windows app on Tuesday and it's following that up a day later with one for Macs. Google says the macOS Gemini app is a native desktop experience that you can access with a keyboard shortcut. By default, pressing option and space will open a mini chat, while a combo of option, shift and space will open the full Gemini chat experience. You'll be able to adjust these bindings in the app settings. Users will be able to share anything that's on their screen, including files they have saved on your system, with the chatbot and ask it questions about whatever theyre seeing. This can include anything from images to documents, and data to code. There's an option to share full web pages with Gemini, not just what's on your display. The Gemini app also supports image and video generation with Nano Banana and Veo, respectively.The app is available on Macs that are running macOS 15 (i.e. macOS Sequoia) or later in all countries and languages in which Gemini is supported. We're building the foundation for a truly personal, proactive and powerful desktop assistant, with more news to share in the coming months, Michael Friedman, group product manager for the Gemini app, wrote in a blog post . That's intriguing, given that Apple's long-delayed, generative AI revamp of Siri may finally debut at WWDC in June . Apple's retooled chatbot, which is slated to have deep integration with macOS apps, is powered by Gemini models . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-unleashes-a-native-gemini-app-for-the-mac-170500185.html?src=rss

Recteq X-Fire Pro 825 review: A smart grill that pulls double duty

Occasionally, you really can have it both ways. For the most part, pellet grills are great for smoking and mid-temperature cooking, but youll typically need other grills for high-heat searing and 1,000-degree temperatures(with a few exceptions ). Sure, some pellet grills allow you to move the heat deflector for direct access to the fire pot for searing, but thats still not a cooking experience that will be familiar to gas grill users. With the X-Fire Pro 825 ( $1,550 ), Recteq is putting its pellet grill expertise to work in a dual-mode design thats meant to bridge the gap between gas and wood fire. Of course, this is a smart grill thanks to its Wi-Fi connectivity, and the backbone of this beast is undoubtedly a pellet grill. Plus, the company offers totally separate controls to avoid confusion between Smoke and Grill modes, all combined in a durable, all-stainless steel design. Its the rare device that really is the 2-in-1 the company claims. Design All Recteq grills are made of stainless steel, but unlike the Deck Boss, Patio Legend and other models in the companys lineup, the X-Fire Pro doesnt have a powder coated lid. This isnt a problem per se, but it does require extra care with cleaning and maintenance to avoid rust. Apart from the cast iron grill grates, the interior components are also stainless steel, so most of this grill is clearly built to last. When you combine that with the robust cart and premium casters that the X-Fire Pro sits on, this grill is one of the most well-designed Ive reviewed. Like most pellet grills, the X-Fire Pro has a digital controller mounted on the side. In this case, its situated on the front edge of a shelf on the left of the grill. Single-knob navigation allows you to set cooking temperature and food probe alerts, which can also be done via the Recteq app thanks to the grills Wi-Fi connectivity. The X-Fire Pro allows you to use two wired food probes simultaneously, but theres no option for wireless probes. Recteq does sell wireless probes though, but they connect directly to the companys app, not to the grill itself. The X-Fire Pro has two separate sets of controls for its two modes Billy Steele for Engadget Rather than a traditional on/off switch, the X-Fire Pro is turned on with the far left knob on the front. To do so, you choose between the grills two modes, Smoke or Grill. If you select Smoke mode, the controller on the left will light up and you set your desired temperature between 225 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Personally, I prefer a slightly lower minimum temperature, around 180 degrees, to enable things like cold smoking or even mimic the Keep Warm feature that competitors like Traeger offer. In Grill mode, you can expect temperatures from 225-400 degrees on low, 350-650 on medium, 500-850 on high and 800-1,200 on max. There are two fire pots inside the X-Fire Pro. The one on the left is used exclusively for Smoke mode while both can be used in Grill mode. I typically set the right side to a higher grilling temperature, since theres an Adaptive Sear Control for direct access to the flame (theres a dedicated knob on the front to control this). I would then leave the left side on low, which would give me a hot/cold setup like I would normally use on a gas grill. Of course, you can set both fire pots to the same heat level and use the entire cooking surface at the same temperature. You could also leave one of the fire pots completely off if you needed to do so. Dual-mode cooking Recteq promises that the X-Fire Pro is a pellet grill that will offer the best aspects of gas grilling with familiar knob-based controls. I agree that the large knobs are similar to what youll find on a gas grill, although you cant fine-tune the heat like you can with gas burnersI didnt find this problematic, though. Where Recteq surpasses propane or natural gas options is the fact that the X-Fire Pro entirely runs on wood pellets, so your food tastes much better. Just keep in mind that its a different flavor than charcoal. During my testing, I unexpectedly spent most of my time using the X-Fire Pro in Grill mode. I cooked steaks, chicken, burgers, sausages and more, all of which tasted a lot better than they would have on a gas grill. Even at high temperatures, you still get some wood flavor, which helped elevate my sous vide New York Strips beyond a simple high-heat sear. Of course, I also had the option to open the Adaptive Sear Control for direct-flame finishing, which was absolutely the right move for steaks and burgers. One important caveat about Grill mode is that the digital controller for Smoke mode completely turns off. You operate this mode entirely with the front-mounted knobs just like you would a gas grill. As such, you dont have access to the food probes or any Wi-Fi features that Smoke mode employs. I can understand why Recteq would want to keep the two modes separate, but I do wish there was a way to use the food probes to track internal temperature of things like steak and chicken, or any items where exact doneness is essential. A pork shoulder (Boston Butt) cooked on the X-Fire Pro Billy Steele for Engadget When it comes to smoking, the X-Fire Pro works just as well as any other pellet grills Ive reviewed from Traeger, Weber and others. Its very much a set-it-and-forget-it device, if you want it to be, which means you can put on a pork shoulder or a brisket early in the morning and it will be ready by dinner. But since the X-Fire Pro has two fire pots and therefore two smaller pellet hoppers instead of one larger one, each hoppers capacity is limited to just10 pounds. While I had no trouble getting through an 8-hour smoke session with a full hopper (at 275 degrees), I wouldnt feel comfortable with overnight cooks due to the reduced pellet supply. In Grill mode, though, a single full hopper on the right was always enough to get through a cook. Recteq says the digital controller can maintain the set temperature in Smoke mode within five degrees. I found this to be true during all of my low-and-slow cooking, and the graph in the app confirms it. The only dips it showed corresponded to the times I opened the lid. This performance was consistent across multiple uses of the X-Fire Pro, although on one particularly cold and very windy day, I did see some greater fluctuations (theres a warning about this in the user manual). Under normal weather conditions though, this grill is reliable at maintaining the desired cooking temperature in Smoke mode. Other features on the X-Fire Pro The main cooking surface of the X-Fire Pro consists of four removable cast iron grates. These are reversible with one side for general use and the other with wider bars for more apparent sear marks. Theres also a shallow top grate above the primary cooking area, perfect for resting foods when theyre done or warming buns in Grill mode. In Smoke mode, you could also put another rack or two of ribs up there, but its not big enough for larger cuts of meat. Most pellet grills direct ash and grease to a catch pan of some sort. Since the X-Fire Pro has two fire pots, it has two ash removal trays on either side with levers to help with the debris. Like every other pellet grill, youll need to clean out some ash from the cooking chamber every few uses, and the best way to do that is with a shop vacuum. Recteq cautions against allowing grease buildup with Smoke mode, but I never found this to be a problem. Thats likely due to the fact that I used Grill mode between low-and-slow cooking sessions, so I probably burned off any excess residue. Whats more, I like to use aluminum pans for pork shoulders for easier cleanup, rather than placing them directly on the grates. The X-Fire Pro's adjustable sear control Billy Steele for Engadget Like every other Wi-Fi-enabled pellet grill Ive tested, the X-Fire Pro works with an app that allows you to control and monitor it from afar. You can keep tabs on both grill and food probe temperatures as well as turn the whole thing off. Recteqs app also has more advanced features like temperature graphs, a 30-day cooking history and over 60 step-by-step guided recipes. Plus, you can save cooking sessions with notes for future reference and the apps complete recipe book houses over 450 dishes. The company prides itself on the quality of its app, and I can confirm its the most reliable mobile software Ive used during a smart grill review. Now lets discuss a few things you wont find on the X-Fire Pro. First, theres no option for a folding front shelf since the pellet hopper is front-mounted. The hopper lid gives you a slight ledge to rest the corner of a pan or tray, but its not enough to do any kind of wrapping or setting anything down completely. Theres also no interior lighting, which was probably the thing I missed most from other pellet grills. Sure, we can debate the utility of how some companies arrange these lights, but something is better than nothing, especially when youre loading a grill before dawn or finishing a cook after dark. The competition While there are other pellet grills with direct-searing capabilities, none of those offer the dual-mode functionality of the X-Fire Pro. For example, several Pit Boss models have levers for open access to the fire box or, as the company calls, it the Flame Broiler. Some companies offer open-lid modes, like Weber does on the Searwood , but not all of those designs allow you to get direct access to the fire. These grills also let you set a high searing temperature on the regular controls rather than giving you completely a separate operating method like Recteq does. Again, the appeal with the X-Fire Pro is something familiar to both pellet and gas grillers with controls best-suited for each style of cooking. And yes, the $1,550 price puts this firmly in the premium category, but when you consider its two grills in one, that amount doesnt seem excessive. The X-Fire Pro features an all-stainles-steel design Billy Steele for Engadget Wrap-up Rarely does a device live up to its billing as a double-duty workhorse. With the X-Fire Pro , Recteq has successfully combined the best aspects of pellet grills with a dedicated high-heat mode and separate controls that will be familiar to gas grillers. This model offers robust build quality, reliable performance and Wi-Fi connectivity for extended smoking sessions. The smaller pellet hoppers require slightly more vigilance, and there are a few features Id love to see in the future, but Recteq has certainly bolstered its reputation for well-built smart grills with this dual-mode machine. Id much rather keep tabs on my pellet supply than guess if my propane tank is empty. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/recteq-x-fire-pro-825-review-a-smart-grill-that-pulls-double-duty-170000586.html?src=rss

Snap is laying off 16 percent of its workforce, blames AI

Snap is laying off around 1,000 staff, amounting to 16 percent of its workforce, which it will seemingly replace with AI. The cuts were announced in a company-wide memo from CEO Evan Spiegel, who added that more than 300 open roles are also being closed. Spiegel said the incredibly difficult decision would likely save Snap more than $500 million by the second half of 2026, in turn helping it to establish a clearer path to net-income profitability. Impacted staff were notified by email and the companys North America-based team were instructed to work from home. Snap said it would provide four-month severance packages to those affected by the layoffs, as well as healthcare and other entitlements. While these changes are necessary to realize Snaps long-term potential, we believe that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence enable our teams to reduce repetitive work, increase velocity, and better support our community, partners, and advertisers, Spiegel wrote. We have already witnessed small squads leveraging AI tools to drive meaningful progress across several important initiatives, including Snapchat+, enhanced ad platform performance, and efficiency improvements in our Snap Lite infrastructure. Snap laid off around 20 percent of its employees in 2022 , with further cuts made in 2023 and 2024 . It follows in the footsteps of a number of tech companies laying off employees in favor of AI in a move to boost efficiency, including Amazon , Fiverr , Microsoft and Pinterest in the last year. Snap is expected to launch the consumer version of its Specs AR glasses later this year, and recently span off the brand into its own business. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/snap-is-laying-off-16-percent-of-its-workforce-blames-ai-162456069.html?src=rss

Traeger debuts Westwood smart pellet grills that start at $700

Traeger gave backyard pit masters something more affordable last year with the Woodridge , but now the company is back with an even more budget-friendly option. With the Westwood series , the company offers very basic pellet grill functionality with a simplified controller and a no-frills design. Youll still get Wi-Fi connectivity that works with the companys app, and the Westwood grills are compatible with Traegers rail-based accessories. As you might expect at the $700 and $800 prices, there are a number of caveats compared to the companys more expensive options . The new Westwood grills have an even more streamlined controller than the Woodridge models. A button-based interface replaces the knob, with buttons for increasing and decreasing temperatures, both wired and wireless food probes, Wi-Fi and ignition. The side-mounted hopper has an 18-pound pellet capacity and there are shelves on the left side and underneath the cooking chamber. Inside, a two-tier setup offers either 653 or 823 square inches of cooking space, depending on which Westwood model you opt for. The Westwood remains a set-it-and-forget-it device. The Wi-Fi connectivity allows you to keep tabs on cooking sessions from anywhere with the Traeger app. You can do everything from low-and-slow smoking to roasting and grilling with the 180-450 degrees Fahrenheit temperature range. Theres also a front rail for the companys Pop and Lock accessories, which include a folding front shelf. The Westwood grills have a simplified design with two-tier grates inside Traeger Of course, with the lower price comes a number of sacrifices. Theres no mention of Super Smoke or Keep Warm modes that Traeger offers on some of its more expensive grills. The Westwood only supports one wired food probe, so youll have to plan accordingly there. If youre willing to spend an extra $80, these new grills do connect with Traegers wireless meat probe , so you at least have an option for additional food monitoring. Lastly, theres no mention of a pellet sensor inside the hopper, which is a handy component for keeping track of your fuel supply. While Traeger has consistently focused on midrange and premium pellet grills in recent years, the Westwood and Westwood XL are now the companys most affordable options. These new grills will replace the popular Pro series in Traegers lineup. Whats more, new affordable options come at time when the company faces financial troubles and is currently in the midst of an ongoing restructuring . The Westwood and Westwood XL are now available from grill retailers including Ace Hardware. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/traeger-debuts-westwood-smart-pellet-grills-that-start-at-700-160448450.html?src=rss

The Vivo X300 Ultra is a powerful camera phone aimed at videographers

Chinese phonemaker Vivo has been pushing the limits of smartphone photography in the last few years. However, the availability of its phones like last years X200 Ultra , with its beefy add-on telephoto has been intermittent in the West. The company says the X300 Ultra its first global flagship launch, although theres still no word on a US launch or pricing at the time of writing. Like the latest phones from Xiaomi and Oppo, Vivo is also obsessing over larger camera sensors, peripherals and a dizzying array of technical photography specs, with a particular focus on cinematic video recording. Collaborating with Zeiss again, the X300 Ultra features a triple prime lens camera system with 85, 35 and 14mm equivalent focal lengths. This can be punched up to 400mm equivalent with a new telephoto extender, the messily-named Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra, whose price is also unknown for now. Even without that add-on, Vivo has built its 85mm equivalent 200-megapixel telephoto camera to handle most of your zoom-heavy shooting moments. A gimbal-grade APO (apochromatic) camera is designed to correct color fringing and stabilize your shots. These are both typical issues when using higher zoom levels. In a dedicated snapshot mode, Autofocus tracking will even work at 60 fps, which Im excited to test, as the phone can also shoot at up to 12 fps. Vivo says its optical image stabilization can correct up to three degrees of movement. Other cameras are similarly powerful, spec-wise. The 35mm equivalent Zeiss Documentary camera uses a 1/1.12-inch 200MP Sony sensor and is apparently engineered for strong low-light performance and portrait shooting, with an f/1.8 aperture. Finally, theres a 50MP ultrawide rounding out the camera lineup. All three rear cameras support up to 4K 120fps 10-bit log video and the same in Dolby Vision. Vivo says the X300 Ultra will capture film-like color performance without the need for editing. If you want to dig into editing, however, it supports 10-bit log video for more dynamic range and color depth. Vivo is going hard on video capture. The X300 Ultra's new pro video mode has an upgraded monitoring feature that supports users custom LUTs, showing a real-time preview of how it will look while recording in log. Vivos log format is also compatible with ACES workflow, making it easier to integrate the X300 Ultra alongside other cinema cameras. Vivo To make it easier to use for hypothetical professional shoots, Vivo has collaborated with camera-peripheral maker SmallRig on a video-rig kit. This includes an expandable camera cage with quick-release ports (alongside multiple cold shoe mounts), dual handgrips and even a physical shutter control and zoom buttons. Theres also a cooling fan to keep the X300 Ultra recording at high resolution for extended periods. Its otherwise a flagship phone everywhere else, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5 processor and a 6.82-inch display at 3,168 x 1,440 resolution, topping out at an industry-leading 144Hz refresh rate. The X300 Ultra also supports up to 100W FlashCharge and 40W wireless charging (with compatible Vivo chargers) and a huge 6,600mAh battery. Were planning to test the X300 Ultra in the very near future. At the time of writing, the company is keeping pricing and launch dates to itself. Well update this story once we hear those crucial details. Its also likely to face immediate competition from sibling brand Oppo, which has also been teasing an ultra iteration of its latest flagship phone , the Find X9 Ultra. For now, Vivo says the X300 Ultra will launch across Asia, as well as parts of Europe (Austria, Spain, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy and Russia) and several other countries, including Brazil. And yep, no US, Canada or the UK on that list. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/vivo-x300-ultra-launch-powerful-camera-phone-availability-160008605.html?src=rss

Spotify is selling books now

A collaboration between Spotify and Bookshop.org that allows readers to purchase physical books in the Spotify app is now live in the US and UK. Rather than positioning audiobooks as the hard copy-killer, Spotify is encouraging you to see them as complimentary to one another. First announced back in February, the new partnership with Bookshop.org appears to be an acknowledgement from Spotify that physical still reigns supreme in the book world. Bookshop is a digital marketplace that enables indie booksellers to take their businesses online, and Spotify says any purchase made through its app will directly support those bookshops and the authors who brought the story to life. When viewing an audiobook on Spotify, where available you should now see a Get a copy for your bookshelf link that redirects you to the Bookshop.org website, which takes over the rest of the purchase and shipping process, reports TechCrunch . The feature is now live on Android, with iOS support arriving next week. Key to this partnership is the new Page Match feature that Spotify launched in February, which allows readers to sync their progress between audiobooks and physical or ebooks so they can jump between formats seamlessly. When reading a paperback, you can use your phone camera to scan the page you reach and continue from that point in the audiobook. It also allows you to scan ereader pages so you can pick up when you left off in the audiobook, and vice versa. Spotify has today expanded Page Match to support more than 30 new languages, including French, German and Swedish, while Audiobook Recaps are now available on Android. Introduced last year , initially for iOS users, these AI-powered audio summaries refresh you on your progress before you start reading, becoming available once you pass the 10-minute threshold in a book. Spotify launched audiobooks in 2022 and now offers 15 hours of free listening time a month to Premium subscribers. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/spotify-is-selling-books-now-144340074.html?src=rss

Most US teens say TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat aren't hurting (or helping) their mental health

Most teens in the United States say that Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat aren't harming their mental health, though a slightly higher proportion report negative effects on their sleep and productivity, according to a new report from Pew Research. The report offers fresh insights into how teens perceive the effects of social media at a time when there are increasing calls to ban younger teens from social platforms altogether. The report is based on a survey of 1,458 teens between the ages of 13 and 17. Teens were asked about their use of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok and how those apps affect them. Pew also asked the teens' parents to weigh in. Relatively few teens reported negative mental health effects, with 9 percent of Snapchat and TikTok users and 11 percent of Instagram users saying they thought the services had hurt their mental health. More teens reported negative effects on sleep and productivity, however, especially when it comes to use of TikTok. Thirty-seven percent of teens said their use of the app had hurt their sleep and 29 percent reported that it had affected their productivity. Even so, the majority of teens responded that the apps had neither helped nor hurt their mental health, sleep or productivity. Teens and their parents differed on the effects of social media platforms. Pew Research A significant number of teens did say that social media apps had helped their friendships, particularly Snapchat. At the same time, the app had a somewhat higher rate of bullying and harassment compared with the other services. While the self-reported data is hardly a definitive answer to whether social media is harming teens, the numbers do offer a somewhat different narrative than the one that lawmakers, regulators and other critics have used to pursue social media bans and civil litigation against major companies. Meta, Snap and TikTok are all facing lawsuits that claim the platforms have purposefully created addicting features and enabled other harms to teen users, Perhaps unsurprisingly, when researchers surveyed those same teens' parents, they had a more negative view of the apps' impact on their children. About four in ten parents said that social media hurts their kids' sleep and productivity and about a quarter thought it hurt their mental health. Forty-four percent of parents whose teens use TikTok said they thought their child was spending too much time in the app. The share of parents who say the same of Snapchat and Instagram is lower, the researchers note. But the same pattern continues for both, with parents being more likely than teens to describe their teens use of these sites as excessive. The report isn't the first time Pew has polled teens on their relationship with social media. Last year, a separate report found that teens were becoming more worried about social media, though they were less likely to say they had been negatively impacted on a personal level. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/most-us-teens-say-tiktok-instagram-and-snapchat-arent-hurting-or-helping-their-mental-health-140000912.html?src=rss

Adobe's Firefly AI Assistant works across Photoshop, Premiere and other apps

Few creative software companies have embraced AI like Adobe , with the company embedding image , video, audio and vector generation tools into nearly all its apps. Now, Adobe is taking on AI apps like Gemini's Nano Banana with its new prompt-based Firefly AI Assistant. You simply describe the outcome you want and it will execute complex multi-step workflows across Photoshop, Premiere, Lightroom, Illustrator and other apps to achieve that result, Adobe says. The complexity of apps like Photoshop creates a barrier to entry for users who may have a vision but lack skill, according to Adobe. That's where the FireFly AI Assistant comes in. It works much like ChatGPT and other prompt-based AI assistants, but it has Adobe's suite of powerful apps behind it to execute the required steps. You no longer have to map the process. You can start from the outcome, the company says. Adobe emphasizes that while the Firefly AI Assistant is doing the grunt work, you remain in control. You stay in the loop as the assistant executes, stepping in at any point to guide direction, adjust outputs and create something that's distinctly yours. It also maintains Adobe's native file formats, so the final output remains fully editable. Adobe You'll be able to launch complex workflows with Creative Skills that let you run multi-step workflows from a single prompt, then customize them to your working style. For instance, you can start with the social media assets skill then direct the assistant to crop or use Generative Extend to make it fit the format of Instagram, Facebook and other platforms. It can also handle context-aware creative decisions. In one example, Adobe describes a product photo set in a forest. The assistant might give you a simple slider to increase or reduce the surrounding trees and foliage making it easy to adjust the scene without complex edits, the company explains. Finally, to gather and act on feedback, the Assistant can organize and share work among team members via Adobe's Frame.io. Adobe emphasizes that Firefly AI Assistant is grounded in the company's pro-grade creative tools to deliver precise, context aware results in a way that other AI agents can't and will learn your style over time. That's an argument the company no doubt hopes will counter a narrative that generative AI apps like Nano Banana are eating software like Adobe Photoshop. Adobe's Firefly AI Assistant will arrive in public beta in the coming weeks. Should you wish to use other AI image generator within Adobe apps, the company has added Kling 3.0 and Kling 3.0 Omni, all-purpose video models optimized for fast, high-quality production with smart storyboarding and audio-visual sync. That's on top of other models already offered, including Google's Nano Banana 2 and Veo 3.1, Runway Gen-4.5, Luma AIs Ray 3.14, ElevenLabs Multilingual v2, Topaz Labs Topaz Astra and others. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/adobes-firefly-ai-assistant-works-across-photoshop-premiere-and-other-apps-130055883.html?src=rss

Amazon's new Fire TV Stick HD is slimmer than ever and has no power adapter

After unveiling a 4K version of its Fire TV Stick Select at its hardware event last September , Amazon is launching the latest version of its HD dongle today. The Fire TV Stick HD costs $35, comes with Alexa+ built in and offers the redesigned experience that the company previewed at CES in January . It might be confusing, considering Amazon makes at least five different configurations of its streaming stick , but the model announced today comes in at the entry-level and brings some meaningful upgrades. First, its about 30 percent narrower, according to the company, which makes it easier to fit into tight spaces (or to wedge between your TV and wall, perhaps). It comes with a short USB-C cable with a USB-A head that plugs into one of the USB ports on your TV, allowing it to draw power without the typically longer cables that would connect to wall adapters. To quote the company, the new Fire TV Stick HD is optimized for Direct Power through a TVs USB port, so it fits more neatly behind a TV without requiring a separate power adapter. But if your TV doesnt have a USB port for that, you can still use a USB-C cable with a traditional wall adapter to power the new Fire TV Stick HD. Given how little power the USB ports on a TV provide, it's likely any old charger will do. A picture with a diagram showing where the Fire TV Stick HD would slip behind a TV in a bedroom. Amazon The new dongle also comes with other improvements like support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, and Amazon says its more than 30 percent faster on average compared to its predecessor, which means it turns on and opens apps more quickly. That, together with the redesigned layout, should make it easier to find what you want to watch. And if youre a Prime Member or subscribed to Alexa+, you can also ask the assistant for show recommendations, dim your lights or pick up where you left off on a Prime video in a different room, if you have a compatible TV set in there. Amazon also said that in the coming months, it will add a new Adaptive Display setting to the Fire TV Stick HD. This is supposed to be an accessibility feature that makes onscreen elements like words, menus and images easier to see. The company said that it would proportionally scale content artwork while enlarging text and menus, so the overall experience is more balanced. Multiple size options will be available. A screenshot showing how the Fire TV interface handles larger text for better readability. Amazon Like its predecessors, the Fire TV Stick HD is a pretty straightforward device that brings modern features to older TVs. At $35, its a relatively budget-friendly price, though we recommend springing for the 4K Max model if you have a bit more to spare. If not, the new Fire TV Stick HD will start shipping on April 29 to those in the US, the UK, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, with more regions coming later. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/amazons-new-fire-tv-stick-hd-is-slimmer-than-ever-and-has-no-power-adapter-130000885.html?src=rss

Amazon's budget-friendly answer to the Frame TV will start shipping on April 22

When Amazon introduced the Ember Artline TVs in January , it didnt have a specific date of availability to share. Now, the company is ready to supply the details: Pre-orders open today, and units ship on April 22 in the US and Canada, with the UK and Germany to follow. The company also announced a new version of its Fire TV Stick HD this morning, as well as some new features for its Fire TV software. For those who dont remember offhand, the Ember Artline is basically Amazons answer to Samsungs Frame TV . Its a matte, 4K QLED panel that can double as artwork when youre not watching TV, and to that end, Amazon is including more than 2,000 pieces of art for free. Thats also part of the Fire TV package that comes on the new Fire TV Stick HD, so you dont necessarily need an Ember Artline to access them. In its press release, Amazon said Our collection spans artistic movements and includes Impressionist classics by Monet, Degas, and Renoir, alongside contemporary works of street art, murals, mixed media, and photography. Customers also have access to 60 exclusive motion video pieces commissioned by documentary filmmaker Sam Nuttmann, who traveled the world capturing landscape and wildlife scenes. To make it easier to match the Ember Artline to your rooms decor, there are 10 frame color options to choose from, and the varieties I saw (a faux wood grain and a muted teal metallic finish) looked quite pleasant. If you really want some help finding artwork that will fit your space, Amazons Match the room feature might come in handy. A person holding up a phone taking photos of a room with an Ember Artline TV on the wall. Amazon At a recent demo, I watched as the companys representatives scanned a QR code from the TV to pull up the tool on their phone. There, they took three photos of the environment (surrounding walls and furniture, for example) and the system generated suggested pieces of art from the gallery. Using the TV remote, they were then able to choose from the recommendations on the big screen. In my brief experience, the suggestions were typically quite good at matching the vibe, while offering a variety of styles (geometric, landscapes, modern etc) each time. According to the press release, the AI tool will suggest artwork from our collection based on the room's colors, overall style, and any recurring themes in their existing artwork, including nature or travel photography. If youd like a more personal touch, you can showcase your own photos instead by connecting your Amazon Photos account. You can also ask Alexa+ to play a slideshow of us biking in the mountains, for example, to pull up memories ad hoc. An animated GIF showing the Ember Artline TV in various rooms and settings with varying decor. Amazon Thats not the only new feature coming to the Fire TV ecosystem, by the way. In addition to adding Alexa+ support and the new Fire TV UI it showed off in January , Amazon said that this month, its adding another tool for US customers to seamlessly transfer a show or sports game by asking Alexa to move the content to another enabled Fire TV device in your home. So say you started watching a show in your bedroom and wanted to continue on the bigger screen in your living area. You could say Alexa, move this to the living room. The demo I saw took place on two Ember Artline TVs on adjacent walls, so the speediness was quite noticeable. After the VP for Fire TV Aidan Marcuss asked the assistant to move the content over, the second TV picked up where the first left off in just about a second or two. Maybe real-world performance may vary but I can't imagine dashing from my bed to my couch in under three seconds just to avoid missing precious moments of The Boys drama. For now, the feature is limited to Prime Video content, and Amazon said it plans to roll it out to more services over time. The Ember Artline comes in 55-inch and 65-inch sizes and starts at $900. For context, Samsungs The Frame (not the Pro versions) is available as a 32-inch model that costs $600, while the 65-inch configuration starts at $1,100 at the moment. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/amazons-budget-friendly-answer-to-the-frame-tv-will-start-shipping-on-april-22-130000337.html?src=rss

Nothing launches Warp for file transferring between Android, Mac and Windows

Nothing said that Warp does not store or access data

Adidas Hyperboost Edge Review | Built for rising mileage and everyday city movement

Hyperboost Edge feels like a practical addition to the rotation that stays consistent from training blocks to everyday city movement. It sells at 19,999

Godzilla goes to New York in 'Minus Zero' teaser trailer

Japanese entertainment company Toho has released a teaser video for Godzilla Minus Zero , the upcoming sequel to the award-winning film Godzilla Minus One . The teaser shows the famous monster next to the Statue of Liberty as it rampages across New York. Godzilla Minus Zero is set in 1949, two years after the events of the first film, and will be a direct sequel. Youll see familiar faces from Minus One in the short trailer, as well, namely Koichi Shikishima and Noriko Oishi, two of the first movies main characters. The kaiju flick was filmed specifically for IMAX with high-definition digital cameras. Even its audio was optimized for the massive screens immersive cinema experience. Minus One won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, so expectations are high for this sequel. The good news is that this movie is also helmed by Takashi Yamazaki, who wrote, directed and oversaw the visual effects for Minus One . Godzilla Minus Zero is heading to cinemas in Japan on November 3 and in the United States on November 6 this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/godzilla-goes-to-new-york-in-minus-zero-teaser-trailer-015029346.html?src=rss

Sony is nerfing its Bravia TVs' program guide

Sony is removing some features from its TV guide and program guide displays for channels received by an over the air TV antenna on select models of Bravia televisions from 2023-2025. Cord Cutters News reported on the changes, which will take effect in late May. Channel logos and thumbnail images in program descriptions are going away from the built-in TV Guide for antenna TV channels. Only programs from recently watched channels will be shown in the guide, and depending on the channel, program information may not be displayed. Change is also coming for set top box users, with the dedicated Set Top Box TV menu being removed and replaced by a Control menu. This setup will also not show program thumbnail images any longer. This is an admittedly narrow use case in the age of both streaming and cable TV, but Sony didn't provide any reason for making the change. And for those people who are impacted, this could be an unpleasant surprise next month that makes the TV guide and program guide much less helpful. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sony-is-nerfing-its-bravia-tvs-program-guide-225640797.html?src=rss

FCC just handed Netgear a de facto router monopoly in the US

The Federal Communications Commission has announced that Netgear has been given conditional approval that effectively exempts it from a previous ban on foreign-made networking routers . The conditional approval gives the company a de facto though potentially temporary monopoly on the selling and servicing of new consumer routers in the US. We're pleased to share that Netgear is the first retail consumer router company to receive conditional approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a trusted consumer router company, Netgear CEO CJ Prober said in a statement . As a US founded and headquartered company, Netgear is aligned with the vision for a more secure digital future for our customers. For the last thirty years, we have been, and continue to be, committed to leading the consumer router category for the United States and setting the bar for quality, performance, innovation and security. Both Netgear's lines of Nighthawk and Orbi mesh routers are covered by the approval until October 1, 2027, which appears to mean that the company can continue to offer software updates to both lines and presumably release and sell new models in the future. The FCC dramatically expanded the Covered List , a collection of communications equipment seen as posing a risk to national security, to cover all foreign-made routers in March 2026. The decision prevents companies who make routers outside of the US from introducing new foreign-made models, and pushing certain software updates to existing models after March 1, 2027. Confusingly, though, it doesn't require anyone to replace their existing router or prevent those companies from selling routers they've already made. Receiving conditional approval is the definitive way companies can get off the list, but part of the FCC's requirements for approval is the company offering a plan to bring some or all of its manufacturing to the US a theoretically costly decision. Engadget has contacted Netgear for information about the US manufacturing plan it included in its application for conditional approval. We'll update this article if we hear back. The vast majority of router companies, even ones that are headquartered in the US like Netgear, build their routers in Asia. It's not clear what makes Netgear's currently foreign-made routers safer than, say, an Amazon Eero 7 or a Google Nest WiFi Pro . Until other companies are given conditional approval, though, Netgear is in a unique position. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/fcc-just-handed-netgear-a-de-facto-router-monopoly-in-the-us-223712324.html?src=rss

Google's new Windows app is yet another way to access Gemini

Google has introduced a new app for Windows desktops and, unsurprisingly, it puts AI front at center. If you aren't a big fan of Google's Gemini chatbot, then skip on past this download. For those of you who are heavy Gemini users, though, this could mean a simpler and more integrated experience on Windows machines. Once installed, you can pull up the app's search bar with the Alt + Space shortcut. Queries typed into this open-ended search box can hunt down information from the web like typical Google search, where AI Mode will be enabled for an extra layer of artificial intelligence for follow-up questions or a deeper dive down a rabbit hole. But the app isn't limited to web search. It can delve into your computer's files, other installed apps or Google Drive files to retrieve information. Screen sharing is also built into the app, which enables using Google Lens to conduct AI-powered searches on content displayed on your monitor. The app is rolling out globally today in English. Interestingly, this hasn't been gated to the most recent Windows 11 , but it does require a machine running at least Windows 10. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/googles-new-windows-app-is-yet-another-way-to-access-gemini-214000564.html?src=rss

NAACP sues xAI over data center pollution

The NAACP is suing xAI and a subsidiary called MZX Tech for allegedly operating unpermitted methane gas turbines to power its Colossus 2 data center in South Memphis. The association is asking the federal district court of the Northern District of Mississippi to declare that the company has violated the Clean Air Act, force it to stop using its unpermitted turbines and assess financial penalties against xAI for violating federal law, among other requests. The lawsuit claims that xAI the Elon Musk-founded AI startup now owned by SpaceX is operating 27 gas turbines without an air permit to power Colossus 2, one of a growing number of data centers xAI has set up to train Grok, its AI assistant. Gas turbines expel pollution, hazardous chemicals and fine particulate matter that are linked to things like heart problems, respiratory diseases and even certain cancers, issues that are particularly concerning given Colossus 2's close proximity to people's homes. Operating these turbines without an air permit also violates the Clean Air Act, which requires sources of pollution to be permitted before being operated or constructed. The NAACP is represented in the lawsuit by the Southern Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice. Before filing today's lawsuit, the NAACP sent xAI a 60-day notice of intent to sue in compliance with the Clean Air Act. xAI's failure to respond to the notice is why the lawsuit is moving forward today. xAI's continued operation of these turbines without a permit and without adequate pollution controls is not only illegal, it's an insult to families living nearby who for months have expressed serious concerns about how air pollution from the company's personal power plant could impact their health and well-being, Ben Grillot, a Senior Attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center, said. xAI must be held accountable for its reckless, unlawful actions and that's exactly what this lawsuit aims to do. Besides the high cost of sourcing the components that train and run AI models, AI companies often have to generate power to run the data centers where all those components are being installed. Oracle is reportedly turning to gas generators like xAI. Google , Meta and Amazon , meanwhile, have all invested in or signed deals with nuclear energy providers to power their data center efforts. Building new energy sources for data centers is one of several price-lowering methods proposed by the Ratepayer Protection Pledge , an agreement several tech companies signed to try and prevent data centers from raising the cost of the average person's energy bill. Quickly building out new energy sources might help ease costs, but it doesn't account for the negative environmental impacts of having a new power plant in your neighborhood, something the Trump administration doesn't appear all too interested in addressing. In his latest AI framework proposal , President Donald Trump largely ignored the environmental impact of AI in favor of calling for the permitting process for things like on-site energy generators to be streamlined. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/naacp-sues-xai-over-data-center-pollution-213511352.html?src=rss

What to expect from Google I/O 2026

We're sliding into developer conference season and one of the biggest events on the upcoming calendar is Google I/O. This year's edition is taking place on May 19 and 20 . As usual, the in-person element will happen in Mountain View, California, though many of the keynotes and sessions will be livestreamed. Google will surely make its biggest announcements during the opening keynote, which will start at 1PM ET on May 19. A developer keynote will take place later the same day. As ever, the rumor mill will pick up speed in the leadup to Google I/O. We do have some ideas about what Google will discuss at the event. So let's take a look at what to expect at Google I/O 2026 (we'll update this story as we hear more credible rumors). What's officially on deck Google I/O logo Google When it confirmed the dates for this year's I/O, Google revealed a little bit about what it has in store for us. As you might imagine, AI will be a major focus of the event. Google plans to share its AI breakthroughs and updates in products across the company, from Gemini to Android, Chrome, Cloud and more, it wrote in a blog post in February. There will be news on Gemini model updates as well as agentic coding. Google will have some product demos too. The company has released its initial schedule of keynotes and sessions, but it doesn't provide us with a lot of specifics as yet. It has lined up discussions on what's new in the likes of Google Play, Firebase (a mobile and web app development platform), the Gemma open model family and the open-source app development framework Flutter. Interestingly, there isn't a dedicated session for Android XR on the schedule just yet. What to expect Leaked image of Google's Aluminium OS 9to5Google There haven't been many credible leaks ahead of Google I/O as yet, but we can make some educated guesses about what to expect from the event. It's all but certain that we'll get more details about Android 17 at I/O. Developers need time to tweak their apps ahead of the next major version of the operating system rolling out to everyone if they want to take advantage of new features as soon as possible, and they invariably get a heads up about those at I/O every year. (That said, Google has been moving away from a big annual release approach in favor of juicier Pixel Drops/Android updates, so we may not see some of the new features it unveils at I/O for some time.) As for other operating systems, Google is planning to meld ChromeOS and Android into a unified platform . This seems to be the project that's being referred to as Aluminium OS, which we got a first glimpse of earlier this year thanks to some leaks. I/O seems like the perfect venue for Google to start showing that off to the public. On the AI front, a reveal of Gemini 4 could be on the docket, along with details of the latest Veo text-to-video model. Maybe well hear more about Project Astra , Googles pitch for a universal AI assistant. If Google has some consumer hardware to show off at this year's event, I suspect it'll be an Android XR device or devices, rather than a Pixel phone or watch. There is a chance that we'll get a tease of the Google Pixel 11 lineup. But don't be surprised if we don't see that or the Pixel Watch 5 until Google's dedicated hardware event, which has taken place in August or October in recent years (Google will want to stay well away from Apple's iPhone event, which will likely take place in September as usual). Heres hoping for a big surprise or two Google Sure, Android updates are all well and good. If Google insists on cramming Gemini and other AI tools into all of its tools and services, well at least listen to what they have to say about all that. But I have my fingers crossed for some cool surprises. Give us something new from Google X (Alphabets moonshot factory, not the thing that was once Twitter), an idea that could be a net benefit for humanity and boost the companys bottom line at the same time. These events are always more fun when theres something for us to get genuinely excited about, even if its something relatively niche but out there, like the Google Beam 3D video conferencing tech. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/what-to-expect-from-google-io-2026-200252914.html?src=rss

League of Legends' new WASD control scheme will be enabled for ranked later this month

Riot Games released a pile of updates for its long-running MOBA League of Legends . One of the more noteworthy changes coming to the game is the official launch of WASD controls. This alternate option, allowing players to traverse the rift by keyboard rather than by mouse, is rolling out to ranked matches in patch 26.9. Riot first announced that it was pursuing support for WASD controls last August. The studio said it wanted to ensure that the alternate control scheme wasn't more powerful than point-and-click movement; Riot said it was targeting a low win-loss rate difference between the options before releasing it to League players. There's still a small delta in the win-rates between the control schemes, with Point and Click having a minor advantage, according to today's devlog dedicated to this new feature. We expect that difference will decrease over time as players gain more mastery with WASD, but we will continue to monitor this stat in the future. That blog post goes into more detail about how the team tested and gauged community responses to WASD, which is pretty neat stuff if you're a game dev nerd. League will be receiving a few new accessibility improvements, such as custom inputs for moving the mouse cursor and some new flexibility for keybinds, along with the new control scheme. Although Riot was clear to say that it's not adding official support for controllers or gamepads, players will be able to use WASD controls with a joystick. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/league-of-legends-new-wasd-control-scheme-will-be-enabled-for-ranked-later-this-month-193858052.html?src=rss

Chrome Skills let you save your favorite Gemini prompts for easy access

Gemini in Chrome is about to get a small but handy upgrade. Starting today, Google is rolling out a feature it calls Skills to Chrome on desktop. Skills allow you to save your favorite Gemini in Chrome prompts for quick access, thereby making it easier and faster to repeat certain tasks. For instance, Google suggests you could use one saved prompt to get Gemini to calculate how much protein there could be in a new recipe you found online. Another Skill can make it easier to do a side-by-side spec comparison of a few different products you're looking at across multiple tabs. You can save prompts you want to use again directly from Gemini in Chrome's chat history. To use a saved prompt, type forward slash or click the plus button and select the Skill you want to use. To help people get started, Google is providing a set of ready-to-go prompts you can use to save time on common workflows or as a jumping off point for your own Skills. Skills you save are available on any version of Chrome for desktop where you're signed into your account, though for the time being, Google is only rolling out the feature to people who have their browser language set to US English. Gemini in Chrome, like its other AI tools, has become a major area of focus for Google in recent months. At the start of the year, the company rolled out an update that saw the addition of a dedicated Gemini sidebar to Chrome and access to Nano Banana image generation directly from said sidebar. More recently, Google began rolling out Gemini in Chrome to users in Canada, India and New Zealand. As the high-stakes AI race countinues to heat up, expect more features in that vein, though we may still get more traditional enhancements like vertical tabs from time to time. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chrome-skills-let-you-save-your-favorite-gemini-prompts-for-easy-access-170000683.html?src=rss

Sony Inzone's latest monitor boasts a blazing 720Hz panel for competitive gamers

Super fast gaming displays have grown in popularity recently following the release of several new models back at CES . Now Sony is hopping on that bandwagon with its latest display featuring a tandem OLED panel from LG that offers the choice of either 540Hz or 720Hz refresh rates. That said, priced at $1,100, the new 24.5-inch Sony Inzone M10S II is only for the most dedicated and deep-pocketed gamers. In normal use, the monitor offers a 540Hz refresh rate at QHD (2,560 x 1,440). However, in competitive situations where that still might not be enough, the display can go even faster by reducing its resolution to 720p while boosting its refresh rate all the way up to 720Hz. On top of that, to help make visuals clearer, Sony added a new Motion Blur Reduction algorithm with Black Frame Insertion that boosts brightness while still delivering a response rate of just 0.02ms. Unfortunately, at $1,100, this thing is out of reach for most gamers. Sony Elsewhere, a new Super Anti-Glare film helps reduce reflections. The company also used feedback from pro gamers to create a stand with a smaller footprint and a wider range of tilt adjustability (from -5 to 35 degrees). For those worried about the panel's long-term performance, the Inzone M10S II comes with a three-year warranty and OLED protection features like a custom heat sink. The new Inzone H6 Air are based on Sony's MDR-MV1 studio monitor headphones while costing half the price. Sony Aside from its new monitor, Sony is also releasing a pair of open-back wired headphones in the Inzone H6 Air . Priced at $200, they are based on the company's well-known studio monitor headphones the MDR-MV1 but with some additional tweaks for gaming. Not only is it really light at just 199 grams (not including its detachable cable and boom mic), it also features a dedicated RPG/Adventure profile designed to improve clarity and environmental details. The one caveat is that to access this mode, you need to use Sony's USB-C Audio box, which offers additional features like virtual 7.1 surround sound and support for 360-degree spatial audio. Atomic Purple, I mean Glass Purple, is always a good look. Sony Finally, while they aren't brand new, Sony is releasing a translucent Glass Purple version of its Inzone wireless gaming earbuds that conjures up nostalgic memories of Nintendos Atomic Purple N64 , along with Fnatic Editions of its Mouse-A, Mat-F and Mat-D peripherals. All of Sony's new gadgets are available today , aside from the Inzone M10S II monitor, which is due out sometime later this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/sony-inzones-latest-monitor-boasts-a-blazing-720hz-panel-for-competitive-gamers-165008263.html?src=rss

Realme launches Narzo 100 Lite 5G in India for budget buyers

Realme Narzo 100 Lite 5G holds a 7,000 mAh battery and supports 15W charging and reverse charging

Samsung's new Micro RGB TVs start at $1,600 for a 55-inch model

Samsung just released its lineup of Micro RGB TVs for 2026, and it includes models that start at 55 inches and go up to 85 inches. These 4K sets feature the company's Micro RGB display technology, which uses thousands of little red, green and blue LEDs to minimize color bleed and enable expanded color with pinpoint accuracy. The display is assisted by a new AI processor that has been specifically designed to calibrate the picture to bring out all of that gorgeous color. The company says this results in stunningly sharp images with incredible detail. The processor also assists with motion smoothing, in addition to handling all of those smart TV apps. These displays support HDR10+ Advanced , which is an updated standard co-developed by Samsung. This ensures genre-based optimization and enhanced brightness, among other features. Samsung The TVs are split into two lines. The R95H is the beefier of the two, with access to Samsung's anti-glare technology and a 165Hz refresh rate. The R85H tops out at 144Hz. All models include Dolby Atmos sound and the ability to pair up to five Samsung sound devices via its Q-Symphony technology . They can also all access Samsung's Art Store, which is a platform that originally launched alongside the company's The Frame display . This lets subscribers choose from thousands of art pieces which will then be displayed on the screen when it's not being used to watch TV or play video games. The R95H line starts at $3,200 for a 65-inch model, going all the way up to $6,500 for an 85-inch display. Samsung promises a 100-inch version is coming later this year. The R85H line is cheaper, starting at $1,600 for the 55-inch release and shooting up to $4,000 for the 85-inch model. The TVs are available right now, directly from Samsung and from retailers like Best Buy. The company recently did manufacture an absolutely massive 130-inch Micro RGB display , which it brought to CES 2026. However, this was just a concept design. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-new-micro-rgb-tvs-start-at-1600-for-a-55-inch-model-150023242.html?src=rss

Google Search tackles sites that try to stop you from leaving when you hit the back button

Websites that act like a super-chatty colleague who just won't shut up and let you go when a conversation should be over are among the most annoying things on the internet. Google is now doing something about that scourge. Picture the scene: you look up something on Google Search and instead of relying on potentially hallucinating AI Overviews you click through to an actual website for your information. But, when you try to leave the site by hitting the back button, your browser doesnt immediately take you back to the previous webpage. Instead, the website first displays an oh, while you're here... page that suggests other content in which you may be interested in checking out or just a bunch of ads. This shady move that some traffic-hungry websites have adopted is called back button hijacking. No one in their right mind likes it, and nor does Google. Under a new policy that 9to5Google spotted, Google will treat back button hijacking as an explicit violation of the 'malicious practices' of spam policies alongside the likes of malware. As such, it may punish websites that engage in such practices by treating them as spam and downranking them in search results. Back button hijacking interferes with the browser's functionality, breaks the expected user journey and results in user frustration, Chris Nelson, from the Google Search Quality team, wrote in the announcement . People report feeling manipulated and eventually less willing to visit unfamiliar sites. As we've stated before, inserting deceptive or manipulative pages into a user's browser history has always been against our Google Search Essentials. Google says it has seen an increase in back button hijacking and its great that the company is taking steps to combat it. Developers and website operators have until June 15 to make sure they aren't interfering with a user's ability to navigate their browser history by engaging in the practice. Google will start enforcing this policy then. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/google-search-tackles-sites-that-try-to-stop-you-from-leaving-when-you-hit-the-back-button-143302862.html?src=rss

OpenAI buys its second startup in a month

OpenAI has acquired Hiro Finance, a startup that offers AI-powered financial planning tools. As first reported by TechCrunch , fiscal terms of the deal, which was announced on Monday, were not disclosed by OpenAI. However, all signs point this to being an acquhire, with Hiro founder Ethan Bloch writing on LinkedIn that the company's product would stop working on April 20. Users have until May 13 to migrate their data off of Hiro's servers before everything is deleted. It's unclear if OpenAI plans to offer a dedicated financial planning tool in the mold of Hiro. At the start of the year, the company released Prism , a Claude Code-like app for scientific research that built on its acquisition of the startup behind Crixet . At the very least, it sounds like some of the expertise Hiro has built will make its way to OpenAI's chatbot. For decades, personalized financial guidance has been too expensive, too generic, or too hard to access. ChatGPT is finally changing that, Bloch wrote on LinkedIn. The deal is the second acquisition in only two weeks to be announced by OpenAI. At the start of the month, the company bought Technology Business Programming Network (TBPN), a media company known for its daily tech podcast. For a company that has by all indications a long and tough road ahead to profitability, it sure does seem OpenAI is spending a lot of time and money on startups that might not end being central to its core business, which in recent months has seen it target the coding market to edge out Anthropic . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-buys-its-second-startup-in-a-month-140550769.html?src=rss

Amazon buys the satellite internet company behind Apples SOS system

Amazon has today announced it is merging with satellite internet provider Globalstar Inc. to bolster Leo , its Starlink rival. Globalstar isnt a household name but you do know its work, as it provides Apples emergency satellite connectivity for compatible iPhones and Watches. In a statement, Amazon says the deal will grow Leos space-based footprint and enable direct-to-device service for its burgeoning satellite network. An interesting wrinkle is Apple owns 20 percent of Globalstar, which it bought for $1.5 billion in 2024, but that didnt get a mention. Instead, the release says Amazon and Apple have agreed Leo will power satellite services for supported iPhone and Apple Watch models. And that this support will continue as Leos network evolves, as well as collaborating with Apple on future satellite services using Amazon Leos expanded satellite network. The release adds Leos direct-to-device service wont start until 2028, and the deal itself isnt expected to close until 2027. That is, of course, unless Amazon doesnt placate the FCC into extending its deadline to get more satellites into orbit before July 2026. At present, the company needs to have 1,600 satellites in orbit by that deadline, but only expects to have around 700 actually up in the heavens and working by then. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/amazon-buys-the-satellite-internet-company-behind-apples-sos-system-130150744.html?src=rss

GoPro's Mission 1 offers 8K 60p video and interchangeable lenses

GoPro has seen its action camera market share diminish due to strong competition from rivals like Insta360 and DJI of late. Now, the company is fighting back with a new line of flagship cameras called Mission 1, designed to greatly improve the video quality offered by its current Hero 13 camera . The company also introduced a new Wireless Mic system similar to DJI's Mic Mini, along with a point-and-shoot grip and other accessories. The combination of our new 50 megapixel one-inch sensor and ultra-efficient GP3 processor sets a new performance bar for compact cinema cameras, enabling resolutions, frame rates, low-light performance, runtimes and thermal capabilities never seen before in cameras this small, GoPro's senior VP Pablo Lema said in a statement. Sample Photo from GoPro Mission 1 Pro action camera GoPro The new line includes three models: the Mission 1, Mission 1 Pro and Mission 1 Pro ILS. All have a one-inch 50-megapixel sensor, new GP3 processor and up to 8K video, but the Mission 1 Pro supports higher frame rates. The Mission 1 Pro ILS (interchangeable lens system) comes with a lens mount so you can use high-quality Micro Four Thirds lenses from the likes of Panasonic and OM System. The Mission 1 has an updated lens design with a 159 degree native field of view, the widest in its category. It also features a new OLED rear display that's 14 percent larger than previous flagship GoPro cameras, along with bigger raised buttons for easier use with gloves and a removable lens hood to reduce glare and lens flare. GoPro The 50MP 1-inch sensor has large 1.6m pixels at full resolution or 3.2m fused pixels when it's in operating at 4K in quad-bayer mode. That allows for higher dynamic range up to 14 stops and improved low-light performance with exceptional detail in the darkest of shadows while protecting highlight details, GoPro claims. That low-light performance is likely to be better in quad-bayer 4K mode than full resolution 8K, however. Meanwhile, the new GP3 Processor offers a power-efficient 5nm design that allows best-in-class resolutions, frame rates and image quality, the company says. Those resolutions include 8K at up to 60 fps for the Mission 1 Pro/Pro ILS models, 4K at up to 240 fps and 1080p at up to 960(!) fps. GoPro also offers 10-bit HLG/HDR and a 10-bit GP-Log2 mode to maximize dynamic range. The Pro models support 4:3 open gate capture so you can easily reframe shots or export video for different platforms. The Mission 1, meanwhile, captures up to 8K 30 fps, 4K 120 fps and 1080p 480 fps video, along with 4K 120 fps open gate video. You can capture 50MP RAW stills at up to 60 fps burst speeds on all Mission 1 models. GoPro The lineup promises excellent battery life thanks to the new Enduro 2 battery, with three-plus hours of 4K 30p recording on a charge. You can use the Hero 13 batteries as well albeit with shorter recording times. The company is also promising faster charging speeds. Thermal performance is solid despite the small size, with 8K 60p capture possible for 37 minutes straight with no airflow, or 74 minutes with airflow (when riding a bike for instance). Like its DJI and Insta360 rivals, the Mission 1 cameras offer multiple intelligent capture modes, including subject tracking, Dive (underwater stabilization) and Low-Light, along with Slow-Mo, Lapse, Sport POV, Vlog and Open Gate. GoPro action cams generally have excellent stabilization, so it'll be interesting to see if the Mission 1 series continues that trend, especially in low-light conditions. GoPro isn't skimping on audio either, as the Mission 1 models offer a four-mic system with 32-bit float along with stereo recording and wind noise reduction. You can connect wirelessly to compatible devices via Bluetooth 5.3 or wired mics over USB-C audio. GoPro The Mission 1 Pro ILS appears to be the first action camera with an interchangeable lens mount that's compatible with any Micro Four Thirds lenses and adapters. GoPro's HyperSmooth electronic video stabilization will work with any prime (non-fisheye) lens. It's the worlds smallest, most rugged and versatile high-speed cinema camera at a fraction of the cost and size of comparable cameras, GoPro said. Most lenses will likely make the camera too heavy and awkward to attach to a helmet or body, but you could certainly mount it to a motorbike, car or other vehicle. Along with the Mission 1 cameras, GoPro is introducing some new accessories. Key among those is the new Wireless Mic System designed for easy pairing with the Mission 1 cameras, along with DSLRs and smartphones. With a charging case and magnetic clips, it looks a lot like DJI's Mic Mini system and offers 24-bit/48kHz audio with Dynamic Noise Reduction, 150 meters of wireless range, 6.5 hours of run time, adjustable gain and a safety track mode. GoPro Other accessories include a Media Mod kit with a built-in multi-pattern mic and expanded I/O capability including 3.5mm mic and headphone ports, a micro HDMI port and a line-in port for timecode sync. GoPro is also offering a new Point-and-Shoot grip, M-Series ND Filters, a protective housing, a dual Enduro 2 battery charger, Volta battery grip and Light Mod 2 LED light. It's compatible with a GoPro subscription and Quick App, along with GoPro Labs that lets you unlock higher data rates (up to 300Mbps) and over 1,000 complex settings. The new models will be available individually or in kits, including the Mission 1 Pro Creator Edition bundled with the Media Mod, Wireless Mic System and Volta battery grip. The Mission 1 Pro Ultimate Creator Edition includes those while adding GoPro's Fluid Pro AI gimbal and Light Mod 2. Pricing and availability will be announced at a later date. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/gopros-mission-1-offers-8k-60p-video-and-interchangeable-lenses-130018643.html?src=rss

You can attend Pokmon EDM shows in Los Angeles and London

If you love Pokmon and electronic dance music, the Pokmon Company made the perfect event for you. As part of Pokmons 30th anniversary festivities, the company is holding EDM concert experiences called Pokmon Night Out in Los Angeles and London. American DJ Marshmello, known for wearing a marshmallow-like mask on stage, will be headlining the events, with Australian DJ Alison Wonderland as a supporting act. The experiences will feature custom sets and Pokmon-inspired visual storytelling. The events will be open to fans 16-years-old and up. It will be held at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on October 24, 2026, and at the O2 arena in London on November 10. You can get tickets for both concerts starting on April 18 at 10AM Pacific time for the Los Angeles concert and at 10AM British time for the London experience. In addition to holding EDM concerts, Nintendo and the Pokmon Company re-released the Game Boy Advance remakes of Pokmon Red and Blue on Nintendo Switch Online for the franchises 30th anniversary. They also released a Game Boy-shaped portable Pokmon jukebox , little music players that can be loaded witha different melody or sound effect from the original games' soundtracks. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/you-can-attend-pokemon-edm-shows-in-los-angeles-and-london-120405128.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Meta is reportedly working on an AI model of Mark Zuckerberg

If you were looking for the worst AI project announced so far this week, try Meta. According to a Financial Times report, the company is developing its own Mark Zuckerberg AI , training it on Zuckerbergs mannerisms, tone and publicly available statements. AKA, the good stuff. ( Will it smoke meats ?) The company has reportedly been working for some time on creating photorealistic, 3D-animated AI characters that can manage interactions. However, it now appears to be focusing on this Zuckerberg AI character, which would interact with employees in his stead. Yeesh. Remember when the Meta boss introduced legs to the metaverse? Hopefully, a backbone is in the works soon. Mat Smith The other big stories this morning How to de-Gemini your Google apps YouTube Premiums US pricing is going up Games Workshop brings 7 classic Warhammer games to Steam Meta warned that facial recognition on smart glasses would empower predators Multiple organizations, including the ACLU, are wary of the tech. TMA Dozens of civil rights organizations have written a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg warning of the dangers posed by adding facial recognition technology to the companys smart glasses. More than 70 groups have urged Zuckerberg to abandon plans to incorporate the tech on the grounds that it would empower stalkers, sexual predators and other bad actors. They also want the company to disclose past or ongoing discussions with federal law enforcement agencies, including ICE, about the use of Meta smart glasses and other wearables, according to a report by Wired . Adding to the grossness of all this, according to The New York Times , Meta issued an internal memo last year suggesting it could roll out this technology during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns. In short, attempting to add the feature when pushback would be limited or unfocused. The coalition called this vile behavior that looks to take advantage of rising authoritarianism. Continue reading. Xbox CEO called Game Pass too expensive for players in a leaked memo Microsoft is eyeing changes to its gaming sub. TMA Xboxs new chief exec, Asha Sharma, reportedly wrote in a memo to employees that the current pricing of the Game Pass subscription service might be too high. According to the note, seen by The Verge : Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Microsoft raised the price of Game Pass twice in 15 months, and many Xbox exclusives have made their way to rival PlayStation. Game Pass continues to add games: the April update adds indies like Hades 2 and Double Fine-project Kiln alongside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare . The Verge reports the addition of the CoD franchise might have contributed to Game Pass price increases, as in the past, buying the game at retail value was less favorable than a one-month subscription. Continue reading. Apple may be testing up to four styles of smart glasses And another one. Its a real connected-story edition of TMA today. Bloomberg reports Apple could reveal its smart glasses by the end of this year, and its already testing four eyewear styles. Apple is reportedly mulling over a large rectangular frame comparable to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, a slimmer rectangular design, like the one Apple CEO Tim Cook wears, as well as an oval or circular frame in large and small iterations. Apple is also working on a selection of colors. Apples upcoming smart glasses will compete directly with the second-gen Ray-Ban Meta model. While similar, Apple might be differentiating its design with vertically oriented oval lenses with surrounding lights, according to the report. Apples upcoming product will capture photos and videos but is meant to play better with iPhones, so users can take advantage of Apples ecosystem for editing, sharing and more. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111528055.html?src=rss

Sony is developing a Bloodborne animated film adaptation

An R-rated animated film adaptation of Bloodborne is currently being developed by Sony, according to Variety . Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group held a presentation at CinemaCon, where the divisions president said that the adaptation will be very true to the violent and graphic nature of the game. Bloodborne was created by Japanese studio FromSoftware and was published by Sony back in 2015. The critically acclaimed title is an RPG in the style of Dark Souls , featuring heavy blood splatters during combat and other body horror elements. Its director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, said his biggest inspiration for the game was HP Lovecrafts works. Bloomberg had reported in February that Bluepoint Games, the now-defunct Sony studio behind many PlayStation remakes, wanted to work on a new version of the classic Gothic horror RPG for modern consoles. However, FromSoftware blocked the project. Miyazaki reportedly wanted to work on the remake himself. Despite being too busy to do it, he said during an interview that he doesn't want anyone else to touch it. The Bloodborne film adaptation will be co-produced by PlayStation Productions, Lyrical Animation and Sen McLoughlin, a gaming YouTube known by his pseudonym jacksepticeye. It seems to be early stages at this point, and Variety doesnt have a target release date for it yet. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-is-developing-a-bloodborne-animated-film-adaptation-110421866.html?src=rss

Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly shooting at Sam Altman's house

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's house may have been the target of a second attack after San Francisco Police Department arrested two suspects for a reported shooting in the Russian Hill neighborhood. The SFPD said in a press release that police officers responded to a suspicious occurrence of possible shots fired at around 5:56 AM ET / 2:56 AM PT on Sunday, April 12. SFPD's Special Investigation Division took over the case and have since detained both 25-year-old Amanda Tom and 23-year-old Muhamad Tarik Hussein, seizing three firearms in the process with the help of a warrant. The two suspects were charged with negligent discharge. According to the initial police report, as reported by The San Francisco Standard , two people inside a Honda sedan stopped in front of Altman's property that spans from Chestnut Street to Lombard Street. The police report also noted that the passenger appeared to fire a round at the Lombard Street side of Altman's property. The property's security personnel reported hearing a gunshot and there was surveillance footage that recorded the incident, according to the report. This could be the second instance of violence targeting Altman and his residence in a matter of days. On Friday, a 20-year-old man allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail at Altman's home, which caused a fire on one of the property's exterior gates, according to SFPD. The San Francisco Standard reported that there were no injuries in either incident. Daniel Moreno-Gama, the 20-year-old suspect from Texas, was charged on April 13 with murder and attempted arson. According to The New York Times , he wrote a document that discussed the purported risk AI poses to humanity. The document also reportedly included the names and addresses of other executives, investors and board members of AI companies. Update, April 14, 2026, 2:06 AM ET: Updated with the latest information on the suspect who allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail at Altmans home. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/two-suspects-have-been-arrested-for-allegedly-shooting-at-sam-altmans-house-142655308.html?src=rss

Blackmagic's DaVinci Resolve 21 takes on Adobe Lightroom with a new Photo page

Many creators have already switched from Adobe Premiere to DaVinci Resolve, and now the developer, Blackmagic Design, is going after Lightroom and Photoshop. The Australian company just unveiled DaVinci Resolve 21 in beta at the NAB 2026 broadcast convention with a brand new page called Photo designed to let you do things like crop and color-correct still images. At the same time, the new version introduces video AI tools that can age a subject or reshape their facial features. DaVinci Resolve has always let you edit photos as clips on a video timeline, but now it's greatly simplified with the Photo page. You can import and manage photographs, including RAW files, directly into the new page. Then, you adjust them using the node-based Color page that offers similar and arguably even more powerful tools than Adobe's Lightroom. Just as with video, the Color page includes primary color correction, curves, qualifiers and power windows (along with noise reduction, sharpening and more). However, where Resolve's node-based workflow really shines for photo editing. You can add nodes in series or parallel to build complex grades, then save them to apply to other images or an entire photo album. You can also reframe and crop images at their original source resolution and aspect ratio, without affecting the original image quality. Steve Dent for Engadget The LightBox view lets you see an entire album with grades applied. Select any image and grade it live while seeing the results update across the whole collection in real time. Filter by graded, ungraded, star rating, flag and clip color, Blackmagic Design explains in a press release . Albums, meanwhile, let you build collections like you do in Lightroom. Those also appear as timelines in the Color, Cut and Edit pages for easy access. For pro photographers, the Color page includes camera controls that let you tether a Sony or Canon camera to Resolve for live image capture, while adjusting settings like ISO, exposure and white balance. You can save capture presets to lock in a consistent look before customers shoot, according to Blackmagic. Other Resolve tools also work with the Photo page, like the AI Magic Mask that lets you make one click selections of an object or person. It's also possible to do advanced VFX on still photos using Resolve's Fusion page, or add OpenFX or FusionFX filters directly on the Photo page. Finally, you can collaborate with others using Blackmagic Cloud, thought that does require a paid subscription. I briefly tested the color tool and, as someone who's admittedly familiar with DaVinci Resolve, I found it easy to grasp. It's simple to import and organize images (easier than Lightroom in my opinion) and is as powerful as Lightroom's Develop page for most adjustments, though I really missed the latter's Clarity tool. The node based workflow is powerful, and Resolve makes it easier to apply adjustments to multiple images. When you're ready to export, that's done through a special photo-only version of the Export page and is relatively intuitive as well. Whether or not I'll cancel my Photoshop/Lightroom subscription remains to be seen, however. Blackmagic Design On top of the Photo page, Blackmagic Design introduced a number of new tools for video and VFX as well. Among the most interesting ones are a series of AI tools for facial adjustments. The AI Face Age Transformer tools lets you analyze a face, enter the subject's age and adjust the age offset slider to add things like wrinkles and facial fullness. You can also change the way a subject looks through the AI Face Reshaper tool that lets you adjust the eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows and overall face shape. Plus, you get an AI Blemish Removal feature that reduces the appearance of superficial skin imperfections like acne, discoloration and large pores, while retaining the skin's natural texture. Another tool that will no doubt get used a lot is AI UltraSharpen that can upscale video to make previously unusable footage sharp in higher resolutions, according to the company. It can also be used to improve slight focus errors. Meanwhile, the AI Motion Deblur fixes slightly blurred images, making it particularly useful for slow motion and freeze frame shots. Other key new upgrades, to name just a few, include the ability to edit Fusion effects from within the Cut and Edit pages, the addition of the Krokodove library of compositing tools and new immersive VR tools for delivery to platforms like Meta Quest and YouTube VR. Most of the new features are available in Blackmagic Design's free version of DaVinci Resolve, though a couple of tools (AI Magic Mask and Film Look Creator) are only available with the paid, $295 DaVinci Resolve Studio version. A complete list of new features is here and you can download the free and paid versions here . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/blackmagics-davinci-resolve-21-takes-on-adobe-lightroom-with-a-new-photo-page-053034084.html?src=rss

Xbox CEO called Game Pass 'too expensive for players' in a leaked memo

Xbox's new chief exec, Asha Sharma, has only been in charge for a few months but things already seem like they might be changing for the better. Or at the very least, they might be getting cheaper. The Verge reported that the new Xbox CEO wrote a memo to employees addressing the current pricing of the Game Pass subscription service. Game Pass is central to gaming value on Xbox. Its also clear that the current model isnt the final one, Sharma allegedly said. Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system which will take time to test and learn around. After Microsoft upped the price for Game Pass twice within 15 months, many of us certainly felt that the service had gotten too costly to keep. Xbox is still offering a wide range of titles on Game Pass; the April update is adding indies like Hades 2 and new Double Fine project Kiln alongside AAA hits like the remake of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare . The Verge 's sources suggested that the addition of the CoD franchise might have been a factor in some of the Game Pass price increases, since Microsoft would lose out on revenue by making the latest entries in the series available under the subscription. It's too early to say whether this memo from Sharma means Xbox is on the brink of a resurgence. And there are changes the company could make, like adding ever more complicated tiers, that would further hamper interest and uptake of Game Pass. But acknowledging the problem, even internally, is refreshing to see after so many baffling moves from Xbox in recent years. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-ceo-called-game-pass-too-expensive-for-players-in-a-leaked-memo-194749597.html?src=rss

Games Workshop brings seven classic Warhammer games to Steam for the first time

Fans of miniature plastic soldiers, rejoice. Games Workshop has brought a host of older Warhammer and Warhammer 40K video games to Steam for the first time , alongside a dozen games that haven't been available on Valve's storefront for a few years. The new to Steam releases consist of three games from the Warhammer fantasy range Shadow of the Horned Rat , Mark of Chaos Gold Edition and Dark Omen and four from its sci-fi 40K universe Chaos Gate , Fire Warrior , Final Liberation and Rites of War . If you're a Warhammer fan of a certain age, some of these may be formative experiences for you. I know they are for me. I can't count how many hours I spent playing Chaos Gate when I first discovered 40K at the age of 10. Yes, it was an XCOM clone, but by that point I didn't know about the MicroProse original, and Space Marines were cool. Years later and as a Tau collector at the time, I also loved Fire Warrior, even if it wasn't the most polished or deep first-person shooter. I haven't played the other five games included in today's announcement, but I've heard Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat and Warhammer 40K: Rites of War are pretty good if you're into the setting or, in the latter case, a fan of the Eldar. To celebrate the re-release of these old gems, Games Workshop is running a Classics sale on Steam , with discounts on all 19 re-releases. Plus, you can get discounts on some more recent releases, including the excellent Dawn of War Definitive Edition and Dawn of War 2 Anniversary Edition . If you're new to the Warhammer 40K universe, and would rather avoid a plastic addiction, one of those would be my first port of call, along with the excellent Space Marine 2 . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/games-workshop-brings-seven-classic-warhammer-games-to-steam-for-the-first-time-185432304.html?src=rss

Meta warned by dozens of organizations that facial recognition on its smart glasses would empower predators

Dozens of civil rights organizations have written a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to warn of the dangers in bringing facial recognition technology to the company's smart glasses. More than 70 groups have banded together to form a coalition to urge Zuckerberg to abandon plans to incorporate the tech, on the grounds that it would empower stalkers, sexual predators and other bad actors. This coalition includes organizations like the ACLU, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Fight for the Future, Access Now and many others. The letter isn't asking for safeguards. These groups want the feature to be completely eliminated, stating the idea behind facial recognition of this type is so dangerous that it cannot be resolved through product design changes, opt-out mechanisms or incremental safeguards. This tracks, as there would be no real way for bystanders to know or consent to being identified. People should be able to move through their daily lives without fear that stalkers, scammers, abusers, federal agents and activists across the political spectrum are silently and invisibly verifying their identities and potentially matching their names to a wealth of readily available data about their habits, hobbies, relationships, health and behaviors, the letter states. The organizations have urged Meta to disclose any known instances of its wearables being used for stalking, harassment or domestic violence. They also want the company to disclose past or ongoing discussions with federal law enforcement agencies, including ICE, about the use of Meta smart glasses and other wearables, according to a report by Wired . There is certainly some cause for worry here. Meta issued a memo last year that suggested it would roll out this technology during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns. That's corporate speak for we'll do it when nobody is watching. The coalition has called this vile behavior that looks to take advantage of ising authoritarianism. NEW: Meta plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses as soon as this year, according to a new report from The New York Times. The feature, internally known as Name Tag, would allow smart glasses wearers to identify people and get information about them through Metas pic.twitter.com/et7PO9JGW5 Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) February 13, 2026 The technology in question is called Name Tag, for obvious reasons. It uses AI to pull up information about people in a field of view to smart glasses displays. That's about as dystopian as it gets. The company has reportedly been working on two versions of the toolset . There's one that would only identify people that are currently connected to a Meta platform and another that would identify anyone with a public account on a service like Instagram. It doesn't look like there's any way, as of yet, to use this tech to identify strangers on the street who don't have a Meta account of any kind. In other words, the company should expect a wave of cancellations if this rolls out. Name Tag is currently scheduled for release at some point this year, but it's not set in stone just yet. Public outcry has gotten Meta to back off from facial recognition in the past. The company ended Facebook's photo-tagging system in 2021 after pushback from civil liberties groups and years of costly litigation. Meta paid out billions of dollars to settle biometric privacy lawsuits in Illinois and Texas and another $5 billion to the FTC for a separate privacy case partially tied to facial recognition software. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-warned-by-dozens-of-organizations-that-facial-recognition-on-its-smart-glasses-would-empower-predators-185000998.html?src=rss

How to de-Gemini your Google apps

Over the past couple of years, Google has found ways to stuff Gemini in nearly every app and service it offers. Whether it's Gmail with its AI inbox or Chrome with its chat sidebar , Gemini is now inescapable inside of Workspace. I don't know about you, but I don't need an AI to tell me how to write a =SUM equation in Sheets or an outline for a first draft. Most of the time, I find Gemini is a distraction. If you feel the same way, this how-to is for you. How to remove Gemini from your personal Workspace account From the General tab of Gmail's settings menu, look for the Smart features checkbox. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget To turn Gemini off, you will need to disable two separate sets of options. The first set covers a set of features, including smart compose, that are shared across Gmail, Chat and Meet so if you turn them off in one app, they won't be available in any of the three. All of this is most easily done through Gmail's web client. In Gmail, tap the cog icon. Select See all settings . Under the General tab, scroll down to find Smart features . Disable Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet . In Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or European Economic Area , smart features are turned off by default. Next, turn your attention to Workspace. In Gmail, tap the cog icon. Select See all settings . Under the General tab, scroll down and click Manage Workspace smart feature settings . Toggle off smart features in Google Workspace and Smart features in other Google products . A word of warning: completely disabling smart features in Google Workspace turns off not only Gemini integration but also access to basic capabilities like spelling and grammar corrections. You'll also lose features that have been Google staples for years. In Gmail, for example, the app will stop sorting incoming emails by priority, a notification at the top of the screen informing you that smart features are required for inbox categorization. Whatever Google's motivation for this state of affairs, it's a design decision that actively discourages users from disabling Gemini integration. Disabling Gemini in Google Workspace will also turn off other features. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget If you want to rid yourself of Gemini but would still like to use some of the other features the company offers through Gmail and its other apps, I recommend leaving the first set of smart features on while disabling the Workspace-specific ones. You can also opt to turn off some of the features included in the first group, while leaving others on. Below is a list of those features, with a brief overview of the less self-explanatory ones. Grammar Spelling Autocorrect Smart Compose as you write an email, Gmail will generate predictive writing suggestions Smart Compose personalization as you write, Gmail will tailor Smart Compose suggestions to your writing style Nudges Gmail will generate notifications prompting you to respond or follow up on unanswered emails Smart Reply Gmail will generate suggestions on how to respond to an email Package tracking Google will display shipping updates inside of Gmail Desktop notifications Yes, for some reason you need the power of AI to get notifications on your PC Unfortunately, Google doesn't offer this same level of granular control when it comes to smart features inside of Workspace. For instance, if you turn off Gemini in Docs, Calendar won't automatically display events from Gmail. Again, Google really wants to dissuade you from disabling Gemini. How to remove Gemini from your professional Workspace account If your workplace uses Google Workspace, all of the above options should be present in Gmail's settings menu, and you can follow the same steps to turn off most of the smart features Google offers. Unfortunately, the second part of the process does nothing. You will still see Gemini in Docs, Sheets and elsewhere, even with smart features in Workspace turned off. Only your admin can completely turn off Gemini for you. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/how-to-de-gemini-your-google-apps-170000462.html?src=rss

Meta is reportedly building an AI clone of Mark Zuckerberg

Picture this: You're a senior Meta employee looking for feedback from the CEO. But, instead of hearing from the real Mark Zuckerberg, you get a response from a Zuckerberg AI character. As absurd as that sounds, it could eventually be a reality. Meta is reportedly working on such an AI character, training it on Zuckerberg's mannerisms, tone and publicly available statements, according to the Financial Times . The character is also learning about the CEO's thoughts on recent company strategy, with the idea that it could offer advice to Meta employees. The company has reportedly, for some time, been working on creating photorealistic, 3D animated AI characters that can manage interactions. However, it now appears to be focusing on this Zuckerberg AI character, which would interact with employees when the CEO can't or doesn't want to. This additional AI tool follows last month's news that Zuckerberg is creating an AI agent to help him do his job, first reported by the Wall Street Journal . It would reportedly do things like finding answers for him, but there aren't many details of the still developing AI agent. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-is-reportedly-building-an-ai-clone-of-mark-zuckerberg-130242840.html?src=rss

Roblox introduces mandatory age-gated account tiers

Roblox is preparing to roll out its biggest change since starting age verification late last year. While that program was initially focused on chat access, todays news is about age-segregating the games on the massive platform. Starting in mid-May, users will be pushed into one of three worlds: Roblox Kids, Roblox Select or Roblox. The exact age ranges of these groups will vary by territory, but in the US they are 5-8 for Kids, 9-15 for Select and 16+ for the regular account. These three account types then align with the platforms current content maturity labels, which divide games into Minimal, Mild, Moderate and Restricted. Kids accounts will be the most restricted, with chat off by default and only Minimal and Mild experiences available. Ages 9-15 get to chat with kids in their age group and trusted friends that have passed the parent test, and will be able to access Moderate content as well as games for babies. At 16, teens will automatically be moved to a full-fat Roblox account with all of its features, but not all of the games. Content marked as Restricted will only unlock once they turn 18. Roblox Roblox says over half of its users are now age checked, whether through ID verification or face scans. With the new account types rolled out globally which the company says should be done by June itll start forcing users who havent completed an age check into a Kids-like experience, with no access to chat or games rated higher than Mild. Once age verification is completed, Roblox still faces the task of ensuring that its vast collection of user-created content is actually age-appropriate. Its solution to this is, of course, ID verification, AI and upcharges. Developers will have to verify their identity and pony up $5 a month for Roblox Plus to show a long-term commitment to the platform. The wisdom is that, with these hurdles cleared, a developer will surely apply the correct maturity label to their games. On the off-chance that an experience is mislabeled, Robloxs AI moderation will keep tabs on game instances to make sure what's happening on-screen and in-chat matches the maturity label. On the surface, this does leave a gap where a toddler could end up playing an incorrectly labeled mature game before the AI catches it. Dont fret, though, as Roblox says users over 16 play new games first, which surely isnt an overgeneralization and will ensure that no child ever plays a mature game. Roblox also previewed a pair of new parental control features coming in June. First, parents will be able to block any game and manage direct chat access until a child turns 16. Previously, kids over 13 could unblock experiences by themselves. Second, parents will be able to approve games outside of their childs age bracket on a case-by-case basis. Roblox gave an example of a younger child wanting to play a game with their older sibling for this features utility. Of course, the big blocky elephant in the room is the efficacy of automated age verification. Reporting from Wired in January suggested even enterprising toddlers might be able to get past the platforms age checks, which somewhat undermines everything Roblox is trying to achieve. Speaking to press ahead of todays announcement, Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said, If we get it wrong we offer users multiple ways to correct that. He added that the platform is constantly measuring users behavior and comparing that against what their age-check data says. If we see those things divert, then we will just ask people to run through the age process again. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/roblox-introduces-mandatory-age-gated-account-tiers-121535702.html?src=rss

Xiaomi launches Redmi A7 Pro 5G smartphone for budget buyers

Redmi A7 Pro 5G features a 3.5mm headphone jack, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and IP52 rating

Apple reportedly testing out four different styles for its smart glasses that will rival Meta Ray-Bans

Apple may be late to the smart glasses market , but it could be covering all its bases with up to four potential styles for its upcoming product. According to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman, Apple could launch some or all of the four styles it's currently testing for its smart glasses. Gurman reported Apple is testing out a large rectangular frame that's comparable to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, a slimmer rectangular design like the glasses that Apple CEO Tim Cook wears, a larger oval or circular frame and a smaller oval or circle option. Apple is also working on a range of colors, including black, ocean blue and light brown, according to Bloomberg . Internally code-named N50 for now, Apple's upcoming smart glasses will compete directly with the second-gen Ray-Ban Meta model. While similar, Apple might be differentiating its design with vertically oriented oval lenses with surrounding lights, according to the report. Like Meta's smart glasses, Apple's upcoming product will capture photos and videos, but is meant to better sync with an iPhone, allowing users to take advantage of Apple's ecosystem for editing, sharing, phone calls, notifications, music and even its voice assistant, according to Gurman. The release of Apple's smart glasses could even coincide with the upcoming improved Siri that should arrive with iOS 27. Gurman reported that Apple could reveal its smart glasses as soon as the end of 2026 or early 2027, followed by an official release sometime in 2027. As for the competition, Meta released its latest model that's better suited for prescription lenses and offers a more customizable fit. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-reportedly-testing-out-four-different-styles-for-its-smart-glasses-that-will-rival-meta-ray-bans-200550013.html?src=rss

The US government wants Reddit to snitch on one of its users through a grand jury

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a certain Redditor in its crosshairs and it's now strong-arming the social media platform to reveal who they are with a grand jury subpoena, according to a report from The Intercept . The nonprofit news outlet was able to obtain the subpoena that ordered Reddit to provide info on one of its users who's been accused of criticizing ICE by April 14. According to the report, ICE has been trying to identify this Redditor for a month without success. More specifically, Reddit is being asked to give up the user's name, address, phone number and other personal data. The Intercept reported that the subpoena was issued by federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C. after a failed attempt from ICE to do the same through a federal court in Northern California, which has jurisdiction in San Francisco where Reddit is headquartered. Reddit attorneys said their client's posts and anonymity are protected under the First Amendment and described ICE's use of a grand jury as a disturbing escalation, according to the report. Reddit didn't state if it would challenge the government's order or not, according to The Intercept , but it did provide a statement saying, privacy is central to how Reddit operates and we take our commitment to protecting that seriously. Reddit also said in the statement that it does ot voluntarily share information with any government, especially not on users exercising their rights to criticize the government or plan a protest. While this grand jury subpoena could set an alarming precedent, it's not the first time a government agency has requested social media platforms reveal accounts that have spoke negatively about ICE. According to a New York Times report, the Department of Homeland Security has filed hundreds of subpoenas to Google, Discord, Meta and even Reddit again, for identifying details about its users. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-us-government-wants-reddit-to-snitch-on-one-of-its-users-through-a-grand-jury-190532844.html?src=rss

OpenAI says Elon Musk is orchestrating a last-minute 'legal ambush' before trial

The feud between Elon Musk and OpenAI is getting even more contentious as the two sides get ready for trial later this month. The latest development in the legal back-and-forth saw OpenAI accuse Elon Musk and his latest proposals as a legal ambush, as first reported by Bloomberg . OpenAI filed its response on Friday, which detailed that Musk was sandbagging the defendants and injecting chaos into the proceedings, while trying to recast his public narrative about his lawsuit. The lawsuit dates back to 2024 when Elon Musk sued both OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing the AI giant of ditching its original mission of being a non-profit and instead converting into a for-profit business after receiving financial backing and forming a partnership with Microsoft. Prior to OpenAI's latest filing, Musk amended his original complaint to instead award any damages received to OpenAI's nonprofit arm instead. Musk's amendment, which was filed earlier this month, also sought to oust Altman from his role as OpenAI's CEO and board member. In OpenAI's Friday filing, the AI company claimed that Musk's last-minute changes were legally improper and factually unsupported. There's a lot at stake with this lawsuit since Musk is reportedly seeking anywhere between $79 billion and $134 billion in wrongful gains . With both OpenAI and Microsoft denying any wrongdoing, according to Bloomberg , the trial is still set to kick off on April 27. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-says-elon-musk-is-orchestrating-a-last-minute-legal-ambush-before-trial-163248345.html?src=rss

Amazon is stopping support for Kindle e-readers released in 2012 and earlier

Users across social media platforms reacted with anger and disappointment, while others resolved to jailbreak their devices or use it to pirate books instead

OnePlus Nord 6 launched with 9,000 mAh battery and 165 Hz display

The phone bears IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings for water and dust resistance

Xiaomi 17 Ultra Review | Claims the camera crown

The phone does not just rely on one standout lens or one impressive shooting mode; it delivers a complete imaging system

Oura Ring 4 Review | Refined insights and design make for a stand-out wearable

Priced at 28,900 for Black and Silver variants and 39,900 for premium finishes like Brushed Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, and Stealth, the Oura Ring 4 positions itself as a lifestyle accessory as much as a health tracker

Realme 16 5G launched with Dimensity processor and 50 MP selfie camera

Realme 16 5G ships with a 7,000 mAh battery, supported by 60W charger inside the box

Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 15 Special Edition for mid segment buyers

It offers MIL-STD-810H standards, along with IP65 and IP66 ratings for protection against dust and splashes under controlled conditions

Babbel Promo Code: Up to 65% Off in April 2026

Master a new language with expert-led courses. Use our verified Babbel coupon codes to save up to 65% on student plans and 60% on 6-month subscriptions.

Kenya probes Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses privacy concerns

It had also asked he ODPC to investigate the unlawful processing of data to train Meta AI in Kenya, the organisation said in a statement

At 50, Apple confronts its next big challenge: AI

Steve Jobs, a driven marketing genius, and Steve Wozniak, who invented the Apple computer, revolutionised how people use technology in the internet age

Apple plans to open Siri to rival AI services: Report

Apple is developing tools to let chatbot apps installed via its App Store work with Siri and other features under its Apple Intelligence platform, Bloomberg News reported

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Realme launches P4 Lite 5G smartphone with 7,000 mAh battery

Realme has used MediaTek Dimensity 6300 5G chipset in the P4 Lite 5G with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage

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

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

Apple unveils second-generation AirPods Max at $549

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

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

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

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

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

iQOO launches Z11x with MediaTek processor and Sony sensor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apple launches new MacBooks with M5 chips, bigger base storage

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

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

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