Hardware

Indie Pass is a forthcoming subscription service exclusively for indie games

Publisher and game management platform indie.io just announced the pending launch of something called Indie Pass . This is a subscription service, so it's sort of like Game Pass but for indie titles. It launches on April 13 and will offer over 70 games on that date, with more coming down the line. Not a single person on this planet wants another monthly subscription to manage, but this one costs just $8. That's a pretty good deal, considering Game Pass Ultimate costs a whopping $30 per month . However, these subscription platforms are only as good as their libraries. The company has already confirmed a bunch of nifty titles like the cozy game Echoes of the Plum Grove , the farm-based shooter Air Hares and the tactical RPG Dark Deity . It also promises a constantly evolving catalog. Indie.io publishes a lot of stuff, so that should make it easier to keep the catalog stacked. The company is also currently courting indie developers and publishers , with a promise to reveal some of these partnerships in the coming weeks. This could be a nice way to drum up interest in new or smaller games, but everything really depends on if people are willing to pony up for another subscription. Indie Pass is just for PC. However, there doesn't seem to be anything that would prevent the platform from working on a Steam Deck via the console's Proton layer. This lets players run Windows-specific titles on the console's Linux-based OS. This has long been considered a good way to run indie.io-published games that don't make their way to Steam. Engadget has reached out to the company for specifics and will update this post when we hear back. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/indie-pass-is-a-forthcoming-subscription-service-exclusively-for-indie-games-171304359.html?src=rss

Russia closes loophole to fully block payments for Apple services

Russia has closed a loophole that allowed its citizens to pay for Apple digital services. As of April 1, 2026, payment processing is no longer available for purchases made on the App Store or other Apple Media Services in Russia, the company wrote in a support document (via 9to5Mac ). The change affects all Apple services. However, the company says iCloud+ subscribers' data will remain available after their subscriptions end, even after losing premium cloud storage. Customers' previous purchases will still be accessible, as will existing Apple Account funds until they run out. Why is Russia doing this? Well, the (state-aligned) Russian news outlet RBC reported that government officials said it was to prevent users from paying for VPN apps . Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the country has stepped up its attack on the services as part of its great crackdown on online information and speech. By mid-January, it had reportedly blocked 70 percent more VPN apps than late last year. With Russia's war with Ukraine now in its fifth year, Putin's regime apparently wants to shore up domestic support the way autocrats do: by limiting access to information. (VPNs allow Russians to circumvent the country's strict online censorship.) The countrys crackdown has also included blocking WhatsApp , slowing down Telegram and repeatedly jamming mobile internet in Moscow. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/russia-closes-loophole-to-fully-block-payments-for-apple-services-163228262.html?src=rss

Google releases Gemma 4, a family of open models built off of Gemini 3

When Google released Gemini 3 Pro at the end of last year, it was a significant step forward for the company's proprietary large language models. Now, the company is bringing some of the same technology and research that made those models possible to the open source community with the release of its new family of Gemma 4 open-weight models. Google is offering four different versions of Gemma 4, differentiated by the numberof parameters on offer. For edge devices, including smartphones, the company has the 2-billion and 4-billion Effective models. For more powerful machines, theres the 26-billion Mixture of Experts and 31-billion Dense systems. For the unfamiliar, parameters are the settings a large language model can tweak to generate an output. Typically, models with more parameters will deliver better answers than ones with less, but running them also requires more powerful hardware. With Gemma 4, Google claims it's managed to engineer systems with an unprecedented level of intelligence-per-parameter. To back up this claim, the company points to the performance of Gemma 4's 31-billion and 26-billion variants, which claimed the third and sixth spots respectively on Arena AI's text leaderboard , beating out models 20 times their size. All of the models can process video and images, making them ideal for tasks like optical character recognition. The two smaller models are also capable of processing audio inputs and understanding speech. Separately, Google says the Gemma 4 family is capable of generating offline code, meaning you could use them to do vibe coding without an internet connection. Google has also trained the models in more than 140 languages. Google is releasing the Gemma 4 family under an Apache 2.0 license . The company made previous Gemma models available through its own Gemma license . The move will give people a greater deal of freedom to modify the new systems to their needs. This open-source license provides a foundation for complete developer flexibility and digital sovereignty; granting you complete control over your data, infrastructure and models. Google said. It allows you to build freely and deploy securely across any environment, whether on-premises or in the cloud. If you want to give one of the systems a try for yourself, the model weights are available through Hugging Face, Kaggle and Ollama. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-releases-gemma-4-a-family-of-open-models-built-off-of-gemini-3-160000332.html?src=rss

Uber expands its EV incentive program across the US

Uber is expanding its EV incentive program across the US. The company began testing the service in select cities last year. This is a program in which Uber offers drivers a $4,000 grant to switch from their current vehicle to an EV. These grants are available for both new and used electric vehicles, which is nice because new cars are expensive and could be out of financial reach for many Uber drivers. This program is available to Platinum and Diamond drivers who complete 100 eligible rides by December 31. These drivers can apply for the grant on the platform's website, with applications processed from April 16. The $4,000 grant isn't the only incentive on offer here. Drivers who purchase a new or used EV through the platform TrueCar can get an additional discount of $1,000. Also, Kia is partnering up with Uber to offer $1,000 off the purchase of a Niro or EV6 and $1,500 off the EV9 SUV. All of that adds up. No matter how you slice it, however, it doesn't add up to $7,500. This program exists because President Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill wiped out the federal tax credit on EVs. Data indicates that full-time Uber drivers make an average of $42,000 per year . A Kia EV9 starts at $55,000, which goes down to $49,500 with Uber's grant and Kia's discount. The math is still wonky, as I can't think of many other jobs that require workers to spend more than a full year of salary to purchase the necessary tools to get going. The federal tax credit did provide $4,000 with the purchase of a used EV, which Uber's policy does match. The rideshare platform has been attracting EVs. Uber says there are more than 286,000 EVs on the app globally. The company also says that Uber drivers adopt EVs at a much faster rate than typical car owners in the US, Canada and Europe. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/uber-expands-its-ev-incentive-program-across-the-us-152923864.html?src=rss

Flipboard's 'social websites' are a new spin on decentralized social media

Flipboard has been one of the biggest boosters of decentralized social media . Now, the company, which is known for its social news reading app, is rolling out its latest experiment, social websites. The project offers publishers and creators an easier path into what's often called the open social web, which includes the fediverse, as well as other protocol-based platforms like Blueksy. The company says it could also help creators of all stripes wrest back control of their audiences from mainstream social media platforms and other walled gardens. In practice, social websites are essentially microsites that allow creators and publishers to bring together posts from decentralized platforms and RSS feeds into a single place where people can browse blogposts, newsletters, podcast episodes alongside relevant commentary from Bluesky, Mastodon and other federated services. It's also the first web-based offshoot of Surf, Flipboard's reader app designed for the open social web. The company has already teamed up with a handful of publishers and creators who have made their own social websites on top of Surf. For example, Rolling Stone created a dedicated site for its political coverage , which features posts from its writers alongside news stories. Creator David Rushing created a site called All Net inspired by the NBA fan community on Threads. All Net features Bluesky, Threads and Mastodon posts, alongside clips from NBA podcasters and creators on YouTube. Fans can not just follow along the feeds of these social websites, but can join in the conversation around the posts from disparate platforms in a single space. The social web is really promising and really awesome, but it is kind of complex and it's hard to use, Flipboard CEO Mike McCue tells Engadget. What we're trying to do is actually make it [so] like in 15 minutes you can make one of these communities. Eliminating complexity is definitely something the wider protocol-based social web could benefit from. And the Surf website is refreshingly free of words like protocol and federation. You can see content from Mastodon, Pixelfed (the fediverse version of Instagram), PeerTube (fediverse YouTube) without ever having to log in and figure out how to use those platforms. But there's also a lot of upside for individual publishers and creators, according to McCue. He's had a front-row seat to the years of volatile dynamics between publishers and social media platforms thanks to Flipboard. They are really done with investing in yet another audience on yet another billionaire's platform where the discovery is totally black-boxed, he said. Creators and publishers are looking for some way to basically take social media back, to own their own communities and their own relationships with their audience. Whether this experiment will result in meaningful traffic to publishers is less clear. The rise of Twitter alternatives hasn't always resulted in traffic gains to websites, which are also grappling with increasing pressure from AI search . For now, Flipboard has just ten social websites from publishers, though anyone can now start to tinker with the site and make their own. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/flipboards-social-websites-are-a-new-spin-on-decentralized-social-media-150000323.html?src=rss

Samsung's new Frame Pro and OLED TVs are now available to order

After sharing pricing and availability for its new Mini LED TVs in March, Samsung is ready to detail some of the other TVs it introduced at CES earlier this year. The 2026 versions of Samsung's The Frame Pro and OLED TVs are both available to order today save for some notable exceptions and they start for as little as $1,200. The Frame Pro was originally introduced in 2025 as the more premium version of Samsung's popular The Frame art TVs. The big advantage of stepping up to a Pro model over a normal Frame is you get a Neo QLED panel with better backlighting, and support for Samsung's Wireless One Connect box, which lets you avoid cluttering your TV with extra cables. The 2026 version doesn't really change that formula. You still get a glare-free QLED panel, a refresh rate of up 144Hz or up to 240Hz when the TV is connected to a PC and access to the Wireless One Connect box. The key differences are The Frame Pro now comes in a smaller 55-inch size (joining Samsung's 65-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch models) and one of the TV's Micro HDMI ports supports eARC for improved audio quality with connected sound bars. Samsung's new S95H OLED for features a new design that lets it mount flush against a wall. Samsung Samsung's improvements to its OLED TVs line is a bit more substantial. The company's flagship S95H features what Samsung calls a FloatLayer Design with a metal bezel that lets the TV mount flush against a wall, and the option to use a Wireless One Connect Box to hide cable clutter. Both the S95H and the cheaper S90H feature brighter OLED HDR Pro or OLED HDR+ displays, and Samsung's glare-free treatment to hide reflections. The TVs are also NVIDIA G-Sync compatible and support AMD FreeSync Premium Pro to prevent stuttering and screen tearing when you're playing games, and use Samsung's NQ4 AI Gen 3 Processor to handle 4K upscaling and other AI features. The cheapest OLED option, the S85H, now also comes in a smaller 48-inch size. Most, but not all, of Samsung's 2026 The Frame Pro models are available to purchase from Samsung and other retailers starting today. The 65-inch The Frame Pro is available for $2,000, the 75inch model is $2,800 and the 85-inch model is $4,000. Samsung has yet to share pricing or availability for the 55-inch The Frame Pro, or the 2026 versions of the entry-level The Frame. All the company's 2026 OLED TVs are also available to purchase. A 55-inch S95H is $2,500, the 65-inch model is $3,400, the 77-inch model is $4,500 and the 83-inch model is $6,500. The mid-tier S90H lineup starts at $1,400 for a 42-inch model and goes all the way up to $5,300 for an 83-inch model. Samsung's S85H, meanwhile, starts at $1,200 for a 48-inch model and goes up to $4,500 for an 83-inch model. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-new-frame-pro-and-oled-tvs-are-now-available-to-order-150000440.html?src=rss

Apple Arcade just got two indie gems

Two fantastic indie titles just dropped for Apple Arcade . The platform has received versions of Dredge and Unpacking , both of which have been optimized for mobile devices. Dredge+ is the complete edition of the game, with all released DLC content. This is pretty much a perfect video game that combines fishing with bone-chilling horror. During the day, you sail around and fish, which involves a fishing minigame and a pack the fish in the bag minigame. At night, you are hunted by Lovecraftian monsters that may or may not be real. The developers threw in some tricks to make players doubt their own sanity, just like the Gamecube classic Eternal Darkness . Unpacking+ is the original game , but optimized for touchscreen controls. It's basically a block-fitting puzzle game, in which players arrange items in a home as they, well, unpack. Despite this extremely simple premise, the story is quite moving. There's a reason why it has racked up numerous accolades, including one for Cultural Impact at the 2023 App Store Awards . It's also a fantastic title for short bursts of gameplay. The pet sim My Very Hungry Caterpillar+ also arrives for the platform today. Otherwise, pre-existing titles are getting updates throughout the month. The word-based puzzle game Disney SpellStruck just got more Star Wars content and Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop gets a new game mode on April 9. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/apple-arcade-just-got-two-indie-gems-133056009.html?src=rss

Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro review: The king of party projectors

Every now and then, I test a gadget so wild that I cant believe a company actually made it. Soundcores $5,000 Nebula X1 Pro projector is the embodiment of that: an ultra bright projector and a 400-watt Dolby Atmos 7.1 speaker system combined in a massive enclosure. With a fast and flexible setup, it lets you screen movies or watch sports nearly anywhere. Its not just a projector crammed into a big speaker system, though. Everything is elegantly integrated and setup is nearly automatic, thanks to the clever design and motorization. The weight and price are the biggest strikes against it, but if you can afford it, and love hosting movie nights, the Nebula X1 Pro is one of the coolest devices you can buy. Design Made by Anker sub-brand Soundcore, the Nebula X1 Pro has a professional-looking enclosure housing a Nebula X1 laser projector and five speakers a subwoofer, two front satellites and two rear satellites. With all that crammed in, the projector is big and heavy at 30 inches high and 72 pounds. Fortunately, it has a pair of wheels on the back and a telescoping handle so its easy to roll from room to room or dolly outside. Good luck carrying it up a set of stairs or unloading it from a vehicle by yourself, though. Steve Dent for Engadget Soundcore made the Nebula X1 Pro as outdoor-friendly as possible, with IP43 and IP54 ratings on the body and speakers, respectively, to withstand short periods of rain. If you want to use it away from home, the company sells optional kits with a 200-inch inflatable screen or an Anker Solix C1000 battery that can power it for several hours. The four wireless satellite speakers have seven horizontal and four overhead channels, and the two-speaker subwoofer is inside the main enclosure. The rear speakers pop out of a spring-loaded storage dock with a light press, same for the telescoping speaker legs. The front satellite speaker docking system is even more slick. To release them, you press a button on top and they fold out of the side via a motorized system. You can either leave them there or detach them at the touch of a button. All speakers can be charged externally over USB-C or inside their docks. They have eight hours of battery life, though I found the bigger front ones held a charge for slightly longer than that. The X1 Pro also includes a pair of high-quality Soundcore wireless microphones for DJ-ing or karaoke, tucked under the top panel. Those feature AI vocal removal from songs, one-touch reverb and 40 hours of battery life everything you need for a karaoke party. Theres only a single HDMI 2.1 port at the back (which is odd considering that the Nebula X1 has two) with eARC support for Dolby Atmos sound. It also comes with two USB-C ports for external file playback, charging and a PC connection. Lastly, the power cable is retractable, which is another nice design touch. Features Steve Dent for Engadget I also reviewed the Nebula X1 projector that's inside the X1 Pro, but heres a summary in case you missed it. The projector uses Soundcores proprietary LaserForge 2.0 liquid-cooled, triple-laser engine that beams a bright, color-accurate image with very little fan noise (26 db). It promises high native contrast thanks to the 6-blade dynamic iris and NebulaMaster 2.0 image engine. The 0.9:1 to 1.5:1 optical zoom lens allows for flexible installation and employs 14 high-quality, long-lasting glass elements. The X1 Pro uses the same 0.47-inch DLP chip found in many other projectors (and not the bigger, better 0.67-inch chip coming soon in XGIMIs Titan Noir). The lasers are beamed through a color phosphor wheel twice to achieve excellent 90 percent color and brightness uniformity across the screen. The projectors motorized gimbal tilts 25 degrees upward so you can position it well below the screen. The spatial adaptation feature scans the projection area then beams the final image to precisely fit the screen or wall. It worked nicely for me, though overhead lights or other obstacles can throw it off. The projector can adapt to ambient light and the wall color, and another function called Spatial Recall lets you save all your settings for later. Once I detached them, the speakers paired automatically to the X1 Pro over 5.8Ghz Wi-Fi with no difficulty. I placed them around the room to maximize soundstage, then the Nebula X1 Pros Flexwave tech used a built-in four-mic array to detect their positions and calibrate the audio. I was seated off to the side, so I used the smart sweet spot feature to drag the center point toward my position for optimal sound balance. Google TV is included, offering a large library of streaming apps and an easy-to-use projector control interface via the included remote (tucked into the top so you hopefully wont lose it). You get Netflixs official app with support for 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, plus the X1 Pro has Chromecast support and Google Assistant for voice control. The interface can occasionally be sluggish, though Soundcore has improved its latency since I tested the Nebula X1. Image quality Steve Dent for Engadget Even after testing other high-end projectors including Valerions VisionMaster Max , the Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro is still the brightest and sharpest Ive seen. The companys luminosity claim is accurate; I measured 3,514 ANSI lumens in Standard mode from the center of the screen and 3,310 in the cinematic NebulaMaster mode. It can output a whopping 4,175 lumens in Conference mode, albeit with a heavy blue color cast. That brightness allowed me to comfortably watch content on a sunny day with the shades up. The X1 Pro also offers high dynamic contrast up to 56,000:1, aided by the automatic iris and NebulaMaster image engine, which also keeps the image from washing out in daytime conditions. When used in more ideal dark conditions, the image was bright, sharp and incredibly color accurate. Soundcore claims 110 percent coverage of the challenging BT.2020 HDR color space (with a Delta E less than 0.8), putting the X1 Pro in elite company with a few select models from Samsung, Hisense and a few others. I measured around 94 percent BT.2020 coverage in ISF mode, which falls short of the companys claim but is still impressive. The high color accuracy meant that the TV series and movies I watched like Iron Man 2 , Dune 2, Andor and F1 looked beautifully cinematic. If the colors arent quite to your liking, you can make fine adjustments manually. Like other 4K projectors with a 0.47-inch DLP chip, the X1 has a slight amount of light spill around the edge of the screen, but its only noticeable when the projected image is particularly dark. With HDMI 2.1 the Nebula X1 Pro supports 4K 120 fps sources, but can only display 4K at 60 fps. Because of that, and the relatively high input lag, its not ideal for gaming. Audio Steve Dent for Engadget The 400-watt audio setup is what elevates the Nebula X1 Pro above its rivals. Thanks to their Wi-Fi connectivity, the satellites have a latency of just 25 milliseconds, compared to 150 milliseconds or more for typical Bluetooth speakers. That keeps sound and picture perfectly synced, something that can be a problem with other wireless speaker setups. The X1s two internal subwoofers can pump out sound as low as 38Hz at up to 87 decibels. That allowed for the loud and punchy (but not boomy) bass I love for action movies like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. At the same time, that bass is clear and subtle for less bombastic films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind . To avoid vibrating the projector, the subwoofer is mounted on a suspension system, and I found it didnt affect the picture even during loud scenes. With the four wireless speakers spread around a big room, I got an outstanding soundstage with Dolby Atmos-supported content including Star Wars: A New Hope and The White Lotus: Season 3. The speakers delivered crisp and accurate highs, while the dedicated front voice drivers let me hear even soft dialogue, though midrange sound could occasionally be a bit tinny. It faithfully reproduced tricky film soundtracks like Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and did justice to the industrial metal and symphonic music in The Matrix . Yes, youd get better sound from a dedicated high-end 7.1 Dolby system, but with far more setup hassle and zero portability. Wrap-up Steve Dent for Engadget Soundcores Nebula X1 Pro is a home theater marvel thats so well-designed almost anyone can set it up. By integrating one of the best triple-laser projectors with a 400-watt Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 surround system, and then putting all of that on wheels, you can enjoy an immersive cinema experience nearly anywhere. This Nebula X1 Pro has no true rivals, but competitors with similar projectors (but no sound systems) include the Valerion VisionMaster Max and XGIMI Horizon 20 Max, both triple-laser systems with comparable brightness and color accuracy. Once you add an audio surround system, though, youll be spending the same amount and wont get the X1 Pros convenience and portability. The catch, of course, is the $5,000 price. However, if you have the money and want the ultimate home theater experience thats portable and easy to use, Soundcores beastly Nebula X1 Pro is actually a good deal. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/soundcore-nebula-x1-pro-review-the-king-of-party-projectors-010018484.html?src=rss

The hottest EVs from the 2026 New York Auto Show (plus one brawny concept)

With gas prices rising across the country, consumers are turning to electric vehicles as a way to save money on their commute. And while there werent a ton of all-new EVs on display at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, we did see some notable debuts from automakers including Subaru, Kia, Hyundai and more. So heres a look at some of the most interesting upcoming EV models on display today, including a handful of previously announced vehicles that we havent had a chance to see in person before. Subaru Getaway Sadly, Toyota didn't bring the Highlander EV to the NY Auto Show, so I couldn't make a direct comparison to Subaru's new three-row EV SUV. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Built on the same platform as Toyotas Highlander EV , the Getaway isnt just Subarus first three-row EV SUV, its also its most powerful with up to 420 horsepower. Naturally, the car comes standard with the companys signature Symmetrical all-wheel drive tech while the 95.8kWh battery on the long-range model delivers more than 300 miles. Sadly, with a lackluster expected charging speed of 150kW, the Getaway will need about 30 minutes to bring its battery from 20 to 80 percent. The Getaway is expected to arrive sometime in late 2026, and while Subaru has yet to reveal official pricing, its also planning on releasing a more affordable standard range model with a 77kWh power pack in the first half of 2027. Hyundai Boulder Concept Hyundai's SangYup Lee on stage to show off the new Boulder SUV concept. Sam Rutherford for Engadget 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of Hyundais entrance into the US auto market. To help celebrate the occasion, the company showed off a new concept car called the Boulder . While concrete details are sparse, the prominent grille and body on frame construction strongly suggest that it wont be a full BEV (battery EV). Were looking at a hybrid or range-extended EV at best. That said, the Boulder showcases what Hyundai is calling its Art of Steel design philosophy which looks to emphasize the strength, flexibility and beauty of its metal exterior while looking a lot more approachable than a Tesla Cybertruck. Notably, while theres no guarantee that the Boulder will look this big and brawny if it ever reaches production, Hyundai says this platform will underpin a future midsize pickup slated to arrive sometime in 2030. Kia EV3 After going on sale in Europe in late 2024, the Kia EV3 is finally coming to the US. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The EV3 has been on sale in Europe for about a year and a half, but today at the New York International Auto Show, Kia debuted the new 2027 model of EV3 that will go on sale here in the US sometime before the end of the year. As the smaller sibling to the EV9 , the EV3 features a similar design that combines the chunky body of an SUV with clean, futuristic lines, but in a more compact vehicle similar in size to the Sportage. While Kia hasnt released official pricing, the EV3 is expected to arrive in two main configurations: a standard-range model with a 58.3kWh battery and up to 220 miles of range that could start as low as $35,000, or a more premium long-range variant that promises 320 miles of range. Sadly, its 400-volt architecture means it wont charge quite as quickly as some of Kias more premium EVs. But as a nice bonus, the company says the EV3 will come with vehicle-to-load technology, so you can use the cars battery to power other devices like tools, lights or your home. Genesis GV60 Magma The GV60 Magma is drop dead gorgeous and a more luxurious take on the Ioniq 5. Sam Rutherford for Engadget While it shares the same chassis and platform as Hyundai's Ioniq 5N, the Genesis GV60 Magma looks to deliver a more luxurious take on what an electric hot hatch can be. And it looks damn good, especially with its molten orange paint job. Compared to the regular GV60, the Magma features exclusive 21-inch wheels along with streamlined canards, a much larger rear wing and a redesigned bumper that delivers better airflow. But the best part is that while it might seem like a custom creation designed solely to get attention at car shows, Genesis is actually going to put this thing into production with an expected release some time in mid to late 2026. Polestar 4 Arctic Circle Edition Even away from the frozen north, the Polestar 4 Arctic Circle Edition looks fantastic. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Yellow isnt my favorite color, but between its striking paint job and new cold-weather augments, the Arctic Circle version of the Polestar 4 looks absolutely fantastic. It also features 20-inch wheels from OZ Racing, a bunch of extra exterior lights and a rack for skis. And because the Polestar 4 relies on rear-facing cameras and a display built into its rearview mirror, you can still see out the back without anything getting in the way. Unfortunately, because this is a one-off model built for the F.A.T. International Ice Race, you wont be able to buy one for yourself. Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT The Ioniq 5 XRT is basically a do-everything EV hot hatch. Sam Rutherford for Engadget A year and a half ago when I was in the market for a car, the Ioniq 5 was high on my short list. While I eventually went with a Mach-E, if this XRT edition had been available back then, it might have tipped the scales in Hyundais favor. This model combines the Ioniq 5s signature pixelated good looks with some nice off-road touches to create a well-equipped midsize EV that can handle practically any situation. I especially like the addition of bright orange tow hooks that serve as a nice contrast to the subtle digital camo print on the XRTs front bumper. And while its chunkier tires result in range thats a touch lower than what you get from an equivalent Limited model (259 vs 269 miles), the XRT makes up for that by including Hyundais HTRAC All Wheel Drive system by default without a huge jump in price. Corvette CX Concept The CX Concept is meant to be a peek at what future Corvettes could be. Sam Rutherford for Engadget With the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X already boasting more than 1,200 horsepower, its kind of scary to think what the Corvette CX Concept could bring if it ever reaches production. Described as the vision of the future, the CX is Chevys take on an electrified hypercar while also serving as a template for future Corvettes as a whole. And while its proportions and styling are so extreme that it's hard to believe they will make it onto a consumer vehicle, this thing sure is nice to look at. Rolls Royce Spectre If I had infinite money, the Spectre would definitely be in my dream three-car garage. Sam Rutherford for Engadget For a brand as old and steeped in tradition as Rolls Royce, its easy to forget that the luxury automaker began its transition to the EV era back in 2022. And while the company wasnt officially in attendance at the New York Auto Show, Manhattan Motorcars was nice enough to bring a Spectre to the show floor for plebs like us to gawk at. In many ways, this car is an ideal showcase of the advantages of electrification, as the Spectre offers ample power (up to 650hp for the Black Badge variant) and massive torque, but without all the commotion you get from an internal combustion engine. Despite weighing around 6,500 pounds (making it one of the heaviest passenger cars on the market), it still delivers more than respectable range, with up to 277 miles depending on the specific config. Although, its not like any Spectre owners are actually going to take this thing on a cross-country road trip. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/the-hottest-evs-from-the-2026-new-york-auto-show-plus-one-brawny-concept-120000557.html?src=rss

Apple's controversial Fitness VP Jay Blahnik is retiring

Jay Blahnik, who served as Apples Fitness chief for almost 13 years, has announced that hes retiring this July. According to The New York Times , Blahnik told employees in an email that he was leaving to spend time with his family and make an exciting move to New York City. Blahnik is retiring less than a year after The Times reported on allegations that he was verbally abusive, manipulative and inappropriate towards his employees, creating a toxic workplace environment. Approximately 10 out of the 100 employees under his leadership had reportedly sought extended leaves of absence for mental health concerns since 2022. One employee had sued him and Apple, accusing him of bullying her, and the case will go to trial in 2027. Apple had also allegedly settled a complaint by another employee, accusing him of sexual harassment. The company had conducted an internal investigation after employees reported him, The Times said, and found no evidence of wrongdoing from his side. Employees told the publication that they felt Apple was more concerned with protecting the image of a notable executive than addressing their issues. Blahnik oversaw the companys Fitness+ subscription service during his time with the company. Prior to that, he helped create Apple Watchs fitness features and was also known for creating Apples famous activity rings. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apples-controversial-fitness-vp-jay-blahnik-is-retiring-115232410.html?src=rss

Google's $20 per month AI Pro plan just got a big storage boost

Google's $20 per month AI Pro plan , which includes Gemini, Veo and Nano Banana, got a big storage boost and some other new perks. Users of the plan (also available for $200 per year ) will see their cloud space jump from 2TB to 5TB at no extra cost. That extra storage can be used not only for AI but also Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos backups. Gemini can now pull context from Gmail and the web for Drive, Docs, Slides and Sheets, provide summaries for your Gmail inbox and proofread emails before you send them. It's also introducing additional agentic help with Chrome auto browse that handles those tedious, multi-step chores like planning a trip or filling out forms, Google VP Shimrit Ben-Yair wrote on X . Finally, Google announced that it's bundling its Home Premium subscription into AI Pro, a perk that usually costs $10 per month by itself. The storage and extra features are now available for new and existing subscribers. You may not see the benefits appear in your plan yet but it's definitely not an April Fool's joke, Ben-Yair assured X commenters. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-20-per-month-ai-pro-plan-just-got-a-big-storage-boost-044502621.html?src=rss

The Artemis II mission has started its 10-day journey around the moon

The Artemis II mission successfully launched into space on April 1, at 6:35pm Eastern time, from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day trip around the moon. This mission is the first crewed Artemis flight and will lay the groundwork for future trips to the moon itself, the first flight with a crew onboard the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft system and our first foray into deep space since the Apollo program. A few hours into their journey, and the astronauts could already see majestic views of our planet. However, the astronauts also reported a problem with their wastemanagement system, which is the first real toilet installed on a deep-space mission. The astronauts thankfully have a backup option: Waste collection bags that Apollo crews had used and had previously discarded on the lunar surface. The Orion spacecraft successfully separated from the upper stage of the rocket, and the proximity operations test is underway. The Artemis II astronauts are manually piloting Orion similarly to how they would if they were docking with another spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/RWW4RSyaoq NASA (@NASA) April 2, 2026 By 10:43PM Eastern, the Orion spacecraft carrying the four astronauts successfully separated from the upper stage of the Space Launch System rocket. Glover then started manually piloting the capsule to demonstrate and test how Orion would move and dock with the future lunar landers that will be built by SpaceX and Blue Origin. You can watch the events that happened within the first few hours of the mission below. The crew and their Orion capsule are expected to slash down into the Pacific Ocean on April 10. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/the-artemis-ii-mission-has-started-its-10-day-journey-around-the-moon-033412865.html?src=rss

Mr. Resident Evil signs a deal with Mr. Stellar Blade

Resident Evil legend Shinji Mikami's new studio, Unbound Inc., has been acquired by Shift Up, the company behind Stellar Blade and Goddess of Victory: Nikke . Unbound's unannounced games will be fully supported and distributed by South Korean publisher Shift Up, which is led by CEO Hyung-Tae Kim. Mikami is an icon of Japanese horror as the director of Resident Evil , its 2002 remake and Resident Evil 4 , as well as a founder of PlatinumGames and Tango Gameworks. Tango was responsible for The Evil Within series, Ghostwire Tokyo and Hi-Fi Rush . Shift Up recently developed the hit action game Stellar Blade , with Kim as director. Even with an adorably grotesque introduction video , it's unclear exactly what Unbound is working on at the moment, but the studio is targeting the global PC and console market. Its concepts involve plenty of monsters, as is tradition. Consider even the surface-level possibilities here: The campy horror of Resident Evil blended with the melodramatic beauty of Stellar Blade ; the frenzy of Hi-Fi Rush amped up by the anime stylings of Goddess of Victory: Nikke ; The Evil Within III , but make it sexy. Those are jokes, but the sentiment remains this partnership makes a lot of sense and it'll be exciting to see what shakes out. We believe we can respect each other as creators and make games together, Mikami said in a Shift Up blog post about the deal. And I think with Hyung-Tae, we can even enjoy the hard parts.... Seeing my own vision and ideals come into focus like this, and finding someone whose direction aligns so closely is something Ive rarely experienced before in my career. I hope we keep building together for a long time. It's also heartening to see stability for Mikami's new studio. His previous team, Tango Gameworks, was acquired by Microsoft in 2021, and Mikami left in 2023 after the release of Hi-Fi Rush . Microsoft shuttered Tango in 2024 during a period of mass game industry layoffs , and its remaining team was eventually sold to Krafton. Mikami has been quietly building up his own studio since 2022. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mr-resident-evil-signs-a-deal-with-mr-stellar-blade-180158872.html?src=rss

Whats going on with Donut Lab?

In January, a Finnish-Estonian startup proclaimed it had developed a truly solid state battery, a holy grail for the technology industry. Donut Labs cell wasnt just solid state, however. It claimed it was made from cheap and easily available materials, would charge to full in a few minutes and last for hundreds of years. If real, such a device would change the face of the world, which is why plenty of people dont think it is. And, as the company makes more effort to demonstrate it is telling the truth, the more holes people are finding to poke their fingers into. So, what the hell is going on with Donut Labs battery? After many weeks of research, Im throwing my hands in the air, tired of the endless dog and pony show the company is putting on. Solid state batteries Conventional batteries have improved a lot in the last few decades but remain imperfect in many ways. Cells found in electronics and EVs commonly use liquid or gel polymer as an electrolyte. These electrolytes are the cause of thermal runaway, where the heat of a battery increases exponentially, and can become a primary cause of battery failure and fire. Plus, theyre pretty fussy, requiring a consistent temperature for peak performance and to be treated pretty delicately. Its why the industry has raced to develop a solid state battery that eliminates the liquid or gel polymer. Because of their higher energy density, solid state batteries should be lighter and smaller per watt than conventional batteries. These benefits would be enjoyed widely but are vital for an EV where weight and size dictate so much of how it operates. Solid state batteries are at far less risk of thermal runaway, and should work in a much wider temperature window. Now, we are already seeing plenty of semi-solid batteries coming into the market, with fully-solid cells expected in the near future. Chinese battery giant CATL told BatteriesNews at the end of 2025 that its first small-scale production of solid state batteries is anticipated to begin in 2027. However, those first production runs are likely to be limited rather than global rollouts. Donut Lab Enter Donut Lab. The startup is a subsidiary of Finnish motorcycle maker Verge Motorcycles, famous for its Tron -style hubless (in-wheel) rear-wheel motor . Verge says it has built the worlds most powerful electric motor family, and that it made all the components needed to build an electric vehicle. Verges motors have since been incorporated into Longbow Motors recently announced Speedster EV. At CES 2026, Donut Lab announced it had built the worlds first full all-solid-state battery. It said this wasnt just a prototype, but was ready to power up production vehicles now. In a glossy promotional video, the company said it had solved the issues the whole industry had been working to solve for decades. There was nothing but upside, with none of the trade-offs its competitors had been forced to make while developing their own solid state batteries. And, it was ready to be incorporated into EVs starting today. Verge Motorcycles announced it would add the battery into its TS Pro, with shipments expected to begin Q1 2026. Donut Labs battery The companys extensive list of claims begins by saying the cell has an energy density of 400Wh per kilogram, roughly twice the energy density of the best lithium ion battery on the market. Right now, you should expect to get around 1,000 charge and discharge cycles out of any half-decent battery. Donut Labs is promising its cell will last for a whopping 100,000 cycles, even if youre fast-charging the cell. The company promises users will be able to reach an 80 percent charge from zero in around five minutes, and get to full in under six. Donut said the cell offers a clay-like freedom of design, adapting to the specific needs of a specific product, rather than the other way around. Naturally, pumping all of that power into such a small cell will mean itll need a lot of babying, right? Not according to Donut Lab, which says its battery will operate in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) or as hot as 100 degrees Celsius (212 Fahrenheit). And, to top it off, its made from common, easily-available and cheap materials which are geopolitically safe, rather than from rare-earth minerals sometimes held by rival nations. All of that means the cell will be cheaper to produce than the equivalent lithium ion cell and, best of all, Donut said the battery is ready for scaled production. A battery that promised some of these features would be world-changing; one offering all of them would be world-shattering. It would upend supply chains, shift the global balance of power, potentially eliminate reliance on so-called rare earth minerals and supercharge EV adoption. But Donut Lab offered no proof for its claims, no hint as to what its process was based upon, and no sign it had the manufacturing capacity to deliver on its promises. Naturally, a lot of people just didnt believe what they were seeing and hearing, and called BS. People are suspicious Yang Hongqin, CEO of Chinese battery maker Svolt, was quoted by CarNewsChina as saying any person with even a basic understanding of the technology would think its a scam. Finnish newspaper Iltalehti reported that CATLs venture capital head Ulderico Ulissi described the matter as clearly fake. That comment prompted Donut CEO Marko Lehtimki to respond on LinkedIn, saying that Ulissi would regret the arrogance. Tom Btticher, CEO of battery startup Litona, posted on LinkedIn his belief Donuts technology is actually tied to a company Donut invested in, Nordic Nano. Btticher found a pitch deck, which is no longer available (but is here at the Internet Archive ) which described Nordics energy storage technology as a supercapacitor. Some have pointed out that Lehtimki has a track record of making strong claims about his products. On May 15, 2025, he announced an AI startup, ASILAB, and said in a similarly glossy launch video that his team had created a synthetic counterpart to the human brain. Its first product, ASINOID, Lehtimki said, is a dynamic self-developing organism designed to grow in capability and in consciousness. The company said it would open up access to ASINOID, but Ive been unable to find any evidence that any such access has been granted. ASILAB has not responded to our request for comment. Similarly salty write-ups can be found in ElectronicDesign , MIT Tech Review , Interesting Engineering , InsideEVs and just about every Reddit, YCombinator and Hacker News thread discussing the technology. I Donut Believe.com In response to the minor social media backlash, Donut Labs went on the offensive. It launched the website IDonutBelieve.com promising a weekly drop of so-called evidence to support its claims. In a polished video introduction, Lehtimki said the criticism comes from parties with vested interests, such as competitors. He addressed the above attack lines directly, saying people have been assembling theories from scraps of online data to create an untrue picture. He also denied claims the battery was a supercapacitor. In the same video, Lehtimki said the media has amplified so-called experts from the battery industry, taking their opinions at face value. Naturally, rival researchers who would stand to gain by taking down a potential challenger have a natural desire to rubbish Donuts claims. But because many of them are credentialled experts in the field, their authority was elevated above his own. Crucially, Lehtimki said Donut didnt publish validation tests at the time of announcement as it would have been similarly dismissed by those same biased voices. By holding the proof back, he said it forced Donuts competitors to essentially show their hand, making it easier to refute them. To do so, Donut engaged VTT Finland, a government-owned research organization which offers testing services to third parties. VTT has conducted specific tests on cells supplied by Donut, the results of which the company has released piecemeal over several weeks. Its important to note that VTTs reports don't make any statements which could be seen to support Donuts claims. For instance, it says it was asked to conduct independent charging performance tests on the energy storage devices supplied by the customer, which the customer identified as solid-state battery cells. The tests Donut Lab published a test for five weeks, each one each one designed to show off one key feature of the battery. Test One saw VTT fast charge a cell beyond the limit of a regular battery, after which it still had close to 100% of its charge available for use. In Test Two , VTT charged the cell to full, and then discharged it in high-temperature environments. Once that was done, the cell was charged again at a normal temperature, but researchers noted that the pouch lost vacuum. Donut Lab later said the vacuum loss was caused by the packaging materials not being able to withstand the temperature, rather than an issue with the battery itself. A VTT spokesperson told me during the final stage of manufacturing, all gases are removed from the cell, and the cell is sealed tightly under vacuum conditions. The cell feels firm. If the cell loses its vacuum, it usually becomes slightly soft and swollen. Essentially, if a battery loses its vacuum, it means its started swelling, which is visible in the photos from the report. Swelling is fatal to a traditional lithium ion battery and, potentially, the device its connected to. Test Three purported to disprove the idea that Donut was secretly selling a supercapacitor, so VTT charged the cell to full and let it sit idle for 10 days. At the end of that time, the charge level of the battery appeared to hold steady, with a small drop commonly seen in all batteries. Which appeared to confirm the cell was a battery, rather than a capacitor which may struggle to hold its charge over longer periods of time. Test Four was conducted by Donut Lab itself, taking a prototype of its battery in a Verge motorcycle to a fast charger. The cell had a rated capacity of 18kWh and it was charged from 9 percent to 80 percent around 14.5kWh in 12 minutes. Test Five focused on the cell from Test Two which lost its vacuum, to prove it was not broken. VTTs report says it cycled the broken cell 50 times (up to 90 percent of its full charge) to see what happened. VTTs researchers said it was possible to cycle the cell, but that its capacity began to degrade after the first few, and by the end of the process, it had fallen to nearly half of its original figure. The cell itself had swelled, however, with VTT saying the cell thickness had increased by 17 percent, and the cell pouch was firm. Donut Lab boasted that while a lithium ion battery in this condition would likely explode, its own cell still worked. When contacted, VTT said it did complete an assignment for Donut Lab but declined to make any specific comment on confidential client assignments. On March 31, Verge Motorcycles posted a video claiming the TS Pro Gen 2, the first to carry Donuts solid state battery, was ready to ship. Given March 31 is the last day of Q1, its the latest possible day the company could announce this and say it has honored its promise. The accompanying write-up said the bike will ship with either a standard-range 20kWh battery with a range of 350km (217 miles) or a long-range 33kWh battery that should run for 600km (372 miles). April 1 Then, on April 1, the company posted a video beginning with a fakeout scene of Lehtimki admitting the whole thing had been a scam. One hard cut later, and the clip pivots into a Q&A, with an off-screen interviewer asking why anyone would believe Lehtimki on April Fools Day. He dryly responded that people dont believe him the rest of the time, but that the ambiguity provided by the occasion was a benefit. He would be able to speak more freely with less fear of censure, or so he claimed. Lehtimki said the series of I Donut Believe tests already published were another part of his 3D chess strategy to get battery rivals to show their hand. And that the tests undertaken by VTT were on a first-generation battery while the company was already working on the second . He did concede that the claims around cycle life were based on estimates, and that if they wanted to prove it, they would have needed to start testing a decade or more ago. But he batted away questions about energy density, weight and size, saying you wouldnt ask a woman her age, and you never ask a battery its weight. He added those questions would be answered in future, in more episodes of the I Donut Believe complete multimedia experience. Donut Lab (YouTube) Consequently, the weekly video series will continue until the full details of the first generation battery have been revealed. Lehtimki then teased that this cell would be shipping, and the videos will shift focus to the second-generation cell with far better specs. But producing the I Donut Believe series which, its worth mentioning is a marketing function of the company trying to sell us a new product was costly, and had run over budget, which has led the company to open its own merch store, including $70 t-shirts and $141 hoodies. If youre already facing credible accusations of perpetuating a scam, and your big reveal is to double down on misdirection, its not a good look. Lehtimki ended the video by talking about how much better Donut Labs second-generation battery was, with a staged outtake showing a notepad listing the specs for a third-generation battery with 1,000 Wh/kg energy density, 100C charge speed and durability for a million cycles due to be announced at a future CES. Analysis The release of these tests has seen interested parts of the internet engage in a near-Zapruder level of interrogation. People have pored over every facet of the reports and videos trying to work out what exactly is inside Donut Labs battery. A number of prominent YouTubers have produced deep dives on the matter, each one claiming the cell is real, or not. There are countless Reddit threads where people are picking apart the voltage graphs and claims in the reports. And it seems every week there is a new revelation about what Donuts technology is and where it came from. Plenty of people online are chasing down threads tied to energy technology companies like Holyvolt and CT-Coating, or examining the charge graphs against a nickel manganese cobalt cell . Ill spare you the details (for now). Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti decried the results of the fifth test, saying the cell didnt lose its vacuum. It quoted Finnish battery expert Juho Heiska, who said the company has just used a traditional cell that is sufficiently hardy to withstand this abuse in the short term. Donut Labs (YouTube) Even to a non-expert, theres clearly a gap between what Donut promised and what its tests are showing. For instance, the company said it would be able to fast charge a Verge TS to full in less than 10 minutes. But, in Test Four, it took 12 minutes to get from 9 percent to 80 percent not a bad charging time, but certainly not as swift as the company pledged. That said, if we take the companys claims at face value, then being able to fast charge a battery at that sort of speed with just air cooling is noteworthy. At least, it will be if you can do that regularly, and one or two trips to the charger dont leave you with what Reddit likes to call a Spicy Pillow afterward. Unfortunately, its been difficult to find battery researchers willing to go on the record about Donut Labs. I sought out experts in academia who were not tied to industry backing, and so wouldnt be accused of having a vested interest in the matter. But all of them refused to go on the record. More than one I contacted said they were well aware of the saga, and had plenty of feelings about the matter. But they were unwilling to expose themselves to the potentially intensive social media scrutiny that comes from weighing in. Im Donut skeptical Personally, Ive been suspicious of how Donut Labs has gone about demonstrating its technology. After all, if you were actually confident about your product and its technology, you would surely be able to share basic information about it. Table stakes stuff, like the weight and size of the battery cell you handed over for testing. As ElectronicDesign notes, data like that would help us all see if its energy density claims hold water. Instead, the company has engaged in an ornate kabuki which only serves to further undermine its case. You can go a long way on the back of very little trust, but the grander the promises get and the less eager you are to share evidence, the faster that trust evaporates. And, you know how someone spends a lot of time talking around something, so as to not be caught in a deliberate lie? Donut Labs videos can feel a lot like that, since there are so many things its intentionally not making clear. Rather than taking the chance to offer even a small amount of substantive evidence to support its initial claims, it has instead moved the goalposts. So, rather than talking about the efficacy of its first-generation product, its dangling the second and third in front of us to hopefully distract us. Look, I want to be even-handed, and give the company the fairest shake that I can, and obviously if the cell can deliver on its promises, Ill be overjoyed. But weve all seen scams before, and until Donut Lab starts offering up a lot more data, it hasnt earned anything close to the benefit of the doubt. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/whats-going-on-with-donut-lab-173007121.html?src=rss

The United app adds airport security wait times after lines return to normal

Here's a feature that would've been a lot more useful before this week. Amid recent hours-long airport lines, United is adding security wait times to its app. However, the feature arrives a few days after security lines began returning to normal. Hey, at least it'll be there for the next shutdown. At launch, the feature is only available for United's hub airports. That includes Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Houston, LAX, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles. Passengers traveling through any of those locations will find the feature in the Travel section of the United app. It will display separate wait times for standard security and TSA PreCheck lines. However, timing is everything, and that's where United comes up short. This week, airport security lines finally returned to normal as TSA workers began receiving their first paychecks in over a month. Go figure: That led to better attendance and, therefore, short wait times. Over 60,000 TSA employees had been working without pay since the partial government shutdown began in February. The DHS shutdown continues , but President Trump belatedly ordered the agency on Friday to begin processing back pay for TSA employees. When asked why he hadn't signed the order much earlier, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt cited an existential crisis at airports. (Translation: It contributed to an existential polling crisis for the president.) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-united-app-adds-airport-security-wait-times-after-lines-return-to-normal-164315823.html?src=rss

SpaceX has reportedly filed for the biggest IPO in history

SpaceX has reportedly taken the step many onlookers have long expected: filing paperwork to hold an initial public offering (IPO) on the stock market and become a publicly traded company. Rumors had long pointed toward the IPO taking place by July. The company filed draft IPO registration paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission confidentially, according to Bloomberg . As such, the public wont get a chance to closely scrutinize SpaceXs finances just yet. Taking the confidential approach means SpaceX can obtain feedback from the SEC before making the details public and announcing key factors like the price range and number of shares its planning to sell at the outset. SpaceX is said to have designs on holding the largest IPO in history. Its reportedly looking to raise $75 billion in the offering, which would far exceed the current record held by Saudi Aramco, which pulled in $24 billion in its 2019 IPO. Its expected that SpaceX will seek an IPO valuation of $1.75 trillion. When the Elon Musk-led business swallowed up the Elon Musk-led xAI earlier this year (which means SpaceX is now the parent of X and Grok), the entire company was valued at $1.25 trillion. SpaceX is reportedly planning to use the funds it brings in from its IPO to turbocharge its various ambitions, including its struggling Starship program . The company also has designs on building a base on the moon , going to Mars and putting AI data centers in orbit. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/spacex-has-reportedly-filed-for-the-biggest-ipo-in-history-154547537.html?src=rss

Lucid Motors recalls over 4,000 Gravity SUVs over seat belt defect

Lucid Motors has recalled over 4,000 Gravity SUVs after discovering a problem with seat belts . The company told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that some of the anchors for the second-row seat belts weren't welded properly. This means that there's a chance they won't actually hold passengers during a collision. The company blames the issue on a seat supplier changing its manufacturing process without notice to or approval by Lucid. It says it has reverted to the original design and that newer models aren't impacted by the recall. Vehicles manufactured after February 14, 2026 are good to go. Lucid will have to inspect each and every Gravity SUV affected by the recall and potentially install a new bracket or a whole new seat. Owners will receive instructions to bring their vehicles to service centers. The company hasn't reported any injuries related to the defect, which is good news. 4,000 may not sound like a particularly high number, but this isn't Toyota or Ford. The number accounts for nearly every Gravity SUV manufactured since it launched last year, according to The Tech Buzz . It's been reported that the company sold around 15,800 vehicles in 2025 , but that accounts for every model in the lineup. NEWS: Lucid's CEO says he replaced the company's entire software leadership team following the extremely buggy launch of their Gravity SUV. We're working through this. We will be over the hump by end of January, latest, latest, end of March. https://t.co/D9ARNVwA5Q Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 12, 2026 This isn't the first issue that has popped up regarding Lucid's Gravity SUV. The company had to recall many vehicles due to an issue with the airbags at the tail-end of last year. The model has also been plagued by software issues, though numerous patches seem to have cleared that up . The three-row electric SUV starts at $80,000 . The company has been burning through cash without too much to show for it, according to Autoblog . This would doom other manufacturers, but Lucid has an extremely wealthy benefactor. The majority stakeholder is The Saudi Public Investment Fund, which has invested billions in the company. Lucid's VP of Communications, Nick Twork, says the country stands behind us as a long-term partner. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/lucid-motors-recalls-over-4000-gravity-suvs-over-seat-belt-defect-155321460.html?src=rss

MindsEye will litigate its own launch 'sabotage' controversy in DLC form

MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy remains so convinced that corporate foul play contributed to the disastrous launch of its debut game that its now planning to prove it to its audience via in-game content. In a wide-ranging interview with GamesBeat , BARB CEO and CTO Mark Gerhard said MindsEye will soon receive a multiplayer update, as well as a new mission called Blacklist in which the studio will share some of the evidence of the sabotage with the community. Gerhard didnt elaborate further, beyond revealing that the new mission will also introduce a playable female character, but promised further updates to the game in the coming months. BARB hopes its DLC will inspire the MindsEye community to create their own user-generated content with its Arcadia platform, which was always the long-term plan for the troubled action game. The end state we want to be at is where the community can make their own [content] and can dream up their own creations, and again, without being a studio or needing to program or anything, Gerhard told GamesBeat . They can actually make really fun and compelling experiences for themselves and their friends. Thats our mission. And I think thats going to be more and more evident over the next few months. MindsEye was riddled with bugs and performance issues when it launched last June, resulting in players demanding refunds and the studio hurriedly attempting to patch things up. Layoffs soon followed , with BARB co-CEO Lezlie Benzies reportedly addressing the remaining staff to reassure them of the games future. According to an IGN report, the former president of Rockstar North and GTA producer told employees at the time that saboteurs both external and within the company were to blame for the games nightmarish rollout. In his new interview with GamesBeat , Gerhard took responsibility for the bugs and crashes that led to what he admitted was without doubt, the worst launch in history, but echoed Benzies previous comments about the reputational damage the game suffered. Obviously, we were kind of caught flat-footed on that, he said. We didnt counter the negative narrative. We werent sophisticated enough to have done that. But, were aware. Weve called that out. Some of the negativity has been orchestrated around this, and thankfully, as a result, it stopped. Gerhard said that the studio has collected very strong evidence of the alleged leaks following months of thorough investigations, adding that the case is now in the hands of authorities in the UK and US. BARB recently parted ways with co-publisher IOI Partners (a subsidiary of Hitman developer IO Interactive), and will be solely responsible for publishing responsibilities on MindsEye going forward. As a result, the planned MindsEye and Hitman crossover event is no longer going ahead. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mindseye-will-litigate-its-own-launch-sabotage-controversy-in-dlc-form-152344593.html?src=rss

Claude Code leak suggests Anthropic is working on a 'Proactive' mode for its coding tool

What should have been a routine release has revealed some of the features Anthropic has been working on for Claude Code. As reported by Ars Technica , The Verge and others, after the company released Claude Code's 2.1.88 update on Tuesday, users found it contained a file that exposed the app's source code. Before Anthropic took action to plug the leak, the codebase was uploaded to a public GitHub repository, where it was subsequently copied more than 50,000 times. All told, the entire internet (and Anthropic's competitors) got a chance to examine more than 512,000 lines of code and 2,000 TypeScript files. In the aftermath, some people claim to have found evidence of upcoming features Anthropic is working to develop. Over on X , Alex Finn, the founder of AI startup Creator Buddy, says he found a flag for a feature called Proactive mode that will see Claude Code work even when the user hasn't prompted it to do something. Finn claims he also found evidence of a crypto-based payment system that could potentially allow AI agents to make autonomous payments. In a Reddit post spotted by The Verge , another person found evidence that Anthropic might have been working on a Tamagotchi-like virtual companion that reacts to your coding as a kind of April Fools joke. A Claude Code release included some internal source code. No sensitive customer data or credentials were involved or exposed, an Anthropic spokesperson told Bleepingcomputer . This was a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach. We're rolling out measures to prevent this from happening again. As with any other leak, it's worth remembering plans can and often do change. Just because a company has written the code to support a feature doesn't mean it will eventually ship said feature. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/claude-code-leak-suggests-anthropic-is-working-on-a-proactive-mode-for-its-coding-tool-150107049.html?src=rss

The AI Doc's director was scared shitless by AI, so he made a movie about it

If you're feeling anxious about AI and what it means for the future of humanity, you should watch The AI Doc: Or, How I Became an Apocaloptimist . As I noted in my review , the film aims to deliver some clarity amid all the hype. Now that it's in theaters, we sat down with director Daniel Roher, who won an Oscar for his film Navalny , to dive deeper into his complicated feelings around AI. The entire topic made him nervous, Roher said, so he decided to team up with similarly anxious colleagues to demystify AI using film. He describes the goal of the project to be a sort of first date with AI, a way to hear about its potential benefits from AI boosters, while also taking in the many negatives brought up by critics. Its probably too late to stop AI entirely, but he thinks we can at least try to find ways to limit the worst impulses of the tech industry. I wanted to make this movie because I was scared shitless, that's the crux of it, he said in an interview on the Engadget Podcast. I didn't understand what AI was. I didn't understand why everyone was talking about it and why it seemed to be this thing that came outta the woodwork and all of a sudden, people were talking about it like it was the apocalypse or like it was gonna be the most optimistic, greatest thing ever. Ultimately, Roher arrived at the term apocaloptimist, which balances the contradictory ideas that AI can both seriously harm society, and that we can still shape the future by criticizing or outright rejecting it. It's a worldview. It's choosing not to buy into a binary that's asking us to see this as either apocalypse and the end of the world, or through the rose-colored glasses of unvarnished optimism, which is also sort of a fallacy, he said. On the one hand, he's well aware the major players pushing AI are, at best, flawed. When I mentioned Marc Andreessens recent comments about proudly having no inner thoughts, Roher added,They're just fucking weird. They're just nerds who became billionaires because they were born at the right time and they had the right interests. They're brilliant in their own way and they have abilities, but they don't understand what it is to exist. They dont know what real human beings navigate and go through.They have a very narrow worldview that's callous and cold and calculated. For many, the overnight ubiquity of this largely untested technology and the collective wealth and power of those supporting it means rampant negative externalities are all but guaranteed. But Roher's apocaloptimism (we'll see if the term quite catches on) chafes against cynicism and doomsaying. He points to OpenAIs Sora video generation app, which was heavily criticized as a tool that could lead to more realistic deepfakes, but was unceremoniously killed last week. I think people were [made] uncomfortable by it, and good , Roher said. And, shame on OpenAI for releasing this thing without any thoughtfulness. I guess the low bar of like, at least they had the decency to pull back and retract it, but only after public condemnation. He added, to the cynical people saying we're all fucked, I'm like, no fuck you , we're not. Collective action matters. And notably, the entire goal is to think more deeply about the uses of technology than the people actually creating it. These guys, when you actually sit down with them, they don't have clarity, they can't make you feel better. They don't know themselves. They're just motivated by the unbridled optimism of the greatest profit-making technology in the history of humanity. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-ai-docs-director-was-scared-shitless-by-ai-so-he-made-a-movie-about-it-145747961.html?src=rss

The new Storm Radar app is a treasure trove of data for weather nerds

The horrible winter of 2026 is behind us in New England; now weve moved on to the season where theres a threat of rain basically every day. Given that, the updated Storm Radar app from The Weather Company (owners of the Weather Channel app) caught my eye. There are tons of good weather apps out there, and Im the kind of nerd that likes to try them all, and Storm Radar feels pretty unique to me. The main interface is, as youd expect, your local radar. Tapping on any point of the map calls up a detailed forecast for that exact point, with data coming via The Weather Companys gridded forecast on demand (FOD) system. The default view is precipitation, but there are multiple other layers you can add including temperature, cloud cover, nearby lighting strikes, wind and so forth. There are also overlays for storm cells being tracked; you can tap on those and see things like the direction, speed and range of the storm. In addition to that standard radar view, Storm Radar has just added something called high-res single site radar. As the name suggests, it pulls data specifically from a single weather station in much greater detail than the typical radar map; The Weather Company says the standard view is based on its FOD system which uses a variety of sources, including the companys own APIs. The single-site radar, on the other hand, includes reflectivity data, which measures the amount of energy returned to a radar receiver from precipitation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says reflectivity is he most frequently used product by forecasters to indicate where precipitation and severe weather is occurring. That's a level of specificity I find delightful. Naturally, theres some AI baked into the updated app as well. In my testing, it responds pretty clearly to natural language questions like whats the best time to go for a run.Theres a more conversational element to the AI experience that should be rolling out in the coming weeks, as well. Like the standard Weather Channel app, you can use Storm Radar for free, but its most advanced featuers require a premium subscription. $4 a month or $20 per year unlocks all of Storm Radars features; you can also get a Weather Channel Premium Pro subscription for $5 a month or $30 a year which includes Storm Radar as well as removing ads and providing more detailed data (like hourly forecasts for eight days rather than two). That pricing is about in line with what other weather apps are charging for premium features these days. So if the basic iPhone weather app isnt cutting it, Storm Radar may be worth a look. Its only on iOS for now, but itll eventually come to Android too. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-new-storm-radar-app-is-a-treasure-trove-of-data-for-weather-nerds-133646812.html?src=rss

Kia shows off the 2027 EV3 at the NY Auto Show

A couple of years after its overseas debut , Kias EV3 will finally come to the US. The automaker said at the New York International Auto Show that the 2027 edition of the subcompact electric SUV will arrive stateside later this year. Kia won't announce pricing until closer to its sale date, but it has previously said it would target a starting price of $35,000. The EV3 could be a welcome addition for Americans shopping for a smaller electric SUV. Compact ones that won't break the bank are a relative scarcity in the US, especially after Volvo killed the EX30 . The EV3 is close to a 1:1 match with the Kia Sportage, the automakers best-selling model, in terms of size and target price. Kia's SUV will be available in standard-range (58.3 kWh) and long-range (81.4 kWh) options. The former has an advertised range of 220 miles, while the larger one ups that to 320 miles. The EV3 has a native NACS charging port on the front passenger side. Kia The EV3 uses Kia's 400-volt architecture, so it won't charge as quickly as the EV9 and other 800-volt models . Still, Kia says DC fast charging can power the EV9 from 10 to 80 percent in 29 minutes for the standard model or 31 minutes for the long-range tier. The vehicle includes a native NACS charging port on the front passenger side. Meanwhile, Kia's Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) feature , which can provide power to your home during peak usage hours, will be available as a premium option. As for how much the EV3 will cost, Kia said in 2023 it would target a price range of $35,000 to $50,000. However, the world has changed slightly since then, so we'll have to wait until later this year to confirm. You can learn more on Kias website . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/kia-shows-off-the-2027-ev3-at-the-ny-auto-show-132500658.html?src=rss

Robosen Soundwave review: A childhood dream made real

There's just something magical about a robot that can convert into a car, tank or plane. It seems that Hollywood agrees as there are several major franchises based around that concept. As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Transformers hold a special place in my heart, despite Michael Bay's best efforts at tarnishing its legacy. I spent countless hours as a kid playing with Hasbro and Takara's plastic figures, but there was one type of toy I always wanted but never got: a robot that could transform on its own just like the ones I watched on TV. That changed a few years ago when Robosen launched its line of officially licensed auto-converting models, and from what I've seen, its latest release featuring Soundwave might be its best yet. Design: More than meets the eye As a follow-up to previous bots featuring Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Grimlock and others, Soundwave was a superior choice, and Robosen has done a more than respectable job of bringing him to life. Not only can he spit out classic lines performed by original voice actor Frank Welker , both his robot and alt modes are a vision straight out of the first-generation (G1) cartoon. Everywhere you look, there are a ton of lovingly crafted details like the working eject button for the cassette slot and all sorts of lights. Robosen's head sculpt is spot on, and it even includes additional LEDs for his eyes and shoulder cannon. Granted, there is a bit of kibble (aka what fans call out of place parts leftover from transformation), like hands that don't properly fold away when Soundwave turns into a boombox, but that's really nitpicking. Between his incredibly accurate design, vocoder-powered vocals and an imposing stature that stands at around 14 inches tall, there's no way you can call this rendition of Soundwave uncharismatic . A simply superior head sculpt. Sam Rutherford for Engadget However, the real magic happens when you turn him on (there's a little button on his back) and say Hey, Soundwave. From here, you can use more than 50 different voice commands to boss him around like you're the leader of the Decepticons . This includes asking him to say iconic lines, respond to an Autobot attack or just wishing someone a happy birthday. Naturally, the most impressive request is asking him to transform, at which point 28 high-precision servo motors and multiple motion sensors coordinate. This allows Soundwave to convert from boombox mode to robot and back again, complete with the required sound effects. Even as a jaded adult, there's still something incredibly enchanting about watching a Transformer actually transform on its own. But that pales in comparison to the one-of-a-kind reaction my four-year-old son gave me when I repeated the process for him. There was a joy in his face I'm not sure a grown-up can truly express, as he gets to experience this without knowing this bot costs a cool $1,400. Robosen's free mobile app features a D-pad so you can easily tell the robot where to walk. Sam Rutherford for Engadget While testing Soundwave's various commands, I did notice that his voice recognition can be somewhat hit or miss. I found that even a little background noise can cause issues. To be consistently heard, you have to speak louder than you think you should. The real key is being very deliberate with a sharp Hi or Hey to activate Soundwave's wake phrase properly. Alternatively, if you prefer not to yell at your robots, there's also a free companion app that allows you to send commands by simply pressing a button, which was super easy to set up and quickly became my preferred control scheme. Here is Robosen's version of Soundwave (right) compared to the Studio Series 86 figure (left). Sam Rutherford for Engadget In addition to making it easier to get Soundwave to walk around (it's much more fun to use a virtual D-pad than yell Walk forward all the time), the app also provides a more straightforward way of discovering what he can do while reducing the ambiguity of voice commands. There are handy buttons for all his voice lines and poses, plus theres a toolkit for creating some of your own. You can also download more from the app, though there weren't any for me to test out because Soundwave wasn't officially out yet at the time of writing. There's even a Mini Theatre mode that allows the bot to perform short skits, and if you're lucky enough to own some of Robosen's other Transformers toys, like Megatron, some of these scenes can even be performed in tandem. I don't think any Autobots have a chance against a Soundwave this big. Sam Rutherford for Engadget One awkward thing about Roboen's more sophisticated approach to toy robots is that Soundwave loses some of his structural integrity when his motors are off. For example, when you power him down in robot mode, he bends over backwards and gets stuck halfway between his humanoid and boombox forms. I assume this is to prevent him from falling over, which is a good thing; it just looks kind of weird. On the flip side, if you pick him up while in stereo mode, his limbs tend to droop. However, perhaps the biggest downside to Soundwave is one inherent to his design. Because his alt mode is a boombox instead of a vehicle like Optimus, Bumblebee and others, he can't pull double duty as a remote control car. But what Soundwave lacks in mobility, he makes up for with his signature acoustic skills. Audio: Not just a bot, he's a real boombox too From the front, Soundwave's boombox alt mode looks damn near perfect. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Soundwave turning into a boombox that can't play music just wouldn't make sense. Thankfully, that's not an issue as this bot's buttons aren't just for show. Hitting Play lets you listen to original tracks from the G1 cartoon, complete with the ability to pause or skip to the next track. You can also hold the record button to save a personal message for later, though I found this feature has a bit of a learning curve as Soundwave tends to cut out one or two seconds from the beginning and end of a clip. Inside the app, there's also a big list for all of Soundwave's voice lines and poses. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Most importantly, if you want Soundwave to play other tunes, you can pair it with your phone or pretty much any other mobile device and use him just like a typical Bluetooth speaker. Now it probably won't be a surprise when I say that Soundwave's audio quality is mediocre at best. With all the various sensors, motors and moving parts, there probably isn't a ton of room for fancy drivers, so things sound tinny and flat. But in a way, that's kind of endearing because the vast majority of portable speakers back in the 80s didn't sound great either. The one thing I wish Robosen had included was a proper cassette player to really capitalize on Soundwave's classic audio capabilities. That said, even though I still have stacks of CDs and DVDs in my house, I don't have any tapes ( despite their resurgence ), so I get why that feature didn't make it. Battery life It may not be period accurate, but the addition of a USB-C port around back for power is a really nice touch. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Soundwave comes with a built-in 1,650mAh battery which takes about 120 minutes to charge from dead to full while offering a standby time of around 60 minutes. During my testing, I found you can get a solid 20 to 30 minutes of playtime out of him, which felt like plenty. Of course,that depends a ton on how much moving around you tell him to do. And while it certainly isn't period authentic, I really appreciate the inclusion of a USB-C port for charging. Wrap-up The funny thing about Robosen's Soundwave is that a toy like this would have been priceless to me as a child. But now that I'm older and I have to attach a value that goes beyond its basic price, things are a lot trickier. I love Robosen's attention to detail. The figure looks incredible and getting voice lines from the original actor shows there's more than meets the eye to the robots design. But most importantly, seeing Soundwave transform on his own and stomp around like he does in the show will never get old. As you'd expect from a toy this expensive, Robosen's packaging is excellent. Sam Rutherford for Engadget On the other hand, $1,400 can buy the whole family a nice three-day vacation or more than two dozen regular Transformers toys. That kind of math makes it difficult to add this Cybertronian to the household register. But for anyone who has a budget similar to a Michael Bay movie, this take on Soundwave really does feel like a dream come true. Aside from some of Robosen's other products, this robot is certainly made of sterner stuff . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/robosen-soundwave-review-a-childhood-dream-made-real-120000804.html?src=rss

An immersive 'Black Mirror Experience' is launching in Montreal

Banijay is launching the Black Mirror Experience , starting with Montreal in May with additional locations to be announced in the future. Specifically, it will be produced by Banijay Live Studio, the new subsidiary of the production company that owns Black Mirror, in partnership with VR firm Univrse. The studio describes it as an interactive virtual reality experience that blends physical space and VR designed to blur the lines of fiction and reality in which you become the main character. While it is based on the hit TV show, you apparently dont need any prior knowledge of the series to be able to enjoy it. The experience, which will span 60 minutes, can accommodate one person and groups of up to six people. Players 12-years-old and above are welcome to participate. It puts the players in the showroom of a fictional tech giant called Phaethon thats unveiling the LifeAgent, a robotic AI companion thats supposed to make their owners life easier. LifeAgent does a full-body scan of its owner so it would know their needs before they do. But in true Black Mirror fashion, once it sees through [their] eyes, it knows exactly how to help whether [they] asked it to or not. You can take part in the event at Infinity Experiences in Montreal, where youll be able to play it in French, English and Spanish. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/an-immersive-black-mirror-experience-is-launching-in-montreal-115915992.html?src=rss

What to expect from WWDC 2026

WWDC 2026 , the latest version of Apple's yearly developer conference, runs from June 8-12, and by all appearances the company has some important updates to outline. In comparison to Liquid Glass , the design material Apple introduced last year and now uses across all its operating systems, the new features the company is rumored to announce might not be aesthetic, but they could make just as big of a splash. Namely because Apple might finally be ready to show off its second stab at an overhauled version of Siri. If you're curious to see the company's new plans for yourself, you can watch Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote live on its website , YouTube channel or the Apple Developer Bilibili channel in China. Apple will also host its Platforms State of the Union stream and individual developer workshops on its developer website if you want to learn even more details about the software updates the company will release later this year. Luckily, we do have some sense of what Apple has in store, and it looks like stability improvements and AI are the company's big focuses for the updates coming to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS and tvOS this fall. A Snow Leopard-esque approach to stability and performance Apple released Mac OS X Snow Leopard in 2009, primarily as a way to clean up the performance and refine the new features the company released with Mac OS X Leopard two years prior. The decision to essentially take a year off to focus on making everything about the company's desktop operating system feel better was well-received, and Apple is apparently planning to have iOS 27 serve a similar role . Bloomberg reports that Apple's upcoming update will be focused on improving the softwares quality and underlying performance and that the company's engineering teams are now combing through Apple's operating systems, hunting for bloat to cut, bugs to eliminate and any opportunity to meaningfully boost performance and overall quality. Those fixes will presumably extend to the company's other operating systems, too. Some of this effort may also be focused on cleaning up the visual changes introduced in Apple's big switch to Liquid Glass. The design overhaul has been controversial among the company's diehard fans, and Apple has already introduced tweaks in updates that arrived after the release of iOS 26 to make Liquid Glass interfaces more legible. Bloomberg reports the company could go a step further in its next updates and add a system-wide slider that will allow users to adjust the intensity of Liquid Glass (visual effects like translucency and reflectivity) they want in the interface. The chatbot-ification of Siri While stability and performance improvements will be a major focus of this year's updates, Apple is also rumored to be making some major changes to Siri. When the company first introduced Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024, it promised to launch an updated version of the voice assistant that could use your personal context (like the information securely stored on your iPhone) to act across apps. Apple delayed those features in March 2025 and then announced a partnership with Google in January 2026 to use Gemini models to presumably make them possible. Those features might finally arrive in this year's updates, but Apple is reportedly also changing how users interact with Siri by making the assistant more like a chatbot, according to Bloomberg . This would make the assistant more interactive and natural to speak to, and could open up other possibilities, like letting users direct Siri to perform two actions at the same time . Developers will reportedly also be able to integrate their own AI assistants with Siri , much like OpenAI has with ChatGPT. New places to talk to AI The chatbot version of Siri will be accessible in the usual ways, but also reportedly through a standalone Siri app . The new app will let users prompt the assistant to take care of tasks on their device, search the web and even access news, not unlike current Gemini and ChatGPT apps. Bloomberg writes that the app will also be a way to review past conversations with Siri and receive suggestions of prompts to try with the new chatbot version of the assistant. Users will also be able to interact with Siri inside Apple's other apps via a new feature called Ask Siri. This may appear as an option in app menus, and allow you to ask the AI assistant questions about content in the app. It's not clear if this will be as in-depth or capable as Google's Ask Maps or Ask Photos features, but it at least seems like Apple's thinking along the same lines as its partner. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/what-to-expect-from-wwdc-2026-110000086.html?src=rss

Slack's upgraded AI can analyze how you work

Salesforce has unveiled the newest version of Slack, which comes with a whole host of new AI features to add to its ever-growing catalog. Naturally, many of these tools are embedded into Slackbot, which the company had already pledged to turn into a personalized AI companion. The new features include the stuff youd expect, such as transcription, note taking and deep research, as well as integrations with the rest of the Salesforce family. But itll also get reusable skills, which sound a lot like automations, where a team can define a task from start to finish, and then the bot will run it whenever its called for. In fact, theres a big focus on sharing and co-developing tools within organizations, so if you find a prompt that actually gets useful data out of Slackbot, you can share that with your team. And Slackbot will now analyze how you work as it attempts to discern your preferences, workflows and shortcuts. Which, if you read it in one way, sounds as if its actively looking to work out how to do your job so it can just replace you. Of course, that probably wont happen, right? Right? Salesforce is also using these new Slack tools as a way to gently upsell small businesses toward its bigger products. New Slackbot is equipped with native customer management, reading your channels, learning what goes on, and keeping your deals, contacts and call notes up to date automatically. In its release, it even says that growing firms can start simple inside Slack, scale up to Salesforce when ready. Similarly, every Salesforce customer will now be getting Slack bundled in, to help ensure all of your relationships and work remain in the same place under Slackbots helpful eye. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/slacks-upgraded-ai-can-analyze-how-you-work-103007261.html?src=rss

Watch the first crewed Artemis mission take flight

Artemis II, the first crewed mission under the Artemis program , is scheduled to launch today, April 1. NASA is opening a two-hour window for its lift off, starting at 6:24 PM Eastern time, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The agency said the forecast for launch day shows an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions and that, on March 31, its engineers had finished critical health checks on the Space Launch System rocket that the mission will use. On the evening of March 31, the engineers shifted the launch system into its final configuration. In the early hours of April 1, they will activate the ground launch sequencer. You can start watching Artemis IIs launch event at 7:45AM ET when the Artemis team will load propellant into the SLS rocket. Full launch coverage begins at 12:50 PM ET on NASA+, Amazon Prime or the YouTube video embedded below. The Artemis II mission will take NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day trip around the moon. It will be NASAs first flight with a crew onboard the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft system, and it will be humanitys first foray into deep space since the Apollo program. During their 10-day mission, the astronauts will observe how journeys beyond Earths orbit affect human health. Artemis II was supposed to launch in February, but the attempt had failed due to a hydrogen leak . Another attempt in March was delayed yet again due a helium issue . If the launch doesnt take place today as planned, NASAs next launch opportunity is on April 6. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/watch-the-first-crewed-artemis-mission-take-flight-092800981.html?src=rss

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Dinosaur Polo Club has released a new co-op game and it's free

Two pieces of good gaming news today. First: Dinosaur Polo Club has shadow dropped a brand new game today. Second, it's available for free on both PC and Mac from Itch.io. The project is called Read the F*cking Manual , or RTFM , and it is a co-op game based on working in tech support. Dinosaur Polo Club is known for previous games Mini Metro and Mini Motorways . Both are stellar examples of simple, elegant game design, and a small group within the company took this game jam concept from passion project to a fully fledged release. Per the description, Players must work together or not in this atmospheric game of trust and communication. The premise is that one player, the Troubleshooter, has the manual for the console, while the other player, the Terminal Operator, has to describe what's on their screen, which stays out of the Troubleshooter's sight. The workplace setting seems particularly apropos, because this is the sort of team-building activity you might do on the job that could be really fun or downright torturous depending on how much you like your colleagues. And the whole experience seems to dance around the horror genre, because there seem to be different endings depending on how much each person stretches the truth about what's really happening. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dinosaur-polo-club-has-released-a-new-co-op-game-and-its-free-214638400.html?src=rss

The Backrooms trailer combines creepypasta dread and A24 prestige horror

Against all odds, A24s adaptation of The Backrooms actually looks like a proper elevated horror movie. Hell, its even got Oscar winner Chiwetel Ejiofor ( 12 Years a Slave, Serenity ) and Cannes favorite Renate Reinsve ( Sentimental Value ) onboard. Judging from the films fist trailer, which combines The Backrooms creepypasta-born dread around liminal spaces, and A24s slick horror aesthetic, you couldnt tell that its director cant even legally drink in the US yet. Yes folks, Kane Parsons is just 20. Parsons, AKA Kane Pixels, made a splash four years ago with his original Backrooms shorts , the first of which has amassed over 73 million views on YouTube. Those were relatively simple episodes created in Blender, but they did an admirable job of feeling genuinely creepy. Parsons has also dabbled in live action horror shorts with his series The Oldest Room . While Parsons certainly has a ton of internet clout behind him, he also has a strong eye for slow-burn horror. This trailer alone is making me feel uneasy about heading into my dimly lit basement office. He also wont be the first internet creator to reach cinemas this year. Markipliers adaptation of the indie game Iron Lung was particularly notable, since he funded both the production and theatrical distribution on his own. The Backrooms joins Genki Kawamuras adaptation of the game Exit 8 as another new horror film about spooky liminal spaces. Itll be interesting to see how the two compare. The former started as 4chan stories and images around eerily empty buildings, while the latter was a game where you slowly walked through a repetitive Tokyo subway. Theres more room for Parsons to turn The Backrooms into a narrative of his own, whereas Exit 8 is somewhat restricted by the original game. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-backrooms-trailer-combines-creepypasta-dread-and-a24-prestige-horror-213602238.html?src=rss

Tesla's robotaxis are reportedly remotely driven by humans, sometimes

In a letter shared with Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tesla admitted that its robotaxis are sometimes driven remotely by human operators, Wired reports . Competing self-driving car companies sometimes rely on human operators to tell robotaxi software how to get itself unstuck, but letting operators actually drive those cars remotely is more unusual. As a redundancy measure in rare cases [remote assistance operators] are authorized to temporarily assume direct vehicle control as the final escalation maneuver after all other available intervention actions have been exhausted, Karen Steakley, Teslas director of public policy and business development, shared in a letter to Markey. In those situations, operators are reportedly able to take over Tesla's robotaxis when they're moving at speeds around 2mph or less, and then drive the car at up to 10mph if software permits it. Engadget has contacted Tesla to confirm the details shared in Steakley's letter. We'll update the article if we hear back. As Wired notes, that's a bit different than how other self-driving car companies handle human intervention. For example, Waymo's Driver software can call on human help Waymo calls them fleet response to offer context and answer questions to help it navigate complicated driving situations. The company claims these workers never drive the robotaxi themselves, but they are able to see the car's environment through its sensors to help it get unstuck. Self-driving car companies typically avoid remote operation, Wired writes, because technical limitations like latency and the limited perspective of a robotaxis sensors can make it hard to drive them easily and safely. Tesla's approach to self-driving has always cut against the grain, though. Whereas competitors continue to rely on a mix of radar and other sensors to navigate, Tesla has exclusively focused on using cameras for its Full Self Driving (FSD) system. The company has also had to deal with a number of high-profile crashes related to FSD, which prompted a probe by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in October 2025. The company launched its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas in June 2025, in a limited capacity and with human safety drivers sitting in the driver's seat in case of emergency. Tesla is also reportedly testing rides without safety drivers in the same area, which might be why it has contingencies for remote operators to step in. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/teslas-robotaxis-are-reportedly-remotely-driven-by-humans-sometimes-200639550.html?src=rss

TikTok adds in-app Cameo integration for creators

TikTok and Cameo are teaming up to make it easier for TikTok users to request personalized videos. The two companies announced a new integration that makes Cameo accessible directly from TikTok for creators and fans. With the update, TikTok creators can add Cameo links directly to their videos and viewers can request a personalized clip without leaving the TikTok app. Creators who aren't currently on Cameo can also sign up for the service without having to onboard through Cameo. Up to now, Cameo has been known for its personalized videos from celebrities, but TikTok stars are among the fastest-growing talent segments on the app, according to the company. The new integration should make it easier for those creators to reach fans and promote their presence on Cameo. It's not surprising that Cameo would see TikTok creators as a potentially large untapped audience for its service. It's not as clear what TikTok is getting out of the arrangement. The company could have created its own Cameo-style feature for personalized shoutouts. The app already has several features that allow fans to interact with creators, including by sending virtual gifts in livestreams. Cameo didn't immediately respond to questions about whether TikTok gets a cut of the transactions made via its app or if there are differences in pricing structure between the two apps. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-adds-in-app-cameo-integration-for-creators-195411895.html?src=rss

A Palworld horror-themed dating sim spinoff is on the way

Palworld developer Pocketpair just announced a bizarre spinoff called Palworld: More Than Just Pals. This looks to be a dating sim with horror elements in which you can romance the various Pals from the original game. The gameplay description suggests it's set at a mysterious school, and players can not only fall in love with these creatures, but also dismantle and eat them. The original game already let you eat Pals, but the ability to romance the gun-toting animals is new. Love is in the air! A special announcement video about Palworld! ~More Than Just Pals~ An unbelievable reveal that will shock Pal Tamers around the world! Wishlist today! (This is NOT an #AprilFoolsDay ) pic.twitter.com/NALIhnuQdO Palworld (@Palworld_EN) March 31, 2026 We don't know too much about the specifics of gameplay, though there is a trailer. Developer Pocketpair insists this is not an April Fool's Day joke, despite today's date. There's an active Steam page complete with system requirements, for whatever that's worth. We don't have a release date or price for this one just yet. This isn't the first Palworld spinoff. The company recently announced Palworld: Palfarm , which is a farming sim where players can punish Pals that aren't working hard enough. There's no release date for that one yet either . The original Palworld has proven to be a huge hit . It's a cheeky and violent take on Pokmon that has attracted plenty of negative attention from Nintendo . There's no way to date or eat Pokmon in any of Nintendo's games, though Pokopia lets players move in with the creatures and sleep next to them. Many people are particularly fond of turning Machoke into a house husband , who is basically just a big and buff man. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-palworld-horror-themed-dating-sim-spinoff-is-on-the-way-185429664.html?src=rss

Iran threatens imminent attacks on US tech companies in the Middle East

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of Iran's armed forces, has threatened to target US tech companies' operations in the Middle East. It told employees of 18 companies including Apple, Google, Meta and NVIDIA to leave their workplaces immediately to save their lives, as CBS News reported . Those living close to the companies' facilities in the region were instructed to evacuate immediately as well.Microsoft, Oracle, Tesla, HP, Intel, Palantir, Boeing, Dell, Cisco and IBM are also among the companies that the IRGC named . Since the main element in designing and tracking terror targets are American [information and communications technology] and AI companies, in response to this terrorist operation, from now on the main institutions effective in terrorist operations will be our legitimate targets, the IRGC said in a statement. The military force warned it will start targeting the companies on Wednesday evening if more Iranian leaders are killed. Iran previously pledged to attack companies and banks tied to the US and Israel, though the warning it issued on Tuesday had a specific deadline. Earlier this month, Iranian drones struck Amazon data centers in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, disrupting Amazon Web Services operations in the region. The US reportedly used Anthropic's AI in its initial airstrikes against Iran at the onset of the war in late February. Israel has been using a new AI platform of its own to help it track the movements of Iranian officials. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/iran-threatens-imminent-attacks-on-us-tech-companies-in-the-middle-east-184841155.html?src=rss

Google's 'Performance Advisor' Steph Curry teases probable new wearable

Basketball player Stephen Curry has long collaborated with Google, and last year took on the role of Performance Advisor at the company as part of a multi-year partnership. It appears the first product of this union is coming soon, based on a video posted to Currys Instagram account. The 15-second clip shows shots of Curry playing with a basketball, and a gray-and-orange band sits conspicuously on his left wrist. Interspersed are the words A new relationship with your health coming soon, and the video ends on the Google logo. We reached out to Google for comment and details, and the company said Our Performance Advisor has been working with the team to cook up something special . More to share soon. View this post on Instagram In a voiceover in the video, Curry says, Im excited for what this is going to mean for the world, for health, for wellness. Its the first of its kind in a way. I wont spoil it you kind of have to see it for yourself. Based on what we see in footage, the band seems to resemble a Whoop wearable , although a screen or any module is never shown. Its unclear how Googles product would be different, although it wouldnt be a stretch to guess that AI might feature somehow. Whoop was started in 2012 , and announced today that it had raised $575 million with a valuation of $10 billion. Whoops investors include athletes like LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, among other celebrities. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/googles-performance-advisor-steph-curry-teases-probable-new-wearable-183612209.html?src=rss

The UK's antitrust regulator is looking into Microsoft's possible monopoly power

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is once more turning its lens on Microsoft. The tech company will be the focus of an investigation by the regulator to see if it can be assigned strategic market status (SMS). The CMA already has a major concern with Microsoft's alleged limiting of competition in the cloud space via productivity software like Word and Excel, chat app Teams, AI companion Copilot and even Windows itself. The SMS designation would allow the CMA to act against the company. The investigation will begin in May. In addition, the UK regulator is also following up on an inquiry into Microsoft and Amazon from 2025, where it sought to exert more control over the domestic cloud services market. As a result of that action, the CMA said Amazon and Microsoft have agreed to a plan involving egress fees and interoperability around cloud services. These changes will reduce expense and effort for UK customers when using more than one cloud provider, the CMA bulletin states. The CMA has frequently had Microsoft in its sights. The company sparked an investigation in 2023 for its relationship with OpenAI and in 2024 for its actions hiring staff from Inflection AI . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-uks-antitrust-regulator-is-looking-into-microsofts-possible-monopoly-power-182221704.html?src=rss

Meta will substantially reduce describing Instagram teen accounts as PG-13

Meta has agreed to substantially reduce its use of the PG-13 ratings system in relation to its Teen Accounts on Instagram starting April 15. Last year, the Motion Picture Association objected to Meta directly referencing its movie content rating, which cautions parents against letting their pre-teens engage with certain media. In a cease-and-desist letter seen by The Wall Street Journal at the time, the MPA said that Meta claiming its teen accounts were comparable to PG-13 ratings was literally false and highly misleading. The MPA argued that its guidelines for the established movie-ratings system and Metas own explanation of the revamped accounts for minors did not align, and that drawing a link could have a detrimental effect on the MPAs public image by association. It also said that Metas system seemingly relies heavily on AI to determine what younger users see on the social media platform. When introducing the changes in 2025, Meta said that the risk of seeing suggestive content or hearing certain language in a movie rated 13+ was a good way of framing something similar happening on an Instagram teen account. It added that it was doing all it could to keep such instances to a minimum. Meta has now updated that initial blog post about the changes after coming to an agreement with the MPA, adding a lengthy disclaimer that reads, in part, here are lots of differences between social media and movies. We didnt work with the MPA when updating our content settings, theyre not rating any content on Instagram, and theyre not endorsing or approving our content settings in any way. Meta goes on to explain that it drew inspiration from the MPA guidance given its familiarity with parents, as well as feedback it had received from parents, and will continue to do so. The difference is that it wont make the connection so explicitly in its communications going forward. Todays agreement clearly distinguishes the MPAs film ratings from Instagrams Teen Account content moderation tools, said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPA. While we welcome efforts to protect kids from content that may not be appropriate for them, this agreement helps ensure that parents do not conflate the two systems which operate in very different contexts. The MPA is proud of the trust we have built with parents for nearly sixty years with our film rating system, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect that trust. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-substantially-reduce-describing-instagram-teen-accounts-as-pg-13-175912683.html?src=rss

The Super Mario Bros. cartoon is back, but looks really weird thanks to AI

Adults of a certain age will no doubt remember The Super Mario Bros. Super Show , a cartoon from 1989 that starred our favorite sibling plumbers decades before they would take over multiplexes with an animated film franchise . The broadcast channel MeTV Toons has begun airing old episodes of the show , likely to trade on the buzz emanating from the pending theatrical release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie . There's just one problem. The episodes seem to have been sloppified by AI, according to a report by Kotaku . The Super Mario Super Show has started airing on MEtv using some kind of AI upscaling ,and the results are as good as you'd expect pic.twitter.com/WrdFbOe2iW Super Mario Wiki (@SMWikiOfficial) March 31, 2026 The original series wasn't exactly a visual delight. It was a cash grab cartoon from the 1980s. However, it looks even worse now. MeTV seems to have run the footage through a bargain bin AI upscaler and the results are, in a word, weird. Everything looks smoothed over in an off-putting way, with some characters looking markedly different from the original footage. Many of the episodes are available on YouTube , so it's easy to do your own comparisons. The AI also seems to have changed the title card to The Suele Mario Bros. Super Show. These AI tools have never been great with visual representations of written text, but you'd think someone at the station would have given things a look over. Engadget has reached out to MeTV to ask what happened and we'll update this post when we find out. For the uninitiated, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show ran for just a single season. But this was 1989, so a full 65 episodes aired throughout the year. Seasons didn't mess around back then. It was famous for its live-action segments that starred professional wrestler Captain Lou Albano as Mario. It also turned into a Legend of Zelda cartoon every Friday. There's where the famous well, excuse me princess meme comes from. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-super-mario-bros-cartoon-is-back-but-looks-really-weird-thanks-to-ai-171536332.html?src=rss

Rec Room, a Roblox-style VR game, is shutting down

The Roblox -like VR title Rec Room is shutting down after operating for a decade. The free-to-play social game is closing its doors because the developers never quite figured out how to make it profitable, despite attracting 150 million players. We spent a long time trying to find a way to make the numbers work, the team wrote in a blog post. But with the recent shift in the VR market, along with broader headwinds in gaming, the path to profitability has gotten tough enough that weve made the difficult decision to shut things down. The shut down officially happens on June 1, but the platform is already making serious changes. Starting today, users will no longer be able to make friends, create new accounts or subscribe to the premium service. However, many features locked behind that subscription paywall will be free from now until June. The devs are also allowing users to download some of the assets connected to rooms they created. This could, in theory, let them port their creations to other platforms in the future. Snapchat owner Snap has already bought up a bunch of Rec Room's assets and some employees will join the social media company, according to a report by GeekWire . Rec Room first appeared all the way back in 2016, years before the standalone Meta Quest entered the VR scene. It was a massive hit on the PSVR platform before being ported to other hardware. There's even a traditional version of the game available for non-VR platforms. Just like Roblox , it lets folks design their own spaces to hang out in. VR is in a tough spot right now. Meta was an industry leader, but the company has been laying off hundreds of people from its Reality Labs division . This is the team that makes VR/AR hardware and software. It's been reported that, instead, the company has been funneling more money into ongoing AI efforts . Sony's PSVR2 was also not a gigantic hit . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/rec-room-a-roblox-style-vr-game-is-shutting-down-154350384.html?src=rss

Delta picks Amazon Leo for in-flight Wi-Fi starting in 2028

In-flight Wi-Fi on Delta flights will be provided by Amazon Leo beginning in 2028, the two companies have announced. In a blow to Elon Musks Starlink , Amazons deal with Delta will see its satellite internet service installed on 500 Delta aircraft initially, each equipped with its own Leo antenna. Amazon promises low-latency Wi-Fi with download speeds up to 1Gbps and upload speeds up to 400Mbps, allowing passengers to stream movies and TV shows, play games and work as if they were on the ground. If youre a Delta SkyMiles member youll be able to use Leo-powered Wi-Fi for free when traveling to any of the more than 300 locations Delta flies to. Amazon currently has around 200 satellites in low Earth orbit, and plans to aggressively accelerate production this year. Delta already uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) for its reservation systems and applications, 600 of which have been migrated to the cloud since 2020. Amazon rebranded its satellite network to Amazon Leo (an acronym for low Earth orbit) last year, as it looks to take the battle for in-flight Wi-Fi supremacy to the more established Starlink. SpaceX has struck deals with Alaska Air , United and British Airways among others in the last few years, so Amazon is playing catch-up with its not yet operational network. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/delta-picks-amazon-leo-for-in-flight-wi-fi-starting-in-2028-153024212.html?src=rss

All Google users in the US can now change their Gmail address

As of April 1, Gmail will have been around for 22 years . Many of us have a poorly chosen email address that's laced with regret, but we're now stuck with it. We've perhaps had it for longer than most college students have been alive and that's how others get in touch with us. Google is now giving us a chance to move on and change our Gmail address to something more appropriate. All users in the US can now change their Google Account username the bit before the @ in your Gmail address. Google said in December that it was gradually rolling out this option to all users. To change your Google Account username, go to the email settings page . From there, click or tap on Personal info > Email > Google Account email . If the ability to alter your username has been enabled on your account, you'll see a Change Google Account email option. Click on this to start modifying your username. You'll only be able to change your username once every 12 months. If you do change the address, Gmail will retain all of your previous emails. Handily, your former Gmail name will remain as an alternate email address. As such, people will be able to get in touch with you via either address. You can also sign into Google services using both email addresses. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/all-google-users-in-the-us-can-now-change-their-gmail-address-141818676.html?src=rss

NVIDIA's DLSS 4.5 Multi Frame Generation tech is now available to boost your Hz

After releasing DLSS 4.5's Super Resolution feature earlier this year, NVIDIA has released an update with DLSS 4.5 features designed to boost frame rates on RTX 50 series cards. Those include DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation and DLSS 4.5 Multi Frame Generation 6X. With those, NVIDIA is promising the smoothest path-traced gaming yet to unlock the potential for high-refresh 4K 240Hz OLED gaming displays, or 1080p and 1440p monitors at 360Hz and beyond. The first feature, DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation, is like an automatic transmission for your RTX 50 series card, NVIDIA said. Rather than multiplying the frame rate by a fixed amount, the AI-powered feature changes it dynamically to strike a balance between refresh rate, image quality and responsiveness. To optimize computing power, it ensures that a game's frame rate doesn't exceed your monitor's native refresh rate, so you won't play at 240 fps on a 120Hz monitor. The other key feature, Multi Frame Generation 6X, is designed to deliver even higher levels of performance. Based on NVIDIA's second-gen transformer model, along with frame pacing and image quality improvements, the feature boosts the maximum multiplier to 6X, generating up to five extra frames for every natively rendered frame on GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs. That will boost 4K frame rates up to 35 percent with minimal impact to responsiveness, NVIDIA wrote. As with Super Resolution, the native frame rate of a game is not accelerated by these features. Rather, the DLSS 4.5 feature uses AI to create interpolated intermediate frames the machine hinks should be there. Normally this works fine, but the scheme can create odd artifacts in certain types of scenes, particularly with fine details like rain, hair and phone wires. Still, the tech allows for smoother gaming with a minimal increase on your GPU's burden. It's now available for NVIDIA RTX 50 series cards, and as NVIDIA announced earlier , there are a number of games supporting the MFG features. Those include 007 First Light (May 27th), CONTROL Resonant , D irective 8020 (May 12th) and Tides of Annihilation . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/nvidias-dlss-45-multi-frame-generation-tech-is-now-available-to-boost-your-hz-130035249.html?src=rss

Apple AirPods Max 2 review: Better late than never

Im honestly shocked the AirPods Max 2 even exists. After Apple only added a USB-C port and a few new colors to its over-ear headphones in 2024, I thought it had given up on delivering a proper upgrade to its priciest AirPods model . Im happy to report that wasnt the case. The AirPods Max 2 is certainly an updated version of Apples headphones, but the company is also catching it up to the AirPods Pro 3 . The headphones now carry the companys powerful H2 audio chip, the component that enables features like Adaptive Audio and Live Translation. The USB-C AirPods Max may have barely been an update, but the AirPods Max 2 is worthy of the new numeral in its name. The price is still $549, due in part to the fact that Apples products are exempt from Trumps tariffs, yet these remain some of the most expensive headphones Ive reviewed. Are the AirPods Max still worth it? Whats new on the AirPods Max 2? All of the AirPods Max 2s major new features are here thanks to the upgrade to the H2 chip. It was baffling that Apple didnt swap out the H1 when it made the switch to USB-C, choosing instead to saddle its pricey headphones with very outdated silicon for another 16 months. So, in a lot of ways, the AirPods Max 2 is a lot more about getting up to date with the rest of the lineup, which means a host of new tools await. Thanks to the H2 chip, the AirPods Max 2 has Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Personalized Volume, Siri Interactions (head gestures) and Live Translation. Adaptive Audio blends active noise cancellation (ANC) with transparency mode and automatically adjusts the mix based on your surroundings. Conversation Awareness can tell when youre talking and automatically lowers the volume and enables transparency mode for quick chats. Voice Isolation helps improve your voice quality for calls when the AirPods Max 2 is used with compatible apps on an iPhone, iPad or Mac, and I think were all well-aware of what Live Translation is. Lastly, Personalized Volume takes notes on your listening preferences over time and applies automatic adjustments based on those and your surroundings. Unsurprisingly, these features all work as well as they do on the AirPods Pro 3. Of course, there will be some that you use often and others that you might not touch at all. For me, I dont like contending with unwanted volume changes due to Conversation Awareness, so I turn that one off. Its not as easily triggered as Sonys version, but I did trick it with an unexpectedly loud burp. I also dont use the Siri head gestures, although they work very well. I frequently use Adaptive Audio around the house, which allows me to enable transparency mode to hear what I need to while letting the headphones apply ANC if I encounter unwanted noise. Voice Isolation is also a big improvement to normal voice performance and Live Translation is certainly nice to have. Two additional H2 features that I do use often on the AirPods Pro, and will do so on the AirPods Max 2 because they work well here, are studio-quality audio recording and Camera Remote. The first is self-explanatory, but it does offer a boost to clips recorded in Voice Memos and the Camera app (my main two uses). Meanwhile, Camera Remote allows you to use the Digital Crown to take a photo or start/stop a video recording without reaching for your iPhone. Et tu, hearing health? The fabric ear pads on the AirPods Max 2 Billy Steele for Engadget Apples hearing health features are some of the most important tools on the AirPods Pro. However, you wont find them on the AirPods Max 2, despite the new H2 chip. While the headphones do offer loud sound reduction, the hearing test , hearing aid and automatic conversation boost tools are absent. There are several reasons for this, the primary one being that the cushions on the over-ear headphones dont seal off your ears the way the AirPods Pro ear tips do. Still, loud sound reduction isnt nothing. This prevents exposure to loud ambient noise while making adjustments to keep the audio sounding good. Its particularly useful when you encounter blaring construction sounds during a commute or similar inconveniences. Design: More of the same The Digital Crown and the listening mode control on the AirPods Max 2 Billy Steele for Engadget One thing that hasnt changed on the AirPods Max 2 is the design. For better or worse, Apple has kept the same look that it debuted in 2020. Aside from new colors and the switch from Lightning to USB-C in 2024, there are no other visible differences between this version and the original. I would argue its time for the company to change things up, but I can also understand why it hasnt. First, lets discuss whats great about the AirPods Maxs design. Its unique, especially the mesh headband, solid aluminum ear cups and fabric ear pads. The punches of color are nice too, and if you prefer something more subtle, the black and gold, er Midnight and Starlight options fit that bill. From the start, Ive loved the simple controls that are comprised of the Apple Watchs Digital Crown and the lone additional button for listening modes (a press and hold will activate Live Translation). The controls are in a great location, and its so satisfying to spin the Digital Crown for volume adjustments. So, why hasnt Apple redesigned the outside of the AirPods Max? Id argue it doesnt think it needs to yet. The AirPods Pro is still largely the same as it has been from the first version, and the regular AirPods only got its first big design overhaul in 2024. The original AirPods debuted in 2016, so if Apple keeps a similar timeline for aesthetic changes to both the Pro and Max lines, we might not see those until 2027 and 2028 respectively. Sound quality, ANC and calls Like before, the ear pads are replaceable on the AirPods Max 2 Billy Steele for Engadget Besides the H2 chip, the other big upgrade to the AirPods Maxs internal components is a new high dynamic range amplifier. This improves overall sound quality by allowing you to listen at higher volumes with low distortion and excellent clarity. Apple also overhauled the digital signal processing (DSP) for better bass response and to enhance the locations of instruments in the mix. Those tweaks dont equate to a huge leap in audio performance on the AirPods Max 2, but the gains are noticeable. Sound quality wasnt an issue before, but you can definitely hear the improved instrument localization and enhanced bass performance across nearly all genres. On Ruston Kellys Waiting to Love You (Piano Version/Live From Salt Lick Sessions), the singers unique voice and the keys completely fill your head. Its like a barrage of balladry in the best way. You get the texture of the vocals, the reverb of the piano and all the dynamics of the stripped-down live performance. Jump to something a bit more energetic, like ayas navel gazer, and the AirPods Max 2 deftly manages the vocals, synths and whatever else is happening in the mix (seriously, its a lot). And theres still the sonic deluge that hexed! hits you with. Even with the multi-genre mash-up metal of Bilmuri, these headphones keep the vocals, guitars, drums and subtle sounds separate. There are a lot of delicate details in the artists latest tracks like More Than Hate, for example and the AirPods Max 2 ensures youll catch them all. A screeching eagle? Hell yeah, brother. While wireless listening remains excellent, the AirPods Max 2 still offers lossless audio over USB-C. If you opt for wired use, you can get up to 24-bit/48kHz quality from compatible streaming services or locally stored files. This is the same functionality that Apple delivered in 2025 . As expected, it still works well and provides enhanced listening when needed. Personally, I like to use it when Im sitting at my desk. Whats more, the wired USB-C connection can be used for low-latency audio which is great when youre playing a game or mixing/editing audio projects. I should note the rest of the AirPods Max features (Siri, Adaptive Audio, etc.) still work over Bluetooth in wired mode, and theres also a low-latency Game Mode for wireless use with a Mac, iPhone or iPad. In terms of ANC, Apple says the H2 unlocks up to 1.5x stronger performance than the previous generation. The company combined the audio chip with new computational audio algorithms to reduce more external sounds like airplane engines, trains and the roar of a coffee shop. That difference is certainly noticeable, as I found constant sources of noise around my house (fans, white noise machines, HVAC system, etc.) were much less apparent when I had the AirPods Max 2 on. Plus, Adaptive Audio uses the ANC system to pick up any changes and make the necessary adjustments to keep your music, podcast or movie coming through clearly. Every AirPods model that has ANC is also equipped with transparency mode. Since the debut of the first AirPods Pro, Ive been continually amazed by the natural sound of this feature. No other audio company comes close to matching the clarity of the ambient sound here, nearly making you forget you're wearing earbuds or headphones. This has a tremendous impact on calls, as you can hear yourself very well, so you never feel the need to speak loudly. Plus, Voice Isolation combines the AirPods Max 2s H2 chip with an iPhone, iPad or Mac to further improve your voice and reduce background noise. Most headphones offer average voice performance at best, but like it has in the past, Apple actually delivers. Battery life The Smart Case puts the AirPods Max 2 in an ultra-low-power state Billy Steele for Engadget One of the areas I was hoping for an additional boost on the AirPods Max 2 is battery life. Sadly, I was headed for disappointment. This model offers the same 20-hour longevity as its predecessors, a figure that includes ANC and/or Spatial Audio. While its certainly enough to get you through a couple of work days or a trans-Atlantic flight, that number falls well short of the 30-50 hours much of the over-ear competition can muster these days. I havent had the AirPods Max 2 long enough to do a full battery test; I chose to focus on the new features instead. However, based on the performance that Ive seen so far, I have no reason to doubt Apples claims here. The company has a solid track record on battery life, and all indications are that it continues on the AirPods Max 2. Ill update this review when this test is complete. The competition The AirPods Max 2's mesh headband Billy Steele for Engadget If youre thoroughly invested in Apples ecosystem, the AirPods Max 2 is worth considering. Most of the features are reserved for the iOS, iPadOS and masOS faithful, so it doesnt really make sense for Android users or Windows devotees to splurge on the $549 headphones. If youre still balking at that price tag, Sonys WH-1000XM6 is my current top pick on our best headphones list . While those headphones are $460 at full price, you can currently find them for $400. Sony continues to mix great sound with capable ANC and a list of features few rivals can compete with. Plus, those handy tools are available to both iOS and Android users. Boses second-gen QuietComfort Ultra headphones are another solid option. They offer powerful ANC, great sound quality and excellent comfort for $449, but you can currently snag them for around $400. If noise cancellation performance is your primary concern, this is your pick. Lastly, if money is no object, a personal favorite is the Px8 S2 from Bowers & Wilkins . Theyre pure luxury right down to the $799 price tag, and they exude grandeur. The companys combo of leather and aluminum screams high end and it made some design tweaks for this model to refresh the overall look. Battery life and sound quality are the big attractions here, but just know youll have to forgo the advanced features much of the (more affordable) competition provides like all of those H2-powered tools on the AirPods Max 2. Wrap-up Apple AirPods Max 2 and the Smart Case Billy Steele for Engadget The AirPods Max 2 is an obvious upgrade over the previous version. And no, I dont count the USB-C swap-in as a separate model. Simply put, the H2 chip brings Apples over-ear headphones on par with the rest of the AirPods lineup, namely the AirPods Pro 3. And since I dont expect Apple to announce new earbuds this year, that parity should remain for a while. These headphones are still expensive though, and the more affordable AirPods Pro offer handy hearing health features that are nice to have in your pocket. I could also understand why prospective buyers would want some design changes before making such a big investment. Sure, the AirPods Max 2 looks the same as its predecessor, possibly leaving those who own the previous version with a difficult decision to make. But Apple kept the price the same and brought better sound and more features, so theres no denying these headphones outperform the original. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apple-airpods-max-2-review-better-late-than-never-130000982.html?src=rss

The latest Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are more customizable and expensive

The latest iteration of Meta's smart glasses has arrived and, as rumored, they are more customizable, particularly for people who need prescription lenses. Meta and Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica revealed two new styles of frames: the Ray-Ban Meta Blayzer Optics and Scriber Optics, which will start at $499 a pair. The latest glasses are still considered to be part of the Gen 2 Ray-Ban Meta glasses, but they do come with a few upgrades that make it easier to get a personalized fit. According to EssilorLuxottica, both styles have somewhat slimmer frames, swappable nosepads and adjustable temple tips so wearers can get a better fit. And, as the optics branding implies, the new frame styles are also compatible with a wider variety of prescription lenses, including progressive lenses and transition lenses. The Blayzer style frames are more square, similar to the existing Wayfarer glasses, while the Scriber version is a little more rounded, like the Headliner style frames. Both come in a variety of colors including some translucent styles and are available now for pre-order on Meta's website and will be on sale April 14. The optics lineup will also be sold at more physical retail stores, including LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Salmoiraghi & Vigan, Apollo, Grand Vision Optical, Vision Express and other locations that are part of EssilorLuxottica's distribution network. The round, Scriber frames. EssilorLuxottica The new lineup of glasses is also more expensive, with a starting price of $499, compared with Meta's standard Wayfarer Gen 2 model , which starts at $379. That price doesn't include prescription lenses either, which can easily run $200-$300 or more, depending on your setup. One benefit of that investment, though, is that Meta has consistently added new features to its smart glasses. And with the latest frames, the company is bringing some additional capabilities to all users. These include new translation support for Japanese, Mandarin and Arabic; as well as Meta AI-enabled food and nutrition tracking. Meta AI can also summarize longer message threads rather than simply reciting a long string of messages in a given chat. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-latest-ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses-are-more-customizable-and-expensive-130000553.html?src=rss

The RAM crisis is Apple's best chance in decades to capture the PC market

In the current RAM crisis, no company is better positioned to not only weather the storm but turn it to its advantage like Apple. It proved that when it released the MacBook Neo in early March. Despite only including 8GB of RAM, the Neo doesn't feel compromised, a testament to the company's silicon and software engineering. For Apple, it may be tempting to treat its latest MacBook as a one-off. That would be a mistake, because at this moment, the business decisions that made the Neo possible represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a bigger player in the PC market. If you read Engadget, there's a good chance you know the contours of the global memory shortage, but it's worth repeating just how bad things have become in recent months. Just three companies SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron produce more than 90 percent of the world's memory chips. At the end of last year, Micron announced it would end its consumer-facing business to focus on providing RAM and other components to AI customers. Citing data from TrendForce, The Wall Street Journal reported in January that data centers would consume 70 percent of the high-end memory produced in 2026. As the Big Three shift more of their production to meet enterprise demand, they're allocating fewer wafers for consumer products, leading to dramatic price increases in that market segment. According to data from Counterpoint Research , the price of memory including consumer RAM kits and SSDs, as well as LPDDR5X memory for smartphones increased by 50 percent during the final quarter of 2025. Before the end of the current quarter, the firm predicts prices will increase by another 40 to 50 percent, and the CEO of SK Hynix recently warned shortages could last until 2030 . Since nearly all consumer electronics need some amount of RAM and storage, the trickle-down effects have come fast and hard. In December, before the situation got as bad as it is now, TrendForce warned that most of the major PC manufacturers were either considering, if not already planning, price hikes. This month, the firm warned laptop prices could increase by as much as 40 percent if manufacturers and retailers moved to protect their margins. Such a scenario would send the cost of a $900 model to about $1,260. Amid all that, Apple added another point of pressure: the $600 MacBook Neo. During a recent investor call, Nick Wu, the chief financial officer of ASUS, described the Neo as a shock to the entire market, adding all PC vendors, including upstream vendors like Microsoft, Intel and AMD are taking the cute device very seriously. Wu warned ASUS would eed more time before it could ready a response. For ASUS and other Windows manufacturers, any response realistically may take ayear or more to formulate. That's because the Neo represents both a technical and logistical hurdle. To start, it's a fundamentally different machine from the one most Windows OEMs are making right now. It has the advantage of using unified memory instead of a set of traditional RAM modules. The 8GB of RAM the Neo has is shared between the A18 Pro's CPU and GPU, meaning it can more efficiently use the RAM that it does have. That's part of the reason the Neo doesn't feel like a Windows PC with 8GB of RAM. Apple didn't get to the A18 Pro and the MacBook Neo by accident. It has spent more than a decade designing its own chips. Since 2024, Microsoft has mandated 16GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage for PCs that are part of its Copilot+ AI program . That branding effort may not have amounted to much , with Copilot+ AI PCs accounting for just 1.9 percent of all computers sold in the first quarter of 2025, but it did push OEMs, including ASUS, Dell and others to make more capable machines. It also saw Microsoft rework Windows to better support ARM-based processors from Qualcomm. Still, it's hard to see how Windows manufacturers can challenge Apple by going back to existing or older x86 chips with with less RAM. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 processors could offer a potential response, but there are question marks there too. At CES 2026, the company announced the Snapdragon X2 Plus , a pared down version of its X2 Elite chipset with a six-core CPU. On paper, it should offer similar performance to the A18 Pro, but it doesn't seem Qualcomm has produced the chip at scale or that Windows OEMs have shown much interest in it. As of the writing of this story, the company's website lists just four X2 Plus-equipped models . I was only able to find one of those in stock, the $1,050 HP Omnibook 5 . It has an OLED screen and more RAM than the Neo. Could HP repurpose something like the Omnibook 5 to take on the Neo? Maybe, but I'm not sure there's getting around the need for 16GB to get Windows 11 running decently. Even if the Snapdragon X2 Plus offers a stopgap measure, no company operates a supply chain quite like Apple. It has spent billions of dollars to make itself independent of companies like Qualcomm by designing its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, for example. It also doesn't need to pay Microsoft a licensing fee to use a bloated Windows 11 . Those are all factors that lead to OEMs like ASUS and Lenovo operating on razor thin margins. Per Statista , Apple earned a nearly 36.8 percent gross profit margin on its products in 2025. That's almost exactly half as much as the gross margin it made on services, which grew to a record 75.4 percent last year. For comparison, ASUS has seen its profit margins erode to about 15.3 percent in recent quarters, or less than a third of Apple's 2025 average of 46.9 percent. For ASUS and other Windows OEMs, the short-term outlook isnt good. HP recently told investors RAM now accounts for more than a third of the cost of its PCs. And if memory shortages continue, many of them will be forced to raise their prices to protect their margins. Apple is in no such position. The iPhone recently had its best quarter ever , contributing $85.27 billion to the company's Q1 revenue. The fact that Mac revenue declined from $8.9 billion to $8.3 billion year-over-year didn't make a dent to Apple's bottom line. For the companies that must now compete against the Neo, it's not a fair playing field. To Lenovo, Dell, HP and ASUS, PC sales are almost everything to their business. For Apple, it's a side hustle. As the company prepares to kick off its 51st year, it should consider it may never be in a better position to claw ahead in the market where it all started for the company. In both the PC and smartphone segments, Apple's market share has always been a distant second (and sometimes third and forth) to Windows and Android, in part because commoditization has consistently worked against the company. But when a single part now accounts for a third of the cost of a new PC, the regular rules don't apply. It's not just that the company is better insulated than nearly every other player against runaway RAM costs, it's that it also has a technological edge and the profit margins to compete on price at the same time. In recent quarters, the company's share of the PC market has hovered around the 9 to 10 percent mark, meaning it's consistently been about the fourth largest manufacturer. For as long as the RAM shortage continues, Apple shouldseriously consider sacrificing some of its PC profits to become a bigger player. So far, the company has moved to protect the margins on its more expensive devices. For example, it increased the price of the latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro by $100 . The company doubled the amount of base storage to make up for the hike. Moving forward, it should do everything it can to maintain, and maybe even lower the price of its computers to a point where its competitors can't meet it. If the Lenovos and HPs of the world can't compete on either price or performance, consumers will move to Mac computers. As Apple looks to the next 50 years, it may not get another opportunity like the one it has right now. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-ram-crisis-is-apples-best-chance-in-decades-to-capture-the-pc-market-130000672.html?src=rss

Amazon adds dynamic food delivery ordering to Alexa+

Amazon announced that it is adding new capabilities for ordering food delivery with its Alexa+ artificial intelligence assistant. Users will be able to place orders using natural language on Alexa+ through the GrubHub or Uber Eats platforms, provided they have an Amazon device with a large screen. First, you'll need to connect an account for those delivery services to use the feature. You can ask to see restaurants with a specific cuisine or tell the assistant to go right to a favorite spot. Once you start an order, Alexa+ will also support natural language requests and, if you ask for something generic, the assistant will match it to the most similar item on the menu. It should also support more detailed queries like what are kid-friendly options? and be able to submit special requests like no onions. To start, this ordering capability will be available for Alexa+ customers using the Echo Show 8 or larger devices. The screen should reflect your order, with any changes shown in real time. Amazon made the Alexa+ subscription available to all US customers earlier this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-adds-dynamic-food-delivery-ordering-to-alexa-130000065.html?src=rss

Proton adds a secure video conferencing service called Meet to its toolbox

Weve written about the Swiss company Protons moves to take on Google and Microsoft with an expanding variety of privacy-focused internet services, and the company is announcing yet another new tool today. Proton Meet , as the name suggests, is a video-calling service that sounds comparable to Zoom, Microsoft Teams and, naturally, Google Meet. As with everything Proton does, Meet is end-to-end encrypted, but the company is taking extra steps towards security and anonymity here. You dont need a Proton account to join a Meet call, which should help service gain traction you can use Proton and not totally throw off everyone else whos still using other systems. Proton says that Meet can be used anonymously and no logs are kept. The company even says that a Proton account isnt needed to host a meeting. If you visit the Proton Meet site, you can start an anonymous call with up to four participants for free. Proton says that anyone with an account (even a free one) can start Meet call with up to 50 participants for up to one hour, but it is also offering a dedicated Meet Professional plan for $8 a month with fewer restrictions (though we dont have the specifics yet). Meet joins the other core Proton tools including Mail, Calendar, VPN, Drive and a password manager. Drive in particular has gotten some notable upgrades recently it offers collaborative documents and spreadsheets, just like Google. With the addition of Meet, Proton has most of the core services that Google offers covered. Theres even a little AI bot if thats your thing. Proton is using this launch as an opportunity to rebrand its services, gathering them all under the new Proton Workspace (another name pulled directly from Googles offerings). In addition to the dedicated Meet Professional plan, Proton is offering Workplace Standard for $13 per month (billed annually) or $15 a month (billed monthly). That includes the aforementioned tools and 500GB of space by default. Theres also a Premium plan ($20/month annually or $25/month billed monthly) that adds more storage, access to the Lumo chatbot, expanded Meet participant limits and a few other tidbits. The company says itll continue offering its other plans, including a Mail-only option that costs $36 a year as well as other bundles for an individual, two users or a whole family. But Proton is obviously looking to expand its business client base with Meet in addition to growing its user base (currently more than 100 million). Proton says it has about 100,000 enterprise customers, and adding a tool like Meet to its portfolio should make it easier to court companies as well as individuals. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/proton-adds-a-secure-video-conferencing-service-called-meet-to-its-toolbox-121729143.html?src=rss

SpaceX loses contact with one of its Starlink satellites

SpaceX has lost contact with Starlink satellite 34343 after it suffered an unspecified anomaly on March 29 while it was in orbit, the company has announced on X. The event happened while the satellite was approximately 348 miles above our planet. Since that is a relatively low altitude, SpaceXs analysis showed that the remains of the satellite pose no risk to the International Space Station or the upcoming launch of the Artemis II mission. It also wont affect the companys Transporter-16 mission, which launched with small satellites from its clients on March 30. In its statement, SpaceX also said that it will monitor any trackable debris, indicating that the satellite is no longer in one piece. LeoLabs, an American company tracking satellites in Low Earth Orbit, said it detected a fragment creation event involving Starlink 34343 on March 29. It also mentioned that this event is similar to another incident that happened on December 17, 2025. SpaceX had lost Starlink satellites to events like geomagnetic storms in the past, but it doesnt seem like these two recent incidents were caused by external factors. The company has yet to announce what led to the anomalies, but LeoLabs believes that both of them were likely caused by an internal energetic source rather than a collision with space debris or another object. At the moment, the Starlink team is still working on determining the root cause of the incidents. SpaceX said that once it has come to a conclusion, the company will rapidly implement any necessary corrective actions. On Sunday, March 29, Starlink satellite 34343 experienced an anomaly on-orbit, resulting in loss of communications with the satellite at ~560 km above Earth. Latest analysis shows the event poses no new risk to the @Space_Station , its crew, or to the upcoming launch of NASAs Starlink (@Starlink) March 30, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacex-loses-contact-with-one-of-its-starlink-satellites-115538554.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Meta tests Instagram Plus subscription service

Screenshots promoting Instagram Plus have been spotted by users in the Philippines and Mexico in recent days. According to social media consultant Matt Navarra, a subscription to Instagram Plus includes several Story-focused features not otherwise available to Instagram users. This includes the ability to create multiple audiences for Stories posts, search the list of people who have viewed your Story, extend Stories longer than 24 hours and create spotlight Stories. It also mentions something called super hearts for reacting to Stories. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the test to Engadget, saying that Instagram Plus is currently available in a few countries. The spokesperson added that preview would allow people to see some of another users Story without showing up as a viewer. Theres nothing quite like paying to be sneakier on social media. The idea, as weve seen so far, seems closely modeled after Snapchat+, which also offers bonus features to the app's power users. Launched in 2022, the service has now become a significant driver of non-advertising revenue for the company. Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning This Frankenstein PlayStation PCB reads games from microSD and has HDMI output How to use Apple's Playlist Playground to make AI-generated mixes Beat-based dungeon crawlers, card-battling soccer sims and other new indie games worth checking out Project Hail Mary is already Amazon MGM's highest-grossing film ever 50 years of Apple: Pushing tech forward (for better or worse) RIP headphone jack. Apple has been around for fifty years. It reimagined personal computers, catalyzed the era of the smartphone, enlarged an iPhone and called it the iPad and garnered a strong position in wearable tech through its Watch series and its AirPods. It also popularized software and services like its App Store, FaceTime, iCloud, iMessages and many more. However, Apple gives and it takes away. For the MacBook Air to exist, the disk drive had to go; ditching the home button led to edge-to-edge iPhone screens. The weight of Apple's influence has led to entire product categories following suit. Or, more typically, there's resistance, complaining and (eventually) following suit. Continue reading. Meta's next AI glasses are reportedly designed for prescription lenses Bloomberg says this isn't the next generation of Meta's Ray-Ban AI glasses, though. Engadget Two new models of Meta Ray-Ban AI glasses are on the wayand they're going to be catered to those who use prescription lenses, according to a Bloomberg report. While these are supposed to be announced next week, the report noted that these won't be a new generation of Meta's smart glasses. You can already add prescription lenses to Meta Ray-Ban's AI glasses, so who cares? Well, the upcoming models will come in rectangular and rounded styles and will be sold through traditional prescription eyewear channels. It seems like a way to get Metas wearables in front of a new group of prospective customers. Continue reading. The White House app is just weird When you dont want to escape from the chaotic news cycle. The White House Now available on the App Store and Google Play Store, the official White House App claims to give Americans a direct line to the White House. According to the press release, the app provides unfiltered, real-time upgrades straight from the source. The White House App's News tab features a carousel of about 35 articles that seem suspiciously cherry-picked, favoring the Trump administration. As Engadgets Jackson Chen notes, in the Affordability window, the app points out year-over-year price drops for items like eggs, milk and bread, but conveniently omits the recent surge in gas prices. In the Social tab, there's even a button to Text President Trump, which auto-populates a new text with Greatest President Ever! Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111408830.html?src=rss

AT&T now offers a single subscription for both wireless service and home internet

AT&T just announced OneConnect, a new service that lets customers sign up for both wireless service and fiber home internet under a single subscription. Pricing starts at $90. This could end up saving some serious bucks, especially for those who are paying around $100 per month for each from separate providers. These plans offer unlimited mobile data, which is great. The home internet speed caps at 1Gbps, which is a decent enough metric. Pricing starts at $90 per month, which includes a single phone line, unlimited data. This plan also covers mobile data for three devices of the user's choosing, like smartwatches and tablets. AT&T Family plans shoot all the way up to $225 per month, but the pricier subscriptions increase the number of covered mobile devices to ten and allow up to ten concurrent phone lines. This could be a huge money-saving opportunity for large families. The company hasn't said anything about throttling users once they reach a certain cap on mobile data, which should please customers. This is similar to how T-Mobile handles its Magenta Max plan . Taxes and fees are included in the quoted prices, which means there shouldn't be any surprises when the bill comes around. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/att-now-offers-a-single-subscription-for-both-wireless-service-and-home-internet-091501503.html?src=rss

BOXROOM lets you build a cozy game room for your Steam library

Your game collection says a lot about you. With a cute new game, you can also give your collection a space that's just as personalized. BOXROOM is a building sim where the whole purpose is creating a space to show off your game library. You can select furniture, paint and lighting, then you choose games from your Steam library to display on your virtual shelves. Titles appear in game boxes, giving it a throwback feel to the days where a game collection had to be physical. Once complete, the room serves as a launcher, allowing you to boot up a title from the game box. The demo is available now, and the team said that BOXROOM will launch in early access soon. This is a fun idea, although it's unlikely that you'd fit your entire collection into even this virtual space if your Steam library starts to number in the hundreds, or even thousands, of games. As with an IRL space, you'd need a warehouse rather than a cute, cozy room. But if you wanted to have a curated selection of your go-to titles in a customized virtual space, this might be a fun addition to your already sizable collection. Or, if you want a virtual reality take on a similar idea, EmuVR might be worth a look. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/boxroom-lets-you-build-a-cozy-game-room-for-your-steam-library-215349560.html?src=rss

This Frankenstein PlayStation PCB reads games from microSD and outputs video over HDMI

We're living in the golden age of retro console modding. If you have an old Game Boy Advance lying around, it's possible to give it a new lease on life with aftermarket parts like an IPS display and USB-C charging. But as amazing as those mods are, most still require an original GBA motherboard with a working processor and RAM. That's what makes the PlayStation Hybrid from YouTuber Secret Hobbyist so cool . Over the past couple of months, they've been working to design, prototype and build the ultimate PlayStation PCB, one that incorporates the best parts of different model revisions while adding a couple of modern conveniences. The specific motherboards Secret Hobbyist's PCB pulls parts from are the PM-41 v2 and the PU18, with the former being a PSOne board while the latter was sourced from a phat model. The decision to incorporate parts from different PlayStation variants makes a lot of sense if you know something about the history of the console. Between the release of the PlayStation in 1994 and the smaller PSOne in 2000, Sony made multiple revisions to the original design to address hardware issues and eke out cost savings. One component that you can find on older models, but not the PSOne, is an Asahi Kasei-made digital-to-analog audio converter (DAC). Over the years, this DAC has gained something of a cult following among audiophiles , with some of the earliest models like the SCPH-1000 and SCPH-3000 being particularly sought after as CD players because they also came with RCA outputs, a feature Sony later cut from subsequent revisions. As for the PU18, it has a part that makes it compatible with the X Station , a CD replacement that allows a modded PlayStation to read games from a microSD card. From the PSOne, Secret Hobbyist sourced the console's GPU and CPU, which are more power efficient than the ones found on its older siblings. Lastly, they incorporated an FPGA chip from a Hispeedido mod kit to make their hybrid PlayStation capable of outputting video over HDMI. The final result is a custom PCB that is even smaller than the PSOne's PM-41 v2, draws less than two watts of power and works with modern displays. That power draw means the Hybrid PlayStation could be engineered to be a handheld. Secret Hobbyist still has yet to design an enclosure for their new Frankenstein console, but judging from the comments on their video, people are excited to see the final result. In the meantime, be sure to watch the full video to learn more about the project and see some incredible soldering work. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/this-frankenstein-playstation-pcb-reads-games-from-microsd-and-outputs-video-over-hdmi-211002114.html?src=rss

Deus Ex game studio Eidos Montreal cuts 124 jobs

Another day, another announcement of game industry job cuts. The latest restructuring is happening at Eidos Montreal, which stated that 124 people are being laid off. As with so many similar cuts, the studio's LinkedIn post credited the downsizing to a result of changing project needs and impacts across production and support teams. The company is also parting ways with its studio head, David Anfossi. Eidos Montreal has worked on titles within the Deus Ex and Tomb Raider franchises, as well as Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel's Avengers games. It is one of the many companies owned by Embracer Group, which snapped up a bunch of studios but has been stuck in a downsizing in a loop following an expensive restructuring of its own gaming empire during 2023 and 2024. That activity reportedly included axing a planned new Deus Ex game that Eidos Montreal was working on. The post from Eidos Montreal didn't specify what projects it is currently active on, although it has said it is involved with the upcoming Grounded 2 from Obsidian Entertainment and the reimagined Fable from Playground Games. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/deus-ex-game-studio-eidos-montreal-cuts-124-jobs-205057796.html?src=rss

Meta is testing an Instagram Plus subscription service with exclusive features

Meta is testing a new subscription service for Instagram that offers users exclusive features like the ability to post Stories for longer than 24 hours. Screenshots promoting Instagram Plus have been spotted by users in the Philippines and Mexico in recent days. According to screenshots shared by social media consultant Matt Navarra, a subscription to Instagram Plus comes with a number of Story-focused features not otherwise available to Instagram users. This includes the ability to create multiple audiences for Stories posts, see info about who has rewatched your Story, search the list of people who have viewed your Story, preview Stories posts, extend Stories longer than 24 hours and create spotlight Stories. It also mentions something called super hearts for reacting to Stories. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the test to Engadget, saying that Instagram Plus is currently available in a few countries, but didnt say which. A dedicated help page on Meta's website says that this feature is not available to everyone right now. The spokesperson confirmed the feature list shown below, and added that preview would allow people to see some of another users Story without showing up as a viewer and that Stories posts could be extended for an additional 24 hours. Our hope from these tests is to understand whats most valuable to people in a premium feature set, the spokesperson said. A list of features that come with Instagram Plus subscriptions. Threads It seems that early versions of the service are priced fairly cheaply, with the prices in the Philippines landing at 65 PHP (about $1.07 in USD) a month and in Mexico at $39 MXN (about $2.15 in USD) a month. Meta is also offering prospective users a free one-month trial of the service. The idea seems to be closely modeled after Snapchat+, which also offers bonus features to the app's power users. Launched in 2022 , the service has racked up more millions of subscribers and has become a significant driver of non-advertising revenue for the company. Now, Meta is looking to boost its subscription revenue too.The company said earlier this year it would test new types of subscriptions, including those focused on AI features. Elsewhere, Meta has also been pushing its Meta Verified subscriptions more aggressively. Over the last several weeks, I've repeatedly seen promotions for discounted Meta Verified plans with an initial one-month trial starting at $1 (the cheapest Meta Verified plans typically start at $14.99/month). The company has also recently tested link-sharing features in Instagram captions for subscribers and limits on link-sharing on Facebook for non-subscribers. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-testing-an-instagram-plus-subscription-service-with-exclusive-features-181215180.html?src=rss

50 years of Apple pushing tech forward, for better or worse

Over the last 50 years, Apple reimagined personal computers, catalyzed the era of the smartphone, enlarged an iPhone and called it the iPad and garnered a strong position in wearable tech through its Watch series and its AirPods. It also popularized software and services like its App Store, FaceTime, iCloud, iMessages and many more. For a lot of us, the first time we pinched-to-zoom on a photo was likely on an iPhone. However, Apple gives and it takes away. Things have had to change, be removed and consumers have to move on to whatever's new. For better or worse, the weight of Apple's influence has led to entire product categories following suit. Or, more typically, there's resistance, complaining and then following suit. With the benefit of hindsight, most of these cases are examples of Apple seeing where technology was going and getting ahead of a transition that would have been inevitable. Often, these transitions have caused short-term pain for some, but time has proven Apple (mostly) correct about dropping older tech. As Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch once said: murder your darlings. Here are some of the darlings weve lost over the years. The death of the disk drive (1998) This is a two-parter. The iMac G3 marked Steve Jobs' return. The colorful all-in-one Mac was a new start in many ways. In 1998, Apple ditched the standard ports and myriad cable types of personal computers, going all in on USB and a little-known thing called the internet. (In fact, thats what the i in iMac stands for.) In doing so, it also ditched the 3.5-inch floppy disk drive although it did have a read-only optical disk drive. Even with sluggish internet and USB transfer speeds at the time, the convenience was plain to see and it led to a decade of thumb drives of ever-increasing storage limits. High-capacity alternatives to the floppy disk, like the Zip disk and even Minidisc, attempted to bridge the gap, but never gained the widespread traction and adoption of the original disk drive. But flash drives and, later, internet-based file storage quickly made them obsolete anyway. Apple was just a little early with its dismissal. Portable music players (2007) Despite Apples iPod being the de facto music player at the time, it was supplanted by the companys own biggest hit: the iPhone. At its peak, the iPod made Apple the zeitgeisty tech company it is today. It dominated the MP3 player market, and by 2006, iPods were responsible for 40 percent of the companys revenue. And that was before the era of Apple including a free U2 album with every iTunes account. When the iPhone launched in June 2007, it was swiftly followed by the iPod Touch in September. This was the iPhone without the phone part indicating how the company saw the future of music listening. You didnt need an iPod if you already had an iPhone in your pocket. Its the best example of Apple cannibalizing a product that defined a decade with something far more impressive and, eventually, more successful. It was a slow death. Ignoring the countless MP3-playing rivals, (RIP Zune), Apple dropped the classic iPod in 2014. It soon did the same to the tiny iPod nano and iPod shuffle in 2017. Finally, the company discontinued the iPod Touch in May 2022 . The physical smartphone keyboard (2007 plus change) Unsplash / Thai Nguyen When the iPhones capacitive screen and touch keyboard landed, there was a learning curve. Moving from physical keys (whether it was a 9-key alphanumeric version or the BlackBerrys QWERTY experience) to a touch screen, especially on the tiny 3.5-inch panel of the first iPhone, wasnt easy. But it was the future. Physical keyboards took up physical space on devices especially as those screens grew and grew. The adoption of touch keyboards sped up, thanks to third-party keyboard apps on Android, like Swype, SwiftKey and many others, introducing different input methods, smarter predictive text, typing algorithms and even touch heatmaps. Software keyboards were intrinsically more versatile, supporting multiple languages, infinite key arrangements and eventually emoji galleries. A colon-ellipsis smiley soon didnt hit the same. The death of the disk drive, part 2 (2008) The MacBook Air, introduced by Steve Jobs in 2008, was famously pulled from a manila envelope to demonstrate its ultraportable design. To achieve that slimness, it had to ditch the internal optical drive entirely, making it the first MacBook without one. That move kickstarted an era of ultraportable laptops. It was a major break from what laptop users were used to, and Apple tried to offer people some options. Apple introduced Remote Disc, a feature which allowed the Air to wirelessly use the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC, and offered an external USB SuperDrive as an optional accessory. (I've used mine exactly once since I bought it in 2013.) While it was considered underpowered compared to Windows competitors, the original MacBook Air set a new design standard for the industry. It positioned Apples Macs for a future of App Store software installations, faster internet connectivity, and the rise of streaming media, cloud storage, and the rest. Apples MacBook Pro and MacBooks eventually followed suit, ditching optical drives in 2012. Adobe Flash (2010) Apple In the early days of the iPhone, Apple famously refused to support Adobe Flash. This was in the early 2000s, too, when much of the web was built with Flash for animations and video support. The iPhone and iPad notably lacked support, creating a fractured browsing experience for years. In April 2010, just as the first iPad arrived, Steve Jobs published his Thoughts on Flash open letter, criticizing its poor security and a lack of touch-friendliness. Many Flash games and interfaces interacted with the mouse cursor's precise position, something that was invisible on the touchscreen iPhone. It was also a calculated move. By denying Adobe access to the rapidly growing iOS user base, Apple forced developers to choose between sticking with the aging Flash or embracing open standards like HTML5. Also, by making Flash-based games and tools incompatible, it nudged those developers (and iPhone users) toward the App Store for those very games and tools (and more). There, Apple could curate and monetize those creations. It was a slow death: Adobe finally discontinued Flash in 2020 . The headphone jack (2016) In a move described by Apple marketing executive Phil Schiller as courage , nixing the headphone socket ended up becoming the biggest headline to come from the iPhone 7 launch in 2016. Every flagship iPhone since has lacked the jack, with the most recent iPhone to include it being the original iPhone SE. To make the change more palatable, Apple bundled a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter (expect more dongle chat later) with the iPhone 7, 8 and X. In-box headphones also swapped from the typical jack to Lightning. Naturally, this meant you couldnt charge the phone while you listened to music, unless you already had a pair of wireless headphones. Of course, this move was ultimately instrumental in making true wireless earbuds ubiquitous. While Apple wasnt remotely the first company to introduce wireless earbuds (and then headphones), the removal of the headphone jack undoubtedly sped up adoption. Pour one out for the Bragi Dash, the Jabras, the Jaybirds of this world. Conveniently, alongside the aforementioned iPhone 7, Apple announced the AirPods. Features like one-tap setup and automatic pairing brought the convenience people expected of Apple and put it into a tiny white case. Despite early resistance and bragging from rivals who clung onto the headphone jack, at this point, the socket is mostly confined to cheaper smartphones or phones aimed at audiophiles (hi, Sony) or mobile gamers (ASUS ROG). Eventually, the iPad Pro also lost its headphone jack, and the rest of the company's tablets followed. The only non-Mac device to keep the jack? The iPod Touch, which had one until its discontinuation in 2022. Bespoke ports (2016) Engadget 2016 was the year of donglegate. Apples MacBook Pro redesign that year was another drastic shift in the laptop's history. Chasing ever-thinner profiles and less port fuss, Apple stripped away nearly every legacy connector that professionals relied on. This was particularly jarring after the previous-generation MacBook Pro (2015) was often cited as the peak of utility, with a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, two USB-A ports, not to mention a full-size HDMI port and an SD card slot. Those were replaced with four (or on the cheapest 13-inch MBP only two!) Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports and a headphone jack. For power users (like some Engadget editors), it demanded dongles (possibly multiple ones) in order to connect your USB-A thumb drive, wired internet, SD cards, external screens and well, at that point, pretty much everything. Many were particularly furious with the loss of the MagSafe charging connector. Of course, this also meant that one of those USB-C ports would be used primarily to charge the MBP. This sped up the availability of USB-C peripherals and accessories perhaps because everyone was sick of carrying around so many dongles and hubs but we still have USB-A devices. HDMI is everywhere. I still have SD Cards. Eventually, Apple course-corrected itself. The 2021 MacBook Pro redesign reintroduced the SD card reader and HDMI port, and even MagSafe returned, freeing up a USB-C port. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/50-years-of-apple-pushing-tech-forward-for-better-or-worse-170025862.html?src=rss

Uber to acquire Berlin-based chauffeur hailing app to ramp up its luxury travel efforts

Uber has acquired Blacklane , a Berlin-based startup that offers chauffeur services and bookings through its app, with plans to expand further into the luxury travel industry. Blacklane, founded in 2011, acts as a liaison between independent local chauffeur services and travelers looking for a more premium ride. According to Uber, the deal is subject to regulatory approvals but is expected to close by the end of 2026. This partnership marks a significant milestone in Blacklanes next chapter and is a powerful step-change in introducing our service to new markets globally, Jens Wohltorf, founder and CEO of Blacklane said in a press release. Uber didn't disclose the acquisition details and it's not clear if Uber Elite and Blacklane will compete against each other. Currently, Blacklane is available in at least 500 cities across more than 60 countries. Besides on-demand chauffeur hailing, the startup offers long-distance rides from city to city, airport pickup with flight tracking, and by-the-hour bookings. Uber's acquisition of Blacklane comes several weeks after it launched Uber Elite as an invite-only service for its luxury ride experience. Besides Uber Elite and Blacklane, another luxury hailing service has recently entered the US market. Earlier this month, Wheely announced its US debut with New York City as its first location, with five others to be announced in the coming years. Blacklane also currently operates in New York City, along with several dozen other cities in the US. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-to-acquire-berlin-based-chauffeur-hailing-app-to-ramp-up-its-luxury-travel-efforts-163855603.html?src=rss

Microsoft's research assistant can now use multiple AI models simultaneously

Microsoft's Copilot is getting even better at research thanks to a new feature that combines the power of both OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude. In a blog post announcing Copilot Cowork 's availability, Microsoft debuted the Critique feature that will be used in Microsoft 356 Copilot's Researcher tool. Unlike the standard Copilot, Researcher is designed to tackle more complex tasks with multiple steps. Now, Researcher is getting even better at that with the Critique feature that uses GPT responses, which are then refined by Claude . In a blog post, Microsoft said that, his architecture creates a powerful feedback loop that delivers higher-quality results across factual accuracy, analytical breadth, and presentation, adding that Researcher's process is similar to what you see in academic and professional research settings. Microsoft claims the upgrade scores somewhat higher (compared to the most recent Perplexity Deep Research models) on the Deep Research Accuracy, Completeness, and Objectivity benchmark. On its own, Anthropic has a Research feature that can use multiple Claude agents to provide a comprehensive response to more complex requests. If you prefer doing research with a little more autonomy, Microsoft also added the Model Council feature that's available as an alternative option for Researcher. With Model Council, you'll get side-by-side responses from both Anthropic and OpenAI, with a report that shows where the models agree and disagree. Both features are currently available in Microsoft 365 Copilot's Frontier program, which acts as a early access space for the company's AI innovations. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsofts-research-assistant-can-now-use-multiple-ai-models-simultaneously-154558628.html?src=rss