Hardware

Apple acquires Q.ai for a reported $2 billion

Apple has acquired Israel-based startup Q.ai, a move that could provide a much-needed boost to the tech giant's capabilities in artificial intelligence. Although Apple has not disclosed terms of the deal, sources told Financial Times that the arrangement is reportedly valued at nearly $2 billion. If that figure is accurate, the Q.ai acquisition marks Apple's second largest acquisition to date, followed by its purchase of Beats for $3 billion back in 2014. Johny Srouji, Apples senior vice president of hardware technologies, said in a statement that Q.ai is a remarkable company that is pioneering new and creative ways to use imaging and machine learning. Apple hasn't shared any specifics about how it plans to leverage the startup, but its past work indicates the possibility of Apple moving deeper into AI-powered wearables. Patents filed by Q.ai show its technology being used in headphones or glasses, using 'facial skin micro movements' to communicate without talking, the Times reported. The startup's founding team, including CEO Aviad Maizels, will join Apple as part of the deal. This acquisition marks Maizels' second sale to Apple; he previously founded a three-dimensional hearing business called PrimeSense that Apple bought back in 2013. For several months, many tech insiders have speculated that an acquisition might be Apple's best path forward to catching up in the AI race. In the company's Q3 earnings call in July 2025, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that Were open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap. A deal like this one could eventually lead to Apple developing its own fully in-house AI chatbot rather than relying on a competitor like Google to power artificial intelligence in its Siri assistant. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-acquires-qai-for-a-reported-2-billion-190017949.html?src=rss

Music publishers sue Anthropic for $3 billion over flagrant piracy

A group of music publishers led by Concord Music Group and Universal Music Group are suing Anthropic, according to a report by Reuters . The suit accuses the AI company of illegally downloading more than 20,000 copyrighted songs, including sheet music, lyrics and compositions. These songs were then allegedly fed into the chatbot Claude for training purposes. There are some iconic tunes named by Universal in the suit, including tracks by The Rolling Stones, Neil Diamond and Elton John, among many others. Concord is an independent publisher that handles artists like Common, Killer Mike and Korn. The publishers issued a statement saying that the damages could amount to more than $3 billion. This would make it one of the largest non-class action copyright cases in US history. While Anthropic misleadingly claims to be an AI 'safety and research' company, its record of illegal torrenting of copyrighted works makes clear that its multibillion-dollar business empire has in fact been built on piracy, the lawsuit says. The suit was filed by the same legal team as last year's Bartz v. Anthropic case . The music publishers say they found that Anthropic had been illegally downloading thousands of songs during the discovery process of that suit . For the unfamiliar, the Bartz v. Anthropic case ended with an award of $1.5 billion to impacted writers after it was found that the company had illegally downloaded their published works for similar training purposes. The terms of that agreement dictated that the 500,000 authors involved in the case would get $3,000 per work. The $1.5 billion looks like a big number, but not so much when broken down like that. Also, Anthropic is worth around $350 billion . In the Bartz case, Judge William Alsup ruled that it was legal for Anthropic to train its models on copyrighted content but not legal to acquire that content via piracy. We'll have to wait and see how this new suit shakes out. The legal precedent here seems to suggest that if Anthropic would have just spent a buck on each copyrighted song, then they'd be in the clear. That's an odd distinction when it comes to building an entire company around snatching up copyrighted content, but whatever. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/music-publishers-sue-anthropic-for-3-billion-over-flagrant-piracy-185459358.html?src=rss

Google's Project Genie lets you generate your own interactive worlds

This past summer, Google DeepMind debuted Genie 3 . Its whats known as a world world, an AI system capable of generating images and reacting as the user moves through the environment the software is simulating. At the time, DeepMind positioned Genie 3 as a tool for training AI agents. Now, its making the model available to people outside of Google to try with Project Genie . To start, youll need Googles $250 per month AI Ultra plan to check out Project Genie . Youll also need to live in the US and be 18 years or older. At launch, Project Genie offers three different modes of interaction: World Sketching, exploration and remixing. The first sees Googles Nano Banana Pro model generating the source image Genie 3 will use to create the world you will later explore. At this stage, you can describe your character, define the camera perspective be it first-person, third-person or isometric and how you want to explore the world Genie 3 is about to generate. Before you can jump into the models creation, Nano Banana Pro will sketch what youre about to see so you can make tweaks. Its also possible to write your own prompts for worlds others have used Genie to generate. One thing to keep in mind is that Genie 3 is not a game engine. While its outputs can look game-like, and it can simulate physical interactions, there arent traditional game mechanics here. Generations are also limited to 60 seconds, as is the presentation, which is capped at 24 frames per second and 720p. Still, if youre an AI Ultra subscriber, this is a cool opportunity to see the bleeding edge of what DeepMind has been working over the past couple of years. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-project-genie-lets-you-generate-your-own-interactive-worlds-183646186.html?src=rss

How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl: Patriots vs. Seahawks channel, start time, where to stream and more

The New England Patriots are headed to the 2026 Super Bowl. (Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images) Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images Drake Maye and the New England Patriots face Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl LX , which will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA this year. For those of you who don't have your calendars blocked off already, the game is on February 8, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. Like all other Sunday Night Football games this season, the championship game will be broadcast on NBC, and will stream live on Peacock. (Oh, and in case the Super Bowl isn't enough for you, you can catch coverage of the Winter Olympics all morning and after the football game on NBC , too!) Here's everything you need to know to tune in to Super Bowl LX on February 8, including the game channel, where to stream, and who's performing at halftime. How to watch Super Bowl LX Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 Time: 6:30 p.m. ET TV channel: NBC, Telemundo Streaming: Peacock, DirecTV, NFL+ and more 2026 Super Bowl game time The 2026 Super Bowl is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Feb. 8, 2026. 2026 Super Bowl game channel The 2026 Super Bowl will air on NBC, with a Spanish-language broadcast available on Telemundo. 2026 Super Bowl teams: The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will play in the 2026 Super Bowl. Where is the 2026 Super Bowl being played? The 2026 Super Bowl will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, home of the San Francisco 49ers. What teams are playing in the 2026 Super Bowl? The teams for the 2026 Super Bowl will be determined after the AFC and NFC Championship games are played on Sunday, Jan. 25. You can keep tabs on the post-season playoff bracket here . How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl without cable You can stream NBC and Telemundo on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV, both of which are among Engadget's choices for best streaming services for live TV . (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not available on the platform.) The game will also be streaming on Peacock and on NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you're limited to watching the game on mobile devices. Who is performing at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show? Bad Bunny, who holds the title as the most-streamed artist in the world, will be headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance. You can expect that show to begin after the second quarter, likely between 8-8:30 p.m. ET. Singer Charlie Puth will also be at the game to perform the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile is scheduled to sing America The Beautiful, and Coco Jones will perform Lift Every Voice and Sing. Where to buy tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl: Tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl are available on third-party resale platforms like StubHub and Gametime. Find tickets on Stubhub Find tickets on Gametime More ways to watch Super Bowl LX This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-2026-super-bowl-patriots-vs-seahawks-channel-start-time-where-to-stream-and-more-175759610.html?src=rss

Maingear's latest retro gaming desktop takes you back to the Quake era

Maingear is back with another nostalgia-fueled gaming PC. The Retro98 may look like it's made for playing Quake while you wait for The Phantom Menace trailer to drop. But on the inside, the beige box is powerful enough to slay today's most demanding AAA games. You're not going to find this PC at your local Radio Shack, Maingear promises. If you're at least middle-aged, the Retro98's exterior is instantly familiar. The hand-built tower includes an LED fan-speed display, a working turbo button and a power-lockout key. Sticking with the nostalgic motif, its front I/O is hidden behind the Maingear logo. I can already hear The Beastie Boys' Intergalactic playing in the background. Fortunately, you won't be limited to 1998 games. (Dope as they are.) It has up to a Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor, GeForce RTX 5090 graphics, 64GB Kingston Fury RAM and 4TB Kingston FURY Renegade NVMe Gen5 SSD. The maxed-out version (described by Maingear as unapologetically overkill) even includes open-loop liquid cooling. The Retro98 starts at $2,500 and goes all the way up to $9,799. Maingear Now for the bad news. As you might expect from a retro novelty PC like this, you'll have to pay a pretty penny. The base model (Intel Core Ultra 7 265K / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070) costs $2,499. There are two other standard tiers, priced at $3,499 and $4,999. Finally, the open-loop-cooled Alpha build is a whopping $9,799. Hey, those aren't 1998 prices! The Retro98 also has an extremely limited run. Maingear is producing only 32 standard units and six alpha units. The company says it won't bring this build back once those sell out. However, there is a workaround for tinkerers: Since it's based on the SilverStone FLP02 tower PC case, you could grab one of those and build your own. Those wealthy and nostalgic enough to take the plunge can order the Retro98 today from Maingears website . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/maingears-latest-retro-gaming-desktop-takes-you-back-to-the-quake-era-174958445.html?src=rss

Spotify has a group messaging feature now

Spotify is adding group chats to the messaging service it premiered last year. In an addendum to the original blog post introducing Messages, the company announced that users can initiate chats with up to 10 of their friends to share the podcasts, playlists and songs they are listening to. The in-app messaging feature, which was released last August, works to keep users on the app instead of navigating to another platform to share content with friends. Since its introduction, Spotify has added functionality bit by bit. Earlier this month, the company added the ability to share what you're listening to in real-time . Users can also invite chat participants to join a Jam, the apps collaborative listening tool. Spotify isn't the only content platform trying to make in-app messaging a thing. Late last year, YouTube said it would be testing DMs , after originally adding the feature in 2017 before removing it in 2019. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-has-a-group-messaging-feature-now-173734450.html?src=rss

Honda vehicles used to proactively report road safety issues in nation-first pilot

Honda and DriveOhio have teamed up on a new road safety initiative in which Honda vehicles are being used to collect real-time data that can advise about potential issues and road deficiencies before they become a problem. Hondas Proactive Roadway Maintenance System, which has been in prototyping since 2021, uses advanced vision and LiDAR sensors to identify issues such as worn or obstructed road signs, damaged guardrails, rough roads and emerging potholes. During the pilot, members of the Ohio Department of Transportations smart mobility hub drove the test vehicles on around 3,000 miles of road in central and southeastern Ohio. They covered a mix of urban and rural environments, in varying weather conditions and at different times of the day. ODOT operators were able to review any flagged road or infrastructure deficiencies in real time using smart dashboards developed by Honda and tech firm Parsons. The University of Cincinnati helped Honda fit the sensors to its vehicles, led the development of the damage detection feature and assisted ODOT during the pilot. The data collected by the vehicles was processed by Edge AI models and then passed on to Hondas own cloud platform. The system then automatically generated work orders for ODOTs maintenance teams in order of priority. While a relatively small pilot in scope, the Proactive Roadway Maintenance System performed well in the trial across a number of metrics, delivering as high as 99 percent accuracy at highlighting damaged or obstructed signs. Accuracy was 93 percent for damaged guardrails and a slightly lower 89 percent for spotting potholes. Honda says its technology could also detect high-severity shoulder drop-offs that were easy to miss in a routine visual inspection, while the system also proved reliable at measuring road roughness. The team that worked on the project estimated that if implemented on a larger scale, the automated system could save ODOT over $4.5 million a year. Honda and its partners are now looking at ways to scale up the prototype Proactive Roadway Maintenance System for real-world use. The manufacturer also says it aims to eventually have similar technology in the vehicles of its customers, who will be able to share their own detection data anonymously and help create safer roads. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/honda-vehicles-used-to-proactively-report-road-safety-issues-in-nation-first-pilot-151629967.html?src=rss

Apple's AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale for $119

Apple's AirPods 4 have a ton of improvements over the previous generation, but the version with active noise cancellation takes things up a notch. With them, you can get noise-cancelling power without the in-ear design of the AirPods Pro 3 that may bother some folks. They're even more enticing when they're on sale, like right now. The AirPods 4 with ANC are down to $119 at the moment, or $60 less than their usual price. While we've seen the ANC model as low as $99, the $119 price tag is the best deal we've seen so far this year. Apple released its fourth-generation AirPods in late 2024 and they're still our pick for best budget AirPods on the market. We gave the ANC model an 86 in our review thanks to their effective noise canceling, better sound quality and features like adaptive audio. Overall, at $60 off, they're a great option to pick up. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-4-with-anc-are-on-sale-for-119-153239333.html?src=rss

Google will pay $135 million to settle illegal data collection lawsuit

Google has agreed to a preliminary $135 million settlement in a class action lawsuit brought by Android users who accused it of harvesting their data without consent. The suit alleged that since November 12, 2017, Google has been illegally collecting cellular data from phones purchased through carriers, even when apps were closed or location features were disabled. As reported by Reuters , the affected users believed Google using their data for marketing and product development meant it was guilty of conversion. In US law, conversion occurs when one party takes the property of another with the intent to deprive them of it or exert property rights over it. Subject to approval from a judge, a settlement of $135 million was filed in a San Jose federal court earlier this week. The payout would be one of, if not the largest ever in a case of this nature, according to Glen Summers, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. Each user involved in the lawsuit would be entitled to up to $100 from Google, which denies any wrongdoing and has agreed to seek consent during the setup process of a new phone from now on. A toggle will be added to enable users to easily disable data transfer, while the Alphabet-owned company will also adjust its terms of service accordingly. A trial is scheduled for August 5. This is the second settlement this week for Google. On January 26, the company also agreed to a $68 million settlement regarding claims that Google Assistant had been spying on users after being triggered by what it had misheard as wake words. Again, Google denied any wrongdoing in the class action suit. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-will-pay-135-million-to-settle-illegal-data-collection-lawsuit-133012112.html?src=rss

Pick up AirPods Pro 3 while they're down to $199 right now

AirPods Pro 3 have returned to an all-time-low price. You can pick them up for $199 right now, which is $50 off and the best discount we've seen since the earbuds came out at the end of last year. We gave these AirPods a score of 90 out of 100 in our review and we consider them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone users. The third generation model is a substantial update to an already impressive product, bringing new features like live translation to the table. The AirPods Pro 3 also offer heart-rate tracking, allowing them to stream live data to Apple Fitness and other third-party workout apps. This lets you track your fitness and close activity rings similarly to when using an Apple Watch. Apple also improved the sound quality of this generation thanks in large part to a redesigned acoustic architecture that improves how air is delivered into the ear canal. Additionally, the company changed the angle of the drivers to help more sound get where it needs to go instead of bouncing off the sides of your ear. We felt the jump in audio quality from the last generation to this one was substantial. The ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 has also been improved. Apple claims this model filters out twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times as much as the original AirPods Pro. We found the noise cancellation to be top-notch. Live Translation is as neat as it sounds, leveraging the AirPods' noise cancellation tech, Apple's AI and beam-forming mics to help you understand a speaker in a different language. Right now, this is limited to a handful of languages with more being added over time. It's not often you see one of Apple's best and most recent products on sale for 20 percent off, so if you're in the market for an upgrade or your first set of AirPods, consider taking advantage of this deal. If you're looking to spend a little less, the AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale right now, too, for $119. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-airpods-pro-3-while-theyre-down-to-199-right-now-140752986.html?src=rss

Are VPNs really safe? The security factors to consider before using one

Virtual private networks (VPNs) have been household technology for a while now, but there's still a lot of uncertainty around them. This is partly due to the fact that they can conceal online activity that local or national governments deem illegal up to and including, say, circumventing ID checks for age verification . Consumers aren't helped by the sheer amount of duds sold in app stores right next to the best VPNs , especially when they're purposefully exploiting moments that have people rushing to shore up their online anonymity. If you've almost decided to start using a VPN, you may be wondering if the services you're looking at are actually safe. Unfortunately, the answer is a hard it depends. VPNs are technology that can work well or poorly, just like they can be used for good or evil. There's nothing intrinsically dangerous about using a VPN whether or not one is safe comes down to who built it and how they're running it. The good news is that there are easy ways to tell whether youre using one of the good ones. The question Are VPNs really safe? can also mean something else Is using a VPN enough to keep me safe online? I'll get into that too, but to spoil the ending: VPNs are important security tools, but they aren't enough to protect against all digital threats by themselves. Also, to be clear, I'm talking here about commercial VPNs like Proton VPN and ExpressVPN, not commercial VPNs like NordLayer or Cisco AnyConnect. What makes a VPN unsafe? There are two main things that can make me call a VPN unsafe: negligence and malice. A negligent VPN doesn't protect against the dangers it's supposed to ward off, leaving you more exposed than if you weren't using a VPN at all. A malicious VPN is designed to make you less safe so the people behind it can profit. Some ways a negligent VPN might endanger its users: Using outdated protocols with cracked encryption, like PPTP, or homebrewed protocols with insufficient security. A weakly secured protocol might expose your search activity. Allowing leaks by using public DNS servers rather than setting up their own system to resolve requests. This risks revealing what websites the VPN's users are visiting. Leaking the user's real location by failing to block or properly manage IPv6. Leaving its servers in the hands of unvetted third parties, who might let them get hacked. Failing to include a kill switch, which puts users at risk of connecting to false servers. Some ways a VPN can be malicious: Making its money from in-app ads, especially if those ads contain trackers. Harvesting the user's residential IP address and selling it as a proxy. Tracking the user's activity and selling it to advertisers. Planting malware on the user's device. I want to stress again that none of these risks are inherent to how a VPN works. VPNs aren't required to be dangerous in any way. There are plenty of good ones, which makes it all the more important to pick the bad ones out of the lineup. In the next section, I'll discuss how to do that. How to tell if a VPN is safe The process of checking up on a VPN starts before you buy it. Before you consider downloading any VPN app, do your research and learn as much as you can. Read review sites like Engadget, but also try to get reports from regular users on social media and app stores. Be suspicious of five-star reviews that are light on specifics the more positive reviews from actual users, the better. While researching, look for any cases in which the VPN failed in its mission to protect customers. Did it ever turn information over to police, despite having a no-logs policy? Were any of its servers ever breached by hackers in ways that put other users in danger? Is it cagey about key information, like where it's based or who its parent company is? You can also close-read the VPN's privacy policy, like I do in my VPN reviews. A privacy policy is a legal document that can invite lawsuits if the provider ignores it outright, so most companies prefer to plant vague loopholes instead. Read the policy and decide for yourself if it makes any unacceptable exceptions to no logs ever. If the answer to all those questions is no, your next step is to download the VPN and test it. Every worthwhile VPN has a guaranteed refund within a certain period, so you can use that time to test the factors below. If you like the results, you can subscribe for longer; if not, you can cancel and get your money back. Here's what to look for during the refund period: Check which VPN protocols are available. The best expert-verified protocols are OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard. If the VPN uses a protocol other than these three, make sure it's using an unbreakable encryption cipher like AES-256 or ChaCha20. Test for leaks. You can run a simple leak test using a website like ipleak.net or whatismyipaddress.com . Just check your normal IP address, connect to a VPN server, then check again. If the IP address you see is the same as before, the VPN is leaking. Find the kill switch. A kill switch prevents you from accessing the internet while you're not connected to its associated VPN. This is critical to prevent certain types of hack that rely on fake servers to work. Most top VPNs have a kill switch or a similar feature with a different name (such as Windscribe's Firewall). See if the apps are open-source. A VPN making its services available for viewing on Github states powerfully that it has nothing to hide. Anonymity is an inalienable right for individuals, but VPN apps aren't people the more transparent the code, the better. Test its other security features. If the VPN has a blocker for ads, malware or trackers, see if it prevents banner ads from loading. Try connecting to a test malware site like www.ianfette.org or httpforever.com and check if the VPN blocks it. There's one more factor that generally denotes a safe VPN: paid subscriptions. I'm not going to claim that all free VPNs are dangerous, but if a service claims to be always free with no need whatsoever to pay, you have to ask how it makes money. VPNs that don't charge for subscriptions usually turn their users into the product, selling their data to advertisers or for use as residential proxies. Is a VPN enough to keep you safe online? Another way in which VPNs aren't totally safe is that they aren't, by themselves, a total solution for cybersecurity. A VPN does one specific task: it replaces your IP address with an anonymous server and encrypts communication with that server so your real device can't be seen. This means you won't reveal your identity or location in the normal course of using the internet. However, if you reveal information another way, then all bets are off. If you click a sketchy link that downloads malware onto your computer, that malware doesn't care that your IP address is concealed it's already where it needs to be. Similarly, if you leak critical information in a social post, or privately give it up to a phishing scammer, a VPN won't help. I put together a list of 12 cybersecurity habits that'll keep you safe from nearly all threats online. Getting a VPN is one of them, but there are 11 others, including strengthening your passwords, immediately installing updates and conditioning yourself to spot social engineering hacks. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you're untouchable just because you use a VPN. The safest VPNs It can be a lot of work to figure out whether a VPN is safe and trustworthy. If you just want to pick one you can use without having to open a federal case, check out my best VPN roundup or best free VPN list or just use one of the suggestions in this section. Proton VPN , my favorite VPN, is majority-owned by the nonprofit Proton foundation, has open-sourced its entire product family and has never suffered a serious hack or breach. Despite some controversy around its parent company, ExpressVPN remains secure; its servers have been confiscated at least once and found to hold no information. NordVPN suffered a hack in 2018 and learned the right lessons from it, doubling down on security at its server locations. Similarly, Surfshark was criticized for using a weak authentication method and deprecated it entirely in 2022. Often, a VPN responding correctly to a security breach looks better than one which has never been attacked at all sometimes strength can only be known in adversity. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/are-vpns-really-safe-the-security-factors-to-consider-before-using-one-130000539.html?src=rss

Apple TV signs TV and movie deal for Brandon Sanderson's fantasy books

Brandon Sanderson, a popular author of high-fantasy and science fiction books, has signed a deal with Apple TV to adapt his works set in the Cosmere fictional universe into films and TV shows. Sanderson said last year at Celsius 232, Spains annual sci-fi and fantasy convention, that his ultimate dream project is a really good Mistborn film. Apple TV is making that come true: Some of the first projects to come out of the deal are feature film adaptations of the Mistborn books and a TV show based on series. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Sandersons deal with the streaming service is unprecedented, because he will have major creative control over the adaptations. He will write, produce and consult for the projects under development, and he will have the power to sign off on various aspects of the adaptations. Thats a level of control other famous authors such as George R. R. Martin dont enjoy. In fact, Martin recently talked about how House of the Dragons showrunner, Ryan Condal, has stopped taking his notes and suggestions into account. Sandersons Cosmere universe encompasses dozens of books set in various but interconnected worlds and timelines. Theyre all bound by a single creation myth, which explains where the universes different types of magic come from. Apple TV has yet to announce timelines and release dates for the projects based on Sandersons work, but The Stormlight Archive TV adaptation already has a producer (Blue Marble) attached to it. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-tv-signs-tv-and-movie-deal-for-brandon-sandersons-fantasy-books-130000797.html?src=rss

DJI launches the lightweight RS 5 camera gimbal for video creators

DJI just revealed the RS 5 camera gimbal, a new entry in its long-standing Ronan Series. The RS 5 is lightweight, at around three pounds, with a maximum payload of nearly seven pounds. This gimbal offers what DJI calls enhanced intelligent subject tracking. The tracking was already impressive with some of the company's older offerings, so any improvement will be icing on the cake. A new tracking module lets videographers frame live footage and follow subjects directly from an included touchscreen, all without having to fiddle with the actual camera. DJI The tracking module also offers the ability to follow more than people. It can track pets, vehicles or just about any other object. It can also help maintain a locked focus on a human subject up to 10 meters away. The RS 5 includes the company's latest stabilization algorithm, which DJI says lets videographers effortlessly achieve complicated camera movements, such as surround shots, reverse tracking or single-person fixed-camera tracking. It's also great for when the cameraperson is capturing footage while walking or running. It's been designed to carry a wide range of mainstream mirrorless cameras and lens combinations and can switch to vertical shooting without additional accessories. There's a nifty little briefcase handle for capturing footage from above or below. The RS 5 delivers up to 14 hours of use per charge and can be fully charged in just an hour. Video shoots can take forever, so this is a welcome bit of news. For true marathons, there's a separate enhanced battery grip accessory that extends the runtime to 30 hours. DJI The standard DJI RS 5 includes the gimbal, a quick-open tripod, quick-release plates, a regular battery grip and some other useful accessories. That pack costs around $680. The combo pack includes all of the above, plus the enhanced tracking module, a carrying case and an electronic briefcase handle. That costs around $859. Now for the bad news. We don't have a US release date or even any information as to if it will be available here. Engadget has reached out to DJI for more information. The company's drones were recently banned from being imported to the US . This only impacts newly-released models and shouldn't impact gimbals or anything like that. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-launches-the-lightweight-rs-5-camera-gimbal-for-video-creators-120056173.html?src=rss

The best ereaders for 2026

Color is the buzziest feature in ereaders right now, but is it necessary? It makes the covers more fun, and readers of comics and graphic novels will appreciate the added hues (though they may be happier with an E Ink tablet for better image detail). Color is just one factor to consider when picking out the best ereader. The lights, screen quality, housing and buttons make a difference too. Then theres the software: Do you want to stay in the Kindle ecosystem or get a device that can handle lots of apps? We tested more than a dozen ereaders to come up with our recommendations. This guide also points out ways to get the most out of your new e-book companion once you pick your favorite. Best ebook readers for 2026 What to look for in an ereader Plenty of apps, including the Kindle app, will let you download and read digital books on an iPhone, Android Phone or tablet. But what makes ebook readers different is the screen: nearly all of them use technology from a company called E Ink. It manufactures electronic paper displays (EPD) composed of three sheets: one containing millions of microcapsules filled with black and white ink particles sandwiched between transparent electrode layers. When a charge is applied, either the black or white particles shift to the top, forming letters and the whitespace around them. Color ereaders add a color filter array on top of the standard black and white microcapsule layer. The result is two different resolutions on one screen the color clarity is 150 dpi while black and white images and text are still 300 dpi. Because these displays are so different from standard backlight LED panels, you can expect most good ereaders to do a number of things well. Theyll be easier to stare at for long periods of time and easier to read in direct sunlight. Also, since E Ink displays only require power to rearrange the ink, these devices have much longer battery lives than even the best tablets: were talking weeks on a single charge, not days. The ereader market is not as saturated as, say, the smartphone market, but there are still plenty of options out there and they do have small but important differences among them. They tend to range from around $100 to more than $400, though usually the higher end options are stylus-enabled read/write E Ink tablets like the Kindle Scribe. Beyond price, you should consider physical properties like buttons, lights, storage and resolution, as well as how the software lets you find and access books. Reading features With any ereader, youll navigate the OS via taps and swipes, and some add physical page-turn buttons. Most with built-in buttons have an auto-rotating screen so you can press with your right or left hand. As E Ink technology has advanced, resolution has greatly improved even the budget Kindle ereader has a 300 ppi display. You can still find models with lower resolution, but we dont recommend them. Some ereaders have front LEDs that support light temperature adjustment. That means you can switch to a warmer light after the sun goes down, which will feel easier on the eyes. If youre concerned about blue light, you should go for a reader with that feature. Finally, dark mode is available on most later model ereaders, allowing you to invert the black and white text and background, which some people find easier to read in low-light settings. Other features The capabilities of these pocket libraries have advanced considerably since the early days. In addition to storing books, some let you browse the web, run apps and play music. The screens frame rate cant handle gaming, but its good enough to show you the Wikipedia entry for Strivers Row while you read Crook Manifesto . If you listen to audiobooks, you may want a Bluetooth-enabled ereader capable of playing them. Most of the models we tested have that ability, with the notable exception of the Nook ereader we tried. Keep in mind that audiobook files can take up more space than print files so you'll probably want a device with a higher storage capacity if you plan on doing a lot of listening. Above all, you should consider where and how you intend to find books to read. Most ereaders make it easiest to shop through their own digital bookstores, but all of them (even Kindles ) will now let you download titles from other sources, like libraries, unaffiliated ebook sellers and free public domain sites. Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget How to get books for your ereader Kindle, Nook and Kobo all have their own stores that you access directly from each brands devices. Prices are the same among all sellers, too. Publishers set the price of an ebook, not the retailer, so a title will cost the same at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, eBooks.com and the Kobo store. Amazon offers Kindle Unlimited for $12 per month, and it includes four million titles from which you can pick your next read. It includes audio and ebooks, but you wont find many big, new releases or older bestsellers. Kobo has a subscription called Kobo Plus with about 1.3 million titles: it goes for $8 per month for ebooks only, $8 for audiobooks only or $10 for both. Buying a book from a proprietary store instantly delivers it to your device, provided youre connected to WiFi. It also syncs your reading across devices and apps, so you can pick up where you left off on your phone if you forgot your ereader at home. It truly is the most convenient way to go, but if you dont want to be locked into one brands store, or if you opt for an ereader without its own marketplace, you do have options. How to upload ePubs onto an ereader Stores like ebooks.com and Google Play have millions of ebooks for sale as digital rights-managed (DRM) ePub files, which Kobo, Nook and PocketBook readers can read in their native ereader apps. Kindles dont support DRM ePub files at all and Boox devices require third party reading apps (of which there are many) to read those files. Titles from Apple Books are only readable in iOS devices. Titles from some publishers like Tor and public domain classics from sites like Project Gutenberg are also sold as ePubs, but without the added DRM. Consequently, Kindles and the Boox Neoreader do support those files. Books you get from third-party sources will look just like ones you bought from a proprietary store, thanks to the flowable, formatted nature of ePub files. While these device-agnostic ebook collections give you extra options for finding your next read, they require a few additional steps to get the files onto your ereader. To do so, youll typically need a computer running a free program called Adobe Digital Editions (ADE). After buying and downloading the ePub file, open ADE and plug your ereader into your computer (all readers here have a USB-C port for charging and data transfers). Your device should pop up in the left panel. Drag and drop the ePub file from your downloads folder into the main panel in ADE. The file will display as an image of the book cover. Drag that image onto your device on the left panel. If the file includes digital rights management (which protects against unauthorized copying) youll need to authorize your ereader, which requires using or creating a free Adobe ID . Once youve finished adding files to upload, eject the reader from your computer to complete the transfer process. Kindles use a web-based uploader instead of the ADE method. But since Kindle uses its own proprietary DRM technology instead of Adobe's, the only files it can accept from third parties are non-DRM files, such as from Tor Publishing or Project Gutenberg. After downloading a compatible ePub file, drag and drop it into your browser with the Send to Kindle page open. As long as youre signed into Amazon, this wirelessly transfers the files to your associated device. Boox also uses a browser uploader called BooxDrop (along with many other methods ) to deliver ePubs to the device. Open it from the Boox App menu and youll see a device-specific url. Type that into your browser to access a file delivery portal that uploads to your library. Booxs built-in ereader app, NeoReader, also doesnt support files with DRM, so you wont be able to read current titles from most publishers using that app. Fortunately, Boox devices run nearly every ereader app out there, Kobo and Kindle included, letting you access ePubs any number of ways. Recently, Bookshop.org, the online seller of physical books that supports indie bookstores, started selling ebooks and up to 100 percent of the profits will go to local booksellers. The company uses a different rights management system than ADE so, right now, you can only read titles you buy from them on the Bookshop.org app , but the company is working with the makers of both Kindle and Kobo to extend compatibility to those ereaders. How to read library books on an ereader Your local library card lets you borrow audio and ebooks through a program called Overdrive and its companion app Libby . On a Kobo , you have have built-in access to Overdrive in a separate tab. Once youve linked your public library card, the search function will include results for titles available from your local library system; a few taps will upload your selections to your device for the length of the loan. I personally find it easiest to borrow the title I want through the Libby app on my phone. After that, the book pops up on my Kobos home screen once the device syncs. To read library books on a Kindle , you can either go through the Libby app or the Overdrive section of your librarys website. Once you click Borrow, youll see the option to Read now with Kindle, which takes you to Amazons site to sign in. After that, the book will be delivered to your device the next time it connects to WiFi. For other ereaders, youll go through your librarys Overdrive portal and download the ePub after clicking the Borrow button. You can then use the ADE process we described above. Devices that run external apps, like Boox's Page, Go Color 7 or Palma, allow you to read library books via the Libby app, just as you would on a smartphone or iPad. You can also use the Libby app to borrow audiobooks, but you wont be able to access them through your ereader. (The exception is an ereader, like a Boox device, that allows external apps). I found it was easier to listen to an audiobook on my phone anyway, regardless of whether I borrowed it through Libby or bought it from Kindle or Kobo. Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget How we test ereaders When putting together any guide, the first thing we do is spend hours researching the field. We look at whats available, whats new, and what shoppers and professional reviewers have to say. Then we narrow a list to the best candidates for hands-on testing. Over the course of the past three years, Ive tested just over a dozen ereaders, representing five different brands: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Boox and PocketBook. I bought, borrowed and uploaded books for each device using the methods above. I used each one for between a few days to a few months. I evaluated each one in the areas of book access, ease of reading, extra features and overall value. Heres everything we tested so far: Amazon Kindle (2022) Amazon Kindle (2024) Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021) Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024) Boox Go Color 7 Boox Leaf 2 Boox Page Boox Poke 5 Boox Palma Kobo Libra 2 Kobo Libra Colour Kobo Clara 2E Kobo Clara Colour Kobo Nia NOOK GlowLight 4 PocketBook Era Other ereaders we tested Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Amazons first color Kindle impressed with its quick page-turns and load times, auto-adjusting front light and, of course, a decently striking color E Ink display. But at $280, its more expensive than all of the other color ereaders in its size range, including the Kobo Libra Colour and the Boox Go Color 7. Also, some Colorsoft owners reported seeing a yellow band at the bottom of their ereaders display. This issue did not affect our first review unit during the original testing period, but it eventually appeared. An Amazon spokesperson told Engadget: A small number of customers have reported a yellow band along the bottom of the display. We take the quality of our products seriouslycustomers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund, and were making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward. Amazon sent us a new Colorsoft ereader at the end of 2024 and it does appear that the fixes the company made resolved the yellow-band issue. The screen on our second review unit appears warmer overall, but not overly so. Its more akin to the screen on the Kobo Libra Colour, and thats a good thing. Boox Go 7 stylus-enabled ereader Boox recently released two new stylus-enabled generations of their seven-inch reader: The monochrome Go 7 and a color-screen Go Color 7 (Gen II) . After trying out the stylus-enabled Go 7, I still like the standard, non-stylus enabled version better. True, I liked the Notebook app with its array of handwriting templates and I appreciated the low-to-no latency with the stylus. It also offers a good assortment of brush, pen and style options. But outside of the Notebook app, I didnt find much use for the stylus. I was able to doodle in the margins of DRM-free books in Booxs native NeoReader, but it doesnt work in other apps or on any rights-managed books. There's a FreeMark option that allows you to draw or write atop any app, but it saves your doodles as separate images, as opposed to allowing you to mark up the page itself. I also found enabling the stylus to be a little glitchy. If you plan to do a lot of writing, youll probably be better served by an E Ink tablet , but if you want an ereader that can mark up your books, I suggest going with the Kobo Libra Color, detailed above. Ereader FAQs What's the difference between an ereader and an e-ink reader? Really, they are the same thing. E Ink is a company that designs and manufactures the paper-like screens found in most ereader devices. Technically, anything you read ebooks on can act as an ereader, so your phone, iPad or Android tablet could all serve that purpose, but theyre not considered dedicated ereaders. While there are some devices marketed as ereaders that have LCD or OLED screens instead of E Ink, they arent as common. One of the benefits of ereaders is the E Ink screens paper-like quality, which causes less eye strain for many people. But there is a difference between ereaders and E Ink tablets . These larger e-ink devices also employ E Ink screens, but they have stylus input and are often used for note taking and other tasks in addition to reading ebooks. We have an entire guide devoted to helping you pick out an E Ink tablet . Are there ads on my ereader? The base model Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite come with ads by default, but you can opt to pay $20 to remove them, either at the time of purchase or after you start using the device. The ads are limited to the lockscreen and are typically for other books or Kindle services. Kobo and Boox ereaders dont come with ads. Which ereader has the longest battery life? Of the devices we tested, the Boox Go Color 7 has the largest listed battery capacity at 2,300mAh (Amazon doesnt list the capacity of its Kindle devices). But thanks to the nature of E Ink screens and the relatively limited processing power required to display e-books, nearly all ereaders can go for weeks before they need a recharge. That means battery life probably isnt as much of a deciding factor in buying an ereader as it would be with a tablet or smartphone. Which ereaders can read Kindle books? Amazons Kindle ereaders are the obvious answer, but other devices capable of running apps can also read titles from the Kindle store. For example, you can download the Kindle app on a Boox ereader through Google Play (the store comes standard in the Boox app menu). You can then sign into your Kindle account and access all the books in your library the same way youd read Kindle books on your phone or tablet. Can you buy Kindle books without a Kindle? Yes. You can buy Kindle books through the Kindle app or through Amazons website via a browser. You can read those titles on a Kindle or any device that can run the Kindle app, such as a smartphone, tablet or computer. Just be aware that Kindle titles can only be read through one of Amazons ereaders or the Kindle app. The company uses proprietary digital rights management on all ebooks it sells that cant be read by other ereader apps like Kobo or Adobe ADE. What's the difference between Kindle and Kobo? Both Kindle and Kobo are brands of dedicated ereaders that support searching, buying, downloading and reading ebooks from their own stores. Both also support borrowing books from your local library via Overdrive and Libby. The difference is that Kindle is owned by Amazon and uses the Kindle store, whereas Kobo is owned by Rakuten and its books come from the Kobo store. Both stores come pre-loaded as a tab on their respective ereader and both carry most in-print books. Each store also carries their own exclusive ebooks as well, but Amazons library of Kindle-only books is much larger than Kobos . Amazon also offers Amazon Original stories to read on the Kindle, which are free short fiction and nonfiction reads that are free to Prime members. Which ereader is best for library books? Both Kobos and Kindles have simple systems for borrowing library books. Other ereaders, like Boox, let you borrow books after downloading the Libby App. Only Kobo ereaders let you search for and borrow books directly on the ereader, with a dedicated Overdrive tab. Kindles, on the other hand, utilize a convenient read on Kindle function from the Libby app or website. You can send a borrowed book to your Kindle just by signing into your account. Both methods are pretty easy, so which is the best for you probably depends on other factors than just the library-book feature. Recent updates January 2026 : Added the Boox Palma 2 Pro as the best smartphone ereader. August 2025 : Included new frequently asked questions covering battery life, E Ink screens and ads on ereaders. Mentioned Amazons release of a cheaper Colorsoft Kindle. July 2025 : Added our impressions of the new stylus-enabled Boox Go 7 series. Updated our Boox Palma recommendation to account for the upgrades to the Boox Palma 2. Included text formats to our specs and the battery life of the Kobo Clara Colour. March 2025 : Added news about Bookshop.org getting into the ebook market. Updated information about price-setting by publishers. January 2025: Updated the Others we tested section to include impressions of the second Kindle Colorsoft review unit we received. August 2024 : Replaced our Android tablet pick with the new Go Color 7 ereader from Boox. Updated book titles to current examples. Added an FAQ section to explain the difference between Kobo and Kindle ereaders and further detail library-book support on different models. November 2024 : Following the release of Amazon's new Kindle ereaders , we tested and reviewed the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, the base-model Kindle and Amazon's new color ereader, the Kindle Colorsoft . Accordingly, we updated our budget pick, added a premium pick and noted our experience with the Colorsoft. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ereader-130013808.html?src=rss

Halide co-founder joins Apple's design team

Apple picked up an intriguing new member for its design team today in Sebastiaan de With, co-founder of the iPhone camera app Halide. He announced the move today on Threads, adding, So excited to work with the very best team in the world on my favorite products. The Halide app has caught our eye at Engadget at several points over the years. de With also is co-founder of Lux, which is Halide's parent company. The other Lux apps also have an emphasis on photography and videography, particularly on Apple devices. Prior to Halide, de With had done other work at Apple, collaborating on properties including iCloud, MobileMe and Find My apps. It's unclear if his exit will mean any notable changes for Halide, or for the Lux apps Kino, Spectre and Orion. For a long time, Apple's design philosophy was personified by Jony Ive, who left the company in 2022. Since his departure, no single person has emerged as the face and voice of Apple's attitude toward design, which could be why recent moves such as Liquid Glass have been met with deeply divided reactions . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/halide-co-founder-joins-apples-design-team-235023416.html?src=rss

Mark Zuckerberg says Reality Labs will (eventually) stop losing so much money

Mark Zuckerberg says there's an end in sight to Reality Labs' years of multibillion-dollar losses following the company's layoffs to the metaverse division earlier this year. The CEO said he expects to gradually reduce how much money the company is losing as it doubles down on AI glasses and shifts away from virtual reality. Speaking during Meta's fourth-quarter earnings call, Zuckerberg was clear that the changes won't happen soon, but sounded optimistic about the division that lost more than $19 billion in 2025 alone. For Reality Labs, we are directing most of our investment towards glasses and wearables going forward, while focusing on making Horizon a massive success on mobile and making VR a profitable ecosystem over the coming years, he said. I expect Reality Labs losses this year to be similar to last year, and this will likely be the peak, as we start to gradually reduce our losses going forward. The company cut more than 1,000 employees from Reality Labs earlier this month, shut down three VR studios and announced plans to retire its app for VR meetings. Meta has also paused plans for third-party Horizon OS headsets. Instead, Meta is doubling down on its smart glasses and and wearables business, which tie in more neatly to Zuckerberg's vision for creating AI superintelligence . During the call, Zuckerberg noted that sales of Meta's smart glasses more than tripled in 2025, and hinted at bigger plans for AR glasses. They [AI glasses] are going to be able to see what you see, hear what you hear, talk to you and help you as you go about your day and even show you information or generate custom UI right there in your vision, he said. Zuckerberg has spent the last few years laying the groundwork for pivoting Meta's metaverse work into AI. He offered one example if what the means for Metas Horizon app. You can imagine people being able to easily, through a prompt, create a world or create a game, and be able to share that with people who they care about. And you see it in your feed, and you can jump right into it, and you can engage in it. And there are 3D versions of that, and there are 2D versions of that. And Horizon, I think fits very well with the kind of immersive 3D version of that. But there's definitely a version of the future where, you know, any video that you see, you can, like, tap on and jump into it and, like, engage and kind of like, experience it in a more meaningful way. And I think that the investments that we've done in both a lot of the virtual reality software and Horizon are actually going to pair well with these AI advances to be able to bring some of those experiences to hundreds of millions and billions of people through mobile. One thing Zuckerberg didnt mention, though: the word metaverse. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/mark-zuckerberg-says-reality-labs-will-eventually-stop-losing-so-much-money-222900157.html?src=rss

Astronomers share new insights about the early universe via the Webb Space Telescope

Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have found a galaxy that is offering new data about the early stages of the universe's existence. The latest discovery shared by astronomers is about a bright galaxy dubbed MoM-z14. According to the team, this galaxy existed 280 million years after the Big Bang. The sounds like a long time, but in the context of the universe's estimated 13.8 billion years of existence, that's actually one of the closest examples astronomers have found to the Big Bang's occurrence. As a result, MoM-z14 can offer some insights and some surprises about what the early stages of the universe entailed. With Webb, we are able to see farther than humans ever have before, and it looks nothing like what we predicted, which is both challenging and exciting, lead author Rohan Naidu of Massachusetts Institute of Technology said. The findings about this galaxy were published in the Open Journal of Astrophysics . The scientists were able to date MoM-z14 with Webb's Near-Infrared Spectrograph instrument, analyzing how light from the galaxy changed wavelengths as it traveled to reach the telescope. One of the initial questions sparked by this bright galaxy centers on the presence of nitrogen. Some early galaxies, including MoM-z14, have revealed higher nitrogen concentrations than scientists had projected was possible. Another topic of interest is about reionization, or the process of stars producing enough light or energy to permeate the dense hydrogen fog that existed in the early universe. Its an incredibly exciting time, with Webb revealing the early Universe like never before and showing us how much there still is to discover said Pennsylvania State University graduate student and team member Yijia Li. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/astronomers-share-new-insights-about-the-early-universe-via-the-webb-space-telescope-213311848.html?src=rss

Februarys PS Plus Monthly Games include Undisputed and Subnautica: Below Zero

Weve somehow almost reached the end of January already, which means its time for Sony to divulge the list of PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for February . They are Undisputed , Subnautica: Below Zero, Ultros and Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown . If you have a PS Plus subscription on any tier, you can claim these starting on February 3. After claiming them, these games will stay in your library as long as your PS Plus plan remains active. Undisputed (PS5) is a 2024 boxing game with dozens of licensed fighters across several weight classes. They include legendary figures like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson as well as modern greats including Canelo Alvarez and Oleksandr Usyk. Subnautica: Below Zero (PS4 and PS5) is a spin-off from adventure survival game Subnautica . It has more land-based areas to explore than the original game and youll need to keep an eye on a body temperature meter to make sure you stay warm enough. Ive been meaning to check out Ultros (PS4 and PS5) for a while and its inclusion here is almost enough to make me want to re-subscribe to PS Plus. It's a Metroidvania with a striking neon palette. As for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (PS4), that could be a good way for folks to dip back into the long-running combat flight sim series (or try it for the first time) before Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve arrives later this year. PS Plus subscribers still have until February 2 to add the Monthly Games for January to their library. Those are Need For Speed Unbound, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Core Keeper. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/februarys-ps-plus-monthly-games-include-undisputed-and-subnautica-below-zero-205100847.html?src=rss

Patreon creators have to switch to subscription billing by November, thanks to Apple

Patreon creators will need to make some changes soon, thanks to Apple. On Wednesday, Patreon said Apple has renewed its requirement that all Patreon creators must move to subscription billing. The deadline to do so is November 1, 2026. Patreon's blog post announcing the change made it clear that it had no other choice. We strongly disagree with this decision, the company wrote. Creators need consistency and clarity in order to build healthy, long-term businesses. Instead, creators using legacy billing will now have to endure the whiplash of another policy reversal the third such change from Apple in the past 18 months. Up to this point, Patreons billing model has operated in a gray area, allowing its creators to charge fans outside the App Store without paying Apples fees. This was because some of the content people were paying for could be consumed in-app, while others couldnt. But now Apple has reimposed its subscription mandate, eliminating the gray area. We know that Apple is serious about enforcing this mandate, Patreon wrote. Late last year, they blocked a Patreon app update and made it clear that in order to remain in the App Store, we have to comply with their billing requirement. Because millions of fans use iOS as their primary way to access Patreon and connect with creators, having our app blocked or not available in the App Store at all isn't an option. Patreons whiplash description isn't hyperbole. Apple first announced the mandate in 2024. At that time, the deadline for all Patreon creators to make the switch was set to November 2025 one that Patreon grudgingly accepted. But according to the company, Apple told it last May that the original 2025 deadline was no longer in effect. Now, it appears to have reversed that again. If there's a silver lining, TechCrunch notes that only 4 percent of Patreon creators are using the affected (legacy) billing models. And fans can still bypass Apple's fees on iOS by joining via their iPhone's web browser. Patreon has much more detail for creators in its announcement post . DAVOS, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 21: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) speaks to Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) as he attends a reception for business leaders (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images As for Apple, well, this familiar role of Big, Bad App Store Taxman pales in comparison to some of its other recent headlines. For starters, there was its removal of the ICEBlock app (and another that logged ICE arrest recordings ) in October. At least as concerning is an app category that the Privacy is a human right company won't remove. Grok, X and (reportedly) dozens of other apps now allow iPhone owners to digitally undress real people , including children. 28 advocacy groups even called on the company to remove them , to no avail. To top it all off, Tim Cook decided that Saturday the day Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents would be a good time to attend the screening of Melania at the White House. He even posed for a selfie with accused rapist Brett Ratner, the films director. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/patreon-creators-have-to-switch-to-subscription-billing-by-november-thanks-to-apple-203759852.html?src=rss

Native Instruments enters into insolvency proceedings, leaving its future uncertain

Music hardware and software manufacturer Native Instruments has entered into preliminary insolvency proceedings, according to a report by Create Digital Music . This is the company behind iconic software like Massive, Traktor and Kontakt and hardware like Maschine+. Native Instruments also owns the brands iZotope, Brainworx and Plugin Alliance. We don't have many specifics as to what this entails and what the future of the company will look like. We do know that an administrator has been appointed to handle restructuring and, potentially, to sell off existing assets. Native Instruments employs hundreds of people and their fates also remain uncertain. A private equity firm called Francisco Partners owns a majority stake in the company. It also owns majority stakes in entities like GoodRX and Verifone, among others. This isn't the first time Native Instruments has been forced into major restructuring. The company experienced plenty of layoffs and uncertainty between 2019 and 2020 before being purchased by private equity. Again, we have no idea how this will shake out. It's possible that new investors will jump on board and it goes back to business as usual. It's also possible everything will be scrapped for parts and sold to the highest bidder. Plugin Alliance, with entities in the US and Germany, says there's no immediate impact of the NI insolvency on them. https://t.co/u6smg1X0t4 pic.twitter.com/ok7BRwo3BU cdmblogs (@cdmblogs) January 28, 2026 We do know that subsidiary Plugin Alliance seems to be unaffected. It issued a statement on Facebook saying that it isn't involved with the proceedings and that operations will continue as normal. This means new plugins will be released, along with updates for current software. Everything else is still up in the air. This is troubling for those who have heavily invested in the company's ecosystem of products. I'm one of them. Any hope I had for a hardware refresh of the Maschine+ just went out the window. If the company's robust line of software goes up for sale, Akai is likely the best bet. It has already begun incorporating Native Instruments software into MPC machines . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/native-instruments-enters-into-insolvency-proceedings-leaving-its-future-uncertain-183206826.html?src=rss

Google brings its Nano Banana image generator to Chrome

Following its recent AI makeover of Gmail , Google is bringing more Gemini-powered tools to Chrome . Starting today, a host of new features are rolling out for the browser, with more to come over the next few months. The first of the new features is a sidebar. Available to all Gemini in Chrome users , the interface allows you to chat with Gemini and keep a conversation going across multiple tabs. Google suggests the sidebar is useful for multitaskers.Our testers have been using it for all sorts of things: comparing options across too-many-tabs, summarizing product reviews across different sites, and helping find time for events in even the most chaotic of calendars, the company writes. Now you can access Nano Banana, Google's in-house image generator, directly from Chrome. No need to go to the Gemini app. Google The sidebar is also where you access the second new feature Google is adding to Chrome. Following its successful rollout within the Gemini app , Nano Banana, Google's in-house image generator, is available directly inside of the browser. With the addition, you won't need to open a new tab when you want Gemini to make you an AI image. You also won't need to download and upload a file when you want Gemini to edit an existing image for you. Instead, you can complete both of those tasks from any of your open tabs, thanks to the new sidebar. Looking forward, Google plans to bring Personal Intelligence, which debuted inside of the Gemini app at the start of January , to Chrome in the coming months. Once the feature arrives, it will allow the browser to remember past conversations you've had with Gemini. In turn, Google says this will lead to a more personalized Chrome. Personal Intelligence in Chrome transforms the browsing experience from a general purpose tool into a trusted partner that understands you and provides relevant, proactive, and context-aware assistance, the company said. In the meantime, Gemini in Chrome already supports Google's Connected Apps feature, which allows the assistant to pull information from the company's other services, including Gmail and Calendar. During a press briefing, a Google employee demoed this feature by asking Gemini to pull up the dates of when their children would be on March break. Without telling the assistant where to look, Gemini sourced the correct time frame from the employee's email inbox. A new sidebar interface allows Chrome users to access Gemini from any of their open tabs. Google Last but not least, Google is previewing a new auto browse feature inside of Chrome. In the demo the company showed, an employee asked Gemini to find and buy them the same winter jacket they bought a few seasons ago. The assistant first drafted a plan outlining how best to tackle the request. It reasoned the best place to start was with a search of the employee's email inbox to determine the correct model and size of jacket.It then went shopping. While Gemini was working on this task, the employee was free to continue browsing in Chrome. At several points in the process, the assistant would stop before continuing to obtain the employee's permission to move forward. For instance, it paused when it needed login credentials, and again when it needed a credit card number to complete the purchase. Judging from the demo, it will probably take you less time to do your online shopping and other browser tasks on your own. Google suggests the feature will appeal to those who are creatures of habit. Say you often order the same produce from a grocery delivery service every week, Gemini can automate the ordering. Plus, the feature is in preview, so early testers probably won't be too put off by Gemini's slow pace. In any case, Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US can try auto browse starting today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-brings-its-nano-banana-image-generator-to-chrome-180000104.html?src=rss

French Ubisoft workers vote to strike

When deciding which video game to buy, Is it fun? is no longer the only consideration. Given the state of the industry, Do I want to support this company? is arguably more important. Take, for example, Ubisoft, where things seem to unravel more each day. After the floundering publisher floated even more layoffs this week, workers at its Paris headquarters said, Enough is enough. They're now calling for a three-day strike. Unions representing Ubisoft employees plan to strike from February 10 to 12. With management being stubbornly entrenched in its authoritarian ways, we are calling Ubisoft employees across France to join this strike, along with the five unions present within the company, The Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vido (Video Game Worker's Union) wrote in a statement . The strike follows a series of heavy-handed cost-cutting moves at Ubisoft. It recently shut down its Halifax studio just 16 days after employees unionized . Last week, it closed its Stockholm studio and announced additional restructuring efforts worldwide. It also canceled six games and delayed seven others . Then, earlier this week, the Assassin's Creed publisher proposed cutting 200 jobs at its Paris headquarters . Under French labor law, the company would organize the cuts through the nation's Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC) process. It would require a mutual agreement between the company and the labor union. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot ROBYN BECK via Getty Images Adding even more fuel to the fire, Ubisoft will now require workers to return to the office five days each week. (The company had previously agreed to two work-from-home days per week.) Although Ubisoft framed the mandate as being about efficiency and collaboration, it's easy to view this as a cudgel to further reduce its headcount. One Ubisoft developer, who hinted as much while voicing his opposition to the mandate on LinkedIn, said he was suspended without pay for three days as a punitive measure. The workers' union saw all of this and decided it was time to act. We're calling for a HALT to management's obsession with penny-pinching and worsening our working conditions, the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vido wrote. It's time for a real accountability from company executives, starting from the top! Without the workers, and generous public funding, Ubisoft would never have been able to grow this much. WE are Ubisoft, and WE are shutting it down February 10th to 12th! This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-173241918.html?src=rss

The best VPN service for 2026

As frustrating as it is that governments and businesses are running roughshod over our online freedoms, at least we have plenty of good VPNs to keep us protected online. There are so many fast, intelligently designed, full-featured and affordable services on the market that the biggest problem is picking one. For any use case, you can bet at least two providers will be neck-and-neck for first place. On the other hand, the VPN world is still the Wild West in some ways. It's easy enough to slap a cheap VPN together that the market is flooded with low-quality apps that put more money into advertising than infrastructure. They may look good, but it's all styrofoam under the hood. I built this list of the best VPNs after intensive testing to help you reorient your focus on the providers that actually deserve your time and money. Which one truly fits your needs is dependent on who you are and what you do online, but if you pick any of my seven recommendations, you can't go too far wrong. If you're interested in a service you can use without paying, head over to my list of the best free VPNs and if you're willing to pay but want to save money, I keep a list of the best VPN deals updated weekly. For each VPN on this list, I've shared which platforms it works on, how much it cuts into your download speed, where it offers servers, what other features are included and how much the best available deal costs. At the end, I'll list some honorable and dishonorable mentions, then answer some of the most common questions I hear about VPNs. Editor's note: This list is up-to-date as of January 2026. We intend to revisit this list every three months at a minimum, at which time our picks may be adjusted based on changes in pricing, features, testing results and other factors. Table of contents Best VPNs for 2026 Other VPNs we tested What to look for in a VPN VPN FAQs Best VPNs for 2026 Other VPNs we tested The VPNs in this section didn't crack our top list above, but we're summarizing them here so you can see their positives and negatives as of the time of our evaluation. Windscribe Windscribe is another well-known free VPN supported by paid subscriptions. In many ways, it takes the best from both Mullvad and Proton VPN, with the former's no-nonsense privacy and the latter's healthy free plan. Without paying, you can connect to 10 of Windscribe's server locations on an unlimited number of devices at once. We've just published a full Windscribe review that can tell you more. Unfortunately, Windscribe didn't copy the most important part of Proton VPN's free plan the unlimited data. You're only allowed to use 10GB per month, which isn't enough for regular streaming. It's also committed to a cramped and headache-inducing user interface that stands out from the crowd in all the worst ways. Private Internet Access Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) has a deeply annoying name I assume whoever invented it also likes to hop in their Toyota Forward Motion to grab a gallon of Sustaining Cow Extract from the grocery store but it's a worthwhile VPN whose pricing provides incredible value. Its monthly and yearly plans are good enough, but its three-year plan is the clincher. Not only is it longer than average, but you can continue to renew at the three-year level, so you won't see an unpleasant price jump the first time you re-up. PIA's apps have a dark UI reminiscent of Proton VPN, which is always a good thing. It also supports port forwarding, custom DNS and the use of a SOCKS5 or Shadowsocks proxy as a second step in the VPN connection. You can even set the maximum data packet size to help out a struggling connection, as I cover in my full PIA VPN review . The downside is that your connection will struggle a lot. While well-designed, PIA's apps have a tendency to lag. In my most recent battery of tests, it dragged oddly on my internet in ways that weren't directly reflected in the speed tests. It's also not always capable of unblocking streaming services in other countries, and while its server network offers 152 IP address options in 84 countries, it's heavily bulked out by virtual locations. TunnelBear TunnelBear has a decent interface, which its target audience of VPN beginners will find very easy to use. Its speeds are perfectly good too, and I appreciate the depth and breadth of its transparency reports. But it's far too limited overall, with few extra features, less than 50 server locations and a free plan that caps data at 2GB per month. VyprVPN VyprVPN often flies under the radar, but it has some of the best apps in the business and a very good security record (there was a breach in 2023, but it didn't crack the VPN encryption itself). It's also got a verified privacy policy, a solid jurisdiction and runs every connection through an in-house DNS to prevent leaks. Despite all that, it didn't make the top seven because its connection speeds aren't up to scratch you'll likely notice a bigger slowdown than average. It also has a troubling history of wild, seemingly experimental swings in its pricing and simultaneous connection limits. Norton VPN Norton VPN is part of the Norton 360 package that includes the well-known antivirus software and other security apps. It's a nice bonus if you use Norton already, but as a standalone VPN, it falls short. My tests repeatedly showed it dropping encryption and revealing my IP address whenever I switched servers, and not all of its locations managed to unblock Netflix. This isn't to say Norton VPN is terrible. It has a fairly large server network, user-friendly apps and some cool features like an IP rotator. It also recently revamped its OpenVPN infrastructure to improve speeds on Windows. But you probably won't find those things sufficient to balance out significant speed drops on other platforms or poorly written FAQs. I especially advise against Norton VPN for Apple users, as its Mac and iPhone apps are much more limited than their Windows and Android counterparts. What to look for in a VPN Choosing a VPN can quickly get you mired in analysis paralysis. We're here to help, but since only you know your particular needs, you should know the major red and green flags so you can make the final call yourself. Every reputable VPN provider offers a free trial or refund guarantee you can use to run the tests below. For more advice and dangers to look for, check out my article on how to tell if your VPN is working . Compatibility: First, make sure your VPN works on all the platforms you plan to use it on. Most VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, but those apps aren't always created equal check that the app for your chosen OS is user-friendly and has all the features you need. Speed: Use a speed testing app to see how fast your internet is before and after connecting to the VPN (I use Ookla's speedtest.net ). To check security, look up your IP address while connected to a VPN server and see if it's actually changed your virtual location. Be sure it's using expert-vetted protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2. Try connecting to streaming services and seeing whether the VPN changes the available content. Background: Do some outside research into the VPN's origins, especially its parent company, privacy policy and any past incidents. It's a dealbreaker if you can't figure out where the VPN is headquartered (which indicates a lax approach to transparency) or if it seems to have never passed a real third-party audit. Server network: Look at the server network to make sure the VPN has locations near you and in any countries where you'll want an IP address e.g. if you need a VPN to unblock Canadian Netflix, look for multiple server locations in Canada. Customer Service: I also advise testing the customer support options by looking for the answer to a straightforward question. If phone support (versus email and chat) is important to you, make sure to prioritize that and make sure it's available at convenient times in your timezone. Pricing: Finally, check prices. See if the VPN is affordable and decide whether you're comfortable taking a long-term subscription for better savings. If you do get a multi-year plan, check what price it will renew at, since many of the cheapest subscriptions are only introductory deals. VPN FAQs To wrap up, let's answer some of the most common questions we get about VPNs. Feel free to get in touch if you have a query I don't cover here. What is a VPN? VPN stands for virtual private network. There are a few different types of VPNs, including corporate VPNs like Cisco AnyConnect, Perimeter81 and NordLayer, which are used to access a single network securely. For this list, though, we're talking about commercial services that let individual users access the internet with an assumed identity. Whenever you get online, you're assigned an IP address a digital nametag that tells websites where to send the information you request. For an IP address to work, it needs to be unique, which means it's possible to create a record of what an individual does online. When you use a VPN, all the data you send to the internet goes through one of the VPN's servers before heading to its final destination. The VPN encrypts the connection between your computer and its server so the data won't trace back to you. Any website, ISP or third party that cares to look will only see the VPN's IP address, not yours. If you're interested in more detail, I've written a whole article on how a VPN works . What are some things VPNs are used for? The three main use cases for a commercial VPN are security, privacy and entertainment. Using a VPN conceals your real IP address from anyone who might want to use it for nefarious purposes like cyberstalking, DDoS attacks or deducing your real location. It also keeps your ISP from profiling you for ads based on where you live or what you do online. One side effect of borrowing a VPN's IP address is that you can make it appear as though your connection is coming from another country. You can use this to access streaming content and platforms that are only available in certain regions due to copyright. Changing your location can even get you better prices when shopping online. Location spoofing can also be used to get online in countries that censor internet access, like China and Russia, as well as certain US states or countries like the UK that are adding barriers like age-gating to previously unfettered online access. All you have to do is connect to a neighboring country (or locality) where the internet isn't blocked. If you plan to do this while traveling, make sure you have the VPN downloaded before you go, as some nations prevent you from even loading a VPN's homepage. Make sure you check with local laws regarding the legality of VPN use as well just because your VPN traffic is encrypted doesn't mean that authorities can't detect that it's being used in a given location. Are VPNs worth it? Whether a VPN is worth the price depends on how much you value those three use cases above. It's no secret that your personal information is profitable for a lot of people, from illicit hackers to corporations to law enforcement. A VPN will not make you completely anonymous, nor is it a license to commit crimes (see the next question) but it will give you a lot more control over what you transmit to the world. With entertainment, the value is even clearer. You can use a VPN to fight back against streaming balkanization by getting more shows and movies out of a single platform for example, a lot of shows that have been kicked off American Netflix are still on Netflix in other countries. What information does a VPN hide? A VPN does not make it impossible for you to be unmasked or taken advantage of online. It prevents you from passively leaking information, keeps your IP address undiscoverable on public wi-fi networks and gets you around online censorship. However, if you share personal information of your own volition, there's nothing the VPN can do. If you reveal your password in a social media post or click a link in a phishing email, that information bypasses the VPN. Likewise, if you do anything sensitive while logged into an account, the account holder will have that information even if you're using a VPN. A VPN is a critical part of your online security, but it can't do the whole job by itself. Healthy passwords, malware scanners, private search engines and common sense all have roles to play. Never forget, too, that using a VPN means trusting the VPN provider with access to information that's concealed from everyone else make sure you trust the privacy policy before signing up. Are VPNs safe? As far as we can determine, all the VPNs recommended in this story are safe to use. As with anything you subscribe to online, due diligence is important, but there's very little inherent risk; generally, the worst thing a bad VPN will do is fail to work, leaving you no worse off than before. All that said, there are some VPNs (usually offered for free) that transmit malware, and others that pretend to be independent services while all secretly working off the same backend . Always make sure to look up any complaints or warnings about a service before you download it. Can you get a VPN on your phone? Absolutely almost every VPN has apps for both desktop and mobile devices . A good VPN will redesign its app to be mobile-friendly without dropping too many features. Both iOS and Android natively support VPN connections, so you're free to choose whichever provider you like. What about Google's One VPN? Google One VPN was, as you might expect, a VPN provided by Google. It was launched in 2020 for Google One subscribers and discontinued in 2024 due to lack of use. If you really want a Google VPN, you can still get one if you have certain Pixel models or if you're a Google Fi subscriber. That said, I don't recommend using a VPN from Google even if you do still have access to one. Google is one of the worst big tech companies at protecting user privacy . While its VPN might not leak, I wouldn't trust it to guard your sensitive information. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/best-vpn-130004396.html?src=rss

Razer made a web app version of Synapse

Gaming peripheral company Razer has announced the beta release of Synapse Web, a browser-based version of its desktop software. The web app is intended for quick adjustments when away from home, such as LANs or tournaments, where downloading the full desktop version may not be possible or practical. At launch, Synapse Web will only support the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro keyboards, though Razer says more devices will be added down the line. Using any Chromium-based browser, users can make quick changes to key settings, apply Chroma RGB quick effects and manage on-board profiles. These profiles can then be viewed, edited and saved directly to the keyboards device memory, so the configuration stays consistent when moving between PCs. The company says the new web-based tool is meant to complement Synapse 4, the most recent desktop version, but its appeal may be in providing an alternative altogether. Even a cursory search online will turn up years of complaints that Synapse is riddled with bugs , so fans of the brand may be happy to use a pared-down web app if it means more reliability. Razer says you'll still need the full app for advanced customization and deeper device integration like multi-device RGB syncing or game-specific profiles. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/razer-made-a-web-app-version-of-synapse-170715465.html?src=rss

Apple's second-generation AirTag offers greater range but still doesn't have a keyring hole

Apple has launched its next-generation AirTag for $29 and brought a slew of new features along with it. But, first, it's important to get this out of the way: The new AirTag still doesn't have a keyring hole, so you'll still need accessories like a case, holder or secure pocket . Once you get over that, the new Apple AirTag does offer some nice improvements. For starters, it's now powered by Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip the same one used in the iPhone 17 lineup and for the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also uses Precision Finding to reach items up to 50 percent further away than the previous AirTag model. This feature will now work with any Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 or a later iteration of either.That means the directional guidance that shows you down to a few feet where your AirTags are will be available on those compatible watches in addition to your iPhone. New AirTag. Apple The new AirTag is also 50 percent louder than before and has what Apple calls a distinctive new chime. It still uses the Find My network to bounce off other Bluetooth users and locate the AirTag. Launched in 2021, Apple's AirTag has long stood as our favorite Bluetooth tracker for iPhones . It's convenience within the Find My app is a big help and almost makes up for the fact that it doesn't have a key ring almost . Update, January 28 2026, 11:58AM ET: This story has been updated to add a clarification on the Precision Find update for Apple Watches, as well as a link in the intro. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apples-second-generation-airtag-offers-greater-range-but-still-doesnt-have-a-keyring-hole-150540407.html?src=rss

The best VPN deals: Up to 87 percent off ProtonVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, NordVPN and more

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to improve your cybersecurity , it's not too late. Most of the holiday deals are over by now, but plenty of services are still offering excellent prices. With access to a virtual private network (VPN) , you can keep your activity hidden from your ISP and any advertisers it may sell that data to all while streaming sporting events and TV dramas from all across the globe. We strongly recommend using a VPN , but if you jump on the very first deal you see, you might get stuck with a substandard app. It's also easy to mistakenly end up paying more than you want to, as otherwise respectable VPNs sometimes frame their prices in misleading ways, with advertised deals not always as available as they seem to be. Even with all those caveats, there are some great bargains on the table. Many of the best VPNs including our top pick, Proton VPN have deals that save you anywhere from 70 to 87 percent on annual subscriptions. Most of these discounts only apply if you sign up for a year or more, but if you divide the cost by the months of subscription, it's much cheaper over time. Best VPN deals ExpressVPN Basic $78.18 for a two-year subscription with four months free (78 percent off): This is one of the best VPNs, especially for new users, who will find its apps and website headache-free on all platforms. In tests for my ExpressVPN review , it dropped my download speeds by less than 7 percent and successfully changed my virtual location 14 out of 15 times. In short, it's an all-around excellent service that only suffers from being a little overpriced which is why I'm so excited whenever I find it offering a decent deal. This discount, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents a 78 percent savings. Be aware, though, that it'll renew at the $99.95 per year price. ExpressVPN Advanced $100.58 for a two-year subscription with four months free (74 percent off): ExpressVPN recently split its pricing into multiple tiers , but they all still come with similar discounts for going long. In addition to top-tier VPN service, advanced users get two additional simultaneous connections (for a total of 12), the ExpressVPN Keys password manager, advanced ad and tracker blocking, ID protection features and a 50 percent discount on an AirCove router. As above, note that it renews at $119.95 annually. NordVPN Basic $81.36 for a two-year subscription (70 percent off): NordVPN gets the most important parts of a VPN right. It's fast, it doesn't leak any of your data and it's great at changing your virtual location. I noted in my NordVPN review that it always connects quickly and includes a support page that makes it easy to get live help. NordVPN includes a lot of cool features, like servers that instantly connect you to Tor. This deal gives you 70 percent off the two-year plan. NordVPN Plus $93.36 for a two-year subscription (74 percent off): NordVPN has also taken 70 percent off its Plus subscription. For only a little more, you get a powerful ad and tracker blocker that can also catch malware downloads, plus access to the NordPass password manager. A Plus plan also adds a data breach scanner that checks the dark web for your sensitive information. Surfshark Starter $53.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): This is the asic level of Surfshark , but it includes the entire VPN; everything on Surfshark One is an extra perk. With this subscription, you'll get some of the most envelope-pushing features in the VPN world right now. Surfshark can rotate your IP constantly to help you evade detection it even lets you choose your own entry and exit nodes for a double-hop connection. That all comes with a near-invisible impact on download speeds. With this year-round deal, you can save 87 percent on 27 months of Surfshark. Surfshark One $67.23 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): A VPN is great, but it's not enough to protect your data all on its own. Surfshark One adds several apps that boost your security beyond just VPN service, including Surfshark Antivirus (scans devices and downloads for malware) and Surfshark Alert (alerts you whenever your sensitive information shows up in a data breach), plus Surfshark Search and Alternative ID from the tier below. This extra-low deal gives you 88 percent off all those features. If you bump up to Surfshark One+, you'll also get data removal through Incogni, but the price jumps enough that it's not quite worthwhile in my eyes. CyberGhost $56.94 for a two-year subscription with four months free (84 percent off): CyberGhost has some of the best automation you'll see on any VPN. With its Smart Rules system, you can determine how its apps respond to different types of Wi-Fi networks, with exceptions for specific networks you know by name. Typically, you can set it to auto-connect, disconnect or send you a message asking what to do. CyberGhost's other best feature is its streaming servers I've found both better video quality and more consistent unblocking when I use them on streaming sites. Currently, you can get 28 months of CyberGhost for 79 percent off the usual price, but it'll renew at $56.94 per year. hide.me $69.95 for a two-year subscription with four months free (75 percent off): Hide.me is an excellent free VPN in fact, it's my favorite on the market, even with EventVPN and the free version of Proton VPN as competition. If you do want to upgrade to its paid plan, though, the two-year subscription offers great savings. Hide.me works well as a no-frills beginner VPN, with apps and a server network it should frankly be charging more for. Windscribe $69 for a one-year subscription (32 percent off): It's not nearly as steep a discount as some of the others on this list, but Windscribe was cheap to begin with, so 32 percent off its monthly price is a bigger savings than it might seem. As I just covered in a detailed Windscribe review , it's worth upgrading from the free service to get full access to Windscribe's all-real server network (and remove the free plan's data cap). Private Internet Access $79 for a three-year subscription with four months free (83 percent off): With this deal, you can get 40 months of Private Internet Access (PIA) for a little bit under $2 per month an 83 percent discount on its monthly price. You can also get a shorter one-year subscription for $40 ($3.33 per month). Despite being so cheap, PIA has plenty of features, coming with its own DNS servers, a built-in ad blocker and automation powers to rival CyberGhost. However, internet speeds can fluctuate while you're connected. What makes a good VPN deal Practically every VPN heavily discounts its long-term subscriptions year-round, with even sharper discounts around occasions like the holidays. The only noteworthy exception is Mullvad, the Costco hot dog of VPNs (that's a compliment, to be clear). When there's constantly a huge discount going on, it can be hard to tell when you're actually getting a good deal. The best way to squeeze out more savings is to look for seasonal deals, student discounts or exclusive sales like Proton VPN's coupon for Engadget readers . One trick VPNs often use is to add extra months onto an introductory deal, pushing the average monthly price even lower. When it comes time to renew, you usually can't get these extra months again. You often can't even renew for the same basic period of time for example, you may only be able to renew a two-year subscription for one year. If you're planning to hold onto a VPN indefinitely, check the fine print to see how much it will cost per month after the first renewal, and ensure that fits into your budget. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-vpn-deals-up-to-87-percent-off-protonvpn-surfshark-expressvpn-nordvpn-and-more-120056484.html?src=rss

MSIs refreshed Prestige series laptops are now available to buy

The latest lineup of MSI's Prestige laptops is now available to buy. The company unveiled its next-generation business laptop at CES earlier this month, all of them powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors. Available in configurations that include up to the Intel Core Ultra 9 , the updated Prestige series are equipped with chunky 91Wh batteries and, depending on the model, offer over 30 hours of 1080p video playback. In more real-world terms, if youre on a work trip and know you wont always have a power supply to hand, you can trust one of these to get you through a day of heavy multi-tasking. The new Prestige models are encased in full aluminum and are slimmer than their predecessors. They feature vapor chamber cooling and dual-fan architecture to ensure they stay cool and quiet while you work. If you pick up one of the convertible 2-in-1 Flip models, you can work with a stylus too. Theres a 2.8K OLED display option for the Prestige 16 and 16 Flip, with support for VRR and DisplayHDR True Black 1000. The Flip 14 keeps the OLED, but the resolution drops to FHD+ and you lose the VRR. The full lineup is now available in the US, with prices starting at $1,299. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/msis-refreshed-prestige-series-laptops-are-now-available-to-buy-165234479.html?src=rss

Scott Pilgrim EX will hit PC and consoles on March 3

Fans of co-op beat-em-ups and fictional bass players who kind of suck as human beings might want to mark March 3 on their calendars. Thats when Scott Pilgrim EX is set to hit PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam. Developer and publisher Tribute Games announced the release date in a new trailer, which also revealed two more playable characters: Matthew Patel (a member of the League of Evil Exes) and Robot-01, a creation of the Katayanagi Twins. One more fighter will be unveiled in the coming weeks. Tribute worked with Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee OMalley on an original storyline for the game. After Scotts bandmates in Sex Bob-omb are kidnapped and demons descend on Toronto, Scott and Ramona Flowers set out to save the day with some unexpected allies. Anamanaguchi are making new music for the game, after providing the soundtrack for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game way back when. Im a fan of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and I dug Tribute's last two games, Marvel Cosmic Invasion and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge . So it's safe to say I'll be trying out Scott Pilgrim EX in a few weeks. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/scott-pilgrim-ex-will-hit-pc-and-consoles-on-march-3-160427832.html?src=rss

Super Bowl 2026 TV deals: The best sales ahead of kickoff

The big game is one of the few instances now in the US where most people gather around the TV to watch the live event together. While the teams playing in Super Bowl 2026 are the true stars of the show (and Bad Bunny , of course), your TV is a pretty important part of the puzzle of putting together an excellent Super Bowl party. Maybe youve been thinking about replacing an aging set, or youre itching for a full refresh of your home theater setup either way, youll want to try to get a good deal on a new TV. Thankfully, the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl can be a great time to shop for a new TV. Generally, TV prices steadily decrease after a new model comes out. Some 2026 TV models were announced at CES and are forthcoming things year, making now a good time to look for discounts on 2025 sets. Aside from the holiday shopping season, now is one of the best times of the year to save on a TV. Here, weve curated the best Super Bowl TV deals we could find this year, from already affordable sets discounted even further to high-end OLEDs that are hundreds of dollars off. Super Bowl 2026 TV deals for less than $500 You can easily find solid 1080p and 4K TV sets within this budget-friendly price range. What youll be more limited in is size most TV deals under $500 were seeing right now are on sets up to 55 inches. There are a few 65- and 75-inch models in there, but the pickings are slim. Hisense 32-inch Class A4 1080 FHD smart TV for $98 (18 percent off) Roku 24-inch 720p smart TV for $100 (18 percent off) Roku 55-inch 4K smart TV for $248 (29 percent off) Roku 55-inch Mini LED 4K smart TV for $348 (30 percent off) TCL 75-inch Class S5 4K smart TV for $480 (26 percent off) OLED TV deals This is where you want to look if you want your new TV to have the richest colors, deepest blacks and excellent contrast performance. Of course, that all comes at steeper prices it can be difficult to find a good OLED set for less than $1,000, even on sale. LG 55-inch B5 OLED 4K smart TV for $847 ($50 off) Samsung 65-inch Class OLED S95F 4K smart TV for $2,298 (23 percent off) Sony 77-inch Bravia XR A95L OLED 4K smart TV for $3,498 (30 percent off) Super Bowl 2026 TV deals for $500 and up This will likely be the sweet spot for many people when it comes to TV features, performance and price. Good 4K sets are common in this price range, and youll also find some Mini LED sets available here as well. TCL 65-inch Class T7 4K smart TV for $500 (29 percent off) Hisense 65-inch Class U6 Mini LED 4K smart TV for $550 (35 percent off) Amazon 65-inch Fire TV Omni Mini LED 4K smart TV for $920 (16 percent off) TCL 65-inch Class QM8K Mini LED 4K smart TV for $998 (33 percent off) Streaming and home entertainment deals A good TV is key, but having the right peripherals and accessories to go along with it will complete your home theater setup. Deals were tracking right now include discounts on streaming devices, soundbars and projectors. Roku Ultra streamer for $78 (22 percent off) Vizio 2.0 SV200M-08 soundbar for $78 (22 percent off) Samsung HW B400F soundbar with built-in subwoofer for $100 (29 percent off) Anker Nebula Capsule 3 projector for $540 (28 percent off) Valerion VisionMaster Max 4K projector for $3,999 (20 percent off) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/super-bowl-2026-tv-deals-the-best-sales-ahead-of-kickoff-160000725.html?src=rss

One of our favorite budgeting apps is only $50 for the year for new users

A new year is the perfect time to get your spending in order, and if you're not trying to build your own spreadsheet, budgeting apps are one of the best ways to do it. To save yourself some money in the process, you can pick up a year-long subscription to Monarch Money , one of Engadget's favorite budgeting apps , for just $50 if you use code NEWYEAR2026 at checkout and you're a new subscriber. That's a 50 percent discount on the service's normal $100 price. Monarch Money makes for a capable and detailed budgeting companion. You can use the service via apps for iOS, Android, iPadOS or the web, and Monarch also offers a Chrome extension that can sync your Amazon and Target transactions and automatically categorize them. Like other budgeting apps, Monarch Money lets you connect multiple financial accounts and track your money based on where you spend it over time. Monarch offers two different approaches to tracking budgeting (flexible and category budgeting) depending on what fits your life best, and the ability to add a budget widget on your phone so you can know how you're tracking that month. How budgeting apps turn your raw transactions into visuals you can understand at a glance is one of the big things that differentiates one app from another, and Monarch Money offers multiple graphs and charts to look at for things like spending, investments or categories of your choice based on how you've labelled your expenses. The app can also monitor the spending of you and your partner all in one place, to make it easier to plan together. The main drawbacks Engadget found in testing Monarch Money were the app's learning curve, and the differences in features (and bugginess) between Monarch's web and mobile versions. Still, for 50 percent off, the Monarch Money is well worth experimenting with if you're trying to save money in 2026, especially if you want to do it collaboratively with a partner. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/one-of-our-favorite-budgeting-apps-is-only-50-for-the-year-for-new-users-204507183.html?src=rss

TurboTax Deluxe is 44 percent off ahead of tax season

Tax season is fast approaching, and unfortunately for 2026, Direct File isn't an option anymore . The free, government-provided service was shut down, so you'll need to look to other federal programs, including IRS Free File , to file your paperwork. If you don't qualify for Free File , TurboTax might be your best bet for a relatively cheap, efficient way to file your taxes. While it pains us to suggest you give money to a company that has spent decades lobbying to ensure America's tax system remains a nightmare, we can at least help you save a bit of cash if you've determined TurboTax is a necessary expense for you this year. Right now, Amazon has discounted the deluxe desktop edition of TurboTax by 44 percent. That gets you $35 off software that normally costs $80, which you can use to file both your individual state and federal taxes. For most Americans, that should cover their needs. However, if you're self-employed, you'll need to pony up for the more expensive Business version of TurboTax , which is currently 42 percent off, or $54 off. One last thing to note: you'll need a PC with either Windows 11 or macOS Sonoma to run the software, so an older machine won't do, unfortunately. An alternative that's also on sale is from H&R Block. Amazon has H&R Block's Deluxe + State tax software for 50 percent off, bringing it down to only $30. It works on Windows and Mac devices and lets you import your previous year's personal tax return, even from competing software like TurboTax and Quicken. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/turbotax-deluxe-is-44-percent-off-ahead-of-tax-season-204848046.html?src=rss

Apple TV offers first look at Ted Lasso season 4

Last year fans of Ted Lasso received the good news that the show would be returning for a fourth season , despite having referred to its third season as its final one. Now Apple TV has shared some still images and further confirmation that production is underway. As first shared by The A.V. Club , this latest batch of still images depicts the eponymous coach back in action, this time coaching a womens soccer team. A description of the upcoming season shared with the outlet reads, In season four, Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division womens football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would. The images also feature returning cast members such as Hannah Waddingham, who plays Greyhounds owner Rebecca Welton, and Annette Badland, who plays pub owner Mae Green. Also shown are newcomers Grant Feely as Ted's son and Tanya Reynolds as an assistant coach. Apple shared that the show is returning this summer, but no specific date has been announced. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-tv-offers-first-look-at-ted-lasso-season-4-141538177.html?src=rss

Get the Disney+ and Hulu bundle for one month for only $10

The peak time for deals on streaming services the holiday shopping season has come and gone, but Disney is back with a fresh offer for the new year. New and eligible returning subscribers can get one month of the ad-supported Disney+ Hulu bundle for just $10. That's $3 off the usual monthly rate for the bundle, and more than 58 percent off if you consider the prices for each service individually (Disney+ at $12 per month and, separately, Hulu also at $12 per month). We'd be remiss if we didn't mention that this isn't quite as good as the Black Friday deal we saw last year, which offered the same bundle for $5 per month for one year. However, if you missed that offer or just want to try out Disney+ and Hulu for a brief period of time, this is a good way to do so. Disney+ and Hulu make one of the most balanced streaming pairs available, blending family-friendly favorites with acclaimed originals and network TV staples. Disney+ brings a vast library of animated classics, blockbuster franchises and exclusive content from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic. Its the place to stream nearly every Star Wars film and series, plus the full Marvel Cinematic Universe lineup and Disneys most recent theatrical releases. Hulu balances things out with a more adult-oriented lineup of current TV shows, next-day network episodes and a growing roster of award-winning originals. The platform hosts series like The Bear, The Handmaids Tale and Only Murders in the Building , alongside comedies, thrillers and documentaries that regularly feature in awards conversations. Its also the home for next-day streaming of ABC and FX shows, making it especially useful if youve already cut the cable cord but still want to keep up with primetime TV. The Duo Basic bundle ties these two services together under a single subscription, offering a simple way to expand your library without juggling multiple accounts. This tier includes ads on both platforms, but the trade-off is significant savings compared with paying for each service separately. For many households, thats an acceptable compromise when it means access to such a wide range of content. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-the-disney-and-hulu-bundle-for-one-month-for-only-10-192814129.html?src=rss

LinkedIn will let you show off your vibe coding expertise

LinkedIn has long been a platform for showing off professional accomplishments. Now, the company is leaning into the rise of vibe coding by allowing users to show off their proficiency with various AI coding tools directly on their profiles. The company is partnering with Replit, Lovabl, Descript and Relay.app on the feature and is working on integrations with fellow Microsoft-owned GitHub as well as Zapier. LinkedIn has always allowed users to add various skills and certifications to their profiles. But what makes the latest update a bit different is that users aren't self-reporting their own qualifications. Instead, LinkedIn is allowing the companies behind the AI tools to assess an individual's relative skill and assign a level of proficiency that goes directly to their profile. For example, AI app maker Lovabl could award someone a bronze in vibe coding, while the platform Replit uses numerical levels and Relay.app may determine that someone is an intermediate level AI Agent Builder, according to screenshots shared by LinkedIn. These levels should dynamically update as people get more experience using the relevant tools, according to LinkedIn. Lovabl's vibe coding rating system. LinkedIn Of course, the update also comes at a time when companies have used these same kinds of AI tools to lay off thousands of workers. So while there's may be value in showing off your vibe coding skills, there are still many workers who likely aren't as excited about ceding more ground to AI. When I asked, LinkedIn's head of career products Pat Whealan about this he said that AI-specific skills are an increasingly important signal to recruiters and the latest update will make it easier for them to assess candidates' skills. But he added that the intention isn't to make AI-specific skills the sole focus. This is less about replacing any of those other existing signals, and more about showing new ways that people are doing work, he tells Engadget. And how do we give a verifiable signal to both hirers and other people looking at their profile, that they actually are using these tools on a regular basis. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/linkedin-will-let-you-show-off-your-vibe-coding-expertise-140000776.html?src=rss

Snap is spinning off its AR glasses into a separate business

Snaps augmented reality glasses business will now be its own entity, with the company establishing Specs Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary. It will enable Snap to more easily secure investors and partnerships for its wearables, as well as to grow Specs into a distinct brand while running it within Snap Inc. As The Information reported in mid-2025, Snap was thinking of ways to raise outside money for its AR glasses to be able to better compete with Meta, which has a lot more money to spend on development. It was already considering spinning off the business back then. Specs are launching at an important time, as artificial intelligence transforms the way that we use our computers, the company said in its announcement. The glasses operating system can help you get things done faster based on what they see and what they know about your behaviors. Snap also says that its smartglasses can keep you present in the moment with friends and family unlike phones and computers, since they superimpose digital tools over your view of the real world. In addition, the company believes Specs can help reduce waste over time as its digital tools can replace physical objects, such as manuals and whiteboards. Snap didnt say whether Specs Inc. already has investors lined up, but it is already hiring for over 100 roles around the world. The new subsidiary is expected to launch Snap's next generation of standalone AR glasses sometime this year. Company CEO Evan Spiegel previously said that the model will be lighter, have a much smaller form factor and have more capabilities than its older smartglasses, which are mostly developer-focused. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/snap-is-spinning-off-its-ar-glasses-into-a-separate-business-140000659.html?src=rss

The 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is $40 off right now

If you're looking to expand the storage on your Switch 2, the 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is on sale right now for 33 percent off, marked down to $80 from $120. With component prices skyrocketing these days, it's getting increasingly rare to see good storage on sale, and 512GB for $80 is a much better deal than you'll currently find directly from Nintendo . The P9 boasts transfer speeds of up to 800MB/s, making moving games to the card that much faster. As for load times, in our testing we found that any microSD Express, the standard the Switch 2 requires, will offer roughly the same performance. This format is pretty new, so there aren't a ton of cards on the market. As such, the P9 makes our list of best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2. The P9 microSD Express is also compatible with the Steam Deck or any other gaming console that accepts the format, as well as cameras and more. If you were hoping to spend a bit less, the 256GB version of Samsung's card is on sale for $40, while this 256GB Lexar microSD Express card is on sale for $50. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-512gb-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-is-40-off-right-now-143849385.html?src=rss

Our first look at Google's Android for PC interface leaks in a bug report

Last summer, Google announced that Android 16 would include a desktop interface built from Samsung DeX , a mirroring and phone integration tool for PC. Thanks to a (now permissions-restricted) bug report discovered on Google's Issue Tracker, we have what is almost certainly a first look at the Android-on-desktop project, codenamed Aluminium OS . First spotted by 9to5Google , the bug report was about Chrome incognito tabs and included two screen recordings. The description said the recordings were from an HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. The video shows a 'chrome://version/' page where one can see the OS listed as Android 16. 9to5Google also said the bug report listed ALOS as the operating system, understood to stand for Aluminium OS, along with a corresponding build number that matches the one seen in the screen recordings. The UI looks like a clear blend of ChromeOS and Android aesthetics, with an Android-style taskbar across the bottom and status bar across the top, with familiar battery and Wi-Fi indicators. The videos also show the Play Store, windowed apps, split-screen multitasking and a version of Chrome with an extensions button, which is currently only available on the desktop version. Google has yet to comment on the leak, so users may have to wait for future Android 16 updates for a more in-depth look at the upcoming desktop experience. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/our-first-look-at-googles-android-for-pc-interface-leaks-in-a-bug-report-133006008.html?src=rss

Anker's new 45W Nano charger with smart display is on sale for $10 off

Anker introduced a nifty little charger at CES 2026 , which is a refresh of the pre-existing Nano Charger . It's already on sale for $30, which is a discount of $10 when you clip the on-page coupon on Amazon. The 45W charger includes a smart display that shows real-time data like power flow, temperature and charging status. It also features fun animations to keep things cheerful. Anker says it can recognize what's being charged and automatically adjust certain metrics to ensure a longer battery lifespan. To that end, it works with just about everything. The company advertises that this charger is a good fit for the iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and Samsung devices, among others. The new Nano Charger is on the smaller side, with dual folding prongs that rotate to fit most outlets. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-new-45w-nano-charger-with-smart-display-is-on-sale-for-10-off-160707585.html?src=rss

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Reducing distractions while keeping your ears open

Rarely does a set of open-fit earbuds actually impress me. I tend to find them underwhelming because overall sound quality is subpar compared to the more traditional in-ear models. Any promise of noise reduction, or a far-fetched claim of noise cancellation , usually doesnt hold true. The first time I used the Shokz OpenFit Pro ($249.95) I was immediately met with better audio performance than Id just experienced on Sonys new LinkBuds Clip and noise reduction technology that actually lessened some distractions . These arent the perfect set of open earbuds, but they have a lot more to offer than most of the competition. Design Shokz has a number of over-the-ear hook earbud designs under its belt, and they all carry the OpenFit name. That is also an apt description of these products since they all sit outside of your ear canal, which inherently allows you to remain aware of your surroundings. The company currently offers the OpenFit 2 and 2+ in addition to the OpenFit Air, at prices ranging from $120 to $200. The OpenFit Pro looks similar to its predecessors, albeit with a slightly smaller main housing and more pops of silver. Those ear hooks have a titanium wire inside and are wrapped in ultra-soft silicone. Theyre plenty flexible and provide a secure yet comfortable fit for daily wear and workouts. Both earbuds of the OpenFit Pro have tiny physical controls for media playback, volume adjustments, calls and noise settings. The various actions are customizable through the Shokz app. During several weeks of testing, these buttons responded quickly to my clicks and using them didnt cause the OpenFit Pro to shift out of place. The OpenFit Pro comes with a charging case that's larger than most other earbuds, which is understandable since Shokz had to accommodate that ear hook. However, the case is quite flat, so it doesnt take up too much room and easily fits in a small pocket. Theres a USB-C port around back for charging and a Bluetooth pairing button inside. The case also supports wireless charging, if your charging pad is large enough. Noise reduction vs. noise cancellation The OpenFit Pro is the first set of Shokz earbuds with what the company calls Open-Ear Noise Reduction. This is essentially the companys take on active noise cancellation (ANC), but itsdesigned to be effective with earbuds that dont enter your ear canals. Since your ears aren't completely sealed off from the noise of the outside world, Shokz is limited in just how much sound it can reduce. But Im happy to report the companys microphone and algorithm combo is actually quite effective. Shokz says its noise reduction works best in moderately loud environments, like offices and cafes. Ive found the OpenFit Pro does well to reduce the distraction of constant noise sources like HVAC systems, fans and white noise machines. The earbuds completely silenced a particularly raucous HVAC fan in my hotel room during CES. It's not the most effective at cutting down environmental noise, but in exchange you get a more comfortable set of earbuds while also remaining somewhat alert and aware of your surroundings Other OpenFit Pro features The rectangular housings of the OpenFit Pro hold larger drivers Billy Steele for Engadget The OpenFit Pro is Shokz most premium set of earbuds, so the features dont end at noise reduction. Head tracking, customizable EQ, multipoint pairing, find my earbuds and wear detection are also available here. The companys app displays battery percentages for each earbud and the case right at the top of the main screen with access to the rest of its tools just below. You dont have to go searching and tapping through menus until youve found what youre looking for. As someone who has to contend with a lot of headphone apps, I appreciate when all of the options are quickly available from the home screen. Like other companies offer on their open-type earbuds, Shokz has given the EQ settings a few presets specifically designed for the open nature of the product. Those include a Vocal option that boosts mids for audiobooks or calls and a Private mode that reduces high frequency sounds to prevent leakage. I usually kept the OpenFit Pro around 70 percent volume, which is loud enough that a nearby neighbor in a quiet room could hear the muffled rage of Incendiarys Echo of Nothing. Another audio feature thats worth mentioning is Dolby Atmos support. More specifically, the OpenFit Pro is optimized for Dolby Atmos, thanks in part to the aforementioned Dolby Head Tracking. You can disable the enhanced audio and head tracking individually in the Shokz app, but I found leaving Atmos on all the time, even when I wasnt listening to Dolby Atmos music, gave the earbuds a more immersive, more detailed sound profile. Sound quality and calls Overall sound quality is another area where the OpenFit Pro shines. Many open-design earbuds struggle to manage much bass or detailed highs, both of which Shokz has addressed with its driver design. Dual 11x20mm diaphragms power a larger, rectangular driver thats the equivalent of a 16.7mm round driver in a normal set of earbuds. For comparison, most in-ear models typically use 10-12mm drivers, with smaller designs housing 6-8mm units. Shokz says it tuned the OpenFit Pro with what it calls OpenBass 2.0 and DirectPitch 3.0, features that provide better bass performance and audio thats beamed more directly into your ears. All of that combines for some truly impressive audio performance in a set of open earbuds. The OpenFit Pro still doesnt muster the bombastic bass that earbuds like the WF-1000XM5 offer, but the low-end performance here is greatly improved over other open models like the LinkBuds Clip. While Thrices Silhouette still has enough driving kick drum, bass guitar and riffs to do the track justice, there isnt as deep of a growl as the song has on flagship options from Bose, Sony and Sennheiser. The OpenFit Pro case is large, but it's not overly bulky Billy Steele for Engadget Theres also more clarity and detail in the tuning here than on other open models, which is on full display when listening to albums like Wet Legs alternative masterpiece moisturizer. I love how I can hear the texture of the guitars and drums, and even the vocals, which are the kind of subtle details open earbuds typically lack. I should also mention that overall sound quality will depend on how the OpenFit Pro sits on your ears. I can easily improve the bass tone if I slightly push the earbuds in closer to my ear canals, but all of the observations I just made were with the earbuds in their natural resting position. Shokz says the three-microphone setup that assists with its noise reduction tech also helps with calls. That configuration, combined with AI-powered voice recognition, should be able to block over 99 percent of background noise and deliver sharper vocal clarity overall. While that first part holds true the OpenFit Pro does a great job canceling any ambient roar the overall voice quality here is below average. It will certainly work for casual chats, but I wouldnt recommend it for regular work calls or any scenario where you might need to record what youre saying. My voice sounded muffled during calls and voice memos, more like I would over speakerphone than a set of carefully tuned earbuds. OpenFit Pro battery life Shokz promises up to 12 hours of battery life on the OpenFit Pro with up to 50 hours of total use when you factor in the charging case. Thats with noise reduction disabled though; you can expect up to six hours with that turned on (24 hours total with the case). During weeks of testing, I never encountered any issues hitting those figures and the OpenFit Pro never struggled to get through a full work day of music, podcasts and calls using a combination of the default Open Mode and Noise Reduction mode. As I mentioned, the charging case can be topped up wirelessly if you have a compatible accessory thats large enough. And if you find yourself with a pair of completely dead earbuds, Shokz includes a quick-charge feature that gives you up to four hours of use in 10 minutes. The competition The OpenFit Pro earbuds sitting in their charging case Billy Steele for Engadget If youre looking for something that closely resembles the design of the OpenFit Pro, Shokz other OpenFit models are likely your best alternatives. The $200 OpenFit 2+ offers 11 hours of battery life and Dolby Audio with both physical buttons and touch controls. The most affordable option, the OpenFit Air ($120), lasts up to six hours on a charge but doesnt have enhanced audio or wireless charging. As you step down from the OpenFit Pro, youre missing out on noise reduction, Dolby Atmos and longer battery life. JBL will soon have three models of its own to rival the Shokz OpenFit line. The Soundgear Sense is currently available for $165 and the Sense Pro and Sense Lite are coming in March for $200 and $150, respectively. These all have a variety of seemingly handy features, but none of them offer any kind of noise reduction and they all have shorter battery life than the OpenFit Pro and OpenFit 2+. I also cannot vouch for them as I havent tested any of JBLs open designs yet. Wrap-up Shokz has achieved a rare feat. The company managed to build a set of open-fit earbuds that retain all of those inherent benefits while also providing some relief from distractions with noise reduction. No, the over-the-ear hook design isnt for everyone especially if you wear glasses but the comfy, secure fit and IP55 rating make these a great choice for workouts. The OpenFit Pro is also good enough to be your all-around set of earbuds, and that noise reduction can be beneficial in the office or your favorite work from home space. Sound quality is better than youll find on most open earbuds as well, but youll probably enjoy not having anything crammed into your ears most. And you dont have to make too many sacrifices here for that satisfaction. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/shokz-openfit-pro-review-reducing-distractions-while-keeping-your-ears-open-130000443.html?src=rss

China finally approves the first batch of NVIDIA H200 AI GPU imports

China has agreed to import its first batch of NVIDIAs H200 AI chips after the government initially rejected the idea, Reuters reported. Several hundred thousand H200 chips were approved for sale in the country following NVIDIAs CEO Jensen Huangs visit there last week, according to two people familiar with the matter. The US government allowed the sale of NVIDIAs H200 processors to vetted and approved companies in China late last year. The first sales have been allocated mainly to three unnamed Chinese internet companies and the government is accepting applications for future approvals, according to the sources. NVIDIAs most powerful AI chip, the Blackwell B200, is still restricted for export to China. Despite that, over $1 billion worth of those and other high-end NVIDIA chips made their way to China via black market sales, according to previous reports. The H200 is NVIDIAs second most powerful AI GPU behind the B200, which is reportedly 10 times faster for some jobs. However, the H200 is still far more capable than NVIDIAs H20, which was the only chip approved for export to China prior to the Trump administrations H200 approval in December. Initially, Chinas government rejected that chip in favor of domestically developed semiconductors. China is trying to become self-reliant for its AI chips and infrastructure, with Huawei currently offering the best processors domestically. However, AI chip experts have said NVIDIA's tech is still far ahead of anything that Huawei or other Chinese companies can currently produce. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/china-finally-approves-the-first-batch-of-nvidia-h200-ai-gpu-imports-130000335.html?src=rss

Amazon's latest round of layoffs will affect 16,000 workers

Amazon has confirmed that its letting go of 16,000 workers and employees across its organization. In an announcement by company SVP Beth Galetti, she explained that Amazon was going through organizational changes to reduce layers and remove bureaucracy. Affected employees in the US will be given 90 days to look for another internal role and will receive severance pay if they do not find any. Galetti also said that Amazon doesnt have plans to announce broad reductions every few months but admitted that the company could make adjustments as appropriate. News about the layoffs was leaked in an email mistakenly sent out early to workers, along with a calendar invitation for a meeting dubbed internally as Project Dawn. In the email seen by Bloomberg and the BBC , Amazon Web Services Senior Vice President Colleen Aubrey told workers that their impacted colleagues from the US, Canada and Costa Rica had already been notified. Changes like this are hard on everyone. These decisions are difficult and made thoughtfully as we position our organization and AWS for future success, Aubrey reportedly wrote in the email. Amazon eliminated 14,000 roles back in October 2025 across its games, logistics, payment and cloud computing divisions, with the availability of AI technologies being one of the main reasons for the layoffs. This generation of AI is the most transformative technology weve seen since the Internet, and it's enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before, Amazon said in its announcement back then. This new round of layoffs is just a continuation of the previous one, as Amazon was reportedly looking to let 30,000 people go from the start. The announcement comes shortly after Amazon revealed that it was shutting down its remaining Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores and will focus on grocery deliveries instead. To note, Amazons year-over-year net sales grew by 13 percent in the third quarter of 2025 alone. Its net income increased to $21.2 billion compared to the $15.3 billion it posted in the third quarter of 2024. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazons-latest-round-of-layoffs-will-affect-16000-workers-120000702.html?src=rss

Windscribe review: Despite the annoyances, it has the right idea

Windscribe is a virtual private network (VPN) with intense How do you do, fellow kids? energy. It has servers in 69 countries and an annual plan that costs $69, an obsession with the sex number that rivals Elon Musk's. I'm shocked that it doesn't have a subscription costing $4.20 per month. But there's another side to Windscribe's cringe: an obsession with independence and a Bernie Sanders-like anger on behalf of an exploited public. In a market where the best VPNs aim for professionalism, Windscribe aspires to be punk. Its iconoclasm may have led it to develop an app that looks like ExpressVPN in a trash compactor, but it also spurred Windscribe to offer a strong free plan and forgo financial relationships with VPN reviewers. That attitude earned it a spot on my list of the best free VPNs . Although Windscribe's heart is in the right place, my job is to figure out whether that translates into a good product. I used our rigorous VPN testing procedure to rate Windscribe in 11 categories. You can find my results in the table below and a final verdict at the end of the review. Editor's note (1/27/26): We've overhauled our VPN coverage to provide more detailed, actionable buying advice. Going forward, we'll continue to update both our best VPN list and individual reviews (like this one) as circumstances change. Most recently, we added official scores to all of our VPN reviews. Check out how we test VPNs to learn more about the new standards we're using. Findings at a glance Category Notes Installation and UI Installation and setup are always straightforward Apps look very similar on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android App design is overly compact and often impenetrable, but hides a solid program Browser extensions allow one-click bypassing of security features on the current page, much like common ad blockers Speed Average latency below 300 worldwide Some slowdown in download and upload speeds, but not severe Speeds were highly consistent everywhere except some African servers Security Six solid protocols WireGuard, IKEv2, and four based on OpenVPN Most protocols available on all platforms, except IKEv2 on Android No leaks detected, even while switching servers Packets are encrypted as expected Pricing $9 per month, $69 for one year ($5.75 per month) Custom plans cost $1 per country plus $1 for unlimited data; must spend at least $3 Static IPs available for $2 per month or $8 per month for a residential address Free plan gives you 10 locations and 10GB per month with a confirmed email Bundles Shares coupon codes for various discounts on five partners in privacy Privacy policy Retains very little information, none of it personally identifiable Can make an account without an email address All apps have been audited by independent overseers Fought Greek court case in 2025 because it had no logs to turn over Virtual location change 15 different servers in five locations unblocked Netflix Content changed each time, suggesting the destination site was completely fooled Server network 193 server locations in 122 cities across 71 countries Only two virtual server locations in the entire network Real servers in Russia and India risk abrupt shutdowns Features Standout extras include the customizable R.O.B.E.R.T blocker and split tunneling on Windows, Mac and Android Network Options offers lots of automation choices, but terminology makes it needlessly confusing Includes obfuscation to get online in restrictive regions Firewall is a stronger version of a kill switch, preventing any access unless the VPN is connected Customer support Knowledgebase search bar is good at finding articles, and articles themselves are useful Garry AI chatbot is helpful, but pushed way too hard at the expense of access to human agents Active Reddit and Discord communities for peer-to-peer help Background check Founded in Canada in 2016 No significant controversies in 10 years Canada is a Five Eyes nation, but this shouldn't matter if Windscribe is keeping to its no logs policy Installing, configuring and using Windscribe The first step is always to figure out how easy or hard the VPN is to use. Windscribe and other VPNs are important tools, but you'll never use them if the UI gets in the way. I tested Windscribe's desktop apps on Windows and Mac, its mobile apps on iOS and Android and its Chrome and Firefox browser extensions. To start with, let me say that installing Windscribe is a breeze no matter where you do it. The downloaders and installers handle their own business, only requiring you to grant a few permissions. The apps arrive on your system ready to use out of the box. Windows The first thing you'll notice about Windscribe is that it's not even slightly interested in looking like any other VPN. It crams everything into an extremely compact window, which has some advantages mainly that it's easy to operate it while looking at another app. On the downside, well, it looks like this. Windscribe's UI on a Windows laptop. Sam Chapman for Engadget The Windscribe team will probably just say that I'm brainwashed by the establishment, but there's a good reason that most VPNs choose designs with a little more space. This fiddly console, most of which is taken up by information you can't interact with, is likely to confirm all a newcomer's worst fears about using a VPN. Private Internet Access had a similar problem of tightening its app design to the point of being incomprehensible. The problems persist when you get to the settings page. It's easy to make sense of a VPN without technical knowledge, but Windscribe's preferences menu does everything it can to obscure that truth. Highly technical features are mixed in with options for casual users, and the explanatory blurbs usually cloud the issue even further. Even the Look & Feel settings somehow manage to be confusing. What is the difference between the Stretch, Fill and Tile modes for aspect ratio? What the heck is a Bundled background, and what does it matter whether it's Square, Palm, Ripple, Drip or Snow? The answers to all these can be found by playing around or looking in the knowledgebase, but a VPN really shouldn't require that for its most basic toggles. Once you get used to Windscribe and learn where to find the features that actually matter, it runs quite smoothly. Connections are never delayed and there are none of the random error messages that have dogged me on other VPNs. In a world of VPNs that look great but run clunkily, Windscribe has built one that looks terrible but runs great. I can't complain about how well it works, but is it too much to ask for a provider that does both? (Oh, wait, that's Proton VPN .) Mac Windscribe's macOS app is almost identical to its Windows app. That deserves praise in itself you'll get much the same experience no matter which type of computer you use. But it also means the Mac app shares the same problems. Windscribe's app for Mac desktops and laptops. Sam Chapman for Engadget There's the same overly compact design cluttered with too much information. The same technobabble-filled options menu. And the same fundamental solidity underlying it all: a VPN that does the job beautifully but has no interest in being accessible. It would be a mistake to write Windscribe off because of its app design, but it's important to know what you'll have to work through. Android One thing I can't fault Windscribe for is a lack of consistency. The Android app looks a lot like the Windows and Mac apps, only lightly adapted for the mobile format. On these devices, the design decisions make more sense the UI writing is still impenetrable for casual users, but the compact pages look a lot more normal on a phone screen. A comparison of Windscribe's extremely similar apps on Android and Mac. Sam Chapman for Engadget iOS There's not a lot to say about Windscribe on iOS that I haven't already said about the other three main platforms. Looking over all my screenshots, it seems fairly clear that Windscribe's problems much like PIA's come from starting on mobile and trying to make that same design work on desktop. It's still not great to look at, but I can at least see where they're coming from. Windscribe's iOS app. Sam Chapman for Engadget Browser extensions Windscribe's extensions for Chrome and Firefox look a little like its desktop and mobile VPN apps, but they act a little differently. They serve the same basic purpose as the standalone apps changing your IP address and location but they're also customizable ad blockers for the web page you're currently on. Windscribe's Google Chrome extension. Sam Chapman for Engadget For example, in the image above, I can control what location Google perceives me to be in. But I can also control what gets blocked by choosing to let Google bypass certain features. Clicking the leftmost button makes the current website skip the VPN tunnel. The central button shuts off the ad blocker and the right-hand button shuts off the features on the Privacy section of the preferences menu. Like everything else about Windscribe, it's unintuitive but works great once you figure it out. Windscribe speed test I used speedtest.net to test Windscribe's speeds. In case you aren't familiar with the jargon, Ping measures a server's latency, which is how long it takes a single packet of data to reach it from your device. Download speed measures how much data can be downloaded at a time, while upload speed shows how quickly you can send data to the network. Think of ping as your car's speed in miles per hour and download and upload speed as the amount of traffic on the road. As usual, I used the WireGuard protocol to run these tests, since it's almost always the fastest. Starting with my unprotected speeds at home in Portland, I moved gradually farther away until I was connecting to the other side of the world. Ideally, ping should increase linearly (not exponentially), while download and upload speeds don't dip much at all. I've recorded Windscribe's performance in the table below. Server location Ping (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Portland, USA (unprotected) 22 59.35 5.92 Vancouver, Canada (fastest location) 27 1.2x 55.89 5.83 5.56 6.08 Boston, USA 161 7.3x 48.49 18.30 5.66 4.39 Quito, Ecuador 283 12.9x 46.46 21.72 4.68 20.95 London, UK 287 13.0x 43.70 26.37 4.51 23.82 Nairobi, Kenya 595 27.0x 32.63 45.02 3.57 39.70 Seoul, South Korea 258 11.7x 43.27 27.09 4.48 24.32 Average 269 12.2x 45.07 24.06 4.74 19.93 Windscribe gave me some of the shortest latencies I've ever seen comparable to CyberGhost, whose ping lengths I was also very impressed by. Its download and upload speeds also look a lot like CyberGhost's, with both firmly in good-but-not-amazing territory. However, Windscribe's speeds were a lot more consistent. Throughout the tests, I hardly ever saw major fluctuations in the same location, on any metric. The Nairobi server seemed to be under some strain, but that's not unusual for a VPN in Africa. Every location except for that one followed a smooth downward curve. I'm happy with that; speed is one of the areas where you want your VPN to be reliably boring, not flashy. Practically, a speed test like this suggests that Windscribe is best for gaming, livestreaming and video chatting, and that it's perfectly serviceable for any other task you could do online. You may not get the best speeds you've ever seen, but unless your internet is bad to begin with, Windscribe should not slow it down enough to be noticeable. Windscribe security test I can say up top that Windscribe doesn't seem to have any dangerous security flaws, but I'll take this section to explain why I think that. To start with, it uses only the three VPN protocols currently known to be secure: WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, plus a few other options all based on OpenVPN. With those options, you can be sure you're getting encryption that's currently uncrackable. It also passed two batteries of tests I ran on its security. The first set of tests looks for DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks and other slip-ups that might reveal your real IP address . The second checks whether data packets sent through the VPN tunnel are actually getting encrypted. Check each section below for details on how Windscribe did. VPN protocols A VPN protocol determines how exactly a VPN makes contact between its own servers, your device and your ISP. Certain protocols can make your VPN run faster, stabilize a shaky connection or get into websites other protocols fail to unlock. If you're having a problem with your VPN, changing the protocol is one of the first troubleshooting steps. Windscribe makes a total of six protocols available, though it's really just three, since four of the six are variations on OpenVPN. WireGuard works on every platform, and is currently the fastest and most stable its drawback used to be that it was new, but with the passage of time, it's no longer new enough to make it suspect. IKEv2 is a connection protocol that uses the separate IPSec protocol for its security. This double team's main strength is reconnecting to the VPN when a device switches networks; it's also good at not draining phone batteries. Windscribe supports IKEv2 on Mac, iOS and Windows. OpenVPN is the oldest open-source VPN protocol, refined by over a decade of repeated probing by volunteers. It's not only relatively fast and highly secure, but comes in two flavors: TCP , which makes connections more stable, and UDP , which is usually faster and should be your first resort with OpenVPN. Windscribe supports OpenVPN on all platforms. Windscribe rounds out the selection with two unique protocols, both focused on hiding your VPN traffic from firewalls and censors. Stealth uses the same connection ports as HTTPS, so it can't be blocked by shutting certain ports down entirely. WStunnel obfuscates connections even further by using the extremely common WebSocket technology to establish VPN connections. Both these proprietary protocols are much slower than the other options, but can save you if you find yourself repeatedly blocked while using Windscribe. Leak test I started my leak tests by using ipleak.net to check several Windscribe servers for IP leaks of all sorts. Each time I connected and checked my location, I only saw the VPN server's IP address, never my real one. I tried to trip Windscribe up by switching servers while remaining connected, even changing continents, but my true location never once slipped out. This puts its security solidly above CyberGhost, Norton VPN and many others. I couldn't find any holes in Windscribe's armor. Sam Chapman for Engadget Windscribe automatically blocks IPv6 traffic while connected, so IPv6 leaks weren't going to be a thing. I finished the test by checking five servers using browserleaks.com/webrtc, finding no issues each time. Encryption test The final step is to make sure Windscribe is applying encryption properly through its VPN protocols. For this test, I used a free packet sniffer app called Wireshark to look directly at what my computer was sending out. Windscribe's encryption looks solid. Sam Chapman for Engadget It's a bit hard to tell what's going on, but to summarize, I've loaded a website without HTTPS protection and checked whether Windscribe managed to apply that protection. The lack of readable information in the data stream proves that its encryption is indeed working as expected. How much does Windscribe cost? Windscribe has three subscription options (not counting its free plan, which I'll discuss in a moment). One month of Pro service costs $9.00 after Mullvad, the second-cheapest monthly subscription to a top-tier VPN. You can also pay $69 for a 12-month Pro subscription, working out to $5.75 per month. Both of these tiers give you the exact same set of Pro features and can be used on unlimited simultaneous devices. The cost of Windscribe Pro at publication time. Sam Chapman for Engadget The third option is to build your own plan. Build-A-Plan is an interesting beast that's unique to Windscribe. When you choose a custom plan, you must spend at least $3 per month. Gaining access to all the Pro servers in a country costs $1. For each country you add, you get an additional 10GB of data per month on top of the 10GB already included for free. If you'd rather not budget your data at all, you can pay another $1 for unlimited data, plus 10 custom rules for the R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker (I'll untangle the tortured acronym soon). It's a little convoluted, but wonderfully flexible. You can even change your Build-A-Plan in the middle of the subscription period. Windscribe also offers shared static IPs for an extra fee. You can add a datacenter IP to any plan for $2 per month or a residential IP (usually better at getting around restrictions) for $8 per month. Team billing is also available through ScribeForce at $3 per seat per month, including a centralized management panel. The Windscribe free plan Windscribe isn't the overall best free VPN hide.me wins that honor with its more flexible data limit but it's close. Free users get access to servers in 10 countries: the US, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, France, Germany, Switzerland, Romania and Hong Kong. If you plot that on a map, you'll see that the Windscribe free plan is most useful in North America and Europe. Free users start with a data allotment of 2GB per month. The monthly limit rises to 10GB if you sign up with a confirmed email address and 15GB if you post about Windscribe on Twitter/X. That's enough for casual browsing, but streaming in standard definition takes about 1GB per hour, so you won't be doing much binge-watching. On the upside, a free plan gives you access to all Windscribe's features except for dynamic port forwarding. You can set three R.O.B.E.R.T. rules and use your free account on an infinite number of devices (subject to the usual restrictions about exploiting that for commercial purposes as Windscribe itself states, no one person has 30 devices that need a VPN). Windscribe side apps and bundles Windscribe doesn't have any add-ons of its own except for static IP addresses. However, it does offer discount codes for a group of partners in privacy that share its business ethics. The coupon codes are available here and don't require a Windscribe subscription to use. The five members of Windscribe's gang. Sam Chapman for Engadget There are currently five allies in the gang. Control D offers DNS filtering for organizations to block unwanted websites; the Windscribe coupon gives you 50 percent off. You can get 25 percent off a one-year subscription to addy.io , an open-source email anonymizer, and Ente , an encrypted storage space for photos and videos. Rounding out the team are Kagi , a private search engine which you can use for three months free with the Windscribe coupon, and Notesnook , an encrypted notes app. Windscribe's coupon gives you a 10% discount on Notesnook's yearly plans in perpetuity. Close-reading Windscribe's privacy policy Windscribe's marketing positions it as serious about user independence, so I came into this section hoping for a privacy policy that backs those words up. An early green flag is that the policy is short, succinct and obviously written to be read by the users themselves. It's also fantastic that you can sign up without an email address (though you will need one to get the full data allotment on the free plan). Windscribe gathers information on its website using Piwik, an open-source analytics tool that it manages itself; no third parties are involved. The Windscribe app itself collects no information except for the amount of data used in a month, the time of your last connection and the number of devices you have online at once. When actively connected, it also gives you an anonymized username necessary for the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. My only quibble is that Windscribe is oddly reluctant to identify which third-party payment processors it uses. The information does exist elsewhere an article in the knowledgebase states that payments are handled by trusted third party processors such as PayPal and Stripe, and another page says that CoinPayments handles cryptocurrency transactions. It's a small thing, but the rest of the policy is so airtight that it stands out. Independent privacy audits Windscribe's apps are fully open-source (you can find them on Github here ). In addition to this general exposure, it's also undergone three intensive audits from security firms. Leviathan Security looked into its desktop apps in 2021 and its mobile apps in 2022. The auditors made a total of five high-severity recommendations, all of which Windscribe claims to have addressed. More recently, Windscribe had its entire codebase audited by PacketLabs. The auditors' June 2024 report found that some of Windscribe's code was storing more user information than it strictly needed to. Windscribe also claims to have handled this risk. More importantly, PacketLabs found no intentional subversions of Windscribe's no-logs policy, so its privacy statements can likely be trusted. Further corroboration of the latter came from a 2025 court case in which Windscribe founder and CEO Yegor Sak was indicted in Greece and charged with a crime committed by a Windscribe user through an IP address in Finland. This case is obviously absurd like charging the head of GM with a single instance of vehicular manslaughter committed by someone driving a Buick but Sak was obliged to appear in court anyway. As Sak writes in the linked post, he could have turned over the logs and shown who actually committed the crime, but he couldn't since Windscribe doesn't keep that information. Had there been an alternative to waging an expensive and inconvenient legal campaign in another country, Sak would surely have taken it. The fact that he didn't is strong proof of Windscribe's no-logging policy. Can Windscribe change your virtual location? Changing your IP address with a VPN can do more than just anonymize your internet activity. A service like Windscribe can give you an IP address associated with a certain country or region, letting you use the internet like you were there. This has applications ranging from the serious (break out of a nationwide firewall to document human rights issues) to the fun (get new titles on streaming platforms without paying for a new subscription). Netflix is a great tool for testing whether a VPN can change your virtual location. Like most streamers, it tries to block all VPN access to protect the copyrights it holds. Consequently, if a VPN can crack Netflix, it must be serious about keeping its server network fresh to foil any potential blockers. A successful location change on Netflix using Windscribe. Sam Chapman for Engadget For this test, I tried to access Netflix three times each through five different Windscribe server locations, refreshing the connection to use different servers each time. I looked for successful Netflix access, plus different content to prove my location had actually changed. Server location Unblocked Netflix? Changed content? Vancouver, Canada 3/3 3/3 Queretaro, Mexico 3/3 3/3 Tokyo, Japan 3/3 3/3 London, UK 3/3 3/3 Auckland, NZ 3/3 3/3 Windscribe got a perfect score. Netflix loaded easily every time, and the content was always localized to the country I chose. With this performance combined with its fairly consistent speeds over long distances, Windscribe makes a nearly perfect streaming VPN. The only downside is that the data limits on the free plan mean you'll probably have to pay for serious streaming time. Investigating Windscribe's server network Windscribe has 193 server locations in 71 countries, which it insists on listing as 69+ (again, hilarious). Although 193 sounds like a lot, many of them are duplicate locations in the same city. This isn't necessarily a problem, but for accuracy's sake, the total number of cities with Windscribe servers is 122. Region Countries with servers Cities with servers Total server locations Virtual server locations North America 6 40 61 0 South America 7 7 9 0 Europe 38 47 75 0 Africa 3 3 5 0 Middle East 2 2 2 0 Asia 12 16 28 1 Oceania 2 6 12 0 Antarctica 1 1 1 1 Total 71 122 193 2 (1 percent) The bigger story here is Windscribe's spurning of virtual servers. A virtual server location is physically located in a different region than the one it outwardly displays. For example, a server with an Indian IP address might really be in Singapore. Throughout the entire Windscribe network, only two servers are virtual: one in India and one in Antarctica. This is both good and bad. On the positive side, the near-total lack of virtual servers means you can be sure of how any server will perform. If it says it's in Buenos Aires, it'll run like it's in Buenos Aires you won't be surprised with lagging speeds because it's really in Miami. This also makes it clear that Windscribe isn't interested in pumping up its network size for marketing purposes. Windscribe's server selection list on the Mac app. Sam Chapman for Engadget On the other hand, virtual locations aren't an inherently bad thing. Windscribe acts as though advertising hype is the only reason any VPN would employ them, but there are real use cases. Virtual servers can be used to place locations inside countries where real servers would risk confiscation by the government, like Russia, India and China. Windscribe chooses instead to place real servers in Russia and India, both of which have data retention laws that directly conflict with its own privacy policy. Does this mean that using Windscribe's Russian servers will earn you a midnight visit from the FSB? Probably not. Assuming Windscribe is following its no-logs policy (which appears to be the case), there won't be any user data on those servers if the government seizes them. But it does mean they're effectively running illegal data centers which could be raided and shut down at any time. Be aware of this if you depend on Windscribe's locations in Russia or India. Extra features of Windscribe As covered in the UI section, Windscribe has a lot going on in its apps. The Connection tab alone has 13 different features, including two submenus with several options of their own. With this many options, and so many of them highly situational, I won't be able to cover every nook and cranny without this review getting seriously bloated. I've instead chosen some of the most important and illustrative features to give you a clear sense of the whole picture. Network Options You'll find this feature at the top of the Connection tab. When you click Network Options, you should see the name of your current Wi-Fi network and all the others your Windscribe account has discovered. This feature lets you control how the VPN reacts to each network it encounters, not unlike CyberGhost's Smart Rules . Just switching around a few terms would make this a lot less confusing. Sam Chapman for Engadget The app does a remarkably poor job of explaining how this works, so I'll break it down for you here. When the Auto-Secure Networks switch is turned on, Windscribe will automatically mark each new network as Secured a word which here means Windscribe turns on when it encounters the network. So far, so good. But if you turn Auto-Secure Networks off, things get weird. Without it, Windscribe tags every network you encounter as Unsecured. Whenever you connect to an Unsecured network, Windscribe immediately disconnects itself. This means it secures all Secured networks and does not secure any Unsecured networks. It feels backwards until you realize that Windscribe is referring entirely to itself here. Secured doesn't mean that the Wi-Fi network is password-protected or otherwise considered safe, and Unsecured doesn't mean that it's open to the public without a password. All that matters is whether or not you want Windscribe to activate or deactivate on that network. It's a useful feature that even lets you choose a VPN protocol for each network, but it would help to bring it more in line with mainstream terminology. R.O.B.E.R.T. This mouthful of a feature name allegedly stands for Remote Omnidirectional Badware Eliminating Robotic Tool. This is perhaps the apex of the VPN industry's unfortunate habit of saddling perfectly good features with word-salad names (yes, I'm aware it's supposed to be funny). R.O.B.E.R.T. is perhaps the most customizable content blocker on any VPN right now. To start with, it includes eight lists of sites it blocks at the DNS level: Malware, Ad + Trackers, Social Networks, Porn, Gambling, Clickbait, Other VPNs and Crypto. These vary in usefulness, and you can't determine the contents of each list, but it's nice to have such a range of choices. It eliminates all the badware, remotely AND omnidirectionally! Sam Chapman for Engadget Where R.O.B.E.R.T really shines, though, is in its browser-based customization dashboard. Each Free user can make three custom rules, and Pro upgrades that to 10. Each custom rule can be used to block a specific website or network or allowlist it from one of the other general blocklists. You can also set it to spoof a domain, though there's no practical reason to do this (Windscribe's idea of a useful application is making your friends think your post made the front page of Reddit). Split tunneling Split tunneling sends some of your internet requests through the VPN tunnel while others go unencrypted as normal. This can be useful if you get worse-than-usual speeds and want to minimize the amount of traffic going through the VPN, or for certain websites that refuse to work with any VPN server. You can split tunnel on Windscribe's apps for Windows, Mac and Android. Windows and Android users can split by app or website, while Mac users can only split by website. Windscribe lets you choose whether your split tunnel will be inclusive (only apps and IPs on the list will go through the VPN) or exclusive (the apps and IPs on the list will not go through the VPN). Note that R.O.B.E.R.T. rules apply to the entire system, even excluded apps and domains. Firewall and Always On VPN Instead of a kill switch, which it derides as an incomplete solution, Windscribe includes a Firewall feature on desktop and an Always On VPN feature on mobile. The Firewall can be considered a strong kill switch that prevents any internet traffic from going outside the VPN tunnel something doesn't have to go wrong for the blocks to activate. Always On VPN on iOS and Android is functionally the same. A more proactive defense has its advantages, but it would be nice if Windscribe included the weak kill switch option. Kill switches and firewalls can be overactive, and sometimes, you don't want the strongest level of security. Circumvent Censorship This feature is designed to let you access Windscribe on networks that don't want you to use a VPN, from school and work systems to entire censorious countries like China. Windscribe isn't forthcoming about how it works, but it's probably a deep-packet obfuscation that makes VPN traffic look like regular traffic. I didn't have time to pop over to China and test Circumvent Censorship, but I'm glad it exists. Windscribe customer support options Clicking the question mark tab on the Windscribe app shows you the full list of support options. You can peruse the knowledgebase, ask their chatbot Garry, talk directly to a human or check out their user communities on Reddit and Discord. Most of these lead back to Garry. Sam Chapman for Engadget I started with the written FAQs. At the top of the knowledgebase, there's a row of buttons you can click to see only articles relating to a particular operating system. This is a good idea in theory, but it's not implemented very well there's no visible tagging system, so we can't see how it's deciding which articles to filter. The search bar is much more likely to get you where you need to go. It works instantaneously and always turns up relevant articles, though it's weirdly insistent on showing exactly 10 results. I have few complaints about articles themselves, which are written in a way any user should find useful (give or take yet more attempted humor). I tested the chatbot, Garry, by asking it about the mysterious Advanced Parameters tab of the Windscribe app. It explained each feature on that tab (none of which should be touched except by users with technical knowledge) in a spiel that was clearly pre-written but nonetheless useful. Garry was launched in 2018, when IBM Watson was the biggest thing in AI, and recently revamped into Garry 2.0 whether this is based on OpenAI or another platform is anyone's guess at the moment. Live support Windscribe appears to handle all of its own support, without outsourcing to Zendesk or a similar third party. If you decide not to go through Garry, Windscribe does have the option of connecting directly to a human. However, the Contact Humans option on the app sends you directly back to Garry. It's eventually possible to get Garry to connect you to a real person, but that doesn't excuse Windscribe building an outright lie into its app. The Contact Support button on the knowledgebase, which I expected to lead to a ticket submission, also sends you straight to Garry. Windscribe really, really wants you to use Garry, in case that wasn't clear. You might have a better time going straight to the Windscribe Discord server or the r/Windscribe subreddit, both of which are linked to in the app. Windscribe background check Windscribe eschews a lot of the things we've come to expect from a VPN provider. It doesn't pay for ads anywhere. It has no affiliate relationships with news sites. The only thing resembling a Windscribe ad campaign is the free-plan data reward for Xeeting about it. It doesn't even have any venture capital investors it's completely self-funded and self-hosted. As a jaded and cynical reviewer who was already annoyed by Windscribe's memelord attitude, I was prepared to sniff out any hypocrisy in its background, which makes it all the more impressive that I didn't find any. Since its founding in Canada in 2016, Windscribe has never once been involved in any public doings that contradict its statements of ethics . It's even given free unlimited VPN access to every journalist working in Ukraine. The only thing I could find resembling a controversy was an incident in July 2021 when Ukrainian police confiscated two servers that weren't fully encrypted. Although this would only have posed a risk to users running a customized connection profile under very specific conditions, it was still a lapse. Windscribe responded appropriately in my view, ending the legacy OpenVPN implementation that caused the problem. Canadian headquarters Windscribe is based in Canada, which is one of the Five Eyes nations (along with the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand). This sounds scary, but it's not actually an issue, as Yegor Sak himself points out in a blog post I reference frequently. Five Eyes is not an organization, but an agreement between five allied countries to share necessary intelligence with each other. This can absolutely be misused. If the U.S. government wants to spy on someone without running into the 4th Amendment, it can ask the Brits to spy on that person instead and tell them what they find, knowing the Constitution can't determine what other countries do to our citizens. As bad as that is for our civil liberties, it doesn't actually change anything where VPNs are concerned. If a VPN isn't logging user data, there shouldn't be anything for any of the Five Eyes (or Nine Eyes or Fourteen Eyes) nations to find. And if it is keeping logs, you shouldn't be using it no matter where its headquarters are. Final verdict You might wonder, at this point, why my distaste for Windscribe's tryhard sense of humor has featured so prominently in this review. One reason is that I had to read a lot of it this week, and you must suffer as I have suffered. But it also makes Windscribe look very good by implication. Having no patience for the discount-4chan act that pervades Windscribe's brand, I was primed to dislike the VPN itself and I simply couldn't. This is not to say I had no problems at all with Windscribe. Its physical servers in Russia are difficult to trust. Its help options lean way too heavily on Garry the chatbot. Its app design and UI writing are significant faults. The free plan doesn't give you enough data for streaming. Having said all that, though, Windscribe does everything else right. It changes virtual locations and unblocks Netflix without breaking a sweat. Its servers keep latencies low, and download speeds remain solid across the world. The apps may look bad, but they never break down. Some features, like R.O.B.E.R.T. and Auto-Secure, are both useful to everybody and deeply customizable for power users. Windscribe may be best for privacy nerds who know how all its doohickeys work, but it's a VPN I recommend for everybody. In a world of predatory software, it's a relief to use an app that's unabashedly on the customer's side. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/windscribe-review-despite-the-annoyances-it-has-the-right-idea-120000837.html?src=rss

The best robot vacuums on a budget for 2026

If vacuuming is your least favorite chore, employing a robot vacuum can save you time and stress while also making sure your home stays clean. While once most robo-vacs landed on the higher end of the price spectrum, thats not the case anymore. Sure, you could pick up a $1,000 cleaning behemoth with mopping features, but it would be incorrect to assume that you need to spend that much money to get a good machine. Now, you can get an autonomous dirt-sucker with serious cleaning chops for $500 sometimes even $300 or less. But you get what you pay for in this space; dont expect affordable robot vacuum cleaners to have all of the bells and whistles that premium machines do, like self-emptying capabilities or advanced dirt detection. After testing dozens of robot vacuums at various price points , Ive narrowed down our top picks for the best budget robot vacuums you can buy right now. Best budget robot vacuums for 2026 Are robot vacuums worth it? Since I've tested dozens of robot vacuums, I'm often asked if these gadgets are worth it and I'd say the answer is yes. The biggest thing they offer is convenience: just turn on a robot vacuum and walk away. The machine will take care of the rest. If vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores, or you just want to spend less time keeping your home tidy, semi-autonomous robotic vacuum is a great investment. Many models, albeit more expensive ones, even come with features like a self-empty station to further reduce maintenance. There are plenty of other good things about them, but before we dive in lets consider the biggest trade-offs: less power, less capacity and less flexibility. Those first two go hand in hand; robot vacuum cleaners are much smaller than upright vacuums, which leads to less powerful suction. They also hold less dirt because their built-in bins are a fraction of the size of a standard vacuum canister or bag. Fortunately, some models include features like an auto-empty station, which helps with dirt capacity, especially in homes with pet hair. When it comes to flexibility, robot vacuums do things differently than standard ones. You can control some with your smartphone, set cleaning schedules and more, but robo-vacs are primarily tasked with cleaning floors. On the flip side, their upright counterparts can come with various attachments that let you clean couches, stairs, light fixtures and other hard-to-reach places. What to look for in a budget robot vacuum When looking for the best cheap robot vacuum, one of the first things you should consider is the types of floors you have in your home. Do you have mostly carpet, tile, laminate, hardwood? Carpets demand vacuums with strong suction power that can pick up debris pushed down into nooks and crannies. Unfortunately, there isnt a universal metric by which suction is measured. Some companies provide Pascal (Pa) levels and generally the higher the Pa, the stronger. But other companies dont rely on Pa levels and simply say their bots have X-times more suction power than other robot vacuums. So how can you ensure youre getting the best cheap robot vacuum to clean your floor type? Read the product description. Look for details about its ability to clean hard floors and carpets, and see if it has a max mode you can use to increase suction. If you are given a Pa measurement, look for around 2000Pa if you have mostly carpeted floors. Pay attention to the brush roll mechanism as well, especially if you're dealing with dog hair or other stubborn debris that can cause tangles. Many budget models use bristle brushes, while others offer tangle-free designs to minimize maintenance. You may find some budget robot vacuums also offer vacuum/mop combo capabilities. These bots feature a water tank, which means they can offer mopping functionality, enhancing debris pickup, and resulting in shiny floors. However, these are less common when youre shopping in the lower price range. Size is also important for two reasons: clearance and dirt storage. Check the specs for the robots height to see if it can get underneath the furniture you have in your home. Most robo-vacs wont be able to clean under a couch (unless its a very tall, very strange couch), but some can get under entryway tables, nightstands and the like. As for dirt storage, look out for the milliliter capacity of the robots dustbin the bigger the capacity, the more dirt the vacuum cleaner can collect before you have to empty it. You should also double check the Wi-Fi capabilities of the robo-vac youre eyeing. While you may think thats a given on all smart home devices, its not. Some of the most affordable models dont have the option to connect to your home Wi-Fi network. If you choose a robot vac like this, you wont be able to direct it with a smartphone app or with voice controls. Another feature thats typically reserved for Wi-Fi-connected robots is scheduling because most of them use a mobile app to set cleaning schedules. But Wi-Fi-incapable vacuums usually come with remote controls that have all the basic functions that companion mobile apps do, including start, stop and return to dock. And if youre concerned about the possibility of hacking, a robot vac with no access to your Wi-Fi network is the best option. Obstacle detection and cliff sensors are other key features to look out for. The former helps the robot vacuum navigate around furniture while it cleans, rather than mindlessly pushing its way into it. Many also offer no-go zones, letting you block off areas you dont want the robot to enter. Meanwhile, cliff sensors prevent robot vacuums from tumbling down the stairs, making them the best vacuum for multi-level homes. How we test robot vacuums When we consider which robot vacuums to test, we look at each machines specs and feature list, as well as online reviews to get a general idea of its capabilities. With each robot vacuum we review, we set it up as per the instructions and use it for as long as possible at minimum, well use each for one week, running cleaning cycles daily. We make sure to try out any physical buttons the machine has on it, and any app-power features like scheduling, robot mapping and more. Since we test robot vacuums in our own homes, there are obstacles already in the machines way like tables, chairs and other furniture this helps us understand how capable the machine is at avoiding obstacles, and well intentionally throw smaller items in their way like shoes, pet toys and more. With robot vacuums that include self-emptying bases, we assess how loud the machine is while emptying contents into the base and roughly how long it takes for us to fill up the bag (or bagless) base with debris. Robot vacuum maintenance tips First and foremost, always empty your robot vacuums dustbin after every cleaning job, or use a self-empty station if the model supports it. Simply detach and empty the dustbin as soon as the robot is done cleaning, and then reattach it so it's ready to go for the next time. Its also a good idea to take a dry cloth to the inside of the dustbin every once in a while to remove any small dust and dirt particles clinging to its insides. In addition, youll want to regularly examine the machines brushes to see if any human or pet hair has wrapped around them, or if any large debris is preventing them from working properly. Some brushes are better than others at not succumbing to tangled hair, but its a good idea to check your robots brushes regardless both their main brush and any smaller, side brushes or corner brushes they have. These parts are often easy to pop off of the machine (because they do require replacements eventually) so we recommend removing each brush entirely, getting rid of any tangles or other debris attached to them and reinstalling them afterwards. If you have a robot vacuum with mopping capabilities, youll need to wash the bots mop pads too, to avoid any unpleasant smells or tracking mess around your home. Similarly, if your robot vacuum has a water tank, its worth washing this out regularly to keep it clean. Robot vacuums also have filters that need replacing every couple of months. Check your machines user manual or the manufacturers website to see how long they recommend going in between filter replacements. Most of the time, these filters cannot be washed, so you will need to buy new ones either directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers like Amazon or Walmart . Budget robot vacuum FAQs Are budget robot vacuums good for pet hair? Yes, budget robot vacuums can be good for pet hair. Just keep in mind they generally tend to have lower suction power and smaller dustbins than more expensive (and larger) robot vacuums. If pet hair is your biggest concern, we recommend getting as expensive of a robot vacuum as your budget allows, or consider investing in a cordless vacuum since those tend to be more powerful overall. How long do budget robot vacuums last per charge? Budget robot vacuums typically last 40-60 minutes per charge, and the best ones will automatically return to their charging dock when they need more power. Do budget robot vacuums work on carpets and hardwood floors? Yes, budget robot vacuums work on both carpets and hardwood floors. Which budget robot vacuums have mapping features? Home mapping features are typically exclusive to more expensive robot vacuums. Check the product description of any robot vacuum you're thinking of buying and look for smart mapping or smart home mapping in the feature list if you want a device that supports it. Check out more from our spring cleaning guide. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-budget-robot-vacuums-133030847.html?src=rss

The best E Ink tablets for 2026

E Ink tablets have always been intriguing to me because Im a longtime lover of pen and paper. Ive had probably hundreds of notebooks over the years, serving as repositories for my story ideas, to-do lists, meeting notes and everything in between. However, I turned away from physical notebooks at a certain point because it was just easier to store everything digitally so I always had my most important information at my fingertips. E Ink tablets seem to provide the best of both worlds: the tactile satisfaction of regular notebooks with many of the conveniences found in digital tools, plus easy-on-the-eyes E Ink screens. These devices have come a long way in the past few years, and were just starting to see more color E Ink tablets become more widely available. I tested out a number of different E Ink tablets to see how well they work, how convenient they really are and which are the best tablets using E Ink screens available today. Best E Ink tablets for 2026 Are E Ink tablets worth it? An E Ink tablet will be a worthwhile purchase to a very select group of people. If you prefer the look and feel of an e paper display to LCD panels found on traditional tablets, it makes a lot of sense. Theyre also good options for those who want a more paper-like writing experience (although you can get that kind of functionality on a regular tablet with the right screen protector) or a more distraction-free device overall. The final note is key here. Many E Ink tablets dont run on the same operating systems as regular tablets, so youre automatically going to be limited in what you can do. And even with those that do allow you to download traditional apps like Chrome, Instagram and Facebook, E Ink tablets are not designed to give you the best casual-browsing experience. This is mostly due to the nature of E Ink displays, which have noticeable refreshes, a lack of vibrant colors and lower picture quality than the panels youll find on even the cheapest iPad. Arguably the biggest reason why you wouldnt want to go with an iPad (all models of which support stylus input, a plethora of reading apps, etc) is because its much easier to get distracted by email, social media and other Internet-related temptations. What to look for in an E Ink tablet Writing and latency Arguably the most important thing to consider when looking for an E Ink tablet is the writing experience. How good it is will depend a lot on the displays refresh rate (does it refresh after every time you put pen to paper, or at a different regular interval) and the stylus latency. Most of the tablets Ive tested have little to no latency, but some are certainly better than others. Finally, you should double check before buying that your preferred E Ink tablet comes with a stylus, or if you need to purchase one separately. Reading How much will you be reading books, documents and other things on this tablet? E Ink tablets come in many sizes, but most of them tend to be larger than your standard e-reader because it makes writing much easier. Having a larger display isnt a bad thing, but it might make holding it for long periods slightly more uncomfortable. (Most e-readers are roughly the size of a paperback book, giving you a similar feeling to analog reading). The supported file types for e-books can also make a big difference. Its hard to make a blanket statement here because this varies so much among E Ink tablets. The TL;DR is that youll have a much better reading experience if you go with one made by a company that already has a history in e-book sales (i.e. Amazon or Kobo). All of the titles you bought via the Kindle or Kobo store should automatically be available to you on your Kindle or Kobo E Ink tablet. Also with Kindle titles, specifically, since they are protected by DRM, its not necessarily the best idea to try to bring those titles over to a third-party device . Unless the tablet runs an operating system like Android that supports downloads for apps like Kindle and Kobo, youll be limited to supported file types, like ePUB, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, PNG and others. Search functionality Most E Ink tablets have some on-device search features, but they can vary widely between models. Youll want to consider how important it is to you to be able to search through all your handwritten notes and markups. I noticed in my testing that Amazons and Kobos E Ink tablets made it easy to refer back to notes made in books and files because they automatically save to the specific pages on which you took notes, made highlights and more. Searching is less standardized on E Ink tablets that have different supported file types, but their features can be quite powerful in their own right. For example, a few devices I tested supported text search in handwritten notes along with handwriting recognition, the latter of which allows you to translate your scribbles into typed text. Sharing and connectivity While we established that E Ink tablets can be great distraction-free devices, most manufacturers understand that your notes and doodles arent created in a vacuum. You may want to access them elsewhere, and that requires some form of connectivity. All of the E Ink tablets I tried have Wi-Fi support, and some support cloud syncing, companion mobile apps and the ability to export notes via email so you can access them elsewhere. None of them, however, integrate directly with a digital note taking system like Evernote or OneNote, so these devices will always be somewhat supplementary if you use apps like that, too. Id argue that, if you already lean heavily on apps like OneNote, a standard tablet with a stylus and screen protector might be the best way to go. Ultimately, you should think about what you will want to do with the documents youll interact with on your E Ink tablet after the tablet portion is done. Price E Ink tablets arent known for being cheap. They generally fall into the $300-$800 price range, which is what you can expect to pay for a solid regular tablet, too. A key factor in price is size: cheaper devices with E Ink displays are likely to have smaller screens, and stylus support isnt as much of a given. Also, those types of devices are generally considered e-readers because of their size and may not be the best for note-taking, doodling and the like. E Ink tablets have gone up in price recently. Supernote and Onyx Boox increased prices, as did reMarkable. The former said it was due to increased costs, and a reMarkable representative confirmed this to Engadget and provided the following statement: We regularly review our pricing based on market conditions and operational costs. We've communicated an upcoming adjustment for the US market effective in May to provide transparency to our customers. Multiple factors influence our pricing decisions, including supply chain dynamics and overall operational costs in specific markets. As a result, the reMarkable Paper Pro jumped from $579 to $629 (that's for the bundle with the standard Marker and no Folio). This isn't great, considering the Paper Pro was already on the expensive side of the spectrum for E Ink tablets. It's also worth noting that Supernote and Onyx Boox have raised prices in the past few months as well. Other E Ink tablets we've tested Onyx Boox Tab X C The Boox Tab X C is a color-screened version of the Tab X, the companys all-purpose e-paper Android tablet. The Tab X C has a lovely 13.3-inch Kaleido 3 E Ink color display, an octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM and it runs on Android 13, making it one of the most powerful tablets in Booxs lineup. Ive used the Tab X in the past and this color version runs similarly, if not better, and at 5.3mm thick, its impressively svelte even when you pair it with its folio keyboard case. As someone who loves legal-pad sized things to write on, I also like how the Tab X C is most akin to A4-size paper. But at $820 for the bundle with the standard case (or a whopping $970 for the tablet and its keyboard case), its really only best for those who are ready to go all-in on a premium E Ink tablet. Lenovo Smart Paper Lenovo made a solid E Ink tablet in the Smart Paper , but it's too pricey and too married to the company's companion cloud service to warrant a spot on our top picks list. The hardware is great, but the software isn't as flexible as those of competitors like the reMarkable 2. It has good Google Drive integration, but you must pair it with Lenovo's cloud service to really get the most use out of it and in the UK, the service costs 9 per month for three months, which is quite expensive. Onyx Boox Tab Ultra The Boox Tab Ultra has a lot of the same features we like in the Note Air 2 Plus, but its designed to be a true, all-purpose tablet with an E Ink screen. Running Android 11 and compatible with a magnetic keyboard case, you can use it like a standard 2-in-1 laptop, albeit a low-powered one. You can browse the web, check email and even watch YouTube videos on this thing but that doesnt mean you should. A standard 2-in-1 laptop with a more responsive screen and better overall performance would be a better fit for most people who even have the slightest desire to have an all-in-one device. Like the rest of Onyxs devices, the Tab Ultra is specifically for those who put reading and eye comfort above all else. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-e-ink-tablet-130037939.html?src=rss

Mark Zuckerberg was initially opposed to parental controls for AI chatbots, according to legal filing

Meta has faced some serious questions about how it allows its underage users to interact with AI-powered chatbots. Most recently, internal communications obtained by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office revealed that although Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was opposed to the chatbots having explicit conversations with minors, he also rejected the idea of placing parental controls on the feature. Reuters reported that in an exchange between two unnamed Meta employees, one wrote that we pushed hard for parental controls to turn GenAI off but GenAI leadership pushed back stating Mark decision. New Mexico is suing Meta on charges that the company failed to stem the tide of damaging sexual material and sexual propositions delivered to children; the case is scheduled to go to trial in February. Weve reached out to Meta for comment and will update with any response. Despite only being available for a brief time, Meta's chatbots have already accumulated quite a history of behavior that veers into offensive if not outright illegal. In April 2025 , The Wall Street Journal released an investigation that found Meta's chatbots could engage in fantasy sex conversations with minors, or could be directed to mimic a minor and engage in sexual conversation. The report claimed that Zuckerberg had wanted looser guards implemented around Meta's chatbots, but a spokesperson denied that the company had overlooked protections for children and teens. Internal review documents revealed in August 2025 detailed several hypothetical situations of what chatbot behaviors would be permitted, and the lines between sensual and sexual seemed pretty hazy. The document also permitted the chatbots to argue racist concepts. At the time, a representative told Engadget that the offending passages were hypotheticals rather than actual policy, which doesn't really seem like much of an improvement, and that they were removed from the document. Despite the multiple instances of questionable use of the chatbots, Meta only decided to suspend teen accounts' access to them last week . The company said it is temporarily removing access while it develops the parental controls that Zuckerberg had allegedly rejected using. New Mexico filed this lawsuit against Meta in December 2023 on claims that the company's platforms failed to protect minors from harassment by adults. Internal documents revealed early on in that complaint revealed that 100,000 child users were harassed daily on Meta's services. Update, January 27, 2025, 6:15PM ET: Corrected misstated timeline of the New Mexico lawsuit, which was filed in December 2023, not December 2024. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/mark-zuckerberg-was-initially-opposed-to-parental-controls-for-ai-chatbots-according-to-legal-filing-230110214.html?src=rss

Meta blocks links to ICE List, a Wiki that names agents

Meta has started blocking links to ICE List, a website that compiles information about incidents involving Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents, and lists thousands of their employees' names. It seems that the latter detail is what caused Meta to take action in a move that was first reported by Wired . ICE List is a crowdsourced Wiki that describes itself as an independently maintained public documentation project focused on immigration-enforcement activity in the US. Its purpose is to record, organize, and preserve verifiable information about enforcement actions, agents, facilities, vehicles, and related incidents that would otherwise remain fragmented, difficult to access, or undocumented, its website states. Along with notable incidents, the website also lists the names of individual agents associated with ICE, CBP and other DHS agencies. According to Wired , the website's creators said much of that information had come from a leak, though it appears to be based largely on public LinkedIn profiles. As Wired notes: The site went viral earlier this month when it claimed to have uploaded a leaked list of 4,500 DHS employees to its site, but a WIRED analysis found that the list relied heavily on information the employees shared publicly about themselves on sites such as LinkedIn. Links to ICE List have been spreading widely for several weeks, including on Meta's platforms. There are numerous links to the website on Threads, some of which go back several weeks. Now though, clicking on previously-shared links instead results in a message that the link can't be opened. Users who try to share new links on Threads or Facebook also see error messages. Posts that look like spam according to our Community Guidelines are blocked on Facebook and can't be edited, the notice says. When reached for comment, a Meta spokesperson pointed to the company's privacy policy barring the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII). The company didn't address why it chose to start blocking the website after several weeks, or whether it considers public LinkedIn profiles to be in violation of its rules against doxxing. It is, however, not the first time Meta has opted to remove users' posts tracking information about ICE actions. The social network previously took down a Facebook group that tracked ICE sightings in Chicago after pressure from the Justice Department. Have a tip for Karissa? You can reach her by email , on X , Bluesky , Threads , or send a message to @karissabe.51 to chat confidentially on Signal. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-blocks-links-to-ice-list-a-wiki-that-names-agents-231410653.html?src=rss

Astronomers discover over 800 cosmic anomalies using a new AI tool

Here's a use of AI that appears to do more good than harm. A pair of astronomers at the European Space Agency (ESA) developed a neural network that searches through space images for anomalies. The results were far beyond what human experts could have done. In two and a half days, it sifted through nearly 100 million image cutouts, discovering 1,400 anomalous objects. The creators of the AI model, David O'Ryan and Pablo Gmez, call it AnomalyMatch. The pair trained it on (and applied it to) the Hubble Legacy Archive , which houses tens of thousands of datasets from Hubble's 35-year history. While trained scientists excel at spotting cosmic anomalies, there's simply too much Hubble data for experts to sort through at the necessary level of fine detail by hand, the ESA wrote in its press release. After less than three days of scanning, AnomalyMatch returned a list of likely anomalies. It still requires human eyes at the end: Gmez and O'Ryan reviewed the candidates to confirm which were truly abnormal. Among the 1,400 anomalous objects the pair confirmed, more than 800 were previously undocumented. Most of the results showed galaxies merging or interacting, which can lead to odd shapes or long tails of stars and gas. Others were gravitational lenses. (That's where the gravity of a foreground galaxy bends spacetime so that the light from a background galaxy is warped into a circle or arc.) Other discoveries included planet-forming disks viewed edge-on, galaxies with huge clumps of stars and jellyfish galaxies . Adding a bit of mystery, there were even several dozen objects that defied classification altogether. This is a fantastic use of AI to maximize the scientific output of the Hubble archive, Gmez is quoted as saying in the ESA's announcement. Finding so many anomalous objects in Hubble data, where you might expect many to have already been found, is a great result. It also shows how useful this tool will be for other large datasets. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/astronomers-discover-over-800-cosmic-anomalies-using-a-new-ai-tool-205135155.html?src=rss

Sennheiser debuts new models of wired headphones and earbuds

Wireless audio has become the industry standard, but there are still options out there for people who prefer a wired connection. Two new choices joining the market come from Sennheiser, which has released the CX 80U wired earbuds and HD 400U wired over-ear headphones. These new takes on the company's previous models for wired listening have replaced the 3.5mm audio jack connector with a USB-C cable. Both sets support 24-bit, 96 kHz digital audio playback. They're compatible with a broad array of devices, including iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS, MacOS, Windows and SteamOS. Both of these items are priced at an entry level for a brand that might charge up to $500 for its higher-end headphones. The CX 80U earbuds cost $40 and the HD 400U headphones retail for $100. Both products are available starting today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sennheiser-debuts-new-models-of-wired-headphones-and-earbuds-201245058.html?src=rss

Pornhub will become unavailable for many UK users as of February 2

Pornhub will stop offering full access to new users in the UK on February 2, its parent company Aylo said Tuesday, citing the nation's Online Safety Act and its age-verification requirements. The company said users who already verified their ages before the cutoff will still be able to access the adult site through existing accounts. The move follows the Online Safety Acts Protection of Children Codes , which took effect last summer and require adult sites to use highly effective methods of age verification . Aylo claims the system is backfiring and shifting both adults and minors to noncompliant porn sites that dont verify age or moderate content according to Politico . Aylo's lawyers argued that only device-based age verification methods sufficiently protect user data. Alexzandra Kekesi, VP of Brand and Community at Aylo, said anyone who has not gone through that process prior to February 2 will no longer be able to access [the sites] and they're going to be met with a wall, according to 404 Media . The adult site was similarly made unavailable in various US states after the passage of age-verification laws that Pornhub claimed put users' privacy at risk. These people did not stop looking for porn, Aylo said at the time. They just migrated to darker corners of the internet that dont ask users to verify age, that dont follow the law, that dont take user safety seriously, and that often dont even moderate content. Users who wish to get around these sorts of bans typically use VPNs to mask the origin of their internet traffic, though the UK is reportedly considering a ban on VPNs for children. The nation has also been considering a social media ban for users under 16 years of age, similar to the one enacted in Australia . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/pornhub-will-become-unavailable-for-many-uk-users-as-of-february-2-194622124.html?src=rss

Apple and Google reportedly still offer dozens of AI nudify apps

A recent investigation by an online advocacy organization called the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) found that the Apple App Store and Google Play Store are rife with so-called nudify apps . These are AI applications that create nonconsensual and sexualized images, which is a clear violation of both companies' store policies. All told, the investigation found 55 of this type of app in the Google Play Store and 47 in the Apple App Store. Both platforms also still offer access to xAI's Grok, which is likely the most famous nonconsensual deepfake maker in the world. Apple and Google are supposed to be vetting the apps in their stores. But they've been offering dozens of apps that can be used to show people with minimal or no clothingmaking them ripe for abuse, said Michelle Kuppersmith, an executive director at the nonprofit that runs TTP. The apps identified by the report have been collectively downloaded over 700 million times and generated more than $117 million in revenue. Google and Apple get a cut of this money. Some of the apps were even approved for children, with Apple listing apps for kids as young as 4+ or 9+ and Google listing for ages 13+. Yet all of them appear to be in direct violation of company policyeven for adult users. pic.twitter.com/bShqEYMpIL Tech Transparency Project (@TTP_updates) January 27, 2026 Many of the apps named in the investigation are rated as suitable for teens and children. DreamFace, for instance, is rated suitable for ages 13 and up in the Google Play Store and ages nine and up in the Apple App Store. Both companies have responded to the investigation. Apple says it has removed 24 apps from its store, according to a report by CNBC . However, that falls shy of the 47 apps discovered by TTP researchers. A Google spokesperson has said the company suspended several apps referenced in the report for violating store policies, but declined to say how many apps it has removed. This report comes after Elon Musk's Grok was found to be generating sexualized images of both women and children . All told, the AI chatbot generated around three million sexualized images and 22,000 that involved children over a period of 11 days . Representatives from the company haven't really responded to these allegations, except to send an automated email to journalists that read Legacy Media Lies. Musk has also stated that he is not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok. Literally zero. We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary. Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the https://t.co/93kiIBTCYO Safety (@Safety) January 4, 2026 X's safety account did post that anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content. Grok has proven to be more forthcoming than actual humans at the company, as the chatbot apologized for creating sexualized images of minors . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-and-google-reportedly-still-offer-dozens-of-ai-nudify-apps-192712446.html?src=rss

Sonos introduces Amp Multi for complicated residential installs

Sonos has unveiled its first new product of 2026, the Amp Multi. This amplifier is a niche option for the owners of very large or complicated spaces, and it's being billed as professional grade option for residential audio installations. The Amp Multi has eight 125W outputs and four configurable zones, and each channel can support up to three Sonos Architectural speakers. In other words, that's a lot more audio than the average home needs. Even the Sonos Amp would probably be overkill for those of you living the apartment life. The Amp Multi will be available in the coming months, according to the company's press release , and there's no pricing information yet for the product listing on its website. But given the high-end customers this is targeting, expect the Amp Multi to cost a fair bit more than the $800 Sonos Amp. Sonos has mostly been keeping its proverbial head down on the product side as it continues to address fallout from a bungled app redesign in 2024 that soured customers and put the company in dire straits. First there were layoffs , then the CEO left . Sonos' temporary chief exec, Tom Conrad, got the position permanently last summer. Once the business' position does stabilize at last, we will hopefully be hearing more positive updates from Sonos in the future. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/sonos-introduces-amp-multi-for-complicated-residential-installs-191000421.html?src=rss

The French government is ditching Zoom and Microsoft Teams for a home-grown alternative

The French government is saying au revoir to Microsoft Teams and Zoom as it embraces a home-grown alternative. By next year, civil servants across all departments will have switched to French videoconference platform Visio, as EuroNews reports. As with Teams and Zoom, Visio has an AI-powered transcription tool. Visio runs on a French company's cloud infrastructure as well. The platform has around 40,000 users and it's been in testing for the last year. The government expects the switch to help reduce costs by as much as 1 million ($1.2 million) each year for every 100,000 users. The decision to ditch Microsoft Teams and Zoom is part of a broader effort to rely less on foreign software services particularly US ones. Under the Suite Numrique project, France also plans to jettison the likes of Gmail and Slack for government use. The aim is to end the use of non-European solutions and guarantee the security and confidentiality of public electronic communications by relying on a powerful and sovereign tool, David Amiel, minister for the civil service and state reform, said. This strategy highlights France's commitment to digital sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions and fears of foreign surveillance or service disruptions . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-french-government-is-ditching-zoom-and-microsoft-teams-for-a-home-grown-alternative-184747010.html?src=rss

TikTok settles to avoid major social media addiction lawsuit

TikTok has reached a settlement in a closely-watched lawsuit over social media addiction, narrowly avoiding a trial that's scheduled to begin jury selection Tuesday. Terms of the deal, which was reported by The New York Times , weren't disclosed. TikTok's settlement comes about one week after Snap reached a settlement in the same case. The trial is expected to move forward in Los Angeles with Meta and YouTube as the only defendants. Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiff, said in a statement to NYT that they were pleased with the settlement and that it was a good resolution. TikTok didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The trial stems from a 2023 lawsuit brought by a California woman known in court documents as K.G.M. She sued Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube and alleged that their platforms were addictive and had harmed her as a child. The judge in the case previously ordered the companies' executives, including Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri, to testify . YouTube's top exec, Neal Mohan, is also likely to testify, according to The New York Times . The lawsuit is the first among several high-profile cases against social media companies to go to trial this year. Meta is expected to head to court in New Mexico in early February in a case brought by the state's attorney general, who has alleged that Facebook and Instagram have facilitated harm to children. TikTok and Snap are collectively facing more than a dozen other trials in California courts this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-settles-to-avoid-major-social-media-addiction-lawsuit-183943927.html?src=rss

Amazon Go and Fresh stores are closing as Amazon focuses on grocery delivery and Whole Foods

Amazon is rethinking its grocery business, and as part of that, it will shut down all of its remaining Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores. The company will convert some locations into Whole Foods Market stores. While we've seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven't yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion, the company wrote in a blog post . Amazon added that it would help workers at Go and Fresh stores to find positions elsewhere within the company. For now, Amazon is focusing its grocery efforts on Fresh deliveries, Amazon Now (a 30-minutes-or-less delivery option it recently introduced to compete with DoorDash and Instacart) and Whole Foods. It plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years. Amazon also says it will introduce new types of physical locations in the coming years. One concept it's considering is a supercenter that would offer a broad selection of goods from Amazon, including household items, groceries and general merchandise. I dunno, that just sounds like a supermarket to me. Meanwhile, the checkout-less Just Walk Out tech that the company implemented in Go and Fresh stores is still in use at third-party locations, including hospital cafeterias and sports arenas. Amazon has also deployed it in break rooms in dozens of its warehouses to help employees maximize break time by grabbing meals without checkout delays. Its definitely not to keep closer tabs on workers, Im sure. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/amazon-go-and-fresh-stores-are-closing-as-amazon-focuses-on-grocery-delivery-and-whole-foods-180448412.html?src=rss

Google AI Plus is now available in the US for $8 a month

Google AI Plus, the companys most affordable AI subscription plan, is now rolling out in the US. It will cost you $8 a month for its features, though you can get it for $4 a month for the first two months for a limited time only. AI Plus gives you access to 200GB of storage, as well as access to the Gemini 3 Pro model, Deep Research and Nano Banana Pro inside the Gemini app. Nano Banana Pro generates images that look so realistic, theyre nearly indistinguishable from ordinary photos snapped on phones. Google even had to limit its usage due to high demand. A subscription to AI Plus also expands your access to Googles AI filmmaking tool Flow, its image-to-video creator tool Whisk and its research assistant tool NotebookLM. In addition to the US, the plan is now making its way to 34 more countries, making it available in all regions where Google is selling its AI services. In the US, the new option costs less than half of a $20 AI Pro subscription, which comes with 2TB of storage and access to more tools like code assist. Googles most expensive AI plan, the AI Ultra , costs a whopping $250 a month and comes with 30TB of storage, along with all the AI tools the company can offer. Take note that if youre paying for a Google One Premium 2TB subscription, youll also get all of AI Plus features over the next few days. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-ai-plus-is-now-available-in-the-us-for-8-a-month-180000175.html?src=rss

WhatsApp introduces an advanced security mode to protect against hackers

Meta's WhatsApp just introduced something called Strict Account Settings , a tool that further protects your account from highly sophisticated cyber attacks. This is a one-click button in the settings that automatically initiates a series of defenses. So what does it do? It blocks media and attachments from unknown senders, disables link previews and silences calls from unknown senders. This results in a more restrictive experience, but hopefully a safer one. The company says this isn't necessarily for regular users, as conversations are already protected by end-to-end encryption. Instead, this is being pitched as a tool for journalists or public-facing figures that may need extreme safeguards against rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks. Strict Account Settings will be rolling out globally in the coming weeks. Users will find the tool in the Privacy settings . WhatsApp is just the latest tech platform to offer enhanced security tools for high-risk users. Apple introduced Lockdown Mode back in 2022 and Android introduced its Advanced Protection Mode last year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/whatsapp-introduces-an-advanced-security-mode-to-protect-against-hackers-174144598.html?src=rss

Yahoo is adding generative AI to its search engine

Yahoo has announced a new AI-powered answer engine, dubbed Yahoo Scout. The new tool is available now in beta and is powered by Anthropic's Claude . The company says Scout synthesizes info from the web, as well as Yahoo's own data and content when constructing responses to user's natural-language search queries. Yahoo says the interface will include interactive digital media, structured lists and tables and visible source links aimed at making answers easier to verify. (Disclosure: Yahoo is the parent company of Engadget .) Alongside Scout, Yahoo is announcing an intelligence platform across its varied products. This will include features like AI summaries in Yahoo Mail, key takeaways in Yahoo News and game breakdowns in Yahoo Sports. Scout will also integrate into Yahoo Shopping to offer insights and shoppable links, and Yahoo Finance, where it can populate company financials, analyst ratings and explain stock moves as they occur. Yahoo says the answer engine behind Scout will become more personalized and focus on deeper experiences as time goes on. Google offered a glimpse of generative AI in search back in 2023 , and the company's AI Mode for search was made widely available in the US last year. The company has been similarly at work integrating its AI model across its product portfolio, including Gmail and shopping . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/yahoo-is-adding-generative-ai-to-its-search-engine-172706249.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Everything we think the company will unveil

Samsungs 2025 was filled with new foldables , an ultra-thin new form factor and the launch of Google's XR platform . After making some announcements at CES 2026 , the company is expected to host its first Galaxy Unpacked of the year in February to introduce the Galaxy S26 lineup. Engadget will be covering Galaxy Unpacked live, and we'll most likely have hands-on coverage of Samsung's new smartphones soon after they're announced. While we wait for an official invite, here's everything we expect Samsung will introduce at the first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026. Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra hands-on photo Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Samsung's restrained approach to updating its phones will likely continue with the Galaxy S26. Based on leaked images of the new lineup, the company is not expected to radically reinvent the look of the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ or Galaxy S26 Ultra, and instead will stick with a similar design to what it used on the Galaxy S25. The phones will have a flat front screen and frame, with rounded corners and cameras housed in a vertical pill-shaped plateau on the back. Unlike Apple's move from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone 17 Pro , the biggest difference here will likely be internal components like the screens, chips and camera sensors Samsung uses. Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is expected to be in all Samsung Galaxy S26 phones, though Korean news site Yonhap News reports Samsung's relatively new Exynos 2600 chip could be used in some phones in the lineup depending on the region, a strategy Samsung has deployed in the past. Either way the new phones should be more performant than the previous generation, and in the case of the models with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, particularly good at on-device AI processing. I have compiled the most accurate comprehensive parameter comparison of Galaxy S25, S25+ and Galaxy S26 S26+. Which one do you want to buy? pic.twitter.com/aQpoSvYjOz Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) November 29, 2025 One notable difference between the Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S25 could be the phone's screen. The new phone will reportedly feature a 6.3-inch FHD+ display according to specs shared by leaker Ice Universe , which makes it ever so slightly larger than the 6.2-inch display used on the Galaxy S25. The S26 will also allegedly come with 12GB of RAM, either 256GB or 512GB of storage and a slightly larger 4,300mAh battery. Samsung isn't changing the cameras on the entry-level phone, though: leaks suggest it'll feature the same 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and 12-megapixel selfie camera as the previous generation. Changes appear to be even more minor on the Galaxy S26+. Other than the new Snapdragon chip, the phone will reportedly feature the same 6.7-inch FHD+ screen, 4,900mAh battery, 12GB of RAM and the same camera array used on the base Galaxy S26. The difference between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra is reportedly a bit clearer. According to Android Headlines , the new phone's cameras will be slightly more raised, and stand out thanks to a new metallic finish. Samsung may also switch back to using an aluminum frame on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, after using titanium frames on both the Galaxy S24 and S25 Ultras. Most importantly, to make the phone actually support Qi2 rather than only technically work with the standard when a case is attached, rumors suggest Samsung will remove the S Pen digitizer layer in the phone and adopt a new method for accepting stylus input. It's not clear what that new method will actually be, but it could let the Galaxy S26 Ultra more easily work with Qi2 accessories without losing its stylus. Galaxy Buds 4 Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in case. Engadget Samsung released the Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro in 2024, with a major redesign that brought them much more in line with Apple's AirPods. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro Samsung is rumored to be announcing soon won't necessarily change that, though they will feature a more compact case and less angular stems, according to leaked images from the Samsung Tips app. Support for head gestures to accept and decline calls, a feature Apple includes on the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4, is also rumored to work on both versions of the new Galaxy Buds. SamMobile reports the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro may also ship with a new Ultra Wideband chip that will make them easier to find with Google's Find Hub network. Galaxy Z Trifold Yes, the TriFold has a crease, two in fact. But they still don't ruin the experience. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Samsung announced the Galaxy Z TriFold in late 2025 without firm details of when the new smartphone-that-folds-into-a-tablet would be available in North America. That info came on January 27, when the company announced the TriFold would be available in the US on January 30, for a whopping $2,900. Considering weve already seen the device in person at CES 2026 and people are most likely to have had a chance to look at, if not buy the foldable for themselves by the time Unpacked rolls around, we dont expect Samsung to spend too much time dwelling on it, if at all. Galaxy S26 Edge At just 5.8mm thick, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is one of the thinnest smartphones ever made. Sam Rutherford for Engadget When the Galaxy S25 Edge was announced in 2025, it seemed possible that Samsung could replace its Plus smartphone with a unique form factor, just like Apple has opted to do with the iPhone Air . There have been conflicting reports on the matter, but it seems like Samsung will not be doing that with the Galaxy S26 Edge. Instead, the smartphone will reportedly remain another option, much like foldables are for customers not swayed by Samsung's traditional smartphones. The Galaxy S26 Edge is rumored to feature a slightly different design than last year's model, according to Android Headlines , with a large rectangular camera plateau that's reminiscent of Google's Pixel phones, and the raised oval Apple used on the iPhone Air. Beyond that, the phone is also expected to be ever so slightly thinner at 5.5mm than the 5.8mm Galaxy S25 Edge. Bixby and other AI features Samsung already acts as a first place Google can show off new AI features for Android, but the company is reportedly exploring other AI partnerships, too. In June 2025, Bloomberg reported that Samsung was nearing a deal with Perplexity to integrate its AI-powered search engine across OneUI and its homegrown mobile browser. Perplexity already has a deal with Motorola on its Razr phones, so the only thing that would make a deal with Samsung unusual is the close relationship the company already has with Google. The company also accidentally announced a new version of its Bixby AI assistant , which will likely also be integrated with Perplexity and could serve as an alternative to Google Gemini. Both a new Bixby and a deeper integration with Perplexity seem like natural new software features to show off at Galaxy Unpacked. Update, January 27 2026, 11:55AM ET: This story has been updated to reflect the latest news around the Galaxy Z TriFolds price and availability in the US. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2026-everything-we-think-the-company-will-unveil-130000218.html?src=rss

Gemini 3 is now Google's default model for AI Overviews

Google has begun rolling out two upgrades for Search. Starting today, Gemini 3 is the default model powering AI Overviews. When the company debuted its new family of AI systems last November , it first deployed Gemini 3 in AI Overviews through a router that was programmed to direct the most difficult questions to the new system. Now Google is making Gemini 3 the standard for all users globally. In practice, Gemini 3 should prove better at generating more credible and relevant summaries. As for that second upgrade, now you can jump into AI Mode conversation directly from an AI Overview. Google first previewed this feature late last year . In our testing, weve found that people prefer an experience that flows naturally into a conversation and that asking follow-up questions while keeping the context from AI Overviews makes Search more helpful, said Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google Search. Its one fluid experience with prominent links to continue exploring: a quick snapshot when you need it, and deeper conversation when you want it. If you're using Google Search on a mobile device, you can jump directly into an AI Mode conversation from an AI Overview starting today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-3-is-now-googles-default-model-for-ai-overviews-170000302.html?src=rss

How to get NBC without Fubo ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics

After more than two months of contract disputes, NBCUniversal's lineup of channels are still not being carried by Fubo, which is a bummer for anyone hoping to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics . Once again, NBC will be the primary place to watch the Winter Games, but Fubo subscribers will need to find alternate viewing methods if they want to watch events like figure skating, ice hockey, luge or skiing this year. The Olympics will also be broadcast on the USA Network and CNBC, and those channels are similarly blacked out on Fubo . While the two media companies continue their negotiations, subscribers have had no choice but to sign up for other services or at least test drive the ones that offer free trials so if you're a Fubo subscriber and you want to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics, here are some answers to your biggest questions, including which NBC channels are missing from the Fubo lineup, where to watch them, and when to tune in for Olympics coverage. Which channels are broadcasting the Olympics? Olympics coverage will be broadcast daily on NBC, USA, and CNBC. NBC will be the main hub for all U.S. coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, showing daily live coverage of many popular events and a primetime broadcast each night spotlighting the top moments from competition. How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics without Fubo The Olympics officially run from Feb. 6-22 and and you'll also be able to stream every single event live on Peacock . If you want to tune in to daily coverage on NBC, USA, and CNBC, you can also find those on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV . Which channels are no longer available on Fubo? The following is a list of channels owned or licensed by NBC that are not currently available on Fubo, including NBC, USA, and CNBC: Local Channels: NBC Local Affiliates Telemundo Local/National Regional Sports Channels: NBC Sports 4K NBC Sports Bay Area NBC Sports Bay Area Plus NBC Sports Boston NBC Sports California NBC Sports California Plus NBC Sports California Plus 3 NBC Sports Philadelphia NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus National Channels: American Crimes Bravo Bravo Vault Caso Cerrado CNBC CNBC World Cozi Dateline 24/7 E! Entertainment Television E! Keeping Up Golf Channel GolfPass LX Home Million Dollar Listing Vault MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) NBC NOW NBC Sports NOW NBC Universo True CRMZ New England Cable News Noticias Telemundo Ahora Oxygen True Crime Oxygen True Crime Archives Real Housewives Vault SNL Vault Syfy Telemundo Accion Telemundo al Dia The Golf Channel Today All Day Universal Movies USA Network Why are these NBC-owned channels currently unavailable? Per Fubo , NBC channels were pulled from the platform because of a disagreement over their long-standing content distribution agreement that has yet to be resolved. When will the missing channels return? Negotiations between the companies are ongoing, and after more than two months, there is still no projected return date. What are the best alternatives to watch the Olympics? Peacock is the most comprehensive place to see every Olympic event, and you can even find discounts and deals on subscriptions now. Every channel necessary to watch the Olympics is available on DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV, too. Here are some of your choices if you're looking for another way to watch the 2026 Winter Games. Watch NBC on Peacock Get a deal on Peacock with Walmart+ Try DirecTV free for 5 days, and get $30 off your first three months Try Hulu + Live TV for free Other services to watch NBC This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-get-nbc-without-fubo-ahead-of-the-2026-winter-olympics-163805696.html?src=rss

Pinterest is conducting a massive round of layoffs to prioritize 'AI-powered products and capabilities'

Pinterest is planning on laying off up to 15 percent of its workforce, according to a report by CNBC . The company has been posting stellar earnings reports these past few quarters , so why punish employees? You already know the answer. It's AI. The company said it's reallocating resources to AI projects and prioritizing AI-powered products and capabilities. It's also cutting down on office space, presumably because AI algorithms don't require cubicles and the occasional low-grade snack. Pinterest noted in a recent security filing that it expects these cuts to the workforce will be complete by the end of the third quarter in September. The company had 4,500 global employees as of April , so the layoffs should impact up to 675 people. It will also be reshaping its sales and marketing strategies, likely to highlight new AI initiatives. To that end, Pinterest introduced an AI-powered shopping tool a few months back. Our investments in AI and product innovation are paying off, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready said in November . Weve become a leader in visual search and have effectively turned our platform into an AI-powered shopping assistant for 600 million customers. Pinterest is finally giving the people what they want!!! Here's how to filter out AI on Pinterest pic.twitter.com/juTBCJLoa1 Mashable (@mashable) January 22, 2026 Unfortunately, becoming a leader in visual search has created some headaches for end users. The platform has become overridden with AI-generated slop, leading the company to introduce a dial to reduce the prevalence of artificial content . Pinterest is just the latest company to downsize in favor of AI. A consulting firm found that AI was the stated blame for around 55,000 layoffs in the US last year . This leads some to question the veracity of this reasoning, as some entities could be engaging in something called AI-washing . This is when companies exaggerate the use of AI and blame it for standard cost-cutting layoffs, leading investors to think ooh, shiny. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/pinterest-is-conducting-a-massive-round-of-layoffs-to-prioritize-ai-powered-products-and-capabilities-163440004.html?src=rss

The EU tells Google to give external AI assistants the same access to Android as Gemini has

The European Commission has started proceedings to ensure Google complies with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in certain ways. Specifically, the European Unions executive arm has told Google to grant third-party AI services the same level of access to Android that Gemini has. The aim is to ensure that third-party providers have an equal opportunity to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape on smart mobile devices, the Commission said in a statement . The company will also have to hand over anonymized ranking, query, click and view data held by Google Search to rival search engines. The Commission says this will help competing companies to optimize their services and offer more viable alternatives to Google Search. Todays proceedings under the Digital Markets Act will provide guidance to Google to ensure that third-party online search engines and AI providers enjoy the same access to search data and Android operating system as Google's own services, like Google Search or Gemini, said Henna Virkkunen, the Commissions executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy. Our goal is to keep the AI market open, unlock competition on the merits and promote innovation, to the benefit of consumers and businesses. The Commission plans to wrap up these proceedings in the next six months, effectively handing Google a deadline to make all of this happen. If the company doesn't do so to the Commission's satisfaction, it may face a formal investigation and penalties down the line. The Commission can impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company's global annual revenue for a DMA violation. Google was already in hot water with the EU for allegedly favoring its own services such as travel, finance and shopping over those from rivals and stopping Google Play app developers from easily directing consumers to alternative, cheaper ways to pay for digital goods and services. The bloc charged Google with DMA violations related to those issues last March. In November, the EU opened an investigation into Google's alleged demotion of commercial content on news websites in search results. The following month, it commenced a probe into Google's AI practices , including whether the company used online publishers' material for AI Overviews and AI Mode without appropriate compensation or offering the ability to opt out. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-eu-tells-google-to-give-external-ai-assistants-the-same-access-to-android-as-gemini-has-154157081.html?src=rss

The Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold will cost $2,900 in the US

As promised, Samsung is bringing its Galaxy Z Trifold smartphone to shoppers in the US. The unique foldable goes on sale on January 30. The phone was announced along with its select markets' sale dates at the close of 2025. We didn't have price information for Samsung's domestic market at that time, and even though we were anticipating the Galaxy Z Trifold to cost a bundle, the actual cost is more absurd than we'd guessed. In reality, getting your hands on this slim triple-screen smartphone will run you $2,900. Putting aside the ludicrous expense, this smartphone is pretty dang cool. After his hands-on experience with the phone at CES 2026, Engadget senior writer Sam Rutherford had overall positive things to say about the device, despite it demanding some tradeoffs in bulk. To borrow his own phrase: I kind of hate how much I like the Galaxy Z TriFold. Maybe as this cutting edge design becomes easier to manufacture, prices will eventually drop into the realm of reality for the average consumer. But if youre a person who would buy a separate smartphone and tablet, combining both into a single device might feel worth the price tag. For now, anyone willing to pay the premium in the US will receive the model that has 512GB of storage and only comes in a black color. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-samsung-galaxy-z-trifold-will-cost-2900-in-the-us-140000013.html?src=rss

Lego has a new round of Star Wars sets that work with the Smart Brick

Lego unveiled its Smart Play system at CES 2026 earlier this month, with a selection of sets designed for the engaging feature. Now, the toy company has announced five new compatible sets all Stars Wars themed available now for pre-order. Anthony Daniels, the original C-3PO, shared the news during the Nuremberg Toy Fair. The Smart Play system , Lego's newest venture, involves a Smart Brick, Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures. Each Smart Brick has proximity sensors, an accelerometer, a speaker and more. The Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures relay what's happening to the Brick. For example, if you whoosh a spaceship through the air, the Smart Brick should make a sound that imitates that. Vader, of course, also makes his deep breathing sound. Plus, it requires no screens or apps, so the fun remains in its true, tactical form. The five new Smart Play sets span the Star Wars universe: Luke's Landspeeder with 215 pieces ($40) AT-ST Attach on Endor with 347 pieces ($50) Yoda's Hut and Jedi Training with 440 pieces ($70) Mos Eisley Cantina with 666 pieces ($80) Millennium Falcon with 885 pieces ($100) These sets join three initially announced Star Wars Smart Play ones: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter ($70), Luke's Red Five X-Wing ($90) and Throne Room Duel & A-Wing ($150). However, these three are all-in-one sets, meaning they come with the Smart Bricks. The newly announced options don't come with a Smart Brick, requiring an extra purchase, but will have the Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures that will know what to do. All of the Smart Play Star Wars sets are available to pre-order as of today. They should be available starting March 1. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lego-has-a-new-round-of-star-wars-sets-that-work-with-the-smart-brick-131210482.html?src=rss

Apple's AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $199 right now

The AirPods Pro 3 are on sale and back at their record low price of $199. This is marked down from $250, a hefty 20 percent discount. This model was just released in September of last year, so consider this a substantial discount for such a recent product. We gave these AirPods a score of 90 out of 100 in our review and we consider them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone users. The third generation model is a substantial update to an already impressive product, bringing new features like live translation to the table. The AirPods Pro 3 also offer heart-rate tracking, allowing them to stream live data to Apple Fitness and other third-party workout apps. This lets you track your fitness and close activity rings similarly to when using an Apple Watch. Apple also improved the sound quality of this generation thanks in large part to a redesigned acoustic architecture that improves how air is delivered into the ear canal. Additionally, the company changed the angle of the drivers to help more sound get where it needs to go instead of bouncing off the sides of your ear. We felt the jump in audio quality from the last generation to this one was substantial. The ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 has also been improved. Apple claims this model filters out twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times as much as the original AirPods Pro. We found the noise cancellation to be top-notch. Live Translation is as neat as it sounds, leveraging the AirPods' noise cancellation tech, Apple's AI and beam-forming mics to help you understand a speaker in a different language. Right now, this is limited to a handful of languages with more being added over time. It's not often you see one of Apple's best and most recent products on sale for 20 percent off, so if you're in the market for an upgrade or your first set of AirPods, consider taking advantage of this deal. If you're looking to spend a little less, the AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale right now, too, for $119. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-3-are-on-sale-for-199-right-now-140752286.html?src=rss

California will investigate TikTok's alleged censorship of anti-Trump posts

California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that his office is investigating whether TikTok is truly censoring content critical of Trump, days after ByteDance finalized a deal to spin off its business in the US. Newsom made the announcement in response to a post on X, claiming that you can no longer send messages in the app with the word Epstein in it. Newsoms office, in a separate post , said it was able to independently confirm instances wherein TikTok suppressed content critical of President Donald Trump. The governors office told Politico that it tried to send a direct message with the word Epstein in it and got a warning that it could not be sent because it may violate TikToks community guidelines. Newsoms team is now launching a review of this conduct and is calling on the California Department of Justice to determine whether it violates California law. If youll recall, ByteDance finalized a deal for a new US entity just as TikTok was about to be banned in the US. ByteDance only owns 19.9 percent of the new entity called the TikTok USDS Joint Venture, while the new investors own 80 percent. Oracle, Silver Lake and Emirati fund MGX have a 15 percent stake each. The US business will now retrain TikToks algorithm on US data and will also be in charge of content moderation. After the US entitys announcement, users started complaining about technical issues affecting TikToks recommendation algorithm and other features. Some claimed that they had difficulties posting videos about ICE over the weekend. TikTok blamed its issues, including bugs, slower loading times and timed-out uploads, on a power outage at one of its US data centers. It said its now working to restore its services. Its time to investigate. I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content. https://t.co/AZ2mWW68xa Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 27, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/california-will-investigate-tiktoks-alleged-censorship-of-anti-trump-posts-130000558.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Apple's new louder, high-precision AirTag

Between the new Macs, iPhones and rumored AI gadgets, Apple surprised us with an upgraded, second-generation AirTag. It has Apples latest Ultra Wideband chip the same one used in the iPhone 17 lineup and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also uses Precision Finding to reach items up to 50 percent further away than the previous AirTag model. This feature will now work with any Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 or newer. TMA Apple Apple says the new tag is 50 percent louder and features a distinctive new chime. So you can show off that youve got the new kind of AirTag. Sadly, theres still no keyring hole, so you might want to invest in a holder with a keyring. There are cheaper options than Apples leather version, fortunately. I personally like Elevation Labs AirTag Wallet Holder . Mat Smith The biggest tech stories. Watch the new trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, now with Yoshi The best winter tech to help get you through the coldest months People are uninstalling TikTok and downloading an indie competitor Resident Evil Requiem gives series fans the best of both action and survival horror With its two protagonists, the game alternates between gory action and tension. TMA Capcom Capcom is attempting a delicate balancing act with Resident Evil Requiem . The ninth mainline entry seems to split between the gory action of Resident Evil 4 and the claustrophobic dread of Resident Evil 7 . After a four-hour hands-on, the distinction is clear: Leon Kennedy handles the heavy lifting with (mostly) violence, while newcomer Grace navigates a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse in a hospital filled with zombies and other monstrosities. Requiem introduces nuanced zombies who retain fragments of their past lives think blind patients or territorial chefs you can distract. Continue reading. A TikTok US power outage caused a cascading systems failure There were a lot of bugs. TikTok says its still working to fix the multiple bugs in its US service following a power outage at one of its data centers. Users are having issues logging in and uploading videos and are seeing strange behavior from the for you algorithm. Some creators have also noticed that new uploads seem to be getting no views or likes. The company released a statement yesterday saying a power outage had caused a cascading systems failure that is still affecting the app. The statement, however, didnt address reported issues with the apps recommendation algorithm. Since Sunday, users have reported seeing a wave of generic videos flood their feeds, which are usually hyper-personalized to the user. Continue reading. Apple may have its Gemini-powered Siri ready by February It will reportedly show off the revamped Siri in the second half of February. According to Bloomberg s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to reveal its new Siri in the second half of February, demonstrating some new Gemini-powered capabilities whatever they may be. After this, Gurman said the new Siri will be available in iOS 26.4, which is also slated to enter beta testing in February before its public release in March or early April. Its been a long time coming; Apple teased its next-gen Siri back at WWDC 2024, but its still not made it to devices. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-apples-new-louder-high-precision-airtag-120500942.html?src=rss

The best wireless earbuds for 2026

Wireless earbuds are now the default option for everyday listening, whether youre heading out for a commute, fitting in a workout or just watching videos at home. The best wireless earbuds combine reliable connectivity, comfortable fits and sound quality that holds up across music, calls and podcasts, all without the hassle of cables. Most are small enough to disappear into a pocket and pair quickly with phones, tablets and laptops. What sets one pair apart from another often comes down to priorities. Some earbuds lean heavily on active noise cancellation, while others focus on long battery life, compact charging cases or lower prices. Features like water resistance, customizable controls and app support can also make a real difference day to day. This guide breaks down the best wireless earbuds available now to help you find the right match for how you listen. Best wireless earbuds of 2026 What to look for in the best wireless earbuds When it comes to shopping for earphones, the first thing to consider is design or wear style. Do you prefer a semi-open fit like AirPods or do you want something that completely closes off your ears? If youre shopping for earbuds with active noise cancellation, you'll want the latter, but a case can be made for the former if you want to wear them all day or frequent places where you need to be tuned in to the ambient sounds. The overall shape of earbuds can determine whether you get a comfortable fit, so can the size and weight, so youll want to consider all that before deciding. And remember: audio companies arent perfect, so despite lots of research, the earbud shape they decided on may not fit you well. Dont be afraid to return ill-fitting earbuds for something thats more comfortable. As wireless earbuds have become the norm, theyre now more reliable for basic things like consistent Bluetooth connectivity. Companies are still in a race to pack as much as they can into increasingly smaller designs. This typically means a longer list of features on the more premium sets of earbuds with basic functionality on the cheapest models. Carefully consider what you cant live without when selecting your next earbuds, and make sure key items like automatic pausing and multipoint connectivity are on the spec sheet. Youll also want to investigate the volume and touch controls as youll often have to sacrifice access to something else to make that adjustment via on-board taps or swipes. Some earbuds even offer app settings to tweak the audio profiles or firmware updates to improve performance over time. For those in the Apple ecosystem, features like auto-pairing with devices, especially with AirPods Pro 3, can be an added advantage, while Android users may want to look for models that offer similar cross-device functionality. When it comes to battery life, the average set of earbuds lasts about five hours on a single charge. You can find sets that last longer, but this is likely enough to get you through a work day if youre docking the buds during lunch or the occasional meeting. Youll want to check on how many extra charges are available via the case and if it supports wireless charging. Companies will also make lofty claims about call quality on wireless earbuds. Despite lots of promises, the reality is most earbuds still leave you sounding like youre on speakerphone. There are some sets that deliver, but dont get your hopes up unless reviews confirm the claims. Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible. This is especially true if you're an audiophile. We understand this isnt easy when most of us do a lot of shopping online, but trying on a set of earbuds and listening to them for a few minutes can save you from an expensive case of buyer's remorse. If a store doesnt allow a quick demo, most retailers have return policies that will let you take earbuds back you dont like. Of course, you have to be willing to temporarily part with funds in order to do this. We also recommend paying attention to things like Spatial Audio , Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio and other immersive formats. Not all earbuds support them, so youll want to make sure a perspective pair does if that sort of thing excites you, especially if you plan to use them for playback of high-quality audio. How we test wireless earbuds The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. We prefer to do this over a one- to two-week period, but sometimes embargoes dont allow it. During this time, we listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for earbuds is typically less than a full day, we drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent). To judge audio quality, we listen to a range of genres, noting any differences in the sound profile across the styles. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To assess call quality, well record audio samples with the earbuds microphones as well as have third parties call us. When it comes to features, we do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as we work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds were testing are an updated version of a previous model, well spend time getting reacquainted with the older buds. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of earbuds that we review. Other wireless Bluetooth earbuds we tested Sony WF-C710N The WF-C710N is a set of compact and comfy earbuds that offer several of Sonys best features. While the ANC performance is above average for this price ($120), sound quality isnt as good as the companys slightly more expensive options. Battery life fell below stated figures and call performance isnt good enough to use these buds for work. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 The newest version of the Powerbeats Pro have an improved, comfortable design, balanced bass and new H2 chips and a heart rate sensor inside. But heart rate support is currently limited on iOS. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 The Galaxy Buds 3 combine ANC with an open-type design, which renders the noise-blocking abilities of the earbuds mostly useless. Still, theres great low-end tone with ample bass when a track demands it. There are also lots of handy features, most of which require a Samsung phone. But at this price, there are better options from Google, Beats and Sony Sennheiser Momentum Sport I really like the overall shape of the Momentum Sport earbuds. Theyre more comfortable than the Momentum True Wireless 4 and fit in my ears better. Whats more, the body temperature and heart rate sensors work well, sending those stats to a variety of apps. However, that sport-tracking feature works best with Polars app and devices, so theres that consideration. Also, the audio quality and ANC performance isnt as good as the MTW4, and these earbuds are pricey. Beats Solo Buds Theres a lot to like about the Solo Buds for $80. For me, the primary perk is theyre very comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to some thoughtful design considerations. You only get the basics here in terms of features and, as expected, the overall sound quality isnt as good as the pricier models in the Beats lineup. You will get 18 hours of battery life though, since the company nixed the battery in the case and beefed up the listening time in the buds themselves. Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Bose created something very unique for this set of earbuds that allows you to stay in-tune with the world while listening to audio content. The clip-on design is very comfortable, but sound quality suffers due to the open-type fit, especially when it comes to bass and spatial audio. Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 These stick buds have a compact design thats comfortable to wear and the warm sound profile is great at times. However, overall audio performance is inconsistent and theres no automatic pausing. Master & Dynamic MW09 Retooled audio, better ambient sound mode and reliable multipoint Bluetooth are the best things the MW09 has to offer. Theyre expensive though, and you can find better ANC performance elsewhere. Wireless earbud FAQs What is considered good battery life for true wireless earbuds? Most wireless earbuds will last five hours on a single charge, at the least. You can find some pairs that have even better battery life, lasting between six and eight hours before they need more juice. All of the best wireless earbuds come with a charging case, which will provide additional hours of battery life but you'll have to return each bud to the case in order to charge them up. Is sound quality better on headphones or earbuds? Comparing sound quality on earbuds and headphones is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. There are a lot of variables to consider and the differences in components make a direct comparison difficult. Personally, I prefer the audio quality from over-ear headphones, but I can tell you the sound from earbuds like Sennheisers Momentum True Wireless 3 is also outstanding. Which wireless earbuds have the longest battery life? With new models coming out all the time, tracking the hours of battery life for each this can be difficult to keep tabs on. The longest-lasting earbuds weve reviewed are Audio-Technicas ATH-CKS5TW . The company states they last 15 hours, but the app was still showing 40 percent at that mark during our tests. The only downside is these earbuds debuted in 2019 and both technology and features have improved since. In terms of current models, Master & Dynamics MW08 offers 12 hours of use on a charge with ANC off (10 with ANC on) and JBL has multiple options with 10-hour batteries. What wireless earbuds are waterproof? There are plenty of options these days when it comes to increased water resistance. To determine the level of protection, youll want to look for an IP (ingress protection) rating. The first number indicates intrusion protection from things like dust. The second number is the level of moisture protection and youll want to make sure that figure is 7 or higher. At this water-resistance rating, earbuds can withstand full immersion for up to 30 minutes in depths up to one meter (3.28 feet). If either of the IP numbers is an X, that means it doesnt have any special protection. For example, a pair of wireless earbuds that are IPX7 wouldnt be built to avoid dust intrusion, but they would be ok if you dropped them in shallow water. Which earbuds stay in ears the best? A secure fit can vary wildly from person to person. All of our ears are different, so audio companies are designing their products to fit the most people they can with a single shape. This is why AirPods will easily fall out for some but stay put for others. Design touches like wing tips or fins typically come on fitness models and those elements can help keep things in place. Youll likely just have to try earbuds on, and if they dont fit well return them. What wireless earbuds work with PS5? PlayStation 5 doesnt support Bluetooth audio without an adapter or dongle. Even Sonys own gaming headsets come with a transmitter that connects to the console. There are universal options that allow you to use any headphones, headset or earbuds with a PS5. Once you have one, plug it into a USB port on the console and pair your earbuds with it. Recent updates January 2026: Updated to ensure our top picks have remained the same. September 2025: Updated to add AirPods Pro 3 to our top picks. May 2025: Updated to ensure top picks and buying advice remain accurate. March 2025: Updated the top pick for the best sounding wireless earbuds - runner up. January 2025: Updated the top pick for best sounding wireless earbuds. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-wireless-earbuds-120058222.html?src=rss

A TikTok US power outage caused a 'cascading systems failure' leading to multiple bugs

If your TikTok feed has felt a little off lately, it's not just you. TikTok says is still working to fix its service in the US following a power outage at one of its data centers that's caused multiple bugs in the app. TikTok users have reported problems logging in and uploading videos, as well as strange behavior from the for you algorithm. Creators have also noticed that new uploads are seemingly getting o views or likes and that in-app earnings have disappeared. Since yesterday weve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate, the company wrote in a statement Monday. We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon. Since yesterday weve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate. We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon. TikTok USDS Joint Venture (@tiktokusdsjv) January 26, 2026 In a subsequent update several hours later, the company said that the power outage had caused a cascading systems failure that is still affecting the app and leading to multiple bugs, including those affecting view counts and load times. Creators may temporarily see 0 views or likes on videos, and your earnings may look like they're missing, the company wrote in an update on X. This is a display error caused by server timeouts; your actual data and engagement are safe. An update on our work to restore and stabilize TikTok. pic.twitter.com/PZzsuFeZmj TikTok USDS Joint Venture (@tiktokusdsjv) January 26, 2026 The statement didnt directly address reported issues with the apps recommendation algorithm. Since Sunday, users have reported seeing a wave of generic videos flood their feeds, which are typically hyper-personalized. Other users have reported seeing the same few videos repeated over and over again. The issues come just days after TikTok finalized a deal to spin off its US business into a separate entity largely controlled by US investors. That timing hasn't gone unnoticed by users, many of whom are already suspicious of the company pushing a terms of service and privacy policy in the hours after the deal was finalized.The problems affecting the app's recommendation algorithm have also raised questions about TikTok USDS Joint Venture's plans to retrain TikTok's central feature. Update, January 26, 2026, 4:18PM PT: This post has been updated to include additional information from TikTok about the outage and bugs affecting users. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/a-tiktok-us-power-outage-caused-a-cascading-systems-failure-leading-to-multiple-bugs-173426490.html?src=rss

People are uninstalling TikTok and downloading an indie competitor

TikTok's newly formed US entity is off to a very bumpy start. As the app continues to face technical issues affecting the recommendation algorithm, view counts and other features, TikTok is also seeing a wave of frustrated users uninstalling it, according to new data. Analytics firm Sensor Tower, which tracks downloads and other app store-related metrics, told CNBC that there has been a 150 percent rise in uninstalls of the TikTok app in the United States compared with the last three months. An analyst at Sensor Tower told Engadget that TikTok's US daily active users (DAUs) have increased about 2 percent in the same time period, and are flat week-over-week. TikTok has blamed a power outage at a data center for multiple bugs, including those affecting view counts and load times. The company hasn't said when users can expect a fix. At the same time, an independent app called UpScrolled has seen a surge in interest over the last few days. The app is currently the ninth most-downloaded app in the US App Store and the second most popular social app (Meta's Threads is currently in the number one spot for social apps). The app has also reached the top five in the UK and Australian app stores. In the United States, its sudden popularity seems to be closely tied to recent changes at TikTok. UpScrolled has seen 41,000 total downloads between Thursday (the day the US joint venture was formalized) and Saturday, according to estimates from App Figures. The app, which was first released last June, has been downloaded about 140,000 times between Apple and Google's app stores, according to App Figures. Prior to last Thursday, the app was averaging less than 500 downloads a day, according to the company. The rapid increase in downloads has apparently caused some issues for the company which asked users to ear with us on Monday. Well, this is new... You showed up so fast our servers tapped out. Frustrating? Yes. Emotional? Also yes. We're a tiny team building what Big Tech stopped being. Right now we're scaling on caffeine to keep up with what YOU started. Bear with us. We're on it. pic.twitter.com/OAlYcN6t5q UpScrolled (@realUpScrolled) January 26, 2026 Created by an Australian developer, UpScrolled looks a bit like Instagram. Users can share photos and shortform videos. The app defaults to a chronological following feed, though it does also recommend content to users. The app is privately funded by its founder, Issam Hijazi, together with a small group of individual investors who share our mission and values, according to an FAQ on UpScrolled's website. It currently has no ads, though the company says it probably will in the future. This isn't the first time turmoil at TikTok has benefitted a previously little-known app. Chinese app RedNote briefly became the top app in the United States early last year as TikTok faced a potential ban. RedNote's popularity proved to be short-lived, though, as the 2025 TikTok an ended up lasting only a couple of hours. But with new owners at TikTok and growing frustration over technical issues with the app, there could be an opportunity for a new shortform video service that's not controlled by a huge corporation. And that's what UpScrolled seems to be betting on. Too often, users are left uncertain about whether their voices will be heard or quietly suppressed, the company writes on its website. UpScrolled changes that by ensuring every post has a fair chance to be seen, creating an environment that is authentic, unfiltered, and equitable for all. Update, January 26, 2026, 4:28PM PT: This post was updated to reflect the latest details from TikTok about the ongoing issues affecting the US version of the app. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/people-are-uninstalling-tiktok-and-downloading-an-indie-competitor-233345222.html?src=rss

Google aims to take the sting out of scheduling meetings with a new Gemini feature

Google is rolling out a Gemini feature that could turn out to be pretty useful for many folks. It's a Google Calendar tool that can help figure out the best time to schedule a meeting, taking into account attendees' schedules. When creating a meeting, you can click the Suggested times option and Gemini will look at the availability that people have marked on their calendar and potential conflicts. You'll then be able to choose from a list of suggested time slots. But the time you pick may not work for everyone. So if multiple people decline the meeting invite, you can reschedule by going to the event. You'll see a time when everyone is available and you can quickly update the invite. There are a few catches here. Naturally, this will only work properly when meeting organizers have access to attendees' calendars. It's also limited to paid users who are on Google Workspace Business (Standard and Plus) and Enterprise (Standard and Plus) plans, as well as those with the Google AI Pro for Education add-on. The feature is available now on Rapid Release domains and it'll start rolling out to Scheduled Release domains on February 2. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-aims-to-take-the-sting-out-of-scheduling-meetings-with-a-new-gemini-feature-204853761.html?src=rss

Ubisoft proposes even more layoffs after last week's studio closures and game cancellations

It looks like Ubisoft is planning even more layoffs to accompany last week's studio closures and game cancellations, according to reporting by IGN . The company is planning a massive reduction of the workforce in its Paris headquarters. It has proposed the loss of up to 200 jobs, which is nearly 20 percent of the current staff. This will be organized under France's Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC) process , in which staff can agree to form a collective, voluntary mutual termination agreement. It's not a done deal just yet, with a company spokesperson saying at this stage, this remains a proposal and no decision will be final until a collective agreement is reached. The RCC process is voluntary, which is good for Ubisoft Paris employees, but the company hasn't made any statement regarding what it would do if it doesn't get 200 willing participants. The company recently introduced a mandate for employees to return to the office for five days each week, which could entice staffers with one foot out the door. This is just the latest cost-cutting measure by Ubisoft, as the company has been experiencing difficulties for months . It shut down its Halifax studio just 16 days after employees entered into a unionization agreement. Last week, it shuttered its Stockholm studio and announced various restructuring efforts at several other developers under its umbrella. It also announced the cancellation of six games, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake. It didn't reveal the other five games that were scrapped. Ubisoft did announce, however, that seven additional games were being delayed. Inexplicably, Beyond Good and Evil 2 wasn't cancelled , so we have that to (one day) look forward to. Ubisoft's stock has absolutely plunged in the past several years. The company was riding high at $20 per share in 2021, but now the stock rests at around $1 per share . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-proposes-even-more-layoffs-after-last-weeks-studio-closures-and-game-cancellations-192703241.html?src=rss

How to generate AI images using ChatGPT

Since March 2025 , ChatGPT has been capable of generating images. Following a period where it briefly wasn't available to free users, you now don't even pay for one of OpenAI's subscriptions to use this feature. And while making images inside of ChatGPT is easy, there are some nuances worth explaining. For example, did you know you can ask ChatGPT to edit photos you've taken? It's more powerful than you might think. Heres everything you need to know about generating AI images with ChatGPT. How to create images with ChatGPT using text prompts To begin making an image in ChatGPT, you can start by typing in the prompt bar. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget You can start generating images in ChatGPT simply by typing in the prompt bar what you want to see. There's no need to overthink things; as long as you have some version of generate an image followed by a description of your idea, ChatGPT will do the rest. Depending on the complexity of the prompt and whether you pay for ChatGPT, it may take a minute or two for the chatbot to complete your image request. Sometimes the process can take longer if OpenAI's servers are experiencing greater traffic than usual. At the end of last year, OpenAI updated the model powering image generation to make it faster, as well as better at rendering text and following instructions. At the same time, it added a dedicated Images section to ChatGPT's sidebar. Here you can see all the images you've made, alongside sample prompts and suggestions for styles to try out, making it a great place to start if you've never used an image generator before. How to create images with ChatGPT using existing photos You can also upload images to ChatGPT. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget In addition to generating images from text prompts, ChatGPT can modify existing photos or images you upload. This is my preferred way of making images with ChatGPT; I don't need to describe the composition, I can use an existing one to guide the chatbot. To use an existing image as a starting point for a new generation, follow these steps: Tap the + icon, located to the left of the prompt bar. Select Add photos & files. Select the image you want ChatGPT to edit. If uploading an image from your phone, you'll first need to grant ChatGPT access to your camera roll. Write a prompt describing the changes you want. If generating from the Images section, tap Add photos instead. Keep in mind any photos you upload to OpenAI's servers may be used by the company to train future models . You can opt out of allowing your data to be used for training by following these steps: Open the sidebar menu. On mobile, tap the two lines on the top left of the interface; on desktop, click instead on the OpenAI logo. Tap your name to access account settings. Tap Data controls . Toggle off Improve the model for everyone . How to edit the images ChatGPT generates ChatGPT gives you a few different ways to edit images. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget If you're unhappy with ChatGPT's output, you have two options. You can either prompt it to create an entirely new image, or edit parts of the picture it just generated. As always, the process for both involves simply typing what you want in the prompt bar. On mobile, OpenAI gives users a few different ways of accomplishing the same task. To generate an entirely new image: Tap the three dots icon below the image ChatGPT created. Select Retry . To edit part of an existing image generation: Tap the image ChatGPT created. Tap Select area . Use your finger to mask the section of the image you want ChatGPT to tweak. The slider on the left allows you to adjust the size of the masking brush. On desktop, masking is also available if you click on an image and then click on the paintbrush icon on the top right. Describe what you want ChatGPT to add, remove or replace through the prompt bar. ChatGPT can also blend one of your photos with an image it has generated. To do this: Tap an image ChatGPT created. Tap Blend in a photo . Upload the photo you wish Like all AI systems, ChatGPT is non-deterministic, meaning even if you prompt it in the same way multiple times, it won't generate the exact same response each time. Tips to create better images with ChatGPT The best advice I can offer is to be specific when prompting ChatGPT. The more detail you can provide when describing what you want from it, the better the results. And remember: ChatGPT can hallucinate as you may have noticed from one of the example pictures I included above. In the image of the tortoiseshell cat, not only is the tortie not sitting on the window sill as instructed, it's sitting on a table that doesn't make much sense. So, most of all, be patient. Prompting an AI model is not exact science, and it can take a few tries before it creates the result you want. FAQs How do you access ChatGPT? ChatGPT is available on the web, desktop and mobile. To access it on your computer, open your preferred browser and navigate to chatgpt.com . OpenAI also offers dedicated Mac and Windows apps you can download from the company's website . On iOS and Android, you'll need to download the ChatGPT app from either the App Store or Google Play before you can start using the chatbot. Since ChatGPT runs on OpenAI's servers, as long as you can access the chatbot, you'll be able to use it to create images no matter the age of your phone or computer. Can ChatGPT generate images for free? Yes, ChatGPT can generate images for free, as long as you create an OpenAI account. However, there is a daily rate cap and GPT-5 will take longer to make a free image. Following March 27, 2025 , OpenAI briefly limited free users to three image generations per day. The company has since relaxed that restriction, though it doesn't list a specific limit on its website. In my experience, you'll be able to generate about six to seven images every 24 hours. OpenAI offers three different subscription plans , each with their own set of image generation perks. ChatGPT Go, which costs $8 per month, offers more image creation. ChatGPT Plus, which costs $20 per month, offers expanded and faster image creation. ChatGPT Pro, which costs $200 per month, offers unlimited and faster image creation. Note : ChatGPT Go will be included in OpenAI's forthcoming ads pilot , which will see the company display sponsored content alongside organic responses from ChatGPT. The company does not plan to display ads to Plus and Pro users. Can ChatGPT generate an existing photo? No. For copyright reasons, ChatGPT can't replicate photos or exact real world events. For example, when I asked it to recreate the photo of Zinedine Zidane's iconic 2006 World Cup headbutt, ChatGPT refused. I can make an artistic reinterpretation inspired by the emotion or energy of that moment for example, a stylized painting showing the tension and intensity of competition, without depicting real individuals, it told me. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/how-to-generate-ai-images-using-chatgpt-120000560.html?src=rss

Claude now offers deeper integrations with apps like Canva and Slack

Anthropic has been building out support for third-party apps inside of Claude. As of today, the chatbot can now connect to platforms like Slack and Canva , fetching up files from inside those apps or performing tasks within them on a user's behalf. For instance, when connected to Box, Claude can now search for files, preview documents inline and answer questions about the content in front of you. Meanwhile, with a connection to Asana, it can now turn chats into projects, tasks and timelines your co-workers can then find and interact with on the project management app. Box and Asana are just two of the platforms adding deeper integrations with Claude today. In total, there are nine launch partners, with some of the more notable ones including Canva, Figma and Slack. As with Anthropic's past integrations, the new functionality is powered by Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. MCP is a technology Anthropic released in fall 2024 to make it easier for third-party platforms to connect their systems to Claude. Since then, the protocol has become an industry standard. OpenAI, for instance, adopted MCP last year , and has been building additional support since then. At the end of last year, Anthropic donated the protocol to the Linux Foundation . The company says AI platforms will be able to bring similar integrations to their own products since they're built on a new open extension designed by Anthropic. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/claude-now-offers-deeper-integrations-with-apps-like-canva-and-slack-180000604.html?src=rss

Trump admin reportedly plans to use AI to write federal regulations

The Trump administration is planning on using Google Gemini to draft important federal regulations, as reported by ProPublica . This is starting with the Department of Transportation, according to interviews with agency staffers. Regulations created by the DOT help keep us safe when traveling. The plan was initially presented to DOT staffers last month, with agency attorney Daniel Cohen writing to colleagues about AI's potential to revolutionize the way we draft rulemakings. Gregory Zerzan, the agency's general counsel, has indicated that President Donald Trump is very excited by this initiative and that DOT will be the first agency that is fully enabled to use AI to draft rules. This does suggest a pilot program of sorts, with eventual plans to bring AI to other departments. NEW: The Trump administration is planning to use AI to write federal regulations despite the risk of hallucinations. We don't even need a very good rule, @USDOT s top lawyer said of the plan, per meeting notes reviewed by ProPublica. We want good enough. pic.twitter.com/YKGvmlkMCt Jesse Coburn (@Jesse_Coburn) January 26, 2026 Oddly, Zerzan doesn't seem that interested in high-quality regulations. ProPublica received transcripts of a meeting in which he declared that we don't need the perfect rule on XYZ. We don't even need a very good rule on XYZ. He went on to say that we want good enough and that we're flooding the zone. Let me remind you that DOT regulates the safety standards of commercial aircraft, along with rules involving the transport of hazardous materials and driver qualifications. The agency's rules touch on every aspect of transportation safety. Why would the federal government rely on a new technology that's notorious for making mistakes ? AI hallucinations eg false/made-up info now becoming a problem in scientific publications. Kudos to @alexcdot et al on building an AI hallucination detector and finding that certain journals/authors have used LLMs to generate papers that also made it through peer review. Heres pic.twitter.com/i4Be1lS8xq Daphne Zohar (@daphnezohar) January 22, 2026 The answer is speed. Writing and revising complex federal regulations can take months, but Google Gemini can spit something out in minutes. A DOT employee giving a presentation on the program suggested that many parts of these regulations are just word salad anyways, so AI should be able to do just fine. It shouldnt take you more than 20 minutes to get a draft rule out of Gemini, Zerzan said. The plan is to compress the timeline in which transportation regulations are written and reviewed. The department has already used AI to draft an unpublished Federal Aviation Administration rule. Federal agencies have used AI for years, but not to actually write regulations. It's primarily been used for the purpose of translating documents, analyzing data and categorizing public comments. Trump, however, is a huge proponent of the technology . He has released multiple executive orders in support of AI and once shared an AI-created video in which he flew a fighter jet and dropped what appears to be feces on American citizens. Skeptics say that large language models like Gemini shouldn't be in charge of drafting complicated and consequential regulations that impact millions of everyday Americans. Mistakes could lead to lawsuits and even injuries and deaths. Mike Horton, DOTs former acting chief artificial intelligence officer, said using Gemini to draft regulations was like having a high school intern thats doing your rulemaking. He also said that agency leaders under Trump want to go fast and break things, but going fast and breaking things means people are going to get hurt. Just because these tools can produce a lot of words doesnt mean that those words add up to a high-quality government decision, said Bridget Dooling, a professor at Ohio State University who studies administrative law. Its so tempting to try to figure out how to use these tools, and I think it would make sense to try. But I think it should be done with a lot of skepticism. DOT has experienced a net loss of more than 4,000 employees since Trump started his second term. This includes over 100 attorneys . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/trump-admin-reportedly-plans-to-use-ai-to-write-federal-regulations-175155111.html?src=rss

ExpressVPN deal: Two-year plans are up to 78 percent off

If you're looking to up your privacy game on the internet in the new year, you can do so for a little less than usual thanks to ExpressVPN's latest deal. Its two-year plans are up to 78 percent off right now: the Advanced tier is on sale for $101 for two years, plus four additional free months. That works out to $3.59 per month during the promotional period. Weve consistently liked ExpressVPN because its fast, easy to use and widely available across a large global server network. In fact, it's our current pick for best premium VPN . One of the biggest drawbacks has always been its high cost, and this deal temporarily solves that issue. In our review we were able to get fast download and upload speeds, losing only 7 percent in the former and 2 percent in the latter worldwide. We found that it could unblock Netflix anywhere, and its mobile and desktop apps were simple to operate. We gave ExpressVPN an overall score of 85 out of 100. The virtual private network service now has three tiers. Basic is cheaper with fewer features, while Pro costs more and adds extra perks like support for 14 simultaneous devices and a password manager. Advanced sits in the middle and includes the password manager but only supports 12 devices. The Basic plan is $78 right now for 28 months, down from $363, and the Pro plan is $168, down from $560. That's 78 percent and 70 percent off, respectively. All plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users, so you can try it without committing long term if youre on the fence. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/expressvpn-deal-two-year-plans-are-up-to-78-percent-off-180602243.html?src=rss

Ball x Pit's first update brings an endless mode and much more to the chaos

Its time to jump back into the pit. Ball x Pit is one of the very best games of 2025 and theres now even more to play around with in the brick-busting roguelite. The first major free update for the game ( one of three thats on the cards this year ) just arrived on all platforms. It added a bunch more stuff to the mix, including two new characters, eight extra special balls with powerful abilities and an endless mode. Developer Kenny Sun wrote on the PlayStation Blog that because fans demanded it so much, endless mode jumped right to the top of the to-do list. After you beat a levels boss, you can keep going as long as you can stay alive and really put your builds to the test. The Regal Update brought two more playable hunters to the mix as well. Opt to use The Falconer, and youll fire balls from two birds, one at each side of the screen. When balls return to The Carouser, they orbit around him to deal extra damage. Sun added that this character twists ball trajectories with a personal gravity field that pulls shots off their usual paths. Then there are the new balls. The Stone Ball is powerful, but disintegrates as it bounces. Two of the latest balls deal spins on fire damage and the Fireworks Ball seems like itll add even more chaotic visual flair. The update added a trio of passives too. I enjoy creating builds around baby balls (a secondary type of ball that doesnt have a special ability), so Im eager to try out Iron Onesie. This passive scales up the damage of special balls depending on how many baby balls are in play. Finally, the update introduced support for more languages. You can play Ball x Pit in Spanish (Latin America), Polish, Italian, Thai, Turkish and Ukrainian. In anticipation of the update, I jumped back into Ball x Pit over the weekend for a quick refresher. Before I knew it, four hours had gone by. This game is once again going to be an existential threat to my time. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ball-x-pits-first-update-brings-an-endless-mode-and-much-more-to-the-chaos-174306548.html?src=rss

TikTok says a power outage is causing issues with the app in the US

If your TikTok feed has felt a little off lately, it's not just you. TikTok says it's working to fix its service in the US following a power outage at one of its data centers that's caused widespread issues in the app. TikTok users have reported problems logging in and uploading videos, as well as with the app's for you algorithm. Since yesterday weve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate, the company wrote in a statement Monday. We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon. Since yesterday weve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate. We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon. TikTok USDS Joint Venture (@tiktokusdsjv) January 26, 2026 The issues come just days after TikTok finalized a deal to spin off its US business into a separate entity largely controlled by US investors. That timing hasn't gone unnoticed by users, many of whom are already suspicious of the company pushing a terms of service and privacy policy in the hours after the deal was finalized. The problems affecting the app's recommendation algorithm have also raised questions about TikTok USDS Joint Venture's plans to retrain TikTok's central feature. Since Sunday, users have reported seeing a wave of generic videos flood their feeds, which are typically hyper-personalized. Other users have reported seeing the same few videos repeated over and over again. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-says-a-power-outage-is-causing-issues-with-the-app-in-the-us-173426617.html?src=rss

Monarch Money's budgeting app is 50 percent off for new users right now

The start of the new year is a great time to get your finances in order, and a good budgeting app can help with that. Instead of laboring over a spreadsheet, you can try one of our favorite budgeting apps for less than usual. Monarch Money is running a sale that gives new users 50 percent off one year of the service, bringing the final cost down to just $50. Just use the code NEWYEAR2026 at checkout to get the discount. Monarch Money makes for a capable and detailed budgeting companion. You can use the service via apps for iOS, Android, iPadOS or the web, and Monarch also offers a Chrome extension that can sync your Amazon and Target transactions and automatically categorize them. Like other budgeting apps, Monarch Money lets you connect multiple financial accounts and track your money based on where you spend it over time. Monarch offers two different approaches to tracking budgeting (flexible and category budgeting) depending on what fits your life best, and the ability to add a budget widget on your phone so you can know how you're tracking that month. How budgeting apps turn your raw transactions into visuals you can understand at a glance is one of the big things that differentiates one app from another, and Monarch Money offers multiple graphs and charts to look at for things like spending, investments or categories of your choice based on how you've labelled your expenses. The app can also monitor the spending of you and your partner all in one place, to make it easier to plan together. The main drawbacks Engadget found in testing Monarch Money were the app's learning curve, and the differences in features (and bugginess) between Monarch's web and mobile versions. Still, for 50 percent off, the Monarch Money is well worth experimenting with if you're trying to save money in 2026, especially if you want to do it collaboratively with a partner. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/monarch-moneys-budgeting-app-is-50-percent-off-for-new-users-right-now-204507443.html?src=rss

Blizzard lines up WoW, Overwatch, Hearthstone and Diablo showcases

While we got a peek at a few Xbox Game Studios projects during last weeks Developer Direct event , neither Bethesda nor Activision Blizzard made appearances. Fans of several Blizzard franchises wont need to wait too long to find out whats next for their favorite games, though, as the publisher has lined up several showcases to help mark its 35th anniversary. The developer-led streams will include major game announcements, according to Blizzard. Theyll all air over the next few weeks. Heres where and when you can watch each stream: January 29. 12PM ET World ofWarcraft State of Azeroth (YouTube and Twitch ) February 4, 1PM ET Overwatch Spotlight ( YouTube and Twitch ) February 9, 12:30PM ET Hearthstone Spotlight on the ( YouTube and Twitch ) February 11, 5PM ET Diablo 30thAnniversary Spotlight ( YouTube and Twitch ) With Blizzard not holding a BlizzCon in either 2024 or 2025, the announcements at these showcases should help fill the gap until the event returns in September . This is only the start of what well share around our games this year, Blizzard president Johanna Faries said. The WoW showcase will take place just over a month before the Midnight expansion arrives on March 2. Among other things, the developers will share their roadmaps for both modern and classic WoW. Overwatch 2 has been teasing a takeover of the game by the villainous Talon faction, and with the next season only a couple of weeks away, well surely hear more about that. Maybe Blizzard will reveal the long-rumored Overwatch mobile spinoff here too (and hopefully an animated series). The second Diablo IV expansion, Lord of Hatred , is set to arrive on April 28 with a new campaign and fresh classes in tow, so expect to learn more during that franchises showcase. Hearthstone fans will also soon get a better sense of what to expect for that game this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-lines-up-wow-overwatch-hearthstone-and-diablo-showcases-154912932.html?src=rss

Apple's new AirTag still doesn't have a keyring hole

Apple has launched its next-generation AirTag for $29 and brought a slew of new features along with it. But, first, it's important to get this out of the way: The new AirTag still doesn't have a keyring hole, so you'll still need a case or secure pocket. Once you get over that, the new Apple AirTag does offer some nice improvements. For starters, it's now powered by Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip the same one used in the iPhone 17 lineup and for the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also uses Precision Finding to reach items up to 50 percent further away than the previous AirTag model. This feature will now work with any Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 or a later iteration of either. The new AirTag is also 50 percent louder than before and has what Apple calls a distinctive new chime. It still uses the Find My network to bounce off other Bluetooth users and locate the AirTag. Apple Launched in 2021, Apple's AirTag has long stood as our favorite Bluetooth tracker for iPhones . It's convenience within the Find My app is a big help and almost makes up for the fact that it doesn't have a key ring almost . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apples-new-airtag-still-doesnt-have-a-keyring-hole-150540254.html?src=rss

Resident Evil Requiem gives series fans the best of both action and survival horror

The ninth mainline Resident Evil is trying to split the difference between the series action-heavy entries and the stress-inducing hide-and-seek episodes. During a four-hour playthrough of some early parts of Resident Evil Requiem , I spent time with both of the two main characters, Grace and series mainstay Leon. They offer distinctly different playstyles, talents, strengths, and weaknesses. While it isn't an entirely new premise for the survival horror series (in the original, playing as Chris Redfield offered more challenge than playing as Jill Valentine) its never been this pronounced. I started playing as Leon, entering a medical facility he seemed to have been invited to. With a cavernous main hall, it feels like yet another iconic Resident Evil hub, immediately reminding me of Raccoon City's Police Precinct and even the original's cavernous manor. Wings to explore? Check. Suspiciously quiet and empty central area that will almost definitely get overrun by zombies at some point? Probably. Both Grace and Leons parts can be played in either third- or first-person perspective, though Leons segments seem better suited to the third-person view, since there's just a lot more shooting. Grace's segments were tense and demanded my full attention, more akin to Resident Evil 7 . During this early part of the game, there is a lot of hiding, plenty of ammo conservation and a lot more learning from dumb mistakes. The parts of the game I played with Leon reminded me more of Resident Evil 4 (or 5 or 6 but lets gloss over those). Once you take control of him, Leon is immediately attacked and has to fend off roughly 15 infected doctors, nurses and patients. Its a significant tone shift from Grace skulking around the facility, hiding behind plants and sometimes just hoping for the best. Leon faces off against a chainsaw-wielding doctor zombie. Best cut that arm off. Capcom Leon, fortunately, arrives with several weapons, including a new melee option, a hatchet. Using this, he can make targeted attacks to lop off limbs and aim at the head to deliver more damage. At least on these basic zombies, I found relentless slashing more effective than more targeted efforts Im sure future enemies will demand more nuanced approaches. A later enemy must be decapitated to kill it. After a set number of swings, you will need to retreat and sharpen the blade, which adds to the jeopardy while not disrupting the chaos. The hatchet can even be used to parry attacks if you get the timing down. Leon even gets to wield a chainsaw during this initial encounter, but only after claiming it from one particularly industrious zombie that seemed to find it inside a hospital. It was crucial to both disarm this zombie and grab the chainsaw before another corpse could take a turn on it. However, just because the chainsaw gets dropped doesnt mean its turned off. I suffered significant damage when I repeatedly rushed into the spinning power tool. The zombies in Requiem are also a little more nuanced compared to previous games if a zombie can have nuance. While nearly all of the zombies will attack you on sight, they can be distracted or delayed based on the person they were before they turned. For example, the chef zombie (a hardy, bigger zombie than the ones youve come across until that point) will only chase you around his kitchen. Step out into the corridor and hell leave you alone. Elsewhere, a zombie (attached to an IV, cute) has his eyes bandaged and will react aggressively to any noise. I used this to my advantage, hurling an empty bottle at another zombie who stood nearby. The IV zombie killed him immediately. Another time, a senior exec whos been turned is firing an employee of his by killing them, moaning Youre fired as he does so. This little vignette gave me enough time to dim the lights and hide when he left his office. In Requiem , players are expected to exploit individual zombie behaviors to outmaneuver them. Its also a welcome dose of humor to the survival horror series, reminding me a little of the camp moments in Dead Rising , another zombie-centric Capcom series. Leon doesnt have to strategize quite as much, arriving with a particularly powerful handgun, the Requiem, that he eventually passes over to Grace. This is capable of stopping pretty much (but not all) enemies you come across, although it initially comes with only a single bullet, so you really have to make it count. During a set-piece battle against a towering, swollen former patient, I got to test Requiem s action-horror controls under pressure. Leon finds a shotgun and has to flank (and outrun) his hungry attacker. The environment in the rafters of the building is designed so its easy to figure out where you need to go and how to stop the giant zombie from cornering you. Ammo, at least during this fight, was scattered around, which was a relief after struggling to find bullets during Graces segment. Despite the lack of traditional weapons, Grace eventually finds a blood injector (and its companion blood analysis system). These turn into Requiems crafting system. Powered by literal buckets and puddles of blood (you have to draw up infected blood from certain parts of the environment and enemies), samples can be combined with scraps, herbs and more to create high-powered first-aid shots, injectable explosive blood, ammunition and a lot of other things. Analysing different blood types (and solving some light puzzles) adds further crafting options. Oh he's not going to help you. Capcom During the preview, the infected blood injector was exclusively for Graces use. Itll be intriguing if only one character gets to benefit from the crafting system, although Capcom teased customizable weapons for Leon, which might better suit his playstyle. Grace might also be handicapped by the typewriter save system popularized in the first few RE games. This could mean youll only be able to save if you have an ink ribbon on you, a very stressful part of inventory management early on in the series she really cant catch a break. However, it appears to be adjustable in difficulty settings. According to Capcoms Resident Evil showcase last week, infected blood will apparently play a strong role in Requiem , touching on both Leons past (hes apparently suffering from a mystery ailment) and the circumstances surrounding the death of Grace's mother. And it wouldnt be a Resident Evil game with mystery, buckets of blood, and a pulpy villain. Capcom has primed another fascinating villain with Requiem s Dr. Gideon, a former Umbrella virologist who was seemingly written for an actor to go full camp baddie if the doctors hooded snakeskin trenchcoat wasnt a giveaway. Resident Evil Requiem will be released on February 27, 2026 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/resident-evil-requiem-preview-150000849.html?src=rss

This 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is 33 percent off

If you're looking to expand the storage on your Switch 2, the 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is on sale right now for 33 percent off, marked down to $80 from $120. With component prices skyrocketing these days, it's getting increasingly rare to see good storage on sale, and 512GB for $80 is a much better deal than you'll currently find directly from Nintendo . The P9 boasts transfer speeds of up to 800MB/s, making moving games to the card that much faster. As for load times, in our testing we found that any microSD Express, the standard the Switch 2 requires, will offer roughly the same performance. This format is pretty new, so there aren't a ton of cards on the market. As such, the P9 makes our list of best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2. The P9 microSD Express is also compatible with the Steam Deck or any other gaming console that accepts the format, as well as cameras and more. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-512gb-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-is-33-percent-off-143849630.html?src=rss

The EU is investigating Grok and X over potentially illegal deepfakes

Europe is probing Elon Musks X for failing to take action to prevent the spread of AI-generated sexually explicit images including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), regulators said in a press release . The European Commissions investigation could result in further enforcement steps against X, not long after it levied a $140 million fine against the platform. Sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation. With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA [Digital Services Act], or whether it treated rights of European citizens including those of women and children as collateral damage of its service, said the Commissions executive VP, Henna Virkkunen in a statement. The EU said that it will assess whether X took measures to reduce risks around the dissemination of illegal content when it deployed Grok onto the platform. Those risks include manipulated sexually explicit images including content that may amount to CSAM. These risks seem to have materialized, exposing citizens in the EU to serious harm, the Commission stated. On top of the new inquiry, the EC is also expanding its 2023 investigation of X over its recommendation algorithm and tools used to prevent the spread of illicit content. The investigation is coming at a delicate time for Europe, which is already in the Trump administrations crosshairs over its scrutiny of American tech companies. And the EU would also be going up against Musk, who is the owner and has the biggest megaphone on X. After X was hit with a 120 million euro ($140 million fine) for breaching Europes Digital Services Act, Musk called the EU the fourth Reich and said in a post on X that it should be abolished. In response to the inquiry, X reiterated previous comments it has made about Grok. We remain committed to making X a safe platform for everyone and continue to have zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity and unwanted sexual content, a spokesperson told The New York Times . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-eu-is-investigating-grok-and-x-over-potentially-illegal-deepfakes-134506678.html?src=rss

TurboTax Deluxe has been discounted to $45 ahead of tax season

Tax season is fast approaching, and unfortunately for 2026, Direct File isn't an option anymore . The free, government-provided service was shut down, so you'll need to look to other federal programs, including IRS Free File , to file your paperwork. If you don't qualify for Free File , TurboTax might be your best bet for a relatively cheap, efficient way to file your taxes. While it pains us to suggest you give money to a company that has spent decades lobbying to ensure America's tax system remains a nightmare, we can at least help you save a bit of cash if you've determined TurboTax is a necessary expense for you this year. Right now, Amazon has discounted the deluxe desktop edition of TurboTax by 44 percent. That gets you $35 off software that normally costs $80, which you can use to file both your individual state and federal taxes. For most Americans, that should cover their needs. However, if you're self-employed, you'll need to pony up for the more expensive Business version of TurboTax , which is currently 42 percent off, or $54 off. One last thing to note: you'll need a PC with either Windows 11 or macOS Sonoma to run the software, so an older machine won't do, unfortunately. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/turbotax-deluxe-has-been-discounted-to-45-ahead-of-tax-season-204848732.html?src=rss

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are 35 percent off

It's that time of year where a great pair of headphones double as earmuffs and a current sale will ensure you get a great quality and good looking option. One of our favorite wireless headphones for 2026 is available for 35 percent off. Amazon is offering the first-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones for $279, down from $429. Since coming out last April, they've become our choice for best noise-canceling wireless headphones. Notably, the sale is only available in the headphone's nice limited edition Deep Plum model. We gave the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones an 86 in our review , thanks, in part, to their incredible active-noise cancellation (ANC) an industry-lead Bose has held for years. They also offers improved audio, producing a warmer and clearer sound than other Bose headphones. Plus, they live up to their name, remaining comfortable even after hours and hours thanks to cushioning inside the headband and earpads. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-are-35-percent-off-130020033.html?src=rss

The best gear to upgrade your home theater setup

A good home theater setup goes beyond just having the right TV (although that certainly does help a lot). Getting the right sound for your space, the right lighting and making sure your streaming gear is up to date are all things that can go a long way to making your setup feel premium. And dont think that just because youre not hosting movie night every weekend that a good home theater setup is a waste. Whether your family is full of cinephiles, you love playing video games with your kids or you plan on hosting friends to watch Super Bowl 2026 , the right home theater equipment can make your experience much better. We test a ton of that technology here at Engadget; if youre looking to make some changes to your setup, weve collected some of our favorite home theater gear here to make your shopping list a bit easier to compile. Best home theater gear This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/the-best-gear-to-upgrade-your-home-theater-setup-130000755.html?src=rss

The best kitchen gadgets for 2026

Whether you love cooking already or you want to try to cook more at home to spend less money on takeout, there are tons of gadgets that can make your time in the kitchen even more enjoyable. As food lovers and tech reviewers, the Engadget team has tried out pizza ovens , sous vide machines , air fryers , ice cream makers and more. Here, we gathered all of the best gear weve tested, reviewed and used in our own kitchens for when youre looking to spice things up in yours. Weve also linked to our reviews and buying guides so you can dive deeper into our recommendations for the best kitchen gadgets around. Best kitchen gadgets for 2026 Nicole Lee contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-kitchen-tech-gadgets-small-appliances-124515179.html?src=rss