Hardware

The best VR headsets for 2026

Stepping into VR is about more than strapping on a headset and loading a game. The best VR headsets today are gateways to fully realized experiences, whether thats gaming, fitness, creative work or simply spending time inside a richly rendered virtual world. As the hardware has improved, so has the sense of presence, with sharper displays, wider fields of view and tracking systems that make movement feel more natural and responsive. The result is VR that feels less like a novelty and more like a platform you can actually spend time in. That said, not every headset is built for the same function. Some prioritize ease of use and standalone play, while others demand a powerful PC in exchange for higher fidelity. Compatibility also matters more than ever, especially as VR begins to overlap with mixed reality and early smart glasses experiments. Whether you want a simple way to explore virtual spaces or a high-end rig that pushes immersion as far as possible, this guide breaks down the best VR headsets you can buy in 2026 and explains who each one is really for. Table of contents Best VR headsets for 2026 How we test VR headsets Other VR headsets we've tested VR headset FAQs Recent updates Best VR headsets for 2026 How we test VR headsets I tend to judge candidates for the best VR headset on a few basic criteria: Ergonomics, immersion and controls. It's not that hard to shove a mobile display into a plastic headset and strap some cheap elastic headbands onto it. But it takes real design skill to craft something that's well balanced, includes a supportive headstrap, and doesn't feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes. My test for ergonomics is fairly simple: How long can I wear a headset until I start to feel discomfort? For the most ergonomic devices, like the Quest 3, that could easily be an hour or two. But heavier PC hardware often feels cumbersome after just 15 minutes you wont find those kinds of devices in our list of the best VR headsets. Immersion, meanwhile, comes from having high resolution screens with fast refresh rates, like a 120Hz refresh rate, helping users feel fully present inside a virtual world. Field of view is also a major element, as it describes how well VR screens can cover what you see. A narrow FOV makes it feel like you're peering through a pair of binoculars, which limits your sense of presence. The best VR headsets aim for a wider field of view, helping virtual environments feel more natural and fully surround you. A wide field of view, on the other hand, can make it seem like youre actually flying over the globe in Google Earth. We look at a few popular video games, like Superhot , Beat Saber and Pistol Whip , on every headset to judge how immersed we feel and how enjoyable the gaming experience is overall. The best controllers fit naturally in your hands and offer accurate tracking. The industry has basically adopted the design of Metas excellent touch controllers, but we're also seeing intriguing leaps forward like Valve's finger tracking gamepads. We judge controllers based on how easy they are to hold, how they hold up to sweaty gameplay sessions and how easily headsets can track their position in space. However, its important to look at a virtual reality headsets specs as a whole, including compatibility with your existing hardware and the kind of experiences you plan to use it for. Depending on what youre looking for in yourVR headset, youll want to consider factors like your PCs CPU and graphics card if you plan to use the headset to play the best VR games. You might not need a super powerful PC, but you should check the minimum requirements for the headset youre looking to purchase. If youre not looking to invest in a VR headset solely for gaming, features like head tracking allow you to explore your environment just by simply moving your head in the simulator. This often results in a more immersive and realistic experience. Other VR headsets weve tested HTC Vive Focus Vision The Vive Focus Vision is a sleek premium standalone VR headset that can also deliver solid PC VR. But its also running aging hardware, its riddled with software issues and its expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3. Meta Quest Pro As great as the Meta Quest 3 is, the Quest 2 is still a very good entry-level VR headset, and its worth considering if its on sale below its current $250 list price. The Meta Quest Pro , on the the hand, is an expensive boondoggle best ignored. HTC Vive Pro 2 Outside of Metas hardware, the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains a fantastic PC headset, but its far more expensive than the Valve Index, which is more comfortable and offers better audio. VR headset FAQs How do VR headsets work? At the most basic level, a VR headset is simply a high quality screen that youre holding up to your face. For a wired headset, the actual work of rendering a game is done on either a PC or game console. For completely wireless devices, like the Meta Quest 3, that work is handled right on the headset. They rely on either external sensors, or sensors built into the headsets, to map your physical space. While you can use a traditional gamepad or keyboard and mouse in VR, they typically use motion tracking controllers to immerse you in their 3D environments. What VR headset is best for full body tracking? While were still waiting for a truly great haptic VR bodysuit to arrive, you can still achieve accurate body tracking with most Steam VR-compatible PC headsets. The Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 both rely on room-tracking sensors that can map your body more effectively than the built-in sensors on competitors. You can also add HTC Vive Trackers to wrist and leg straps, as well as belts, for even better coverage. The Meta Quest 3 doesnt have any easy body tracking solutions, but you can add Vive trackers when its plugged into your PC to mimic a Steam VR headset. Only a few experiences, like VRChat, take advantage of full body tracking at the moment. Currently there arent any body tracking solutions for the PlayStation VR and VR2, but were intrigued by the companys Mocopi body trackers , which were really announced in Japan. What VR headsets are better than Oculus? Oculus is the previous name for Metas VR hardware. Currently, Meta only supports the Quest 3, Quest 3S and Quest Pro, all of which are wireless headsets. As we explain above, PC VR headsets can generally achieve better quality virtual reality, since they rely on more powerful graphics hardware. What VR headsets work with Xbox? Currently, Microsofts Xbox consoles dont support any VR headsets. Recent updates November 2025: Updated to include the Apple Vision Pro M5. April 2025: Updated to include review scores for our top picks, where applicable. November 2024: Added the HTC Vive Focus Vision to the others we tested section. October 2024: Updated our best cheap VR headset top pick to be the Meta Quest 3S. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/best-vr-headsets-140012529.html?src=rss

How to buy a GPU in 2026

One of the toughest parts of any new computer build or upgrade is finding the right video card. In a gaming PC, the GPU is easily the most important part, and you can limit your experience by going with the wrong model. The buying process can be frustrating, especially right now with memory shortages leading to higher prices. In this guide, we'll help you navigate the market and find the right GPU for your needs. It's all about the games The first question to ask yourself is what kind of games do you want to play. Competitive shooters like Valorant , Overwatch and Marvel Rivals were designed to run on older hardware. As such, even entry-level GPUs like the GeForce RTX 5060 can push those games at 120 frames per second and above at 1080p (more on why that's important in a moment). By contrast, if you want to play modern, single-player games with ray tracing and other graphical extras, you'll need a more powerful GPU. Just how much more powerful will depend on the resolution of your monitor. A 1440p or QHD monitor has 78 percent more pixels than a 1080p screen, and a 4K display has more than twice as many pixels as a QHD panel. In short, running a game at 4K, especially at anything above 60 frames per second, is demanding, and most GPUs will need to use upscaling techniques like NVIDIA's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) to push new games at high refresh rates. On the subject of resolution, it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money on a 4K monitor only to pair it with an inexpensive GPU. That's a recipe for a bad experience. As you're shopping for a new video card, you should think about the resolution and frame rate you want to play your games. If you're in the market for both a GPU and display, be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming monitors . If your budget allows, a good bet is to buy a midrange card that can comfortably render all but the most demanding games at 1440p and at least 144 frames per second. Put another way, you want a GPU that can saturate a monitor at its native resolution and refresh rate in as many games as possible. That will give you the smoothest possible experience in terms of motion clarity, and allow you to dabble in both competitive shooters and the latest single-player games as the mood strikes you. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget NVIDIA vs AMD and Intel One of the confusing aspects of the GPU industry are all the players involved . What you need to know is that there are three main players: AMD, Intel and NVIDIA. They design the cards you can buy, but delegate the manufacturing of them to so-called add-in board (AIB) partners like ASUS, XFX, Gigabyte and others. As you can imagine, this creates some headaches. The most annoying of which is that AMD, Intel and NVIDIA will often set recommended prices for their graphic cards, only for their partners to sell their versions of those GPUs for more than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). For example, NVIDIA's website lists the RTX 5070 with a starting price of $549. On Newegg, there are no new 5070s listed at that price . The only models anywhere close to $549 are refurbished and open box specials. If you want one that comes sealed, that will cost you at least $630. As for what company you should buy your new GPU from, before 2025, NVIDIA was the undisputed king of the market. Specific GeForce cards may have not offered the best rasterization performance in their price range, but between their performance in games with ray tracing and the fact NVIDIA was ahead on features like DLSS, an RTX GPU was a safe bet. However, with this year's RTX 50 series release (and excluding models like the RTX 5080 and 5090 where there's no competition), it's safe to say NVIDIA missed the mark this generation. If you're in the market for an entry- or mid-level GPU, AMD and Intel offer better value, with cards that come with enough VRAM for now and into the future. That said, there are still a few reasons you might consider an NVIDIA GPU, starting with ray tracing. Ray tracing For decades, developers have used rasterization techniques to approximate how light behaves in the real world, and the results have been commendable. But if you know what to look for, it's easy to see where the illusion falls apart. For that reason, real-time ray tracing has been a goal of industry for years, and in 2018 it became a reality with NVIDIA's first RTX cards. In some games, effects like ray-traced reflections and global illumination are transformational. Unfortunately, those features are expensive to run, often coming at a significant frame rate drop without upscaling. Since ray tracing was optional in many games before 2025, you could save money by buying an AMD GPU. For example, even if the RX 7800 XT was worse at ray tracing than the RTX 4070, the former was often cheaper to buy, had more onboard VRAM and offered as good or better rasterization performance in many games. However, you can't ignore ray tracing performance anymore. We're starting to see releases like Doom: The Dark Ages where the tech is an integral part of a game's rendering pipeline, and more are likely to follow in the future. Thankfully, AMD's newest cards are much better in that regard, though you'll still get an edge running an NVIDIA model. For that reason, if ray tracing is important to you, NVIDIA cards are still the way to go. Refresh rates and frame rates If you're new to the world of PC gaming, it can be tricky to wrap your head around refresh rates. In short, the higher the refresh rate of a monitor, the more times it can update the image it displays on screen every second, thereby producing a smoother moving picture. For example, moving elements on a monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate will look better than on one with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, that's dependent on your GPU being able to consistently render a game at the appropriate frame rates. In the case of a 120Hz monitor, you want a GPU with enough headroom to drive most games at 120 fps. Realistically, most video cards won't be able to achieve that in every game, but it's a good baseline to aim for when shopping for a new GPU. Frame generation Since the release of NVIDIA's RTX 40-series GPU, the company has offered a feature called frame generation. As the name suggests, it allows NVIDIA's latest video cards to generate an additional frame for every frame they render normally. With the 50-series, NVIDIA has since begun offering multi-frame generation, which gives those GPUs the ability to generate up to three additional frames for every rendered frame. AMD has its own take on the tech, as does Intel, though NVIDIA's offering is considered superior to both due to how it handles frame pacing. Frame generation is nice to have, but it's not the silver bullet it might seem. Enabling it will increase system latency, reducing how responsive your games feel. Somewhat unintuitively, high-end GPUs also benefit more from the tech than their entry-level counterparts since they can naturally render more frames. For that reason, it's best to think of frame generation as a way to get the most out of a high refresh rate display. Upscaling and latency I've mentioned DLSS a few times already. Alongside FSR and Intel XeSS, DLSS is an example of what's known as an image reconstruction technology. More and more, native rendering is going out of fashion in game design. With ray tracing and other modern effects enabled, even the most powerful GPUs can struggle to render a game at 1440p or 4K and a playable framerate. Thats why many developers will turn to DLSS, FSR or XeSS to eke out additional performance by upscaling a lower resolution image to QHD or UHD. Upscaling in games is nothing new. For example, the PS4 Pro used a checkerboard technique to output games in 4K. Whats different now is how modern GPUs go about it. With DLSS, NVIDIA pioneered an approach that uses machine learning to recreate an image at a higher resolution, and in the process, addressed some of the pitfalls of past upscaling methods. If you're sensitive to these sorts of things, there's still blur and shimmer with DLSS, FSR and XeSS, but it's much less pronounced and can lead to significant performance gains. To DLSS, NVIDIA later added single and multi-frame generation. DLSS is only available on NVIDIA cards, and following the recent release of DLSS 4.5 , widely considered to offer the best image quality. That's another reason why you might choose an NVIDIA card over one of its competitors. However, if you decide to go with an AMD GPU, don't feel like you're missing out. The company recently released FSR 4. While it's not quite on par with DLSS 4 and 4.5 in terms of support and image quality, it's a major leap over FSR 3 and FSR 2. While on the subject of DLSS, I'll also mention NVIDIA Reflex . It's a latency-reducing technology NVIDIA introduced in 2020. AMD has its own version called Radeon Anti-Lag , but here again Team Green has a slight edge. If you're serious about competitive games, Reflex can significantly reduce input lag, which will make it easier to nail your shots in Counter-Strike 2 , Valorant and other shooters. Driver support Previously, one of the reasons to pick an NVIDIA GPU over the competition was the company's solid track record of driver support. With one of the company's video cards, you were less likely to run into stability issues and games failing to launch. At the start of 2025, NVIDIA's drivers were abysmal, but the company has since corrected course. VRAM As you're comparing different GPUs, especially those in the same tier, pay close attention to the amount of VRAM they offer. Many modern games will eat up as much VRAM as a GPU can offer, and if your card has a low amount, such as 8GB, you're likely to run into a performance bottleneck. If your budget allows for it, always go for the model with more VRAM. Consider, for instance, the difference between the $379 RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and $429 RTX 5060 Ti 16GB . Spending an extra $50 is going to be a lot for some people, but it's the difference between a card that is only adequate for many recent releases and one that will last you for a few years. In many cases, more VRAM is better. A slight caveat to this is when comparing models that have different memory bandwidths. A GPU that can access more of its memory faster can outperform one with more memory, even if it has less of it outright. Here, you'll want to read reviews of the models you're comparing to see how they perform in different games. Size and power draw Modern GPUs are big. Most new cards will take up at least two PCI slots on the back of your motherboard. They can also vary dramatically in length, depending on the number of fans the AIB has added to cool the PCB. To be safe, be sure to check the length of the card you want to buy against the maximum clearance listed by your case manufacturer. If you have a radiator at the front of your case, you will also need to factor the size of that in your measurements. The last thing you want is to buy a card that doesn't fit in your case. Lastly, be sure to check the recommended power supply for the card you want. As a rule of thumb, unless you know what you're doing, it's best to just stick with the manufacturer's recommendation. For instance, NVIDIA suggests pairing the RTX 5070 Ti with a 750 watt PSU. So if you're currently running a 650 watt unit, you'll need to factor in the price of a PSU upgrade with your new GPU. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Should you buy a used GPU? It depends. If you can find a deal on an old RTX 40 series GPU, then yes. NVIDIA's RTX 50 series don't offer greatly improved performance over their predecessors, and with most models selling for more than their suggested retail price, it's not the best time to buy a new NVIDIA card. That said, I suspect finding a good deal on a used GPU will be difficult. Most people will know the value of what they have, and considering the current market, will probably try to get as much as they can for their old card. You may find better deals on older AMD and Intel GPUs, but I think you're better off spending more now on a new model from one of those companies since the generational gains offered by their latest cards are much more impressive. Simply put, the 9070 XT and B580 are two of the best cards you can buy right now. Anything older than a card from NVIDIA's 40 series or AMD's RX 6000 family is not worth considering. Unless your budget is extremely tight or you mostly play older games, you're much better off spending more to buy a new card that will last you longer. When is a good time to buy a new GPU? If you've read up to this point, you're probably wondering if it's even worth buying a GPU right now. The answer is (unsurprisingly) complicated. There are a handful of great cards like the Radeon RX 9060 XT and 9070 that are absolutely worth it. The problem is finding any GPU at a price approaching those set by AMD, Intel or NVIDIA. The AI boom, and in particular actions by OpenAI , have led to memory shortages. In turn, those shortages have caused the price of consumer GPUs, SSDs and RAM kits to skyrocket in recent months. As of our latest update to this guide, some models like the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti are selling for hundreds of dollars above MSPR. As such, if you own a relatively recent GPU, you're probably best off trying to hold onto your current card until things settle down. But if your GPU isn't cutting it anymore, you face a difficult decision: overpay now, or wait and potentially pay even more later. To make that decision easier, I've been maintaining a separate guide that lists a selection of GPU models you can buy close to MSPR. My goal is to update that article at least once per month, so be sure to check often. Best GPUs for 2026: Engadget ecommendations Entry-level (1080p) As we mentioned above, if you're only aiming to play basic competitive shooters like Valorant and Overwatch 2 in 1080p, an entry-level GPU may be all you need. While 1080p isn't an ideal resolution when it comes to sharpness, many gamers prefer it since it's easier to reach higher framerates. And it also helps that 1080p gaming monitors , like the AOC 24G15N 24-inch we recommend, tend to offer speedy refresh rates for between $100 and $200. When you're zipping through matches, you likely won't have time to take a breath and appreciate the detail from higher resolutions. Here are our recommendations for entry-level video cards: AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB : Surprisingly enough, you can actually find this AMD GPU for $300. While you'll have to live with 8GB of RAM, that's more than enough for 1080p gaming, and it also has the benefit of DLSS 4 upscaling. AMD Radeon RX 7600 : While it's a last-gen card, the RX 7600 is still powerful enough to handle basic shooters. Midrange (1440p) While entry-level cards can dabble with 1440p gaming, it's worth stepping up to something a bit more powerful if you actually want to achieve higher refresh rates. For most gamers, 1440p is the best balance between sharpness and high frame rates. It looks noticeably better than 1080p, and doesn't require the horsepower overhead of 4K. (And there's a good chance you won't really see a visual difference with the jump to 4K.) Here are our recommendations for midrange GPUs: NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti : Forget the disappointing RTX 5070, the 5060 Ti delivers excellent 1080p and 1440p performance. And best of all, you can still find it under $500. (Read our NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti review .) AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB : A step up from the 8GB model we recommend above. The 16GB 9060 XT offers excellent performance across many of the latest games, and is less expensive than the 5060 Ti. AMD Radeon RX 9070 : AMD surprised us all with the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT, two midrange cards that offered similar power to and more VRAM than NVIDIA's more expensive cards. While you won't see the RX 9070 for its $550 launch price today, you can still snag one for a slight premium at $650. (Check out our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review .) High-end (4K) If you want the most of what modern PC games have to offer, including 4K and all of the benefits of ray tracing, then be ready to spend big bucks on a high-end GPU. If you're going this route, though, be sure you're also gaming on a high-end monitor that befits these powerful GPUs. Here are our recommendations for premium GPUs: NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti : The RTX 5070 Ti surprised me with excellent 4K gaming performance for a launch price that was well below the RTX 5080. It's the best overall NVIDIA card if you want to play in 4K at 120Hz or beyond, but it's also the hardest to find at MSRP. (Check out our NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti review .) AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT : I already mentioned the RX 9070 XT. With shortages of the 5070 Ti, it's the best GPU you can buy now without paying a ridiculous premium. (Check out our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review .) NVIDIA RTX 5080 : If the RTX 5070 Ti isn't enough for you, the RTX 5080's additional power and 24GB of VRAM should suit your fancy. Just be prepared to pay around $1,500 for it, a 50 percent jump from its $999 launch price. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/how-to-buy-a-gpu-160100017.html?src=rss

DOJ and states appeal Google monopoly ruling to push for harsher penalties against the company

Google might have been officially ruled to have a monopoly, but we're still a long way from figuring out exactly what that determination will change at the tech company. Today, the US Department of Justice filed notice of a plan to cross-appeal the decision last fall that Google would not be required to sell off the its Chrome browser. The agency's Antitrust Division posted about the action on X. According to Bloomberg , a group of states is also joining the appeal filing. At the time of the 2025 ruling, the Justice Department had pushed for a Chrome sale to be part of the outcome. Judge Amit Mehta denied the request from the agency. Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divesture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints, Mehta's decision stated. However, he did set other restrictions on Google's business activities, such as an end to exclusive deals for distributing some services and a requirement to share select search data with competitors. Google has already filed its own appeal over this part of its ongoing antitrust battle. Of course, the tech giant is hoping to get off the hook with fewer penalties rather than the heavier ones the DOJ is seeking. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/doj-and-states-appeal-google-monopoly-ruling-to-push-for-harsher-penalties-against-the-company-235115249.html?src=rss

ChatGPT is back up after an outage disrupted use this afternoon

If you had trouble using ChatGPT today, you aren't alone. The AI chatbot experienced a partial outage for many users this afternoon, with Down Detector saw reports reaching more than 12,000 reports around the peak point of the issue today.. OpenAI issued a status update shortly after noting that elevated error rates were occurring for ChatGPT and Platform users. That problem was marked as resolved at 5:14PM ET. While the initial outage may be repaired, OpenAI does still have an active status alert up. It's only for the fine-tuning component of its API service. But the end may also be in sight for that final issue, because the current statement from the company is We have applied the mitigation and are monitoring the recovering. Another AI chatbot, Anthropics Claude, also experienced an outage today. It listed similar issues with Elevated error rate on API across all Claude models. That status was resolved by 1PM ET. Update, February 3, 2025, 6:17PM ET: Updated to reflect the change in status and mention Claude outage. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-is-back-up-after-an-outage-disrupted-use-this-afternoon-210238686.html?src=rss

Take-Two hit pause on the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4

2K owner Take-Two has paused development on Borderlands 4 for the Nintendo Switch 2, the company shared during its Q3 2026 earnings presentation . The Switch 2 port was originally planned to be released on October 3, 2025, a few weeks after the game's September 12 launch on all other platforms, but was indefinitely delayed on September 23. We made the difficult decision to pause development on that SKU, Take-Two told Variety . Our focus continues to be delivering quality post-launch content for players on the ongoing improvements to optimize the game. Were continuing to collaborate closely with our friends at Nintendo. We have PGA Tour 2K25 coming out and WWE 2K26 , and we're incredibly excited about bringing more of our titles to that platform in the future. When the Borderlands 4 Switch 2 port was originally delayed, the game's developer Gearbox shared that the port needed additional development and polish time and that it hoped to better align this release with the addition of cross saves. In Take-Two's Q2 earnings presentation on November 6, 2025, the Switch 2 port was still listed as having a TBA release date. The lack of mention in the company's Q3 presentation and Take-Two's comment to Variety pretty much confirm that if a Switch 2 version happens, it won't be anytime soon. The official Borderlands 4 post-release content roadmap currently lists plans for paid and free story DLC and raid bosses, but nothing related to additional ports of the game. Grand Theft Auto VI 's planned November 19 release date is still on the books, however. Rockstar Games' next blockbuster title was originally supposed to be released in fall 2025 , before it was delayed to May 2026 last May. The game was delayed a second and final time at least for now in November 2025, to its current November 2026 release date. There's still room for another delay, but in the earnings statement Take-Two projected confidence, sharing that Rockstar would start marketing the game this summer. The franchise remains a cash cow, so its only natural the company would want to get the rollout of Grand Theft Auto VI right. As part of its earnings presentation, Take-Two shared that Grand Theft Auto V , which was originally released all the way back in 2013, has sold 225 million units. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/take-two-hit-pause-on-the-switch-2-port-of-borderlands-4-222546776.html?src=rss

ChatGPT is down for many users this afternoon

If you've had trouble using ChatGPT today, you aren't alone. The AI chatbot is experiencing a partial outage for many users this afternoon. Down Detector reports of issues with the service leapt from almost nothing to more than 12,000 around 3PM ET. Down Detector OpenAI issued a status update noting that elevated error rates are occurring for ChatGPT and Platform users. All 13 components of ChatGPT are marked as having degraded performance on the OpenAI status page. We are working on implementing a mitigation, the company said, although it didn't provide an anticipated timeline for when the issue might be resolved. The story is developing This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-is-down-for-many-users-this-afternoon-210238573.html?src=rss

Fitbit founders launch Luffu, a way to integrate your family's health data

Fitbit's founders have a new startup. Two years after leaving Google , James Park and Eric Friedman announced a new platform that shifts the focus from the individual to the family. They say the Luffu mobile app uses AI quietly in the background to collect and organize family health information. At Fitbit, we focused on personal health but after Fitbit, health for me became bigger than just thinking about myself, Park said in a press release. The app is particularly focused on the CEO of the family the person who manages appointments, prescriptions and other health-related tasks. But the definition of family isn't limited to parents raising children. The company sees its tool as especially valuable for caregivers in their 40s and 50s who may be managing the needs of both aging parents and kids. It even tracks pets' health habits. We're managing care across three generations kids at home, busy parents in the middle, and my dad in his 80s who's living with diabetes and still wants to stay fiercely independent, Friedman wrote. And the moments that matter most are often the most chaotic: a late-night fever, a sudden urgent care visit, a doctor asking questions you can't answer quickly because the details are scattered. The app's AI includes a Morning Brief that recaps everyone's health. Luffu The company claims the app's AI isn't a chatbot layer. Rather, it serves as a guardian proactively monitoring for changes silently in the background. The AI then provides insights and triggers alerts when something is out of whack. You can also ask the app health data questions using plain language (so, there is some kind of chatbot) and share data with family members. The company clearly wants to make entering data as easy as possible. Luffu allows family members to log info using voice, text or photos. It integrates with health platforms such as Apple Health and Fitbit. And the company eventually wants to expand into a hardware ecosystem presumably, devices that make health data collection even easier. Speaking of data collection, Luffu says, Users are always in control of exactly what is shared, with whom, and privacy and security are paramount for all family data. In addition, the company told Axios that users can choose whether their data is used to train its AI. On the other hand, Big Tech has repeatedly shown that its most egregious data-collection practices are always wrapped in comforting language. So, at the very least, I'd take their pitch with grains of salt and, most importantly, make sure each family member knows exactly what they're consenting to. After all, this is a for-profit company, and we dont yet know its monetization strategy. Luffu is currently taking waitlist sign-ups for a forthcoming limited public beta. You can learn more and sign up for the waitlist on the company website . Update, February 3, 2026, 1:14PM ET: This story has been updated to note that the Luffu public beta hasnt started yet, but you can sign up for a waitlist to eventually get access when it starts. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/fitbit-founders-launch-luffu-a-way-to-integrate-your-familys-health-data-173251994.html?src=rss

Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones are down to a record-low price

Sony's wireless WH-1000XM6 headphones are on sale for $398 via Amazon . This is a record-low price, as it drops $62 from the price tag. The sale applies to all three colorways. These easily topped our list of the best wireless headphones . They are, in a word, fantastic. The headphones are packed with premium features , like advanced ANC. There are a whopping 12 ANC microphones throughout and a brand-new chip to power the feature. The end result? It successfully blocks background noise at medium and high frequencies, including the human voice. The sound quality is extremely pleasing to the ears, thanks to new audio drivers and a team of mastering engineers that assisted with tuning. There are perforations in the driver's voice coil, which extends high frequency reproduction. The design has been upgraded from the previous iteration and we found them extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time, which is important with headphones. The battery gets around 30 hours, which is a fairly standard metric for this type of thing. The only real major nitpick here is the original asking price. It's tough to recommend any pair of headphones for $460, but a bit easier at under $400. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonys-wh-1000xm6-headphones-are-down-to-a-record-low-price-175038776.html?src=rss

The best gifts for coffee lovers in 2026

When it comes to making a great cup at home, us coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person youre shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, weve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get. Spanning brewing, grinding and, of course, drinking, weve got a range of options that can help the java geek in your life expand their at-home setup or just try something new. And for the person that already has it all, weve got something for them too. Best gifts for coffee lovers Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/the-best-gifts-for-coffee-lovers-in-2026-184515579.html?src=rss

How much do VPNs cost?

So you've decided you need a virtual private network to hide your browsing activity from your ISP, change your virtual location, stay safe on public Wi-Fi and enjoy all the other benefits . The inevitable next question is: Should I pay for one? If so, how much? All the best VPNs cost money, but it can be hard to tell an overpriced service apart from one that's priced according to its value. On this page, I'll share the costs for top VPN services, calculate the industry average and explain what makes VPNs cost as much as they do. At the end, I'll share a few tips for making a VPN fit your budget. How much is a VPN? I'd like to start by introducing the complexity of the problem. If you just want the numbers, youll find those in the sections below. The main thing that makes VPNs so hard to budget for is that providers aren't always honest about how much they're charging. They rarely lie outright, but they often overcomplicate their pricing structures and hide increases in the fine print. Let's take CyberGhost as an example, since I just reviewed it . A one-month subscription to CyberGhost costs $12.99 simple enough. However, you can also get a six-month subscription by paying $41.94 upfront, though the website more prominently calls this $6.99 per month. Finally, you can pay $56.94 for a 28-month subscription, but only once; after that, it'll be $56.94 for a year. These prices are subject to change. Sam Chapman for Engadget As you can see in the image, the website heavily emphasizes the average monthly price, in text that dwarfs the actual price you'll pay at checkout. This gets even worse with services like NordVPN that have multiple tiers of subscription as well as multiple durations. It's not uncommon to see 10 or more prices quoted for the exact same VPN. The best way to cut through the confusion and shop on your own terms is to compare different VPNs at the same duration and subscription tier. For example, you could find the cost of one year of the most basic available plan, since most basic subscriptions still include full VPN service. In the next two sections, I'll compare and average the basic tiers of my top seven VPNs at the monthly and yearly levels. Average monthly cost of a VPN Here's what the best VPNs cost per month. The numbers below are for subscribing to one month at a time, excluding any discounts and special deals. Proton VPN: $9.99 ExpressVPN: $12.99 Surfshark: $15.45 NordVPN: $12.99 CyberGhost: $12.99 Mullvad: $5.98 (depends on dollar/euro exchange rate) hide.me : $11.99 Average: $11.77 As you can see, $12.99 is a normal price for one month of a VPN but the average price is somewhat lower, as several providers sell monthly plans for less. In general, expect to pay in the range between $10 and $13. Companies like Surfshark sometimes inflate their monthly prices in a bid to drive more traffic toward the longer plans. Mullvad is also an outlier, since you can only ever subscribe to it month-by-month. There are other outliers, such as Astrill, which costs a whopping $30 per month. But the above holds true for all the best-regarded providers. Average yearly cost of a VPN If you choose to sign up for a year at a time, you'll probably save money but you'll have to pay more upfront. VPNs offer long-term deals to pump their cash flow and active user numbers. One-year costs for the top seven VPNs are written below as a lump sum, since several of them add extra months to the first subscription period so they can quote a lower monthly price. Since CyberGhost doesn't have a one-year plan, I've replaced it with Windscribe . Proton VPN: $47.88 ExpressVPN: $52.39 for the first subscription, $99.95 afterwards Surfshark: $47.85 NordVPN: $59.88 for the first subscription, $139.08 afterwards Windscribe: $69.00 Mullvad: $71.82 (depends on dollar/euro exchange rate) hide.me: $54.99 Average: $57.69 For one year of a VPN service, you can expect to pay somewhere between $45 and $70. Note that at least two services, ExpressVPN and NordVPN, raise prices after the first year, so account for that in your budget if you really like them. Why do VPNs cost so much? The length of the subscription is the biggest factor in determining how much you'll pay. Beyond that, it's all a bit fuzzy. Commercial VPNs are still a relatively new industry, so there's not a lot of standardization in the pricing. Most of the variation in cost comes from competition: VPNs value themselves lower to offer a better deal than their rivals, or higher if they think they've got a unique differentiator. Astrill gets away with charging $30 a month because of a widespread belief that it's the best VPN for China (in truth, no VPN can be sure of working in China 100 percent of the time). Another factor that might influence a VPN's price is the cost of maintaining its infrastructure. For each new server location, the provider has to either rent space in an existing data center, build its own physical server farm or set up a virtual server with an IP address from a particular location. On Proton VPN, for example, you can switch locations by clicking the name of any country in the list on the left. Sam Chapman for Engadget Once the locations exist, they have to be maintained, including regular changes to their IP address so firewalls don't identify and block them. Loads at locations need to be balanced between servers and technology has to be upgraded as faster solutions become available. Since VPNs can have hundreds of server locations, all that upkeep doesn't come cheap, and customers often eat the cost. Factor in the price of extra features outside core VPN functionality and you'll understand why these companies are so desperate for liquidity that they'll offer discounts over 80 percent as long as you hand over a lump sum right now. What about free VPNs? VPNs can get pricey, especially if you want high quality. But some VPNs charge nothing at all. Is there any reason not to go with free VPNs every time? The answer is a pretty clear yes; paying for a VPN is almost always a better idea. When we rounded up the best free VPNs , only three got our unqualified recommendation. All three were paid services with free plans, and all come with strict limitations on server locations, data usage and other privileges. The unfortunate reality is that free VPNs come with downsides no matter which one you use. Plenty of them are hacked-together apps with little value, thrown together to make a quick buck. Others turn you into the product by selling your data to advertisers or renting out your home IP address. Some drop any pretense and plant malware directly on your device. These risks, which are often invisible to the end user, are the reason I almost always advise going with a free VPN funded by a paid plan, like Proton VPN, hide.me or Windscribe. Those plans may be restricted, but at least the provider's motives are out in the open: they make money off the paid plan and they want you to switch to it. How to save money on a VPN If you've decided to pay for a VPN but want to stretch your budget as much as possible, the tips below can push your cybersecurity dollar a bit farther. To begin with, the general advice on choosing a VPN always applies: read expert opinions, check the reviews and use the free trial to test its speed and security. Get a long-term plan. If you're confident that you'll actually use the VPN for the whole duration, there's no reason not to go with a 12-month or 24-month subscription. These are win-win deals that genuinely do save you a lot of money overall. Cancel auto-renewal. VPN accounts are set to automatically renew by default. In some cases, this can inadvertently lock you into a higher-priced long-term plan. I recommend cancelling auto-renew right after subscribing even if you're sure you want to continue. From there, you can create a new account to get the introductory rate again or go with a different VPN to get a better deal. Look for resubscription deals. Another perk of cancelling immediately is that the VPN will often try to woo you back with exclusive discounts. Stay strong until your subscription is a month or two from expiring, then look for emails offering better rates. Wait for seasonal discounts. If you can hold off until November, most VPNs offer steep discounts from Black Friday season all the way through New Year's. Check around other holidays too, as VPNs will take any excuse for marketing; CyberGhost is offering a Valentine's Day deal as I type this. We also keep track of the best VPN deals you can get at any time of the year. Use the VPN to save money on streaming. Most streaming services are more expensive than VPNs. If you use a VPN to access more content without adding a new streaming subscription, you'll come out ahead. For example, if you only have Netflix but want to watch Schitts Creek, you can pay $16.99 per month for Peacock without ads or $9.99 per month for Proton VPN to unblock Netflix Canada, which features that show. Shop for regional discounts. Like the previous point, this won't save you money on the VPN itself, but might save you enough money on other expenses that you turn a profit. Changing your virtual location can get you discounts on purchases where prices vary by region, especially travel costs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-much-do-vpns-cost-170000567.html?src=rss

Disney announces Josh DAmaro will be its new CEO after Iger departs

Stop me if you've heard this one before. Disney has announced a successor to outgoing CEO Bob Iger, effective in March. Josh DAmaro, current chairman of Disney Experiences, was tapped for the role in a unanimous vote by the company's board of directors. DAmaro has been at Disney for 28 years, where he oversaw theme parks, cruises and consumer products including video games. The company had previously appointed Bob Chapek, the Disney Parks chairman at the time, as successor to Bob Iger in 2020. At the time, Iger had served as CEO since 2005. But Chapek only lasted until 2022, when Bob Iger returned to take the helm once again amid company struggles. Disney formed a committee to find an appropriate successor in 2023, with Iger mentoring potential candidates along the way. Iger's time at the helm saw the media giant make a number of significant moves such as launching the Disney+ streaming service, buying Hulu and acquiring 20th Century Fox's film and television studios. Iger will continue to serve as a board member and senior advisor until his retirement at the end of the year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-announces-josh-damaro-will-be-its-new-ceo-after-iger-departs-161616420.html?src=rss

Februarys Xbox Game Pass additions include High on Life 2, Madden NFL 26 and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Microsoft has revealed the first wave of Xbox Game Pass additions for February, and it feels like there's a bit of something for everyone this time around. Two of the titles land on the service today across the Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass tiers: Final Fantasy II (cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC) and Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (cloud, console, handheld and PC). Final Fantasy II is a remodeled 2D take on the classic 1988 RPG, while Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a wild-looking spin-off of the main Like a Dragon series with pirates and naval combat. Madden NFL 26 is hitting Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass across cloud, console and PC on February 5, so subscribers will be able to get in a few virtual downs before the Super Bowl on Sunday at no extra cost. Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship will join the Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass lineups on the same day across cloud, console, handheld and PC. On February 10, a game I've been looking forward to, Relooted , joins Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC. I really enjoyed the demo of this heist game, in which the goal is to recover African artifacts from Western museums. Two days later, you can check out BlazBlue Entropy Effect X , which is a 2D roguelite action game set in the BlazBlue universe, on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass (cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC). Also on February 12, Roadside Research will become available in game preview on cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. This is a co-op (or solo) game for up to four players in which you run a gas station as a group of aliens. You'll examine humans and try to gather as much data as you can without raising suspicion and a potential visit from the feds. The aliens disguises, as shown in the trailer, are pretty funny. A third game is on the docket for February 12, with life sim Starsand Island arriving on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass (cloud, Xbox Series X/S, and PC). A day later, High on Life 2 lands on the same tiers and platforms with a whole new bunch of strange, talking weapons. That's a day-one addition to the line up. Also on February 13, Kingdom Come Deliverance will become delivered to Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass across cloud, console and PC. On February 17, you can embrace your inner Na'vi in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora on cloud, Xbox Series X/S, handheld and PC on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. I quite enjoyed my initial hands-on with the game , but I haven't jumped into the full version as yet. Last, but not least, Avowed will join the lower Game Pass Premium tier on February 17 across cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will do so almost exactly a year after its debut and on the same day it hits PlayStation 5 and a major update goes live . Avowed was one of our favorite games of 2025 . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/februarys-xbox-game-pass-additions-include-high-on-life-2-madden-nfl-26-and-avatar-frontiers-of-pandora-160656985.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Everything we're expecting from the S26 launch

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. Official invites have yet to be shared, but the date is widely expected to be near the end of the month. Whenever it does happen, 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. What is Unpacked 2026 taking place? But first, when is Unpacked going to happen? A recent image shared by leakster Evan Blass indicated Unpacked should be taking place on February 25 2026. Blass has a long history of credible leaks, which means this date is all but confirmed, and the main questions remaining would be what time and in what timezone? Were still waiting on Samsung for the official details, which should include answers to those questions. 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. Android Headlines also recently shared what appear to be full image renders of the S26 series, and they generally line up with what has already been rumored, leaked and reported so far. If these pictures are accurate, they give us a clearer look at the camera bump and two color variants of the S26 Ultra. Fans of magnets may continue to be disappointed by Samsung if the latest rumors are accurate. Despite the launch of the Qi 2 wireless charging standard adding support for convenient magnetic alignment years ago, Samsung has yet to bring that feature to its phones. Though the S-series have the higher speed charging rates that the spec enables, Nieuwemobiel.nl is reporting that, due to images it received of cases with magnetic rings, the S26 series likely wont have built-in magnets. Samsung has made these cases to add the magnetic capability to its S-series in the past, and the existence of the images of these accessories lends weight to the idea that the company will continue this approach. 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. Update, January 30 2026, 12:45PM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks on the possible dates for Unpacked 2026. Update, February 02 2026, 11:30AM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks with full image renders of the S26 trio of devices. Update, February 03 2026, 11:00AM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks about the possible lack of magnetic support on the S26 series. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2026-everything-were-expecting-from-the-s26-launch-130000556.html?src=rss

The Dyson PencilVac is finally available and costs $600

The Dyson PencilVac stick vacuum is finally available for purchase in the US after being revealed . It costs $600. The company says this is the world's slimmest vacuum cleaner. We haven't broken out any rulers to confirm that statement, but it's certainly a ridiculously thin stick vac. It achieves this thinness by using a motor inspired by the company's . This is a small motor that can actually rest in the shaft, so there's not a noticeable bulge where the components have been placed. This stick vacuum is actually, well, a stick. Just take a look at it. A vacuum being emptied. Dyson It does come with attachments that increase the size a bit. For instance, the conical brush bar cleaner head makes it resemble a traditional stick vacuum. However, everything else is in the long cylinder. This includes the bin, filter and motor. Other attachments include something called the Fluffycones cleaner head. This has four cones in two brush bars that rotate in opposite directions to strip and eject even long hair, preventing hair tangling around the brush bar. There are also lights at both ends to help illuminate any lingering dust particles. A cleaning head. Dyson It weighs nearly four pounds and features the same diameter throughout. This makes it easy to grip anywhere along the body, which can help with overhead cleaning. It ships with a swappable battery pack that lasts for around an hour and there's a magnetic charging dock to get things juiced up. The vacuum works with the MyDyson app, which lets users check on battery life and adjust settings. Some of this information is also displayed on the LCD screen at the top of the handle. We got a chance to try it out last year and came away impressed. The motor is plenty powerful, despite the diminished size, and the device was easy to maneuver. If you have $600 to spare and a dirty home, this could be a good purchase. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/the-dyson-pencilvac-is-finally-available-and-costs-600-160059016.html?src=rss

The first BTS concert in over three years will stream live on Netflix in March

Netflix is back with another livestream production guaranteed to excite K-POP fans worldwide. The streamer has announced that BTS will be performing live on Netflix . It marks the band's first performance after almost four years the members took a hiatus to complete South Korea's mandatory military service. The live concert will air on Saturday, March 21, one day after BTS releases their new album Arirang and will be aptly titled BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang . The show will physically take place in Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square and stream live at 8PM KST/7 AM ET/4 AM ET. Yes, viewers in the US will have to choose between a really early Saturday or a very late Friday night. Alternatively, you can skip out on any potential livestream glitches and likely watch it later (or catch the K-Pop group on their upcoming world tour). Plus, come Friday, March 27, Netflix will be releasing BTS: The Return , a documentary all about the making of Arirang. As Netflix puts it: The film offers rare behind-the-scenes access as the group comes back together and charts an unprecedented path forward together after a nearly four-year hiatus. Netflix has leaned further into livestreaming over the last few years though the BTS concert is arguably their biggest coup. Livestreams have included everything from reality shows to sports , with some serious infrastructure issues along the way. Here's hoping the BTS concert goes off without a hitch. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-first-bts-concert-in-over-three-years-will-stream-live-on-netflix-in-march-155428505.html?src=rss

Spain set to ban social media for children under 16

Spain will join the growing list of countries banning access to social media for children, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Tuesday. The law will apply to users under 16 years of age amidst a broader push to hold social media companies accountable for hate speech, social division and illegal content. Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Prime Minister Sanchez excoriated social media, calling it a failed state where laws are ignored and crime is endured. He spoke to the importance of digital governance for these platforms, highlighting recent incidents like X's AI chatbot Grok generating sexualized images of children, Meta spying on Android users and the myriad election interference campaigns that have taken place on Facebook. In light of what Sanchez called the integral role social media plays in the lives of young users, he said the best way to help them is to take back control. Next week, his government will enact a slew of new regulations, with a ban on users under 16 years of age among them. Social media companies will be required to implement what he calls effective age verification systems and not just checkboxes. A specific timeline on enforcement of the coming ban has not been announced. Spain will also make algorithmic manipulation and amplification of illegal content into a new criminal offense and Sanchez says tech CEOs will face criminal liability for hateful or illegal content on their platforms. The Prime Minister further announced that Spain has formed a coalition with five other unnamed European nations to enact stricter governance over social media platforms. Sanchez said children have been exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone, and that its the governments job to intervene. He added social media has fallen from its promise to be a tool for global understanding and cooperation. Australia enacted an under-16s ban on social media last year, which has prompted many nations to follow suit. It is under active consideration in the UK, while Denmark and Malaysia have announced plans to enact similar bans. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/spain-set-to-ban-social-media-for-children-under-16-151546884.html?src=rss

Amazon's Echo Show 8 and 11 are down to new all-time lows

Amazon is running a sale on two of its newest devices. First, there's the Echo Show 8 , which is down to $150 from $180 a 17 percent discount. Next up is the Echo Show 11 , which is more or less the same device, just bigger. This model has dropped 18 percent to $180 from $220. Both deals bring the Echo Shows down to new all-time low prices. The Echo Show 8 and 11 came out in mid-November with the main difference being screen size. The Echo Show 8 has an 8.7-inch HD screen that Amazon claims is 15 percent larger than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the Echo Show 11 is, you guessed it, an 11-inch Full-HD display that has 60 percent more viewing area than the Echo Show 8. Both of the devices come with an AZ23 Pro chip and Omnisense technology , which Amazon describes as our custom sensor platform designed for ambient AI. They also have Prime Video and Netflix apps, while other streamers can be reached through the browser. Each comes with spatial audio, dual full-range drivers and a 2.8-inch woofer. Plus, they have a 13MP camera with auto-framing. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-echo-show-8-and-11-are-down-to-new-all-time-lows-150021328.html?src=rss

Mario Tennis Fever preview: A racket-smashing blast

New Mario sports games typically only come around once in a generation. So to get a fresh installment of tennis featuring a deep roster of characters this early in the Switch 2's lifecycle is rather exciting. And after getting a chance to play Mario Tennis Fever prior to its official release on February 12, the best entry to the franchise yet might only be a couple of weeks away. Once again, Mario Tennis Fever relies on the series' familiar mix of topspin, slice and flat (power) shots used in previous games. The big new mechanic for this title is that instead of Zone Shots from Mario Tennis Aces , you can equip each character with a different racket, similar to how you can choose between a range of vehicles in Mario Kart. Every racket features a different special ability that you can charge up by rallying back and forth. When the gauge is full, you can unleash a Fever Shot to potentially devastating results. The Fever Shot is just one of the special abilities from the 30 different rackets available in Mario Tennis Fever. Nintendo For example, the Fire Racket turns the ball into a fireball that leaves multiple embers on the court. If your opponent gets burned, they will slowly lose health, which will make them move slower or knock them out (but only temporarily) if you're playing doubles. Alternatively, the Pokey Racket can summon the giant cactus monster it's named after onto the court, which not only blocks your view but gets in the way as you chase down shots. And just like the game's large stable of characters (38 in total), there are almost just as many different Fever Rackets (30) to choose from. The thing I like most is that compared to special shots in previous titles, Fever Shots have built-in counterplay. Zone Shots from Mario Tennis Aces sometimes made it feel like you were playing a fighting game as people battled to conserve meter, while signature moves in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash often turned into automatic points. If someone sends a Fever Shot at you, you can send it back simply by returning the ball before it bounces. This naturally sets up some frenetic sequences as characters try to volley back and forth without letting the ball hit the ground in order to prevent the Fever Shot from taking effect on their side of the court. This is exactly the kind of chaos that makes Mario Tennis so fun it just feels a bit more balanced now. Pokey is here to be a thorn on your court. Nintendo That said, if you prefer a different kind of mayhem, there are also new Wonder Court Matches, which borrow the titular blue flower seeds from Mario's most recent 2D platformer . This game mode nixes Fever Rackets in favor of changing up the rules of the sport on the fly in weird and unexpected ways. Don't be surprised when you have a hard time hitting seeds with your shots to activate wondrous effects while spike balls get tossed at you or a parade of piranha decides to have a party on top of the net. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to play Mario Tennis Fever's Adventure mode, which is a bit of a shame as I've heard that it's deeper and more fleshed out. This is a welcome upgrade from the somewhat thin single-player campaign from Aces . Thankfully, the game still supports motion controls for younger players or anyone who'd rather swing a virtual racket instead of mashing buttons. I also appreciate that Nintendo is making it easy to get into multiplayer matches, as the game supports both online matches (ranked and unranked) and local wireless connectivity (LAN). For the latter, you can also use the Switch 2's Game Share feature to send the title to other nearby systems so people can try out Mario Tennis Fever for themselves, even if they don't own a copy. Wonder Court Matches are another new way to upend the rules of Mario Tennis. Nintendo So if you're like me and you've always preferred sports games that are more bombastic instead of realistic, Mario Tennis Fever ($70) is shaping up to be a real grand slam. Pre-orders are live now ahead of the title's official release on February 12. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-tennis-fever-preview-a-racket-smashing-blast-140000408.html?src=rss

The Switch 2's Virtual Boy is a tribute to Nintendo's wackiest console

Even in 2026, VR still feels like tech that isn't quite ready for prime time. When Nintendo released the original Virtual Boy way back in 1995, it was hard for my 10-year-old brain to comprehend a 3D console with a bipod, a facemask and a monochrome red display. Then, when you factor in weak sales that led to the system being discontinued after only a year, you end up with a gadget that felt more like a mythical creature than something you could actually buy. But that's changing later this month when the Virtual Boy returns as an add-on for the Switch 2 . After getting an early demo of Nintendo's new accessory, I can confirm that this thing feels just as weird and quirky as it did when it first came out more than 30 years ago. The biggest difference on the new model is that it uses the Switch 2's screen as its main display and processor. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The most impressive thing about the revamped Virtual Boy is how much it looks and feels like the original. It still features that classic red and black color scheme along with a stand for propping it up. The biggest difference is that instead of having a built-in display, there's a slot where you can slide in a Switch 2 (with its Joy-Con detached). This brings several advantages: Since the Switch 2 has its own battery, there's no need for cords anymore. It also means you don't have to worry about swapping in individual game carts, as software can be downloaded directly from Nintendo's online store. Graphics also look much sharper than I remember, though I admit that could just be me getting old. Finally, instead of reviving the Virtual Boy's archaic gamepad, Nintendo smartly opted to let us use the Switch 2's current lineup of controllers. The end result is a design that's faithful to the original but doesn't suffer from many of the pitfalls that plagued so many 90s gadgets like tangled wires, awkward controls and fuzzy displays. One thing Nintendo didn't change is Virtual Boy's monochrome red visuals. Sam Rutherford for Engadget However, even with a fair bit of modernization, it's hard to prepare your mind for the journey back in time that happens when you actually use it. Unlike every other contemporary VR headset, you still don't strap the new Virtual Boy onto your face. Instead, you have to adjust its bipod so that its facemask is level with your face and then you kind of just lean in to immerse yourself in a world where red is the only color. It's definitely a bit awkward, but it works. Nintendo even included a way to adjust IPD, so visuals look just as crisp (if not moreso) as they did on the original. That said, the clunkiest thing about the Virtual Boy is its games. While Nintendo updated its exterior and internals, the company didn't really mess with its software for better and worse. This means you get a relatively unadulterated look at where people thought VR was headed 30 years ago, which becomes immediately evident as soon as you boot into one of the console's first seven games. Galactic Pinball is slow and trying to time when to hit the flippers to prevent the ball from getting past you is an exercise in frustration. Meanwhile, Red Alarm feels like a cheap port of Battlezone , just with a vaguely Arwing-shaped plane instead of a tank. And once again, the pacing on this aerial shooter is glacial. Then there's 3D Tetris , which just kind of hurts your head as you try to drop pieces from a top-down perspective while the entire stage pivots around and never stops moving. The only title that really stands out is Virtual Boy Wario Land , which was and still is the best game on the entire platform. There's no getting around it, the Virtual Boy's bipod is just kind of awkward. Sam Rutherford for Engadget After playing with the revamped Virtual Boy for just under half an hour, it's just as eccentric and ungainly as the original was three decades ago. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way because this thing is just as much of a time capsule as it is a nostalgic revival of a forgotten system. And if you want to experience a hazy concept of what people thought the future was going to be, there still isn't anything like the Virtual Boy. The Virtual Boy add-on for the Switch 2 officially goes on sale on February 17 for $100 , with the caveat that buyers will need an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion pack membership. Also, in addition to the seven games available at launch, Nintendo is planning to add nine more throughout the year including Mario's Tennis and previously unreleased titles such as Zero Racers and D-Hopper . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-switch-2s-virtual-boy-is-a-tribute-to-nintendos-wackiest-console-140000003.html?src=rss

NASA moves Artemis 2 launch to March after hydrogen leak during testing

NASA started making the final preparations for the Artemis 2 mission in early January, with the hopes of opening its launch window as soon as February 6. After issues showed up during the missions wet dress rehearsal in the early hours of February 3, however, the agency had to push back its earliest launch opportunity to March. With more than three years between SLS launches, we fully anticipated encountering challenges. That is precisely why we conduct a wet dress rehearsal. These tests are designed to surface issues before flight and set up launch day with the highest probability of success, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said on X . During a wet dress rehearsal, the spacecraft to be used for a mission is loaded with propellants to simulate the actual preparations and countdown to liftoff. NASA explained that Artemis 2s Space Launch System, which was already on the launch pad, suffered from a liquid hydrogen leak that its engineers spent hours troubleshooting. They were ultimately able to fill all the rockets tanks and started the countdown to launch. But with approximately five minutes left in the countdown, the ground launch sequencer automatically stopped due to a spike in the spacecrafts liquid hydrogen leak rate. The agency admits that it has other issues to fix, based on what happened during the rehearsal. It has to make sure that the cold weather doesnt affect the missions equipment during the actual launch in the same way it did in testing . The Orion crew modules hatch pressurization process took longer than expected, and that should must not happen on launch day. NASA also has to troubleshoot the audio communication channels for its ground teams after they dropped several times during the rehearsal. Artemis ground crew will review data from the wet dress rehearsal and address the aforementioned problems. NASA then has to conduct another test to confirm that they were taken care of before announcing the missions launch window. NASA completed a wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis II mission in the early morning hours on Feb. 3. To allow teams to review data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal, NASA will now target March as the the earliest possible launch opportunity for the Artemis II mission. pic.twitter.com/jSnCUPLQb6 NASA (@NASA) February 3, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-moves-artemis-2-launch-to-march-after-hydrogen-leak-during-testing-140000351.html?src=rss

TurboTax Deluxe is on sale for $45 before 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-is-on-sale-for-45-before-tax-season-204848947.html?src=rss

The 8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth Controller is down to a new all-time low

If you've been inside all winter gaming then it might be time to upgrade your gear . Right now, the 8Bitdo Pro 3 Bluetooth Controller is available for just over $48, down from $70. The 31 percent discount is the lowest price we've seen yet for the controller. Notably, the sale is only available on the Gray model. The new 8Bitdo Pro 3 came out in August and offers TMR Joysticks with a 12-bit ADC sampling chip. It also has a Trigger Mode Switch, 2 Pro paddle buttons and swappable magnetic ABXY buttons for moving between the Switch and Xbox layouts. Plus, it has an integrated charging dock. This 8Bitdo controller is compatible with Apple, SteamOS, Android devices, PC, Switch, and Switch 2 devices. 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-8bitdo-pro-3-bluetooth-controller-is-down-to-a-new-all-time-low-143036684.html?src=rss

Proton VPN two-year subscriptions are 70 percent off right now

Proton VPN is running a solid deal right now, dropping its two-year Proton VPN Plus plan to $2.99 per month. That works out to $72 billed upfront for the first 24 months, which represents a 70 percent discount compared to its regular pricing. Weve rated Proton VPN highly thanks to its strong privacy credentials, transparent nonprofit backing and consistently fast performance. Its one of the services we recommend in our guide to the best VPNs , and this deal also shows up alongside other standout offers in our ongoing roundup of the best VPN deals . Its a good option if youre looking to lock in long-term protection at a lower monthly cost. In our Proton VPN review , the service impressed us with consistently fast performance and strong privacy protections. We measured average download speeds at 88 percent of our unprotected connection and upload speeds at 98 percent, which is more than enough for 4K streaming, gaming and torrenting. It also unblocked Netflix in every region we tested, and while its Mac and iOS apps arent quite as polished as the Windows and Android versions, the service is still easy to install and largely set-it-and-forget-it across platforms. We gave Proton VPN a score of 90 out of 100. Proton VPN Plus is the companys premium tier and includes access to its full server network, which now spans more than 15,000 servers across 120-plus countries. A single subscription covers up to 10 devices at once and unlocks features like NetShield ad and malware blocking, Secure Core double hop connections, split tunneling, custom DNS controls and priority customer support. Proton VPN Plus also supports fast P2P traffic on nearly all paid servers and includes VPN Accelerator, which helps maintain high speeds over long-distance connections. Right now, Proton VPN Plus is discounted to $2.99 per month when you commit to two years, billed as $72 upfront for the first 24 months. After that, the plan renews annually at $83.88. Thats a 70 percent discount compared to the standard monthly rate. As with Protons other paid plans, the subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee , so you can try it risk-free if youre not ready to lock in long term. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/proton-vpn-two-year-subscriptions-are-70-percent-off-right-now-123000972.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Elon Musks SpaceX is buying his AI company, xAI

Like some sort of corporate Russian doll, SpaceX has announced its acquisition of xAI. The merger will form the most ambitious, vertically integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, according to, well, owner Elon Musk. The AI company, arguably best known for its ongoing CSAM-generating chatbot controversy, might seem like a strange fit for a rocket company. But SpaceX is apparently key to Musks latest scheme to build AI data centers in space. There might be an argument for moving the resource-intensive operations to space but Musk continued. He also claimed space-based data centers will eventually enable further advances in space travel. The capabilities we unlock by making space-based data centers a reality will fund and enable self-growing bases on the Moon, an entire civilization on Mars and ultimately expansion to the Universe. Back on Earth, xAI and X (formerly Twitter) merged last year, which means SpaceX now owns the social network Musk bought in 2022. Mat Smith The biggest stories you might have missed iPhone Fold rumors: Everything we know so far, including the leaked design Rivian made an electric ambulance for Greys Anatomy TikTok says its back to normal after winter storm-related outages Sony A7 V camera review Awesome speed and photo quality. TMA Engadget The Sony A7 V is an imaging powerhouse that brings the speed and precision of its high-end siblings to the enthusiast tier. Thanks to a new 33MP partially stacked sensor, image quality is where it truly pulls ahead, offering best-in-class dynamic range and low-light performance that outclasses 24MP rivals despite the higher resolution. If your primary goal is capturing the perfect still, the combination of accurate AI autofocus and improved color science makes this arguably the best all-around Sony shooter yet. However, if youre a video-first creator, the A7 V might feel like its a little behind. While the 10-bit 4K footage is sharp and benefits from impressive AI auto-framing and stabilization, it lacks internal RAW recording, which competitors like the Canon R6 III and Panasonic S1 II now offer. Make sure you check out the full review. Continue reading. Apple acquires Q.ai for a reported $2 billion After Beats, its the companys second-biggest ever purchase. Its the time of AI acquisitions, it seems. Even Apples doing it. Apple has acquired Israel-based startup Q.ai . Although Apple has not disclosed the terms of the deal, The Financial Times reports the arrangement is valued at nearly $2 billion. Apple hasnt shared specifics on how it plans to leverage the startup, but patents filed by Q.ai focus on integrating its technology into headphones or even glasses, using facial skin micro movements to communicate without talking. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-elon-musks-spacex-is-buying-his-ai-company-xai-121500751.html?src=rss

X's Paris HQ raided by French prosecutors

Paris prosecutors announced that a search was underway at offices belong to Elon Musks X platform as part of an ongoing investigation first launched in January 2025 . The raid is being conducted by Paris and national cybercrime units, with support from Interpol, according to post from Paris prosecutors on X. Officials from X have yet to comment on the matter. At the same time, Paris prosecutors issued summonses to Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino for voluntary interviews on April 20, 2026 in Paris. The prosecutors also announced they would no longer use X and would only communicate on LinkedIn and Instagram going forward. The searches are part of an investigation that has been ongoing for nearly a year over the functioning of Xs algorithms that are likely to have distorted the operation of an automated data processing system, investigators said at the time. Those changes reportedly gave greater prominence to certain political content (especially from Musk) without user knowledge something that could be a crime under French laws. An investigation was officially launched in July , with Paris prosecutors adding an additional charge: Fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system by an organized group. More recently, it also includes complicity in the possession of images of minors representing a pedo-pornographic character, due to images created by Grok between December 25, 2025 and January 1, 2026. In July, X said in a statement that the probe egregiously undermines Xs fundamental right to due process and threatens our users' rights to privacy and free speech. [French officials have] accused X of manipulating its algorithm for 'foreign interference' purposes, an allegation which is completely false. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/xs-paris-hq-raided-by-french-prosecutors-110411170.html?src=rss

The best iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro cases for 2026

Finding the best iPhone 17 case or the best iPhone 17 Pro cases is about more than basic drop protection. The best iPhone cases add useful features like MagSafe compatibility, grippy finishes and protection for camera lenses, all without adding unnecessary bulk to your new iPhone. Whether you prefer slim, scratch resistant designs, matte finishes or leather cases that feel a bit more premium, there are plenty of strong top picks to choose from. Weve rounded up the best picks for both the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro, so you dont have to waste time scrolling through endless listings. Best iPhone 17 cases for 2026 Best iPhone 17 case FAQs What is the most protective brand of phone cases? There is no one most protective brand of phone cases, but rather there are many that tout extra security for your handset. Some of the most protective phone cases we've tried come from Otterbox ; most of the brand's cases have a bit more protection than your standard phone case, even the ones that are designed to be on the slim side. Otterbox also makes a wide variety of phone cases, so there's a good chance you'll find one that suits your style and provides the level of protection you're looking for. Otterbox's Defender series is one of the best you can get if you care first and foremost about making sure your phone survives all kinds of accidents (save for a dunk in a pool). Silicone vs hard case: Which one is better? Neither silicone nor hard cases are better than the other. Silicone cases tend to be thinner and feel soft to the touch, and they're often easier to put on and take off of phones. Hard cases can be on the thicker side, but they provide a bit more drop protection than silicone cases. Which type of case is best for you depends on the type of experience you want from your phone. It's also worth nothing that both silicone cases and hard cases come in a variety of colors, designs and styles, so you have plenty of choose from to match your personality on both sides. Does an iPhone 17 need a screen protector? The iPhone 17 features Apples tough Ceramic Shield 2 front, which is definitely more durable than standard glass but its not invincible. If you want to avoid scratches from keys, drops onto pavement or just the wear and tear of daily use, a screen protector is still a smart move. It adds an extra layer of defense without getting in the way of touch sensitivity or Face ID. So, while its not absolutely essential, using one is a good idea if you want to keep your screen looking flawless for the long haul. Is the iPhone 17 drop-proof? The iPhone 17 is built to be tough, with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and a sturdy aluminum or titanium frame (depending on the model), but its not completely drop-proof. It can handle the occasional bump or short fall, especially if it lands on a flat surface but drops on concrete or at awkward angles can still cause cracks or damage. If youre prone to butterfingers, pairing your iPhone 17 with a durable case and maybe even a screen protector is the best way to play it safe. Georgie Peru contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-iphone-cases-153035988.html?src=rss

The Switch just surpassed the DS as Nintendo's best-selling console ever

The original Switch just became Nintendos best-selling console ever with 155.37 million units as of December 31, 2025, overtaking the DS which sold 154.02 million units from 2004-2011. It was part of a holiday surge that saw the company move 7.01 million Switch 2s (and 17.37 million through Q3 of its fiscal year), making it the fastest-selling dedicated video platform released by Nintendo to date, the company said in its earnings report . Despite being supplanted by the Switch 2, the Switch keeps selling decently (1.36 million units in Q3 fiscal 2026), due to its relatively cheap price . Nintendo reported last year that it was just trailing the DS in sales and would likely surpass it after Christmas. The Switch is now just 5.27 million units behind Sonys PS2, the best-selling console of all time so Nintendo would have to keep selling it for at least a couple more years to get the record. The Switch 2, meanwhile, has been a sales machine. With high holiday sales that exceeded expectations , Nintendo should easily reach its 19 million sales goal for fiscal 2026 ending March 31 this year. The company has already (easily) busted through its original sales forecast of 15 million consoles set earlier in 2025. Game sales were also strong, with Mario Kart World hitting 14 million units and Donkey Kong Bananza selling 4.25 million since the Switch 2s launch. With all that, the company saw 803.32 billion yen in sales for Q3 ($5.2 billion), up 86 percent over last year but a bit less than expected, and 159.93 billion yen in profit ($1.03 billion), 20 percent higher than the same period last year. Whether the company can continue that may depend on the strength of its upcoming game lineup. Two of those key titles are Mario Tennis Fever expected on February 12 and Pokemon Pokopia arriving in March. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-switch-just-surpassed-the-ds-as-nintendos-best-selling-console-ever-083700901.html?src=rss

The best Bluetooth trackers for 2026

Most people think of AirTags when they picture a Bluetooth tracker. And indeed, Apples little white discs were once the only capable option, relying on a vast finding network of nearby iPhones to pinpoint lost tags. But now Google has a finding network of its own, and third party brands like Chipolo, Hyper and Pebblebee have trackers that pair with your choice of Google or Apples network. That means youve got a lot of options for tagging and tracking your keys, backpacks, luggage and more. We tested the major brands out there to see how well they work, how loud they are and how they look to put together a guide to help you get the most out of your chosen tracker. Here are the best Bluetooth trackers you can buy. Editor's note : Apple just released a new version of its AirTag trackers . We are in the process of testing the new model and will update this guide once we're done. Best Bluetooth trackers for 2026 What to look for in a Bluetooth tracking device Bluetooth trackers are small discs or cards that rely on short-range, low-energy wireless signals to communicate with your smartphone. Attach one of these gadgets your stuff and, if its in range, your phone can ring the chip so you can find it. These tracking devices offer other features like separation alerts to tell you when youve left a tagged item behind, or where a lost item was last detected. Some can even tap into a larger network of smartphones to track down your device when youre out of range. Depending on what you want the tracker to do, there are a few specs to look for when deciding which to get. Device compatibility Like most things from the folks in Cupertino, AirTags only work with products in the Apple ecosystem. Both Apple and Google have opened up access to the Find My and Find Hub networks to third-party manufacturers, including Chipolo and Pebblebee. Those two companies make device-agnostic models that will work with the larger tracking network from either brand, so iPhone and Android users can buy the same tag. Tile trackers work with either Android or Apple devices, but use Tiles own Life 360 finding network. Samsungs latest fob, the Galaxy SmartTag2, only works with Samsung phones and taps into a finding system that relies on other Samsung devices to locate lost tags. Finding network Crowd-sourced finding capabilities are what make headlines, with stories about recovering stolen equipment or tracking lost luggage across the globe . Using anonymous signals that ping other peoples devices, these Bluetooth tracking devices can potentially tell you where a tagged item is, even if your smartphone is out of Bluetooth range. Apples Find My network is the largest, with over a billion iPhones and iPads in service all running Apples Find My app by default. So unless an iPhone user opts out, their phone silently acts as a location detector for any nearby AirTags. Apple recently increased the AirTags finding power by enabling you to share the tracker's location with a third party, party, like an airline. Chipolo fobs that work on Apples network have the same ability. Google launched its Find My Device network in 2024 and has since renamed it Find Hub, which, like Apple's fining app, combines devices and people finding in one place. That network is now a close second for the largest in the US Now that Googles Find Hub network is up and running , its a close second for the largest in the US. Like Apple, Android users are automatically part of the network, but can opt-out by selecting the Google services option in their phones Settings app and toggling the option in the Find Hub menu. Samsungs SmartTag 2 and related network also defaults to an opt-in status for finding tags and other devices. Tile offers a large finding grid that includes Tile users, Amazon Sidewalk customers and people running the Life360 network. Life360 acquired Tile in 2021, and, according to the company, the Life360 network has more than 70 million monthly active users. In our tests, AirTags and third-party tags using its network, like the Chipolo Loop and Pop and the Pebblebee Clip 5, were the fastest to track down lost items. They offered nearly real-time location data in moderately to heavily trafficked spots around Albuquerque, including a bar, bookstore and coffee shops in Nob Hill, along with various outdoor hangouts on UNMs campus. Samsung's SmartTags were able to locate our lost items most of the time, though not with the same precision finding accuracy as AirTags. When we tested Googles Find Hub (then called Find My Device) network right after launch, it was noticeably slower than Apples network when using the community finding feature. Testing it again in mid 2025, the time it took to locate a lost item was considerably improved, taking less than 20 minutes on average for the community to track a fob. In our tests, Tiles finding network wasnt able to consistently locate its lost fobs. Amy Skorheim / Engadget Separation alerts A trackers day-to-day utility becomes really apparent when it prevents you from losing something in the first place. Separation alerts tell you when youve traveled too far from your tagged items. Useful if you want to make sure your laptop bag, jacket or umbrella always comes with you when you leave the house. Apples Find My app delivers these notifications, but Googles Find Hub does not. However, if you have a Chipolo device and allow its companion app to run in the background on your Android phone, left-behind alerts are enabled. Tile trackers require a yearly subscription to enable the alerts (currently $7 to $25 monthly). Both AirTags and Tiles allow you to turn off separation alerts at certain locations, meaning you can set your home as a safe place where items can be left behind, but alerts will still trigger elsewhere. In our tests, AirTags and others using the Find My network alerted us between the 600- and 1,400-foot mark. Tiles sent a notification after about an average of 1,500 feet and were more consistent when using an Android phone than an iPhone. Chipolo Pop tags paired with an Android phone and using its own app sent an alert when we got around 450 feet away from our tagged item. Connectivity and volume The feature you may use most often is the key finder function, which makes the tracker ring when you hit a button in the app. With Apple's AirTags, you can say Hey Siri, where are my keys? and the assistant will ring the tag (assuming it doesn't mistakenly think you're asking for directions to the Floridian archipelago). You can also use the Find Item app in your Apple Watch to ring your fob. Asking smart home/personal assistants like Alexa or the Google Assistant to find your keys will work with Chipolo, Tile and Pebblebee trackers linked to your Android device. If you have your tag but cant find your phone, some trackers will let you ring them to find your handset. SmartTag2 fobs reliably rang our Galaxy phone when we double-pressed it. Tile trackers have the same feature. Chipolo Pop and Loop trackers can ring your phone, but uses the Chipolo app to do so, which can run concurrently with the Find My or Find Hub connection. AirTags and third-party tags using Googles network dont offer this feature. The volume of the Bluetooth tracking device may determine whether you can find an item buried in your couch cushions or in a noisy room. AirTags have a reputation for being on the quiet side, and that aligned with what we saw (measuring roughly 65 decibels). Chipolos Pop tags and Tiles Pro model measure between 83 and 86 decibels on average. Pebblebees new Clip 5 was the loudest of any tag weve tested, clocking in at 97 ear-splitting decibels. Design and alternative formats Design will determine what you can attach the tracker to. AirTags are small, smooth discs that cant be secured to anything without accessories , which are numerous, but that is an additional cost to consider. Chipolo, Pebblebee and Tile offer trackers with holes that easily attach to your key ring, and all three companies also offer card-shaped versions designed to fit in your wallet. Pebblebee Clip 5 tags come with a handy carabiner-style key ring. You can even get trackers embedded into useful items like luggage locks. The SmartLock from KeySmart is a TSA-approved luggage lock, but in addition to the three digit code, its also a Bluetooth tracker thats compatible with Apple Find My. It wasnt quite as loud as other trackers in my tests, and the range wasnt as long, but it paired easily and worked with Apples finding network just like an AirTag. Battery life AirTag, Tile Pro, SmartTag2, HyperShield and Chipolo Pop fobs use replaceable batteries and each should go for at least a year before needing to be swapped. Pebblebee Clip 5 and Chipolo Loop trackers are rechargeable via a standard USB-C port. The Clip 5 has a long battery life claim at 12 months. The Loop should go for six months on a charge. Trackers shaped like credit cards, aka wallet trackers, don't have replaceable batteries, but some, like the Chipolo Card and the Pebblebee Card 5 are USB-C rechargeable. Stalking, theft and data privacy AirTags have gotten a lot of attention and even prompted some lawsuits for Apple due to bad actors planting them on people in order to stalk them. While this fact may not influence your buying decision, any discussion of Bluetooth trackers should note what steps Apple , Google and Tile have taken to address the issue. Last year, all the major players in the Bluetooth tracker business teamed up to combat misuse and standardize how unauthorized tracking detection and alerts work for iOS and Android. Last year, Tile launched a feature called Anti-Theft Mode , which enables you to render one of its trackers undetectable by others. That means if someone steals your tagged item, they wont be able to use the anti-stalking features to find and disable the tracker. That sort of negates one of the major ways potential stalking victims can stay safe, so Tile hopes ID verification and a $1 million penalty will deter misuse. As a theft deterrent, a Bluetooth tracker may or may not be the best option. Anecdotal stories abound in which people have recovered stolen goods using a tracker but other tales are more cautionary . Neither Apple nor Google promotes its trackers or finding networks as a way to deal with theft. GPS trackers, on the other hand, are typically marketed for just that purpose. How we tested Bluetooth trackers Before deciding on which trackers to test, we researched the field, looking at user reviews on Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers, along with discussions on sites like Reddit. We also checked out what other publications had to say on the matter before narrowing down our options. Heres the full list of every tracker we tested: Apple AirTag Chipolo Card Spot Chipolo One Spot Chipolo One Chipolo Card Chipolo Loop Chipolo Pop HyperShield KeySmart SmartLock Motorola Moto Tag Pebblebee Clip 5 Pebblebee Clip Universal Pebblebee Clip Samsung SmartTag 2 Chipolo One Point Pebblebee Clip for Android Tile Pro (2024) Tile Mate (2024) Tile Mate (2022) Tile Pro (2022) Tile Slim (2022) After acquiring the trackers, I tested each one over the course of a few weeks using both an iPhone 11 followed by an iPhone 16 and a Samsung Galaxy S22 then an S23 Ultra. I recreated likely user experiences, such as losing and leaving items behind at home and out in the city. I planted trackers at different spots near downtown Albuquerque, mostly concentrated in and around the University of New Mexico and the surrounding neighborhood of Nob Hill. Later, I conducted tests in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. Each test was performed multiple times, both while walking and driving and I used the measure distance feature on Google Maps to track footage for alerts. I paid attention to how easy the app was to use, how reliable the phone-to-tracker connection was and any other perks and drawbacks that came up during regular use. As new trackers come to market, or as we learn of worthy models to try, I'll test them and add the results to this guide. Other Bluetooth trackers we tested Motorola Moto Tag The Moto Tag haunts me. At this very moment, my Galaxy phone says the fob is Near you right now. But I dont know where. I tap to play a sound and the Find Hub tries, but ultimately says it cant. I tap the Find Nearby function thats supposed to visually guide you to the tag. I parade my phone around the house like a divining rod, take it down into the basement, walk it all over the garage. Nothing. But the Hub app unendingly says the Moto Tag is Near you right now and I get flashes of every old-school horror movie where the telephone operator tells the soon-to-be victim that the call is coming from inside the house. Its partly my fault. I tend to keep good tabs on the gadgets I test for work. But during my most recent move, the tiny green disc didnt make it into the safety of my review unit cabinet after relocation. Perhaps in retribution for my neglect, the Moto Tag keeps itself just out of reach. Taunting me. Ill let you know if I ever find it, but in the meantime, its clear this finding device doesnt want to be found. The recommended tags in this guide will serve you better. Tile Pro and Tile Mate (2024) Tile recently came out with a new suite of trackers, replacing the Tile Mate, Tile Pro, Tile Sticker and Tile Slim with updated models . In addition to fun new colors for the Mate and Slim, Tile added an SOS feature that can send a notification to your Life360 Circle when you triple press the button on the tracker. Its a clever addition that turns your keys into a panic button, something offered by personal safety companies as standalone devices. There are a few caveats: You and the people you want to notify in an emergency will need the Life360 app installed on your phones. If you want your Tile to also trigger a call to emergency services, youll need a $15-per-month Life360 subscription (thats in addition to a Tile membership, which starts at $3/month or $30 annually). And enabling the SOS triple-press disables the ability to ring your phone with the fob. I tested the SOS feature and it did indeed send a text message to my Circle, with the message that I had triggered an SOS and a link to a website that showed my current location. I thought it odd that the link didnt open the Life360 app (which shows the location of users' phones), but I wasnt as much concerned with Tiles personal safety features as I was with the tracking capabilities, which turned out to be less than ideal. For my tests, I planted Tile trackers in a densely populated area of Seattle (about 15,000 people per square mile). After setting the trackers to lost in the Tile app, I waited. After four hours, one of the trackers was not discovered by the finding community, so I went and retrieved it. Another fob I planted alerted me that the tracker had been found by the Tile community after three hours but the location it gave me was off by a third of a mile. I then decided to plant a tracker in the busiest place I could think of the dried fruit and nuts aisle of a Trader Joes on a Friday evening before a major holiday. It still took over a half an hour before another Tile user anonymously pinged my lost tracker. In my tests with Samsungs trackers and the fobs on Googles Find Hub network, it took around ten minutes for them to be discovered. AirTags took half that time and all were tested in a far less populated city. Tile's four hours with no ping and over a half hour before getting a hit in a crowded TJs were pretty long stretches. Tile devices work with both mobile operating systems and its latest models are indeed louder than they were before. But they arent as quick to connect and you need to pay for a membership to activate left-behind alerts. And when you do, those notifications dont kick in as quickly as they do with competing trackers. Bluetooth tracker FAQs Which Bluetooth tracker has the longest range? Both the Tile Pro and the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 claim a maximum range of around 400 feet, which is longer than the 300-foot claim for Chipolos Pop tags. The Pebblebee Clip 5 claims a 500-foot range, though other trackers with a shorter claimed range often performed better in our tests. Apple doesnt make range claims for AirTags, but 30 meters (100 feet) seems to be the general consensus for those fobs. Any Bluetooth signal, of course, is dependent on a few factors. Obstacles like walls and people can block the signal, so a clear line of sight is the only way to achieve the maximum range. Other signals, like Wi-Fi, can also interfere with Bluetooth connections. Even high humidity can have an effect and lessen the distance at which your phone will connect to your tracker. Remember, when considering the range of Bluetooth trackers, the size of the finding network also comes into play. This is the number of nearby phones that can be used to anonymously ping your tracker when your own phone is out of Bluetooth range. As of now, Apple AirTags have the largest network, followed by Googles Find Hub, Samsungs finding community and finally, Tiles Life360 members. What is the best Bluetooth tracker for a car? Bluetooth trackers are designed to track small, personal items like keys, jackets, backpacks and the like. All trackers have safeguards to prohibit the tag from being used to stalk people, so most will alert someone if a tracker that does not belong to them is detected following them. That means a car thief may get tipped off that theres a tracker in the car theyre trying to steal. That said, youll see plenty of stories about people finding their car thanks to a Bluetooth tracker. Some police departments have even handed out trackers to combat high rates of carjacking. In most instances, the tracker of choice has been AirTags thanks to their wide finding network. If youre looking for a tracker for your car, you may want to look into GPS trackers, some of which are designed for just that purpose. How accurate are Bluetooth trackers? Accuracy for Bluetooth trackers can be looked at in two ways: Finding items nearby and finding items misplaced outside your home. For nearby items, youll most often use the ring function on the device to hunt it down. Apples AirTags also use ultra-wideband technology, which creates directional navigation on your phone to get you within a foot of the tracker. Accurately finding lost items outside your home depends on the size of the finding network. Since this relies on the serendipity of a random phone passing within Bluetooth range of your tracker, the more phones on a given network, the better. And since Bluetooth ranges and distance estimates are only precise within about a meter or so, getting pings from more than one phone will help locating items. Here again, its worth noting that Apples Find My network is the largest, followed by Google, Samsung and Tile (both Chipolo and Pebblebee have fobs that work with the Apple and Google networks). Recent Updates February 2026: Added Pebblebee Clip 5 as the best rechargeable device. Added HyperShield tag as a budget pick. Updated FAQs for accuracy. October 2025 : Added Chipolo Loop as a new pick for best rechargeable Bluetooth tracker. Detailed our experience with the Moto Tag and KeySmart SmartLock. Updated details about separation alerts and Ultra Wideband tech. August 2025 : Updated the name of Google's finding network to Find Hub, instead of Find My Device. Added details about Pebblebee's new Alert feature. Added a table of contents. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-bluetooth-tracker-140028377.html?src=rss

Crunchyroll increases prices for all anime streaming plans

Anime fans won't be getting any respite from the streaming service price hikes that now feel inevitable on every platform every couple of years. Crunchyroll announced today that it will be increasing the monthly costs for all its plans by $2. That means the Fan tier will now run you $10 a month, the Mega Fan Tier is $14 a month and the Ultimate Fan Tier is $18 a month. The platform introduced its Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan options in 2020, with both at long last giving viewers an option to watch shows offline. The silver lining in today's price changes is that the Fan members are getting the same offline viewing option, although it's limited to one device. Crunchyroll is further enticing the people who might now be more interested in the Fan level by offering a discount on the annual plan for that tier; you can get a year's access for a limited time for $67. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/crunchyroll-increases-prices-for-all-anime-streaming-plans-234231265.html?src=rss

Moltbook, the AI social network, exposed human credentials due to vibe-coded security flaw

Moltbook bills itself as a social network for AI agents. That's a wacky enough concept in the first place, but the site apparently exposed the credentials for thousands of its human users. The flaw was discovered by cybersecurity firm Wiz, and its team assisted Moltbook with addressing the vulnerability. The issue appears to be the result of the entire Reddit-style forum being vibe-coded; Moltbook's human founder posted a few days ago on X that he didn't write one line of code for the platform and instead directed an AI assistant to create the whole setup. According to the blog post from Wiz analyzing the issue, Moltbook had a vulnerability that allowed for 1.5 million API authentication tokens, 35,000 email addresses and private messages between agents to be fully read and accessed. Wiz also found that the vulnerability could let unauthenticated human users edit live Moltbook posts. In other words, there is no way to verify whether a Moltbook post was authored by an AI agent or a human user posing as one. The revolutionary AI social network was largely humans operating fleets of bots, the company's analysis concluded. So ends another cautionary tale reminding us that just because AI can do a task doesnt mean it'll do it correctly. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/moltbook-the-ai-social-network-exposed-human-credentials-due-to-vibe-coded-security-flaw-230324567.html?src=rss

Ubisoft fires employee who publicly criticized its RTO plan

Ubisoft continues to raise eyebrows around how it is treating employees as it attempts a business overhaul. David Michaud-Cromp, a level design team lead at Ubisoft Montreal, said last week that he was suspended for three days without pay after voicing opposition to the company's return to office mandate. Today, Michaud-Cromp posted on LinkedIn that he has been fired. I was terminated by Ubisoft, effective immediately, he wrote. This was not my decision. A spokesperson for Ubisoft gave Kotaku the following statement regarding Michaud-Cromp's dismissal: Sharing feedback or opinions respectfully does not lead to a dismissal. We have a clear Code of Conduct that outlines our shared expectations for working together safely and respectfully, which employees review and sign each year.When that is breached, our established procedures apply, including an escalation of measures depending on the nature, severity, and repetition of the breach. We've reached out to the company for additional confirmation and comment. This is the latest in a sequence of bad press Ubisoft has faced regarding its workforce. Shortly after many employees at Ubisoft Halifax unionized, the parent company shut down the studio. In announcing the closure, Ubisoft said the move was part of a broader cost-cutting endeavor across its operations; it shut down a support studio and cut more jobs later in January , with even more layoffs proposed . Most recently, unions representing other Ubisoft workers called for a three-day strike in response to the penny-pinching and worsening our working conditions they alleged of the company's management. All these issues could all be coincidental timing. But if so, they're coincidences that don't reflect favorably on Ubisoft. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-fires-employee-who-publicly-criticized-its-rto-plan-220913747.html?src=rss

France might seek restrictions on VPN use in campaign to keep minors off social media

France may take additional steps to prevent minors from accessing social media platforms. As its government advances a proposed ban on social media use for anyone under age 15, some leaders are already looking to add further restrictions. During an appearance on public broadcast service Franceinfo, Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs Anne Le Hnanff said VPNs might be the next target. If [this legislation] allows us to protect a very large majority of children, we will continue. And VPNs are the next topic on my list, she said . A virtual private network would potentially allow French citizens younger than 15 to circumnavigate the social media ban. We've already seen VPN's experience a popularity spike in the UK last year after similar laws were passed over age-gating content. However, a VPN also offers benefits for online privacy, and introducing age verification requirements where your personal data must be submitted negates a large part of these services' appeal. The French social media ban is still a work in progress. France's National Assembly voted in favor of the restrictions last week with a result of 116-23, moving it ahead for discussion in the country's Senate. While a single comment doesn't mean that France will in fact ban VPNs for any demographic, it does point to the direction some of the country's leaders want to take. Critics responded to Le Hnanff's statements with worry that these attempts at protective measures were veering into an authoritarian direction. The actions in France echo several other legislative pushes around the world aimed at reducing children and teens' access to social media and other potentially sensitive content online. The US had seen 25 state-level laws for age verification introduced in the past two years, which has created a new set of concerns around users' privacy and personal data, particularly when there has been no attempt to standardize how that information will be collected or protected. When data breaches at large corporations are already all too common, it's hard to trust that the individual sites and services that suddenly need to build an age verification process won't be an easy target for hacks. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/france-might-seek-restrictions-on-vpn-use-in-campaign-to-keep-minors-off-social-media-205308716.html?src=rss

Firefox will soon offer a way to block all of its generative AI features

Like practically every other tech company under the sun, Mozilla has been jamming generative AI features into its products . The organization has now acknowledged that not everyone wants things like plagiarism machines chatbots in the Firefox sidebar , so its giving you the option to turn off all of that. On February 24 (or earlier in Firefox Nightly builds), Mozilla will roll out Firefox 148 , which will include an AI controls section in the desktop browser settings. From here, youll be able to block current and future generative AI features, or only enable select tools. At the jump, youll have the option to disable (or enable) chatbots in the sidebar, automated translations and alt text generation for PDFs. Youll also be able to nix a tool called AI-enhanced tab grouping (which offers suggestions of related tabs and group names), as well as webpage previews that display key points before you actually click on a link. If youd prefer to get rid of all of these and for Firefox to not bother you with pop-ups and notifications about current and upcoming AI features just make sure the Block AI enhancements toggle is on. Perhaps Mozilla has come to realize that, rather than having AI cruft soaking up resources and causing apps to bloat, what many people actually want is a fast, secure and streamlined web browser. At the very least, giving users a way to opt out of features they dont want is a positive step. Now then, Google, about AI Overviews... This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/firefox-will-soon-offer-a-way-to-block-all-of-its-generative-ai-features-203132958.html?src=rss

Sonys flagship WF-1000XM6 earbuds have been leaked on a retail site

Sony's long-anticipated flagship WF-1000XM6 earbuds have leaked online, according to a report by The Walkman Blog and posts on Reddit . The retailer Power Buy posted a listing for the earbuds, complete with multiple photos and some specs. Let's get to the specs. We don't know a lot, but the listing does suggest the earbuds will boast an IPX4 water-resistance rating and ANC/transparency modes. None of this is all that surprising, though we don't have any details regarding the audio drivers or anything like that. The Walkman Blog / Power Buy / Sony We do know what they look like, assuming the listing is accurate. There are two colorways, black and white, with a pill-shaped design that differs from the previous iterations. The case looks like a standard earbud case. One interesting design aspect is that the eartips are slightly bigger than with previous models. This could indicate a larger air channel, which would translate to an increased bass response. Earbuds tend to struggle with bass, so this could be a nifty little upgrade. However, that's conjecture and we won't know more until Sony does its own official drop. It's been well over two years since the company released the WF-1000XM5 earbuds , so the refresh is long overdue. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sonys-flagship-wf-1000xm6-earbuds-have-been-leaked-on-a-retail-site-194146960.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy A17 5G review: A respectable and affordable Android option

Buying a good budget phone can be a challenge. High-end handsets continue to get more features, but on the other end of the spectrum, there are only so many things you can skimp on before a device becomes too compromised. With the Galaxy A17, Samsung is trying to balance both sides of that equation with something that sports a solid design, a bright screen, decent cameras and respectable battery life for just $200. And despite some flaws, the company has succeeded at making a capable phone that fits into almost every budget . Design and display The Galaxy A17 does a good job of demonstrating how all plastics aren't the same. Despite having a polycarbonate frame and back, the phone never feels cheap. Everything from its buttons to its camera module feels nice and tight. The optical image stabilization system used for its rear shooters rattles, though thats something even $1,000 flagships suffer from, so its not a big deal. Some small concessions for cost savings include a teardrop cutout for its front selfie cam and a small chin beneath its display, but considering its price, they're very forgivable. There's also only a single mono speaker and instead of an in-screen fingerprint sensor, Samsung built one into the power button on its side. Though for some, the latter might actually be a bonus. The Galaxy A17's 6.7-inch OLED display is one of the phone's best components thanks to solid brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Meanwhile, one thing the A17 has that you don't get on high-end handsets anymore is a microSD card slot (that's shared with its SIM tray) for expandable storage. This gives you a cheap way to increase the phone's base 128GB of space and considering how rare this is nowadays, its another win for people looking for a truly affordable device. The Galaxy A17's screen is also surprisingly nice for its price, as it sports a 6.7-inch OLED display with up to 800 nits of brightness. Granted, its refresh rate tops out at 90Hz instead of the 120Hz you get on more expensive fare. But once again, considering how much it costs, I'm not complaining. Especially when you remember that base iPhones were still saddled with 60Hz panels as recently as 2024. Performance One area where budget phones often struggle is performance because skimping on RAM or the processor can save manufacturers a lot of money. And while the Galaxy A17 is generally fine considering its price bracket, I really wish Samsung had opted for a slightly newer chip. The phone comes with just 4GB of RAM (though there are slightly pricier versions with more), 128GB of onboard storage and an Exynos 1330 SoC, the latter of which is nearly three years old. The Galaxy A17 comes with three rear cameras, but its really more like two because one of those is a 2MP macro cam. Sam Rutherford for Engadget At first, I was really worried because during the initial setup, the phone was a laggy, stuttery mess. Thankfully, after signing in, giving the phone some time to download updates in the background and making sure all of its apps were up to date, performance improved significantly. To be clear, this thing still isn't a speed demon and when you're multitasking or quickly switching between heavy apps, you may notice some slowdown. I also wish touch input felt a bit more responsive because sometimes when you tap an icon, there's a small delay before anything happens. But thankfully, it's relatively minor, and in most situations, the phone is snappy enough. Cameras The A17 comes with a 13-megapixel selfie camera and three rear shooters, though in practice it's really more like two because one of those is a 2MP macro cam, which doesn't get much use unless you take a lot of up-close photos. That said, the phone takes better pictures than you might expect given its price. In well-lit conditions, both its 50MP main and 5MP ultrawide cams don't give you much to complain about. Images look sharp and sport vivid colors. However, in low-light situations, there's an obvious difference in quality between the A17 and more expensive midrange phones like Pixel 9a. In a shot of some fruit in my dimly lit kitchen, the A17's pic looks soft and features washed-out colors compared to what Google's phone produced. Then, when I went outside and snapped a photo of a car still buried after the recent snowstorm, textures on the slush in the road, along with various highlights and shadows looked worse in the A17's images. So while the phone can hold its own, camera quality is still one of the biggest reasons you might want to consider upgrading to a more expensive handset. Battery life The bottom of the Galaxy A17 features the phone's USB-C port and its single, mono speaker. Sam Rutherford for Engadget For a phone with a 5,000mAh battery and a low-power chip, the Galaxy A17 didn't last quite as long as I expected. On our local video rundown test, it lasted just over 23 hours (23:08), which is decent, but also five hours less than the Pixel 9a (28:04). On the other hand, its wired charging speed of 25 watts is more than enough. Just don't be surprised when you plop it on a wireless charging pad and nothing happens because the phone doesn't support that. Wrap-up If you are hard-capped at $200, the Samsung Galaxy A17 is a surprisingly impressive device. It's got a solid build, decent cameras with a handful of different lenses, respectable battery life and even a built-in microSD card slot for extra storage. You even get six years of OS and security updates, which is significantly longer than almost all of its similarly-priced rivals. And while its performance could be smoother, it's not laggy enough to get truly bothered about on a phone this affordable. Even though the Galaxy A17 is made out of plastic, the phone still doesn't feel cheap. Sam Rutherford for Engadget For those with wiggle room in their gadget allowance, I would seriously consider looking at a version with 8GB of RAM, which is just $30 more . Alternatively, the Pixel 9a remains my favorite Android phone when it comes to value for money and its $399 (down from its launch price of $499). But if money is tight, the Galaxy A17 delivers everything you need without blowing up your budget. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-a17-5g-review-a-respectable-and-affordable-android-option-190000154.html?src=rss

ROG made a gaming headset for audiophile nerds

ASUS ROG just announced the Kithara gaming headset , which is a device intended to bring audiophile-grade sound to gaming. It was developed in conjunction with manufacturer HiFiMan , a company that specializes in high-end audio devices . The Kithara is the company's first open-back planar magnetic gaming headset. ROG says it was designed to please gamers who demand absolute clarity, precision and realism. The headphones feature 100mm planar magnetic drivers that have been tuned specifically for gaming. The company says this results in a wide frequency response, low distortion and a level of detail that reveals subtle positional cues such as footsteps, reloads and distance movement. ROG boasts that these audio cues remain distinct even during moments of chaotic gameplay, potentially making the headphones a great choice for competitive gamers. The open-back design allows for clear separation across bass, mids and treble, which should also make the headphones great for listening to music. It features a full-band boom microphone with a high signal-to-noise ratio. There are separate signal paths for audio and microphone inputs, which significantly reduces crosstalk. ASUS ROG The headphones have been built for maximum versatility, so there's a balanced headphone cable with swappable plugs. They support various connection types, including 3.5mm, 4.4mm and 6.3mm. They also ship with a USB-C to dual 3.5mm adapter. These are gaming headphones, so comfort is also a priority. The metal frame features an adjustable fit and there's a multi-layer padded headband and two sets of interchangeable ear cushions. The ROG Kithara headphones are available now and cost $300. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/rog-made-a-gaming-headset-for-audiophile-nerds-184737937.html?src=rss

OpenAI brings its Codex coding app to Mac, with new multi-agent abilities included

Since last spring, OpenAI has offered Codex . What started life as the company's response to Claude Code is becoming something more sophisticated with the release of a new dedicated macOS app. At its most basic form, Codex is a programming agent capable of writing code for users, but now it can also manage multiple AI assistants that can work together to complete more complex tasks. OpenAI gives an example of how this could work in practice. The company used Codex to create a Mario Kart-like racing game, complete with a selection of different playable cars, eight tracks and a collection of powerups players can use against the competition. For a single AI agent, generating a game from scratch, with all the needed visual assets, would be a tough ask, but Codex was able to complete the task because it could delegate the work of making the game to different models with complementary capabilities. For example, it turned to GPT Image for the visual assets, while a separate model simultaneously coded the web game. It took on the roles of designer, game developer and QA tester to validate its work by actually playing the game, OpenAI says of the process. If that sounds complicated, OpenAI has tried to make it more approachable with a section of the app titled Skills. The feature bundles instructions, resources, and scripts so Codex can reliably connect to tools, run workflows, and complete tasks according to your teams preferences, the company explains. The Codex app includes a dedicated interface to create and manage skills. You can explicitly ask Codex to use specific skills, or let it automatically use them based on the task at hand. As you might imagine, Codex can also automate repetitive tasks. A dedicated Automations section of the app allows you to schedule tasks, which the software will complete in the background. At OpenAI, weve been using Automations to handle the repetitive but important tasks, like daily issue triage, finding and summarizing CI failures, generating daily release briefs, checking for bugs, and more, the company said. The release of the Codex macOS app comes as AI startups explore what a group of AI agents working in parallel can accomplish. At the start of the year, Anysphere, the company behind Cursor, found it was possible to build a working web browser from scratch using such an approach, though it did encounter problems along the way. For a limited time, OpenAI is making Codex available to ChatGPT Free and Go users so they can see what's possible with this new software. At the same time, the company is doubling rates for Plus and Pro subscribers. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-brings-its-codex-coding-app-to-mac-with-new-multi-agent-abilities-included-183103262.html?src=rss

A developer turned Wikipedia into a social media-style feed

While it's important to stay informed about what's going on in the world, endlessly scrolling through your social media feeds and absorbing what's likely to be a largely negative influx of information can't be great for your mental wellbeing. Perhaps with an eye on stopping you from doomscrolling, developer Lyra Rebane created Xikipedia , a social media-style feed of Wikipedia entries. The web app algorithmically displays info from Simple Wikipedia. It is made as a demonstration of how even a basic non-[machine learning] algorithm with no data from other users can quickly learn what you engage with to suggest you more similar content, the Xikipedia landing page reads. No data is collected or shared here, the algorithm runs locally and the data disappears once you refresh or close the tab. You can opt to see entries from certain categories (including custom ones) and you can like posts, each of which is a summary of the relevant Simple Wikipedia entry. Liking a post makes it more likely for posts from the same category, parent categories and linked articles to appear in your feed, Rebane explained . You can click or tap on a post to visit the full article. It's important to note that, since Xikipedia pulls text and images from random articles, you'll probably see some NSFW material if you scroll for long enough, so be warned. You'll also likely need to wait a beat for Xikipedia to load its 40MB of data. As someone who has a bookmark that takes me to a random Wikipedia article whenever I click it, I love the idea of Xikipedia. The Simple English Wikipedia has more than 278,000 articles, so there are hundreds of thousands of posts available to scroll through. However, it doesnt seem to be updated as often as the main version of Wikipedia. The discography section of one musician's page I ended up on was missing their two most recent albums. Still, it's worth treating this like Wikipedia proper: as a starting point for discovering new things (sort of in the tradition of StumbleUpon). This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/a-developer-turned-wikipedia-into-a-social-media-style-feed-174924280.html?src=rss

The best board games to gift and play this year

It's become cliche to say that we live in a golden age of board games, but to paraphrase the great stoic philosopher Andy Bernard, it's great to know you're in the good old days before you've left them. Great titles are still coming out by the thousands every year, from crowd-pleasing party games to genre-bending, theme-heavy Euros. Whether the gamer in your life is looking for a mind-warping challenge, a fun evening with friends or something in-between, we've got new releases or old favorites they'll love. Best board games to gift and play Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-board-games-to-gift-and-play-this-year-125529271.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 MVP candidate 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. It's hard to believe we're less than a week away from the championship game, which will be held this Sunday, Feb. 8 with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. But before we can get to all of that action, we've also got the Pro Bowl Games on Tuesday and the NFL Honors on Thursday to get through first. Like all other Sunday Night Football games this season, the championship game will be broadcast on NBC, and will stream live on Peacock. 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

Blizzard's quality assurance workers finally have a union contract

Almost three years after starting the bargaining process with Microsoft, quality assurance workers at two Blizzard locations have ratified a union contract . The agreement covers 60 workers at Blizzard Albany and Blizzard Austin. The agreement includes guaranteed pay increases across the three years of the contract, assurances that workers will be given fair credits and recognition on games that ship, discrimination-free disability accommodations, restrictions on crunch (i.e. mandatory overtime) and protection to immigrant workers from unfair discipline and loss of seniority while streamlining legal verification. Stronger rules around the use of AI are included in the contract as well. At a time when layoffs are hitting our industry hard, today is another big step in building a better future for video game workers at every level, Blizzard Albany quality analyst Brock Davis said in a statement. For quality assurance testers, this contract provides us wages to live on, increased job security benefits and guardrails around artificial intelligence in the workplace. As with other unions in Microsoft's game divisions, the Blizzard QA workers organized with the Communications Workers of America. This marks the third union agreement at Microsoft after ZeniMax and Raven Software workers ratified contracts last summer. Several other Blizzard divisions have unionized within the last year, including the cinematics team , Overwatch developers and a unit that works on Diablo . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/blizzards-quality-assurance-workers-finally-have-a-union-contract-162614979.html?src=rss

ExpressVPN two-year plans are up to 81 percent off right now

ExpressVPN is back on sale again, and its two-year plans are up to 81 percent off right now. You can get the Advanced tier for $88 for 28 months. This is marked down from the $392 that this time frame normally costs. On a per-month basis, it works out to roughly $3.14 for the promo 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. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/expressvpn-two-year-plans-are-up-to-81-percent-off-right-now-180602205.html?src=rss

Super Bowl 2026 TV deals: The best sales this week on OLEDs and other smart TVs 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 1080p FHD smart TV for $98 (18 percent off) Roku 24-inch 720p smart TV for $100 (18 percent off) TCL 40-inch Class S3 1080p smart TV for $150 (21 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. Sony 55-inch Bravia XR8B 4K smart TV for $998 (9 percent 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 75-inch QD7 Mini-LED 4K smart TV for $548 (16 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. Sonos big game sale up to 20 percent off home theater gear: Get the Sonos Beam soundbar for $130 off, the Era 300 speaker for $100 off and more Roku Streaming Stick HD 2025 for $16 (47 percent off) Roku Ultra streamer 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-this-week-on-oleds-and-other-smart-tvs-ahead-of-kickoff-160000485.html?src=rss

The Apple Watch Series 11 is back on sale for $299

Whether you're one of the few people still keeping up with New Year's resolutions or just want an upgraded smartwatch, now is a good time to get an Apple Watch. Currently, the Apple Watch Series 11 is on sale for $299, down from $399. The 25 percent discount brings the 2025 model back down to its record-low price. We named the Apple Watch Series 11 as our choice for best smartwatch overall . It scored a 90 in our review thanks to its 24 hours-plus of battery life and a thin, light design that's easy to wear. It also offers new health metrics, including Apple's hypertension alerts system and Sleep Score. The Apple Watch Series 11 deal is available on the 42mm case with a small/medium band. It also only includes GPS and four colorways: the Jet Black and Space Gray aluminum cases with a Black sport band, the Rose Gold aluminum case with a Light Blush sport band and the Silver aluminum case with a Purple Fog sport band. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-11-is-back-on-sale-for-299-151616498.html?src=rss

Stranger Things: Tales From 85 hits Netflix on April 23

While the main series might be over , Netflix is far from done with Stranger Things . The first spin-off to hit the streaming service will be Stranger Things: Tales From 85 . The company had said that the animated show would arrive sometime this year and now, alongside a new trailer, it confirmed a release date of April 23. The trailer is a bit of an odd watch given that Stranger Things wrapped up only a month ago. Going from that to this animated style with a whole new voice cast is jarring, but a fun gag at the end of the clip taps into certain misconceptions the audience might have. Stranger Things: Tales From 85 is set during the winter between seasons 2 and 3 of the original show. After Eleven closes the gate to the Upside Down, some nasties from the other dimension still persist in our heroes' world. The trailer doesn't give too much away on the story front otherwise, but there's a suitably hairy moment involving a circular saw. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/stranger-things-tales-from-85-hits-netflix-on-april-23-150436136.html?src=rss

The latest iPad mini is $100 off right now

We've finally made it to February, but, with the ongoing long nights, you might want a pick-me-up to get you through the rest of winter. Take the Apple iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip , which is on sale for $400, down from $500. Its small size is perfect for cozying up on the couch or to use on your daily commute. Apple released this iPad mini in late 2024 and it was a solid update. We gave it an 83 in our review thanks to the power of its A17 Pro chip and that it comes with a minimum of 128GB of storage. The model currently on sale comes with 128GB, Wi-Fi and all four color options: Blue, Purple, Space Gray and Starlight. We named the Apple iPad mini our favorite compact iPad though, to be fair, its only competitor is itself. Still, it's a good iPad with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, Apple Intelligence and 12MP Wide back and 12MP Ultra Wide cameras. For 20 percent off, it's a great option for a light, useful way to entertain yourself through the rest of winter and beyond. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-latest-ipad-mini-is-100-off-right-now-140900983.html?src=rss

Anker's 45W Nano charger with smart display is $10 off

Anker rolled out a bunch of new chargers and other gear at CES 2026 , including a cute one that's already on sale. The new Nano charger with smart display, which is an upgrade to the existing Nano charger in Anker's lineup, is on sale for $30 right now when you clip an on-page coupon on Amazon. That's $10 off the regular price. 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-45w-nano-charger-with-smart-display-is-10-off-160707508.html?src=rss

The 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is 33 percent off right now

MicroSD Express cards are still a little hard to find, considering they're pretty new and only really started becoming popular last year once the Switch 2 came out. These upgraded versions of microSD cards are the only ones compatible with the Switch 2 for expanding its storage, os if you're already starting to feel the crunch on your console, it's worth picking one up. Samsung's P9 microSD Express card is on sale right now you can grab the 512GB version of $80, which is 33 percent off and one of the best prices we've seen. 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/the-512gb-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-is-33-percent-off-right-now-143849000.html?src=rss

TikTok says it's 'back to normal' after winter storm-related outages

TikTok is finally back to normal in the US after days of technical issues and outages tied to winter storms. Less than a week after companies like Oracle took ownership of TikTok's domestic operations , the platform faced a major power outage when one of its primary US data center sites run by Oracle got taken down by the storm. The problems started last Monday, January 26, when TikTok announced it was working on a major infrastructure issue and warned of bugs, time-out requests, missing earnings, and more. The next day TikTok shared that progress has been made but there were still some issues. It added, Creators may temporarily see '0' views or likes on videos, and your earnings may look like they're missing. This is a display error caused by server timeouts; your actual data and engagement are safe. Then, yesterday, February 1, TikTok claimed the problem was straightened out and that users shouldn't experience any more related issues. We're sorry about the issues experienced by our U.S. community. We appreciate how much you count on TikTok to create, discover, and connect with what matters to you, the platform stated in its update. Thank you for your patience and understanding. A number of US users have uninstalled TikTok in response to its new ownership and technical issues. Some users also claimed that TikTok was censoring what they could post or what others saw. For instance, The Guardian reports that many people faced issues sharing videos about ICE agents killing Alex Pretti and general anti-ICE content. On January 26, analytics firm Sensor Tower told CNBC that uninstalls of the app had increased by over 150 percent during the five days since its change in ownership, when compared to the three months before. At the same time, independent app and competitor UpScrolled saw a surge in downloads. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/tiktok-says-its-back-to-normal-after-winter-storm-related-outages-114848212.html?src=rss

The best noise-canceling earbuds for 2026

Noise-canceling earbuds have become an everyday essential for a lot of people, whether youre trying to survive a noisy commute, concentrate in a shared workspace or just carve out a little quiet time. Advances in active noise cancellation and audio processing mean todays best earbuds do a much better job of cutting through background noise, without forcing you to move up to bulky over-ear headphones. The latest models also balance sound quality with convenience, offering stable Bluetooth connections, comfortable fits and battery life that can last through a full day with help from their charging cases. From premium options with the strongest ANC to more affordable picks that still get the basics right, theres no shortage of solid choices depending on what you value most. Best noise-cancelling earbuds for 2026 How to choose the best noise-canceling earbuds for you Design Most true wireless earbuds these days have a traditional design thats a round bud that fits in your ear canals. However, there are some variations on the formula in terms of shape, size and additional fitting elements. Some companies include fins or fit wings to help hold their in-ear earbuds in place while others opt for an over-the-ear hook on more sporty models . Youll want to pay attention to these things to make sure they align with how you plan to use them. Also consider overall size and weight since those two factors can impact the fit. A less-than-ideal seal due to a weird fit will affect the performance of active noise-canceling earbuds. Type of noise cancellation Next, youll want to look at the type of ANC a set of earbuds offer. Youll see terms like hybrid active noise cancellation or hybrid adaptive active noise cancellation, and there are key differences between the two. A hybrid ANC setup uses microphones on the inside and the outside of the device to detect ambient noise. By analyzing input from both mics, a hybrid system can combat more sounds than regular ANC, but its at a constant level that doesnt change. Adaptive ANC takes the hybrid configuration a step further by continuously adjusting the noise cancellation for changes in your environment and any leakage around the padding of the ear cups or ear tips. Adaptive ANC is also better at combating wind noise, which can really kill your vibe while using earbuds outdoors. For this top pick list of the best noise-canceling earbuds, Im only considering products with hybrid ANC or adaptive ANC setups because those are the most effective at blocking noise in noisy environments. Customization Youll also want to check to see if the ANC system on a prospective set of earbuds offers presets or adjustable levels of noise reduction. These can help you dial in the amount of ANC you need for various environments, but it can also help save battery life. Master & Dynamic, for example, has ANC presets that either provide maximum noise-blocking or prioritize energy efficiency. Other companies may include a slider in their companion apps that let you adjust the ANC level. How we test noise-canceling earbuds The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. I prefer to do this over a one-to-two-week period, but sometimes deadlines dont allow it. During this time, I listen to a mix of music and podcasts , while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for ANC earbuds is typically 6-10 hours, I drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent). When necessary, Ill power the headphones off during a review without putting them back in the case. This simulates real-world use and keeps me from having to wear them for an entire day. To test ANC performance specifically, I use the earbuds in a variety of environments, from noisy coffee shops to quiet home offices. When my schedule allows, I also use them during air travel, since plane noise is a massive distraction to both work and relaxation. Even if Im not slated to hop on a flight, I simulate a constant roar with white noise machines, bathroom fans, vacuums and more. I also make note of how well earbuds block human voices, which are a key stumbling block for a lot of ANC setups. I also do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as I work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double-checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds Im testing are an updated version of a previous model, Ill spend time getting reacquainted with the older set, and revisit the closest competition as well. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-noise-canceling-earbuds-150026857.html?src=rss

The best projector for a home theater in 2026

To see a film the way the creators intended, you really need a projector. A good one can show a bright, sharp image up to 250 inches in size for an immersive experience that no TV can match and usually at a much lower price. Plus, theyre great for immersive gaming with consoles and PCs. Thanks to companies like Anker and Valerion, projectors are starting to be seen as a must-have item for cinephiles and outdoor party screenings alike. That means there are a wide variety of choices, ranging from classic ceiling-mounted models to battery-powered projectors you can take on a camping trick. You can also choose from dozens of ultra short throw (UST) models for a more TV-like installation. But compared to TVs, projectors remain a bit more confusing for a majority of buyers. This guide will fill you in on important details to consider like brightness, type (classic, portable and ultra short throw) and other factors to help you choose the best model for your setup. Best projectors for 2026 Some projectors are for serious cinephiles, projecting sharp 4K video with HDR brightness and hyper realistic colors to a large screen. Others are bright enough to replace your TV for sports or gaming, and some low-cost portable models can be set up for camping or outdoor fun. Thats why weve divided this guide into several categories to help you find the right one. What to consider when buying a projector For a deep dive on projector technology check my previous explainer , but there are few key things to keep in mind. What will the projector mainly be used for? What type of room will it be used in? And how big of an image do you want? Youll also see a variety of specifications that may be confusing, so here are a few to consider and what they mean. Brightness and contrast Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens; the brighter the projector, typically the more expensive it will be. 1,500-2,500 lumens is good for darkened rooms, 3,000-4,000 lumens allows you to see with some ambient light and 4,000+ lumens is bright enough to use in direct sunlight. High contrast is important for detail, because projectors are more sensitive to things like ambient light and reflections. Laser projectors offer the most brightness and they are entering the mainstream with models costing well under $2,000. Below that, youre looking at projectors with bulbs. Aside from brightness, laser projectors have an advantage in that the light source lasts 10,000 hours or more, compared to 2,000 hours maximum for bulb projectors. DLP vs LCD Digital light processing units (DLPs) used by Optoma, BenQ, LG and others allow bright 4K images. The negative is that they can produce a rainbow effect, or red/blue/green artifacts that affect some viewers more than others. LCDs are used mainly by Epson, but also Sony and Sanyo. Those are often brighter, more color accurate and dont produce rainbow effects, but are also more expensive and susceptible to image degradation over time. Resolution If you want a true 4K projector, beware: only expensive models have native 4K resolution (many movie theaters still use 2K projectors for various reasons ). However, most DLP projectors and some LCD models can use pixel-shifting to attain 4K resolution. HDR and color accuracy Projectors cant produce anywhere close to the amount of light required to qualify as true HDR. Rather, they use a technique called tone mapping to fit the entire HDR gamut into a lower brightness range. That said, many projectors can display millions of colors, with some models surpassing the color accuracy of TVs and monitors. UST vs. classic Classic projectors and screens can be mounted on the ceiling so theyre great if you have no floor space. They can also project a larger video for a truly cinematic experience. UST projectors mount on the floor right next to the screen so they can take the place of a TV. They dont beam as big an image but are generally brighter, sharper and more expensive. For best results, they require special screens. Elite Starling Mounting and fan noise Ceiling mounting requires some work and dont forget to budget for a bracket and any necessary long cables, including extra power for a Google Chromecast or other streaming device. UST projectors require less labor, but getting the image perfectly square can still be surprisingly time-consuming. As for fan noise, some projectors (usually cheaper DLP models) generate more than others. Optics For more flexibility with location and image size, ceiling mounted projectors need a good zoom range. Lens shift, meanwhile, is used if the projector is mounted higher or lower relative to the screen than recommended by the manufacturer. Otherwise, you might have to use a keystone correction to digitally stretch part of the image, resulting in distortion or artifacts. Also, keystore correction may not work in gaming modes for some models. Gaming and streaming If youre interested in a projector for gaming, look up the refresh rate and input lag figures. Some projectors offer good numbers in that regard (240Hz and

Apex Legends won't be playable on Nintendo Switch after its next season

Apex Legends developer Respawn said it's ending Nintendo Switch support for the game this summer, with the release of Season 30. After that point, it'll work with the Switch 2 and all other currently supported platforms, but not the original Switch. Season 29 will be the final update for Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch, the team wrote in a post on X. Hey legends, we want to share an important update about Apex Legends on the Nintendo Switch. Season 29 will be the final update for Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch. Future seasons of Apex Legends will continue to be available on Nintendo Switch 2. - Starting August 4, 2026 Apex Legends (@PlayApex) January 30, 2026 The change will take place on August 4, 2026, so Switch players still have several months left to enjoy Apex Legends on the console and make preparations for their shift to a different platform, if they plan to do so. All players progress, purchases, and earnings are tied to their individual EA accounts, Respawn said. Everything that has been earned or purchased, including Apex Coins and cosmetics, will carry over to Nintendo Switch 2, even if you purchase Nintendo Switch 2 after August 4, 2026. The Switch 2 undoubtedly offers a better playing experience for Apex Legends than the earlier model, but the news is still a blow for current Switch 1 players who didn't have plans of upgrading any time soon. Apex Legends first came to Switch in 2021, two years after the game's launch on other platforms. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/apex-legends-wont-be-playable-on-nintendo-switch-after-its-next-season-214153353.html?src=rss

Apple is already thinking about its second foldable iPhone, and it may be a clamshell

We may not have a concrete release date for the first foldable iPhone , but Apple may already be looking into a smaller device that will follow it up. According to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman, Apple is exploring a square, clamshell-style foldable phone, with the caveat that this potential device is far from guaranteed to reach the market and only under consideration right now. If this eventually leads to a smaller foldable iPhone, that means Apple believes it can compete against existing options on the market, including Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Motorola's revamped Razr foldable . Gurman's report also signaled that Apple may be very optimistic about the success of its first foldable iPhone , which is rumored to be released sometime later this year, and wants to have follow-up plans ready to capitalize on the potential demand generated. It's not the first time that we've heard of a clamshell foldable iPhone , since a previous report from The Information revealed that Apple created prototypes in this form factor. On the other end of the spectrum, Gurman's Power On newsletter mentioned that Apple is considering a larger foldable that opens like a book. Previously, Gurman said that Apple considered a foldable that's more akin to the size of an iPad. However, the company ran into issues developing such a large device and may be delaying a potential launch to 2029, according to Gurman. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-is-already-thinking-about-its-second-foldable-iphone-and-it-may-be-a-clamshell-202312700.html?src=rss

Apple's online store now lets you build a new Mac exactly the way you want

Just like buying a new iPhone through Apple's online store, you now select each spec of your new Mac device when purchasing through the website. As first spotted by MacWorld , Apple updated its online configuration tool for purchasing a Mac. Compared to the previous design that allowed you to pick between several prebuilt options, the new configurator lets you choose one spec after another instead. It's not a major difference compared to choosing between preconfigured options, but interested buyers have more customization since they can select the color, display, chip, memory, storage and even power adapter. The updated page also gives customers the option to add pre-installed apps, like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, to their new Mac. The updated configuration design might hint towards the expected release of the upgraded MacBook Pros. According to MacWorld , there are rumors that Apple will offer the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips with more flexibility that lets you choose how many CPU and GPU cores you want. As reported by Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman, the latest MacBook Pro could be queued up for a release alongside macOS 26.3, which has a release cycle between February and March. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apples-online-store-now-lets-you-build-a-new-mac-exactly-the-way-you-want-190430251.html?src=rss

NVIDIA is still planning to make a 'huge' investment in OpenAI, CEO says

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang told reporters that the company will invest a great deal of money in OpenAI's latest funding round, according to Bloomberg , after The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported that the two companies were rethinking a previous $100 billion deal that hasn't progressed beyond the early stages of negotiations. Speaking to reporters in Taipei this weekend, Huang reportedly said it could be the largest investment we've ever made. NVIDIA and OpenAI jointly announced in September that NVIDIA would be investing up to $100 billion in OpenAI to build 10 gigawatts of AI data centers. The companies said then that they were targeting the second half of 2026 for the first phase of the project to go online. Citing sources familiar with the discussions, The Wall Street Journal reported that Huang has highlighted privately that the agreement was nonbinding and has criticized OpenAI's business approach as lacking discipline. According to Bloomberg , however, Huang called the report's claims nonsense, and told reporters on Saturday, I believe in OpenAI. The work that they do is incredible. Theyre one of the most consequential companies of our time. But, Bloomberg reports, he said NVIDIA's investment in this funding round wouldn't come near $100 billion. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidia-is-still-planning-to-make-a-huge-investment-in-openai-ceo-says-205521528.html?src=rss

Ayaneo's Pocket S Mini has the perfect aspect ratio for revisiting classic console games

There may be plenty of gaming handhelds out there, but there aren't many horizontal options that let you play childhood favorites in the original 4:3 aspect ratio. To address that gap, Ayaneo launched a premium option with the Pocket S Mini . As a true 4:3 retro handheld, the Pocket S Mini won't have those pesky vertical black bars whenever you're emulating video games from the CRT television era. Handhelds like the Anbernic RG405M and even Ayaneo's own Pocket Air Mini already offer a 4:3 aspect ratio, but the Pocket S Mini presents a more high-end build with a full metal frame and a glass front panel. The 4.2-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 1,280 x 960 and is flanked by Hall effect joysticks with RGB lighting, Hall effect triggers and crystal-textured buttons. Inside, the Pocket S Mini runs on a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 chip and is powered by a 6,000mAh battery. Ayaneo Unlike most of Ayaneo's other devices , the Pocket S Mini isn't being done through a crowdfunding campaign. It's already available on Ayaneo's website with a starting early bird price of $319 for either the Obsidian Black or Ice Soul White options with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. As usual, the Retro Power colorway will only be available with the highest specs of 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, starting at $479. We're not sure when Ayaneo will end early bird pricing, but the prices will eventually jump to between $399 and $559 for retail pricing. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ayaneos-pocket-s-mini-has-the-perfect-aspect-ratio-for-revisiting-classic-console-games-203926701.html?src=rss

OnlyFans is reportedly in talks to sell a 60 percent stake to a San Francisco investment firm

OnlyFans is looking to cash out once again, but this time in a deal that would value it at several billion dollars less than a potential sale that previously fell through. As reported by TechCrunch , the online platform known for subscription-based pornographic content is in talks to sell a majority stake to Architect Capital, an investment firm based in San Francisco. According to the report, the proposed deal includes $3.5 billion in equity and $2 billion in debt, which values OnlyFans at $5.5 billion. TechCrunch also reported that Architect Capital and OnlyFans are currently in exclusive talks, where the website's owner can't negotiate with other potential buyers for a certain amount of time. With no set timeline yet for the deal, the deal is far from an official closing. Last year, OnlyFans' owner Leonid Radvinsky was also negotiating with another investment firm, Forest Road Company, to sell the platform . Although that deal never went through, the talks leading up to the sale valued OnlyFans at a much higher $8 billion. The London-based website, which still doesn't want to be known as just a porn site , is still growing and reported a nine percent increase in gross revenue for its 2024 fiscal year, earning more than $7.2 billion . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/onlyfans-is-reportedly-in-talks-to-sell-a-60-percent-stake-to-a-san-francisco-investment-firm-191842666.html?src=rss

SpaceX wants to launch a constellation of a million satellites to power AI needs

Elon Musk and his aerospace company have requested to build a network that's 100 times the number of satellites that are currently in orbit. On Friday, SpaceX filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch a million satellites meant to create an orbital data center. This isn't the first time we're hearing of Musk's plans to build an orbital data center, as it was mentioned by company insiders following the news that the CEO was reportedly preparing to take SpaceX public . According to the filing spotted by PCMag , this data center would run off solar power and deliver computing capacity for artificial intelligence needs . SpaceX is requesting to deploy a system of up to one million satellites to operate within narrow orbital shells spanning up to 50 km each, as detailed in the filing. According to SpaceX's filing, orbital data centers are the most efficient way to meet the accelerating demand for AI computing power since they use solar power with little operating and maintenance costs. To give some scale of the astronomical number of satellites SpaceX is asking for, the company recently hit a milestone of the 11,000th Starlink satellite launched. There aren't as many in orbit since the satellites can run into issues, but an unofficial website that tracks Starlink stats claims there are more than 9,600 satellites in orbit as of January 30, 2026. The FCC is likely to whittle down the amount that SpaceX is asking for in its filing, as the federal agency has done in the past. Earlier this month, the FCC approved SpaceX's request to deploy 7,500 more Starlink satellites, following another 7,500 launched in 2022. However, it's much less than the nearly 30,000 amount that SpaceX first asked for in 2020. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacex-wants-to-launch-a-constellation-of-a-million-satellites-to-power-ai-needs-175607771.html?src=rss

Blue Origin is pausing its space tourist flights to work on lunar landers for NASA

Blue Origin plans to put a focus on the development of its human lunar capabilities, so it wont be sending tourists to space for at least the next two years. That means we wont be seeing any New Shepard launches for quite some time. Blue Origin is one of the companies NASA chose to develop human landing systems for its Artemis program, along with SpaceX. Specifically, it will work on landers for the Artemis III and Artemis V missions. The company was originally contracted to build the human landing system that would transfer astronauts from NASAs Gateway station to the moons South Pole region for the Artemis V mission. But last year, NASA asked Blue Origin to design an alternative lander for Artemis III after SpaceX experienced delays due to Starships failed tests . Artemis III is expected to be the first crewed moon landing mission of the program, and the Trump administration wants it to happen before the end of the presidents term. New Shepard takes tourists to suborbital space, where they experience a few minutes of weightlessness before the spacecraft makes its way back to Earth. Jeff Bezos was one of the passengers on New Shepards first tourist flight back in 2021. Since then, it has flown and landed 37 more times and carried 98 passengers to the Karman line, including Katy Perry and William Shatner. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/blue-origin-is-pausing-its-space-tourist-flights-to-work-on-lunar-landers-for-nasa-143000058.html?src=rss

How to turn on hypertension alerts on Apple Watch

Apple has steadily expanded the Apple Watchs health monitoring features over the years, moving beyond fitness tracking into areas that can offer early insight into potential medical concerns. One of the most recent additions is hypertension alerts , which are designed to notify users when their blood pressure trends are elevated over time. While Apple Watches cannot directly measure blood pressure, this feature can still play a useful role in highlighting patterns that may be worth discussing with your doctor. Here, well explain what hypertension alerts do, how they work and how to enable and manage them on the Apple Watch. What hypertension alerts do Hypertension alerts are designed to identify long-term trends that may indicate elevated blood pressure. Instead of relying on a traditional cuff measurement, the Apple Watch analyzes a combination of health data collected over a 30-day period, including heart rate, movement patterns and other contextual information stored in the Health app. Using this data, the system looks for sustained changes that align with patterns commonly associated with hypertension. If your Apple Watch detects a trend suggesting elevated blood pressure over an extended period, itll send you a notification. These alerts are not intended to diagnose hypertension or replace medical testing. Instead, they serve as an early signal that something may have changed and that you may want to seek further monitoring or professional advice. Apple emphasizes that hypertension alerts are designed for users who have not already been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Instead, they are meant to raise awareness rather than confirm a condition. Who can use hypertension alerts Hypertension alerts require a compatible Apple Watch model (Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later) paired with a supported iPhone (iPhone 11 or later). The feature also depends on recent versions of watchOS and iOS, as it relies on updated health algorithms and background data analysis. To use hypertension alerts you must be 22 years of age or older, not be pregnant and not have been diagnosed with hypertension. You also need to ensure that your Apple Watchs Wrist Detection feature is turned on. To receive meaningful alerts, your Apple Watch needs sufficient data. This means wearing the watch regularly, including during sleep if sleep tracking is enabled, and keeping health details such as age, sex, height and weight up-to-date in the Health app. The system uses long-term trends, so alerts will not appear immediately after enabling the feature. How to turn on hypertension alerts Hypertension alerts are managed through the Health app on the paired iPhone. The feature cannot be enabled directly from the watch itself. During setup, the Health app will ask for confirmation that the user has not been diagnosed with hypertension. It may also prompt a review of health details such as date of birth and biological sex, as this information helps improve the accuracy of trend analysis. To get started, open the Health app on the iPhone paired with the Apple Watch. From the main Health screen, tap your profile in the top corner. Select Health Checklist from the available Features . Next, youll need to tap Hypertension Notifications , confirm your age and whether or not youve ever been diagnosed with hypertension. Tap Continue and follow the on-screen prompts for information on how the notifications work. Once you have done this, tap Done and youll be all set. Once enabled, the feature runs automatically in the background. There is no need to manually start monitoring or interact with the feature daily. The new apple watch series 11 can help identify hypertension Apple Managing notifications and alerts When hypertension alerts are turned on, notifications appear on both the Apple Watch and the paired iPhone. These alerts typically explain that a long-term trend suggesting elevated blood pressure has been detected, along with guidance on next steps. Users can manage how and when these notifications appear by adjusting notification settings for the Health app. This includes choosing whether alerts appear on the lock screen, in Notification Center or as time-sensitive notifications on Apple Watch. Health data related to hypertension alerts can be reviewed at any time in the Health app. While Apple Watch does not display a specific blood pressure number, users can view contextual information and educational material explaining what the alert means and what actions may be appropriate. How hypertension alerts can help Hypertension often develops gradually and may not cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Because of this, many people are unaware of elevated blood pressure until it is identified during a routine medical check. Hypertension alerts can let you know of subtle changes that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. For some users, an alert may prompt earlier conversations with a doctor, additional blood pressure monitoring at home or lifestyle changes such as adjustments to diet, activity or sleep habits. It is important to treat these notifications as informational rather than diagnostic. Apple Watch does not provide specific blood pressure readings and cannot confirm hypertension on its own. What to do if you receive an alert Receiving a hypertension alert does not mean that there is an immediate medical emergency. Apple recommends using the alert as a prompt to pay closer attention to your cardiovascular health. Many users choose to follow up by measuring blood pressure using a traditional cuff at home or by scheduling a check with a healthcare professional. A doctor can provide proper testing, diagnosis and guidance based on clinical measurements and individual risk factors. It is also worth reviewing lifestyle factors that can influence blood pressure, such as physical activity levels, sleep quality, stress and diet. Apple Watch can already help track many of these areas, which may provide useful context when discussing health concerns with a professional. Limitations to keep in mind Hypertension alerts are not available in all regions and may be subject to regulatory approval. The feature also requires consistent Apple Watch use over time to generate reliable trend data. Most importantly, the Apple Watch does not measure blood pressure directly. The alerts are based on correlations and trends rather than direct readings, which means they should not be used as a substitute for medical equipment or professional care. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/how-to-turn-on-hypertension-alerts-on-apple-watch-130000090.html?src=rss

Highguard, a hyperpop arena shooter and other new indie games worth checking out

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. There are tons of interesting games out this week. But first, there's been some discourse around the Nintendo Switch version of Dispatch , which arrived this week as well. On other platforms, there's an option to censor genitalia and other explicit content, but that's not present in the Switch version. Instead, such content is censored by default, with black rectangles covering up characters' bits and someone flipping the bird. Noises that suggest sexual pleasure are said to be toned down too. We worked with Nintendo to ensure the content within the title met the criteria to release on their platforms, but the core narrative and gameplay experience remains identical to the original release, developer AdHoc told EuroGamer . Nintendo later said in a statement to GoNintendo that it requires all games on its platforms to receive ratings from independent organizations and to meet our established content and platform guidelines. While we inform partners when their titles dont meet our guidelines, Nintendo does not make changes to partner content. We also do not discuss specific content or the criteria used in making these determinations. There are other games available for the Switch and Switch 2 that feature nudity and explicit content. There have long been hentai games on the eShop, while mainstream games like The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 ( we know all about the dongs in that one ) still include explicit content on Nintendo platforms. So it's a bit of a strange one, and AdHoc and Nintendo didn't exactly clear things up with their statements. There's been speculation that AdHoc censored the game to comply with rules in Japan ( Cyberpunk 2077 is censored there too) and that it opted to have just one version of the game available globally on Nintendo platforms. All the same, it's a curious situation that's resulted in a lot of discourse. But there's been another indie game that's been a source of even more chatter this week... New releases Highguard is a 3v3 raid shooter from Wildlight Entertainment, a team that includes a bunch offormer Apex Legends and Titanfall developers. It broke cover at The Game Awards in December when it was the final reveal of the night but that first trailer wasn't great. As it turned out , TGA creator and host Geoff Keighley was a friend of the devs and after trying Highguard , he wanted to include it in the show. Wildlight cobbled together a trailer, but that disrupted the studio's long-standing plans to reveal and release the game simultaneously a strategy that worked wonders for Apex Legends (though that game had the might of EA behind it). After revealing Highguard , Wildlight effectively went radio silent until a release day showcase on Monday to detail just what the game is and how it works. That seems to have been a mistake given the review bombing and strange vendetta some developed against it. Highguard went live on Monday and Wildlight published a whole bunch of YouTube videos revealing the game's features. Spreading those out between TGA and this week could have tempered expectations. In any case, I've played a few rounds of Highguard and mostly enjoyed my time with it so far. It's a blend of hero shooter and MOBA. As you might expect for a game from Apex and Titanfall veterans, the weapons feel well-tuned and the gunplay is snappy. Theres a lot going on and the maps are far too big for just six players. It's fun enough, but I don't think it's a game that's going to break my Overwatch obsession. Riding into battle on the back of a bear feels pretty great, though. You can play Highguard for free on Steam , PS5 and Xbox Series X/S . I really wanted to like Dont Stop, Girlypop! more than I did. I'd been looking forward to it for a while, as the promise of a Doom Eternal -style arena shooter with chaotic hyperpop-inspired visuals seemed like a great blend. Don't get me wrong, I adore the aesthetic and the soundtrack is spot on thanks to some cracking songs from Sarah Wolfe, Xavier Dunn and Candice Susnjar. I just wish it was as fun to play as it is to look at and listen to. The visual clutter and fast pace sometimes makes it hard to spot enemies and the narrative doesn't really hang together, as much as the developers have salient points to make about the exploitation of finite resources. The core gameplay idea here is that the faster you move, the more damage you deal and more you heal. The game has its own take on a bunny hop called a wave hop that boosts your speed, but felt like it slowed me down because of the complex combination of inputs (jump, ground pound, jump, dash). That also caused my hand to cramp up very quickly. I do love the customization here. Slapping rhinestones and baby sharks onto my weapons was delightful. The game's take on a gravity gun is fun too. So while Don't Stop, Girlypop! from Funny Fintan Softworks and publisher Kwalee didn't fully land for me, there are some aspects I like a whole lot. It's out now on Steam for $20 (there's a 10 percent launch discount until February 5). We're been looking forward to Cairn for a while around these parts, so it's heartening to see that it debuted to broadly positive reviews . This one from The Game Bakers is the latest in a string of climbing adventures, such as the lovely Jusant . So if Alex Honnold's recent free solo climb up a skyscraper has inspired you to ascend something very large without really posing a risk to your wellbeing, Cairn might be what you're looking for. Cairn is out now on PS5 and Steam for $30. There's a 10 percent launch discount on Steam until February 12, and until February 13 on PS5 if you're a PS Plus member. Every trailer I've seen for Steel Century Groove has made me smile, so you can bet I'll be jumping into this when I have a chance. It's a rhythm game with Pokmon-style RPG elements in which you take control of a robot in dance battles. There's some original and licensed music to boogie along to and you can load in your own MP3s (you can bank on me loading some Electric Callboy tracks into this game). Steel Century Groove will create procedurally-generated choreography and charts for your custom songs. You can manually adjust the BPM too. This debut title from solo developer Sloth Gloss Games is out now on Steam for $20. There's a 10 percent launch discount until February 11. There's a demo available, and progress from there carries over into the full game. Rosday's Wanderling is a roguelike platformer with no combat. You have eight attempts to acquire the gear and learn the knowledge you need to pass each dungeon. Scour for loot and buy upgrades from the shop before night falls to help you on your way. You can place markers to help you remember where you've been. Runs are said to be short at between 20 and 30 minutes. The visuals remind me a bit of Celeste too. You can check out Wanderling on Steam now for $8 (a 10 percent discount brings the price down to $7.20 until February 2). I can't help but admire Strange Scaffold ( Clickolding , I Am Your Beast, Co-op Kaiju Horror Cooking ) and the rate at which it releases games. The latest one is Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator . It's a stock market sim in which you speculate on the future success or failures of the simulated lives of babies. You can short that baby if you choose as you try to make gains. In a timeline where prediction markets allow you to speculate on just about anything (listen to this week's episode of the Engadget Podcast to learn more about that), gambling on the future of babies doesn't seem that farfetched. Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator which is set in the same world as Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator is out now on Steam . It'll normally cost $20, but there's a 15 percent discount until February 12. Strange Scaffold is also bringing the game to Xbox Series X/S in the near future. I Hate This Place is an isometric survival game based on the eponymous comic book series by Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin. The game retains a comic book aesthetic and it has '80s horror movie-style inflections. The way that noise is visualized is pretty interesting here. Onomatopoeic words will pop up and you'll see color-coded footsteps useful when you're trying to be stealthy. Crafting is a key aspect of the game as well. I Hate This Place from Rock Square Thunder, Broken Mirror Games and Skybound Entertainment is out now on Steam , PS5 , Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S . The regular price is $30 and there's a 20 percent launch discount on some platforms. I can't find a trailer for this on YouTube, unfortunately, but Rebadge caught my eye this week as well. It's a puzzle platformer from Yuumayay, who appears to be a 17-year-old solo developer. Your character carries badges that allow them to carry out actions like moving and jumping. Other badges include affected by gravity and destroys on contact. Here's the trick: you can throw a badge and lose the associated ability, but then you can apply the trait to something else in the world. It's a neat idea that draws from the playbooks of games like Baba Is You . Rebadge typically costs $8, but there's a 15 percent launch discount. Upcoming Moon Beast Productions is a studio formed by several of the creators of Diablo and Diablo II . This week, it revealed gameplay for its first title, Darkhaven , which is a fantasy isometric action RPG in the vein of (you guessed it) Diablo. You'll be able to play this one solo or with friends, and there are PvP elements. Darkhaven has procedurally generated, destructible worlds along with massive events that threaten your entire world. The gameplay shown in the trailer looks a bit rough, but it's still early days. In fact, Moon Beast is planning a Kickstarter campaign for Darkhaven . There's no release window as yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam . Box or Void is a puzzle game that clearly takes some inspiration from Sokuban and Snake. Here, though, gameplay takes place across two planes. You'll switch between positive and negative space obstacles on one side turn into pathways on the other. You'll alter the level layouts by pushing boxes. This one from Dumen Games has an intriguing premise. There's no release date as yet for Box or Void , but a demo with 32 levels (about a fifth of what will be in the full game) dropped this week on Steam . If there's a game that's billed as Dredge meets Wall-E , that's going to be enough to sell me. Describe it as a petroidvania and call it Good Boy , and I'm definitely in. This is a creature-collecting Metroidvania from Observer Interactive and publisher Team17 in which pups are reincarnated as space rovers. I could not dig that premise more. Good Boy is expected to hit Steam later this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/highguard-a-hyperpop-arena-shooter-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000874.html?src=rss