Hardware

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

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

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

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

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

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

Retro handheld maker Anbernic's latest device has a swiveling display

There are plenty of retro gaming handhelds on the market, but Anbernic is introducing one that offers a unique spin on the square shape. The retro gaming handheld maker revealed the RG Rotate on its YouTube channel, showing off a 1:1 display that swivels out much like the T-Mobile Sidekick of yore. Anbernic often drip feeds details of its upcoming products over time, but so far, we know that the RG Rotate will run on Android, feature an aluminum alloy frame and come in Polar Black and Aurora Silver. Anbernic's video detailed that the handheld will have a proprietary ultra-thin alloy hinge that went through high-durability testing. While the handheld maker has experience with other hinges as seen with its RG DS and RG 34XXSP, the RG Rotate's hinge mechanism could prove to be a new engineering challenge . As for the rest of the build, Anbernic is adding swappable L2 and R2 buttons that allow users to adjust the height of the shoulder buttons. From the video, the RG Rotate might only be built with a single USB-C port, which has irked a few fans hoping for an audio jack. Anbernic hasn't announced pricing for the RG Rotate yet, but it'll likely be much cheaper than more premium options from Ayn or Retroid . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/retro-handheld-maker-anbernics-latest-device-has-a-swiveling-display-174705958.html?src=rss

How to de-Gemini your Google apps

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

Meta is reportedly building an AI clone of Mark Zuckerberg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rockstar Games has confirmed it was hit by third-party data breach

An experienced hacking group has claimed to have infiltrated Rockstar Games ' cloud servers, while the game publisher has confirmed that there was a hird-party data breach. ShinyHunters, a hacker group that's been linked to data breaches targeting Microsoft, Google, Ticketmaster and others, posted a message on its website with a final warning to Rockstar to pay or leak. The hack was first spotted by Hackread and the Cybersec Guru . ShinyHunters didn't detail what Rockstar data it gained access to, only adding that the company had until April 14 to reach out or that the group would leak the compromised info that would lead to several annoying (digital) problems. Rockstar Games confirmed the breach to Kotaku , explaining that a limited amount of non-material company information was accessed in connection with a third-party data breach, and that the incident had o impact on our organization or our players. Previously, Rockstar had to deal with a major hack that led to a leak including plenty of gameplay footage and assets for Grand Theft Auto VI in 2022. Following the hack, one of the 18-year-old members of the Lapsus$ group responsible for the leak, was sentenced to an indefinite hospitalization . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/rockstar-games-has-confirmed-it-was-hit-by-third-party-data-breach-175112621.html?src=rss

The first European country to get Teslas Full Self-Driving Supervised will be the Netherlands

Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is ready to make its European debut, and it's starting with the Netherlands. According to Tesla Europe , the automaker's driver assistance system was approved in the Netherlands and will start rolling out shortly. RDW , the country's regulatory authority on vehicles, confirmed the news with a post on its website about Tesla receiving a type approval for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system. According to the RDW, Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) has been extensively examined and tested for more than one and a half years on our test track and on public roads, and concluded that it was a positive contribution to road safety. However, RDW pointed out that a Tesla with FSD Supervised was not self-driving, adding that the driver remains responsible and must always remain in control. With Dutch approvals, Tesla notched its first regulatory green light for FSD use in Europe. The RDW also added that Tesla's FSD Supervised could get possible later admittance in all member states of the European Union thanks to its approvals. Tesla has been working on bringing its automated driving features to other regions, including Europe and China, as detailed in a roadmap posted in 2024. In the meantime, the automaker's software has been mired in several safety investigations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The latest development comes from a probe that targets collisions when using FSD, including the supervised version, in reduced road visibility conditions. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-first-european-country-to-get-teslas-full-self-driving-supervised-will-be-the-netherlands-170157644.html?src=rss

IBM settles its DEI lawsuit with the DOJ for $17 million

IBM has agreed to settle the US Department of Justice's accusations that the company violated civil rights laws with its DEI practices . According to a press release from the DOJ, IBM will pay more than $17 million to resolve allegations of taking ace, color, national origin, or sex into account when making employment decisions. This settlement is the latest development in a longstanding effort from the Trump administration to end DEI programs, which was kick-started from an executive order in early 2025. IBM denied any wrongdoing and said the settlement wasn't an admission of liability, while the US government said this conclusion wasn't a concession that its claims weren't well founded, according to the settlement agreement. According to the DOJ, IBM had violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with practices that included altering interview criteria based on race or sex, developing ace and sex demographic goals for business units, using a diversity modifier that tied bonus compensation to achieving demographic targets and more. An IBM spokesperson told Engadget in an email that the company is pleased to have resolved this matter, adding that our workforce strategy is driven by a single principle: having the right people with the right skills that our clients depend on. According to Todd Blanche, the agency's acting attorney general, this action is one of the first resolutions to come out of the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which was launched in May 2025. IBM isn't the only company to alter its policies, with both T-Mobile and Meta agreeing to put an end to its DEI initiatives last year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ibm-settles-its-dei-lawsuit-with-the-doj-for-17-million-153749285.html?src=rss

Engadget review recap: ASUS ZenBook A16, AirPods Max 2, Sonos Play and LG Sound Suite

Spring has certainly sprung here at Engadget. Well, it has in terms of reviews , at least. Weve put over a dozen devices through their paces since my last roundup, which gives you a lot to catch up on over the weekend. Read on for the rundown of all the reviews you mightve missed. ASUS ZenBook A16 ASUS ZenBook A14 didnt live up to our expectations last year, but now the company is back with a 16-inch machine and a shot at redemption: the A16 . Compatibility issues aside, the ZenBook A16 delivers just about everything I want in an ultraportable, senior reporter Devindra Hardawar said. Its got a gorgeous OLED screen and all of the ports you need. Qualcomms Snapdragon X2 Elite chips also give it a much-needed power boost. And best of all, it's one of the lightest and sleekest 16-inch Windows laptops I've come across. Apple AirPods Max 2 Until this year, Apples only updates to the AirPods Max were new colors and a USB-C port. The company finally gave its pricey over-ear headphones the powerful H2 chip, delivering a host of handy features from the AirPods Pro. The H2 chip brings Apples over-ear headphones on par with the rest of the AirPods lineup, namely the AirPods Pro 3, I said. And since I dont expect Apple to announce new earbuds this year, that parity should remain for a while. Sonos Play Sonos badly needed a win. Thankfully, the company regained some of its mojo with a new portable speaker that offers the best of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in the same device. The latest Sonos speaker offers impressive sound quality, flexibility and portability, and its the kind of product that can help Sonos rebuild its reputation after its recent difficulties, deputy editor Nathan Ingraham said. LG Sound Suite After an impressive CES debut, LGs Sound Suite was my most anticipated review of the year. Despite impressive sound quality and Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, there are still some kinks to work out in both the setup and general use. Theres no denying that LG has created a powerful and immersive living room experience with its Sound Suite lineup, I said. While I did experience some setup and software issues, those are things LG can iron out over time Sound Suite is still brand new, after all. DJI Avata 360, Fender Audio, Nebula X1 Pro and more The last few weeks have been pretty audio-heavy here at Engadget, including the first headphones and speakers from Fender Audio, two sets of headphones from JBL and the Roland Go: Mixer Studio . I also reviewed the first of Sonys 2026 soundbars, the Bravia Theater Bar 5 , and contributing reporter Steve Dent reviewed the Anker Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro all-in-one projector. Senior reporter Sam Rutherford really took one for the team and spent some time with the Robosen Soundwave Transformers robot. Lastly, Steve took flight with the DJI Avata 360 drone, which is a direct answer to Insta360s Antigravity A1. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-asus-zenbook-a16-airpods-max-2-sonos-play-and-lg-sound-suite-133000521.html?src=rss

X's messaging app, XChat, may be available soon

XChat is now on the App Store , where its listing says that its expected to be available for download on April 17. This isnt the same IRC app from the early aughts, which you may remember if youre of a certain age. This is a messaging app specifically for X users. X chief Elon Musk first talked about rolling out a new version of his social networks direct messaging feature in mid-2025. In a series of posts back then, he said the new version would be encrypted and would feature a whole new architecture. He also said all X users were getting XChat in June last year, but Musk is pretty infamous for being overly optimistic about timelines. Now, instead of an upgraded DM feature on X, users are getting a standalone app. It allows them to chat with anybody on X and call each other across devices. The app is end-to-end encrypted and will let users edit and delete their messages for all participants in the conversation. It will also allow users to block screenshots and enable disappearing messages if they want the sensitive details they send in-chat to vanish within five minutes. The app allows users to create massive group chats with up to 481 members, as well. X promises in the App Store listing that XChat will not have ads and will not be tracking users. Users can now pre-order XChat for iPhones and iPads so that it automatically downloads on their device when it comes out. Your encrypted chats deserve their own app. Pre-order now: https://t.co/TM8Lk7AMGV pic.twitter.com/ZJ3yROXK1t XChat (@chat) April 10, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/xs-messaging-app-xchat-may-be-available-soon-114722904.html?src=rss

The Artemis II astronauts are back after a 10-day journey around the moon

The Orion capsule carrying the Artemis II astronauts has successfully splashed down off the coast of San Diego at 8:07PM Eastern time on April 10. It signals the conclusion of Artemis IIs 10-day journey around the moon, which is meant to be a test flight for a future mission that would bring humanity back to the lunar surface. The Orion crew module carrying the missions astronauts separated from the service module at 7:33 PM. While the service module was designed to burn up in the Earths atmosphere, the crew capsule was built to bring the astronauts back home safely. By 7:53 PM, Orion reached our planets upper atmosphere, where a six-minute communication blackout occurred due to the capsule heating up as it started its guided descent. The capsule has 11 parachutes, with its drogue parachutes being deployed at 23,400 feet to stabilize and slow it down. When Orion reached 5,400 feet above the ground, the drogue parachutes were cut off so that the three main parachutes could be deployed. That decreased the capsules velocity to 200 feet per second, enabling a safe splashdown. NASAs engineers conducted several tests while the capsule was in the water before the recovery team headed to the capsule on inflatable boats to extract the crew from Orion. By 9:34 PM, all four crew members were out of the capsule. They were then hoisted into helicopters and flown to the USS John P. Murtha dock ship, where doctors will assess their health. Artemis II launched on April 1 with four astronauts on board: NASAs Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agencys Jeremy Hansen. They traveled around the moon for almost 10 days, reaching distances no other crewed mission has before it. The astronauts took photos of the far side of the moon , the side we dont see from our planet, including amazing closeups of the lunar surface using their smartphones. That makes them the first humans to directly and personally view the lunar far side. During NASAs post-splashdown news conference, the agency said it will announce the Artemis III crew soon. Artemis III will rendezvous with one or both commercial landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin in low Earth orbit, which will take humans to the lunar surface. It will test the landers ability to dock with Orion before NASA lands humans on the moon again. Welcome home Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy! The Artemis II astronauts have splashed down at 8:07pm ET (0007 UTC April 11), bringing their historic 10-day mission around the Moon to an end. pic.twitter.com/1yjAgHEOYl NASA (@NASA) April 11, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/the-artemis-ii-astronauts-are-back-after-a-10-day-journey-around-the-moon-033800654.html?src=rss

The FAA is encouraging gamers to get jobs in air traffic control

Sick! The Federal Aviation Administration is targeting gamers in its most recent job advertisement for air traffic controllers. The administration's annual hiring window opens at 12AM ET on April 17, and considering the ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers, it's calling this a period of supercharged hiring. Rad! The FAA's YouTube video draws parallels between gaming and directing air traffic, and notes that the average salary for the role after three years is $155,000. Hella! The FAA is clearly seeking players who are at least old enough to remember the Xbox One and Bjergsen in the LCS, which puts would-be candidates around their early 20s at least. It's either that, or the ad editors really just picked videos at random from the pile of stock footage marked gamerz . But I won't lie, it made me smile to see that Xbox One logo appear out of nowhere. Nostalgia is a hell of a thing. To reach the next generation of air traffic controllers, we need to adapt, US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said . This campaigns innovative communication style and focus on gaming taps into a growing demographic of young adults who have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller. The FAA has been losing more air traffic controllers than it can hire and retain since the 2010s, and this trend only worsened during the pandemic in the 2020s, according to a report released in December by the US Government Accountability Office. The administration increased hiring every year since 2021, but at the end of 2025 it employed 13,164 air traffic controllers, 6 percent fewer than in 2015, the report said. At the same time, the number of flights in the air traffic control system increased by about 10 percent, to 30.8 million. Or, as the FAA put it on the ATC hiring page : Join the BEST AND BRIGHTEST, the elite squad of 14,000 controllers protecting 2.9 million daily passengers. Applicants must be a US citizen, under 31 (maybe those video editors do know what they're doing), and be able to speak fluent English. An aptitude test, medical screening and academy training follows, among other steps. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-faa-is-encouraging-gamers-to-get-jobs-in-air-traffic-control-230308014.html?src=rss

Epic is reportedly building an extraction shooter for Disney

Besides a wealth of Fortnite skins based on Disney IP, it hasn't really been clear what the entertainment company has gotten in return for its $1.5 billion investment in Epic from 2024. That could change this November, Bloomberg reports , when Epic releases a Disney-themed extraction shooter. The game is one of three Disney projects the publisher is currently working on, and is reportedly expected to be Epic's comeback after the company laid off 1,000 employees in March due to a downturn in Fortnite engagement. The game is reportedly similar to Arc Raiders , a multiplayer shooter where players fight for resources before escaping through an extraction point, but with Disney characters fighting enemies instead of post-apocalyptic survivors. Bloomberg writes that internal reviewers have worried that the game's mechanics are not very original, but the project is the most promising of the three Epic is developing. The second title received middling internal reviews, according to Bloomberg , and Epic moved resources off the third project after reports that Disney was disappointed by Epics release timeline. While details of Epic's work for Disney are coming into focus, it's still unclear whether this new extraction shooter will be a standalone game or incorporated as a mode in Fortnite . In its efforts to sell the title as a multiverse and a competitor to Roblox, Epic has introduced multiple games inside Fortnite over the last few years with distinct mechanics. The developer announced that it would shut down three of those titles Rocket Racing , Ballistic and Fortnite Festival Battle Stage as part of its recent round of layoffs. According to current and former Epic employees Bloomberg spoke to, several affected employees were also working on these unannounced Disney games. When it invested in Epic in 2024, Disney suggested it would build an entertainment universe with the developer, where players could play, watch, shop and engage with content, characters and stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and more. Epic's current plans sound far less ambitious than that, but if they manage to increase engagement with Fortnite and Disney's brand, that might not matter. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-is-reportedly-building-an-extraction-shooter-for-disney-220401382.html?src=rss

A man allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman's house

A 20-year-old man was arrested by the San Francisco Police Department after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's house, The New York Times reports . In a statement shared on X , SFPD wrote that it responded to a request for a fire investigation in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco around 7:12 AM ET / 4:12AM PT. At the scene, officers learned that an unknown male subject threw an incendiary destructive device at a home, causing a fire at an exterior gate. After the man fled on foot, police found and arrested him around an hour later while responding to a business' complaint about an unknown male subject threatening to burn down the building. That business turned out to be OpenAI's headquarters and the subject happened to be the same man who threw the Molotov at Altman's house. View our latest statement regarding an incident that occurred early this morning at a North Beach residence. Officers have made an arrest, and no injuries were reported as a result of this incident. pic.twitter.com/t4DsF31uxh San Francisco Police (@SFPD) April 10, 2026 Early this morning, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altmans home and also made threats at our San Francisco headquarters. Thankfully, no one was hurt, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Wired . We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe. The individual is in custody, and were assisting law enforcement with their investigation. As it's become more commonplace, artificial intelligence has also become more divisive. While more and more people continue to use AI tools, public reaction to the encroachment of the technology, whether in gaming or customer service , is increasingly negative. Altman's warnings of AI's impact on employment , and a recent New Yorker investigation digging into his allegedly manipulative leadership style at OpenAI, have also raised questions about the CEO's prominent role as a steward of the technology. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/a-man-allegedly-threw-a-molotov-cocktail-at-sam-altmans-house-210444731.html?src=rss

Estonia is the rare EU country opposing child social media bans

As child social media bans spread across Europe and beyond, Estonia isn't having it. On Friday, the country's education minister said the bans won't actually solve problems, while warning that the kids will find a way regardless. Although companies like Meta would love for you to believe its a fairy tale , social media addiction is associated with tangible negative repercussions for children. Studies show that its harms range from depression and anxiety to sleep deprivation and obesity. (The latter is from all the targeted junk food advertising.) On the other hand, teens can find community and support from social media. A growing list of countries looked at the negative data and concluded that the answer was to ban social media altogether for children. Although the age cutoff varies, legislation has been floated or enacted in Australia , Greece , France , Austria , Spain , Indonesia , Malaysia , the UK and Denmark just to name a few. Estonia's education minister believes these countries are coming at the very real problem from the wrong angle. The way to approach this, to me, is not to make kids responsible for that harm and start self-regulating, Kristina Kallas said at a Politico forum in Barcelona. She added that kids will find very quickly the ways to go around and to still use social media. Instead, she said the responsibility lies with governments and corporations. Europe pretends to be weak when it comes to big American and international corporations, she added. But she called that a pretense, challenging the EU to actually take this power and start regulating the big American corporations. To be fair, the EU regulates the tech industry more effectively than anywhere else in the world. But the point on childhood social bans stands. Another argument against the bans is that its a short path from the well-meaning to a more sinister erosion of basic freedoms. In February, France suggested that the next logical step after passing an under-15 social media ban would be to go after VPNs . After all, once you pass the ban, you need to enforce it and that can mean snuffing out the tools children could use to work around it. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/estonia-is-the-rare-eu-country-opposing-child-social-media-bans-194620916.html?src=rss

Garmin may be working on a Whoop competitor

Whoop, the makers of a screen-free fitness tracker of the same name, could soon have some competition. Fitbit teased its take on a Whoop-style band with the help of Steph Curry at the end of March, and based on a trademark filing spotted by Gadgets & Wearables , Garmin appears to be working on its own band that tracks similar health metrics. This new Garmin wearable, called CIRQA in the trademark filing submitted in February, is designed to measure he body's physical parameters and other physiological data, bio-signals, and bodily behavior. That could broadly describe the smartwatches and fitness trackers Garmin already sells. But the CIRQA apparently goes further, by also measuring ecovery from physical and emotional stress, human alertness level, and performance, a set of more granular, wellness-focused features that could bring the unreleased wearable into the same ballpark as a Whoop. Garmin accidentally leaked that it was working on a new wearable via a hastily removed store page in January, Android Authority reports . While some phantom web pages and a trademark do not guarantee Garmin is working on a new device, or that the band will be screen-free in the same way the Whoop is. If the company is preparing a competitor, though, the timing makes sense. Where other devices try to split the difference between tracking biometrics and offering real-time information or other smartwatch features, Whoop is decidedly data-first. Its wearables monitor as much information as possible through a nondescript band, and then analyze and display what it learned via a smartphone app. The approach is attractive to anyone tired of dealing with screens, and the growing number of people obsessed with optimizing their health. In fact, Whoop just raised $575 million on the back of its current success. It would make sense that Garmin and Google (via its Fitbit brand) would want a piece of the company's audience, too. Whoop-style bands are also a perfect fit for future uses of AI in health and fitness tracking. Google is interested in having users turn to Fitbit's AI-powered health coach for everything from workout tracking to nutrition advice. If health data processing is going to happen in the cloud, and you're going to have to pull out your smartphone to view that data anyway, it makes sense to sell a tracker without a screen. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/garmin-may-be-working-on-a-whoop-competitor-191802041.html?src=rss

Amazon Luna ends support for third-party subscriptions and game purchases

Amazon is ending support for third-party integrations on its Luna cloud gaming service. The most immediate changes mean that it's no longer possible to buy Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Games subscriptions or standalone games through Luna. Amazon will automatically any cancel active subscriptions bought through Luna at the end of customers' next billing cycle. If you have a Ubisoft+ subscription that you bought directly from Ubisoft instead, youll still be able to access games on that service through Luna until June 10. The Bring Your Own Library option which allows users to play games they own on the likes of EA , GOG and Ubisoft on Luna is going away too. You won't be able to access games from on those storefronts via Amazon's streaming service after June 3. If you bought any games outright on Luna, you'll still be able to play them there until June 10. Unlike Google did when it shut down Stadia , Amazon isnt offering refunds for those purchases. However, you'll still have access to them through the respective third-party platform that's linked to your account, be it the EA App, GOG Galaxy or Ubisoft Connect. That doesn't exactly help folks who don't have powerful-enough systems to play more demanding games and were relying on Luna. As such, some people might need to turn to the likes of GeForce Now in order to keep playing games they bought through Luna (and theyll need to hope GFN actually supports their specific games). Amazon has been reshaping Luna over the last several months. It rolled out a revamped version of the service back in October , with more of a focus on GameNight party games that you can play with a smartphone. Prime subscribers will still be able to claim PC games and stream games on the Luna Standard tier at no extra cost. The Luna Premium subscription, which includes a wider range of third-party games, is still available too. Were doubling down on a broad range of gaming experiences, including strong third-party titles, delivered in ways that make great games more accessible, as well as new and unique gaming experiences like GameNight, Amazon wrote in an email to Luna users. The company also said it will offer some folks a free Luna Premium subscription. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/amazon-luna-ends-support-for-third-party-subscriptions-and-game-purchases-171329996.html?src=rss

French government says au revoir Windows, bienvenue Linux

America's Big Tech companies may soon learn that saddling up with Donald Trump doesn't tend to work out in the end . As the president sows chaos and distrust around the globe while taking aim at EU tech regulations, Europe is looking for ways to adopt its own alternatives. The latest example is France, which said it's dropping Microsoft Windows in favor of Linux. On Wednesday, France said ( via TechCrunch ) it plans to move its workstations from Windows to the open-source Linux. It's part of a broader movement across Europe toward digital sovereignty, aimed at reducing reliance on foreign tech especially American and Chinese. Although homegrown alternatives aren't available in many areas, the EU seems prepared to wean itself off where it can. In January, France announced that it would move its videoconferencing from Zoom and Teams to the French-made Visio . As part of this weeks Linux announcement, France added that it would also migrate its health data to a new platform by the end of 2026. Since taking office, Trump has used tariffs and other measures to try to bully European nations into dropping their regulations on America's tech industry. In August, he vowed to stand up to Countries that attack our incredible American Tech Companies. (The strange capitalizations are his, not ours.) His administration has described laws like the EU's Digital Services Act as censorship and a tax. So far, Europe has stood firm. I want to be very clear: our digital sovereignty is our digital sovereignty, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the Munich Security Conference in February. We have a long tradition in freedom of speech. Actually, the Enlightenment started on our continent. Christian Kroll, CEO of German search engine Ecosia, foresaw Europe's predicament soon after Trump's 2024 reelection. We, as a European community, just need to make sure that nobody can blackmail us. He added that if the US turned off access to search results tomorrow, we would have to go back to phone books. Granted, the guy is selling a European-made search engine, so his bias is clear. But the salience of his point stands. Giorgos Verdi, policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the Trump administration's behavior underscores the need for Europe to break free. Could the US use its dominance over AI chips, its dominance over cloud in Europe, its dominance over AI systems in order to exert more pressure? Verdi asked CNN rhetorically in January. In order to build more resilience for Europe there is a geopolitical case for European innovations to emerge. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/french-government-says-au-revoir-windows-bienvenue-linux-165407232.html?src=rss

Google has reportedly started to add Polymarket data to News results

Google News has begun showing Polymarket bets and odds alongside actual stories, according to a report by Futurism . These look to appear as large blocks that include links to numerous ways for people to lose their money. Bets tend to appear in the For you section of Google News, which is supposed to be tailored to a person's particular interests. Futurism notes that the platform actually placed a Polymarket bet as the top news result when inquiring about the price of Bitcoin. The publication saw links to the prediction market all over Google News, including in searches. It popped up in queries regarding the Strait of Hormuz, which presents a link that lets people bet on the number of ships that would be allowed to pass through the critical passageway. The report even indicates that users were able to set the gambling platform as a source, which directs readers to an aggregate page of other Polymarket links. Oof The Top Google News Result Is For Polymarket LOL. We Cooked. pic.twitter.com/IFBbYFdn2A Anthony Higman (@AnthonyHigman) March 26, 2026 There's a caveat here. I wasn't personally able to confirm most of these results. This could indicate that Google has quietly made some changes behind the scenes following Futurism's initial report. Complaints from users on social media indicate that Google started doing this at the tail-end of March. However, one user noted all the way back in January that Polymarket results had started showing up in the news section of a traditional Google search . I was able to replicate that one. Lawrence Bonk/Google News Engadget has reached out to Google to see just what's going on here and if it plans to continue displaying Polymarket bets alongside actual news stories. The company did announce a partnership with both Polymarket and Kalshi back in November. This deal indicated the two gambling platforms would feed prediction data into Google's finance platform, but didn't say anything about News. It's pretty easy to see why Polymarket would be attractive to Google's algorithms. The platform generates huge numbers on pages that are constantly updated. This could make these algorithms think the links are leading to valuable news stories and not, you know, a place to bet on human misery . Prediction markets like Polymarket give users the ability to place bets on real world outcomes, which includes wars and other gruesome things . This has led to numerous scandals , which include an incident in which an unknown Polymarket user made more than $400,000 after predicting the capture of Venezuela's president Nicols Maduro just hours before US troops invaded the country and abducted him. Polymarket has hosted bets on the use of nuclear weapons in current global conflicts, which is pretty dang chilling when you consider the possibility of government employees tipping the scales in their favor. President Trump did, after all, recently threaten to end an entire civilization . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-has-reportedly-started-to-add-polymarket-data-to-news-results-161708462.html?src=rss

How to watch the Artemis II landing

After its history-making trip around the Moon, NASA's Artemis II mission is set to return to Earth later today. The Orion spacecraft carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07PM ET. NASA will stream the landing on YouTube and its NASA+ website , as will Netflix and HBO Max .The official broadcast will begin at 6:30PM ET. After leaving Earth on NASA's super heavy-lift SLS rocket and spending nine days in space , the most dangerous part of the Artemis II mission still lies ahead. It will take approximately 13 minutes for the Orion spacecraft to complete re-entry. During that time, it will be subject to temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius). Reentry is dangerous for any crewed spacecraft, but is of particular concern here because of a skip reentry during the Artemis 1 mission. At that time, the Orion crew vessel briefly used its own lift to skip back out of Earth's upper atmosphere before re-entering for the final descent, suffering excess charring in the process. NASA spent months investigating and determined the craft was safe to fly, but Artemis II will take a more gradual approach back to Earth in hopes of reducing its exposure to excess heat. Still, this is the first time in 53 years that NASA will need to guide a human crew back from the Moon. Once all is said and done, however, the Artemis II crew will have traveled 695,081 miles (1,118,624 km), captured amazing images along the way and reminded the world whats possible when nations work together. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/how-to-watch-the-artemis-ii-landing-145344873.html?src=rss

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5 review: A basic TV sound booster

Not everyone needs a $1,000 soundbar . Its easy to argue the sonic superiority of those flagship models from Samsung, Sonos and Sony, but for some people a simple boost to their TV speakers can provide a world of difference. As part of its 2026 soundbar lineup, Sony debuted the Bravia Theater Bar 5 : a $350 entry-level model that covers the basics and comes with a wireless subwoofer in the box. The real question here is how many features are you willing to live without. The good: Sound quality, bass performance and setup The Theater Bar 5 is the most compact soundbar among Sonys new models, measuring just 35.5 inches wide. For comparison, thats still about 10 inches wider than the second-gen Sonos Beam , but nearly 16 inches smaller than Sonys flagship Theater Bar 9 . This stature makes the Bar 5 well-suited for smaller spaces with smaller TVs. In fact, Sony says the soundbar will fit between the legs of Bravia TVs with multi-position stands. Plus, the Bar 5 is just over 2.5 inches tall, slightly shorter than the Beam, so it wont block the bottom edge of most TVs. Despite its small size, the Bar 5 cranks out some excellent sound. Theres plenty of crisp, clear audio from the 3.1-channel configuration, and the included subwoofer provides an ample amount of booming bass. The Bar 5 supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, but it doesnt have up-firing drivers. Instead, the soundbar relies on Sonys Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround tech to virtualize much of the directional and overhead audio. More on that in a bit. While watching Netflixs Drive to Survive, I experienced the excitement of F1 cars zooming around various circuits as the Bar 5 does well with general movement. The soundbars wide soundstage, excellent detail and booming bass provide some degree of immersion that doesnt rely on audio projected overhead. That overall clarity and powerful bass are also great for listening to music, as the Bar 5 can handle a range of genres with ease. The Bravia Theater Bar 5 has a basic, compact design Billy Steele for Engadget From Kieran Behden & William Tylers acoustic/electronic 41 Longfield Street Late 80s to Thursdays screamo masterpiece Full Collapse, the soundbar performs admirably. Although with heavier genres, I preferred to dial down the bass slightly. Tucker Rules kick drum on Full Collapse , for example, was a bit much for the standard tuning here. After struggling with the setup on LGs Sound Suite , I was thankful that configuring the Bar 5 was super easy. Its very much a plug-and-play situation, and the Bravia Connect app guides you through the initial steps. It takes about five minutes to get up and running and Id wager even the least tech-savvy person in your life can probably figure this out. You can also opt for Night mode (less bass), Sound Field (enhanced audio) and Voice mode (louder dialogue) in the Bravia Connect app. All of this certainly makes the Bar 5 a solid option for someone who doesnt need a lot of features, but stands to benefit from augmenting the sound from their TV alone. The not so good: Constrained Dolby Atmos and limited features While the Bar 5 supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio, Sonys virtualization tech was a disappointment. Theres some side-to-side directional sound, but I noticed almost no simulated overhead noise. The Bar 5s sonic clarity makes it a solid option for boosting living room audio, just dont expect the enveloping effects that more robust (and more expensive) soundbars would offer. There are several features you wont find on the Theater Bar 5, starting with the lack of onboard controls. Im well aware that those buttons on top of soundbars dont get used much, but if youre like me, you still reach for them occasionally. There were several times during my testing when I tried to blindly tap the non-existent volume controls on the Bar 5. Other than a power button on the right side, your options for controlling this soundbar are a remote and the Bravia Connect app. The power button on the right side Billy Steele for Engadget You also wont find a Wi-Fi connection on the Bar 5. This means that AirPlay and Google Cast arent available to easily beam audio from your devices to the soundbar. There is Bluetooth 5.3, so you do have an option for music and podcasts from your phone or laptop if you need it. However, pairing your devices to the soundbar via Bluetooth isnt as quick as selecting the soundbar in your streaming app when AirPlay or Cast are on the spec sheet. Lastly, Sony doesnt offer any type of room calibration on Theater Bar 5. Sure, a smaller soundbar like this is better in smaller spaces, but it would still be nice to have the system dial in the audio for the aspects of the room. After all, not every living room is a perfect rectangle. I can understand why the company left this feature out of a $350 model, since the tool would require extra components like microphones. This is certainly one of the more noticeable trade-offs for saving some money. Wrap-up Sometimes the basics are all you need. Sonys Bravia Theater Bar 5 provides an entry-level boost to TV audio that will be fine for people looking for just that. While there is support for immersive audio, the soundbars 3.1-channel setup isnt the best for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X performance, and thats really the biggest knock against the Bar 5. However, this model's excellent audio quality, especially the powerful bass, will suffice for customers just looking to hear their TVs better. The Bravia Theater Bar 5's included subwoofer Billy Steele for Engadget If you want a compact soundbar that provides respectable Atmos performance, the second-gen Sonos Beam is your best bet. Sure, its more expensive at $499 and it doesnt come with a subwoofer, but its additional drivers, tweeter and passive radiators offer more robust audio from the soundbar alone. You also get Trueplay room calibration and Wi-Fi connectivity there. The Theater Bar 5 will certainly improve your living room audio compared to your TV speakers alone, but with a few more features and improved Atmos virtualization, Sony couldve had a real winner. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sony-bravia-theater-bar-5-review-a-basic-tv-sound-booster-140000192.html?src=rss

YouTube Premiums US pricing is going up

Another day, another subscription price hike, this time for YouTube Premium. Every plan for YouTubes ad-free tier is going up, and depending on which one you have, you could be paying as much as $4 per month more. As reported by 9to5Google , YouTube has started emailing subscribers about the price changes, rather than announcing them publicly, and some Reddit users have posted screenshots of the emails theyve received. The emails say that the increases will kick in during the June 2026 billing period. Individual plans are now $16 per month, up from $14, so a $2 hike. If youre on a YouTube Premium family plan, youll now pay $27 per month, a $4 increase from the previous price of $23. As a reminder, YouTube Premium unlocks ad-free viewing and listening on YouTube (including YouTube Kids) and YouTube Music, as well as offline viewing and the ability to continue listening in the background with other apps open. A family plan allows up to six accounts to enjoy all of the same benefits. Both the Lite which allows ad-free viewing and downloads for most, but not all, YouTube videos, and excludes music and Music Premium plans are getting $1 increases, so the former now costs $9 per month, while the music streaming service is up to $12 per month from $11 before, according to 9to5Google . This makes it more expensive than Apple Music when taken on its own (YouTube Music Premium is also bundled with the YouTube Premium individual and family plans at no extra cost). YouTube Premium last raised its prices (also rather quietly) in 2023, also by $2 for the regular plan. The latest price hikes follow Spotify putting its prices up by comparable amounts back in February. Netflix also jacked up the cost of all of its plans last month. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/youtube-premiums-us-pricing-is-going-up-132121683.html?src=rss

Microsoft starts removing unnecessary Copilot buttons in Windows 11

Microsoft has rolled out a Notepad update for Windows Insiders that removes the Copilot branding and icon from within the app, Windows Central has reported. The old Copilot menu has been replaced with writing tools, but its worth noting that the tools are still powered by AI and are pretty much identical to the selection found in the old menu. Microsoft has just replaced the Copilot button with a pen icon. In addition, the company has removed mentions of AI in the Settings menu and has placed the option to disable the AI-powered writing tools within the Advanced features section. The company first announced that it was dialing back its Copilot branding last month, most likely in response to all the criticisms against the AI assistant. Its not very well-liked, with people complaining that Microsoft is forcing them to use the assistant inside all its apps and that Copilot doesnt provide a consistent experience across different applications. You will see us be more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows, said Windows and Devices EVP Pavan Davuluri. Microsoft also promised to remove unnecessary Copilot entry points, starting with Notepad, Snipping Tool, Photos and Widgets. According to The Verge , Microsoft has already stopped showing the Copilot button when selecting areas to capture with the Snipping Tool, as well. Clearly, the company has been making good progress on yanking at least the visual reminders of Copilot from its apps. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-starts-removing-unnecessary-copilot-buttons-in-windows-11-120346728.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Amazon pledges its satellite internet starts this year

Amazons satellite-based internet service, Leo, will enter service by mid-2026 , so says company CEO Andy Jassy. Writing in his annual letter, Jassy claimed Leo would offer download speeds of up to 1Gbps, far more than what Starlink presently offers. Sadly, Amazon declined to offer any more details about what that mid-2026 service would look like. But given select partners have already been kicking Leos tyres for a while, we can only hope. The mega-retailer is making some grand promises, including faster up and download speeds, cheaper cost and direct integration with Amazons other products. Of course, the company can also sell itself on the fact its a satellite internet provider not owned by Elon Musk. But it will have to buck its ideas up fast, given how far behind in its deployment of satellites it is. Daniel Cooper The other big stories this morning Dyson just announced its first-ever handheld fan, with a motor that spins up to 65,000 RPM Dont put your finger in it. JBL Live 780NC and 680NC review: Great leaps, greater missteps As the youth say, mid. Sony teases its next-gen True RGB Mini LED TV technology Yet another brand name to sully the Mini LED waters. ASUS ZenBook A16 review: A surprisingly light and powerful 16-inch ultraportable Its a showcase for the Snapdragon X2 Elite. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget ASUS ZenBook A16 is a 16-inch ultraportable designed to go toe-to-toe with LGs Gram Pro 16. Its equipped with Qualcomms Snapdragon X2 Elite and designed to address the flaws Devindra Hardawar found in last years ZenBook A14. Did it succeed? Youll have to read his review to get the full story, but hes certainly happy to have spent the last week using this thing. Continue Reading. Greece will ban all kids under 15 from using social media It will begin at the start of 2027. Greece will ban under 15s from accessing social media , Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced. Like many nations both in Europe and beyond, officials are concerned about the effect social media is having on childrens mental and physical health. The big platforms will be in charge of enforcing the ban, backed up by the hefty punishments enabled by the Digital Services Act. Continue Reading. Amazon is cutting off support for older Kindles Know what doesnt lose support after a few years? Books. Amazon If youre still using a Kindle or Fire tablet made in 2012 or before, then its going to get a little less useful on May 20. Amazon is discontinuing support for those earlier models on that date, removing the ability to purchase, borrow or download new titles. Thankfully, whatever is on the hardware already will remain, so dont fret if youre only a third of the way through Remembrance of Things Past. Continue Reading. Fender Elie review: Handsome speaker/amp hybrids with excellent clarity Fancy, but heavy. Billy Steele for Engadget Billy Steele has been putting Fender Audios new speakers through their paces to find what can only be described as a mixed bag. Excellent audio quality and a wide variety of inputs get high praise, but the heavy weight, exposed wood and limited battery life all dent the paintwork. Continue Reading. WhatsApp adds a better native interface for CarPlay About time too. WhatsApp WhatsApps CarPlay interface isnt the most elegant or easy way to keep in touch with your friends while driving. Meta has, however, given the UI a little polish to help make it a little easier to get something useful done without pulling your attention from the road. Continue Reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111524236.html?src=rss

Google removes Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store

Google has removed popular psychological horror game Doki Doki Literature Club! from the Play Store. According to Dan Salvato, who led its development team, and publisher Serenity Forge, Google told them the visual novel was removed because it violated its Terms of Service in its depiction of sensitive themes. The game is widely celebrated for portraying mental health in a way that meaningfully connects deeply with players around the world, they said in their announcement. Its free version , which came out first, has been downloaded at least 30 million times, while the paid Plus version has had at least one million downloads. The visual novel has repeatedly made Engadgets lists of favorite games over the years. Doki Doki Literature Club! has the drawing style and the makings of a typical dating sim, but players find themselves confronted with serious themes, including depression and suicide, soon after starting. Its Play listing was appropriately marked as Mature 17+, which means that children wont be able to download it if their devices have parental controls. In addition, the developers clearly communicate that the game tackles serious issues. This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed is the first line of the game. In-game content warnings for such material can be enabled in the Settings menu at any time, it also warns players. In settings, theres link to a page that lists content warnings that apply to the visual novel. Weve asked Google for a statement on why the game was removed, and well update this post when we hear back. Salvator and Serenity Forge said theyre doing everything they can to find a path forward for getting DDLC reinstated on the Google Play Store. Theyre also looking at other methods of distribution for Android devices. At the moment, the games Play listing shows that its still not available, but its still out on Steam, PlayStation, Switch eshop and iOS. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/google-removes-doki-doki-literature-club-from-the-play-store-080615951.html?src=rss

OpenAI has a new $100 ChatGPT Pro plan to better match up with Claude

OpenAI has closed a yawning gap in its ChatGPT subscription pricing with a new $100 per month Pro plan that slots between the $20 per month Plus plan and $200 per month Pro plan. Offering five times more Codex than the $20 option, it appears designed to challenge Anthropic's $100 per month Claude option. Compared with Claude Code, Codex delivers more coding capacity per dollar across paid tiers, an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch . So what's the difference between OpenAI's two Pro plans? The $200 version does offer four times the Codex. However, you get the same advanced tools and models with $100 plan, according to OpenAI's product page. To encourage users to jump in, it will offer double the Codex for a limited time, or 10 times what you get with the Plus plan. Users have been screaming for such a plan for a while now, according to posts on OpenAI's developer community forums. The Plus plan will continue to be the best offer at $20 for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new $100 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use, OpenAI said in a post on X . With the launch of GPT 5.2 late last year and GPT-5.3-Codex in February, OpenAI significantly boosted the speed and reasoning capabilities of Codex, giving developers a tough choice between ChatGPT and Claude Opus. However, the sticking point for many power users was ChatGPT's $200 per month price so OpenAI no doubt hopes the new plan will convince those on the fence to switch. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-has-a-new-100-chatgpt-pro-plan-to-better-match-up-with-claude-062705626.html?src=rss