Having a strong home Wi-Fi signal that doesn’t drop out on you is crucial for a seamless and productive lifestyle. Whether you're working from home, streaming your favorite shows, or have a small army of smart home devices, a reliable internet connection has become essential to keep it all running. Traditional routers often struggle to cover every corner of your house, especially if your home has thick walls or multiple floors. This is where mesh Wi-Fi routers come to the rescue, offering a robust solution to extend Wi-Fi coverage throughout your entire home.

Mesh Wi-Fi routers work by using multiple nodes placed strategically around your home to create a unified and extensive home network. These systems are designed to ensure that you have a strong Wi-Fi signal in every room, eliminating dead zones and offering consistent performance. We've tested numerous mesh systems for connection reliability, coverage, ease of setup, and additional features like parental controls. To help you decide and take the hassle out of choosing, we've put together a list of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems available today. If you're looking to boost your existing Wi-Fi network and don’t want to invest in a new Wi-Fi system, check out our top picks for the best Wi-Fi extenders instead.

What to look for in a mesh Wi-Fi system

It’s a pretty good time to buy a mesh Wi-Fi system, since Wi-Fi 6E represents a fairly significant leap in the technology. Matt MacPherson, Cisco’s Chief Technology Officer for Wireless, said that Wi-Fi 6E is a substantial “inflection point” and can take advantage of a much broader chunk of the wireless spectrum than its predecessors. “If you’re using that spectrum with a Wi-Fi 6 [device],” he said, “you’re going to get significant gains [in speed.]”

MacPherson added that Wi-Fi 6E will likely “carry you for a long time,” thanks to the fact that its “top throughputs now typically exceed what people can actually connect their home to.” In short, with a top theoretical per-stream speed of 1.2 Gbps, Wi-Fi 6E is fast enough to outrun all but the fastest internet connection. (You may also see talk of Wi-Fi 7 devices, some of which have been released already before the standard is officially launched next year. Given that it will take a generation for all of the devices in your home to be compatible with Wi-Fi 7, it’s not worth thinking about this for several years yet, so a Wi-Fi 6 system will suffice for now.)

Range and speed

All mesh routers boast a theoretical broadcast range in square feet, as well as its theoretical top speed. Given there are so many factors outside of the manufacturer’s control, these numbers don’t really mean much in the real world. Your internet service provider’s (ISP) real speed, the construction materials and layout of your home, amongst other things, will all affect your Wi-Fi coverage. Simply investing in a wireless router or mesh Wi-Fi system isn’t going to offer faster speeds on its own.

It’s worth saying that raw speed isn’t everything, and that for most normal users, you probably need a lot less than you’re paying for. Netflix recommends a minimum speed of just 15 Mbps to stream a 4K video to a single device. Naturally, that’s just for one connection, so you’ll need some more capacity if you’ve got other connected devices all running at the same time. As cool as it is to say you’ve got 100, 200 or 500 Mbps download speed, factors like latency and reliability are way more crucial. And unless you have Gigabit internet that can reach speeds of up to 1Gbps, you won’t need a mesh router that offers these specs.

Backhaul

Mesh Wi-Fi systems work by connecting every hardware node to a single wireless network, letting them all communicate with each other. Imagine four people in a busy, noisy restaurant all trying to order their dinner from a weary staff member, all at once. Now imagine, while this is going on, that four more people at that same table are also trying to tell a funny anecdote. It’s no surprise that it might take a long while for the right information to reach its intended destination.

To combat this, higher-end mesh routers offer dedicated wireless backhaul; a slice of the spectrum for node-to-node communication. So rather than everyone talking at once in the same space, the conversations are essentially separated, reducing the invisible clutter in the air. Because there’s less confusing cross-chatter, everything moves faster, offering a significant performance boost to those systems.

Connectivity

These days, even your washing machine has a wireless connection, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the joys of wired internet. No matter how fast WiFi is, a hard line will always be faster, and some gear, like Philips’ Hue bridge, still needs an ethernet connection. Plenty of routers can also use these hard connections as backhaul, eliminating further wireless clutter. It’s convenient for spread-out systems and power users, but it will mean running more wires through your home. The most common standard is Cat 5e, or gigabit ethernet which, unsurprisingly, has a top speed of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps). Since Ethernet cables are backward compatible, you should be able to easily find one that works with your system. However, to make the most out of your mesh routers, it’s worth investing in an Ethernet cable that meets the standard your router uses — if it’s Cat5e, use a Cat5e cable. You can check your router’s specs via the manufacturer’s website to be sure.

Flexibility and scalability

Mesh routers enable you to add (or subtract) modules from your home network to suit your needs. D-Link’s Alan Jones said users should “check how scalable the prospective product is” before you buy. This sense of scale doesn’t just apply to the number of nodes on the network, but how many simultaneous connections it can handle.

Placement

Mesh networks use multiple access points in order to create a bigger network, resulting in better indoor Wi-Fi coverage. You might see the term “whole home coverage”, which is more easily achieved with multiple access points or nodes. Modern mesh routers offer one, two or three (or more) pieces of equipment that are commonly the same hardware inside and out. It normally doesn’t matter which module you make the primary one to connect to your modem, usually over ethernet. You’ll then set up the other, secondary nodes around your home, which is often just a case of adding them to the existing mesh network.

When installing your hardware, remember that every physical obstacle between nodes may hurt your performance. The ideal spot is, at the very least, at waist height on a piece of furniture without too many obstructions. Tables, sideboards, free-standing cupboards, and bookcases make for a good home. The rule of thumb is to place each node no more than two rooms away from the last one.

How we test Wi-Fi routers

My home covers around 2,200 square feet across three stories, with my office on the third floor. It’s relatively long and thin, with the living room at the front of the house, the kitchen at the back and three bedrooms on the second floor. Its age means there are a lot of solid brick walls, old school lathe and plaster, as well as aluminum foil-backed insulation boards to help with energy efficiency. There are two major Wi-Fi dead zones in the house, the bathroom and the bedroom behind it, since there’s lots of old and new pipework in the walls and floors.

For mesh routers that have two nodes, I placed the first in my living room, connected via ethernet to my cable modem, with the second on the first-floor landing in the (ostensible) center of the house. For three-node sets, the third went in my kitchen, which I’ve found is the optimal layout to get the bulk of my house covered in Wi-Fi.

Each mesh is judged on ease of setup, Wi-Fi coverage, reliability, speed and any additional features. I looked at how user-friendly each companion app is from the perspective of a novice, as well. My tests included checking for dead zones, moving from room to room to measure consistency, and streaming multiple videos at once.

Best mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2024

Other mesh Wi-Fi router systems we tested

Amazon Eero 6E

On one hand, Eero Pro 6E does count as an “easy” device, the sort you could hand to a total novice and expect them to thrive with. There’s very little brain work needed to get things set up, and the app has a clean UI with plenty of hand-holding. But — and it’s a big but — the fact so many common management tools aren’t available to me here because they’re paywalled irks me. Amazon and Eero are playing in the same slightly shallow waters as Google / Nest, building a “good enough” mesh product for "everyone;” types who want to set up the hardware and more or less forget about it for several years at a time knowing that everything is in hand. But the fact that the Nest WiFi Pro offers more features for free compared to Eero’s package means that, despite my gripes about Google’s system, it wins out in a straight duel.

Netgear Orbi 960

The Orbi 96T0 (RBKE963) is Netgear’s flagship mesh WiFi product, which the company calls the “world’s most powerful WiFi 6E system.” It’s also one of the most expensive consumer-level kits on the market, setting you back $1,499.99 for a three pack. It's a fantastic piece of gear but it's worth saying that the subset of people who could, would or should buy it remains far smaller than you might expect. Ultimately, I feel that if you’re paying luxury prices, you should expect a luxury product. There were plenty of times during testing that I went looking for a feature that was either only available via the web client, or behind a paywall. While, yes, much of your cash is going to the superlative hardware, but for this sort of money, the fact you have to pay extra for some table-stakes features is insulting. If you’re looking for a new Wi-Fi system and aren’t prepared to spend almost $1,500, it’s worth considering our other top picks for the best Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is governed by the International Standard IEEE 802.11, and every few years the standards evolve. Until 2018, routers were sold under their IEEE designation, leaving consumers to deal with the word soup of products labeled 802.11 b/a/g/n/ac et cetera. Mercifully, wiser heads opted to rebrand the standards with numbers: Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6. We’re presently between two Wi-Fi generations, Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which relates to the frequencies the standard uses. Wi-Fi 6 covers routers which operate on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, while the latter means it can also use the 6GHz band.

Each Wi-Fi band has tradeoffs, because the slower radio frequencies have greater range but less speed. 2.4GHz signals will travel a long way in your home but aren’t quick, while 6GHz is blisteringly fast, but can be defeated by a sturdy brick wall. A lot of Wi-Fi-enabled gear, like a lot of smart home products, only use 2.4GHz because the range is better and it’s a lot cheaper. But it means that the band is also overcrowded and slow. You can check the speed of your Wi-Fi by using an online speed test like Speedtest by Ookla. This will display your download and upload speeds, offering better insight.

Linksys’ CEO Jonathan Bettino told Engadget why mesh systems are an “advancement in Wi-Fi technology” over buying a single point router. With one transmitter, the signal can degrade the further away from the router you go, or the local environment isn’t ideal. “You can have a small [home], but there’s thick walls [...] or things in the way that just interfere with your wireless signal,” he said.

Historically, the solution to a home’s Wi-Fi dead zone was to buy a Wi-Fi Range Extender but Bettino said the hardware has both a “terrible user experience” and one of the highest return rates of any consumer electronics product. Mesh Wi-Fi, by comparison, offers “multiple nodes that can be placed anywhere in your home,” says Bettino, resulting in “ubiquitous Wi-Fi” that feels as if you have a “router in every room.”

Rather than having one main router in your home, having a “router in every room” is the biggest selling point for mesh Wi-Fi given how reliant we all are on the internet. Each node is in constant contact with each other, broadcasting a single, seamless network to all of your connected devices. There’s no separate network for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, just a single name that you connect to.

You may also see mesh Wi-Fi systems advertised as dual-band or tri-band routers. Dual-band routers typically offer a 2.4GHz and 5GHz band. Wi-Fi 6E tri-band routers, on the other hand, provide a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz and a 6GHz band —or in the case of Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 routers, a 2.4GHz band and two 5GHz bands. Once you’ve got your head wrapped around the concept of dual-band and tri-band, you should also be aware that the width of each band is measured in MHz. The wider the band, the more MHz it can support, typically 20MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz or 320MHz. The wider the channel, the more bandwidth it offers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-mesh-wifi-system-130028701.html?src=rss

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© Photo by Daniel Cooper / Engadget

Genshin Impact is bringing its fantastical world to the Xbox this fall. During Gamescom 2024, developer HoYoverse announced that the free-to-play open-world game will be available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming beginning on November 20.

With that release, Xbox players will receive all the same updates, cross-play and cross-progression as Genshin has on other platforms. It can be wishlisted today and Xbox Game Pass players can pre-install it today as well.

Since its debut in September 2020, Genshin Impact has gotten many content updates, arrived on additional platforms, and even spawned an anime series. HoYoverse followed up this international success with a similar science fiction title, Honkai: Star Rail, last spring and then with Zenless Zone Zero this spring.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/genshin-impact-is-coming-to-xbox-this-fall-224105925.html?src=rss

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Firaxis Games announced the release date and shared gameplay for Sid Meier's Civilization VII at Gamescom 2024. The strategy game will launch on February 11, 2025. It's been a long wait for fans since Civilization VI arrived back in 2016, and today's announcements at Gamescom mark a few departures for the storied empire-building series.

For starters, the game will be released across platforms. It will be available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox and Nintendo Switch at launch. Past entries in the series have arrived on console much later post-release, and sometimes with very clunky ports. Hopefully this approach means a better console experience for Civ VII.

There are also some big changes in gameplay that the team highlighted during a Gamescom livestream. In previous Civilization games, you'd pick one famed leader from history and stick with them for the scenario, guiding their single empire across the decades and centuries. With Civ VII, you'll pick a new civilization at the start of each age that will continue building on what you've already accomplished.

Your options at the start of a new age will vary based on historical context and what you've already done with your current civilization. A full game will have three time periods – the Antiquity Age, the Exploration Age and the Modern Age – or you can opt to play a single-age scenario. For even more variety, players will also be able to mix and match, picking from the whole roster of potential leaders and pairing them with historically inaccurate locations. This should yield a whole new array of intriguing and entertaining situations for players to create.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/prepare-for-world-domination-when-civilization-vii-arrives-in-february-2025-213051202.html?src=rss

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Don't Nod's spiritual successor to its popular video game series Life is Strange, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, is confirmed to launch in two parts, and the first gameplay trailer is being revealed. The first part, Tape 1, will launch on February 18, 2025. You can expect Tape 2 to come out exactly one month later, on March 18, 2025.

Earlier this year, Don't Nod decided to delay the game’s release from late 2024 to early 2025. The primary reason is Square Enix and Deck Nine Games are working on Life is Strange: Double Exposure, a new game in the series. It’s planned for an October release on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Gamers on the Switch will have to wait.

It’s safe to say that the delay of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is to prevent it from competing with the new Life is Strange title, as they would share similar audiences. Having some breathing room between the two would also allow fans to play them at comfier pace.

The new trailer showcases gameplay from Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, which allows the main character, Swann, to switch between 1995 and 2022 timelines. The game will feature a dynamic dialog system, which changes dialog based on where players look or what they choose to say. Performing or ignoring actions will also affect outcomes.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will be available on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. There’s currently no word about a Switch version. Don’t Nod also announced plans for physical PS5 copies, but there’s no release date set for them yet.

If you happen to be at Gamescom 2024, feel free to check out Don't Nod's space in the B2B and B2C areas. Besides a photo booth themed after Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, you might even bring a keepsake home.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dont-nods-lost-records-bloom--rage-will-launch-in-two-parts-starting-february-18-2025-203015444.html?src=rss

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Secret Level is a gaming-inspired anthology series coming to Prime Video on December 15. The upcoming Amazon title is from the same team behind Netflix's Love, Death and Robots. From the teaser released during Gamescom, this new project will be continuing the Blur Studio specialty for creating masterful animated works for an adult audience. The creative team was looking to inspire "nerd joy" with Love, Death and Robots and from the first glimpse, Secret Level seems like a natural progression of that goal.

Each of the 15 stories in the show are inspired by a different game. The official list of inspirations is: Armored Core, Concord, Crossfire, Dungeons & Dragons, Exodus, Honor of Kings, Mega Man, New World: Aeternum, PAC-MAN, various PlayStation Studios games, Sifu, Spelunky, The Outer Worlds, Unreal Tournament and Warhammer 40,000.

Games feel like a natural inspiration for this type of animation showcase. The cinematics in some contemporary AAA titles have all the polish and emotion of standalone films. Plus, game-inspired television series have been reaching new levels of success in recent years thanks to projects like Fallout, The Last of Us and Arcane.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/animated-video-game-anthology-series-secret-level-is-coming-to-prime-video-202027254.html?src=rss

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Tarsier Studios, creators of the first two Little Nightmares games, is back with another creepy adventure — and its “partially disemboweled talking pig” teaser video looks like it set the proper tone. Announced at Gamescom Opening Night, Reanimal takes two children on an adventure across land and sea as they work together to rescue their missing friends on an island filled with horrifying creatures.

The developer helmed the first two Little Nightmares installments before Supermassive Games took over for part III. The new game promises to up the ante with “a more terrifying journey than ever before.”

The horror-adventure game stars a brother and sister in an “unsettling tale” who “go through hell to rescue their missing friends.” The protagonists are described as broken but resilient, facing fragments of their troubled past in the guise of gruesome beasts. It will somehow explore themes of hope and redemption as they navigate the chilling environment.

Tarsier Studios / THQ Nordic

The game lets you play single-player or co-op (local and online). In an illustration of the creators’ understanding of the horror genre, it uses a shared, directed camera “to maximize claustrophobia and tension.”

Reanimal doesn’t yet have a launch date other than “coming soon,” but we know it will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. You can check out the announcement trailer below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/reanimal-promises-a-more-terrifying-journey-than-little-nightmares-200457474.html?src=rss

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© Tarsier Studios / THQ Nordic

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set in 1937, in the space between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, and it’s being developed by MachineGames, the studio behind the most recent Wolfenstein installments. So, of course the game’s main enemies are Nazis, and obviously it has a robust range of Nazi-punching mechanics. What makes The Great Circle intriguing, even after just a 30-minute hands-off preview, is its lighthearted interpretation of classic Indiana Jones tropes, leaning into the series’ humorous tone and adding twists like open-handed Nazi slapping to Indy’s repertoire.

When it comes to combat, Indiana has a whip, a revolver and his fists (or palms). His whip appears to be the most useful tool on his belt, allowing him to swing across gaps, activate levers, and pull in enemies nice and close for a one-two punch. Hitting a Nazi with the whip briefly incapacitates them while they’re reeled in, setting up an advantageous close-quarters melee situation. Hand-to-hand combat requires precise timing in order to land knockout combos or finishing moves, and on top of throwing punches and slaps, Indy is able to block and defensively parry. In fistfights, the game’s first-person perspective crops in extra tight, filling the screen with punchable Nazi surfaces and enhancing the tension behind each blow and dodge. He can also pick up objects and hit enemies with them, and in pre-recorded gameplay footage, it all looks supremely satisfying.

MachineGames

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t just an action game, though. Many of its encounters can be approached with stealth mechanics, where players sneak past guards and perform silent takedowns without fisticuffs or gunfire at all. The revolver is really a last-ditch option in each scenario, game director Jerk Gustafsson and creative director Axel Torvenius said. Otherwise, puzzles are a pivotal component of gameplay.

Indiana is joined on his adventures by Gina, an Italian journalist who’s searching for her sister, and together they encounter a variety of logic and spatial puzzles. Some are quick, like finding an alternative entrance to a sealed room, and others are more involved, requiring a few minutes of focus to fully understand.

The preview focused on Giza, Egypt, showcasing bustling outdoor marketplaces, a depressing Nazi meeting room and a vibrant temple hidden beneath the sands of the Great Sphinx. Here, Indy and Gina had to catch the sunlight with a series of ancient mirrors, lining them up one by one until the beam bounced to the proper place. This particular puzzle room seemed straightforward and slightly clever (though maybe that’s just because The Mummy is one of my favorite childhood movies), but there are apparently more challenging riddles in the game, too. The most complex puzzles are hidden, requiring some light exploration in various regions, and they’re not necessary in order to complete the main storyline. These bonus riddles are just some of the many secrets to find around the game’s world.

MachineGames

“I don’t really like too difficult puzzles myself,” Gustafsson said. “I like to just enjoy the experience and not be so challenged by them. That said, we do have a mix [of puzzle difficulties] because I like a lot of variation. It’s not like we have some unique puzzle mechanic that goes across the entire game. We tried to create every puzzle in a different, unique way.”

There are also difficulty options for the puzzles overall, allowing players to choose how complex they’ll be throughout the entire game.

Indiana has a notebook that fills up with evidence, objectives and photos that he takes while investigating various relics around the globe. The camera is an essential tool in The Great Circle, and each snapped pic can unlock new clues and trails to follow. Indy also carries a lighter, which functions as a flashlight and can set stationary torches ablaze. His play style is customizable, with dozens of upgrades available as the game progresses. One potential upgrade is True Grit, an ability that allows him to recover from a fatal blow by crawling toward and grabbing his fedora within a certain amount of time. You know, classic Indiana Jones stuff.

MachineGames

I’ve seen some angry chatter online from people who don’t like the first-person perspective in The Great Circle, citing a desire to actually see Indiana as he does all this cool stuff, just like in the movies. I don’t think these people have much to worry about — not only are there plenty of cutscenes featuring Troy Baker’s utterly impressive 1980s Harrison Ford impression, but parts of the game are in third-person after all.

“When it comes to a character like Indiana Jones, I want to play the character and I want to be the character, I want to look through and explore the world through his eyes,” Gustafsson said. “To me that’s a very important part of what we do here. For me, it was a very easy choice. But also, we do mix in some third-person elements here. We have very much come back to our own history with games like Riddick and The Darkness where we also did this mix between first-person and third-person perspective. We do that for this game, too. Everything is not first-person, even though the core experience is in first-person.”

Torvenius added, “There’s a great opportunity here as well for us because we do have a large section of the game that is mystery, it’s solving puzzles, being up front and close to ancient relics and ruins and scriptures. So it adds an intimacy to the adventure to some aspect, that you can get really up and close and can really inspect things, which is actually pretty nice how it plays out in the game.”

MachineGames

Even in first-person scenes, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks, sounds and feels right so far. Baker’s Indiana Jones is nearly indistinguishable from the early film versions, his voice drawling and gravelly with a sarcastic bite. There’s a dry humor built into his interactions, as is fitting. In one scene, he’s introducing himself to a woman who has an intricately designed eye patch; she seems to be indigenous to the jungle they’re sitting in.

“I’m an archaeologist,” Indiana says.

“Another one,” she replies, clearly unimpressed.

It’s a quick moment from a short preview, but it sets a solid tone for the game as a whole: dry, lighthearted, and a little punch-drunk in between all the actual punching. Or you could say, a bit slap-happy amid all the slapping. Either way, these Nazis won't know what hit them.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 9. It'll be available on Game Pass Ultimate, and it's also coming to PlayStation 5 in spring 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-has-a-nazi-slapping-mechanic-200052110.html?src=rss

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 9. It'll be available on Game Pass Ultimate day-one. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is also coming to PlayStation 5, but it's taking the scenic route to Sony's console: It'll hit PS5 in spring 2025.

It's been rumored for a while that The Great Circle — a game developed by Xbox subsidiary MachineGames and published by Xbox — would also come to PS5. Just in February, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said The Great Circle was not heading to PS5 or Switch, though a handful of other Xbox properties were making the cross-console leap. That hasn't stopped the rumor mill from spinning, of course.

MachineGames was swept up in Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax in 2021, alongside id Software, Arkane and Bethesda Game Studios. In June 2023, Bethesda VP Pete Hines testified in court proceedings that Disney and ZeniMax originally planned to release The Great Circle on multiple platforms, and it only became exclusive to Xbox after Microsoft's purchase of ZeniMax was approved.

Xbox is not required to release The Great Circle on PS5 or any other platform. This whole situation is separate from Microsoft's controversial acquisition of Activision Blizzard, wherein Xbox is legally mandated to release new games like this fall's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on competing consoles.

We recently saw a 30-minute hands-off preview of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and found it to be charming as hell. It's filled with plenty of Nazi punching — and slapping, which is a nice surprise. Read the full preview for more insight.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-hits-xbox-and-pc-on-december-9-and-ps5-in-spring-2025-195751940.html?src=rss

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We've got our first big announcement of Gamescom: Borderlands is back. Borderlands 4 is the next entry in the franchise from Gearbox Software and 2K Games. It's due to arrive in 2025.

There's no gameplay in the announcement video released today. While that's a touch disappointing, it isn't much of a surprise for a teaser trailer or for a release that is still likely at least a year away. (And that's assuming no delays.) But the Borderlands games are known for their polished first-person shooter experience, particularly in co-op, and for their sharp sense of humor. Hopefully both of those traits will be returning in full force with the new game.

What doesn't seem to be returning is the cartoony art style that was a hallmark of the previous three titles. The teaser looks more like it's advertising a prestige television science fiction series rather than the zany Borderlands world. But it's early days yet and the studio will surely be sharing more updates as the game progresses through development.

Gearbox was likely hoping to springboard this announcement off a wave of renewed interest in the series after the blockbuster movie adaptation this summer. But since that project was a disastrous disappointment, hopefully a new game will give fans of the series something fresh to be excited about.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/borderlands-4-is-coming-in-2025-194227938.html?src=rss

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Condé Nast, the media conglomerate that owns publications like The New Yorker, Vogue and Wired, has announced a multi-year partnership OpenAI to display content from Condé Nast titles in ChatGPT as well as SearchGPT, the company’s prototype AI-powered search engine. The partnership comes amid growing concerns over the unauthorized use of publishers’ content by AI companies. Last month, Condé Nast sent a cease-and-desist letter to AI search startup Perplexity, accusing it of plagiarism for using its content to generate answers.

“Over the last decade, news and digital media have faced steep challenges as many technology companies eroded publishers’ ability to monetize content, most recently with traditional search,” Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch wrote to employees in a memo that was first reported by Semafor’s Max Tani. “Our partnership with OpenAI begins to make up for some of that revenue, allowing us to continue to protect and invest in our journalism and creative endeavors.” It's not clear how much money OpenAI will pay Condé Nast for the partnership. 

The move makes Condé Nast the latest in a growing line of publishers who have struck deals with OpenAI. These include News Corp, Vox, The Atlantic, TIME and Axel Springer among others. But not everyone is on board with the idea. Last year, the New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for using information from the publisher’s articles in ChatGPT’s responses.

Lynch has been vocal about these concerns. In January, he warned that “many” media companies could face financial ruin by the time it would take for litigations against AI companies to conclude and called upon Congress to take “immediate action" to take "immediate action" and clarify that publishers must be compensated by AI companies for both training and output if they use their content. Earlier this month, three senators introduced the COPIED ACT, a bill that aims to protect journalists and artists from having their content scraped by AI companies without their permission.

Perplexity, which was recently accused by Forbes and Wired of stealing content, now plans to share a portion of potential advertising revenues with publishers who sign up for a newly-launched Publishers’ Program.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-will-now-use-content-from-wired-vogue-and-the-new-yorker-in-chatgpts-responses-193057432.html?src=rss

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© REUTERS / Reuters

The biggest day of the tech world’s fall calendar is nearly here: Apple’s iPhone 16 event will take place sometime in September. The company typically does it on a Tuesday during the first half of the month, so September 10 is a safe bet. No matter when it happens, we'll be live-blogging the news, and you can watch it live via the company’s website or on YouTube. The biggest news from the event will almost definitely involve the forthcoming lineup of iPhone 16 handsets. Past as prologue, we’ll also get a new Apple Watch or two.

Beyond that, rumors have been swirling about a refresh of the standard AirPod earbuds. Until Tim Cook takes the (virtual) stage, however, everything is pure speculation. With that said, let’s get into the most likely leaks and rumors ahead of the event.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro

No matter what else happens, these new handsets will take center stage during the Apple iPhone 16 event. That’s good news for people ready for an upgrade. The bad (ish) news? The vast majority of leaks and rumors indicate that this will be another year of iterative improvements, so don’t expect a game-changing new hardware feature.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

There’s likely to be four new models announced at the event, which is similar to what Apple did last year. The new phones will allegedly be called the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, according to industry analyst Mark Gurman. This is the exact same naming convention as last year’s iPhone 15 reveal, so the rumors of Apple adopting an “iPhone Ultra” moniker seem to have been greatly exaggerated.

Even if Apple doesn't use the Ultra naming, the Pro models might be getting slightly larger screens, which is always nice (if you like big phones, that is). The regular Pro is likely to move to 6.3 inches from 6.1 inches, while the Pro Max should hit 6.9 inches, an increase from 6.7 inches. Finally, there will likely be a new color or two, as always. Bloomberg’s Gurman suggests that Apple is ready to ditch the blue model in favor of the return of rose gold.

On the hardware side of things, look for a new chipset that takes advantage of the company’s recent push toward AI, also known as Apple Intelligence. Beyond that, the upgraded A18 chip will be an iterative improvement, specs-wise. As is typical, the Pro and Pro Max will likely get a more powerful chip than the standard models. It looks like the base amount of RAM here will be 8GB, so as to handle those aforementioned AI tasks.

It’s also been rumored that the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will get the Action Button, a feature introduced last year for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. This multi-purpose button is a direct replacement for the mute switch, by default, but can be adjusted to control a bunch of different things. The Action Button can be used to to change ringer settings, turn on the flashlight, launch the camera and more.

Cherlynn Low/Engadget

There’s also talk of another new button, this one on the right side of the phone. This will control camera features, operating like a button on a DSLR. Reporting indicates that a soft press will trigger autofocus and a harder press will take a photo. Consumers may also be able to swipe along the button to zoom in and out while shooting photos or taking videos. It’s been reported that this camera button will only come with the Pro and Pro Max, which makes sense since the high-end models typically offer a more robust camera experience.

To that end, new iPhones always get a camera spec bump, but we don’t know exactly what that will look like this time. It’s been reported, however, that the iPhone 16’s camera module could be getting a design refresh. Apple might be ditching the square and going with a vertical orientation. This might only apply to the base iPhone 16 and maybe the Plus, as the Pro and Pro Max phones tend to place a much higher emphasis on photos and videos.

Apple

We already know what’s coming on the software side of things, thanks to the recent WWDC event. Based on previous years, iOS 18 should be available within the week following the event. The software update features a more customizable Control Center and Home Screen. It'll also finally bring RCS support to iPhones.

As for Apple Intelligence, you’ll have to wait a bit. It was announced as part of iOS 18, but it’s been delayed until iOS 18.1. This isn’t a huge deal, as that OS refresh is expected in October, but does mean that early adopters of the iPhone 16 won’t be able to fool around with AI right away.

Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3

Ever since 2016, iPhone events have also included a deep dive on the latest Apple Watch. This year looks to be no different. As a matter of fact, this is a big year for the Apple Watch. We are coming up on the gadget’s tenth birthday, so there are conflicting rumors as to whether the next entry will be called the Apple Watch Series 10 or the Series X.

No matter what it ends up being called, Apple’s next standard smartwatch is reported to have a bigger screen that’s more in line with the Ultra. It’s expected that the company will ditch the 41mm form factor and introduce a 49mm design.

Rumors have also suggested that Apple has completely redesigned the band system and added new connectors. This will likely make these straps easier to adjust, but there’s a downside. This move could make it so all of those old bands no longer work.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Of course, there’s going to be a new chip to power these watches, but we don’t have any specifics. It’s been suggested that these chips have been designed to accommodate Apple’s recent foray into AI, but that integration is likely to happen later on. For now, Apple Intelligence will be tethered to iPhone, iPad and Mac.

There are likely to be two watches revealed at the event, which are codenamed N217 and N218. It’s possible one of these will be the Apple Watch Ultra 3, though Mark Gurman at Bloomberg says the high-end smartwatch won’t get a major redesign this time out. It’ll likely be an iterative refresh.

On the software front, it looks like Apple has run into some snags while developing long-anticipated health tracking tools. Health monitoring is one of the key features of the Apple Watch, so the company has been working on new sensors to detect high blood pressure and sleep apnea. However, the tech will likely not be ready for this year’s smartwatch. Apple’s also been developing a glucose sensor for almost a decade so, who knows, maybe it’ll finally show up with the Series X.

Finally, it’s highly possible that Apple announces a new version of the budget-friendly Watch SE. This was last updated in 2022, so a refresh is overdue. There has been some reporting that Apple will be swapping out the aluminum exterior with a rigid plastic shell. This should help get costs down even further. As it stands, the Apple Watch SE is $250, but Samsung’s cheapest wearable is the $200 Galaxy Watch FE. Apple may want to compete closer to that price range. 

AirPods 4

Billy Steele/Engadget

It’s been reported that Apple’s prepping two new variants of its standard earbuds. The AirPods 4 could feature both an entry-level model and a mid-tier version, which would effectively replace AirPods 2 and AirPods 3.

The big news here is that both AirPods 4 versions are likely to transition to a USB-C case to keep pace with the iPhone and the second-gen AirPods Pro. It’s been suggested that the cheaper of the two forthcoming models would lack wireless charging, but that the mid-tier version would support this technology. This is the same strategy Apple followed with previous generations, so it makes sense.

Both versions should feature similar designs, though the mid-tier variant is likely to support active noise cancellation like the Pro model. Speaking of, there will likely be no refresh of Apple’s high-end Pro earbuds at this event. There's also some mystery surrounding the company’s over-ear headphones, AirPods Max. It’s been four whole years since these premium cans hit store shelves (and they're still stuck using a Lightning port for charging), so a refresh is long overdue.

Surprises and software 

The iPhone event doesn’t typically have a “one last thing” moment, but there’s one piece of hardware that could get a surprise shout out. It’s been rumored that Apple is preparing a massive redesign of the Mac mini. Analysts have suggested that this will be the company’s smallest ever desktop computer and could be around the same size of an Apple TV streaming box.

There will reportedly be two versions of the upcoming Mac Mini, one with the standard M4 chip and another with the more powerful M4 Pro chip. The base model is rumored to start shipping from suppliers this month, so it’s possible Apple will spend a few minutes on the computer at the iPhone event. However, don’t count on it. This is an event for iPhones and smartwatches and a miniaturized desktop could feel out of place. And, just like it did last fall, Apple could easily hold a Mac-specific event later this year.

Beyond that, a whole bunch of software updates are about to drop. There’s iOS 18, which we’ve written about extensively, and iPadOS 18. As for smartwatches, watchOS 11 is also coming out sometime this fall. Apple already detailed all three operating systems at WWDC, but the upcoming iPhone event would be a good time to announce official release dates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-event-rumor-roundup-what-to-expect-at-the-iphone-16-keynote-192347591.html?src=rss

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Streaming posted another banner month in July, reaching multiple new milestones in the latest issue of The Gauge report from Nielsen. The big headline is that streaming was responsible for 41.4 percent of all TV viewing during the month. That's the highest share in the report's brief history for any viewing category, meaning streaming topped past performances for both broadcast and cable TV. The result follows on the heels of the previous record set by streaming in June.

The other big success story in the July report is for YouTube. The popular video platform hosted 10 percent of monthly TV usage, marking the first time a single streaming service has reached a double-digit share. Multiple other streaming sites hit their own personal bests for viewing share in July: Disney+ jumped up to a 2.1 percent viewing share and The Roku Channel hit 1.6 percent.

There are a couple takeaways from the range of record-setting performances in July. For starters, The Gauge only tracks viewing that happens on a TV screen, meaning no mobile or laptop viewing is included. Last month's results show how much streaming video's presence has expanded beyond just smartphones and tablets to challenge and surpass the options of traditional broadcast and cable TV.

Another notable factoid from Nielsen is that 10 different titles on streaming platforms surpassed 1 billion minutes of viewing in the first full week of July — another record. Seven different streaming companies had programs on that list, and they cover a broad spectrum of genres and audiences. The lineup was led by Netflix's action flick Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which secured 2.05 billion minutes of viewership between July 1 and July 7. TV series Suits (available on Peacock and Netflix) came second with just shy of 1.5 billion minutes viewed. House of the Dragon on Max, Your Honor on Netflix/Paramount+ and The Bear on Hulu rounded out the top five, each with more than 1.2 billion minutes viewed during that week. In other words, the next breakout hit for streaming could happen on any platform.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/streaming-hit-multiple-new-viewership-records-in-july-nielsen-reports-191529705.html?src=rss

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Streaming prices love to go up, but here’s a rare instance in which one is going down. Paramount+ is lowering prices on its two annual plans for a limited time. The cheapest option is just $30 per year, and this gets you the Essentials plan. This is the basic subscription that allows access to Paramount+ programming with ads.

It doesn’t, however, offer access to Showtime. For that, the cost doubles to $60 per year. In addition to the secondary streaming service, this plan offers live CBS streaming and the ability to download shows to a mobile device. This is also an ad-free plan, though live TV still has ads (for obvious reasons.)

For the uninitiated, Paramount+ is home to most, but not all, new Star Trek shows. It also hosts the dad-friendly Tulsa King and the Jeremy Renner vehicle Mayor of Kingstown. As for genre fare, there’s the Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff Knuckles, the recently-canceled Halo show and a remake of Stephen King’s The Stand.

Showtime, on the other hand, is a long-standing cable institution that’s seen as “HBO’s younger sibling.” The platform offers access to hit shows like Yellowjackets, Billions and The Chi. The network also has a stable of older properties, including Dexter, Ray Donovan, Shameless and many more. Finally, it’s the best way to watch Twin Peaks: The Return, which is so dang good.

These deals only last until September 6, at which point the discounts disappear into a puff of smoke. The usual prices for these annual plans are $60 for Essential and $120 for the Showtime bundle. As for monthly subscription costs, they keep going up and up.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/paramount-annual-subscriptions-are-half-off-right-now-190017186.html?src=rss

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Black Myth: Wukong, considered China’s first true AAA game, has broken Steam’s concurrent players record for a single-player title, passing Cyberpunk 2077 for the single-player record. In addition, it’s now the game with the second-most all-time concurrent players to date (including multiplayer), moving past Palworld. Based on the 16th-century novel Journey to the West, the souls-like action-adventure epic peaked at 2,223,179 players.

Industry analyst Simon Carless of GameDiscoverCo posted on X (Twitter) early on Tuesday an estimate that Black Myth: Wukong’s regional breakdown heavily favored its home country. The agency’s pie graph showed China claiming 88 percent of the game’s players. (In second place was the US at a mere three percent.) Although some interpreted that as potentially showing inflated numbers, the game launched in the middle of the night in the western hemisphere, and Carless’ stats were posted around 5AM ET.

The title’s records come against a backdrop of misogyny and censorship accusations aimed at developer Game Science. Streamers who were granted early access keys were given a (non-legally-binding) document that raised some eyebrows.

Game Science / Sony

The document included a list of banned topics the streamers were to avoid discussing while broadcasting gameplay. The New York Times reported that the off-limits subjects included politics, “feminist propaganda,” COVID-19, China’s gaming industry, and anything else that “instigates negative discourse.” (While streamers were given the list, reviewers weren’t.)

Of course, the COVID mention is easily tied to the nation’s “zero-COVID” restrictions.

As for the “feminist propaganda” restriction for Black Myth: Wukong’s streamers, you can easily draw a straight line from widespread accusations of misogyny from developer Game Science and individuals working there, including some of its cofounders. Among the many instances (summarized in a 2023 IGN story) were Game Science recruitment posters from 2015, one of which implied friends with benefits were an office perk and another featuring a dumbbell with the text (translated) “fatties should fuck off.” (Yikes.) The accusations go on from there.

Game Science / Valve

Game Science has ties to the Chinese government, which is no stranger to accusations of misogyny and censorship. To cite only a few examples, the #MeToo hashtag was censored or blocked on Chinese social platforms during the height of the movement, posts from feminist and LGBTQ+ groups and voices are routinely blocked or deleted on the country’s social media, feminist perspectives are frequently restricted or censored in China’s academic institutions and activists are no strangers to harassment, surveillance or arrests.

Tencent Holdings, a five-percent stakeholder according to The NY Times, has direct ties to Xi’s government. Meanwhile, the game’s publisher, Zhejiang Publishing & Media, is majority-owned by the Zhejiang provincial government. Finally, Hero Games, the company that sent out the streamer keys on Game Science’s behalf, has financial ties to “several state-owned enterprises,” according to The NYT. Hero Games owns around 20 percent of Game Science.

Some streamers supplied with keys (and the attached red tape) decided not to cover the game. “I have never seen anything that shameful in my 15 years doing this job. This is very clearly a document which explains that we must censor ourselves,” the prominent French streamer Benoit Reinier said (translated) in a YouTube video.

In Engadget’s preview of Black Myth: Wukong from earlier this summer (which didn’t include provisions about censored topics like streamers received), Mat Smith found the game visually stunning. We found the demo “elevated by how good the environment looks, the bizarre monster design and the quiet, unsettling soundtrack.” The game is available now on PC and PS5.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/black-myth-wukong-breaks-steams-concurrent-single-player-record-within-hours-of-launch-184559634.html?src=rss

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© Game Science / Sony

What do you get when you make a game influenced by movies like The Running Man and Labyrinth, toss in a bit of flair from professional wrestling (the kind with squared rings, not circular mats) and then throw all that on top of a co-op 3D platformer with user-generated dungeon building? To be honest, I’m not quite sure, but that’s sort of what Amazon Games and developer Glowmade are going for with its next title: King of Meat.

Trying to balance elements from that many properties seems like an impossible task. But after I got a chance to play an early build prior to Gamescom, King of Meat’s world and presentation might be the best thing about it. The game is centered around the Komstruck Koliseum, which is a Battle Royale-esque arena that also serves as the stage for an in-world TV show. Your job is to fight through various stages while helping out your friends and keeping the audience entertained.

Amazon/Glowmade

This is where the WWE inspiration factors in because the audience isn’t simply there for the ambiance, it’s an actual game mechanic. Grabbing gems and beating up foes increases your multiplier, allowing you to earn more points and get higher ranks (like bronze, silver and gold). The better you do and the more bounties you complete (like killing a certain number of specific enemies), the more currency you get, which you can then spend on new weapons, costumes and special attacks called Glory Moves. There’s even an in-game announcer to help keep the hype up.

Stylistically, King of Meat feels like a mix between Fortnite and Castle Crashers (another inspiration for the title), but with a more outlandish and sinister bent. Weapon skins include Cthulhu-like tentacle swords or jagged 8-bit facsimiles while Glory Moves range from silly to shocking, like calling down a giant hoof from the sky or birthing a massive belch to blow enemies away. And behind this over-the-top, energy-drink-fueled facade, there’s a bit of evil lurking in the corners, hinting that the fictional megacorps such as KOMSTRUCT may not be what they seem.

Amazon/Glowmade

As for the gameplay itself, it’s a pretty typical hack-and-slash platformer. You have basic melee attacks using weapons like swords and hammers, a heavier charge-up move, specials and a handy long-ranged sidearm (I used a crossbow, but there’s much more to choose from). You also get a double jump and while there’s some light comboing between moves, from what I saw the game stops short of letting you do more complex things like air juggles. Sadly, this is one of my concerns with the game, because while I only had a chance to play a handful of early levels, it feels like the game’s combat and pacing underdelivers, at least when compared to its over-the-top presentation and visual design.

When playing co-op with four people, there were several times when I just had to stand around while waiting for more enemies to arrive. Jumping across platforms also didn’t feel as tight or responsive compared to a lot of other 3D platformers. And even in the heat of battle, I didn’t get the sense that switching between attacks was much more effective than simply mashing buttons. I also ran into a few bugs where I got stuck in a wall or an enemy disappeared, which prevented our squad from moving on to the next section. That said, this was far from a final build, so hopefully Glowmade can polish things up before release.

Amazon/Glowmade

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to try out any dungeon building, which was a bummer since that’s meant to be a huge draw of the game. Out of the box, there will be a number of pre-made stages and a story campaign. But, similar to titles like Super Mario Maker, Glowmade is counting on users to create even more levels, with some of the lead developers saying “We want to reward players for being interesting.” Glowmade says first-party dungeons are built using the same tools players will get access to. This sort of reminds me of the Trackmania community, where even if you’re not the best racer, you can still make major contributions by creating fun courses, or in this case, dungeons. Cross-platform gameplay and dungeon building will also be supported, so you’ll have plenty of options for co-op.

Amazon/Glowmade

I still haven’t fully decided how I feel about King of Meat. It’s got an interesting premise and during my preview session, there were certainly moments where it felt like it was delivering on the spectacle while also scratching the grab-and-smash itch you tend to search for in hack-and-slash platformers. But at the same time, I wasn’t totally hooked either, possibly due to not being able to experience dungeon-building myself or not having a bigger arsenal of weapons and attacks to play around with. That said, since Glowmade’s founders previously worked at studios including Lionhead and Media Molecule and franchises like Fable and Little Big Planet, it feels like they should have the pedigree needed to properly bring King of Meat into the spotlight.

King of Meat will be available on PC, PS5, Xbox X/S and the Nintendo Switch, though Amazon and Glowmade have yet to set an official release date.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/king-of-meat-preview-a-monstrous-mash-up-of-a-co-op-platformer-183015893.html?src=rss

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© Amazon/Glowmade

One of the main reasons to have a smart speaker is to help you control various smart home devices. Light bulbs are among the most common products used for that purpose, so it only makes sense to bundle one of those with a smart speaker. As part of a back to school sale on Amazon devices and bundles, a combo of the Echo Pop and a Sengled smart bulb is available for just $23. That's 61 percent or $37 off the regular price, and only $3 more than it was selling for during Prime Day last month.

Amazon introduced the Echo Pop last year as an entry-level Alexa-powered speaker. The semi-spherical device can handle some machine learning tasks locally and it can work with Eero mesh routers to extend the range of a home network.

Meanwhile, Sengled makes solid smart light bulbs that are a more budget-friendly alternative to name brand models like Philips Hue. The main drawbacks are that the colors aren't as nuanced as pricier options, while the mobile app isn't totally refined (though that's maybe less of a concern if you're using your voice to control the bulb anyway).

Amazon is also offering the bulb as part of other discounted bundles. You can snag an Echo Show 5 and Sengled smart light bulb for $60, down from $110. If an Echo Spot is of more interest, you can pick up one of those and a bulb for $55. The bundle usually costs $100.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/an-amazon-echo-pop-and-smart-light-bulb-bundle-is-just-23-170035540.html?src=rss

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© Amazon

Once upon a time in the tail-end of the last century, there was something called the Y2K bug. This bit of computer code was supposed to herald a global robot apocalypse at the stroke of midnight when 1999 became the year 2000 because of, uh, clock dates or something. Anyways, nothing happened. Or did it?

That’s the premise behind A24’s new horror comedy, the appropriately-named Y2K. The film imagines a New Year’s Eve of 1999 in which the computers really did turn on humanity. It’s written and directed by SNL alum Kyle Mooney, who made the fantastic and underrated Brigsby Bear.

As you can see from the trailer, it’s a 1990s teen party comedy, like Can’t Hardly Wait, but also an apocalyptic horror film. This particular hodgepodge brings to mind This is the End, in which Seth Rogen and other celebrities fight off a demonic horde.

However, instead of a demonic horde, these teens will be fighting for their lives against VCRs, old-school computers and, of course, murderous Tamagotchis. Also, Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst is somehow involved. The cast is composed primarily of unknown teenagers, but the adults are played by Tim Heidecker, Alicia Silverstone and Mooney himself. The movie hits theaters on December 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a24s-y2k-has-teens-battling-old-school-computers-and-bloodthirsty-tamagotchis-164537560.html?src=rss

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© A24 Films

Earlier this week Valve started kicking Counter-Strike 2 players who used a feature called Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions (SOCD). It’s available on some of Razer and Wooting’s keyboards, and you'll be kicked from matches if you play Counter-Strike 2 and the game detects you using it. Fortunately, Valve isn’t planning to ban Steam accounts right now.

The Verge tested Valve’s ruling and confirmed the game kicks you from matches if you play with SOCD. We still don’t recommend challenging Valve’s leniency, as the admins still have every right to ban accounts from playing the game. Don’t come crying if they do, thanks.

Razer calls the feature Snap Tap, while Wooting prefers the cuter term Snappy Tappy. Valve’s post says that those who own these keyboards must disable the features to “avoid any interruption to your matches.”

SOCD allows players to automate strafing, which means they can move in two directions without releasing the first key. This entails that you can always peek out of cover and get back out of harm’s way as fast as the game’s limitations allow. For example, as you move left with the A key, pressing the D key without letting the A key go enables you to go right instantly. Additionally, your reticule widens while moving, so coming to a stop sooner helps with your aim. SOCD lets you stop almost instantly, which can improve your head-clicking rate.

Both Razer and Wooting have made posts on X accepting Valve’s decision. Wooting, in particular, called for SOCD keyboard owners to disable the feature while playing Counter-Strike 2.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/valve-bans-razer-and-wooting-keyboard-automation-in-counter-strike-2-160502376.html?src=rss

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© Valve

Anova will soon start charging customers a monthly or yearly fee to use the “smart” features of its well-regarded sous vide cooking appliances. The subscription costs kick in on August 21 and apply to the proprietary app, which controls wireless functionality. In other words, you won’t be able to remotely control the device without paying the piper.

The subscription price isn’t exactly exorbitant, at $2 per month or $10 per year, but it’s the principle of the thing. In the old days, we’d buy an object and then use that object. End of story. Now everything’s a dang subscription. Yes. I wrote those previous sentences in a cartoonish old man's voice, but the point stands.

Anova says that the subscription fee will only apply to new users. If you already own an Anova cooker and use the app, the company will grandfather you in for free. However, it’s now mandatory to create an account. Before this change, it was optional. If you use an Anova cooker in guest mode, get that account made pronto. 

These cookers can be used without the app, but that turns them into bare-bones sous vide machines (not that there’s anything wrong with that.) The app allows for remote adjustments, access to status updates, the perusal of recipes and more.

“Our community has literally cooked 100s of millions of times with our app. Unfortunately, each connected cook costs us money,” company CEO Stephen Svajian wrote in a blog post. Svajian didn't go into detail as to how using simple Bluetooth features costs the company money, but whatever. 

The bad news doesn’t stop there. Anova is stripping its first-gen products of all smart features. This applies to the Bluetooth and Bluetooth + Wi-Fi models of the original Anova Precision Cooker. Not even a subscription will save these devices, though the change doesn’t go into effect until 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/anova-will-charge-customers-to-use-its-sous-vide-app-because-everything-must-be-a-subscription-151906912.html?src=rss

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The last few years have brought a sharp rise in “cozy games,” or video games that are expressly designed to generate good vibes. But being cozy isn’t synonymous with being good. If you’re looking for some games to help you wind down, we can help. Below we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite chill games, ones that purposefully deemphasize fail states, grinding, intense violence and other aggressive urges, but aren’t boring or insufferably twee. Yes, we’ve included some obvious ones like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, but there are many lesser-known gems that span across genres as well. Here are some of the best relaxing games for your Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox, PC or mobile device.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-relaxing-video-games-140048572.html?src=rss

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It's back to school season, which means many students and/or their parents are on the lookout for a laptop on which they can get schoolwork done. Depending on your needs, though, a tablet may do the trick (but you'll likely still want a keyboard attachment for extended typing sessions). Tablets offer flexibility in terms of study and play, and it's pretty hard to go wrong with a recent iPad.

As luck would have it, the 13-inch iPad Air M2 has dropped to its lowest price since Apple released it in May. The blue and space gray models are available for $729. That's $70 off the regular price.

While it's not the most powerful iPad around — the latest iPad Pro is the first device to use Apple's M4 chips — the M2 iPad Air is a great option. It's our recommendation for the best iPad for most people and we gave it a score of 91 in our review.

The M2 iPad Air delivers a great balance of performance, features and price. The 13-inch model has a brighter screen than its 11-inch sibling, and more screen real estate to get things done on. However, the 60Hz refresh rate is not as smooth as the 120Hz OLED panel on the latest iPad Pro.

The 8GB of included RAM and 128GB of base storage should be enough for basic tasks. The iPad Air will run for up to 10 hours on a single charge too.

There are cheaper and less-powerful iPads, but you'll be futureproofed to a certain degree with this one. AI-driven Apple Intelligence features will be available on the M2 iPad Air when Apple rolls those out later this year, and you can play some modern games such as Death Stranding and the Resident Evil 4 remake on the tablet (there's always the option to stream games from the cloud or local hardware too). One other feature we appreciate about this model is that Apple finally moved the front-facing camera to the horizontal edge, which makes much more sense for FaceTime or video calls in landscape mode.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-13-inch-ipad-air-m2-drops-to-a-record-low-price-143504371.html?src=rss

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© Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Waymo’s self-driving cars no longer honk when near each other, Waymo’s Director of Product and Operations Vishay Nihalani said yesterday when he appeared on software engineer Sophia Tung’s livestream. The vehicles were spotted honking at each other a few weeks ago, prompting Waymo to issue a software patch.

As reported by NBC Bay Area, residents living near the parking lot full of Waymo taxis reported that despite the patch going live, the taxis still honked at each other. Tung, who lived near the idling taxis, set up her live stream to capture the cacophony of honking vehicles.

No good stream is complete without a soundtrack, and Tung’s stream included lo-fi music in the vein of the ubiquitous “LoFi Girl" on YouTube. The title, “Self Driving Taxi Depot Shenanigans To Relax/Study To,” was an obvious tribute to the LoFi Girl channel. (And yes, she had permission to use the music.) Despite a fix being pushed out, the stream captured the cars continuing to honk at 4AM this past Saturday.

Nihalani joined the stream to speak to Tung about the ongoing honking. According to the director, the cars’ honking was an intentional feature for taxis cruising on public roads to avoid collisions, but honking at each other while idling in the parking lot was never intentional. The taxis have now all been updated to solve the issue.

The Waymo service is available for those living in San Francisco, Phoenix, and 79 square miles of Los Angeles, stretching from Santa Monica to Downtown. In May, the company announced that its taxis were making 50,000 paid trips per week. Back in San Francisco, though, you can still tune in to Tung’s chill livestream of a parking lot — just without the honking.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/waymo-director-says-the-companys-cars-wont-honk-at-each-other-anymore-132812747.html?src=rss

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A game developer called Amazing Seasun Games is demonstrating NVIDIA's Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE) technology through its upcoming multiplayer mecha game Mecha BREAK at Gamescom this year. NVIDIA unveiled ACE at Computer 2023, presenting it as a "custom AI model foundry service" that developers can use to make their games more interactive. Specifically, it will allow players to interact with NPCs without the constraints of pre-programmed conversations and will be able to give them appropriate responses. 

When NVIDIA launched the technology, it showed a player talking to an NPC called Jin at a ramen shop. The player asked how the character was, and Jin was able to respond naturally to tell them about his worries about his city's rising crime rates. NVIDIA said the developer will use its technology to bring Mecha BREAK's "characters to life and provide a more dynamic and immersive gameplay experience on GeForce RTX AI PCs."

The chipmaker also said that more developers are incorporating ACE into their creations. Perfect World Games, a Chinese developer, is using the technology to power its demo for Legends. In that game, or at least the demo of it, a character is able to identify people and objects in the real world through the computer's camera, thanks to ChatGPT-4o. 

In addition to the ACE demo in Mecha BREAK, NVIDIA has also announced that PC Game Pass access on GeForce NOW will become seamless starting on August 22. Players will only have to link their Xbox profile once to be able to easily stream Game Pass titles in the future. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nvidias-ace-virtual-human-tech-is-making-its-way-into-an-actual-game-130055827.html?src=rss

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© Amazing Seasun Games

What if you could take the benefits of solid-state speaker drivers — specifically, their extreme thinness and lack of moving parts — and bring them to cooling fans? That's what xMEMS aims to do with its new XMC-2400 µCooling (microcooling) chip. It's a 1mm-tall solid-state fan on a chip that can actively cool extremely thin devices like smartphones and tablets. Based on the same MEMS (Micro-electromechanical systems) technology as the company's upcoming ultrasonic driver inside headphones, the micro-cooling chip could lead to slim devices that are less prone to overheating and capable of better sustained performance.

Consider this real-world example: If my fan-less M2 MacBook Air had xMEMS' XMC-2400 chips installed, it wouldn't have died on me while I was working in the sun at Apple's WWDC last year. It's not hard to imagine other potential solutions: Headphones that can cool down your ears; gaming controllers that can keep your paws from getting sweaty; tablets that can eke out even more speed from their hardware.

xMEMS

In earbuds like Creative's Aurvana Ace, xMEMS' solid-state drivers excelled at reproducing mid- and high-range, but they were paired together with a traditional bass driver to handle low-end frequencies. xMEMS' next-generation solid-state driver, dubbed Cypress, holds its own across all frequencies—-and it's that same air-pushing power that the new micro-cooling chip relies on.

According to Mike Housholder, xMEMS VP Marketing and Business Development, the XMC-2400 µCooling chip uses ultrasonic modulation to create pressure pulses for air movement. It weighs less than 150 milligrams and can move "up to 39 cubic centimeters of air per second with 1,000 Pascals of back pressure," xMEMS says. Since it's a solid-state device, there aren't any moving parts like rotors or fins to fail, and its thin design means it can be placed directly atop heat-generating components like APUs and GPUs. It's also resistant to dust and water damage with an IP58 rating.

xMEMS isn't the only company pursuing ultra-thin, solid-state cooling. Frore's AirJet Mini and Mini Slim can both generate 1,750 Pascals of back pressure, but they're also larger and thicker than the XMC-2400, measuring 2.8mm and 2.5mm thick, respectively. Frore showed off its technology by hacking it into a MacBook Air, and according to The Verge, it pushed out heat and led to improved sustained performance.

xMEMS

As Housholder puts it, xMEMS' technology is more flexible since its far thinner, and manufacturers can also choose from side- and top-venting options. He expects the XMC-2400 to cost under $10 per chip, and that "four to five" existing partners will get their hands on it by the end of the year. Other manufacturers can snag it in the first quarter of 2025. xMEMS' fabrication partners, TSMC and Bosch, can easily switch from building its speakers today to constructing micro-cooling chips tomorrow, Housholder says. There's no need to change equipment or production lines. 

As devices like the iPad Pro juggle extreme thinness with powerful performance, the need for some sort of ultra-thin active cooling solution is clear. We can't escape physics, after all—that's something I learned when my MacBook Air died on Apple's own campus. While we still need to see the xMEMS micro-cooling chip in action to form any sort of judgment, theoretically, it could end up being indispensable in the future.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/this-1mm-fan-on-a-chip-could-put-active-cooling-inside-ultra-thin-gadgets-130014002.html?src=rss

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© xMEMS

The now venerable Nintendo Switch turned things around for the games company. Before the hybrid console appeared, the Wii U was languishing well in third place in the console wars and, after considerable pressure, the company was making its first steps into mobile gaming with Miitomo and Super Mario Run. Seven years on, Nintendo continues to sell millions of Switch units each year, with tweaks on the hardware formula introducing handheld-only models like the Switch Lite and a premium Switch with an OLED screen.

With an ever-growing game library of in-house games (Zelda, Mario, Kirby and more) and uncharacteristically strong third-party support, the console hits the sweet spot between casual and die-hard gamers. Over the years, the console has curated an incredibly strong collection of indie games, too. Whether you’ve had your Nintendo Switch for many years or you just bought one, there are plenty of great titles to try for the first time. We’ve collected our favorite Nintendo Switch games here, in a list we’re constantly reevaluating. And don’t worry if you have a Switch Lite — every game on the list is fully supported by all Switch models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-21-best-nintendo-switch-games-in-2024-183005073.html?src=rss

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© Engadget

Lucasfilm has decided not to renew The Acolyte for a second season, according to Deadline and Variety. Fans won't get to see how the show was supposed to end and won't get to know how the plotlines its creator, Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), teased at the end of the first season would unravel. Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar called The Acolyte "Star Wars at its best" in his review, discussed how unique its premise was, and drew parallels between the series and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 

Deadline says the show had a strong start and garnered 4.8 million views in the first day it became available for streaming, reaching 11.1 million views after five days. However, viewership fell in the coming weeks, and its finale was reportedly the poorest performing finale for a Star Wars series. 

The Acolyte was a mystery-thriller story featuring a former Jedi trainee played by Amandla Stenberg, who's suspected of committing a series of crimes. Her former Jedi Master played by Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) now has to find her to get to the bottom of things. Manny Jacinto, who played the smuggler Qimir, gained a lot of attention online due to this shirtless scenes. It was revealed in the later episodes that he plays a bigger role in the story, and viewers were even supposed to learn his real name in the next season. 

The show is still available to watch on Disney+ for those who don't mind not getting closure for its story. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/star-wars-the-acolyte-isnt-getting-a-second-season-120033350.html?src=rss

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© Lucasfilm Ltd.

Zoom just announced that webinar calls can now support up to one million simultaneous participants. This was after various political groups used the video conferencing platform to raise money for Vice President Kamala Harris’ election campaign. The company now offers various tiers for webinar calls that feature max capacities of 10,000 connections through to 500,000 and, of course, one million attendees — for a price. Booking a one-time webinar for a million people will set you back a cool $100,000. 

Just check your mic is working, please...

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Apple’s 9th-generation iPad hits an all-time low of $199

• The 22 best PC games you can play right now

• X closes its operations in Brazil

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Apple Podcasts gets a web interface for easier browsing and listening

Your library, top charts, subscriptions and more in your browser.

Apple Podcasts on the web has a look and feature set more like the company’s standalone app. The platform is accessible from any web device, with more tools beyond simply playing episodes — even if you don’t have a desktop or mobile app installed. Apple says even without an Apple log-in, you’ll still be able to browse and listen.

Continue reading.

Waymo’s 6th-generation autonomous fleet has fewer sensors

But ‘without compromising safety.’

Waymo

Alphabet’s Waymo has revealed its sixth-generation Driver system, with a more efficient sensor setup. Despite having a reduced camera and LiDAR sensor count, it maintains the same safety levels of past rides, the company says. This new system is built into Geely Zeekr EVs, following a collaboration announced back in 2021. It’s a… boxier ride. This is not a Jaguar.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-zoom-can-now-handle-one-million-simultaneous-participants-111523850.html?src=rss

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© Zoom

The next entry in the Pacific Rim franchise could be an origin story for the universe, set before the events of the 2013 film by Guillermo del Toro. According to Variety, the franchise's producer Legendary Entertainment has signed a first-look TV deal with Eric Heisserer. One of the first projects he's developing with Carmen Lewis, his co-founder for his production company called Chronology, is a prequel series for Pacific Rim. Heisserer won several awards for his screenplay for Arrival, the Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi movie starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. He also wrote the script for the Netflix post-apocalyptic movie Bird Box, which starred Sandra Bullock. 

It sounds like the project is still in its very early stages, so we'll have to wait for its storyline and projected release date if it does get the green light. Seeing as it's supposed to be the Pacific Rim origin story, though, we may get to see the first kaijus emerging from the interdimensional portal at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. We may also get to see how the first Jaegers, or the gigantic mechas controlled by human pilots to fight the alien monsters, were designed and created. 

The original Pacific Rim movie was followed by Pacific Rim Uprising, its 2018 sequel film that starred John Boyega and was directed by Steven S. DeKnight. If the series pushes through, it'll follow Pacific Rim: The Black, an anime series that streamed on Netflix in 2021 and 2021, which serves as the continuation of the two films.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a-pacific-rim-prequel-series-is-being-developed-by-the-scriptwriter-of-bird-box-110043597.html?src=rss

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© Warner Bros / Legendary Pictures

If you’ve ever browsed Razer’s selection of gaming peripherals and thought, “You guys really need to step up your RGB game,” HP has just the accessory for you. The company’s newest HyperX microphone, unveiled on Tuesday at Gamescom, has over 100 LEDs for “a stunning visual” with “energetic style,” which sounds about right.

The HyperX QuadCast 2 S is a USB gaming microphone with over 100 aRGB LEDs. The individually customizable lights can display over 16 million color combinations. Why, you ask? To complement your “streams and creations,” according to HP. (Sure, why not!)

If you’re the kind of fuddy-duddy who cares more about audio input than groovy light shows, the QuadCast 2 S has a 32-bit audio resolution and a 192kHz sampling rate. It has a tap-to-mute sensor, four selectable polar patterns and a bundled shock mount / stand combo. When used with the HyperX NGENUITY software (NGENIOUS!), you can customize the LEDs, limiter and 10-band EQ. It also includes AI-based noise reduction.

HP

In addition to the Vegas casino of gaming mics, HP is launching a wireless keyboard that it claims has “the longest battery life on a backlit dual-wireless gaming keyboard” available. The HyperX Alloy Rise 75 offers 80 hours of gameplay with the backlighting on (more RGB!!). Alternatively, you can squeeze out “a staggering 1,500 hours with the backlighting off.” (At least your mic can compensate for the lack of backlighting under those conditions.)

The keyboard supports a 2.4GHz wireless connection or up to three Bluetooth connections. It includes hot-swap key switches, magnetic top plates and badges.

The RGB-tastic HyperX QuadCast 2 S gaming mic will be available in November for $200, while the Alloy Rise 75 keyboard launches in October for $230.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/hps-latest-gaming-mic-is-the-las-vegas-casino-of-microphones-100009803.html?src=rss

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© HP

Whether you’re working on an essay, doing research for a paper or just need some downtime streaming your favorite show - a good laptop is a sensible investment for every college student. The best laptop for college doesn’t have to push the envelope with the latest graphics card and processor, nor does it have to cost an arm and a leg. Sure, the best laptops come in all shapes and sizes and range in price, but college students don’t need a power-hungry machine to support their needs. The best laptop for college is ideally thin and lightweight, and provides enough battery to last all day without having to be tethered to the wall. No matter what you’re studying, we’ve researched and tested a range of laptops for you to consider as you decide which is the best laptop for college for you.

What to consider in your next laptop for college

It’s important to consider your major and what you need your laptop to do before deciding on the best laptop for college. For example, if you’re a liberal arts major and will mostly be writing or making presentations, you don’t need an expensive system with a discrete graphics card. Alternatively, if you’re a film major who might need to render videos on a regular basis, having a beefy PC can significantly reduce the time it takes to finish a project. You’ll also want to take a look at any guidelines provided by your college or your specific program, as you may need required software or apps that only run on a specific OS.

Some other things to consider are if you want a more portable 13 or 14-inch machine that’s easier to carry around, or if you prefer something with a larger screen. On top of that, if you are doing tasks like photo or video editing, you’ll probably want to go for a system with a high-resolution display (1440p or 4K), so it's easier to see details. As for other specs, ideally you’ll want 16GB of RAM (though you can go down to 8GB on a Chromebook) and at least 512GB or 1TB of storage. Most newer laptops now come with SSD storage, too, which means you can store and transfer data much faster.

Finally, while your budget ultimately will determine how powerful of a laptop you can get, well-equipped ultraportables will generally cost between $1,000 and $1,400, with prices going up from there for systems with discrete GPUs. Budget Windows laptops and Chromebooks can be affordable alternatives though, with many going for just $500 to $700. But again, remember to check your school’s requirements because it’s not worth saving a few bucks only to find out that your notebook can’t run the app you need for all your homework.

See Also:

• Best Laptops for 2024

• Best Gaming Laptops

• Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2024

• Best Chromebooks

• Best Cheap Windows Laptops for 2024

A word on Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PCs

We have really enjoyed using the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop 7. They’re fast, quiet and support a huge range of both native Arm apps and traditional x86 software. However, there are a few major productivity apps that still have not been updated to work on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips used in the recent wave of Copilot+ PCs. Some of the most notable ones are Adobe’s Illustrator and InDesign (which won’t be available until sometime in July), and After Effects and Premier Pro, which aren’t expected to arrive until later in 2024. And given the number of college students who may need a PC to edit videos, draw or create layouts with these apps, that makes it difficult to give them whole-hearted recommendations in this guide right now. However, if you’re sure the apps you need for your course or major are supported, it may be worth giving these new Copilot+ PCs a closer look.

The best laptops for college students

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-laptops-for-students-130054631.html?src=rss

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© Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

If you’re looking for an iPad that’s more affordable than cutting-edge, Amazon has the 2021 base model for only $199. Although that’s a generation behind the current version, this ninth-generation edition could be great for kids, seniors or those wanting a HomeKit-based smart home hub.

The three-year-old model is still a capable tablet for anyone content with forgoing the latest and greatest hardware. The ninth-gen iPad has a 10.2-inch Retina display and Apple’s old home button-based Touch ID sensor. It runs on the A13 Bionic chip, which has a six-core processor, quad-core GPU and octal-core Neural Engine. This isn’t the model to get if you want screaming-fast speeds, the most eye-popping display or the upcoming Apple Intelligence, but it’s hard to nitpick too much about any of that when you look at the price.

Engadget’s 2021 review found this model to be “a modest update” over the previous version. Nathan Ingraham described it as “a fast, lightweight tablet with a nice display and tons of apps, without having to spend too much.” In our battery test, we found that it outperformed Apple’s 10-hour estimate, lasting about 14 hours of video streaming.

This model runs iPadOS 17 and will support iPadOS 18 when it launches this fall. It isn’t known how many annual updates it will be eligible for after that, but the upcoming 2024 software will still run on two hardware generations behind this model, hinting that it may not be approaching the end of the line just yet.

It’s also well-suited for video chat, and its 12MP ultrawide front-facing camera supports Center Stage. Apple’s machine learning-based feature tracks your and anyone else’s faces in the shot, adjusting the call’s framing accordingly through automatic pans and zooms.

If you want to add accessories for a more laptop-like experience, the ninth-gen iPad is compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil and Apple Smart Keyboard.

Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

It’s worth keeping in mind that this model uses a Lightning connector rather than the USB-C that Apple has shifted its product lineup toward. It includes a charger in the box, but you may want to consider that if you’ve already chucked all your old Lightning cables. On the other hand, some may consider it a bonus that it still includes Apple’s now-defunct headphone jack.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apples-ninth-generation-ipad-hits-an-all-time-low-of-199-191018362.html?src=rss

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© Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

Non-subscribers who open the Apple Music app on a new iPhone or iPad typically see an offer for a free month of the service. The trial was once three times as long, but Apple quietly shortened it in early 2022. But now through September 23, anyone new to Apple's music streaming service will get to try it out for free for three months. The deal only applies to first-time subscribers; if you've never succumbed to the music app's temptation, now is as good a time as any to check it out. Just keep in mind that the service will automatically renew for $11 per month after the trial ends. Be sure to cancel if you don't want to pay. 

Apple Music has a lot to offer. It's currently our top recommendation in our guide to the best music streaming services. We like its approach to recommendations, balancing a good amount of editorial playlists and stations with algorithmic suggestions. Every song is available at CD-quality or better and lossless streaming doesn't cost extra. 

For computer-picked listening, there's a "Discovery Station" that helps you find new music by playing songs you've never streamed before, both from artists you know and others the algorithm thinks you'll like. And, in my experience, saying, "Hey Siri, play me some Apple Music," produces pretty good mix of stuff I like that's novel enough to be interesting, but not so familiar I'm sick of hearing it. 

There are a few caveats to note about the service: It's really made for Apple devices, though its available on Android devices too. You won't find podcasts on Apple Music. And, aside from this deal, there's no free version of Apple Music. Pay your $11 monthly or listen elsewhere. 

As for the deal, we'll restate that it's only for new subscribers — previous subscribers and even those who've had access to Apple Music through a Family plan aren't eligible. You also have to sign up using the Apple Music app on an iPhone, Mac or iPad running the latest software. An Apple ID is also required. You can read all terms of the deal here. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-music-is-currently-offering-new-subscribers-three-months-free-185834470.html?src=rss

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© Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Alphabet-owned Waymo unveiled its sixth-generation Driver system on Monday with a more efficient sensor setup. Despite having a reduced camera and LiDAR sensor count from the current platform, the self-driving ride’s new setup allegedly maintains safety levels. Once it's ready for public rides, it will coexist with the current-gen lineup.

CNBC reports that the new system is built into Geely Zeekr electric vehicles. Waymo first said it would work with the Chinese EV maker in late 2021. The new platform’s rides are boxier than the current-gen lineup, built on Jaguar I-PACE SUVs. The Zeekr-built sixth-gen fleet is reportedly better for accessibility, including a lower step, higher ceiling and more legroom — with roughly the same overall footprint as the Jaguar-based lineup.

The sixth-gen Waymo Driver reduced its camera count from 29 to 13 and its LiDAR sensors from five to four. Alphabet says they work together with overlapping fields of view and safety-focused redundancies that let it perform better in various weather conditions. The company claims the new platform’s field of view extends up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) in daytime and nighttime and “a range of” weather conditions.

Waymo

Waymo says the new system has a modular aspect, allowing it to “swap out various sensing components to match the specific conditions of each operating environment,” like more stringent sensor cleaning for vehicles in colder cities. CNBC clarified that the cleaning system includes wipers that can clear most dirt and moisture.

The company says the sixth-gen Driver performs reliably even in extreme heat, fog, rain and hail, thanks to “regular road trips to newer cities.” That makes sense, given that its currently approved cities are all in relatively clear and dry climates. (CNBC reports that Waymo tested it in Detroit, Buffalo and NYC.) Currently, Waymo only operates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin. After launching in 2018, the company’s fleet serves around 50,000 paid autonomous trips weekly.

Waymo says the new generation already has thousands of miles of real-world driving experience (and “millions more” in simulations). The company expects it to be ready for consumers sooner than previous models — about half the time — thanks to learning from the system’s “shared knowledge” from its previous generations.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymos-sixth-generation-autonomous-fleet-has-fewer-sensors-without-compromising-safety-175339320.html?src=rss

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© Waymo

PC gamers have had to bide their time for the long-promised port of Final Fantasy XVI to hit their preferred platform, but the wait is almost over. The action RPG will hit Steam and the Epic Games Store on September 17. Both paid expansions, which are included in the complete edition, will be available on the same day.

Until now, the game has only been available on PlayStation 5. PC players can get a taste of what’s in store for them right now by checking out a demo that just went live on Steam and the Epic store.

Final Fantasy XVI forged a new path for the series by switching up the classic turn-based combat and opting for more action and hack-and-slash fighting. This helped make the game more approachable for those who don’t much care for the more tactics-based format, but the shift rankled some long-time fans.

In any case, Final Fantasy XVI is fun, though it's relatively easy. The cast deliver strong performances and the massive boss battles mesh well with the epic cinematic scope. The combat system, which is based on elemental attacks, helps make your fights look exciting too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/final-fantasy-xvi-is-coming-to-pc-on-september-17-172824223.html?src=rss

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© Square Enix

Zoom just announced that webinar calls can now support up to one million simultaneous participants. This is happening after various political groups used the video conferencing platform to raise money for Vice President Kamala Harris’ election campaign, often by hosting calls with hundreds of thousands of people.

The company now offers various tiers to accommodate large events. Customers can choose from webinars that feature max capacities of 10K, 50K, 100K, 250K, 500K, and, of course, 1M attendees. These are single-use webinar packages that come with support from Zoom’s Event Services team to ensure a “professional, engaging experience” for all.

“Now event organizers have the flexibility and power to host truly interactive experiences on an unprecedented scale and the ability to purchase large single-use webinars,” said Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom.

Despite being recently used for political fundraising, Zoom envisions a future in which these large-scale virtual events are common across the enterprise, entertainment and public sectors. The company says, for instance, that celebrities and entertainers can use these webinar capabilities to host fan meet-and-greets and other kinds of virtual events.

These events, however, don’t come cheap. Booking a one-time webinar for a million people will set you back a cool $100,000. That’s actually a good deal, as a webinar for 10,000 people costs $9,000, which is almost a dollar per person.

Before this change, Zoom only offered official support for up to 100,000 attendees. However, reporting by Bloomberg indicates that the company recently changed course so as to accommodate the aforementioned fundraising events.

This all started in July when an organization called Win with Black Women held a Zoom call with more than 40,000 attendees in which they raised $1.5 million for the Harris campaign. This was followed by White Dudes for Harris, with 190,000 attendees, and White Women for Harris, with 164,000 attendees.

This could be a lucrative new revenue source for Zoom. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that its stock sold for $560 per share before dropping to around $60 per share. This rapid decline was expected, as the world moved on from virtual meetings and started going outside again.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/zoom-can-now-handle-one-million-simultaneous-participants-170919609.html?src=rss

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© Zoom/Inside Edition

Apple has just given podcasts listeners an improved way to stream shows from its library on any device. Starting today, the version of Apple Podcasts on the web has a look and feature set that more akin to the company's standalone app. Not only is the platform accessible on any device via the web, but you'll get more tools beyond simply playing episodes — even if you don't have desktop or mobile app installed.

Through the web interface that looks similar to what you'd see inside the full app, you'll be able to browse shows, access your library, view top charts, purchase subscriptions and more. Apple Podcasts on the web syncs everything with your Apple account, so play progress, favorite shows and subscriptions remain up to date across devices. If you don't have an Apple log-in, the company says you'll be able to browse and listen, but that's it. Before this, you could listen to podcasts on the web, but you didn't have access to your library or any advanced tools most users want from a service. 

Apple says the expanded Podcasts on the web is available in more than 170 countries on "all major web browsers," including Safari, Chrome, Edge and FireFox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/apple-podcasts-now-has-a-useful-web-interface-for-browsing-and-listening-to-shows-170014285.html?src=rss

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© Apple

The latest incarnation of Amazon's Echo Spot is back on sale. The smart alarm clock has dropped from $80 to $55. The device was available for $45 during an introductory/Prime Day sale in July, but this is the lowest that the Echo Spot has dipped to since then.

The new model has a sharper display and better sound compared with the original one, Amazon claims (the company canned the first Echo Spot in 2019, two years after its debut). The front face of the new Echo Spot is split almost in half with a display up top and speaker at the bottom. Unlike the original model, there's no camera in this one, which is a welcome move. It always seemed odd for Amazon to include one in something many people use as a bedside device.

The Echo Spot has Alexa integration, of course. You can use the voice assistant to play music, control smart home devices and create a routine for waking up. The display can show you information such as the title of the song that's playing, weather details and, naturally, the time of day.

There are a couple of other Echo devices on sale at the moment, including the Echo Show 5. The 2023 model is a third off at $60. It's one of our favorite Alexa-powered smart displays, and it can work as an alarm clock too (the tap-to-snooze feature is very handy for those desiring a few more minutes of shut-eye). The Echo Show 5 does have a built-in camera, but there's a physical shutter you can use to block it.

Meanwhile, an Echo Dot can be yours for $30. That's 20 bucks off the regular price. This is our pick for the best smart speaker that costs under $50, so the value for money is even better thanks to this sale.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-new-echo-spot-drops-to-55-151842333.html?src=rss

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© Amazon

Gamescom 2024 is almost here. Exhibitors from over 60 countries will descend on Cologne, Germany, for what is now the industry’s biggest gaming event following E3’s demise. An opening night presentation will kick off the festivities with new game announcements, trailers, footage and other surprises (like the obligatory awkward celebrity cameos). You can watch the showcase right here on Tuesday, August 20.

As usual, industry stalwart Geoff Keighley will host the Opening Night Live festivities, which begin at 2PM ET on Tuesday. E-sports MC Eefje “sjokz” Depoortere will join as co-host.

Keighley has confirmed the showcase will include the following:

• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (“a new look” at the game)

• Monster Hunter Wilds (a new trailer)

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (a play-through of the first campaign)

• Marvel Rivals (new heroes and updates)

• Dune Awakening (an “extended look” at gameplay)

• Civilization VII (the gameplay world premiere)

• The next game from Tarsier Studios, creators of Little Nightmares I and II

You can bookmark this page and tune in here to stream the event on August 20 at 2PM ET.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/how-to-watch-gamescom-opening-night-live-2024-130033275.html?src=rss

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PC gamers have almost too many options when it comes to titles to play, which is a great problem to have. With decades of games to choose from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), the options are endless. You also get the perks of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance — if you've got the coin for it when you’re building your perfect kit or picking up a high-powered gaming laptop. The whole idea of what a gaming PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose; here are the best PC games you can play right now.

Best PC games to play right now

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-pc-games-150000910.html?src=rss

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The relationship between tech companies and influencers can be murky. A recent post on Threads showed part of the sign-up form to receive Pixel devices for influencers and YouTubers, mandating that signees feature Google’s hardware “in place of any competitor mobile devices” or else “we will need to cease the relationship between the brand and the creator.”

First, our Engadget editors didn’t get this when they signed up for review samples for the four (yes, four) new Pixel phones. It transpired this was for the Team Pixel program, set up by Google to communicate with creators and, it seems, send them devices.

Google responded: “The goal of #TeamPixel is to get Pixel devices into the hands of content creators, not press and tech reviewers. We missed the mark with this new language that appeared in the #TeamPixel form yesterday, and it has been removed.”

It’s not yet clear if these Team Pixel members have received a new agreement, but will the demands remain, just not baked into a Google form or contract? The company is sending devices out so creators can try out (and talk up) the Pixel 9 series — if they don’t, Google may fail to see the point.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Engadget review recap: Dyson’s non-weird headphones and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon

• How to choose the best TV for gaming right now

• The Plucky Squire expertly transforms old ideas into something new

• Microsoft boosts Windows’ FAT32 partition size limit after nearly three decades

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Fortnite returns to iOS in the EU as the Epic Games Store debuts on mobile

Fall Guys is on smartphones for the first time too.

Epic Games

Epic has finally brought the Epic Games Store to mobile devices. The app marketplace is now available on iOS in the European Union (after the bloc required Apple to allow third-party app stores on iPhone and iPad) and on Android worldwide. As a result, Fortnite is once again available on iOS without laborious workarounds. The store is bringing Fall Guys to iOS and Android for the first time, with nearly full parity with the console and PC versions, minus the level builder.

Continue reading.

How to watch all of Xbox’s Gamescom streams

And the big opening night stream.

Gamescom is Germany’s huge annual gaming trade show. This year, Microsoft has announced a major Xbox presence throughout the event. The first is the opening night livestream, which kicks off on August 20 at 2PM ET. While that stream isn’t Xbox-centric, we’re expecting some relevant news during the keynote. It will be available via the Gamescom YouTube page. Then there are three streams from Xbox, each focusing on a different slate of games.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-google-apologizes-over-its-pixel-influencer-demands-111513252.html?src=rss

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© Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

The best gaming TVs aren’t much different from the best TVs you can buy in general. But if you’re looking to make your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X games look their best, there are a handful of key features to keep in mind. To help you get the most from your living room setup, we’ve broken down a few tips for buying a good gaming TV below. We’ve also scoured the current TV market and picked out a few well-reviewed options from across the price spectrum.

What to look for in a gaming TV

Whether you use it for gaming or not, all good TVs are built on the same foundations. You want a 4K resolution, high-enough brightness to overcome glare and make HDR content pop, a relatively high contrast ratio with deep and uniform black tones, colors that find the right balance between accuracy and saturation and wide viewing angles. For video games specifically, you want a TV with minimal input lag and fast motion response, with no blur or other unwanted artifacts behind quick-moving objects. Of course, finding a set that does all of this well and fits into your budget can be tricky.

OLED and LCD

For now, top OLED TVs generally offer the best picture quality for gaming or otherwise. But good OLED sets usually cost more than their LCD counterparts, and some models may not get bright enough for those who have their TV set in a particularly bright room.

More specifically, modern OLED TVs may utilize different types of OLED display tech: WOLED (i.e., “White OLED”) or the newer QD-OLED. We won’t dig too deep into how the two diverge in panel composition and subpixel structure, but the simplified version is that QD-OLED displays use a layer of quantum dots (hence the “QD”) to deliver a wider gamut of more vibrant colors and higher overall brightness than traditional WOLED sets.

This doesn’t mean all QD-OLED TVs are inherently better: How well an individual set performs is more important than the panel it uses, and some premium WOLED TVs like the LG G4 utilize a new form of display tech called Micro Lens Array (MLA) to greatly improve brightness themselves. Those can be better at keeping colors natural in the face of reflections as well. And virtually all OLED TVs share the same core strengths. But as good QD-OLED sets have come down in price, they’ve started to look like the standout for those looking to balance value and superior picture quality.

If you opt for an LCD TV— whether to save cash or stick in room with poor light control — an advanced backlight with smaller and more precise mini LEDs and effective full-array local dimming will usually improve contrast and lighting detail. Many of these TVs, including some budget-level models, also use quantum dots to enhance colors. They usually aren’t as vivid or fast in motion as the top OLED sets, but they’re often brighter and more affordable, and the best can still produce an excellent image in their own right.

HDMI 2.1

To get the most out of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, your TV should have full HDMI 2.1 support. This is the latest major update to the HDMI spec, enabling a higher maximum bandwidth — 48 gigabits per second, up from HDMI 2.0’s 18 Gbps — and a handful of features that are beneficial for gaming performance specifically. These include variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low latency mode (ALLM), which we detail further below.

Beyond that, perhaps the chief perk of HDMI 2.1 is its ability to transmit sharp 4K video up to a 120Hz refresh rate with modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, or up to 144Hz with a powerful gaming PC. Not every PS5 or Xbox Series X/S game supports frame rates that high — and some only do at lower resolutions — but those that do will look and feel especially fluid in motion. HDMI 2.1 also includes support for Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which allows you to pass higher-quality lossless audio from a source device connected to the TV to a compatible soundbar or receiver.

The more full HDMI 2.1 ports your TV has, the better. “Full” is the key word there. As reported by TFT Central, because HDMI 2.1 is backwards compatible with HDMI 2.0, TV and monitor manufacturers have been allowed to brand HDMI ports as “HDMI 2.1” even if they lack full (or any) support for the spec’s upgraded features. We recommend a few TVs below that have true HDMI 2.1 ports, but if you’re buying a new TV for gaming, make sure your chosen set isn’t trying to hide any capabilities you may consider essential.

HDR — High Dynamic Range

HDR refers to a TV's ability to display a wider range between the darkest and brightest parts of a picture. This broader range can bring out details that would otherwise be missing on a standard dynamic range (SDR) TV, in both the very dark and (especially) very bright areas of an image. HDR typically comes with an improvement to color reproduction as well, displaying a larger palette of more vibrant colors that brings content closer to its creator’s original vision.

To get an HDR picture, you need both content that is mastered to take advantage of the tech and a TV capable of displaying that content. HDR also comes in a variety of formats, which are generally split between those that utilize static metadata (e.g., HDR10) and those that utilize dynamic metadata (e.g., HDR10+, Dolby Vision). In short, the latter allows a TV to optimize its brightness and colors on a per-scene or even per-frame basis, while the former uses one set of optimized settings for the entirety of the given content. Support for these formats can differ depending on the TV, content and game console you use. The Xbox Series X and S, for example, support Dolby Vision for gaming, while the PS5 does not.

The good news is that most TVs you’d buy in 2023 are HDR-ready in some fashion, even on the budget end of the market. The catch is that some TVs are much better at getting the most out of HDR than others. The same goes for actual content mastered in HDR. With video games in particular, there aren’t quite as many titles designed to take advantage of HDR as there are movies (though the number is growing all the time), and the variance in HDR quality tends to be wider.

HGiG — HDR Gaming Interest Group

HGiG stands for the HDR Gaming Interest Group. Sony and Microsoft are both members, as are many TV makers and game developers. What this means is that, ideally, all the groups communicate information so that you can start up a new game on a console or PC and have it automatically recognize your display. Once that happens, the game can adjust the internal settings to adjust for that display's capabilities and give you the best picture quality possible, without losing details in the brightest or darkest areas of the screen. For example, daylight at the end of a dark tunnel may portray a brightly lit environment instead of looking like an overexposed white blob.

This is a good thing, but the reality is a bit more complicated. Not all TVs highlight HGiG compatibility in their settings menu, while only some PlayStation and Xbox games recognize and follow the guidelines. If an HGiG option is listed in your TV's tone mapping settings, you should turn it on prior to running the console's HDR settings. Then, if you're playing a game that supports HDR and HGiG, you should be in good shape without having to adjust the various luminance levels again. Still, how all of this looks to you might differ depending on your TV and the game you’re playing. Owners of certain LG OLED TVs, for instance, may prefer their TV’s Dynamic Tone Mapping setting. Use whatever settings you think look best.

ALLM — Auto Low Latency Mode

ALLM allows a source (like your PS5 or Xbox) to tell the display to switch into a picture mode that reduces lag between receiving each frame of an image and displaying it on the TV. This cuts out additional processing that could be the milliseconds of difference between landing a precise input or not. A good modern TV can automatically switch to game mode, then back out when you'd rather watch a movie or TV show.

VRR — Variable Refresh Rate

VRR will sound familiar if you're a PC gamer. Most players have experienced slowdown, screen tearing or stuttering as a system struggles to render each frame at the target speed, which is most commonly 30 or 60 fps on a TV. With VRR, everything stays in sync: Your display won't show the next frame until it's ready, which can make things feel smoother and more responsive, even if the system fails to deliver on its target frame rate.

There are a few different implementations of VRR available, including Nvidia’s G-Sync, AMD’s FreeSync and the HDMI Forum’s VRR spec, which is part of the full HDMI 2.1 standard. Both a TV and an input device need to support the same VRR tech for it to work, and different devices may only support VRR within a specific refresh rate window. On a 120Hz display, for instance, the PS5’s VRR only works between 48Hz and 120Hz.

As a reminder, the PS5 supports HDMI Forum VRR, the Xbox Series X/S support HDMI Forum VRR and FreeSync, while gaming PCs may support G-Sync or FreeSync depending on whether they use a Nvidia or AMD graphics card. A great gaming TV supports all the big VRR formats, but missing, say, G-Sync, isn’t a killer if you only game on a PS5 or Xbox.

8K (You don't need it)

One thing you don’t need to worry about is 8K support. Although the PS5 and Xbox Series X are technically capable of outputting 8K video, very few games are made for that resolution, and 8K’s practical benefits are extremely minimal unless you plan on sitting unreasonably close to a massive TV. The few 8K TVs on the market are also very expensive.

Good gaming TVs you can get right now

There’s never a perfect time to buy a new TV. Prices on current models are always dropping, and next year’s upgrades are always just around the corner. But if we had to narrow it down, the best times to pounce would be right around Black Friday — when we usually see larger-than-usual discounts on the newest sets — and during the late spring to early summer period, when last year’s models steadily drop in price as manufacturers clear out inventory.

As of this writing, we’re still in the middle of the latter. The latest TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense and the like are now readily available, so many of the better sets from 2023 are in the process of being phased out. If you can grab one of those older models while they’re still available and on sale, that should get you the most bang for the buck. Many of those older sets are now totally out of stock, though. While we at Engadget do not formally review TVs, we’ve researched the market and rounded up a few sets that have been widely well-reviewed by other professional review sites we trust, including Rtings, Wirecutter, Reviewed and PCMag, among others.

Richard Lawler contributed to a previous version of this report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986.html?src=rss

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© Future Publishing via Getty Images

The US Department of Transportation has laid out a nationwide road safety plan [PDF] that will lead to cars communicating with each other. The agency is hoping that broadly deploying vehicle-to-everything (V2X) tech will boost its "commitment to pursue a comprehensive approach to reduce the number of roadway fatalities to zero." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 40,990 people died in motor vehicle crashes last year.

V2X enables vehicles to stay in touch with each other as well as pedestrians, cyclists, other road users and roadside infrastructure. It lets them share information such as their position and speed, as well as road conditions. They'd be able to do so in situations with poor visibility, such as around corners and in dense fog, NPR notes.

A US-wide rollout will require an array of mobile, in-vehicle and roadside tech that can communicate efficiently and securely while protecting people's personal information, the DoT said in its National V2X Deployment Plan. The agency said smaller-scale deployments of V2X across the country have demonstrated safety benefits. Safety advocates claim the tech could prevent hundreds of thousands of crashes and mitigate the impact of collisions that do occur by reducing the speed of impact.

The timeline for the DoT's plan extends to 2036, by which time it hopes to have fully deployed V2X across the National Highway System, for the top 75 metro areas to have the tech enabled at 85 percent of signalized intersections and to have 20 vehicle models that are V2X capable. In the shorter term, the agency aims to have V2X tech installed across 20 percent of the National Highway System and 25 percent of signalized intersections in major metro areas by 2028.

It won't be an easy task, as a wide range of stakeholders have to play a part, including the Federal Communications Commission, which the DoT says will have to determine rules about spectrum allocation. Automaker suppliers (which will build V2X-enabled components), freight operators and app developers are also players in the DoT's vision.

There are some concerns, particularly in terms of cybersecurity and how to cover the costs of rolling out the tech (though the Federal Highway Administration recently announced nearly $60 million in grants related to V2X). But V2X has the potential to prevent thousands of deaths and serious injuries.

"The Department has reached a key milestone today in laying out a national plan for the transportation industry that has the power to save lives and transform the way we travel,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “The Department recognizes the potential safety benefits of V2X, and this plan will move us closer to nationwide adoption of this technology.”

"This plan is a vital first step towards realizing the full lifesaving potential of this technology — technology that could prevent up to 615,000 crashes," National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said. The NTSB has determined that V2X deployments could have prevented many fatal crashes over the last few decades, Homendy noted. The agency has been advocating for the tech since 1995.

As you might imagine, then, V2X is hardly a new concept. Several automakers — including Audi, Toyota and Volkswagen — have long been working on ways for their cars to communicate with each other and city infrastructure, in part because that plays a factor in autonomous driving.

There were efforts under the Obama administration to make vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication a mandatory feature of new cars. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration scuttled that plan during the Trump administration.

The rollout of V2X has been slowed by "regulatory uncertainty,” said John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an automaker trade group. “This is the reset button,” Bozzella added, according to NPR. “This deployment plan is a big deal. It is a crucial piece of this V2X puzzle.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-us-lays-out-a-road-safety-plan-that-will-see-cars-talk-to-each-other-170043265.html?src=rss

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X says it's ending business operations in Brazil effective immediately, but the service will remain available to users in the country. The company says Alexandre de Moraes, the president of the Superior Electoral Court and a justice of the Supreme Federal Court, threatened one of X's legal representatives with arrest if it did not "comply with his censorship orders." 

According to Reuters, de Moreas demanded that X remove certain content from its platform. Rather than comply, X has opted to end its local operations "to protect the safety of our staff." 

According to X, de Moraes made the threat in a "secret order," which it shared publicly. X owner Elon Musk claimed that the demand "would require us to break (in secret) Brazilian, Argentinian, American and international law." He added that, "The decision to close the 𝕏 office in Brazil was difficult, but, if we had agreed to @alexandre’s (illegal) secret censorship and private information handover demands, there was no way we could explain our actions without being ashamed."

"Despite our numerous appeals to the Supreme Court not being heard, the Brazilian public not being informed about these orders and our Brazilian staff having no responsibility or control over whether content is blocked on our platform, Moraes has chosen to threaten our staff in Brazil rather than respect the law or due process," X said in a statement on its Global Government Affairs account. "[de Moraes'] actions are incompatible with democratic government. The people of Brazil have a choice to make — democracy, or Alexandre de Moraes."

Musk has been railing against de Moraes for months. In April, he said he would defy orders from the legislator to block certain accounts in Brazil, claiming that they were unconstitutional. In response, de Moraes opened an obstruction of justice inquiry against Musk. X said later in April it would comply with every order issued by Brazil's top courts.

That same month, the House Judiciary Committee released an interim staff report claiming that the Brazilian government was trying to force X (and other social media platforms) to censor more than 300 accounts. It said that the accounts included those belonging to former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro, a member of the country's federal senate and a journalist.

X does not have a public relations team that can be reached for comment.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-is-closing-its-operations-in-brazil-immediately-but-its-service-will-remain-live-for-users-165224020.html?src=rss

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Instagram is testing a new profile grid layout that features rectangular images instead of the squares you're used to. In an Instagram story, Adam Mosseri has revealed that the app is testing a vertical grid for users' profiles. He explained that the original square grid was designed back in the day when the app only allowed users to upload square photos. Those days are long gone, and the vast majority of Instagram uploads are apparently vertical, specifically 4 x 3 images and 9 x 16 videos. He called cropping those uploads down to square as "pretty brutal." 

When you click on Instagram's video tab, you'll already see a rectangular grid, so the experimental layout won't look terribly unfamiliar. In fact, the test profile looks exactly the same, based on a screenshot that a user posted on Threads, except the grid includes photo posts and not just videos. A spokesperson told The Verge that the test has only rolled out to a small number of users and that the Instagram team will listen to feedback before expanding the redesigned grid's availability. 

Based on an old post by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, the app has been working on the new rectangular grid layout since at least 2022. It looks like the test is making its way to more users — and it seems like not everyone's happy about it. Mosseri posted his Story in response to a comment submitted to his "Ask Me Anything" session, pleading for the app not to kill the old layout.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagrams-experimental-profile-grid-has-rectangular-images-instead-of-squares-160007086.html?src=rss

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What a week to kick off a new review recap series on Engadget. Google held its Made By Google event on Tuesday, launching the Pixel 9 lineup and the Pixel Watch 3. Since then, though, it's already had to admit to a mistake in one of the forms it had members of Team Pixel sign for access to devices. Coincidentally, that brought up a lot of discourse on social media around what reviewers do, and how they gain access to products. 

I'll take this opportunity to point you to our document on our reviews process, which details how and what we test. That includes specific articles on our evaluation process for specific categories like laptops, VPNs and video games, with more to come. You'll find all our reviews by clicking Sections and then Reviews, or on Engadget.com/reviews.

Anyway, I've wanted to write a roundup of the reviews our team publishes for a while now, in part because I want to highlight the work of our smart, hardworking reviewers. It's also a good way to contextualize our scores, remind people of the breadth of devices we cover and, well, I just like writing for fun and seeing my name on things. AI will never take this from me; I will blog from my own brain for as long as I can.

So here you go: Engadget's reviews recap. (ERR, for short. It doesn't quite work, but it works for me, OK?) I'm not committing to a frequency here, because a weekly cadence might be overly ambitious, while monthly would just result in a novel every 30-ish days. Bi-weekly sounds good but I might mix it up, just to keep you on your toes (or, honestly, while I figure things out). 

Dyson OnTrac: Too basic for $500

by Billy Steele

Remember the Dyson Zone? The headphones with an air-purifying system and mask built in? The company is back this year with a less gimmicky version that focuses purely on sound. Our audio expert Billy Steele spent weeks with the Dyson Ontrac and found that it outlasts most of the competition. It even beat than Sony’s WH-1000XM5 by about 18 hours in his testing. Dyson had explained in a briefing that with all its experience working to reduce the noise of its other wind-generating products (like hair-dryers), it's learned a lot about how to combat unwanted sound. 

But thanks to Billy's experience with pretty much every other pair of headphones out there, I also learned that the Dyson OnTrac's active noise cancellation is only average. As the kids today say, it's mid.

Though these headphones look great and have intriguing hearing health features, ultimately Billy didn't feel they do enough to justify the $500 price, awarding it a pretty mid score of 73. You'll probably find something better from Master & Dynamic, Sony or even Apple.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12: A top-notch business laptop that needs a few tweaks

by Sherri L. Smith

Contributing reporter Sherri L. Smith was once the editor-in-chief at Laptop Magazine, and has years and years of experience reviewing notebooks. So when she says the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the king of business laptops, I believe it. 

Though she liked the X1 Carbon's display and long-lasting battery, Sherri pointed out that Lenovo's decision to place the power button along the edge instead of on the keyboard deck is a con. She also cautioned that the gap between the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the competition is a small one that is continually shrinking. 

One year with Google's Pixel Fold 

by Sam Rutherford

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

This week, the entire Engadget team worked hard to cover Google's hardware launch event, which means less time for writers and editors to publish reviews. Our reviewers are usually involved in hands-on and other launch coverage of the companies whose products they test, and though these aren't full reviews, I consider them relevant for this roundup.

Sam Rutherford, our reviewer of mobile phones, laptops, gaming PCs and more (he does a lot!), spent time with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold at a Google hands-on session. Sam is one of those people who actually went out and bought himself a Galaxy Fold when the first generation went on sale. That's how deep his love for and, more importantly, firsthand experience of the category runs. To this day, he uses a foldable as his daily driver. 

In fact, he's been using Google's original Pixel Fold for a whole year, and took the time to write up a durability report that was published this week. Flexible screens are still fairly fragile components, and early foldables were easily damaged. With the Pixel Fold, Sam was pleasantly surprised that it's held up to life with his rambunctious (and adorable) toddler. It's not only heartening news for those considering buying a foldable device, but also fascinating that technology has come this far this quickly.

On the horizon: Upcoming reviews

Elsewhere on the site, we've published a hands-on with the new Pixel Watch 3, and as the dust from Google's event starts to settle, it'll soon be time to expect full reviews of each new device announced. With the Pixels coming out at various points throughout August and September, people will be getting their hands on them quickly enough, and I expect we'll have reviews of those... soon.

We also continue to test a whole host of Copilot+ PCs (remember those?) from companies like HP, Dell, ASUS and Samsung? Then there's the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which is taking a little longer to evaluate considering a lot of its features require longterm testing. Plus, it's almost September, which is when we usually expect Apple to launch new iPhones. There'll be plenty of reviews here soon, so stay tuned. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-dysons-non-weird-headphones-and-lenovos-thinkpad-x1-carbon-140049529.html?src=rss

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It’s that time of year again. Gamescom is nearly upon us. For the uninitiated, Gamescom is a huge gaming trade show held annually in Germany. This year, Microsoft has announced a major Xbox presence throughout the event. All told, four streams will highlight upcoming Xbox games.

The first is the opening night livestream. This stream isn’t Xbox-centric, but we’re expecting some relevant news during the keynote. The event kicks off on August 20 at 2PM ET and it will be available via the Gamescom YouTube page and the official Twitch page. The event’s website will also host a stream or, you know, just click play directly below this sentence.

After that, there will be three streams from Xbox, each focusing on a unique slate of upcoming games. You can watch all of them via the Xbox YouTube page or the official Twitch page. The company hasn’t said how long each stream will last, but it’ll be popping up individual trailers after the fact.

The first one goes down on August 21 at 9AM ET. Xbox has announced an array of games that’ll get covered here. These include Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the upcoming expansion Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, Atomfall and the long-awaited Starfield DLC.

The next stream starts on August 22 at 9AM ET. This one will spotlight Star Wars Outlaws, which actually hits store shelves at the end of the month. The stream will also feature trailers or information for Towerborne, Little Nightmares 3 and Fallout 76: Milepost Zero, among others.

August 23 at 9AM ET brings the final stream. This is likely to be the most exciting one for many Xbox fans. There will be news about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Tails of Iron 2 and a whole lot more.

That’s it! Four streams. If the idea of remembering when and where to watch all of these events gives you the anxious sweats, just keep this page open. Beyond that, we’ll have separate posts for all of the big news from Gamescom.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/how-to-watch-all-of-xboxs-gamescom-streams-130034008.html?src=rss

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A data dump that contains 2.7 billion records of personal information for people living in the US, including their Social Security Numbers, have recently been leaked online. The data dump's contents were linked to National Public Data, a company that scrapes information from non-public sources and sells it for background checks. Now, the company has confirmed that it did have "a data security incident" wherein people's names, emails, addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers and mailing addresses had been stolen. 

National Public Data's wording in its Security Incident report is a bit a vague and convoluted, but it did blame the security breach on a third-party bad actor. It said that the bad actor "was trying to hack into data in late December 2023" and that "potential leaks of certain data" took place in April 2024 and summer 2024, indicating that the hacker had successfully infiltrated its system. In April, a threat actor known as USDoD tried to sell 2.9 billion records of people living in the US, UK and Canada for $3.5 million. It claimed that it stole the information from National Public Data. Since then, the records have been leaked in chunks online with the more recent one being more comprehensive and containing more sensitive information. 

The company said it worked with law enforcement to review potentially affected records and will "try to notify" individuals "if there are further significant developments applicable" to them. It also said that it published the notice so that those who were potentially affected can take action. The company is advising people to monitor their financial accounts for fraudulent transactions, and it's also encouraging them to get free credit reports and to put a fraud alert on their file. 

The National Public Data is already facing a proposed class action lawsuit that was filed in early August by a plaintiff who received a notification from their identity theft protection service that their personal information was posted on the dark web. They argued that the company failed "to properly secure and safeguard the personally identifiable information that it collected and maintained as part of its regular business practices." 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/national-public-data-confirms-breach-that-exposed-americans-social-security-numbers-100046695.html?src=rss

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The sports streaming service Fubo has temporarily fended off a huge financial threat from Disney-Fox-Warner’s potential competitor Venu Sports and its collection of sports broadcasting licenses thanks to a recent court ruling. A federal judge in the Southern District of New York granted Fubo’s request for an injunction in its antitrust case against the joint sports streaming venture and its parent companies.

US District Judge Margaret Garnett wrote in an opinion issued earlier today such a concentrated collection of media power would eliminate consumers’ choices. The launch of Venu would also “hike prices on both consumers and other distributors” and create a “multi-year monopolistic runway” in the sports streaming sector for Disney, Fox and Warner.

“Even if the [joint venture] defendants swear that such price-hiking and competition excluding will not actually occur (though…there is good reason to believe that it will),” the opinion reads, “one purpose of antitrust injunctions is to prevent anticompetitive incentives from forming in the first place so that American consumers do not have to simply take their word for it and hope for the best.”

Garnett also wrote the injunction is needed because of “quintessential harms that money cannot adequately repair” if Fox-Disney-Warner’s Venu Sports moves forward.

Fox-Disney-Warner first announced its plans to launch a live sports streaming channel in February and later revealed the name and price for its Venu Sports streaming service. The joint sports streaming venture will cost viewers $42.99 a month with a seven-day free trial and promises 14 channels of live sporting events with access to ESPN+ and four of its spinoff channels, the Fox network and both of its Fox Sports channels and a handful of Warner Bros. owned cable networks such as TNT and TruTV, according to a press release.

Fubo filed its lawsuit a couple of weeks after Fox-Disney-Warner’s initial announcement. Fubo’s antitrust lawsuit accused the trio of media giants of staging “a years-long campaign” to weaken its sports streaming service. The suit also claimed the joint venture would concentrate too many entities in one service and would hinder competitiveness and jack up prices for viewers and distributors.

The injunction puts a temporary hold on Fox-Disney-Warner’s plans for Venu Sports. Its fate will ultimately be determined by the antitrust case in federal court.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/fubo-wins-injunction-to-delay-disney-fox-warners-live-sports-streamer-venu-215943713.html?src=rss

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© Freepik/Fubo/Warner Bros.

If you thought Google might be taking a break after unveiling new Pixel 9 devices at its Made By Google event this week, you would be mistaken. A recent post on Threads appears to show part of the sign-up form to receive Pixel devices, and the language in question mandates that signees feature Google's hardware "in place of any competitor mobile devices" or else "we will need to cease the relationship between the brand and the creator."

After some online conversation, it's become clear that this form was sent to members of the Team Pixel program, which is different from the review program for members of the press or media. Engadget falls into the latter category, and I did not see that language in our form, nor have I ever seen language like this in my experience as a reviewer of Google devices. I also want to assure our audience that we would never agree to any stipulation that requires we give positive reviews in exchange for access.

In the meantime, Google has just released a statement saying the wording was a mistake. Kayla Geier, communications manager at Google, said "#TeamPixel is a distinct program, separate from our press and creator reviews programs. The goal of #TeamPixel is to get Pixel devices into the hands of content creators, not press and tech reviewers. We missed the mark with this new language that appeared in the #TeamPixel form yesterday, and it has been removed."

It's not yet clear if #TeamPixel members have received a new agreement and if those who declined on the basis of that stipulation have been given a chance to re-apply. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-acknowledges-it-missed-the-mark-with-onerous-demands-for-pixel-9-influencers-210531821.html?src=rss

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© Sam Rutherford for Engadget