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Sep 18, 2024
Whether you're sporting an older model or you just picked up one of the latest Apple Watches, you're probably eager to put it on every day as part of your tech kit and wardrobe. But did you know that you can make your Apple Watch even better? With the right accessories, your Apple Watch can be customized to fit your style and needs perfectly. From a new stylish Apple Watch band to a charger that keeps your Watch powered up all day long, there's something out there for everyone. To help you take your Apple Watch to the next level, we're diving into the best Apple Watch accessories to suit all budgets in this buying guide.
Best Apple Watch accessories 2024
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Sep 17, 2024
Kremlin-affiliated Russian troll farms are running disinformation campaigns that aim to interfere with this year's US presidential elections, and according to Microsoft, they're focusing their efforts on discrediting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The company has published a new report detailing the movements of two troll farms being monitored by the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center.
These Kremlin-backed actors apparently struggled to find the right approach shortly after President Biden stepped down as a candidate, but in late August and early September, one of them started circulating inauthentic videos that managed to generate millions of views. One video depicted a supposed attack by Harris supporters on Trump rally attendees. Another video used an actor to accuse Harris of being involved in a 2
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Sep 17, 2024
Apple has temporarily paused the rollout of iPadOS 18 for M4 iPad Pro models, some of the most expensive iPads that the company sells, after some users complained that the update bricked their devices. Apple acknowledged the issue in a statement to Engadget, saying, "We have temporarily removed the iPadOS 18 update for M4 iPad Pro models as we work to resolve an issue that is impacting a small number of devices."
The issue first came to light through Reddit, where a growing number of M4 iPad Pro users described how their iPads became unusable after they tried installing the latest version of iPadOS. "At some point during the update my iPad turned off, and would no longer turn on," a user named tcorey23 posted on Reddit. "I just took it to the Apple Store who confirmed it's completely bricked, but they said they had to send it out to their engineers before they can give me a replacement even though I have Apple care."
Another Reddit user called Lisegot wrote that the Apple Store they took their bricked M4 iPad Pro to did not have a replacement in stock, which meant they they would need to wait five to seven days for a working iPad. "No one was particularly apologetic and they even insinuated that ther
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Sep 17, 2024
Discord is rolling out new end-to-end encryption for both audio and video calls on its platform. The tech will be applied to calls from DMs, group DMs, voice channels and Go Live streams. Discord detailed the tech and its goals for the end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in a blog post. Desktop and mobile clients already support the new upgrade, and the rest of the clients should be getting the feature next year.
The company has focused on transparency with its E2EE protocols, and has made plenty of information about it publicly available. Discord is also promising that there should be no sacrifices to call quality with the addition of E2EE. One notable exception to the encryption protocol will be messages. Discord said that's so that the messages can still fall under the company's content moderation rules.
This type of thorough encryption has become increasingly common over the years. It's not unusual to see it as either an option or a new default for users on platforms such as
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Sep 17, 2024
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alleges that SpaceX committed three safety violations by failing to follow its license requirements during two of its space launches in 2023. If the full fines are imposed, SpaceX faces a bill of $633,009, according to an FAA statement.
The license violations are related to two separate SpaceX's launches. The first two happened on June 18, 2023 as part of the PSN Satria Mission that launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The second violation happened on July 28, 2023 involving plans for the EchoStar XXIV/Jupiter mission.
Across the two cases, SpaceX requested to revise part of its communications and explosive site plans respectively. SpaceX allegedly went ahead with its revised plans even though the FAA did not approve or issue modifications to its license, according to letters written by the FAA.
In May 2023, SpaceX requested the addition of a new launch control room and the removal of the T-2 hour readiness poll from its procedures for its June 18, 2023 launch. The FAA informed SpaceX on June 15 and 16 that it would not approve the modifications to SpaceX's license before its scheduled June 18 launch, but the launch went ahead with its unauthorized control room and without a T-2 hour poll. Two months later, SpaceX submitted a request for
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Sep 17, 2024
The internet is so core to how modern life operates that it's easy to forget how much of the technology that went into building the world wide web has patent protections. And some of those patents are still being enforced today. Zynga may be learning that the hard way, as a court ruled last week that the gaming company infringed on IBM patents dating back to the pre-internet telecom platform Prodigy from the 1980s. As a result, Zynga could be facing damages of $44.9 million. IBM's "Method for presenting advertising in an interactive service" patent from 1993 accounts for $40 million of the recommended damages.
For anyone still playing the once-ubiquitous Zynga games, this decision shouldn't interrupt your game time. The company said in an SEC filing that it would not have to modify or end operation of its games as a result of the court decision. Intriguingly, not every game in the Zynga catalog was found to be infringing on the patents. For instance, Crosswords with Friends was deemed an offender, but none of the Words With Friends titles were. A representativ
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Sep 17, 2024
On Tuesday, Netflix dropped a clip from The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep at the company's Geeked Week 2024 event. The clip for the upcoming animated film leans on the familiar dulcet growls of Doug Cockle, who voiced Geralt of Rivia in the games.
Cockle introduces the clip with an enthusiastic tease of the merpeople Geralt will battle in the film. "That's right — he's gonna cross swords with merpeople of all things!" Cockle exclaims in the clip. "Amazing stuff, it's gonna be so cool." Hey, can't blame a voice actor for hyping their project.
The scene shows Geralt and Jaskier (voiced by Joey Batey, who also plays him in the live-action series) sitting by a campfire. Jaskier, after complaining about the town's "small-minded fools," picks up on Geralt's apparent interest in Essi and tries to play Cupid for the brooding white-haired monster slayer.
Netflix
The clip also reveals The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep's official release date. The film will begin streaming on Netflix on February 11, 2025, after init
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Sep 17, 2024
Amazon is facing a class-action lawsuit that accuses the company of misleading pricing practices. The suit alleges that Amazon deceived shoppers by showing inflated list prices for Fire TVs, thus making discounts seem more significant than they actually were.
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington and claims that the company regularly adopted this practice, calling it a "persistent and uniform scheme." The suit alleges that Amazon created "fake list prices" for its own Fire TVs, making the apparent "discounts" deceptive.
It goes on to accuse the company of tricking its customers into buying Fire TVs by omitting "critical information" concerning the length of the sale and when the list price was actually in use. This allegedly led to Amazon customers spending "more money than they otherwise would have if not for the purported time-limited bargains." The suit claims that "many of the Fire TVs have not been anywhere near the advertised list prices for a year or more."
The lawsuit alleges violations of Washington's Consumer Protection Act, which bans "unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce." Plaintiff David Ramirez seeks compensatory and punitive damages, in addition to an injunction to stop Amazon from continuing the alleged practices. The suit seeks compensatory damages "in amounts determined by the court and/or jury" and prejudgment interest on everything awarded.
The lawsuit references a similar case in California from 2021 in which Amazon was barred from using false or misle
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Sep 17, 2024
An attack in Lebanon reportedly killed eight people and injured over 2,700. Hundreds of pagers belonging to Hezbollah members detonated simultaneously on Tuesday, leading the Iran-backed militant organization to blame Israel.
A day after Israeli leaders warned of escalating its military campaign against Hezbollah, pagers belonging to the Lebanese group's members exploded at once. Witnesses reported seeing smoke emanating from the victims' pockets, followed by sounds reminiscent of fireworks or gunshots.
Lebanon's health minister said 200 of the injured were in critical condition. He added that many victims had facial injuries, especially to the eyes. Hand and stomach injuries were also common, according to the health minister. Among those wounded was Mojtaba Amini, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, according to Iranian state media.
The New York Times says Israel's military declined to comment.
It's unclear how the perpetrators or
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Sep 17, 2024
Skateboarding games have been going through another golden age the past couple of years with contributions like Devolver's surrealist skater Skate Story and Phantom Coast Games' roguelite shredder Helskate. And now new entry in one of the most beloved skateboarding franchises just moved one step closer to getting a release date.
EA announced plans for an early access release for a new Skate — simply titled skate. (lower case, with a period) —game next year on the game's official X account. The update also includes some pre-alpha footage of the new game that's currently being playtested for consoles and the franchise's first PC release through Steam.
— skate. (@skate) September 17, 2024
Fans of the long-running Skate franchise have been receiving a stream of teases and updates since EA first announced the new entry four years ago. Notably, last June EA informed fans this new title would b
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Sep 17, 2024
Logitech is revealing plenty of new gaming accessories and gear at Logi Play 2024, which is happening right now. Of the many new offerings from Logitech, two keyboards and two mice caught our eye.
Let's start with the G Pro X TKL Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard, a keyboard featuring magnetic analog switches, a first for the G Pro line. These switches have adjustable actuation points, rapid trigger functionality and key priority. In short, the keyboard lets you customize how hard presses need to be, has speedy key press recognition and the ability to prioritize certain keys when pressing two at once.
You can also use the multi-point feature in the G Hub keyboard customization software to assign more than one command to a key depending on how far it's pressed down. As the name suggests, this is a tenkeyless model (no number pad), and you can get it for $170 in November. The three available colors are black, white and pink.
The next keyboard is the G915 X series, a trio of new members of the G915 family (we reviewed the G915 TKL back in 2020). The mechanical keyboards all have a height of 23mm and redesigned galvanic switches with a 1.3mm actuation point. They retain the original volume roller, G key and media buttons, but the Keycontrol feature allows for more macros, even letting users combine the G key with other keys.
Logitech
The G915 X series includes the G915 X Lightspeed ($230), G915 X Lightspeed
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Sep 17, 2024
Snap's latest augmented reality glasses have a completely new — but still very oversized — design, larger field of view and all-new software that supports full hand tracking abilities. But the company is only making the fifth-generation Spectacles available to approved developers willing to commit to a year-long $99/month subscription to start.
It's an unusual strategy, but Snap says it's taking that approach because developers are, for now, best positioned to understand the capabilities and limitations of augmented reality hardware. They are also the ones most willing to commit to a pricey $1,000 subscription to get their hands on the tech.
Developers, explains Snap's director of AR platform Sophia Dominguez, are the biggest AR enthusiasts. They're also the ones who will build the kinds of experiences that will eventually make the rest of Snapchat's users excited for them too. "This isn't a prototype," Dominguez tells Engadget. "We have all the components. We're ready to scale when the market is there, but we want to do so in a thoughtful way and bring developers along with our journey."
Snap gave me an early preview of the glasses ahead of its Partner Summit event, and the Spectacles don't feel like a prototype the way its first AR-enabled Spectacles did
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Sep 17, 2024
California has given the go-ahead to a landmark AI bill to protect performers' digital likenesses. On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2602, which will go into effect on January 1, 2025. The bill requires studios and other employers to get consent before using "digital replicas" of performers. Newsom also signed AB 1836, which grants similar rights to deceased performers, requiring their estate's permission before using their AI likenesses.
AB 2602, introduced in April, covers film, TV, video games, commercials, audiobooks and non-union performing jobs. Deadline notes its terms are similar to those in the contract that ended the 2023 actors' strike against Hollywood studios. SAG-AFTRA, the film and TV actors' union that held out for last year's deal, strongly supported the bill. The Motion Picture Association first opposed the legislation but later switched to a neutral stance after revisions.
The bill mandates that employers can't use an AI recreation of an actor's voice or likeness if it replaces work the performer could have done in person. It also prevents digital replicas if the actor's contract doesn't explicitly state how the deepfake will be used. It als
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Sep 17, 2024
An annual membership to Dashlane's premium password manager is on sale for just $39, which is a discount of more than $20 and a savings of 35 percent. Just use the code "SEPT35" at checkout. The company says this is in celebration of something called Cyber Security Awareness Month, which actually doesn't start until October. It's always nice to see a festive new holiday on the scene.
Anyways, this deal is for the premium plan, which includes unlimited password and passkey storage. Users also get phishing alerts to stay on top of attacks, dark web monitoring and more. The plan even comes with a VPN, which I've found particularly useful for watching my stories when in another country.
Dashlane found a place on our list of the best password managers. We admired the robust suite of featur
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Sep 17, 2024
Since first introducing its generative AI assistant, Snap has been steadily ramping up the amount of AI in its app. Now, the company is adding a new slate of AI-powered features as it begins testing a larger redesign of the app.
Snap often brings new AI features to its Snapchat subscribers first, and the company is continuing the trend with a new feature called "My Selfie." The feature uses selfies to create AI-generated images of users and their friends (if they also subscribe) in creative poses and situations. The company is also rolling out a new "grandparents lens" that uses AI to imagine what you might look like as a senior citizen.
Snapchat subscribers will also get access to a new AI feature in memories, which tracks users' previously saved snaps. With the change, Memories will be able to surface photos and videos that have been edited with with AI-generated captions or new AR lens effects.
Additionally, Snap is making its chatGPT-powered MyAI assistant more powerful with the ability to "problem solve" based on photo snaps. The company says the assistant will be able to translate restaurant menus, identify plants and understand parking signs.
The new "simplified" Snapchat design.Snap
The new AI capabilities arrive as Snap is starting to test a larg
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Sep 17, 2024
PlayStation 5 users received a firmware update (24.06-10.00.00) last week, but there are lots of reports of bugs when playing Final Fantasy 16, such as game crashes while loading saves or fast traveling. The most spectacular bug of all, shared by a Reddit user, was the appearance of a tide of black squares approaching the player and covering much of the screen.
The official Final Fantasy 16 account has made a post on X about the issues. In the post, Square Enix says that it is cooperating with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) to determine the causes. The company also asked gamers to be patient and wait for further updates.
We are currently working with SIE to investigate, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Please await our further updates. #FF16
— FINAL FANTASY XVI (@finalfantasyxvi) September 17, 2024
Sony hasn't made any statements on the issues as of writing time. Players of other games have also posted about how they ran into similar bugs while playing other games. One example is this bug in the Resident Evil 4 rem
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Sep 17, 2024
The Sims has been one of the biggest success stories in gaming over the last quarter century, with more than 500 million players trying to understand Simish, learning what WooHoo-ing is and using the classic Rosebud cheat to gain more money. All of that could be coming to a big screen near you, as Electronic Arts has revealed that Amazon MGM Studios is working on a movie adaptation of the games.
Kate Herron (Loki, The Last of Us) will direct the film and co-write the screenplay with Briony Redman (Doctor Who). One of the production companies that's on board is Margot Robbie's LuckyChap, which seems appropriate given that EA is looking "to make an impact the size of something like a Barbie movie," EA vice president and Sims general manager Kate Gorman said. (For the tape, Barbie is the 14th-highest-grossing film of all time.)
EA wants the movie to be an authentic experience for fans, particularly given that many people have "love and nostalgia" for the series. To that end, you can expect a lot of Sims lore and Easter eggs in the film.
"There will be Freezer Bunnies," Gorman told Variety. "I'm sure a pool without a ladder is somewhere in there, but
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Sep 17, 2024
AppleApple
Apple just released iOS 18 for all eligible iPhones to install now; you can find it in the Software Update settings. And if you're planning to buy one of the new iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models coming available on September 20, they'll already have iOS 18 installed. But not every iPhone will be able to run iOS 18, and even the ones that can won't have all the bells and whistles of the new Apple Intelligence features.
That update stratification is nothing now. Generally each year, some older iPhone models are removed from Apple's iOS eligibility list. Last year, for instance, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X were left off the compatibility list. That meant those iPhone owners couldn't update to iOS 17 and missed out on some
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Sep 17, 2024
The next Amazon Prime Day sales event is set for October, but the early deals have already begun to trickle in. Case in point? There are some nifty discounts on Echo Show smart displays that ship with smart light bulbs.
The Echo Show 5
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Sep 17, 2024
Google is trying to be more transparent about whether a piece of content was created or modified using generative AI (GAI) tools. After joining the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) as a steering committee member earlier this year, Google has revealed how it will start implementing the group's digital watermarking standard.
Alongside partners including Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI, Google has spent the past several months figuring out how to improve the tech used for watermarking GAI-created or modified content. The company says it helped to develop the latest version of Content Credentials, a technical standard used to protect metadata detailing how an asset was created, as well as information about what has been modified and how. Google says the current version of Content Credentials is more secure and tamperproof due to stricter validation methods.
In the coming months, Google will start to incorporate the current version of Content Credentials into some of its main products. In other words, it should soon be easier to tell whether an image was created or modified using GAI in Google Search results. If an image that pops up has C2PA metadata, you should be able to find out what impact GAI had on it via the About this image tool. This is also available in Google Images, Lens and Circle to Search.
The company is looking into how to use C2PA to tell YouTube viewers when footage was captured with a camera. Expect to learn more about that later this year.
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Sep 17, 2024
Uber just announced the expansion of safety features directed toward drivers, including a national rollout of enhanced rider verification, which begins tomorrow. If a rider undergoes these additional verification steps they'll get a "Verified" badge on their account, which will let drivers know everything is on the up and up.
The company says it designed these new verification measures "in response to driver feedback that they want to know more about who is getting in their car." The company began testing this feature earlier this year and it must have been a success, as it's getting a national rollout. Lyft has its own version of this tool, though it's still being tested in select markets.
Uber verifies riders by cross-checking account information against third-party databases, though it'll also accept official government IDs. The program will also allow users to bring in their verification status from the CLEAR program.
While rider ID is the most notable safety tool announced, Uber's also bringing its Record My Ride feature to the whole country after another successful beta test. This lets drivers record the entirety of the ride via their smartphone cameras, without the need to invest in a dashcam. The footage is fully encrypted, with Uber saying nobody can access it unless a driver sends it in for review. The company hopes this will allow it to "more quickly and fairly resolve any incidents that may arise."
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Sep 17, 2024
Meta and Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica have extended their partnership into the next decade. The duo have collaborated since 2019, producing two generations of Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The agreement between Meta and EssilorLuxottica should bring more "multi-generational smart eyewear products."
The first iteration launched in late 2021, right before Meta became Facebook, and was known as Ray-Ban Stories. We weren't totally sold on them, though there were some good points. The $300 sunglasses looked like a slightly bulkier Ray-Ban with, thankfully, no Facebook logo on them and offered decent audio quality through their tiny speakers at mid-range volume. The camera was so-so and worked better in brighter light. But privacy is really where we had an issue with data sharing and audio transcriptions on by default.
We were more into the 2023 Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, giving them an 85 in our review. The new model's perks include slimmer frames, hands-free photo messaging and Instagram livestreaming abilities (with an improved 12MP ultra-wide camera). It also offers better mics and sound quality — including at higher volumes. Plus, the charging case looks just like a classic Ray-Ban pouch.
The smart glasses originally came with an
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Sep 17, 2024
Donald Trump, who previously called Bitcoin a scam, has launched a new cryptocurrency venture called World Liberty Financial. "Crypto is one of those things we have to do," he said in an interview on X. "Whether we like it or not, I have to do it." The news comes just a day after a likely assassination attempt against Trump at his Florida golf course.
Trump is entering the venture with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, along with two crypto entrepreneurs: Chase Herro (who once called stablecoins "borderline a Ponzi scheme") and Zachary Folkman, who founded a company called Date Hotter Girls. Trump's 18-year-old son Barron Trump, who has no known crypto expertise, is also listed as "chief DeFi [decentralized finance] visionary."
The tokens themself are supposedly based on US dollar stablecoins. Some involved in the venture have touted it internally as a borrowing and lending platform, according to The New York Times.
Cryptocurrency is generally supposed to be decentralized, but a large chunk of the governance tokens for World Liberty Financial could be held by insiders, according to a draft white paper for the project seen by CoinDesk. The remaining 30 percent would be distributed "via public sale" with some of the money raised from that also going to project insiders.
The changes are unlikely to satisfy Meta's toughest critics, who have argued that the company puts its own profits ahead of teens' safety and wellbeing. But the changes will be significant for the app's legions of younger users who will face new restrictions on how they use the app.
With teen accounts, kids younger than 16 will be automatically opted into Instagram's strictest privacy settings. Many of these settings, like automatically private accounts, the inability to message strangers and the limiting of "sensitive content" have already been in place for teenagers on Instagram. But younger teens wil
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Sep 17, 2024
Apple expanded its AirPod family with two new models last week. We've now tested out the AirPods 4 — and a second version with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) — and we have some thoughts. Improved sound quality and some advanced features are the key additions, but you're more likely to notice the redesigned shape for keeping the buds more firmly (and comfortably) lodged in ears.
Engadget
With the ANC version, Apple offers useful noise cancellation while keeping your ears open — no silicone tips. There are also a lot of Pro features, but the issue is the more technically capable AirPods Pro are often on sale, undercutting those $179 buds.
I wouldn't have guessed it, but the basic $129 AirPods 4 may be the better deal.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
Flappy Bird's creator wants you to know he's got nothing to do with the new version
Apple's iOS
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Sep 17, 2024
Intel is turning its foundry business, which manufactures chips for other companies, into an independent subsidiary. The company has revealed its plan in a note to employees from its CEO Pat Gelsinger, published over a month after Intel disclosed that it's cutting 15 percent of its workforce. Intel is laying off more than 15,000 people as part of its $10 billion cost-reduction plan to regain financial stability following a second-quarter net loss of $1.6 billion. Gelsinger explained in his new memo that turning the foundry into a subsidiary "will unlock important benefits," particularly the ability to evaluate and take external funding directly.
Gelsinger said that there will be no changes to the foundry's leadership, but the subsidiary will establish its own operating board with independent directors to govern it. According to CNBC, Intel is even considering making the foundry a separate publicly traded company. Intel is in the midst of modernizing its existing fabs and building new ones for its foundry business, which is costing the company billions of dollars, in an effort to catch up to its chipmaking rivals like TSMC and Samsung. The company has reportedly spent around $25 billion a year on its foundry business over the past two years, but that has yet to translate into profit.
In April, the company
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Sep 17, 2024
If you're ready to dive into the world of immersive digital experiences, investing in a virtual reality headset is the way to go. Whether you're into gaming, virtual workouts or exploring incredible 360-degree environments, a VR headset can transport you to places you've never been - all from the comfort of your own home.
If you're still on the fence about whether a VR headset is for you, there are plenty of reasons you might want to explore virtual reality. Maybe you're looking for a more immersive gaming experience, or perhaps you want to use it for fitness, meditation, or even virtual travel. VR headsets can also be great for work, offering virtual meeting rooms and collaborative spaces that go beyond standard video calls.
Now more than in years past, there's something for everyone thanks to more VR headsets being on the market at various price ranges. The Meta Quest 3, for example, offers fantastic all-around performance at around $500, while the Apple Vision Pro is packed with cutting-edge tech, but it'll set you back a hefty $3,500. We've tested and reviewed a number of the most popular VR headsets on the market to help you figure out which are the best for your needs (and budget).
How we test VR headsets
I tend to judge VR headsets on a few basic criteria: Ergonomics, immersion and controls. It's not that hard to shove a mobile display into a plastic headset and strap some cheap elastic headbands onto it. But it takes skill to craft something that's well balanced and doesn't feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes.
My test for ergonomics is fairly simple: How long can I wear a headset until I start to feel discomfort? For the most ergonomic devices, like the Quest 3, that could easily be an hour or two. But heavier PC ha
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Sep 17, 2024
Since 2022, Amazon has held a second Prime Day of sorts in October and that sale event is coming back this year, too. Prime Big Deal Days returns on October 8 and 9, but we're already starting to see some decent deals pop up across Amazon's site. As per usual, most of the deals we expected to see on October Prime Day will be exclusively for Prime members — and some of the early Prime Day deals we're seeing now have followed suit.
If you don't have a Prime membership, don't fret too much — there are always a few discounts available for all shoppers. However, if you pay the $139 annual fee for Prime, now's the time to put it to even better use. These are the best October Prime day tech deals we've found ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. We'll be updating this post regularly in the lead-up to October Prime Day, so check back for the latest deals.
Prime Day deals on Apple gear
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
While it'd be wishful thinking to see discounts on the new AirPods or Apple Watch Series 10, there are still some decent Apple deals you can snag right now on iPads and accessories, plus some Beats gear.
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Sep 17, 2024
We knew Amazon would revive its Prime Big Deal Days sale event this fall, but we didn't know the exact dates until today. The online retailer announced that the sale event will return this year on October 8 and 9, giving us all the more reason to call it October Prime Day as we have done in years past. This is the third iteration of the fall sale event that Amazon has used as its (un)official kickoff to the holiday shopping season.
Prime Day in July remains Amazon's marquee sale event for Prime members, but ever since its debut in 2022, October Prime Day provides subscribers with thousands of exclusive deals to shop during the two-day window. In turn, it also provides Amazon a way to boost sales during the same time period and, arguably more importantly, increase the number of overall
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Sep 16, 2024
Meta has banned RT and other Russian state media outlets on its platforms, which include Facebook and Instagram. "After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets," the company told Engadget in a statement. "Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity." Meta shared briefing materials with Reuters, in which the company said it found evidence in the past that Russian outlets took steps to prevent their foreign interference activities online from being detected. It said it expects the outlets to continue with their deceptive practices. The ban will be enforced over the coming days.
The company's announcement comes days after the Biden administration publicly accused RT of spreading propaganda and disinformation online. Authorities said that RT is spreading propaganda and information to justify and back its invasion of Ukraine using media outlets catering to locals, such as ones targeting Africa and France.
Meta restricted Russian state media's access to Facebook in Ukraine back in 2022 at the request of its government, in order to limit the spread of those outlets' content. In response, Russia blocked Facebook in the country a few days later and opening a criminal
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Sep 16, 2024
Finally out of beta, iOS 18 arrived for public availability as of Monday afternoon. You can download and install it if your device is compatible, but it already comes with all iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro models that will be available on September 20. Those with eligible devices can update them by going to Settings General About Software Update and starting the download and installation processes.
To see if your device is eligible, we have a list of iPhone models that can support iOS 18. Check it out and see if yours will work.
Some of the "hidden" features our editor Cherlynn spotted include Apple Maps upgrades, Calendar integration with Reminders and expanded Tapback options in Messages, letting you see who reacted with which emoji. Safari is getting a "Highlights" function, which generates a summary of web pages you're on via machine learning. Our UK bureau chief Mat Smith also tried out some early iOS 18 features in July, and his main takeaway was that Apple Intelligence is the real star. Unfortunately,
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Sep 16, 2024
OpenAI has announced significant changes to its safety and security practices, including the establishment of a new independent board oversight committee. This move comes with a notable shift: CEO Sam Altman is no longer part of the safety committee, marking a departure from the previous structure.
The newly formed Safety and Security Committee (SSC) will be chaired by Zico Kolter, Director of the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University. Other key members include Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, retired US Army General Paul Nakasone, and Nicole Seligman, former EVP and General Counsel of Sony Corporation.
This new committee replaces the previous Safety and Security Committee that was formed in June 2024, which included Altman among its members. The original committee was tasked with making recommendations on critical safety and security decisions for OpenAI projects and operations.
The SSC's responsibilities now extend beyond recommendations. It will have the authority to oversee safety evaluations for major model releases and exercise oversight over model launches. Crucially, the committee will have the power to delay a release until safety concerns are adequately addressed.
This restructuring follows a period of scrutiny regarding OpenAI's commitment to AI safety. The company has faced critic
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Sep 16, 2024
Hundreds of Amazon drivers in New York City have joined the Teamsters union in the hope of obtaining better pay and working conditions. The union says a majority of drivers at each of three delivery service partners (DSPs) working out of a Queens warehouse have signed authorization cards.
According to a Teamsters press release, the drivers have been organizing for a year to secure fair pay, consistent schedules, reasonable workloads and proper pay maintained trucks. They walked off the job last December as part of a nationwide protest against Amazon's alleged unfair labor practices and union-busting efforts.
At least on paper, joining the union should give the drivers more leverage as they push Amazon for better working conditions. But that doesn't necessarily mean the company will play ball. The Amazon Labor Union, one of the first major successful organization efforts within the company in the US, has yet to secure a union contract, two years after forming. The group became a Teamsters affiliate this summer.
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Sep 16, 2024
The Roku smart TV platform is an accessible way to watch your favorite streaming content in a centralized location - either built-in to TVs, or by adding affordable dongles or set-top boxes to older televisions. One big advantage of the Roku platform is that it's always getting free software updates to keep it current — like the cool new feature that turns your TV into a sort of virtual art museum by displaying famous paintings as a screensaver. However, Roku is less adept when it comes to solving one common frustration of the streaming age: The inability to access popular shows, movies and sporting events because of geographic restrictions.
Using a VPN is a common way to tackle this issue, but unlike Fire TV, Apple TV and other rivals, Roku systems don't have native VPN support. But that's not the end of the story: You can still use a VPN to access a wider range of programming via a Roku — you just need to use a workaround. We'll show you how.
The benefits of using a VPN
When it comes to streaming, a VPN has one main benefit: changing your IP address — the unique number that identifies the general location of the device and network you're using to access the web. A VPN tunnels your connection through its servers to obfuscate your IP, making it seem like you're watching from elsewhere. As a result, a service like Netflix will see your location as, say, the United Kingdom versus the US. You'll then have access to a different set of programming. For example, the TV show Friends is available on Max in the US, but it's only available on Netflix in the UK.
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Sep 16, 2024
Mitch Lowe, one of two MoviePass leaders indicted by the Justice Department in 2022, has pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges. The former CEO admitted to conspiring to deceive the public and investors about the service's sustainability. Variety reports that the details of Lowe's plea agreement haven't been made public.
Prosecutors claim Lowe knew from the start that the company's $9.95 "unlimited" plan was a short-term gimmick to attract subscribers and inflate stock. He's also accused of making false statements in press releases, interviews and SEC filings about MoviePass' long-term viability.
Those statements included allegedly lying about the company's ability to become profitable on subscription fees alone and having tech that could generate revenue from customer data. He also claimed MoviePass was profiting from multiple revenue streams despite not having any income beyond subscriptions.
Prosecutors also accused Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, former CEO of MoviePass' parent company Helios and Matheson, of preventing subscribers from getting what was promised from the "unlimited" subscription. The company settled with the FTC in 2021 over allegations that it intentionally invalidated subscriber passwords
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Sep 16, 2024
Apple's Music Haptics feature is now live, as part of the official release of iOS 18. This is an accessibility tool that integrates with Apple Music on iPhones. Simply put, it uses the phone's speaker-based haptics system, which the company refers to as the Taptic Engine, to create "taps, textures and refined vibrations to the audio of the song."
This is quite obviously aimed toward those affected by hearing loss, allowing them to feel the music. It works with Apple Music, but also with Apple Music Classical and Shazam. The company says it'll also integrate with some third-party apps, so long as the iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.
To get started, just head into the Accessibility settings menu and turn on "Music Haptics." An easily identifiable logo will appear on the Now Playing screen in the Apple Music app when activated. Tapping this logo will pause the feature and tapping it again will turn it back on. Music Haptics is supported globally on iPhone 12 and later, as long as the device is updated to iOS 18.
To commemorate the launch, Apple Music has released a series of playlists that take advantage of the haptic technology. These channels have names like Haptics Beats and Haptics Bass, so they are filled with songs with plenty of opportunity for taps and vibrations.
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Sep 16, 2024
It seems that The New York Times isn't quite content with players attempting to complete Wordle 4.8 billion times a year on its apps and website. The publication has brought the all-conquering daily word game to a new platform in the shape of Meta Quest headsets. That's right, Wordle VR is now a thing. There's a
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Sep 16, 2024
Over three months after Apple introduced it at WWDC 2024, watchOS 11 is officially here. The 2024 Apple Watch update, which adds the new Vitals app, widget improvements and sleep apnea detection, is now available to install on your smartwatch.
Apple's sleep apnea detection feature, which the company highlighted in its Apple Watch Series 10 reveal, will also work with a couple of year-old models. If you own the Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2, you can try the feature before the new model makes it into customers' hands later this week. Sleep apnea detection will send you an alert if the watch's sensors detect overnight breathing disturbances. The health feature, similar to one Samsung included with the Galaxy Watch 7 earlier this year, received FDA approval last week.
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Sep 16, 2024
AppleApple
Apple just released its new iOS 18 for all eligible iPhones to download free today, which you can find in the Software Update settings. And if you're planning to buy one of the new iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models coming available on September 20, they'll already have iOS 18 installed. But not every iPhone will be able to run iOS 18, and even the ones that can won't have all the bells and whistles of the new Apple Intelligence features.
That update stratification is nothing now. Generally each year, some older iPhone models are removed from Apple's iOS eligibility list. Last year, for instance, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X were left off the compatibility list. That meant those iPhone owners couldn't update to iOS 17 and missed out on some
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Sep 16, 2024
It's been around three years since Tile has offered a serious refresh for its popular line of Bluetooth trackers. Since that time, the company was bought by Life360 and Apple began dominating the field with its AirTag trackers. Now, Tile is back with four new trackers to help people find stuff.
The Bluetooth range has been extended across the full lineup, but the big news here is the SOS alert button. The system will send out a notification and user location to designated emergency contacts when pressing the button three times. This feature is available to anyone with a free Life360 account, but a premium membership will allow users to send notifications to emergency dispatch services.
The Tile Mate ($25) is the standard "everything tracke
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Sep 16, 2024
Prior to iOS 18's arrival, Apple released a firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2 that will deliver new features the company announced at WWDC in June. Now that the latest version of the mobile OS is available, your iPhone can fully employ the new tools, which include Siri Interactions, Voice Isolation and more. Your AirPods Pro 2 should have already installed the update and be ready to go when you upgrade to iOS 18, so here's what to expect when you use the new features.
Siri Interactions
Siri Interactions allow you to interact with your phone at times when you can't or don't want to speak or reach for your phone. Machine learning on the H2 chip and transformer models on a source device (iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch) can detect when you nod affirmatively or shake your head. This can be used any time Siri asks a yes or no question, like accepting or rejecting calls, responding to or dismissing messages and engaging with or dismissing notifications.
So far, Siri Interactions have worked as described for me. I like that the tech recognizes smaller head movements, so you don't have to exaggerate them to get the system to respond. I've found the feature most helpful for incoming calls and texts, especially when my hands or full or when I'm in a setting where I can't immediately speak.
Voice Isolation
Voice Isolation is a new feature that taps the AirPods Pro 2 H2 chip and the source device (iPhone, iPad or Mac) for advanced mach
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Sep 16, 2024
As of now, iOS 18 is here. You can download and install it if your device is compatible, but it already comes with all iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro models that will be available on September 20. Those with eligible devices can update them by going to Settings General About Software Update and starting the download and installation processes.
To see if your device is eligible, we have a list of iPhone models that can support iOS 18. Check it out and see if yours will work.
Some of the "hidden" features our editor Cherlynn spotted include Apple Maps upgrades, Calendar integration with Reminders and expanded Tapback options in Messages, letting you see who reacted with which emoji. Safari is getting a "Highlights" function, which generates a summary of web pages you're on via machine learning. Our UK bureau chief Mat Smith also tried out some early iOS 18 features in July, and his main takeaway was that Apple Intelligence is the real star. Unfortunately, Apple Intelligence isn't out today but wil
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Sep 16, 2024
It's not too late to get that bright student in your life a back-to-school gift that could help with their studies. An iPad can be useful for note taking and writing papers (especially with a keyboard attachment), carrying out research and definitely not streaming a new TV obsession during class.
So if you've been lagging on a back-to-school gift or even just want to treat yourself to one of Apple's iPads, you may be pleased to learn that the iPad Air is currently on sale. The 13-inch M2 iPad Air with 128GB of storage is available in purple, space gray and starlight for $720. That's a discount of $79, which is almost a record low. Be sure to clip the coupon on Amazon before heading to the checkout to get the full discount.
The 11-inch M2 iPad Air is also on sale. It's
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Sep 16, 2024
While it's unclear if mainstream PC users are actually using Microsoft's Copilot AI, the company claims that businesses using MS 365 Copilot are seeing plenty of benefits. According to a Microsoft survey, Copilot users at Honeywell save up to 92 minutes per week, while customer service agents at Teladoc are saving up to five hours a week by using the AI tool to draft responses to questions. Now that we're a year beyond the MS 365 Copilot launch (at a costly $30 per seat), Microsoft is eager to throw more AI features at corporate drones.
Most intriguingly, Microsoft is upgrading its Business Chat app, which so far has been a way to interact with Copilot's across your emails, calendar entries and other data, alongside data from your organization. Now it's getting better collaboration with the addition of Copilot Pages, which will serve as a sort of "multiplayer" way to share AI generated content with your coworkers.
Copilot Pages in BizChat.Microsoft
"With Pages, all the data in your organization — whether created by humans or AI — is persistent, accessible and valuable," Microsoft CVP Jared Spataro wrote in a blog post. "Pages takes ephemeral AI-generated content and makes it durable, so you can edit it, add to it, and share it with others... This is an entirely new work pattern — multiplayer, human to AI to human collaboration."
It's surprising th
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Sep 16, 2024
The temperature will soon be dropping and that means we have more excuses to stay inside and dig into the games we love. If you're a computer gamer looking to upgrade your setup in anticipation, then now might just be the time to do it. Currently, 8Bitdo's Ultimate C Wired Controller is available for $15, down from $20 — a 25 percent discount. The sale brings this controller to a new all-time low price, a dollar less than it was on Prime Day.
You can get the marked-down 8Bitdo Ultimate C Wired Controller in either Field Green or Lilac Purple (I'm looking at the purple one myself). The controller is compatible with Steam Deck, Windows and Android, though the rumble vibrations only work on Windows. It also has a plug-and-play for a PC with a USB cord attached.
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Sep 16, 2024
The second Emmys of 2024 have come and gone, with streamers once again winning big for some of our favorite television shows. Disney had a fantastic night, winning 60 awards across all its platforms, including Hulu and Disney . Hulu's limited series Shogun led it to victory with 18 wins — 14 at the Creative Arts Emmys and four on Sunday.
Shogun, based on a book of the same name, is a fictional retelling of 17th-century feudal Japan. The show took home the awards for best lead actor and lead actress in a drama series, with Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai becoming the first Japanese recipients in their respective categories. It also won for outstanding drama series, directing and period costumes, among other accolades.
The Bear also did its share, taking home 11 awards, including Jeremy Allen White's win for outstanding lead actor. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Liza Colón-Zayas won for supporting actor and actress in a comedy series, respectively. The Max show Hacks beat out The Bear for outstanding comedy series and lead actress. The Bear already won Disney 10 Emmys earlier this year (four coming from the Creative Arts Emmys) as the 75th Emmys were postponed to January 2024 from September 2023 due to last year's WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Disney's competitor HBO's Max received 14 wins, while Netflix received 24 and Apple TV got 10 — the ex
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Sep 16, 2024
A decade ago, Flappy Bird became a sensation among smartphone users, with many of us spending far too long getting the little yellow guy to climb higher and higher along pipes. But, it didn't last long, with it soon pulled from app stores. Here at Engadget, we were excited by the news last week that Flappy Bird is coming back to our devices in 2025. However, there's one person who isn't psyched: Flappy Bird's creator, Dong Nguyen. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm he isn't involved in or profiting off the new version. "No, I have no related with their game. I did not sell anything. I also don't support crypto," he stated.
I also don't support crypto.
— Dong Nguyen (@dongatory) September 15, 2024
The team behind the new Flappy Bird iteration has been open about being a "new team of passionate fans." Nguyen's trademark was reportedly considered abandoned, and Gametech Holdings LLC picked it up for free. The new team then got the rights to Flappy Bird from Gametech.
It's unlikely Nguyen would have ever revived the game on his own. He released the original game in May 2013 and made about $50,000 a day from
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Sep 16, 2024
With a big redesign to the "regular" AirPods, Apple delivers two new models. Sure, they have a similar look, and share a few features, but the biggest change from the third-gen version is the addition of active noise cancellation (ANC) for an added cost. The AirPods Pro with ANC ($179) option has more to offer in terms of conveniences, but the overhaul has greatly benefitted the AirPods 4 (
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Sep 16, 2024
Salesforce has rolled out some new AI features for its business-focused Slack chat app designed to take over mundane chores like transcription.
A key new feature is Slack AI huddle notes to "capture key takeaways and action items so users can focus on the work at hand," the company wrote. This looks like a more powerful version of a previous Slack AI feature that recaps channel highlights and generates summaries for threads in a single click.
When invited to a huddle, Slack AI creates a transcript based on real-time audio and messages shared in the thread. It can also organize notes with citations, action items and files shared into a canvas. All huddle attendees can then view the notes later, even if they weren't able to attend.
Slack also updated its AI search feature so that it can surface unique results for a user based on files and apps they uploaded in Slack, including canvases, transcripts from clips, documents from connected apps, Google files and more.
Another timesaver is the new AI Workflow Builder that helps automate tasks. For instance, users can enter a prompt like "send a welcome message to teammates that join a channel" and Slack AI and Workflow Builder will will generate that functionality with no programming required.
Also arriving in the latest update are Slack templates, pre-configured for specific use cases like managing a project, collecting feedback and triaging help requests. The new Slack AI features are now available as a paid add-on for all subscription plans, and Slack templates will roll out in October 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai
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Sep 16, 2024
Folded between all the new hardware announcements, Apple surprised us last week with news of FDA-approved hearing aid features for the AirPods Pro. No new hardware needed — it's all in software updates. In the last decade, we've seen several companies tackle hearing-aid technology, aided by the boom in wireless tech. Now, arguably the most influential company in consumer tech is trying it. John Falcone outlines why this is a big deal. Or, at least, a very good deal.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
23andMe will pay $30 million to settle 2023 data breach lawsuit
What to read: Cosmic horror sci-fi, and the quest to understand how life began
Everything to expect at Meta Connect 2024: AR, AI and the cheaper Quest 3S
How to pre-order the new iPhone 16
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Sep 16, 2024
E-Ink tablets have always been intriguing to me because I'm a longtime lover of pen and paper. I've had probably hundreds of notebooks over the years, serving as repositories for my story ideas, to-do lists, meeting notes and everything in between. However, I turned away from physical notebooks at a certain point because it was just easier to store everything digitally so I always had my most important information at my fingertips. E-Ink tablets seem to provide the best of both worlds: the tactile satisfaction of regular notebooks with many of the conveniences found in digital tools, plus easy-on-the-eyes E-Ink screens. These devices have come a long way in the past few years, and we're just starting to see more color E-Ink tablets become more widely available. I tested out a number of different E Ink tablets to see how well they work, how convenient they really are and which are the best tablets using E Ink screens available today.
Editor's note (September 2024): reMarkable just announced its third-generation E-Ink tablet, the reMarkable Paper Pro, which is available now starting at
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Sep 16, 2024
Achieving your fitness goals doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Keeping track of your progress will be crucial, but not everyone needs to drop hundreds of dollars on the best smartwatches out there. The average affordable tracker might offer just the right tools to help kickstart your health journey, like a heart rate monitor, sleep quality data and so on. And, after testing a number of affordable fitness trackers, I can say with confidence that you might be surprised by how much a $100 (or less) wearable can do — a welcomed treat for those who don't want to spend a ton of cash on an Apple Watch. Many of these gadgets go well beyond being glorified pedometers, providing in-depth reports on how you're sleeping at night or giving you a breakdown of your heart rate variability during a workout. But given their price, there will be some sacrifices. To help you decide which is right for you, I tested a number of the best cheap fitness trackers available today to find the ones that are worth your money.
What to look for in a cheap fitness tracker
All of the best fitness trackers should have at least three features: a program to track workouts or movement of some sort, the option to monitor and collect sleep data and the ability to measure health metrics like heart rate and blood oxygen levels (though, the readings might not be super accurate). Don't set your sights too high and expect metrics like blood pressure monitoring; for that, you'd need to invest in a more expensive wearable like a Samsung Galaxy Watch, which will set you back over $400.
Fitness features
A cheap workout tracker can be great for someone looking to keep tabs on small, achievable goals like 10,000 steps before sundown or 30 minute
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Sep 15, 2024
Apple announced a bunch of new products at the It's Glowtime event on Sept. 9, but the rumored Apple Watch SE with a plastic shell wasn't among them. That doesn't necessarily mean we won't see it at some point, though. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who first reported that the company was developing an even cheaper version of the budget watch, the plastic SE "is still moving forward." Sources told Gurman it could arrive next year.
The Apple Watch SE last got a refresh in 2022 with the release of the second generation line. In addition to a plastic shell, plans for the rumored upcoming watch include bolder colors that would appeal to kids, Gurman reported. But, Apple has apparently hit a manufacturing snag with the plastic design. Last Monday's official Apple Watch news focused on the Series 10, which has a thinner build and larger display, as was expected in the leadup to the event. In
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Sep 15, 2024
Every couple of years, a core childhood memory resurfaces and sends me hunting for a bizarre PlayStation game my brother and I obsessed over but never actually played in its entirety. The internet search goes like this: game on red-and-black PS1 demo disk featuring feral child with pink hair tackling pigs and trees that look like butts. The results tell me the game I'm looking for is the 1997 platformer Tomba!, and I giddily bask in the nostalgia. Then I forget all about it, and the cycle eventually repeats.
You can imagine my surprise, then, when a trailer popped up earlier this summer announcing Limited Run Games' rerelease of Tomba! in all its wacky glory for modern consoles. Tomba! Special Edition is now available digitally for PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC. Physical editions, a line of plushies and a themed NEO S controller (pre-orders for which are sadly sold out) are also on the way. And in finally playing it all the way through almost 20 years after its original release, I've discovered that Tomba! is even more unhinged than I remembered.
Tomba, the player-character, is a wild boy who lives outside of society, hunting boars and sleeping under the stars. His peace is disrupted one day when a group of delinquent pigs swoops in and wreaks havoc, ultimately robbing him of a gold bracelet that belonged to his grandfather. To get it back, Tomba ventures into the nearby towns to find the Evil Pig ringleaders and take them down. Alon
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Sep 15, 2024
The Polaris Dawn crew safely returned to Earth early Sunday morning, bringing the historic privately funded mission to a close. The Dragon capsule carrying the mission's four astronauts — Jared Isaacman, Scott "Kidd" Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon — splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico around 3:30AM ET.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 15, 2024
On Thursday, Isaacman and Gillis completed the first commercial spacewalk, each taking a turn to exit the craft and perform a series of spacesuit mobility tests. And with this mission, Gillis and Menon have now traveled farther from Earth than any women before. Polaris reached a peak altitude of about 870 miles, which is also the farthest any humans have ventured since the Apollo program.
The crew also performed a number of science experiments, and was able to complete a 40-minute video call to Earth and send files in a major test for Starlink's space communications capabilities. That included a video recorded during the mission of Gillis, an engineer and violinist, playing the violin in space. "A new era of commercial spaceflight dawns, with much more to come," Polaris posted on X Sunday morning.
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Sep 15, 2024
Apple's high-end earbuds will be able to be used a full-on hearing aids.
Apple
Could Apple really be teeing up a change that could save my elderly mother more than $1,500? That's the promise of the company's newly announced initiative to add true hearing aid functionality to the AirPods Pro — and why, with all due respect to the iPhone 16 and its fancy Camera Control button, it was the most promising section of Monday's keynote, to my eyes.
The news couldn't have come at a better time for me. My 80-year-old mother has finally admitted that her hearing is, shall we say, subpar. And she just asked me to book her an appointment at the Miracle Ear clinic down the street ("They're having a fall sale!"). But before I went down that road, I decided to do some research.
The frustrating world of hearing aids
I knew that there was a burgeoning market for
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Sep 14, 2024
A new, $26 solderless mod kit from 8BitDo can transform your old GameCube controller into a wireless Bluetooth device that works with Nintendo Switch and Android. It'll also work with the original GameCube, but for that, you'll have to buy the $26 Retro Receiver too. The mod kit comes with Hall Effect joysticks, a trigger pack and a rechargeable 300mAh battery, which 8BitDo says should get you around 6 hours of play time. Pre-orders for the kit are now open, and it'll ship September 25.
Pre-oder on eShop now:… pic.twitter.com/oeEUq4WRlP
— 8BitDo (@8BitDo) September 14, 2024
There are numerous adapters on the market that will allow you to use an original wired GameCube controller with the Switch, including 8BitDo's own GBros. adapter and an official one from Nintendo, but the mod kit cuts out the middleman to bring completely wireless Bluetooth connectivity. All you'd need to do is open up the controller and swap the old PCB with the new one.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/8bitdos-latest-mod-kit-will-make-your-old-gamecube-controller-wirel
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Sep 14, 2024
New releases in fiction, nonfiction and comics that caught our attention.
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir
Anyone who lives with a difficult-to-diagnose chronic illness and has endured the demoralizing process of trying to get proper treatment can tell you it is, at times, a living nightmare. Advocating for yourself, fighting to be taken seriously; it's something I've dealt with most of my life as a person with autoimmune diseases. So when I read the description of Hildur Knútsdóttir's psychological horror novel,
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Sep 14, 2024
New releases in fiction, nonfiction and comics that caught our attention.
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir
Anyone who lives with a difficult-to-diagnose chronic illness and has endured the demoralizing process of trying to get proper treatment can tell you it is, at times, a living nightmare. Advocating for yourself, fighting to be taken seriously; it's something I've dealt with most of my life as a person with autoimmune diseases. So when I read the description of Hildur Knútsdóttir's psychological horror novel,
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Sep 14, 2024
23andMe is close to settling a proposed class action lawsuit filed against the company over a data breach that compromised 6.9 million users' information. According to the preliminary settlement filing, the DNA testing company has agreed to pay $30 million to affected customers, as well as to conduct annual computer scans and cybersecurity audits for three years. A website will be built to notify people eligible to a portion of the settlement fund and to facilitate payments. Affected users will also be sent a link where they can delete all their information from the service, and they'll be able to enroll to a three-year Privacy & Medical Shield Genetic Monitoring program for free. A judge still has to approve those terms.
In October 2023, the company admitted that the DNA Relatives profile information of roughly 5.5 million customers and the Family Tree profile information of 1.4 million DNA Relative participants had been leaked. It later revealed in a legal filing that the bad actors started breaking into customer accounts in late April 2023 and that they had access to its systems until September that year. It said that the hackers used a technique called credential stuffing, which uses previously compromised login credentials to access customer accounts.
The breach led to several class action lawsuits filed against the company, including one that accused 23andMe of failing to notify the plaintiffs that they were specifically targeted for having Chinese and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. In the
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Sep 14, 2024
After a two-week blackout, ESPN and other Disney-owned channels are back on DirecTV. The Walt Disney Company and DirecTV released a joint statement on Saturday announcing that they are in the process of finalizing a new contract, and that all channels affected by their dispute have been restored. That includes ABC, Freeform, FX and National Geographic channels. Disney yanked its networks off DirecTV at the beginning of September after the two companies failed to reach an agreement before their old contract expired. Inconveniently for sports fans, the blackout coincided with the start of football season.
The new multi-year contract brings Disney's full linear suite of networks back to DirecTV, with package options for genre-focused channel bundles (sports, family, etc) and Disney's streaming services — Disney , Hulu an ESPN . ESPN's upcoming direct-to-consumer service, which is expected to launch this fall, will be included for free. In their statement, Disney and DirecTV said the new deal will give customers "the ability to tailor t
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Sep 14, 2024
Hardware season is in full swing. Apple launched the iPhone 16, AirPods 4 and Apple Watch Series 10 on Monday this week. On the same day, at the very same time, the review embargo for the Pixel Watch 3 lifted, and we managed to get most of our piece up then. Not only that, we also saw Sony announce the PlayStation 5 Pro this week, plus in the last two weeks there has been plenty of news out of the IFA conference in Berlin. There were things like Huawei's tri-fold phone, reMarkable's Paper Pro tablet, DJI's $200 Neo drone, a new GoPro as well as more
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Sep 14, 2024
Sam Altman has told OpenAI staff members during their weekly meeting that the company is changing its rather convoluted non-profit corporate structure next year, according to Fortune. The CEO said OpenAI will move away from being controlled by a non-profit entity and will transition into a more traditional for-profit organization. He didn't delve into the specifics of how the company will achieve that goal and what OpenAI's corporate structure will look like exactly. A spokesperson only told Fortune that it remains "focused on building AI that benefits everyone" and that non-profit is "core to [its] mission and will continue to exist."
OpenAI started as a non-profit organization in 2015 that relied on money from donors. In a page explaining its structure, it said that it only raised $130.5 million in total donations over the years, which it says made it clear that "donations alone would not scale with the cost of computational power and talent required to push [its] core research forward." The then-purely non-profit organization created a for-profit subsidiary in order to solve that problem. As Fortune explains, OpenAI's non-profit entity currently controls its for-profit arm, which in turn controls a holding company that takes investments from companies like Microsoft.
Under this structure, the profit that can be allocated to investors, including Microsoft, has a cap. Anything OpenAI makes beyond the cap will go to its non-profit division. And the company's revenue is booming, according to a report by
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Sep 14, 2024
It used to go by at least two different names — Oculus Connect and then Facebook Connect — but whatever the moniker, Meta's fall event is still a big showcase for the company's latest and greatest achievements in the virtual reality and mixed reality space. Much like last year, we can likely predict the biggest news coming out of Meta Connect 2024 with just two acronyms: AI and AR.
Like every other big tech firm this year, Meta will be desperate to demonstrate how it plans to stay relevant in a future powered by AI. And now that we're seven months beyond the launch of Apple's Vision Pro, which arrived alongside a short-lived spike in interest in augmented reality (AR), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is likely eager to show off his own plans to make AR a reality.
While Zuckerberg isn't as hot on the metaverse as he was when he renamed his company, the union of AI and AR is one way he can still make the dream of persistent virtual worlds come true. It might look less like Ready Player One, but if AR glasses actually take off, they could still let Meta control another piece of our digital world. And to help get them there, delivering an updated inexpensive VR headset couldn't hurt.
With all of that in mind, here are a few things we expect to see at Meta Connect 2024, which kicks off virtually on September 25 and runs for two days.
Orion AR glasses
After reportedly killing
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Sep 13, 2024
Once you've decided which Apple iPad you want, the next step is finding the right accessories. For getting work done, you'll likely want a mouse and keyboard. For drawing and note-taking, a stylus is the obvious choice, but we also recommend a paper-like screen protector for added texture. Power banks let you recharge your slate whenever you need to and a hub helps you get the most out of your iPad's processing power with connections for wired peripherals. After testing (and owning) iPads over the years, we've singled out a dozen-plus accessories that help expand what Apple's tablets can do.
Which iPad generation do you own?
Before you splurge on a bunch of accessories, you should double check which iPad generation you own. There are a couple of ways to do this: first, you can check the back of your tablet for its model number, which will start with an "A" and end with a series of numbers. You can also go into Settings on your iPad, then General and look up the model number in the top section. If you see a series of letters and numbers with a slash ("/") in it, just tap that to reveal the iPad's true model number.
The most important iPad details to consider before buying accessories are the charging port, screen size and Apple Pencil compatibility. Most iPads now have USB-C charging, save for the 9th-gen iPad that still uses a Lightning connector (and is on the way out anyway). Make sure to double check your iPad's screen size before buying a case or a screen protector. As for the Apple Pencil, check out this guide to
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Sep 13, 2024
Apple has revealed it will allow iPad users in the EU to install third-party app stores on their tablets (without having to sideload them) starting on September 16. You'll need to install iPadOS 18, which will be available broadly on Monday, to do so.
Back in April, the European Commission designated iPadOS as a "core platform service," meaning that like iOS, the App Store and Safari, the operating system is subject to stricter rules under the bloc's Digital Markets Act. As TechCrunch notes, Apple had six months to update iPadOS so that it complied with the DMA, which included opening up the platform to third-party app marketplaces.
Epic Games has already pledged to bring its app marketplace to iPadOS, meaning that folks in the EU should be able to play Fortnite and Fall Guys natively on compatible iPads in the near future. Several other third-party app stores have arrived on iOS in the EU since Apple added official support in March.
While the likes of
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Sep 13, 2024
Apple announced its newest lineup of smartphones during the 2024 iPhone 16 launch event earlier this week. Four new models took center stage: The iPhone 16, the larger iPhone 16 Plus, the high-end
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Sep 13, 2024
End-of-summer and back-to-school sales have mostly expired and, while we know Amazon will have another Prime Day sale in October, we don't know when just yet. That makes this just another week of our team hunting and searching for deals all across the world wide web. We actually found quite a few worth considering, with discounts on products pulled from our extensive and growing list of buyer's guides and reviews.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (in its original color) is $110 off and the LCD Steam Deck is seeing a rare discount. One of our favorite power banks from
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Sep 13, 2024
Tales of the Shire, a cozy life sim set in the world of Lord of the Rings, has been delayed until 2025. It was previously set for a release sometime this year. Developer Weta Workshop, who assisted with the effects in all of Peter Jackson's Middle-earth films, says the delay was necessary to ensure that players experience a fully realized version of its original vision.
This is a cozy life sim in the vein of Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and a million others, but this one is set in In Tolkien's Middle-earth between the events of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Mixing the cozy sim formula with a pre-established IP tends to work. Just ask fans of Disney Dreamlight Valley.
If there's one aspect of Tolkien's world that fits this genre, it's the Hobbits and their Shire. The forthcoming game looks to prioritize meal prep, as we all know Hobbits love a good feast, and will let players design the look of their own personal Hobbit hole. There's fishing and farming, of course, but also a robust-seeming character interaction system. We aren't sure if romance is on the table but, come on, that Hobbit population isn't going to replenish itself.
The developer is holding a live showcase event on September 22 at 10:30AM ET to discuss some new aspects of the game and
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Sep 13, 2024
NASA confirmed on Friday that it's developing a new lunar time system for the Moon. The White House published a policy memo in April, directing NASA to create the new standard by 2026. Over five months later (government time, y'all), the space agency's confirmation states it will work with "U.S. government stakeholders, partners, and international standards organizations" to establish a Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC).
To understand why the Moon needs its own time zone, look no further than Einstein. His theories of relativity say that because time changes relative to speed and gravity, time moves slightly faster on our celestial neighbor (because of its weaker gravity). So, an Earth clock on the Moon would gain about 56 microseconds a day — enough to throw off calculations that could put future missions requiring precision in danger.
"For something traveling at the speed of light, 56 microseconds is enough time to travel the distance of approximately 168 football fields," said Cheryl Gramling, NASA timing and standards leader, in a press release. "If someone is orbiting the Moon, an observer on Earth who isn't compensating for the effects of relativity over a day would think that the orbiting astronaut is approximately 168 football fields away from where the astronaut really is."
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Sep 13, 2024
In Hollowbody, an early 2000s-style third-person survival horror game by Nathan Hamley (the solo developer behind Headware Games), the true terror comes not from its hideous monsters, but from inhabiting a world where regular people are failed by the system and left to die.
Hollowbody is an homage to the PlayStation 2-era classics that helped define the genre. It also adds a "tech-noir" spin; think the first few Silent Hill games, namely Silent Hill 2, and a touch of Blade Runner. It goes heavy on atmosphere, relying almost entirely on tension-building rather than action to create a sense of palpable unease. And while the game resurrects PS2 graphics, it does not subject you to tank controls (unless you want them, then there's a toggle for that, sickos).
It's set in the not-too-distant future in a ruined city somewhere in the British Isles, decades after the region was struck by a supposed biological attack and later bombed while under quarantine. A brief introduction alludes to corruption and conspiracy around the true events of the catastrophe. The initial attacks targeted cities "plagued by economic hardship and depravity," and the affected areas were walled off to contain the spread of any contagions — but not before people deemed to be "high value" citizens were allowed to escape to an artificial island with a suspiciously utopic name (Aeonis).
The game opens with a group
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Sep 13, 2024
Waymo and Uber are planning to bring their robotaxi service to more locales in the near future. Waymo One will arrive in Austin and Atlanta by early 2025. Folks in the two cities will be able to take a ride in Waymo's autonomous, electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles via the Uber app.
Waymo employees in Austin are already using the service. The company will open up access to a limited number of public riders via the Waymo One app before moving the service to Uber early next year. The Atlanta public can start taking rides in the robotaxis in early 2025, and the companies plan to gradually expand Waymo One in that city.
The Austin operations have been a long time coming. Waymo first revealed plans to expand to the Texas state capital back in 2023, and it initially planned to do so that fall.
Waymo One riders currently take more than 100,000 trips each week across San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Waymo said in May it was facilitating 50,000 paid trips every week.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymo-and-uber-are-bringing-their-robotaxi-service-to-austin-and-atlanta-by-early-2025-154417860.html?src=rss
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Sep 13, 2024
Anker's 3-in-1 MagSafe foldable charging station has dropped to $88, which is a record low price. We haven't seen it go this low since Amazon Prime Day. This is a discount of 20 percent.
As the name suggests, this is a 3-in-1 charging station that can simultaneously accommodate an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods. It boasts 15W charging and is Qi2-certified, so you can expect things to move quickly. For instance, the company says it can get an Apple Watch Series 9 to 47 percent in just 30 minutes. It's easy to see why this thing made our list of the best Apple Watch accessories.
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Sep 13, 2024
Starting next week, Meta will no longer put an easy-to-see label on Facebook images that were edited using AI tools, and it will make it much harder to determine if they appear in their original state or had been doctored. To be clear, the company will still add a note to AI-edited images, but you'll have to tap on the three-dot menu at the upper right corner of a Facebook post and then scroll down to find "AI Info" among the many other options. Only then will you see the note saying that the content in the post may have been modified with AI.
Images generated using AI tools, however, will still be marked with an "AI Info" label that can be seen right on the post. Clicking on it will show a note that will say whether it's been labeled because of industry-shared signals or because somebody self-disclosed that it was an AI-generated image. Meta started applying AI-generated content labels to a broader range of videos, audio and images earlier this year. But after widespread complaints from photographers that the company was flagging even non-AI-generated content by mistake, Meta changed the "Made with AI" label wording into "AI Info" by July.
The social network said it worked with companies across the industry to improve its labeling process and that it's making these changes to "better reflect the extent of AI used in content." Still, doctored images are being widely used these days to
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Sep 13, 2024
Uh oh, it appears that The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has leaked online a couple of weeks ahead of the game's release date. Some new images and clips from the Nintendo Switch title are circulating online, per Nintendo Life.
YouTubers Nintendo Prime and Zelda Lore sounded the alarm, claiming that a ROM file of the game is already available and that some people are playing it via emulators. For what it's worth, some of the more popular sites from which people obtain pirated Switch games don't yet offer download links for the Echoes of Wisdom ROM, but it might take a little time for the leaked file to propagate on those.
Unfortunately, this isn't a rare occurrence. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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Sep 13, 2024
A European consumer watchdog has filed a complaint against Epic Games, Electronic Arts, Roblox and other game publishers over deceptive in-game currency practices, Reuters reported. The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) said it has "identified numerous cases where gamers are misled into spending money" and called on authorities "to provide consumers with safe gaming environments."
The BEUC pointed out that consumers are unable to see the real cost of digital items price using in-game currencies, saying that in-game purchases should always be displayed in real money. It added that companies' claims that gamers prefer in-game premium currencies are wrong; consumers are often denied their rights when using such currencies; and that children are particularly vulnerable to these "manipulative tactics."
Also named in the complaint is Microsoft's Activision Blizzard, Mojang Studios, Tencent-owned Supercell and Ubisoft.
In a separate statement, Video Games Europe, which counts members including Epic Games, Roblox, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Supercell and and Ubisoft, said that consumers are already well-informed around in-game currencies. "The PEGI (Pan-European Game information)
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Sep 13, 2024
Last year, I experienced my first iPhone launch cycle at Engadget and the fanfare got to me. It seemed I couldn't call myself a respectable member of the tech world if I didn't own any of the shiny new tech. So I headed to the Apple store on the iPhone 15's opening weekend and put my name in to buy one. As I waited my turn, I idly played with the display model. Holding it up to my iPhone 11, my enthusiasm dimmed. A bright grid of apps, softly rounded corners, one button on the right, two buttons and a toggle on the left… These two phones were the same. Sure, the pill-shaped thing on the screen was new, but, so what?
Instead of splurging, I left the store with my old phone. One year later, as this week's iPhone 16 event approached, the thought of upgrading my phone hadn't really crossed my mind. I was more concerned with the real-time transcription abilities I'd need to help cover the event.
But then Apple went and announced a brand new feature for the iPhone 16. While rumors suggested the DSLR-like focus button (now known as the
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Sep 13, 2024
Roomba robot vacuums are up to $620 off right now via Wellbots. These are some real-deal discounts, so if you've been saving up for a robovac, it might be time to take the plunge.
The best deal of the bunch is for the iRobot Roomba Combo j9 , which is down to $780. The standard asking price is a whopping $1,400, so this is a savings of $620 on the hybrid vacuum/mop. All you have to do is jot down "ENGAD620" in the checkout field.
We loved this robovac in our official review, calling it "the ideal robot vacuum and mop." The vacuuming performance is top-tier and can even suction up stubborn cat hair. The obstacle detection is also on point, so it won't get tripped up by the actua
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Sep 13, 2024
Apple revealed its latest earbuds during the iPhone 16 launch event earlier this week: The AirPods 4. Rumors suggested we could get a new generation of AirPods Max, but a few new colors and a USB-C port were the extent of the changes there. Announcements around the AirPods Pro centered on the hearing updates the top-tier buds will receive via a software update this fall.
That makes the new AirPods 4 the only brand new addition to Apple's personal audio lineup. They come in two varieties: With active noise cancellation for $179 and without that feature for $129. E
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Sep 13, 2024
The entire Annapurna Interactive team has left the company after its executives walked out, according to Bloomberg. Apparently, the video game publisher's president, Nathan Gary, had been negotiating with Annapurna Pictures' founder Megan Ellison to spin off Annapurna Interactive into its own entity. A company spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that the parties had explored the possibility of a spinoff, but their discussions broke down. Gary and the publisher's other executives had resigned and walked out as a result, and the team's other members had followed suit.
"All 25 members of the Annapurna Interactive team collectively resigned," the team said in a joint statement. "This was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make and we did not take this action lightly."
Annapurna Interactive, like other publishers, teams up with developers, funds their games, takes care of the QA process and then markets and distributes titles when they're ready for the public. Its partner developers have reportedly been scrambling to find out what the team exodus means for them over the past few days. Bloomberg says Hector Sanchez, an Annapurna Interactive co-founder, assured developers that the company will honor their agreements. Sanchez had been at Epic Games the past five years, but he recently rejoined the publisher as its president for Interactive New Media. Annapurna will also reportedly hire new staff members to replace those who left, essentially building a brand new team.
"Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition," Ellison told Bloomberg News. "We're committed to not only our existing slate of games but also expanding our presence in the interactive spac
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Sep 13, 2024
Before announcing new handsets during the It's Glowtime iPhone 16 launch event in Cupertino, Apple execs talked up the company's latest suite of smartwatches. Rumors suggested we could get an Apple Watch X instead of the Apple Watch Series 10, if the company were to borrow the naming scheme from its 2017 iPhone. But that didn't happen, it's indeed the Apple Watch Series 10.
In addition to the flagship wearable, we also saw the announcement of a new finish for the
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Sep 13, 2024
California firefighters needed to spray 50,000 gallons of water to extinguish a roadside Tesla Semi fire, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced in a preliminary report. Crews also used an aircraft to drop fire retardent in the "immediate area as a precautionary measure," according to the agency.
The crash happened at 3:13 AM on August 19 on the I80 freeway east of Sacramento. The tractor-trailer departed the roadway while navigating a curve, struck a traffic delineator and eventually hit a tree. The driver was uninjured but taken to hospital as a precaution.
California Highway Patrol
The Tesla Semi's large 900kWh battery caught fire and reached a temperature of 1,000 degrees F while spewing toxic fumes. It continued to burn into the late afternoon as firefighters dowsed it with water to cool it down (Tesla sent a technical expert to assess high-voltage hazards and fire safety). It wasn't until 7:20 PM (over 16 hours after the crash) that the freeway was reopened.
All of that caught the attention of the NTSB, which sent a team of investigators, mainly to examine the fire risks posed
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Sep 13, 2024
The iPhone 16 event is over, and now we've got plenty of thoughts to share after playing with all of Apple's new hardware. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about the entire iPhone 16 and Pro lineup, and Senior Reporter Billy Steele joins to chat about his experience with the AirPods 4 and Apple Watch Series 10. It turns out, the Apple Watch stole the show from the iPhone.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!
Subscribe!
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Sep 13, 2024
OpenAI has unveiled yet another artificial intelligence model. This one is called o1, and the company claims it can perform complex reasoning tasks more effectively than its predecessors. Apparently, o1 was trained to "spend more time thinking through problems before they respond." According to the company: "[the models] learn to refine their thinking process, try different strategies and recognize their mistakes."
That more considered response means it's significantly slower at processing prompts than GPT-4o. And while it might be thinking more, o1 hasn't solved the problem of hallucinations — a term for AI models making up information. OpenAI's chief research officer Bob McGrew told The Verge, "We can't say we solved hallucinations."
— Mat Smith
The big news you might have missed
A new report raises concerns about the future of NASA
The LCD Steam Deck is up to 25 percent off right now
White House gets voluntary commitments from AI companies to curb deepfake porn
iFixit wants to fix the soldering iron
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Sep 13, 2024
While you could say the Bluetooth earbuds space is thriving, you could also say the amount of variety in the market can make it confusing to decide which pair will be the best Bluetooth earbuds for you. There are plenty of high-quality options out there, with solid active noise cancellation (ANC), sound quality and designs, so for many, the decision will come down to unique features that big companies like Sony, Bose, Apple and Samsung put in their products.
I've tested and reviewed dozens of sets of earbuds a year for Engadget, constantly pitting new models against the previous best across all price ranges to keep this list of the best true wireless earbuds up to date. This guide explains why my current selections for the best wireless earbuds made the cut, and offers some shopping advice in terms of everything you need to know before choosing the best true wireless earbuds for your needs.
Table of contents
Best wireless earbuds of 2024
What to look for in wireless earbuds
How we test wireless earbuds
Other wireless earbuds we tested
Wireless earbuds FAQs
Best wireless earbuds
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Sep 12, 2024
An artist who goes by @tofu_rabbit on X says that the look of Nerf's Ace of Spades handgun from Bungie's Destiny games came from a commissioned artwork they drew almost a decade ago.
Nerf and Bungie unveiled its newest foam dart gun collaboration on Tuesday featuring a limited edition version of Cayde-6's iconic "Ace of Spades" blaster from Destiny 2 that is available for purchase on Bungie's online store. The following morning, @tofu_rabbit posted images comparing Nerf's newest foam dart launcher to a piece of art they made in 2015 and posted on their DeviantArt page based on the same gun from the game.
The artist pointed out 11 parts or designs on the Nerf gun that allegedly line up perfectly with their original design. They include features like an upside down spade on the handle, identical shaped cracks in a strip of paint on the bullet chamber and a paisley pattern etched on the gun just in front of the trigger. They claim the design of the Nerf gun "DIRECTLY lifts a commission" they did in 2015, and add that the likeness goes beyond just being "similar" or "coincidence."
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Sep 12, 2024
Elgato has introduced the Stream Deck Studio, a new version of its creative control tech that's firmly targeting professional broadcasters. This 19-inch rackmount console has 32 LCD keys and two rotary dials. The $900 price tag shows that this is not an entry-level purchase.
The company collaborated with broadcast software specialist Bitfocus on the Stream Deck Studio. The device can run the Companion software that works on other Stream Deck models, but also supports the company's new Buttons software. The Buttons app allows for additional interface customization designed specifically for the Stream Deck Studio.
Elgato has been expanding its Stream Deck line, which began life as a simple sidekick for livestreamers, to reach a broader range of users. For instance, it introduced an Adobe Photoshop integration aimed at visual
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Sep 12, 2024
Google will beta test a new feature for Google Wallet that can turn US passports into a new form of digital identification. Google announced the new feature on its official blog.
Now digital IDs made from passports and state issued IDs can be used as valid forms of identification at certain Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at some US airports. Now you won't have to play Beat the Clock with all of your pockets frantically searching for your wallet as you slowly approach a TSA agent in line.
This new digital ID feature won't work at every airport. As of Thursday, 21 states and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico have at least one airport that accepts digital ID. You can consult the TSA's digital map on its website to find out if the state you're leaving or flying to accepts digital IDs at security checkpoints.
Digital ID adoption has grown across the country for both Android and iPhone users even if it's not available in every state. Major airports in Arizona, Colorado and Georgia started accepting state IDs from Google Wallet users. Last month, California started accepting IDs in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet at some airports.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-wallet-is-testing-turning-passports-into-digital-ids-213526915.html?src=rss
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Sep 12, 2024
Valve has big savings on the entry-level (LCD) Steam Deck. You can take 25 percent off the 512GB model or 15 percent off the 64GB one, dropping their prices to $336.75 and $296.65, respectively. The sale runs through September 26 while supplies last for the two phased-out models.
The 512GB (NVMe SSD) LCD Steam Deck initially cost $449, so the sale shaves over $112 off its MSRP. For some perspective, the OLED version with the same storage costs $549. This deal on the (lower-grade but still high-quality) LCD variant is a terrific chance to get started with handheld PC gaming on the cheap.
The LCD Steam Deck has a seven-inch display (1200 x 800) with 60Hz refresh rates and 400 nits brightness. The 512GB model adds anti-glare etched glass that the 64GB lacks, so — if both fall within your budget — the former is a no-brainer upgrade at only $40 extra.
Both variants have 40Wh batteries with a theoretical eight hours of uptime, but our tests found they averaged around 4.5 hours with regular use. (If needed, you can squeeze more out by lowering brightness and refresh rates.) Each model includes a standard carrying case.
In Engadget's 2023 re-review of the LCD Steam Deck, Jessica Conditt concluded the entry-level model offers "a fantastic return on investment," even com
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Sep 12, 2024
Sony just released a PS5 system update that includes new options for customizing the home screen. The just-announced Welcome hub is basically a blank canvas that users can fill with various widgets that display console storage space, battery level for accessories, online friends, trophies and a lot more. It replaces the current Explore tab.
These widgets can be resized and arranged in various ways, adding another layer of customization. The background can also be changed, allowing players to choose from animated effects or screenshots. This is still a far cry (reference intended) from the kind of system-wide themes of the PS3/PS4 era, but it's a start.
The PS5 Welcome hub starts rolling out to US customers today, though it's a gradual release so it could take a few days to hit every console. Sony says other parts of the world will get the feature "over the coming weeks," with Japan and Europe grabbing first dibs.
That's not the only feature arriving with this latest system update. Sony's also introducing personalized 3D audio profiles for headphones and earbuds, allowing players to make a variety of adjustments to better fit unique "hearing characteristics." This is in beta for now. There's also adaptive charging for PS5 Slim and the forthcoming (and uber-expensive) PS5 Pro, in addition to the ability to enable remote play for individual users.
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Sep 12, 2024
The White House released a statement today outlining commitments that several AI companies are making to curb the creation and distribution of image-based sexual abuse. The participating businesses have laid out the steps they are taking to prevent their platforms from being used to generate non-consensual intimate images (NCII) of adults and child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Specifically, Adobe, Anthropic, Cohere, Common Crawl, Microsoft and OpenAI said they'll be:
"responsibly sourcing their datasets and safeguarding them from image-based sexual abuse"
All of the aforementioned except Common Crawl also agreed they'd be:
"incorporating feedback loops and iterative stress-testing strategies in their development processes, to guard against AI models outputting image-based sexual abuse"
And "removing nude images from AI training datasets" when appropriate.
It's a voluntary commitment, so today's announcement doesn't create any new actionable steps or consequences for failing to follow through on those promises. But it's still worth applauding a good faith effort to tackle this serious problem. The notable absences from today's White House release are Apple, Amazon, Google and Meta.
Many big tech and AI companies have been making strides to make it easier for victims of NCII to stop the spread of deepfake images and videos separately from this federal effort. StopNCII has
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Sep 12, 2024
OpenAI has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence model called o1, which, the company claims, can perform complex reasoning tasks more effectively than its predecessors. The release comes as OpenAI faces increasing competition in the race to develop more sophisticated AI systems.
O1 was trained to "spend more time thinking through problems before they respond, much like a person would," OpenAI said on its website. "Through training, [the models] learn to refine their thinking process, try different strategies, and recognize their mistakes." OpenAI envisions the new model being used by healthcare researchers to annotate cell sequencing data, by physicists to generate mathematical formulas and software developers.
Current AI systems are essentially fancier versions of autocomplete, generating responses through statistics instead of actually "thinking" through a question, which means that they are less "intelligent" than they appear to be. When Engadget tried to get ChatGPT and other AI chatbots to solve the New York Times Spelling Bee, for instance, they fumbled and produced nonsensical results.
With o1, the company claims that it is "resetting the counter back to 1" with a new kind of AI model designed to actually engage in complex problem-solving and logical thinking. In a
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Sep 12, 2024
A concerning report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) expresses some serious concerns about the future of America's space exploration agency.
The NASEM report was written by a panel of aerospace experts and lays out what it sees as a possible "hollow future" for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It addresses issues of underfunding due to "declining long-term national emphasis on aeronautics and civil space," an assertion that NASA itself is aware of and agrees with. The report also notes that NASA's problems extend far beyond having enough funding to carry out its missions and operations.
Some of the report's "core findings" suggest areas of concern that could affect the space agency's future. These include a focus on "short-term measures without adequate consideration for longer-term needs and implications," reliance on "milestone-based purchase-of-service contracts" and inefficiency due to "slow and cumbersome business operations." The report also raised concerns about the current generation of talent being siphoned off by private aerospace companies, and the next generation of engineers not receiving an adequate foundation of knowledge due to our underfunded public school systems. Finally the report states bluntly that NASA's infrastructure "is already well beyond its design life."
These and other issues could lead to even more serious problems. Norman Augustine, a former Lockheed Martin chief executive and the report's lead author, told The Washington Post that
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Sep 12, 2024
Apple
Apple
The Apple event on Monday revealed the newest selection of iPhones, which includes the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. If you're looking into upgrading to one of the latest models but are unsure of the differences between the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro (other than the price tag), we can help you decide which one is right for you.
Now that we've officially seen the iPhone 16 lineup - and the bells and whistles included - we know that all versions will run iOS 18 and will have access to Apple Intelligence when those features begin to become available in October. But there are some extra perks you get if you spend the extra couple hundred bucks for an iPhone 16 Pro - for instance, better camera features and a slightly larg
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Sep 12, 2024
Unity has ditched a controversial fee it was charging game developers. The game engine maker says it's focusing on its seat-based subscription fee (i.e. an annual payment for each person using the software at a studio), though there will be a price increase for Pro and Enterprise users.
The company announced the runtime fee a year ago. Initially, it was going to make developers pay up every single time someone downloaded one of their games after certain thresholds were met. The backlash was swift and intense, with some industry figures suggesting that it would make Unity unviable for indie developers. Many developers (some of whom were years deep into making a game with Unity) were outraged over the sudden change and some threatened to abandon the engine.
Unity apologized a few days later and made some changes to the runtime fee. But the policy was a near-disaster for the company. Unity CEO and president John Riccitiello left through the back door the following month. In November, Unity
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Sep 12, 2024
Apple's recent iPhone event brought some nifty ideas, from the camera button to a reinvention of Google Lens and beyond. The company also announced that it's bringing simple multitrack recording to Voice Memos. This was particularly exciting for me since, well, I use Voice Memos a lot. I have nearly 500 of these little recordings that were made during the lifetime of my iPhone 14 Pro and thousands more in the cloud. You never know when you'll need a random tune you hummed while waiting for the subway in 2013.
So this feature felt tailor-made for me. I write songs. I play guitar. I do everything that lady in the commercial does, including opening the fridge late at night for no real reason.
Apple
Then reality hit. This isn't a software update that will hit all iPhone models. It's tied to the
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Sep 12, 2024
This really solid Baseus 30W/10000mAh MagSafe power bank is on sale via Amazon for 40 percent off. That brings the price to $28, from $46. This is a record low for this particular power bank, but be sure to clip the coupon to get the deal.
This is one of the best MagSafe batteries out there and easily found a place on our list of the best power banks. It specializes in magnetic wireless charging for iPhones, of course, but also has a built-in USB-C cable. This means you can use the device to charge the vast majority of modern gadgets, though not wirelessly. The USB-C cable is also used to recharge the bank itself at a power outlet.
This isn't a
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Sep 12, 2024
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Apple's over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature. Designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, it transforms the second-gen AirPods Pro into OTC hearing aids. This follows the FDA's 2022 decision to allow adults with less-than-severe impairment to use corrective consumer hearing devices without a professional test, prescription or fitting.
The FDA says Apple's software-based Hearing Test feature for AirPods Pro showed similar benefits to those who received a professional fitting of the wireless earbuds. "Results also showed comparable performance for tests measuring levels of amplification in the ear canal, as well as a measure of speech understanding in noise," the FDA wrote in its announcement. The agency adds that it didn't observe any "adverse events" from using the device as an OTC hearing aid.
Apple's Hearing Aid feature, coming in iOS 18, starts with a hearing test on your paired
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