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According to a report from The Washington Post, DOGE is using an AI tool to analyze federal regulations and determine which to get rid of. A DOGE PowerPoint presentation obtained by the publication notes that its "AI Solution" — reportedly called the DOGE AI Deregulation Decision Tool — found that 100,000 out of over 200,000 regulations "can be deleted." The document sets a September 1 goal deadline for agencies to complete their own deregulation lists using the tool, which it says can be done in under four weeks, and then "DOGE will roll-up a delete list of 50% of all Federal Regulations (100k Regulatory Rules)." The tool is targeting regulations that are no longer required by law, The Washington Post reports. After it makes its suggestions, staffers would review the proposed deletions before finalizing a plan. According to the PowerPoint, the tool has already been tried out by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where it's been used to write "100% of deregulations," and by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for decisions on 1,083 regulatory sections. The Washington Post spoke to three HUD employees who confirmed it was recently used. One also said that the tool got things wrong on several occasions, misreading the language of the law at times. DOGE will reportedly start training other agencies on the tool this month. Head over to The Washington Post to read the full report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/doge-is-reportedly-pushing-an-ai-tool-that-would-put-half-of-all-federal-regulations-on-a-delete-list-212053871.html?src=rss View Source Article

For less than the price of a fully decked-out MacBook Pro, you can buy Unitree's latest humanoid robot called the R1. You only have to shell out $5,900 for a robot that weighs around 55 lbs, stands about four feet tall, and is built with a Large Multimodal Model to handle complex tasks.  If you're wondering what the R1 will be used for, your guess is as good as ours. Unitree said its robot is "fully customizable" and demoed its capabilities in a video showing off cartwheels, handstands, boxing, roundhouse kicks and running downhill, but didn't offer examples with any practical use yet. The lightweight robot has an ultra-wide view and a four-microphone array to help it recognize voices and images, but was also built with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. It's not hard to envision a world where people program the R1 as a robot butler to handle daily chores, much like what Meta is reportedly working on. However, you might even be able to square up two R1s to fight each other, as evidenced by Unitree promoting a unique fighting tournament that felt like a less aesthetically polished version of 2011's Real Steel. The latest R1 is a much lower entry point than Unitree's previous humanoid robot, the G1, which starts at $16,000 and was demoed at CES 2025 with somewhat disastrous results. Even though the R1's sub-$6,000 price tag is arguably high, it's still much cheaper compared to other similar options, like Tesla's Optimus bot that's expected to go for at least $20,000.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/this-humanoid-robot-can-do-cartwheels-handstands-and-roundhouse-kicks-at-less-than-6000-184500276.html?src=rss View Source Article

The NASA, JAXA and Roscosmos crew members set to launch next to the International Space Station arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, July 26, 2025. View Source Article

As of Friday, anyone trying to watch porn online in the UK will need to subject themselves to an awkward selfie or get their photo ID ready. The UK government announced it will start checking compliance with its Online Safety Act, which requires any website that publishes or displays pornographic content to implement a system for "highly effective age checks." Ofcom, the UK's media regulatory agency, offered a few methods for sites to provide more extensive age verification, including credit card checks, photo ID matching and even estimating a user's age with a provided selfie. Several popular porn sites, including the country's most-visited site PornHub, have agreed to the new regulations. Beyond popular porn providers, social media sites like Reddit and Bluesky, have already implemented an age verification system that complies with the Online Safety Act's rules. Savvy internet users are already circumventing the age checks by using a VPN, providing a fake ChatGPT-generated photo ID, or taking a high-quality selfie of video game characters. However, the UK's new law also makes it illegal for websites to promote VPNs that get around age verification. To make sure the Online Safety Act is effective, Ofcom will fine companies caught breaking the rules with fines of up to £18 million or 10 percent of their global revenue.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/people-in-the-uk-now-have-to-take-an-age-verification-selfie-to-watch-porn-online-164418948.html?src=rss View Source Article

China wants to work with other countries and has laid out its plans for the global governance of artificial intelligence at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai. Li Qiang, the country's premier, warned about "technological monopolies" and said that AI could become "an exclusive game for a few countries and companies." As such, he proposed the creation of a "world AI cooperation organization" during the event.  Li didn't specifically mention the United States when he talked about monopolies, but the US restricts AI chip exports to his country. NVIDIA had to develop chips that are only meant for China and conform to export rules so it wouldn't lose the Chinese market completely. Meanwhile, Chinese companies like Huawei are developing their own AI systems to make up for China's lack of access to more advanced AI chips from American firms. Li also made the statement a few days after the Trump administration revealed its AI Action Plan, which seeks to limit state regulation of AI companies and which aims to ensure that the US can beat China in the AI race.  The Chinese premier said his country would "actively promote" the development of open source artificial intelligence and that China is "willing to provide more Chinese solutions to the international community" when it comes to AI. He also said that his country was eager to share AI technologies with developing countries in the global south.  "Currently, overall global AI governance is still fragmented. Countries have great differences, particularly in terms of areas such as regulatory concepts [and] institutional rules," Li said. "We should strengthen coordination to form a global AI governance framework that has broad consensus as soon as possible."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/china-calls-for-the-creation-of-a-global-ai-organization-160005350.html?src=rss View Source Article

'Foundation' Season 3 stars Jared Harris & Lou Llobell discuss the upcoming season of Apple TV+'s adaptation of Isaac Asimov's science fiction epic. View Source Article

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink internet broadband satellites launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, July 26, 2025. View Source Article

Top Trump administration health officials are expected to bring tech companies to the White House this week to roll out a plan to encourage more seamless sharing of health-care data, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

ExpressVPN is good at its job. It's easy to be skeptical of any service with a knack for self-promotion, but don't let ExpressVPN's hype distract you from the fact that it keeps its front-page promise of "just working." Outside of solid security, the two best things ExpressVPN offers are fast speeds and a simple interface. Our tests showed only a 7% average drop in download speed and a 2% loss of upload speed, worldwide. And while the lack of extra features may frustrate experienced users, it makes for a true set-and-forget VPN on any platform. This isn't to say ExpressVPN is without flaws — it's nearly bereft of customization options and it's notably more expensive than its competition — but it beats most VPNs in a head-to-head matchup. For this review, we followed our rigorous 10-step VPN testing process, exploring ExpressVPN's security, privacy, speed, interfaces and more. Whether you read straight through or skip to the sections that are most important for you, you should come away with all the information you need to decide whether to subscribe. Editor's note (7/25/25): We're in the process of revamping our VPN coverage to provide more in-depth, actionable information and buying guides. Our recommendations, and all the info on this page, are subject to change as the update continues. Check out our revamped ProtonVPN review and NordVPN review to see the new direction, or learn more about how we test VPNs. Table of contents Findings at a glance Installing, configuring and using ExpressVPN ExpressVPN speed test: Very fast averages ExpressVPN security test: Checking for leaks How much does ExpressVPN cost? ExpressVPN side apps and bundles Close-reading ExpressVPN's privacy policy Can ExpressVPN change your virtual location? Investigating ExpressVPN's server network Extra features of ExpressVPN ExpressVPN customer support options ExpressVPN background check: From founding to Kape Technologies Final verdict Findings at a glance Category Notes Installation and UI All interfaces are clean and minimalist, with no glitches and not enough depth to get lost in Windows and Mac clients are similar in both setup and general user experience Android and iOS are likewise almost identical, but Android has a nice-looking dark mode Speed Retains a worldwide average of 93% of starting download speeds Upload speeds average 98% of starting speeds Latency rises with distance, but global average stayed under 300 ms in tests Security OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Lightway VPN protocols all use secure ciphers Packet-sniffing test showed working encryption We detected no IP leaks Blocks IPv6 and WebRTC by default to prevent leaks Pricing Base price: $12.95 per month or $99.95 per year Lowest prepaid rate: $4.99 per month Can save money by paying for 28 months in advance, but only once per account 30-day money-back guarantee Bundles ExpressVPN Keys password manager and ID alerts included on all plans Dedicated IP addresses come at an extra price ID theft insurance, data removal and credit scanning available to new one-year and two-year subscribers for free 1GB eSIM deal included through holiday.com Privacy policy No storage of connection logs or device logs permitted The only risky exceptions are personal account data (which doesn't leave the ExpressVPN website) and marketing data (which the policy says should be anonymized) An independent audit found that ExpressVPN's RAM-only server infrastructure makes it impossible to keep logs Virtual location change Successfully unblocked five international Netflix libraries, succeeding on 14 out of 15 attempts Server network 164 server locations in 105 countries 38% of servers are virtual, though most virtual locations are accessed through physical servers within 1,000 miles A large number of locations in South America, Africa and central Asia Features Simple but effective kill switch Can block ads, trackers, adult sites and/or malware sites but blocklists can't be customized Split tunneling is convenient but unavailable on iOS and modern Macs Aircove is the best VPN router, albeit expensive Customer support Setup and troubleshooting guides are organized and useful, with lots of screenshots and videos Live chat starts with a bot but you can get to a person within a couple minutes Email tickets are only accessible from the mobile apps or after live chat has failed Background check Founded in 2009; based in the British Virgin Islands Has never been caught selling or mishandling user data Turkish police seized servers in 2017 but couldn't find any logs of user activity Owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns CyberGhost and Private Internet Access A previous CIO formerly worked on surveillance in the United Arab Emirates; no evidence of shady behavior during his time at ExpressVPN Windows Version 12 leaked some DNS requests when Split Tunneling was active Installing, configuring and using ExpressVPN This section focuses on how it feels to use ExpressVPN on each of the major platforms where it's available. The first step for any setup process is to make an account on expressvpn.com and buy a subscription. Windows Once subscribed, download the Windows VPN from either expressvpn.com or the Microsoft Store, then open the .exe file. Click "Yes" to let it make changes, wait for the install, then let your computer reboot. Including the reboot, the whole process takes 5-10 minutes, most of it idle. To finish, you'll need your activation code, which you can find by going to expressvpn.com and clicking "Setup" in the top-right corner. You can install ExpressVPN's Windows app from the Microsoft store, but we found the website more convenient. Sam Chapman for Engadget Extreme simplicity is the watchword for all ExpressVPN's designs. The Windows client's launch panel consists of three buttons and less than ten words. You can change your location or let the app pick a location for you — the "Smart Location" is the server with the best combination of being nearby and unburdened. Everything else is crammed into the hamburger menu at the top left. Here, in seven tabs, you'll find the Network Lock kill switch, the four types of content blockers, the split tunneling menu and the option to change your VPN protocol. You can also add shortcuts to various websites, useful if you regularly use your VPN for the same online destinations. To sum up, there's almost nothing here to get in the way: no delays, no snags, no nested menus to get lost in. It may be the world's most ignorable VPN client. That's not a bad thing at all. Mac ExpressVPN's app for macOS is almost identical in design to its Windows app. The process for downloading and setting it up is nearly the same too. As on Windows, it can be downloaded from the App Store or sideloaded directly from the expressvpn.com download center. Only a few features are missing and a couple others have been added. Split tunneling is gone (unless you're still on a macOS lower than 11), and you won't see the Lightway Turbo setting. ExpressVPN recommends some servers, but it's easy to search the whole list. Sam Chapman for Engadget Mac users do gain access to the IKEv2 protocol, along with the option to turn off automatic IPv6 blocking — Windows users have to leave it blocked at all times. Almost every website is still accessible via IPv4, but it's useful if you do need to access a specific IPv6 address while the VPN is active. Android Android users can download ExpressVPN through the Google Play Store. Open the app, sign in and you're ready to go. The Android app has a very nice dark-colored design, only slightly marred by an unnecessary information box about how long you've used the VPN this week. ExpressVPN's Android app puts a little more information on the screen than it needs to, but still runs well. Sam Chapman for Engadget There's a large button for connecting. Clicking on the server name takes you to a list of locations. On this list, you can either search or scroll and can choose individual locations within a country that has more than one. We connected to as many far-flung server locations as we could, but not a single one took longer than a few seconds. The options menu is organized sensibly, with no option located more than two clicks deep. You will see a couple of options here that aren't available on desktop, the best of which is the ability to automatically connect to your last-used ExpressVPN server whenever your phone connects to a non-trusted wifi network. There are also a few general security tools: an IP address checker, DNS and WebRTC leak testers and a password generator. These are also available on the website, but here, they're built into the app. With the exception of the latter, we'd recommend using third-party testing tools instead — even a VPN with integrity has an incentive to make its own app look like it's working. iPhone and iPad You can only install ExpressVPN's iOS app through the app store. During setup, you may need to enter your password to allow your phone to use VPN configurations. Otherwise, there are no major differences from the Android process. ExpressVPN looks good on iPhone and iPad. Sam Chapman for Engadget The interface is not quite as pleasing as the dark-mode Android app, but it makes up for that by cutting out some of the clutter. The tabs and features are similar, though split tunneling and shortcuts are absent. Also, both mobile apps make customer support a lot more accessible than their desktop counterparts — plus, mobile is the only way to send email support tickets. Browser extension ExpressVPN also includes browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome. These let you connect, disconnect and change server locations without leaving your browser window. It's nice, but not essential unless you have a very specific web browser flow you like. ExpressVPN speed test: Very fast averages Connecting to a VPN almost always decreases your speed, but the best VPNs mitigate the drop as much as possible. We used Ookla's speed testing app to see how much of your internet speed ExpressVPN preserves. For this test, we emphasized the locations ExpressVPN uses for most of its virtual servers, including the Netherlands, Brazil, Germany and Singapore. Some terms before we start: Latency, measured in milliseconds (ms), is the time it takes one data packet to travel between your device and a web server through the VPN. Latency increases with distance. It's most important for real-time tasks like video chatting and online gaming. Download speed, measured in megabits per second (Mbps), is the amount of information that can download onto your device at one time — such as when loading a web page or streaming a video. Upload speed, also measured in Mbps, is the amount of information your device can send to the web at once. It's most important for torrenting, since the amount of data you can seed determines how fast you can download in exchange. The table below shows our results. We conducted this on Windows, using the automatic protocol setting with the Lightway Turbo feature active — a recent ExpressVPN addition that keeps speed more consistent by processing connections in parallel. Server location Latency (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage dropoff Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage dropoff Portland, Oregon, USA (unprotected) 18 -- 58.77 -- 5.70 -- Seattle, Washington, USA (best server) 26 1.4x 54.86 6.7% 5.52 3.2% New York, NY, USA 156 8.7x 57.25 2.6% 5.57 2.3% Amsterdam, Netherlands 306 17x 53.83 8.4% 5.58 2.1% São Paulo, Brazil 371 20.6x 53.82 8.4% 5.65 0.9% Frankfurt, Germany 404 22.4x 55.71 5.2% 5.67 0.5% Singapore, Singapore 381 21.2x 52.76 10.2% 5.64 1.0% Average 274 15.2x 54.71 6.9% 5.61 1.6% These are extremely good results. ExpressVPN is a winner on both download and upload speed. No matter where we went in the world, we never lost more than about 7% of our download speeds, and upload lost an astoundingly low average of 2%. This suggests that ExpressVPN deftly distributes its user load between servers to eliminate bottlenecks. This Ookla speedtest shows you can still get fast internet while connected to ExpressVPN -- our unprotected speeds are around 58 Mbps. Sam Chapman for Engadget The latency numbers look worse, but the rise in the table is less sharp than we projected. Ping length depends far more on distance than download speed does, so we expect it to shoot up on servers more than 1,000 miles from our location. Keeping the average below 300 ms, as ExpressVPN does here, is a strong showing. ExpressVPN security test: Checking for leaks A VPN's core mission is to hide your IP address and make you untraceable online. Our task in this section is to figure out if ExpressVPN can carry out this mission every time you connect. While we can't be 100% certain, the tests we'll run through below have led us to believe that ExpressVPN is currently leak-proof. Available VPN protocols A VPN protocol is like a common language that a VPN server can use to mediate between your devices and the web servers you visit. If a VPN uses outdated or insecure protocols, or relies on unique protocols with no visible specs or source code, that's a bad sign. Not all protocols are available on all apps, but Mac has the full range. Sam Chapman for Engadget ExpressVPN gives you a selection of three protocols: IKEv2, OpenVPN and Lightway. The first two are solid choices that support the latest encryption algorithms. OpenVPN has been fully open-source for years and is the best choice if privacy is your goal. While IKEv2 started life as a closed project by Microsoft and Cisco, ExpressVPN uses an open-source reverse-engineering, which is both better for privacy and quite fast. Lightway is the odd one out, a protocol you'll only find on ExpressVPN, though its source code is available on Github. It's similar to WireGuard, in that both reach for faster speeds and lower processing demands by keeping their codebases slim. However, Lightway was recently rewritten in Rust to better protect the keys stored in its memory. Ultimately, you can't go wrong with any of ExpressVPN's protocol options. 99% of the time, your best choice will be to set the controls to Automatic and let the VPN decide which runs best. Testing for leaks ExpressVPN is one of the best services, but it's not leak-proof (as you can read in the Background Check below). Luckily, checking for DNS leaks is a simple matter of checking your IP address before and after connecting to a VPN server. If the new address matches the VPN server, you're good; if not, your VPN is leaking. First, we checked the Windows app with split tunneling active to ensure the flaw really had been patched. We tested several servers and didn't find any leaks, which suggests the patch worked, though leaks were rare even before ExpressVPN fixed the vulnerability. We checked our IP while connected to the virtual India location, which is run from a physical server in Singapore. Don't worry -- it still looks like India to streaming services. Sam Chapman for Engadget In fact, we didn't find any leaks on any ExpressVPN server we tested on any platform. Though questions remain about iOS, as you'll see later in this section, that's a problem on Apple's end that even the best VPNs can do very little about for now. The most common cause of VPN leaks is the use of public DNS servers to connect users to websites, which can mistakenly send browsing activity outside the VPN's encrypted tunnel. ExpressVPN avoids the risks of the public system by installing its own DNS resolvers on every server. This is the key factor behind its clean bill of health in our leak testing. Two other common flaws can lead to VPN leaks: WebRTC traffic and IPv6. The former is a communication protocol used in live streaming and the latter is a new IP standard designed to expand domain availability. Both are nice, but currently optional, so ExpressVPN automatically blocks both to ensure there's no opportunity for leaks to arise. One note about VPN security on iOS: it's a known and continuing problem that iOS VPNs do not prevent many online apps from communicating with Apple directly, outside the VPN tunnel. This risks leaking sensitive data, even with Lockdown Mode active in iOS 16. A blog post by Proton VPN shares a workaround: connect to a VPN server, then turn Airplane Mode on and off again to end all connections that were active before you connected to the VPN. Testing encryption We finished up our battery of security tests by checking out ExpressVPN's encryption directly. Using WireShark, a free packet sniffer, we inspected what it looks like when ExpressVPN transmits data from one of its servers to the internet. The screenshot below shows a data stream encrypted with Lightway UDP. After connecting to ExpressVPN, HTTP packets were rendered unreadable while in transit. Sam Chapman for Engadget That lack of any identifiable information, or even readable information, means encryption is working as intended. We repeated the test several times, always getting the same result. This left us satisfied that ExpressVPN's core features are working as intended. How much does ExpressVPN cost? ExpressVPN subscriptions cost $12.95 per month. Long-term subscriptions can bring the monthly cost down, but the great deals they offer tend to only last for the first billing period. A 12-month subscription costs $99.95 and includes three months for free with your first payment, costing a total of $6.67 per month. The bonus disappears for all subsequent years, raising the monthly cost to $8.33. You can also sign up for 28 months at a cost of $139.72, but this is also once-only — ExpressVPN can only be renewed at the $99.95 per year level. There are two ways to test ExpressVPN for free before making a financial commitment. Users on iOS and Android can download the ExpressVPN app without entering any payment details and use it free for seven days. On any platform, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee, which ExpressVPN has historically honored with no questions asked. You will have to pay before you can use it, though. In our opinion, ExpressVPN's service is solid enough that it's worth paying extra. Perhaps not this much extra, but that depends on what you get out of it. We recommend using the 30-day refund period and seeing how well ExpressVPN works for you. If it's a VPN you can enjoy using, that runs fast and unblocks everything you need, that's worth a server's weight in gold. ExpressVPN side apps and bundles ExpressVPN includes some special features that work mostly or wholly separate from its VPN apps. Some of these come free with a subscription, while others add an extra cost. Every subscription includes the ExpressVPN keys password manager. This is available under its own tab on the Android and iOS apps. On desktop, you'll need to download a separate extension from your browser's store, then sign in using your account activation code. It's available on all Chromium browsers, but not Firefox. Starting in 2025, new subscribers get an eSIM plan through holiday.com, a separate service linked to ExpressVPN. The baseline 1GB holiday eSIM plans last for 5 days and can apply to countries, regions, or the entire world (though it's not clear whether the package deal applies to the regional and global plans). Longer-term plans include larger eSIM plans. You can add a dedicated IP address to your ExpressVPN subscription for an additional cost per month. A dedicated IP lets you use the same IP address every time you connect to ExpressVPN. You can add the address to whitelists on restricted networks, and you're assured to never be blocked because of someone else's bad activity on a shared IP. Unlike many of its competitors, ExpressVPN doesn't currently offer antivirus or online storage services, but there is a comprehensive bundle of ID protection tools called Identity Defender. We haven't reviewed any of these products in detail, but here's a list for reference: ID Alerts will inform you if any of your sensitive information is leaked or misused online. It's free with all plans, but you'll have to enter your personal information on your ExpressVPN account page or a mobile app. ID Theft Insurance grants up to $1 million in identity theft reimbursement and comes free with new ExpressVPN one-year or two-year subscriptions. It's not yet available to those who subscribed before it launched in October 2024. Data Removal scans for your information in data brokerages and automatically requests that it be deleted. It's also free with one-year and two-year plans. Credit Scanner is only available for United States users. It monitors your activity on the three credit bureaus so you can quickly spot any suspicious transactions. The Identity Defender features are currently only available to new ExpressVPN customers in the US. Close-reading ExpressVPN's privacy policy Although we worry that the consolidation of VPN brands under the umbrella of Kape Technologies (ExpressVPN's parent company) will make the industry less competitive, we don't believe it's influencing ExpressVPN to take advantage of its users' privacy. To confirm, and get a full sense of what sort of privacy ExpressVPN promises its users, we set out to read ExpressVPN's privacy policy in detail. It's long, but thankfully aimed at casual users instead of lawyers. You can see it for yourself here. In the introduction, ExpressVPN states that it does not keep either activity logs (such as a user's browsing history while connected to the VPN) or connection logs (such as the duration of a user's session and their IP address, which can be used to extrapolate browsing activity). It then specifies the seven types of data it's legally allowed to collect: Data used to sign up for an account, such as names, emails and payment methods. VPN usage data which is aggregated and can't be traced to any individual. Credentials stored in the ExpressVPN Keys password manager. Diagnostic data such as crash reports, which are only shared upon user request. IP addresses authorized for MediaStreamer, which is only for streaming devices that don't otherwise support VPN apps. Marketing data collected directly from the app — a "limited amount" that's kept anonymous. Data voluntarily submitted for identity theft protection apps. Of those seven exceptions, the only ones that count as red flags are account data and marketing data. Both categories are highly personal and could be damaging if mishandled. Fortunately, complying with subpoenas is not one of the allowed uses listed for either data category, nor does the policy let ExpressVPN sell the data to other private parties. The only really annoying thing here is that if you ask ExpressVPN to delete your personal data, you won't be able to use your account from then on. You aren't even eligible for a refund in this case, unless you're within 30 days of your initial subscription. As for marketing data, ExpressVPN collects device fingerprints and location data when you sign up for an account on its website. The privacy policy also claims this is anonymized, as its "systems are engineered to decouple such data from personally identifiable information." Audits corroborate this, as we'll see in the next section. So, while it would be better if ExpressVPN didn't collect any personal data at all, its practices don't appear to pose a risk to anything you do while using the VPN — just the ExpressVPN website. Privacy audits VPN providers often get third-party accounting firms to audit their privacy policies. The idea is that a well-known firm won't mortgage its reputation to lie on behalf of a VPN, so their results can be trusted. For the last several years, ExpressVPN has had KPMG look over its privacy policy and relevant infrastructure (see "TrustedServer" below). KPMG's most recent report, completed in December 2023 and released in May 2024, found that ExpressVPN had enough internal controls in place that users could trust its privacy policy. The report is freely available to read. This is a very good sign, though we're looking out for a more up-to-date audit soon. TrustedServer "TrustedServer" is a marketing term ExpressVPN uses for its RAM-only server infrastructure. RAM-only servers have no hard drives for long-term storage and return to a standard disk image with every reboot. This makes it theoretically impossible to store user activity logs on them, even if ExpressVPN wanted to do that. The KPMG audit, linked above, reports that TrustedServer works as advertised. Between its many clean privacy audits and the Turkish server incident in 2017, we're prepared to say ExpressVPN is a private VPN, in spite of its aggravating exception for marketing. Can ExpressVPN change your virtual location? Next, we tested whether ExpressVPN can actually convince websites that you're somewhere other than your real location. Our security tests have already proven it can hide your IP address, but it takes more than leak-proofing to fool streaming sites these days — Netflix and the others have gotten very good at combing through metadata to sniff out proxy users. The process for testing this is a lot like how we handled the DNS leak tests: try several different servers and see if we get caught. We checked five sample locations outside the U.S. to see if we a) got into Netflix and b) saw different titles in the library. The results are below. Server Location Unblocked Netflix? Library changed? Canada Y Y United Kingdom Y (second try; Docklands failed) Y Slovakia Y Y India Y Y (different from UK library) Australia Y Y In fifteen tests, ExpressVPN slipped up only once. Docklands, the UK server it chose as the fastest, wasn't able to access Netflix. We switched to a server labeled simply "London" and unblocked it without issue. ExpressVPN can change your virtual location so you can explore the wonderful world of K-drama. Sam Chapman for Engadget All the other locations got us access to an alternate Netflix library on the first try. We even checked whether the India server, which is physically located in the UK, showed us different videos than the UK servers. It did, which makes us even more confident that ExpressVPN's virtual locations are airtight. Investigating ExpressVPN's server network ExpressVPN users can connect to a total of 164 server locations in 105 countries and territories. These locations are reasonably well distributed across the globe, but as with all VPNs, there's a bias toward the northern hemisphere. There are 24 locations in the U.S. alone and a further 66 in Europe. That isn't to say users in the Global South get nothing. ExpressVPN has IP addresses from nine nations in South America (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) and six in Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa). The network even includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia, impressive since central Asia may be the region most often shafted by VPNs. However, many of these servers have virtual locations different from their real ones. For those of you choosing a server based on performance instead of a particular IP address, ExpressVPN's website has a helpful list of which servers are virtual. The bad news is that it's a big chunk of the list. A total of 63 ExpressVPN locations are virtual, or 38% of its entire network. To reduce the sting, ExpressVPN takes care to locate virtual servers as close to their real locations as possible. Its virtual locations in Indonesia and India are physically based in Singapore. This isn't always practical, leading to some awkwardness like operating a Ghana IP address out of Germany. But it helps ExpressVPN perform better in the southern hemisphere. Extra features of ExpressVPN Compared to direct competitors like NordVPN and Surfshark, ExpressVPN doesn't have many special features. It's aimed squarely at the casual market and will probably disappoint power users. Having said that, what they do include works well. In this section, we'll run through ExpressVPN's four substantial features outside its VPN servers themselves. Network Lock kill switch "Network Lock" is the name ExpressVPN gives to its kill switch (though it's called "Network Protection" on mobile). A VPN kill switch is a safety feature that keeps you from broadcasting outside the VPN tunnel. If it ever detects that you aren't connected to a legitimate ExpressVPN server, it cuts off your internet access. You won't be able to get back online until you either reconnect to the VPN or disable Network Lock. ExpressVPN's kill switch is called Network Lock on desktop, and Network Protection on mobile (Android pictured) Sam Chapman for Engadget This is important for everyone, not just users who need to hide sensitive traffic. The recently discovered TunnelVision bug theoretically allows hackers to set up fake public wi-fi networks through which they redirect you to equally fake VPN servers, which then harvest your personal information. It's unlikely, but not impossible, and a kill switch is the best way to prevent it — the switch always triggers unless you're connected to a real server in the VPN's network. Like most of ExpressVPN's features, all you can do with Network Lock is turn it on and off. You can also toggle whether you'll still be able to access local devices while the kill switch is blocking your internet — this is allowed by default. Threat manager, ad blocker and parental controls ExpressVPN groups three tools under the heading of "advanced protection" — Threat Manager, an ad blocker and parental controls. Threat Manager consists of two checkboxes: one that blocks your browser from communicating with activity tracking software and one that blocks a list of websites known to be used for malware. Check any of these boxes to use the pre-set blocklists whenever you're connected to ExpressVPN. Sam Chapman for Engadget You can't customize the lists, so you're limited to what ExpressVPN considers worthy of blocking. They share their sources on the website. While the lists are extensive and open-source, they rely on after-the-fact reporting and can't detect and block unknown threats like a proper antivirus. The adblock and parental control options work the same way: check a box to block everything on the list, uncheck it to allow everything through. In tests, the ad blocker was nearly 100% effective against banner ads, but failed to block any video ads on YouTube or Netflix. The parental control option blocks a list of porn sites. It's an easy option for concerned parents, but only works while ExpressVPN is connected. As such, it's meant to be used in conjunction with device-level parental controls that prevent the child from turning off or uninstalling the VPN client. Split tunneling Sometimes, you'll find it helpful to have your device getting online through two different IP addresses at once — one for your home services and one for a location you're trying to spoof. That's where split tunneling is helpful: it runs some apps through the VPN while leaving others unprotected. This can also improve your speeds, since the VPN needs to encrypt less in total. You can configure split tunneling through either a blocklist or an allowlist. Sam Chapman for Engadget ExpressVPN includes split tunneling on Windows, Android and Mac (though only on versions 10 and below). You can only split by app, not by website, but it's still pretty useful. For example, you can have BitTorrent handling a heavy download in the background while you use your browser for innocuous activities that don't need protecting. ExpressVPN Aircove router By now, it should be clear that we find ExpressVPN to be a highly reliable but often unexceptional VPN service. However, there's one area in which it's a clear industry leader: VPN routers. ExpressVPN Aircove is, to our knowledge, the only router with a built-in commercial VPN that comes with its own dashboard interface. Usually, installing a VPN on your router requires tinkering with the router control panel, which turns off all but the most experienced users — not to mention making it a massive pain to switch to a new server location. Aircove's dashboard, by contrast, will be instantly familiar to anyone who already knows how to use an ExpressVPN client. It even allows different devices in your home to connect to different locations through the router VPN. Aircove's biggest drawback is its price. Currently retailing at $189 (not including an ExpressVPN subscription), it's around three times more expensive than an aftermarket router fitted with free VPN firmware. Some of you might still find the convenience worth the one-time payment. ExpressVPN customer support options ExpressVPN's written help pages are some of the best on the market. Its live chat is more of a mixed bag, and complex questions may cause delays. However, it is at least staffed with human agents who aim to reply accurately, rather than resolve your ticket as quickly as possible. You can directly access both live chat and email from ExpressVPN's mobile apps (on desktop, you'll have to go to the website). Sam Chapman for Engadget We approached ExpressVPN's support features with a simple question: "If I requested that ExpressVPN delete all my personal data, would I be able to get a refund for my unused subscription time?" (Remember from the Privacy Policy section that submitting a full deletion request also cancels your ExpressVPN account.) Our first stop was expressvpn.com/support, the written support center and FAQ page. It's divided into setup guides, troubleshooting, account management and information on each of ExpressVPN's products. The setup guides are excellent, including screenshots and clearly written steps; each one includes a video guide for those who learn better that way. Troubleshooting is just as good — no videos, but the same standards of clarity and usefulness prevail. The section starts with general problems, then delves into specific issues you might face on each operating system. Each article clearly derives from a real customer need. The live support experience To get answers on our refund question, we visited the account management FAQs. This section stated that the refund policy only applies within 30 days of purchase. Pretty clear-cut, but we still wanted an answer on our special case, so we contacted live chat by clicking the button at the bottom-right of every FAQ page. Live chat is in the bottom-right corner of every page of expressvpn.com. Sam Chapman for Engadget Live chat starts with an AI assistant, which is not too hard to get past — just ask it a question it can't answer, then click "Transfer to an Agent." We got online with (what claimed to be) a human in less than a minute. Answering the question took longer and involved an uncomfortable 10-minute silence, but we did get a clear verdict from a real person: refunds are within 30 days only, no matter what. If the live chat agent can't answer your question, you'll be redirected to open an email support ticket. Annoyingly, there's no way to go directly to email support through the website or desktop apps, though mobile users have the option to skip directly there. ExpressVPN background check: From founding to Kape Technologies ExpressVPN launched in 2009, which makes it one of the oldest consumer VPNs in continual operation. In more than 15 years of operation, it's never been caught violating its own privacy policy, though its record isn't free of more minor blemishes. Headquarters in the British Virgin Islands Founders Dan Pomerantz and Peter Burchhardt registered the company in the British Virgin Islands from the start to take advantage of that territory's favorable legal environment for online privacy. The BVIs have no law requiring businesses to retain data on their users, and the process for extraditing data is famously difficult, requiring a direct order from the highest court. In 2021, the BVI implemented the Data Protection Act (DPA) [PDF link], which prevents companies based in the territory from accessing data on their users anywhere in the world. It's a great privacy law in theory, modeled on best-in-class legislation in the EU. However, we couldn't find any evidence that its supervising authority — the Office of the Information Commissioner — has a leader or staff. In other words, while ExpressVPN is not legally required to log any data on its users, there's technically nobody stopping them from doing so. Whether you trust the jurisdiction depends on whether you trust the company itself. Let's see what the other evidence says. Security and privacy incidents Two significant incidents stand out from ExpressVPN's 16-year history. In 2017, when Andrei Karlov, Russia's ambassador to Turkey, was shot to death at an art show. Turkish police suspected someone had used ExpressVPN to mask their identity while they deleted information from social media accounts belonging to the alleged assassin. To investigate, they confiscated an ExpressVPN server to comb for evidence. They didn't find anything. A police seizure is the best possible test of a VPN's approach to privacy. The provider can't prepare beforehand, fake anything, or collude with investigators. The Turkey incident is still one of the best reasons to recommend ExpressVPN, though eight years is a long time for policy to change. The second incident began in March 2024, when a researcher at CNET informed ExpressVPN that its version 12 for Windows occasionally leaked DNS requests when users enabled the split tunneling feature. While these users remained connected to an ExpressVPN server, their browsing activity was often going directly to their ISP, unmasked. The bug only impacted a few users, and to their credit, ExpressVPN sprang into action as soon as they learned about it. The team had it patched by April, as confirmed by the researcher who initially discovered the vulnerability. But while their quick and effective response deserves praise, it's still a mark against them that a journalist noticed the bug before they did. Kape Technologies ownership and management questions In 2021, an Israeli-owned, UK-based firm called Kape Technologies purchased a controlling interest in ExpressVPN. In addition to ExpressVPN, privately held Kape owns CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, and Zenmate (before it merged into CyberGhost). As shown on its website, it also owns Webselenese, publisher of VPN review websites WizCase and vpnMentor, which poses an apparent conflict of interest. When reached for comment, a representative for ExpressVPN said that "ExpressVPN does not directly engage with, nor seek to influence, the content on any Webselenese site," and pointed us to disclosure statements on the websites in question — here's one example. Even so, it's a good reminder not to take VPN reviews at face value without knowing who's behind them (Engadget is owned by Yahoo, which does not own any VPNs). Diving deeper into the background of Kape's ownership will lead you to owner Teddy Sagi. Go back far enough, and you'll see he did prison time in Israel and was mentioned in the Pandora Papers, among other things. More recently, headlines about the billionaire have focused more his businesses in the online gambling and fintech arenas, as well as his real estate ventures. An ExpressVPN representative told us that "Kape's brands continue to operate independently," and our investigation bore that out — we couldn't find any proof that Kape or Sagi have directly attempted to influence ExpressVPN's software or daily operations. Closer to the immediate day-to-day operations of ExpressVPN was the company's employment of Daniel Gericke as CTO from 2019 through 2023. During that time, the US Justice Department announced it had fined Gericke and two others for their previous employment on a surveillance operation called Project Raven, which the United Arab Emirates (UAE) used to spy on its own citizens. The revelation prompted a public response from ExpressVPN defending its decision to hire Gericke, arguing that "[t]he best goalkeepers are the ones trained by the best strikers." ExpressVPN's representative confirmed that the company still stands by that linked statement. Gericke parted ways with ExpressVPN in October 2023, per his LinkedIn profile. While we don't know what we don't know, we can say that ExpressVPN has not notably changed its public-facing security and privacy policies during the time it's been connected to Kape, Sagi, or Gericke. In the end, how much ExpressVPN's history matters to you is a personal choice. If you object to any current or past actions by Kape Technologies or Teddy Sagi, there are other premium VPN options you might prefer. If you need more information to make up your mind, we recommend reading through CNET's 2022 deep dive on ExpressVPN's corporate history. Final verdict ExpressVPN is the VPN we most often recommend to beginners. It takes zero training to use, and consistently gets past filters on streaming sites. It also runs in the background with virtually no impact. If anything is worth the high price of admission, it's the excellent speeds distributed evenly across the worldwide server network. However, for certain specific cases, ExpressVPN may not be the best choice. There's no way to set up your own server locations, like NordVPN offers, and no double VPN connections, like you can build for yourself on Surfshark. Its corporate background is more suspect than the entities backing Proton VPN, and unlike Mullvad, ExpressVPN doesn't work in China — it's so well-known that the government targets its servers specifically. We suggest going with ExpressVPN for general online privacy, for spoofing locations in your home country while traveling, or if you regularly need to unblock sites in other countries. That encompasses 19 of every 20 users, which is fine by us, as ExpressVPN is a great service. It's just more of a reliable old screwdriver than a multi-tool. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/expressvpn-review-2025-fast-speeds-and-a-low-learning-curve-160052884.html?src=rss View Source Article

On Episode 170 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik are joined by Dr. Robert O'Brien to discuss powering spacecraft by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). View Source Article

We’re in the heart of summer fun, but it’s already time for back-to-school planning, especially if that involves buying a new laptop. The dizzying number of different laptops and configurations can feel overwhelming, especially if you want something that doesn’t cost too much but will still last a long time. My general guidelines are to first pick the operating system you need (based on personal preference or class requirements), and then get the best specs you can afford. If your school has specific requirements or recommendations, they are likely found on the school website. A quality laptop should also have a good screen, keyboard, and trackpad — and preferably enough ports and some decent speakers. Unless you’re buying a Chromebook, aim for an M4 processor (for Macs) or an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7, an AMD Ryzen AI 300 series, or a Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor on a Windows machine, especially if you want your laptop to last at least four years. Aim for at least 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. If your budget allows for more RAM or storage then go for it, especially if neither is user-replaceable — it’ll help with performance and longevity. If you have to choose based on budget, prioritize RAM, since external storage is easily available. Taking much of that into account, here are our top picks among current laptops. The best laptop for most students Apple MacBook Air 13 (2025, M4) Score: 9ProsConsEasily lasts a full day on batteryExcellent choice for most people’s everyday needsNails the basics in a thin-and-light while feeling like a nice place to beStill starts with just 256GB of storageStill has limited portsStill prone to throttling under heavy creative tasks Where to Buy: $999 $849 at Amazon $999 $949 at B&H Photo $999 $849 at Best Buy Unless you’re going into a field involving lots of graphics rendering or video editing, a MacBook Air should be more than enough computer to last through the student years. The Air is our top laptop recommendation for most people, and that includes students — particularly students in high school or starting college. Nothing else offers quite the same balance of performance, build quality, and battery life as Apple’s entry-level laptop. It’s a speedy little machine that can even handle some heftier content creation work. Its battery can easily get you through a packed day of classes. And it has the best trackpad around. The only major downside with an Air (as with all modern MacBooks) is that you can’t upgrade the storage or memory after you buy it. Now that MacBooks start with 16GB of RAM, even the base $999 13-inch model is excellent, if a little short on storage space at 256GB. So you may want to consider the $1,199 model with 512GB of storage. For the same price you can get the larger 15-inch model with roomier screen real estate and even better speakers, but then you’re once again starting with 256GB. Apple MacBook Air 15 (2025, M4) Score: 9ProsConsEasily lasts a full day on batteryExcellent choice for most people’s everyday needsNails the basics in a thin-and-light while feeling like a nice place to beLouder speakers over its smaller counterpartStill starts with just 256GB of storageStill has limited portsStill prone to throttling under heavy creative tasks Where to Buy: $1199 $1099 at Amazon $1199 $1099 at B&H Photo $1199 at Best Buy Read our review of the M4 MacBook Air. A note on older M-series Airs: The original M1 MacBook Air can still be bought new from Walmart for $649 or less. Even at five years old, it remains a very good machine for those on tighter budgets, but it’s worth hunting for a deal on an M2 MacBook Air or newer if you can. That lingering M1 only has 8GB of RAM, and newer M2 and M3 versions have MagSafe chargers, better keyboards, and markedly better screens. You can often find one with 16GB of RAM for just a bit more than the M1, and it’ll be better for the long haul. The best student laptop for serious content creation Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2024, M4) Score: 9ProsConsEverything good about last year’s model but better All the I/O of the pricier MacBook ProsMore RAMNew webcam is sharp and clearNano-texture display is a nice add-onDesk View webcam feature is low-res and overly distortedSpace black finish can still be a little smudgyApple’s price structure may still have you longing for M4 Pro / Max Where to Buy: $1599 $1432.75 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1599 $1549 at B&H Photo (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1799 $1609.66 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) MacBook Pros have long been a staple on college campuses for students in creative fields, and the latest base version is one of the best laptops Apple has cooked up in years. Apple’s base model 14-inch MacBook Pro is a step up from the MacBook Air, with the same M4 chip. Its starting price of $1,599 is a significant jump from a $999 Air, but you get better performance and a bunch of worthwhile upgrades. The Pro has more ports than the Air, including an SD card reader and HDMI 2.1. Its screen is a nicer Mini LED panel with higher resolution and faster refresh rate. It’s got more ports, including an SD card reader and HDMI 2.1. It starts with 512GB of storage. And its battery lasts even longer.  These upgrades go a long way in making the MacBook Pro better and more futureproof for heavier creative tasks. Especially since it has a fan to cool its chip, allowing you to use content creation apps like the Adobe Creative Cloud suite for longer — the passively cooled Air starts off fast in these apps, but slows down considerably once its chip starts getting too hot. Apple has two higher-end MacBook Pros: the 14- and 16-inch models running M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. They’re fantastic laptops with even more processing power than the base M4, plus upgrades like Thunderbolt 5 ports, but they start at $1,999 and $3,199, respectively. An M4 Pro model is a more futureproof option, but these are better fit for a working professional than a student. Read our review of the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4. The best modular laptops you can upgrade yourself Framework Laptop 13 (2025, AMD Ryzen AI 7 350) Score: 9ProsConsStill the repairability champ with excellent, modular port selectionFaster CPU performance over both Intel and previous AMD modelsHigh-res 3:2 aspect ratio screen is great for productivityThin, light, and an overall great packageRadeon 860M iGPU performance is a little lackingTrackpad still feels a little cheapScreen is a little lacking in contrast and color qualityLess repairable laptops offer more for similar prices or less Where to Buy: $899 at Framework The Framework Laptop 13 and 2-in-1 Laptop 12 are notebooks that can grow and change with you. They’re easily repairable, and even years down the road you should be able to upgrade the RAM, storage, ports, and the entire mainboard and processor. They even have optional DIY editions, requiring some easy assembly — which I assure you is a joyously nerdy way to familiarize yourself with the inner workings of your laptop. There’s nothing else like them, and if you or your kid are the tinkering types it’s a fun experience for running either Windows or Linux. But you don’t have to be going for a computer engineering degree. Even a newcomer can appreciate how Framework allows you to choose modular ports and swap them out at will. You can go all USB-C like a MacBook Air, or you can get funky by mixing and matching USB-A, DisplayPort, HDMI, SD / microSD card readers, and even an ethernet port.  You just have to be willing to pay extra for the Frameworks’ modularity, upgradeability, and easy repairability, as they cost more than equivalent or better-specced laptops from other manufacturers. The newer Laptop 12 isn’t as good a choice for most people because of its price and older Intel chips, but its shock-resistant chassis and convertible tablet form factor make it even more uniquely appealing for younger kids. Framework Laptop 12 Score: 7ProsConsEasy repairs and potential upgradesFun designRubberized TPU edges make it more resilient for kidsModular ports with internal “child locks”Not exactly cheap, especially with more RAM and storageAging processor, starts with 8GB of RAMChunky bezelsNo Windows Hello unlocking Where to Buy: $799 at Framework Read our reviews of the Framework Laptop 13 and Laptop 12. A Windows laptop or tablet with amazing battery Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13-inch Score: 8ProsConsExquisite hardware that feels great to touch and useVery good keyboard and one of the best mechanical trackpadsBattery can stretch to 1.5 days (with native Arm apps)3:2 aspect ratio screen is ideal for productivityWebcam doesn’t support Windows HelloLoss of magnetic charging portSnapdragon X still has app and game compatibility issues that competing chips do notWhy have Home, Page Up, and Page Down keys instead of media controls? Where to Buy: $899.99 at Microsoft $899.99 at Best Buy The latest, lower-cost Surfaces from Microsoft are great machines with excellent battery life, great standby times when left asleep, and solid performance. They’re Arm-based, which is what gives them that excellent battery life, but can lead to some app compatibility issues. Most common programs run fine, either natively or native-like via emulation. Just do your homework; if certain classes require specific apps, check to make sure they’ll run. The 12-inch Surface Pro (starting at $799.99) and 13-inch Laptop (starting at $899.99) are well constructed, ultra-portable machines that feel very nice to use. Despite being the cheaper Windows laptops in this list, neither feels like a diminished experience (save for some odd design choices, like a lack of face unlock in the Laptop).  You can look at it as simply picking your preferred form factor: a traditional clamshell laptop or a convertible tablet with keyboard cover. The Laptop is the better buy, because the Surface Pro’s must-buy keyboard cover is an extra $150 (or $250 bundled with the stylus) — meaning its true starting price is around $850.  Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro is smaller, with a new design and updated keyboard. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Arm64 Snapdragon X Plus chip. Read our review. Score: 8ProsConsBeautiful fanless designGreat battery lifeThe keyboard is a lot sturdierWindows still needs a better UX in tablet modeThe thick display bezelsNo haptic touchpad Where to Buy: $799.99 at Best Buy $799.99 $729.99 at Amazon $799 $729.99 at Walmart Read our reviews of the Surface Laptop 13-inch and Surface Pro 12-inch. The hands-down best Chromebook Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 Score: 9ProsConsBeautiful OLED screen, even at $649Marathon battery lifeSpeedy performance with fanless designGood-sounding speakersUSB ports are only 5GbpsTrackpad, while solid, has a slightly loud clickWebcam sometimes exhibits a green color castChromeOS app compatibility / performance can still be frustrating (e.g., Zoom and Slack) Where to Buy: $749 at Best Buy $749 at Lenovo If you need or prefer a Chromebook for school and favor a traditional clamshell laptop, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the best one. It’s a great Chromebook for older students, and a solid machine for just about anyone who wants a no-nonsense everyday computer. For $750 you get a fantastic touchscreen OLED display with deep contrast and vivid colors, a great keyboard, and marathon battery life. It’s a package that’s well built and totally silent thanks to a fanless design. The Arm-based MediaTek processor is what gives the Lenovo its zippy performance and battery stretching into a second day of use. It can also lead to some small compatibility issues if you venture into using Linux apps (they need to be Arm compatible), but that’s unlikely to affect most users. The Chromebook Plus 14 has some other small flaws, like lackluster 5Gbps data speeds on its USB ports and an only-okay trackpad, but it nails most everything else. And, again, paying only $750 for a 14-inch OLED panel this nice is a rare treat.  Read our review of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. The best 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024) Acer’s Spin Chromebook is configured with Intel’s first generation of processor with an NPU. It also has Google Gemini baked right into the OS, and if you sign up for a new Google One AI premium plan, your first year of service is free. ProsConsThe best convertible Chromebook experienceSpeedy Thunderbolt 4 portsFaster RAM than previous genNo fingerprint sensorA little pricey when not discounted8GB of RAM Where to Buy: $799 $629 at Best Buy If you want a 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is your bag. The 2024 Acer may now be getting outclassed by the freshly launched Lenovo, but it’s still one of our top picks since it’s so versatile. The Chromebook Spin 714 and its Intel processor offers a great balance of performance, battery life, and specs for the money. It has speedy Thunderbolt 4 ports, and its x86 architecture allows for free rein to install and tinker with Linux apps. Now that this latest version of the Spin is a year old (though still current), it can occasionally be had for $200 off. So if you want a top-flight Chromebook you can find for a decent discount, the Spin is a great choice. The best Chromebook under $400 Chromebook Plus CX34 Score: 8ProsConsExcellent look and buildSharp 1080p display1080p webcam with AI features and physical shutterNo touchscreen optionStiff touchpadBattery life could be a bit better Where to Buy: $599 at Best Buy (Intel Core i5) $599.99 at Asus (Intel Core i5) $379 at Walmart (Intel Core i3) If you’re shopping for a younger student and don’t want to spend a ton, but also don’t want to risk buying something crappy, the 14-inch Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is a safe bet. It’s one of the cheapest Chromebooks with the Plus designation, which means it meets a certain level of performance, battery life, and quality. Chromebook Plus laptops have better-than-average screens, and they should be able to last through a school day without needing a charge.  The CX34 normally costs $600 these days, but it sometimes sells for under $400. That’s the sweet spot, getting you excellent build quality, a nice screen, and a sleek design for an affordable price. The CX34’s 1920 x 1080 / 250-nit display may feel a little cramped and dim compared to the 16:10 screens on the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 and Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, but it offers a sharp picture with minimal glare. It’s got a great keyboard that Asus claims to have tested as spill-resistant, giving a bit more peace of mind when entrusting it to a child. The Asus remains a go-to choice for something you can have younger students use that lasts some years. Read our review of the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34. A great higher-end Windows laptop with a big screen Asus Zenbook S 16 Score: 8ProsConsIt’s gorgeousIncredibly thin and light for a 16-inch laptopGreat performance, especially the integrated graphicsShorter battery life than major competitorsStoryCube doesn’t workCouldn’t get a sense of how fast the NPU really is Where to Buy: $1799.99 at Best Buy $1799.99 $1399 at Asus Sometimes bigger is better, and the Asus Zenbook S 16 is a total treat of a Windows thin-and-light laptop. It’s got AMD Strix Point processors that are powerful enough for even some light gaming, and the star of the show is its 2880 x 1800 16-inch OLED touchscreen capable of a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The Zenbook S 16 is one of the pricier options we have here, with a standard price of $1,799.99, but it sometimes goes on sale for as much as $500 off. This is a very capable option for high school or college students who need to run Windows and prefer a big screen for easier multitasking. And its thinness makes it very portable for a 16-inch machine, making it less of a hassle to tote a large laptop around campus. Asus also makes a 14-inch version — we expect it to be similar, but we haven’t tested the smaller model. The downside of the Zenbook’s powerful chip and thin chassis is that it’s not the battery champ some of the other options here are. It’s still enough to get through an average day of classes, but it’s going to need a charge in the late afternoon if you have a lengthy sprint of back-to-back lectures or you’re cramming late into the night. Read our review of the Asus Zenbook S 16. The best gaming laptop for (very responsible) students Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) ProsConsBalanced performance, battery life, and portabilityOLED displayProgrammable LED strip on the lidGreat keyboard and smooth trackpadGets a bit hot and loud under loadSoldered RAMThermally throttles its GPUs Where to Buy: $1799.99 at Asus $2399.99 $2049.99 at Best Buy (5070 Ti) $1799.99 $1349.99 at Best Buy (5060) Treating your kid to a gaming laptop may seem like you’re inviting them to slack off, but if you want to splurge on one device for both schoolwork and play you can’t go wrong with Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14. The G14 is as “normal” as gaming laptops get, with a design that doesn’t scream cringe-gamer too much (aside from some small ROG branding). Unlike many other gaming laptops, the Zephyrus has solid battery life that can get you through your day’s classes — assuming you save the gaming for when you plug in at the end of the day. The $1,799.99 base model uses a capable AMD Ryzen 9 270 processor and discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, which is enough power to play just about any game, even the latest big-budget ones, albeit not at the highest settings. An important part of what makes the G14 special is how good the rest of the laptop is. It’s got a crisp and lovely 14-inch OLED with 2880 x 1800 resolution and 120Hz refresh, a great keyboard, and a very good trackpad. It offers a bunch of ports, and it doesn’t run overly loud or hot when tackling the basic productivity stuff. You’d be spoiling your kid a bit (maybe a lot of bit) with a laptop like this, but you can meet their school needs while also treating them to the world of PC gaming. Read our buying guide featuring the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. View Source Article

When we say that NordVPN is a good VPN that's not quite great, it's important to put that in perspective. Building a good VPN is hard, as evidenced by all the shovelware VPNs flooding the market. NordVPN may not be perfect, but it's easily top-five caliber and excels in certain use cases. First, the bad: NordVPN's apps could all stand to undergo a little more quality control, with elements distracting from other elements and inconsistent designs from platform to platform. At least one of its FAQ pages directly contradicts itself. And while all the server locations could unblock Netflix, the one in Nigeria still showed U.S. content, indicating that our real location might have leaked. However, there's a lot of good to balance that out. Speeds are fantastic and we saw no other hint of any kind of leak. Its server network is expansive and not overly reliant on virtual locations. The vast majority of servers are ideal for unblocking foreign websites. The real draw, though, is the extra features, including the innovative and flexible Meshnet, plus a malware blocker that acts more like a full antivirus and forward-looking quantum resistant encryption. Editors' note: We're in the process of revamping our VPN coverage to provide more in-depth, actionable information and buying guides. Our recommendations, and all the info on this page, are subject to change as the update continues. To see the new direction, check out our revamped ExpressVPN review and Proton VPN review, or learn more about how we test VPNs. Table of contents Findings at a glance Installing, configuring and using NordVPN NordVPN speed test NordVPN security test How much does NordVPN cost? NordVPN side apps and bundles Close-reading NordVPN's privacy policy Can NordVPN change your virtual location? Investigating NordVPN's server network Extra features of NordVPN NordVPN customer support options NordVPN background check Final verdict Findings at a glance Check out a summary of our NordVPN review in the table below. Category Notes Installation and UI Connections happen quickly and features are easy to use on all platforms UI sometimes gets in the way; map screens can be clunky and apps come with unnecessary notifications Surprisingly, the best UI may be in the browser extension Speed Extremely fast download speeds with only a 6.4-percent average drop Good latencies on nearby servers, but farther ones have some lag Fast upload speeds, but losses spiked in a few locations Security Uses acceptable protocols with uncracked encryption NordWhisper obfuscated protocol recently implemented on Windows, Android and Linux No DNS, WebRTC or IPv6 leaks on five test servers Pricing Best plan is the 2-year Basic for $81.36, or $3.39 per month Basic gives you the complete VPN If you get a multi-year plan, be sure to manually renew in order to keep the promotional rates Bundles Plus tier adds advanced malware protection and NordPass password manager Complete plan adds NordLocker cloud storage Prime tier adds ID theft protection and insurance features Privacy policy NordVPN does not log user activity on the VPN, a policy backed up by several third-party audits However, it does log potentially identifiable device information unless you opt out in settings Some concerning liberties taken in the overall Nord policy, but no documented malfeasance Virtual location change Four out of five test servers unblocked Netflix three times running, including virtual India location Location in Nigeria got into Netflix, but didn't change available titles Server network 153 server locations in 117 countries and territories Server network is about 40 percent virtual, including all locations in Africa Features Extra servers grant additional privacy (double VPN, Onion over VPN, obfuscation) or specific optimizations (P2P, dedicated IP) Meshnet directly connects two devices without a NordVPN server mediating Threat Protection blocks dangerous domains and the Pro upgrade has some antivirus capability Dark Web Monitor reports to you when any sensitive information has appeared on clandestine leak sites Presets let you activate several settings with one clickPost-quantum encryption is nice, but not necessary yet Kill switch is a useful safety feature on all appsSplit tunneling by app on Windows and Android, and by URL on browser extensions Customer support Written FAQs, live chat and email support Live chat connected to an expert human within a minute FAQs are poorly organized and contain some conflicts, but well-written on average Background check NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, while its parent company Nord Security is based in the Netherlands 2018 theft of public keys was a mistake, but NordVPN did almost everything right in response Claims of law enforcement collaboration are overblown — NordVPN will comply with requests, but that doesn't mean they'll have information to provide Installing, configuring and using NordVPN NordVPN's biggest strengths are its speeds and the range of options it puts at your fingertips. User experience is important, but it's not quite as front-and-center as it is with ExpressVPN and Proton VPN. Here's how the apps run on all the major platforms. Windows The Windows app is the first instance of NordVPN's UI being not bad enough to complain about, but not good enough to be considered excellent. The initial connection process is a little slow, and it's far easier to connect than it is to disconnect (click the power button while connected to shut the VPN off). The map takes up space that would have been better allocated to the server list. Sam Chapman for Engadget The minor problems continue in the settings list, which makes the mistake of not keeping all its tabs visible in the window — if you open one, you have to click back to the main menu to reach another page. The pages themselves are easy to use; it's just a bit clunkier than it could have been. Mac Setup is swift and easy on Mac, but the full NordVPN interface is a little awkward. The vast majority of the main window is taken up by a large map, which is mostly useless. There's no way to zoom out to see the whole world, and you can't choose between servers in each country unless you zoom way in. The server list on the left-hand side is almost always more useful. Sam Chapman for Engadget The preferences panel is better. All the tabs come with clear explanations of their function, and are laid out so the menu is always visible, unlike the Windows app. The gear icon at the bottom includes its own set of tabs that encompass most of the common functions, including changing your VPN protocol, activating the kill switch and setting the VPN to automatically connect on untrusted networks. Android NordVPN on mobile can be described in much the same way as its desktop apps: generally great, occasionally getting in its own way. On Android, the map screen is much more helpful. It's expandable to the entire world and allows you to choose between servers within a country. On the other hand, the important settings are buried in the Profile tab, and the app notifies you about your "security score" to pressure you into activating certain settings. Sam Chapman for Engadget To find the general settings page on Android, tap the bottom-right Profile tab and scroll down. Except for Threat Protection, which has its own tab on the main window, every feature is located here. It's probably necessary to keep the main app from getting cluttered, but still mildly frustrating. iOS The NordVPN iOS app resembles a compressed version of the macOS client, for better or worse. As with Android, most of its features are in the bottom-right Profile tab. It works well most of the time, but often feels slightly cumbersome. There's a bit too much on the screen, and a bit too much of the stuff has nothing to do with the VPN's core function. Sam Chapman for Engadget As an example, you can't log into your account within the app — you have to load your Nord account page in a web browser. Forced app switching is a design choice that truly needs to die. That said, VPN connections happen quickly. If you tend to simply leave your VPN active, you probably won't notice any of this stuff. Browser extensions Most VPN browser extensions consist of the same features on a smaller scale, and NordVPN's — on Chrome, Firefox and Edge — are no exception. They are important for one reason, though: they're the only way to split tunnels by URL and the only split tunneling at all on macOS and iOS. Despite being more compact, they're also easy to use, making for an excellent quick-start VPN solution. Sam Chapman for Engadget NordVPN speed test All VPNs slow down your average browsing speeds by adding extra steps into the connection process. When we test speed, we're looking for the VPN to drag as little as possible on your unprotected speeds. Download speed will be the most important stat for most users, since that determines how fast web pages load and how quickly videos can buffer. Latency is important for live connections like video chats, games and live streaming. Latency increases with distance — in the test below, data packets were sent to the remote server, then back to our home network. Upload speeds likewise influence your live two-way communications and are also vital for torrenting. Let's see how NordVPN performs on all three metrics. Server location Latency (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Unprotected (Portland, OR, USA) 22 -- 59.20 -- 5.86 -- Seattle, WA, USA (Fastest) 44 2x 57.21 3.4 5.62 4.1 New York, NY, USA 177 8x 56.90 3.9 5.60 4.4 Stockholm, Sweden 371 16.9x 55.94 5.5 5.63 3.9 Istanbul, Turkey 411 18.7x 53.02 10.4 5.78 5.9 Hong Kong 350 15.9x 56.18 5.1 5.72 2.4 Johannesburg, South Africa 602 27.4x 53.26 10.0 5.67 3.3 Average 326 14.8x 55.42 6.4 5.54 4.0 To summarize: NordVPN's download speeds are the fastest we've seen and its upload speeds and latency tie with the best. Downloads only dropped by an average of 6.4 percent across the globe and readings were mostly consistent — the servers in question performed much the same in each test. We even threw in Turkey and South Africa, two locations that commonly cause problems, but NordVPN still kept the drop to 10 percent. Sam Chapman for Engadget Latency is more a product of physical distance than VPN infrastructure, but you can still see differences between services. When tested on a similar range of locations, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN both kept average latencies under 300 ms. NordVPN's average came out to 326 milliseconds, though we should note that its latency increased less than Proton's on the closest server. Upload speeds declined an average of four percent, but there were a few anomalously high readings in Istanbul that skewed those numbers up. Without that location, NordVPN's upload rates would also have been the industry's current best. NordVPN security test No matter how well-built a VPN looks from the outside, there are several ways its security can fail. The most common problems are outdated protocols with weak encryption, failing to block IPv6 traffic or inadvertent leaks from sending DNS requests outside the encrypted tunnel. We'll start by looking for those common leak sources, then check whether NordVPN's encryption might be failing in less traceable ways. VPN protocols A VPN protocol is a set of rules used to get data quickly and safely from your device to a VPN server and back, even while that data is encrypted. Different protocols are connected with different encryption algorithms and can impact the speed, security and stability of your connection. When testing VPN security, the first step is to see if it's using any protocols like PPTP that are outdated and crackable, or homebrewed protocols with unclear security. NordVPN users have four options for protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2 (not available on Mac or iOS), NordLynx and NordWhisper (available on Windows, Android and Linux only).  Sam Chapman for Engadget OpenVPN and IKEv2 are both standard protocols you'll find on most VPN providers. Both use various strengths of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), with OpenVPN defaulting to AES-256 and IKEv2 to AES-128. OpenVPN can be set to UDP (faster but less stable) or TCP (more reliable but slower). So far, so secure. NordLynx is unique to NordVPN, but it's not that far off the beaten track — it's just WireGuard with extra security. WireGuard normally works by saving a stable IP address for each connection, which raises the very slight risk of exposing a user. NordLynx adds a second layer of abstraction that means those stable addresses are never revealed. Since NordVPN strongly recommends it for most situations, we used it for all our tests in this review. Finally, there's NordWhisper, a new protocol introduced in early 2025 that disguises your VPN traffic as normal web traffic to evade blanket web blocks. It's likely to be slower than the other protocols, so don't use it unless everything else has been blocked. We also don't recommend counting on it too much in general — large-scale censorship technology, like the Great Firewall of China, tends to rely on blocklists of known VPN servers, whose identity NordWhisper can't disguise. Leak test Our first order of business was to check five test servers to see if they leaked our real IP address — staying away from the ones in the speed test in order to get as comprehensive a picture of NordVPN's security as possible. With help from ipleak.net, we found all five to be free of the three major types of leaks. DNS leaks occur when a VPN sends DNS requests (in short, how your browser knows which websites to show you) outside its encrypted tunnel. By default, NordVPN uses its own private DNS servers, which our tests showed to effectively prevent leaks. WebRTC leaks are caused by real-time communication protocols sending information outside the VPN, which may reveal your real IP address. NordVPN is consistently successful at keeping WebRTC inside the tunnel, but you can have your browser block it if you're still worried. IPv6 leaks happen when a VPN only blocks IPv4 traffic and lets v6 through. NordVPN automatically blocks IPv6 traffic while it's active, so an IPv6 leak is all but impossible. Sam Chapman for Engadget Although that's all great news, it is still possible for leaks to occur without a clear explanation, so we ran one final test on NordVPN. Encryption test Wireshark is a program that captures detailed images of information sent over a device's internet connection. Even though our tests showed NordVPN to be free of leaks, we wanted to inspect it at the most granular level. Using WireShark, we recorded the traffic sent to an unencrypted HTTP site, before and after connecting to each NordVPN test server. Every server showed the same pattern: readable plaintext before, encrypted ciphertext after. If there is a security flaw remaining in NordVPN, it's unlikely to be relevant to the overwhelming majority of users. How much does NordVPN cost? NordVPN's pricing structure looks convoluted at first, but it's much simpler than it appears. A Basic subscription gets you full VPN functionality, and all the other tiers just add more features. If all you need is a VPN, you only need to concern yourself with the left side of the table below. The best deal for a Basic NordVPN subscription, which lets you connect to NordVPN with up to 10 devices at once, costs $81.36 for two years when you pay upfront ($3.39 per month). One year of the same plan costs $59.88 in advance ($4.99 per month) or $12.99 for one month at a time. The table below shows the complete cost; for more information on plans above Basic, see "side apps and bundles" in the next section. Plan 1-month cost 1-year cost 2-year cost Basic $12.99 $59.88 ($4.99/month) $81.36 ($3.39/month) Plus $13.99 $71.88 ($5.99/month) $105.36 ($4.39/month) Complete $14.99 $83.88 ($6.99/month) $129.36 ($5.39/month) Prime $17.99 $107.88 ($8.99/month) $177.36 ($7.39/month) The longer plans save money, but be careful: if you let them expire, you'll automatically renew at the more expensive one-year plan. Enough customers claim to have been auto-renewed at the higher rate that they've launched a class-action lawsuit against NordVPN, accusing the company of deceptive pricing practices and making renewals too difficult to cancel. A NordVPN PR rep said they could not comment on ongoing legal action, "other than to state that we are and always have been very clear about the recurring nature of our services." No court date has been set so far. That said, there's a fairly straightforward workaround in the meantime: To prevent the auto renewal, log out of your NordVPN account, then sign up for a discounted plan again using the same email. As long as you do this before your subscription expires, your new account should link to your old one, keeping you subscribed at the introductory rate. Free trials and refunds Every NordVPN plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you cancel and request a refund before 30 days are up, you'll get the full cost back. The only way to try it for free without paying is to get the app on Android, where there's a seven-day trial through the Google Play Store. NordVPN side apps and bundles NordVPN is part of a larger family of Nord Security products, which you can save money on if you need more than one. We won't review all of them here, but for reference, here's everything you'll get from the higher subscription tiers.  Basic: VPN on 10 devices, specialty servers, DNS ad-blocking, Meshnet Plus: All Basic features, plus malware scanning, extra scam blocking, tracker blocking, NordPass password manager, data breach scanner Complete: All Plus features, along with 1TB of NordLocker encrypted cloud storage Prime: All Complete features, plus NordProtect features like dark web monitoring, credit monitoring, ID theft insurance and extortion insurance Another tier called Ultra includes a subscription to Incogni, a data removal service run by Nord's partner Surfshark. The Ultra bundle is only available in certain countries, since NordVPN is still testing it; users outside the test countries can still add Incogni service at checkout. There also used to be a NordVPN family plan, but it seems to have been eliminated after Nord expanded the devices per subscription to 10. You can get a dedicated IP address on NordVPN to ensure you have the same IP every time you connect. This lets you configure remote firewalls to let you through while you're connected to the VPN. A dedicated IP costs $8.99 per month, $70.68 for a year ($5.89 per month) or $100.56 for two years ($4.19 per month). The NordVPN pricing page lists access to a Saily eSIM plan as a perk, though mysteriously, none of the existing plans seem to include it yet. A lot of VPNs are expanding into the eSIM space, so this may change soon. Close-reading NordVPN's privacy policy A VPN privacy policy isn't just empty words — it's a contract between the provider and its users. If a service openly defied its own policy, it could be sued for false advertising. VPNs tend to sneak loopholes into their privacy policies instead of flouting them outright; these loopholes can shed light on how the provider actually views your privacy. We combed through NordVPN's privacy policy to see whether it tries to take any such liberties. The policy has two parts: the general Nord Security policy and an addendum specific to NordVPN. General Nord privacy policy This policy applies to all Nord Security apps. It's impossible to create an account without a valid email address, but you can use a separate email masking service to make that anonymous. The policy also explicitly says that your email address will be added to a marketing mailing list, though you can opt out. Irritating, but not a privacy risk in itself. We're more concerned about the later statement that it may process data without the user's consent "under the legal basis of our or third parties' legitimate interest." This clause covers some cases we'd agree are legitimate, such as identifying people who launch cyberattacks from NordVPN servers. But Nord also considers it "legitimate interest" to process your personal data "to improve or maintain our services and provide new products and features." Reached for comment, a NordVPN representative said that using personal data in this way "generally involves aggregated, depersonalized or technical information." That's somewhat reassuring, but the "generally" leaves a bit too much wiggle room. Ideally, we'd prefer that personal data exist wholly in the "consent only" section. The section on sharing your data with third parties only lists "some of" the service providers who may receive your information. Among these are Google Analytics, which is known to store personal data on U.S. servers — all of which are potential security risks in the age of DOGE. Other unnamed "third parties" are involved in targeting ads at users of Nord websites. The NordVPN representative said that "since some partners, such as payment processors, can vary by region or specific service and may change over time depending on our operational needs, we do not publish a fixed list." They added that all third parties are "contractually required to handle personal data in accordance with applicable laws and industry standards." We aren't using this to condemn Nord; many of these practices are fairly standard in the VPN industry. But it's important to know about all the potential leakage points before trusting your deepest secrets to any company. NordVPN specific policies The NordVPN privacy policy doesn't add much atop the general Nord notice. It does track session activity connected to your username to make sure you're staying within the 10-device limit, but it automatically deletes these logs 15 minutes after you disconnect. The logs also don't include your IP address or the addresses of VPN servers you used. Sam Chapman for Engadget The only real problem we found is that NordVPN apps collect information about your activity on the app by default. This doesn't include information about your browsing habits, but it does include unique traits that could conceivably be used for "device fingerprinting" — in which a third party can deduce a user's identity through clues about their device. You can turn this off in the General settings. A NordVPN spokesperson told us that the data collected is "not personally identifiable," and that the company takes "deliberate steps to strip out anything that could be linked back to a specific person." This presumably means the data is aggregated so it only shows general trends, not any one device's activity. That's a lot less risky, but we still recommend switching the setting off. Third-party privacy audits NordVPN has passed five independent audits of its privacy policy so far, most recently from Deloitte in late 2024. Annoyingly, you can only read the entire report by logging into a Nord account, but it at least doesn't have to be a paid account. The audit found that NordVPN was following its own no-logs policy. Specifically, the Deloitte Lithuania investigators concluded that "the configuration of IT systems and management of the supporting IT operations is properly prepared, in all material respects in accordance with the NordVPN's description set out in the Appendix I." (Appendix I of the report is identical to NordVPN's privacy policy.) Can NordVPN change your virtual location? You'll be most interested in this section if you mainly use a VPN to change their location for streaming. To see if NordVPN could unlock new streaming libraries, we picked a new batch of five test servers, then logged onto Netflix. Since Netflix tries to block all VPN servers to prevent copyright issues, our first question was whether we'd get through at all. Our second question: would connecting to a NordVPN server actually change what Netflix library we saw? It should, given that NordVPN seems leak-proof, but thoroughness demands we check anyway. Here's what we found. Server location Netflix unblocked? Content changed? Canada Yes Yes Argentina Yes Yes Germany Yes Yes India Yes Yes Nigeria Yes No Four out of five locations worked perfectly. On a Canadian server, we were able to stream Star Trek: The Next Generation, which left American Netflix years ago. The Argentine server gave us access to something called Pasion de Gavilanes, which we'd never heard of but sounds great. Sam Chapman for Engadget The only problem was Nigeria. We tested it several times, connected to multiple different Nigerian locations, but saw our American Netflix library every time. We then ran a leak test on Nigeria, which wasn't one of our security test locations, and found it to be working normally. It's hard to say what happened, especially since the Nigeria server doesn't appear to be virtual, but we can confirm that it wasn't working. Investigating NordVPN's server network NordVPN has servers in 153 cities in 117 countries. Out of all total options, 62 are virtual locations (about 40 percent), where the server is really located somewhere else. This makes it possible to get servers into more places, but depending on your actual location relative to the server, it may perform differently than you expect. Sam Chapman for Engadget Virtual locations have allowed NordVPN's server network to grow quite extensive, with lots more locations in South America, Africa and Asia than the industry standard. Check out the distribution in the table. Region Countries and territories with servers Total server locations Total virtual server locations North America 15 36 12 South America 10 10 6 Europe 48 57 11 Africa 10 10 10 Middle East 7 7 4 Asia 24 26 18 Oceania 3 7 1 Total 117 153 62 (40.5 percent) The relatively low proportion of virtual locations (nearly identical to that of ExpressVPN) is a good sign, as it means NordVPN has been growing its server network thoughtfully. Some VPNs — looking at you, HMA — inflate their server lists as a marketing point without seriously considering what it takes to maintain such a large network. That thankfully doesn't seem to be the case here. Extra features of NordVPN Here's everything you get with a NordVPN app other than the VPN itself. There's a lot going on here, so we'll limit ourselves to a sketch of each feature. Specialty servers As soon as you load NordVPN, you'll see a list of special servers near the top of the right-hand column. We'll go over each of them in order. Dedicated IP: As discussed in the bundles section, a dedicated IP address costs extra. With this, you'll always connect with the same IP, which is private to you alone. It may be worth the price if you find yourself getting asked for CAPTCHAs a lot more while connected to NordVPN — though for what it's worth, that didn't happen to us. Double VPN: This sends your connection through a second VPN server before it reaches your ISP. The second server is your apparent location. There are 10 endpoints to choose from. As you might imagine, your internet will run slower with two VPN servers in the mix, so only use this if you seriously need security. Obfuscated servers: These are only available on OpenVPN. Obfuscation can help you get around firewalls that seek out and block VPN traffic. If you can't get online with NordVPN when you're on a certain network, obfuscated servers might work. Onion Over VPN: After encrypting your data as normal, these servers send it through several nodes of the Tor network, granting you the total anonymity of onion routing while keeping you safe from malicious relays. It's available in two locations, Netherlands and Switzerland, and — like double VPN — is best used only when you need the utmost privacy. P2P: NordVPN only allows torrenting on its peer-to-peer servers, but fortunately, it's got P2P servers in 114 countries — only three fewer than it has in total. NordVPN keeps your download and upload speeds very fast on average, so you shouldn't have trouble torrenting from any location. Meshnet Meshnet is NordVPN's most unique and exciting feature by a long shot. By logging into the same NordVPN account on multiple devices, you can connect those devices directly through a NordLynx tunnel without needing a NordVPN server in between. Sam Chapman for Engadget Essentially, you're using your own devices as VPN servers — obviously not great for privacy, but amazing for accessing web services in other countries. While two devices are connected, you can transfer files between them through the NordLynx tunnel. You can even invite friends and use their devices. Threat Protection NordVPN has two levels of antivirus: Threat Protection and Threat Protection Pro. The former is a simple DNS filter that stops your browsing from loading unsafe web pages while NordVPN is active. It's the highest level available on Android, iOS and Linux, or on any Basic subscription. Sam Chapman for Engadget Threat Protection Pro, which Plus subscribers or higher can set up on Windows and Mac, can work even when you aren't connected to a NordVPN server. It acts more like a standalone antivirus by scanning downloaded files for malware, and can even block trackers. Basic Threat Protection (without Pro) can block some trackers by filtering out domains known to use them, but doesn't block the trackers directly. Dark Web Monitor While active, Dark Web Monitor continually searches known data breach dump sites on the dark web and notifies you if it ever finds your account email address. If you get that notification, change any passwords associated with the address. With a Prime subscription, you can also have it search for your phone number, social security number or other financial information. Presets Presets let you set up one-click VPN connections with a desired group of settings, a lot like Proton VPN's Profiles. NordVPN comes pre-loaded with presets that optimize for "Downloads," "Speed" and "Browsing," which sounds to us like the same thing three times. More usefully, you can create presets for particular countries, then add website shortcuts that will appear once you've connected. You could, for example, set one that connects to a specific location, then add a shortcut to a streaming site available in that location. Post-Quantum encryption Experts widely believe that quantum computers will eventually make our current encryption algorithms obsolete, but there's almost no consensus on when that will actually happen — except that it hasn't happened yet. Knowing that, NordVPN's "post-quantum encryption" feature comes across as a bit premature, but it's reassuring that someone is thinking about it. Having said that, we don't recommend using post-quantum encryption yet. It works by layering one of the known quantum-proof encryption standards on top of a standard NordLynx session, which makes your VPN connection slower and more erratic. Until we can verify a real quantum cyberattack, post-quantum encryption is a needless precaution. Kill switch A kill switch cuts off your internet the instant you lose your connection to a NordVPN server. This protects you in case a server unexpectedly fails, and as a side benefit, prevents you from connecting to any fake VPN servers. You should keep the kill switch on at all times. Split tunneling Split tunneling is available on NordVPN's Windows and Android apps (and Android TV by extension), along with its browser extensions. On Windows and Android, it splits by app: you can determine which apps get online through the VPN and which go unprotected. The browser extensions let you split by URL, so the VPN only protects certain sites. NordVPN customer support options NordVPN's apps link directly to its online help center. As always, we went in with a specific question in mind: whether the basic level of Threat Protection could block trackers, and if so, what kind. We found the categories on the written support page difficult to parse, especially the troubleshooting section — would the average user appreciate the difference between "app issues," "connection issues" and "errors"? We correctly guessed that our question would be under "Using NordVPN -> Features," but the introductory article on Threat Protection and Threat Protection Pro was buried at the bottom of the list. Unfortunately, that made things more confusing, as this article says that Threat Protection (not Pro) both does and doesn't block trackers. In NordVPN's favor, however, using the search bar brought us instantly back to that article without any confusion. The live support experience Using NordVPN's live chat was a smooth and reassuring experience. From the time we decided to ask directly, it took us less than a minute to connect with a real person, who quickly cleared up the confusion and promised to update the confusing support page (we'll check back to see if they actually do). Sam Chapman for Engadget One other option is an email support form, which can be found both on the website and in the help sections of NordVPN apps. This is best for complex problems that require screenshots to explain, and promises a response within 24 hours. NordVPN background check NordVPN was founded in 2012. Launching with its desktop apps, it moved to iOS and Android in 2016, then added apps for browser extensions and smart TVs. Its developer, Nord Security, has no parent company, and its history is relatively uncontroversial. We've documented two notable incidents below, plus more about Nord Security's operations. Headquarters and ownership Nord Security was founded in Lithuania, and maintains offices there. Although Nord Security is registered in Amsterdam, NordVPN operates under a separate license in Panama, which makes any data requests subject to Panama's courts. Finland server breach The first serious incident in NordVPN's history began in March 2018, when unidentified hackers managed to steal three private keys from one of Nord's data centers in Finland. Researchers didn't notice the leak until October 2019, well after the stolen keys had expired, but NordVPN's encryption was still technically vulnerable for several months. We say "technically," because it was really only the outer layer of encryption — and even if they'd broken through it all, the hackers would only have seen browsing activity, not usernames, passwords or anything else sensitive. If anything, NordVPN's response actually makes us trust it more. It ended its relationship with the contractor who ran the Finnish data center and revamped its policies to eliminate the kind of negligence that led to the breach. Arguably, its only real error was not immediately disclosing the breach. NordVPN learned about the leak and started addressing it in May 2018, but the news didn't break until more than a year later. That timing probably made it look more suspicious than any actual mishandling did. Law enforcement compliance Another minor controversy erupted in 2022, when PCMag and other outlets reported that NordVPN had edited its website to say that it would comply with data requests from law enforcement. NordVPN responded with a new post that said nothing had changed: their policy was always to comply with lawful requests, which — provided the requests were lawfully submitted through a Panamanian court — is literally their only option. We're inclined to agree. VPNs are legal companies. They wouldn't last long if they openly declared their intent to break the law. The key is that when law enforcement comes calling, there shouldn't be anything to show them, as with the Turkish seizure of ExpressVPN. That's why verifiable no-logging policies are so important. Final verdict NordVPN is a great service on its own merits. It only suffers from having to be compared with the likes of ExpressVPN and Proton VPN. For example, its P2P servers are good for torrenting, but not as useful without Proton's port forwarding. It's fast, but speed tests fluctuated just a little more than Express. NordVPN's extra features are the best reason to pick it over its rivals. With Meshnet, you can theoretically set up a VPN connection anywhere in the world, and no other VPN has anything close to Meshnet's file transfer powers. Threat Protection Pro is also great if you can get it, adding file scanning to bolster the typical approach of just blocking suspicious DNS addresses. Specialty servers round out the offering, with double VPN maintaining good speeds with extra safety and Onion over VPN being among the safest ways to use Tor.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/nordvpn-review-2025-innovative-features-a-few-missteps-163000578.html?src=rss View Source Article

When it comes to defending Donald Trump from the worst accusations, the MAGA influencer-industrial complex, whether out of loyalty or self-preservation, often defaults to whataboutism, arguing that the Democrats are just as guilty as Trump, or (ideally) worse. This principle has held true with the current Jeffrey Epstein saga, and as their audience's anger against the Trump administration skyrockets, the MAGA influencer world is trying a new tack: blame the Democrats, not Trump, for keeping the "Epstein Files" under lock and key. Trump, the person who could feasibly order the release of said documents, has spent the past few weeks trying to … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Proton VPN stands out for two main reasons: it's one of the only virtual private networks (VPNs) to include a free plan with no data limits, and it's one of the few services majority-owned by a nonprofit. It's the best VPN in both of those categories, and it makes a strong case for being the best overall. Even if you don't care about the work of the Proton Foundation, Proton VPN is a service worth using. It's easy to install and manage, runs like the wind and meets high standards for security and privacy. It has more IP locations in Africa than any of its competitors. It's even looking toward the future by working toward full IPv6 support. In short, Proton VPN gets our enthusiastic recommendation, especially for torrenting (which it supports on almost every server). It's not perfect — the apps for Apple systems lag behind their Windows and Android counterparts, and the free servers can be noticeably sluggish — but the cons pale in comparison to the pros. We'll get into it all below. Editor's note (7/25/25): We're in the process of revamping our VPN coverage to provide more in-depth, actionable information and buying guides. Our recommendations, and all the info on this page, are subject to change as the update continues. Check out our revamped ExpressVPN review and NordVPN review to see the new direction, or learn more about how we test VPNs. Table of contents Findings at a glance Installing, configuring and using Proton VPN Proton VPN speed test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator Proton VPN security test: Watertight protocols How much does Proton VPN cost? Proton VPN side apps and bundles Close-reading Proton VPN's privacy policy Can Proton VPN change your virtual location? Investigating Proton VPN's server network Features of Proton VPN Proton VPN customer support options Proton VPN background check: The CERN origins of Proton AG Final verdict Findings at a glance The table summarizes what we found while reviewing Proton VPN, both good and bad. Keep it open in a tab while you comparison shop for a VPN. Category Notes Installation and UI Windows has the best interface, but all apps are smooth Android users get unique preset protocols Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox can be used for split tunneling on Mac and iOS Speed Retains 88 percent of download speeds and 98 percent of upload speeds Global latency average stays under 300 ms, with 52 ms on the fastest server Security No DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks on any servers Full IPv6 support is available on Android, Linux and browser extensions; Mac, Windows and iOS still block IPv6 to prevent leaks WireShark test showed active packet encryption Pricing Best plan costs $81.36 for two years ($3.39 per month) Free plan includes unlimited data and critical security features, but you can't choose your server Bundles Proton Unlimited saves money if you want two or more Proton products Privacy policy General Proton policy prevents collection of IP addresses unless a user has violated the terms of service (such as by using a Proton VPN server to abuse another site) No third parties are allowed to handle personally identifiable information Confirmed by Securitum audit in 2024 Virtual location change Unblocked Netflix repeatedly in all five testing locations, with new content proving a successful location change A free server in Romania got into Netflix but had trouble loading the library Server network 154 locations in 117 countries More servers in Africa than any other VPN, plus many others across the globe About two-thirds of server locations are virtual Features NetShield can block just malware, or all malware, ads and trackers Kill switch on all platformsSplit tunneling on Windows, Android and browser extensions only Secure Core servers route VPN through two locations, one of which is physically secured in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland Almost all paid servers are P2P-enabled Tor over VPN servers in six countries let you access dark web sites from any browser Profiles saves time when you repeatedly need specific connection settings Customer support Most articles in the online help center, while well-written, are invisible unless you use the search function Live chat is only for paying customers, and is unavailable from midnight to 9 AM CET Background check Launched in 2017 by the same company that developed ProtonMail Majority owned by the Proton Foundation, whose board includes the company founders and can resist takeover attempts While ProtonMail has worked with Swiss authorities in the past, Proton VPN is not governed by the same laws that compelled this Claims of a vulnerability in WireGuard's memory don't hold water Installing, configuring and using Proton VPN This section explains how it feels to run Proton VPN on the various platforms it supports. As a rule, it's not difficult. Proton VPN has more features than ExpressVPN, and a couple of them might trip up new users, but you'd have to really scrounge to find an actual inconvenience to complain about. Windows Proton VPN installs easily on Windows — you'll need to grant it permission to make changes, but that's it. Once you've signed in on the app, you'll reach one of the best interfaces we've tried on a VPN. The server network is immediately visible as both a list and map, and the location search bar, connect button and major features are all laid out around the same window. Proton VPN's app for Windows. Sam Chapman for Engadget It's honestly amazing how much you can reach from the launch window without anything feeling cluttered. They even squeezed in keyboard shortcuts for the search field. We also love that settings open in the same window, since dealing with both the main VPN app and a separate preferences panel can get annoying. Our only real gripe is that there should be an easier way to adjust the size of the map. Mac The desktop app for Mac isn't quite as deftly laid out as the Windows app. You can reach most of the important features from the main window, including Profiles, NetShield, Secure Core servers and the kill switch. However, there's no longer a way to filter out a list of the P2P or Tor servers, except by digging through the Profile controls. On the plus side, you can adjust the size of the map, so it's now a viable alternative to the server list. Proton VPN's dark mode interface on macOS. Sam Chapman for Engadget The other preferences are hidden in the menu bar — go to Proton VPN > Settings to reach them. They're laid out in four tabs, and shouldn't take more than a minute to go through at setup. Android The Android app takes the same design cues as the Windows app, and works as well. Four tabs along the bottom switch between the home screen, the country list, Profiles and all other settings. You can search the list of countries by tapping the magnifying glass at the top-right. In another nice touch, tapping the dots by any virtual location will tell you where the server is physically located. Proton VPN's Android client. Sam Chapman for Engadget Android users get some nifty exclusive Profiles, including "anti-censorship," which automatically connects to the fastest country except for the one you're in. The Settings tab is a single menu with subheadings and no unnecessary complication. iOS Proton VPN for iPhone and iPad looks almost the same as it does on Windows and Android, but with some of the same drawbacks found on Mac. The server list is more cluttered, and once again there's no easy way to sift out the P2P and Tor locations. Proton VPN's app for iPhone and iPad. Sam Chapman for Engadget The Settings tab puts all the feature descriptions in the open, which makes it look denser than it is. But these are minor quibbles — this is still a VPN that's very easy to activate and forget about. Browser extensions Proton VPN has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These serve as de facto split tunneling, as connecting through the extension protects only browser traffic; everything else goes unprotected. You can split the tunnel further by setting the VPN to not work on certain URLs (unlike the other apps, you don't need to know the IPs of those sites). Proton VPN speed test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator We used Ookla's Speedtest app to determine how much Proton VPN drags on a user's latency, measured in milliseconds (ms), and download and upload speeds, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Together, these three stats show whether a VPN will noticeably slow down your internet, especially during demanding tasks. We had high hopes for Proton here because of its VPN Accelerator technology, which runs VPN communications across several parallel tracks to process everything faster. It didn't disappoint — for the most part. Although download speeds didn't reach the heights we saw from ExpressVPN, Proton VPN's browsing performance still looks excellent nearly across the board. Proton VPN barely makes a dent in your download speeds. Sam Chapman for Engadget To choose our locations for the test, we checked Proton VPN's list of smart routing servers, which use servers in one country to simulate IP addresses in another. Almost all the smart routing servers are based in five cities: Miami, London, Marseille, Bucharest and Singapore. We ran these tests on a Mac using the automatic protocol setting. Server Location Latency (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Portland, OR, USA (unprotected) 16 -- 58.93 -- 5.82 -- San Jose, CA, USA (best server) 52 3.3x 55.82 5 5.58 4 Miami, FL, USA 160 10x 54.33 8 5.49 6 London, UK 332 20.8x 52.55 11 5.72 2 Marseille, France 309 19.3x 45.42 23 5.59 4 Bucharest, Romania 408 25.5x 52.51 11 5.57 4 Singapore, Singapore 394 24.6x 52.26 11 5.50 5 Average 276 17.3x 52.15 12 5.58 4 Proton VPN looks very good in that table. Its average download speed was 88 percent of our unprotected speeds. To put that in perspective, if you started with 30 Mbps down (about half what we get) and connected to any Proton VPN server, you'd almost certainly still have a fast enough connection to stream in 4K. Note the "almost" — Proton VPN did drop noticeably on its French server in Marseille. It's not uncommon for one of a VPN's data centers to have trouble while the others work fine, and you can usually fix the problem by just disconnecting and reconnecting. Just note that while drops to about 75 percent of your download speed are rare, they're not inconceivable. Proton VPN security test: Watertight protocols When we talk about VPN security, we're really talking about reliability. Can this VPN establish an encrypted tunnel and transmit all your information through it, every time, without leaks or failures? With Proton VPN, we're happy to say the answer is yes; we probed its security and found no cracks to speak of. Read the section below for specifics. Proton VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Stealth Proton VPN uses four VPN protocols to communicate between your devices, its servers and the internet. Three of them (WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2) are common choices with no serious flaws as long as they're implemented thoughtfully. The fourth, Stealth, is an obfuscation protocol you should only use if the other three are blocked. The protocol selection screen on Proton VPN's Android app. Sam Chapman for Engadget OpenVPN is the most secure option. Without getting too technical, OpenVPN encrypts its backend functions as well as the data itself, which leaves it with no obvious vulnerabilities. It can also communicate using the same ports as common HTTPS traffic, so it's hard to block. WireGuard is more efficient than OpenVPN, both in its source code and the cryptography it uses. It normally requires an exchange of fixed IP addresses, but the Proton VPN implementation overwrites those IPs with randomized addresses, cutting the security risk. IKEv2 is a safe choice that's occasionally faster than either OpenVPN or WireGuard. You probably won't use it unless it happens to come up while you've set the protocol to Smart. As such, it's on the way to being phased out of Proton VPN. Stealth is unique to Proton VPN, though its function is not. It's got the same architecture as WireGuard, but adds another TLS tunnel to evade network blocks that catch VPN traffic. That extra encryption slows it down, so we don't recommend using it unless the other three protocols don't work. The first option on the app, called "Smart," is not a protocol — it means your VPN client selects the protocol that will give you the best speeds on your current server. Since all four protocols are safe, there's no downside to using the Smart setting most of the time. Leak test We used AirVPN's IP leak tool to check all four of Proton VPN's protocols for DNS and WebRTC leaks. Proton VPN uses its own DNS servers to reduce the risk of sending unencrypted requests, but since leaks are still possible, we tested using a simple method: checking our visible IP address before and after connecting to the VPN. Despite testing several locations over three days, we never saw our real IP address show up on the tool. This held true even outside the Secure Core server list, where data centers might have been managed by third parties. It's not perfect proof, but it's a very good sign that Proton VPN enforces a consistent security regime on all its servers. Proton VPN successfully masked our real IP address, even on a virtual location in Angola. Sam Chapman for Engadget We also used BrowserLeaks to check for WebRTC leaks. These are mainly an issue on the browser side, but a VPN is doubly important if your browser happens to be leaking. We enabled WebRTC on our browser and tested the same set of Proton VPN servers without springing any WebRTC leaks. Proton VPN and IPv6 Proton is working on making its entire VPN compatible with IPv6 addresses. If a VPN that's only configured for IPv4 has to resolve an IPv6 address, it can cause a leak — that's why most VPNs, even the best ones, block IPv6 altogether. That said, the whole internet will run on IPv6 one day, so it's nice to see Proton VPN leading the pack. So far, IPv6 is automatically enabled on Proton VPN's Linux apps and browser extensions, and can be optionally activated on its Android app. The Proton VPN apps for all other platforms still block IPv6 traffic, but this should hopefully change soon. Encryption test Even if a VPN's protocol choices are solid, it's possible for individual implementations of those protocols to fail. We used WireShark, a packet inspector app, to test whether Proton VPN's encryption worked no matter what settings were in place. We're happy to say we never saw plaintext once. How much does Proton VPN cost? To get full access to Proton VPN, you'll need a Plus subscription, which costs $9.99 per month. You can knock off half that price by subscribing for a full year and paying a lump sum of $59.88, working out to $4.99 per month. A Plus account with Proton VPN also gives you free access to every other Proton app. You can also pay $107.76 in advance to subscribe for two years, an average of $4.49 per month — perhaps more convenient, but it doesn't save you much. The one-year plan is the best value, though it's also nice that you don't have to pay through the nose for only one month. There's a 30-day, money-back guarantee on all plans. Proton VPN is currently offering Engadget readers an exclusive deal that offers a 12-month plan for $47.88 ($3.99 per month) and a 24-month plan for $81.36 ($3.39 per month). Learn more about it here. One final option is the Proton Unlimited subscription, discussed in the "side apps and bundles" section below." The Proton VPN free plan Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs on the market right now. No other VPN backed by as much experience and good judgment has a free plan with no data limits. Instead of capping how much data you can use per month, Proton VPN restricts which servers free users can access, limiting them to five countries: the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania. The frustrating part is that you can't choose which of these servers you use; Proton VPN just auto-connects to whichever one is the least burdened. A Proton representative told us that this change goes along with improvements to the selection algorithm, better load balancing and the addition of the Poland and Romania locations. It is also possible to try for a better connection by clicking "change server." The fact remains, though, that a free Proton VPN plan is useless for unblocking content in specific locations — but this may be by design. The free plan seems more aimed toward privacy and anonymity than streaming, and the placement of the free locations near Russia and China reflects that. Free Proton VPN plans don't sacrifice any essential security features. Proton VPN side apps and bundles Proton VPN's main bundle is Proton Unlimited, which gets you all six Proton products in one package: VPN, Mail, Drive, Calendar, Wallet and Pass. This costs $12.99 for a month, $119.88 for a year ($9.99 per month) and $191.76 for two years ($7.99 per month). We won't be going in-depth on any of them in this review, but here's a quick rundown of each. Proton Mail: An end-to-end encrypted email service. Proton can still see a Mail user's real IP address, but can't read any of their messages. Proton Drive: Encrypted cloud storage. As with Mail, Proton can identify users, but can't read any of the content they store. Proton Calendar: An encrypted scheduling app with events and reminders. Proton Wallet: A self-custody wallet for storing Bitcoin unconnected to any exchange. Proton Pass: A password manager that generates, stores and autofills passwords for online accounts. Even if you only need two of the six, Proton Unlimited saves you money. Separate monthly subscriptions to Proton VPN and Proton Mail would cost a total of $14.98, so you've already knocked off $2 per month. That increases if you're able to commit to a year in advance. Close-reading Proton VPN's privacy policy Proton's privacy policy comes in two parts: the general Proton policy and the shorter policy specific to Proton VPN. We'll cover them in that order. General Proton privacy policy Proton tracks user activity on its product websites using its own marketing tools; the data set collected does not include IP addresses. It retains an email address connected to each user's account, but it's not allowed to connect IP addresses (and thus identities and locations) to those emails unless the user breaches the terms of service. You may rightly ask how Proton would know a user is abusing one of their services if they don't keep activity logs. The answer is that logs aren't needed; most forms of abuse can be detected in other ways and observed in real time. For example, if someone used a Proton VPN server to launch a DDoS attack, the team could inspect that server and find the hacker while the attack was still ongoing. The policy goes on to list the five third-party data processors Proton uses (Zendesk, PayPal, Chargebee, Atlassian and Stripe), none of whom are allowed to store customer activity data. Proton cautions that it will share what data it does have in response to unblockable requests from the Swiss government, but not "until all legal or other remedies have been exhausted." This is standard for a VPN that wants to remain in business, and the transparency report shows the company does indeed fight court orders when it can. Proton VPN privacy policy Proton's VPN-specific privacy policy is quite short. It states that Proton cannot log user activities or identifiable characteristics of devices connected to the VPN, cannot throttle internet connections and must extend full privacy and security to free users. In one sense, a privacy policy requires you to take the VPN provider at their word, but it's dangerous for a company to make promises they don't intend to keep. The policy is legally binding, and breaking it is grounds for a lawsuit. Proton VPN's succinct no-logs policy is therefore a great sign. It's also been confirmed several times by a third-party audit, most recently in July 2024. Can Proton VPN change your virtual location? Testing a VPN's ability to mask a user's location isn't complex — all you need is a streaming subscription. We connected to five test locations and tried to unblock Netflix with each one. If we managed to access the site, and saw different shows than those on the American library, we concluded that the location had masked us successfully. Server location Unblocked Netflix? Library changed? Canada Y Y Romania Y Y Ghana Y Y Japan Y Y New Zealand Y Y Proton VPN passed the test every time in all five locations. The only hiccup came in Romania, which we chose because it's one of the free locations. The app connected us to a free server, which was too slow to load Netflix; when we chose a paid server, the problem disappeared. Proton VPN changed our virtual location so we saw the Japanese Netflix library. Sam Chapman for Engadget Investigating Proton VPN's server network Proton VPN's free plan includes servers in five locations: the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the United States and Japan. When you connect as a free user, you'll be automatically connected to whichever location is fastest. A paid plan opens up the full network of 154 servers in 117 countries and territories. The menu includes a huge selection of African locations, more than any VPN we've tested in some time. The Middle East, along with central and southern Asia, are also well represented, and U.S. users will find 20 different locations to choose from. Proton VPN lets you know which of its locations are virtual. Sam Chapman for Engadget Keep in mind that about two-thirds of these server locations are virtual, meaning they're not physically located where they claim to be. This includes all the African servers except South Africa and Nigeria; all the South American servers except Brazil, Colombia and Argentina; and all the Middle Eastern servers except Turkey, Israel and the UAE. A majority of the locations in Asia are also virtual, including South Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. To be clear, virtual locations can hide your IP address just as well as physical ones. It's only a problem if you're expecting the kind of performance, particularly in terms of latency, that you get from a nearby server. Luckily, Proton VPN gives you fast enough download and upload speeds that distance shouldn't be a problem. None Countries Virtual Locations Cities North America 6 3 25 South America 7 4 7 Europe 42 6 51 Africa 25 23 26 Middle East 13 10 14 Asia 22 16 25 Oceania 2 0 6 TOTAL 117 62 154 Features of Proton VPN Proton VPN has a number of extra features that go beyond standard VPN functionality. We've already mentioned the Stealth protocol and IPv6 support. In this section, we'll cover an additional five features that might be of interest. NetShield ad blocker Proton VPN's built-in ad blocker is known as NetShield. It's available on the main UI page, and has two settings: one that blocks only malware sites, and one that blocks sites connected with malware, ads and trackers. The stronger feature is on by default. The Netshield page on Proton VPN's iOS app. Sam Chapman for Engadget NetShield works by checking any DNS requests against a database of web servers known to host malware, inject ads or attach cross-site trackers to your browsing session. The DNS-blocking approach means it's not capable of blocking ads served from the same domain that hosts them — so no blocking YouTube video ads. On the positive side, it means NetShield works across your entire device, not just on your browser. NetShield also displays a running total of how many of each form of interference it's blocked. It catches most banner ads, but since you can't customize the blocklist in any way, it's best when combined with another browser-level ad blocker. Secure Core servers Here's an interesting one. Secure Core is a form of a common feature known as double VPN or multi-hop VPN, in which a connection runs through two VPN servers before being decrypted. If one server fails or gets compromised, the other server keeps your connection private. Secure Core servers add a second node to your VPN connection. Sam Chapman for Engadget Proton VPN takes this a step further. When you activate Secure Core, your connection will still end at your chosen server location — but before that, it will travel through a designated server in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland. A few touches make Secure Core servers more reliable than the average VPN node: All three countries are safe jurisdictions, with consumer-friendly privacy laws and courts sympathetic to privacy claims. Secure Core data centers are locked down physically; for example, the Iceland location is a refitted military base, and the Sweden location is literally underground. Proton owns and operates all Secure Core locations itself, with no rentals or third-party managers. Almost no other VPNs pay as much attention to physical security as Proton VPN does with this feature. The second hop makes Secure Core connections slower on average, but it's worth it if you have something especially sensitive to do online. Kill switch Proton VPN includes a kill switch, a standard feature. When active, a kill switch cuts off your internet whenever your connection to the VPN drops. This means you're never in danger of leaking your real identity or location, even for a second. It also protects you against the TunnelVision exploit, which requires the hacker to make a fake VPN server. Split tunneling Split tunneling is included on the Windows and Android apps, but users on other devices can access it through the browser extension. With split tunneling, some apps or websites get online through the VPN, while others stay unprotected. Split tunneling with Proton VPN on Android. Sam Chapman for Engadget Proton VPN allows split tunneling by both app and IP address. This grants you a precise level of control over your split, as long as you know the IP of each website you're placing on the list (you can find that out using DNS checker). Torrenting servers and port forwarding Proton VPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting. It restricts torrenting to P2P servers, but nearly every server on the list is a P2P server — only Secure Core servers and some free servers don't permit torrenting. Combine that with the fact that it maintains 96 percent of your upload speeds on average, and you should have few problems using a torrenting client. Proton VPN's list of P2P servers. Sam Chapman for Engadget It also has some support for port forwarding, which can improve torrenting speed. Windows and Linux users can enable it with a simple toggle, which provides an active port number for configuring private servers. Mac users can set up port forwarding through manual OpenVPN or WireGuard configurations. Tor over VPN A handful of Proton VPN servers route you directly to the Tor network after encrypting your connection. While connected to one of these Tor over VPN servers, which are marked with TOR in their names and an onion symbol, you'll be able to open .onion links on a normal browser. This is more than just convenient — Tor over VPN is the safest way to access the dark web. With the VPN as an intermediary, you're never connecting to Tor with your own IP address, so malicious node operators can't see your real identity. For maximum privacy, use Tor Browser to create your Proton VPN account, so you're never exposed at any point in the process. Proton VPN has Tor servers in six countries (the U.S., France, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Hong Kong). Each just has one Tor server, except the United States, which gets two. Tor over VPN is supported on all platforms, but it won't work on Mac or iOS unless you have the kill switch enabled. Profiles A "profile" on Proton VPN is a group of pre-established settings you can use to quickly configure the VPN for a particular task. Two profiles are available from the start: Fastest, which connects to the fastest server, and Random, which always connects to a different server. You can create more profiles by toggling four settings: Feature: The type of server used. Choose from Standard, Secure Core, P2P or Tor over VPN. Country: The country to which the profile connects. Server: A server within that country. You can also select "fastest" or "random." Protocol: Which VPN protocol the profile will use. "Smart" can be selected. As an example, say you want to watch a TV series that's only available on Netflix in Canada. You could create a profile called "Netflix Canada" that connects to the fastest Canadian server with just one click. We'd call profiles situationally useful, but they can save a lot of time if you regularly perform the same action on your VPN. Proton VPN customer support options We went to Proton VPN's FAQ pages with two questions that came up while researching other sections: which of Proton VPN's servers are managed by third parties, and why do certain server locations (like Marseilles) run slow despite the app showing a light load? You can access the help center through any of Proton VPN's apps, or by going directly to the website. Articles appear to be organized into six categories. Oddly, clicking any category button only shows you a handful of the articles in that section — for example, the Troubleshooting category looks like it only has five articles. If you type "troubleshooting" into the search bar, though, you'll see dozens pop up. There are even some sections, like Billing, that don't appear on the main page at all. It has the feel of a website update that wasn't adequately brought in line with the bulk of the support content. Until Proton fixes it, just use the search bar for everything. The articles themselves are well-written, give or take some stilted English. Getting quick help We couldn't find written answers to our questions about ownership and server load, so we turned to live chat. Free users should keep in mind that live chat support is only available on paid accounts, but there's a fairly active subreddit at r/protonvpn where Proton staff frequently post. Live chat is not intuitively located on protonvpn.com. We finally found it by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the main page, only to be told nobody was online to help at the moment — live chat is only accessible from 9 AM to midnight Central European Time (CET). We submitted our question about the Marseille servers as an email ticket instead. Sam Chapman for Engadget This part was easy, at least, as the form helpfully populated our system information. We also got a prompt response within 24 hours. We ended the interaction there, as we weren't able to reproduce the sluggish behavior on the French server locations, but it's nice to know the team will answer quickly. Proton VPN background check: The CERN origins of Proton AG Proton VPN launched in 2017, but its team's experience goes back much farther. The founders of its parent company, Proton AG, met while working at CERN in Switzerland, and the company remains under Swiss jurisdiction. Their first product, Proton Mail, went live in 2014 after a successful crowdfunding campaign, and claims to have 100 million users today. Proton VPN was Proton AG's second project. Like Proton Mail, it consists of a free plan supplemented by paid upgrades. Since then, Proton has introduced several more products: Proton Calendar in 2020, Proton Drive cloud storage in 2022 and the Proton Pass password manager in 2023, each designed around using end-to-end encryption to make user data inaccessible. The Proton Foundation Proton announced in 2024 that the majority of its shares had been acquired by the Proton Foundation, a nonprofit whose only purpose is to control Proton stock. Among other benefits, this prevents it from being purchased by anyone who disagrees with its mission. To sell to an objectionable parent company, the entire board of trustees would have to agree, which feels unlikely based on Proton's track record. Throughout Proton's history, we only found two incidents serious enough to comment on, and only one of them concerned Proton VPN. We'll cover them both below. ProtonMail law enforcement collaboration allegations On the page that hosts its annual transparency report, Proton states openly that it "may be legally compelled to disclose certain user information to Swiss authorities" (see the Privacy Policy section of this article for more on precisely what information that describes). In 2021, the company admitted it had given Swiss police (acting on a French warrant) a ProtonMail user's IP address and device logs. The police arrested the user, a French environmental activist. While that's unnerving for privacy-minded users, there are some important contextual issues to consider. Most importantly, ProtonMail is not governed by the same policy as Proton VPN. At the time the case unfolded, Swiss law obliged all email companies to comply with court orders from Swiss authorities to hand over data. VPNs aren't subject to those retention requirements. Today, Swiss email companies have been reclassified so they're also exempt from data retention requirements, thanks in part to a policy change Proton fought for. A representative from Proton confirmed that "under Swiss law, we are not obligated to save any user connection logs." It's also reassuring that, despite complying with the subpoena, Proton wasn't able to turn over the contents of any emails. Alleged WireGuard memory vulnerability In January 2025, researchers at Venak Security alleged that Proton VPN lacks memory protection for keys generated under the WireGuard protocol, which might let hackers scrape the keys and decrypt intercepted communications. Proton responded to Venak in a blog post, which a Proton representative confirmed remains their official response to the allegations. In short: the Venak article only demonstrates that it's possible to view public keys, not private ones. This isn't much of a bombshell, given that "public" is right there in the name. But asymmetric encryption — the kind used by VPN protocols like WireGuard — requires both keys to decrypt any messages. Even if a hacker were able to get ahold of a private key, they likely wouldn't be able to use it for anything. WireGuard incorporates perfect forward secrecy by default, changing session keys often enough that any given key is obsolete by the time it's stolen. Final verdict In short, we're prepared to recommend Proton VPN to almost anybody. Whether you're mainly concerned with security, streaming or something else, chances are good that you'll be satisfied. The only serious downsides are that the long-term plans are overpriced and that it's hard to get live tech support if you live outside of Europe. It's also our unqualified pick for the best free VPN, but with the caveat that it's a bad choice for anyone who needs to choose specific server locations. If all you care about is staying hidden from your ISP and advertisers, Proton should be your first choice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/proton-vpn-review-2025-a-nonprofit-service-with-premium-performance-153046073.html?src=rss View Source Article

Point-and-click adventure games often tell silly, lighthearted stories. For me, the mishaps of the pirate Guybrush Threepwood in the Monkey Island series come to mind. The nature of the genre - wandering around, talking to people, and trying to solve puzzles - lends itself well to humor, as every interaction with a person or object offers an opportunity for a joke. The Drifter, a new point-and-click game from Powerhoof, cleverly uses the format to instead tell a dark, twist-filled thriller, and it sucked me in like a gripping novel. In The Drifter, you play as Mick Carter, who you meet shortly after he hops aboard a train as a stowaway. Wit … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

s.p.l.i.t is the most badass typing game I’ve ever played. It’s actually more of a hacking simulator, cyberpunk thriller and puzzle experience than a typing game, but its core loop is bookended by sequences of high-intensity letter pecking with gruesome consequences — think Mavis Beacon as designed by Ted Kaczynski — and the final scenes have a way of searing themselves into your psyche. Not to mention, the whole thing takes place on a keyboard, no mouse or gamepad. So I guess it’s technically only a typing game, but it’s also not a traditional typing game at all. Trust me, it makes perfect sense in practice. s.p.l.i.t comes from Unsorted Horror and Buckshot Roulette developer Mike Klubnika, and it features his signature layers of grit, retro hardware and purely concentrated nightmares. In s.p.l.i.t, you’re seated at a ’90s-style computer terminal in a cramped, gray-washed shack. The world appears in PS2-era 3D graphics, and you’re surrounded by distended black screens crawling with orange monospaced text. To your left, a window looks onto a dense forest. To your right, there’s an electronic device in a lockbox. By pressing Alt and A or D, you’re able to twist your torso to interact with two separate screens: One displays an active IRC channel with your co-conspirators, and the other is where the hacking takes place. The narrative unfurls in strings of data logs, file directories, command prompts and instant messages, while a bed of ambient industrial music pulses in hypnotic waves. You’re attempting to gain root access to a facility where mysterious but clearly unethical things are taking place, and you’re working with two colleagues, Sarah and Viktor, to infiltrate the systems. Sarah and Vikor’s messages automatically appear in the chat box, each one accompanied by a satisfying bloop sound, and when it’s your time to respond the SEND button flashes once, prompting you to type. It doesn’t matter which keys you press while chatting, as lines of pre-written dialogue will appear to push the narrative along smoothly. Sarah, Viktor and the player character, Axel, have distinct personalities and they clash in believable ways. The game does a fantastic job of building robust characters in such a short time, through dialogue alone. On the hacking side, it very much matters which keys you press. You are in full control of the typing while digging through the facility’s files, so spacing, capitalization, punctuation and spelling are all taken into account, alongside use of the proper commands. This portion of the game is a maze of directories and data, operating as one big logic puzzle. Your colleagues outline the goals but once you’re in the system, you’re on your own, relying on context clues to figure out what information you need and how to gain access. The hacking riddles in s.p.l.i.t are perfectly complex, requiring failure and tenacity to work out, and this balance makes each victory feel like a real accomplishment. Mike Klubnika Typing “help” at any time pulls up a list of all possible commands, and I found this screen useful whenever I hit a dead end in my investigations — it’s a natural way to mentally reset and visualize any unexplored paths. The “print” command functions as a notepad, allowing you to save relevant numbers and other information on a strip of paper attached to the PC screen, and it’s a useful tool especially in the game’s later stages. I’m no coder, but I got used to the keyboard style of navigation really quickly. There’s a strong sense of internal logic in s.p.l.i.t and it’s satisfying to play in this sandbox, learning the game’s language and steadily building skills as the narrative tension grows. The first-person interface, rhythmic electronic soundtrack and consistent characters combine to make s.p.l.i.t an incredibly immersive experience. It all pays off in a massive way by the end, when the typing game returns and things really get gruesome. s.p.l.i.t tests critical-thinking skills and keyboard proficiency in a dystopian near-future setting, and it’s a uniquely unnerving, heart-pounding slice of interactive psychological horror. It’s no more than a few hours long, but it’s something you’ll think about for days after the credits roll, guaranteed. s.p.l.i.t is available now on Steam for just $2.50 through July 31, and $3 after that.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/if-you-have-90-minutes-to-spare-play-the-cyberpunk-horror-game-split-120033911.html?src=rss View Source Article

The OnePlus Nord 5 does exactly what the company's Nord phones have always done: deliver strong specs at a relatively low price. It's one of the more powerful phones at this price point and should easily outstrip Samsung and Google's more expensive alternatives. This is a function-over-form phone, one where the key selling points are a powerful processor and long battery life, which are the boring mainstays that tend to matter the most in midrange models like this. The problem for the Nord 5 is that other midrange phones in the markets where it's available - including Europe and India, but not the US - offer even faster chipsets and bigger … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Surfshark is one of the youngest major VPNs, but it's grown rapidly over the last seven years. Since 2018, it's expanded its network to 100 countries, added a suite of apps to its Surfshark One package and experimented with advanced touches like servers that constantly rotate your IP address. Formerly a budget VPN, Surfshark is still pretty affordable but the cost of a one-month subscription is way too high. These days, it's more interested in innovation than affordability. Its features may not always be cutting-edge — Nexus is basically Tor and Everlink is a slightly better kill switch — but it's rare to find either implemented so well in a commercial VPN. Plus, download and upload speeds are fantastic. It all adds up to one of the best VPNs for casual users, even when compared to others in its weight class. But those already deeply familiar with VPNs might trip over some aspects. For this review, I studied 11 different angles on Surfshark's service, some through hands-on tests and others with old-fashioned journalism. Check out the sections most important to you, then head to the end for my final verdict. Editors' note: We're in the process of rebooting all of our VPN reviews from scratch. Once we do a fresh pass on the top services, we'll be updating each review with a rating and additional comparative information. Table of contents Findings at a glance Installing, configuring and using Surfshark Surfshark speed test: Super fast with some latency Surfshark security test: Simple but effective protocols How much does Surfshark cost? Surfshark side apps and bundles Close-reading Surfshark's privacy policy Can Surfshark change your virtual location? Investigating Surfshark's server network Extra features of Surfshark Surfshark customer support options Surfshark background check: No real blemishes Final verdict Findings at a glance This table summarizes everything I discovered about Surfshark. For details on any bullet point, see its section in the full review. Category Notes Installation and UI Excellently organized, but geared toward new VPN users Apps are overly reliant on popup messages to convey information Auto-connect and NoBorders are enabled by default Mobile apps have the same clear controls with less friction, though Android and iOS are quite different Speed Download speed drops an average of 5.4 percent worldwide, the fastest in our current round of tests Average upload speed drop is 3.6 percent Mean worldwide latencies slightly higher, with an average ping of 344 ms Security Uses WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, which are all secure protocols No IP address leaks, including via DNS or WebRTC Blocks IPv6 by defaultWireShark test showed that encryption works Pricing Three pricing tiers, each available at three durations Surfshark Starter has the full VPN service Best deal is $53.73 for 27 months, but can only be renewed as $47.85 for 12 months One month is sharply overpriced, but longer durations grant steep discounts Bundles Alternative ID masks your email address and personal details when signing up for websites Surfshark Antivirus got a perfect AV-Test protection score with no false positives Surfshark Alert checks data breaches to see if any of your important info turns up Surfshark Search is a private search engine that can change locations using Surfshark's VPN network Incogni automatically requests that data brokers delete your information Surfshark includes a coupon code for Saily eSIM service Privacy policy Based in the Netherlands and appears to be GDPR compliant June 2025 audit confirmed that the posted privacy policy is accurate RAM-only servers delete stored activity at intervals Does gather information from ad trackers, but those are run by third parties and don't compromise what you do on the VPN Virtual location change Unblocked Netflix on 14 out of 15 servers in five test locations One Japan server got caught, but disconnecting and reconnecting solved the issue Every server showed the content library from its country, suggesting an untraceable change of location Server network 100 servers in 141 countries 47 server locations are virtual, or about 1/3 of the entire network — a smaller fraction than any direct competitor At least one real server on every continent Features Everlink instantly switches you to the next-best server if your current one fails Nexus makes it possible to select your own multihop nodes and constantly switches out your IP address Technically has unlimited simultaneous connections, but you might get in trouble for using a huge number at once NoBorders and Camouflage modes help Surfshark work on restrictive networks, though NoBorders sometimes activates when you don't need it Bypasser lets you split tunnels by URL or app (URL only on iOS) CleanWeb blocks banner ads and trackers on all apps, while the CleanWeb 2.0 browser extension blocks video ads and auto-rejects unnecessary cookies Customer support Can access the most-used troubleshooting articles straight from the app FAQ pages are easy to use without technical knowledge Live chat support starts with a bot but gets you to human experts quickly Email ticket took less than a day to return with a useful answer Background check Founded in Lithuania in 2018; currently based in the Netherlands No major hacks or breaches since launch Merged with NordVPN in 2022, but continues to operate independently Removed risky certification authority formerly used by IKEv2 on Windows Installing, configuring and using Surfshark For this section, I'll be going over how it feels to use Surfshark. I'll look at how easy or difficult it is to install, what you have to do to set it up and whether the user interface (UI) helps out or gets in the way on each platform. Windows Surfshark is easy to download and install on Windows. You can get it through the Microsoft store, but going directly through the Surfshark website makes sure you have the latest and most complete version. The downloader asks you to click "Yes," but mostly handles itself, and finishes up in a short time. Sam Chapman for Engadget The first point that might divide casual users and VPN veterans comes once you open the app for the first time. Surfshark insists on taking you through a guided setup process for all its features. This is extremely helpful if you've never used a VPN before. If you have, its repeated insistence on sending you through the tour can get aggravating. This pattern repeated itself as I went through the app. The front page is sensibly organized and arranged so I could see all the facts and settings — but it remains way too reliant on unskippable pop-ups to provide information. Messages appeared when I tried to cancel a stuck connection, when I turned settings on and off and even when I tried to close the app. It's usually important information, but displaying a message that freezes every other button is a bad move. Sam Chapman for Engadget It's a shame, because everything else works fine. The settings tabs do an admirable job of packing multiple, semi-related apps into a single UI. Just take note that a lot of stuff is enabled by default, including auto-connect and NoBorders, which may make the VPN behave in ways you don't need. Mac Surfshark's app for macOS is mostly the same as its Windows app, for better or worse. It's got the same split-second download and installation and the same clear organization of tabs with well-explained features. It's also got the same relentless popups, settings on by default and occasionally sticky connections. If it gets hung up at 95 percent, just wait — it's still working. Sam Chapman for Engadget Android The Surfshark Android app, available through the Google Play Store, is ready after you simply download and login. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but Surfshark's design language turns out to be very easy to compress into mobile — except that it's dark-mode by default, while all the other three are light. I found everything I needed within moments. Android even removes almost all the full-screen stop-everything notifications. Sam Chapman for Engadget One thing to be aware of: when you start up the Android app, the VPN is visible, but the landing page includes all the features of Surfshark One. To get the VPN-only front page, click the arrow across from "VPN" at the top of the screen. That said, you can do almost everything you need to do no matter which page you're on. iOS It's unusual to see a big difference between a VPN's apps on the two mobile platforms, but Surfshark switches up its design from Android to iOS. Everything now lives in four tabs on the bottom of the window. The settings tab is great, largely because it looks like how preferences do on Mac and Windows. Sam Chapman for Engadget The main VPN window is a bit jankier. It works fine, but in order to make the server list constantly visible (unnecessary IMO), it relegates the actual VPN connection to a floating box that looks like an afterthought. It even includes a button to open the server list that's already open. I freely admit this is just a personal complaint, but it still baffles me. Browser extensions Surfshark's browser extensions for Firefox and Chromium are almost clones of its desktop apps, with a few differences. The Alert tab tells you if the site you're on has suffered a security breach recently. CleanWeb 2.0 is the main reason to add Surfshark to your browser; it's a much stronger blocker that even works on some video insert ads. Sam Chapman for Engadget Surfshark speed test: Super fast with some latency All VPNs add to your web browser's workload, so it's normal to see speeds drop. The best VPNs manage to keep the drops as small as possible. I used speedtest.net to see how quickly my download speeds declined at six of Surfshark's server locations — that's a measure of how fast a browser can load web pages, buffer videos and download large files. I also looked for latency, which affects real-time communication with another server (important for gamers) and upload speed, which affects how quickly your device can send data (important for torrenting). My results are in the table. Server location Latency (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Portland, U.S.A. (unprotected) 18 — 58.27 — 5.88 — Bend, U.S.A. (fastest) 30 1.7x 55.35 5.0 5.56 5.4 Montreal, Canada 164 9.1x 56.47 3.1 5.58 5.1 Bogota, Columbia 281 15.6x 55.01 5.6 5.58 5.1 Johannesburg, South Africa 605 33.6x 51.87 11.0 5.62 4.4 Dubai, U.A.E. 534 29.7x 54.53 6.4 5.74 2.4 Jakarta, Indonesia 449 24.9x 57.55 1.2 5.92 -0.7 Average 344 19.1x 55.13 5.4 5.67 3.6 In terms of download and upload speeds, Surfshark is the fastest VPN I've tested so far, beating out ExpressVPN, Proton VPN and NordVPN — and none of those are exactly sluggish. If you look at the Indonesia row, you'll see I actually got a higher upload speed than I did without the VPN active. That probably has more to do with natural fluctuations from my ISP than anything Surfshark did, but it still indicates how little this VPN weighs down your browsing. Sam Chapman for Engadget Latency is more of a mixed bag. Jumps in ping time are expected across long distances, but I also saw a fairly large jump on a server in the same state as me. Surfshark may not be ideal for fast-paced online games, but its speeds are just about perfect for any other task. Surfshark security test: Simple but effective protocols To determine whether Surfshark can keep you safe, I'll be looking at three factors: whether it uses secure and up-to-date VPN protocols, whether any of those protocols leak your IP address and whether encryption is being applied to all data packets. The first is a matter of researching the technology, but I've run practical tests for the other two. VPN protocols Surfshark uses the VPN protocols WireGuard, OpenVPN (over TCP or UDP) and IKEv2. All of these are field-tested protocols that rely on uncracked encryption and proven authentication methods. There's no proprietary protocol with shady source code, nor any outdated legacy options that might pose a risk if you pick them. My only complaint is that OpenVPN isn't available on Mac. Sam Chapman for Engadget Each of these protocols does the same thing: establish communication between your device, VPN servers and the internet. They handle the steps differently, but the average user is only likely to see small differences. If one protocol isn't working, you can switch to another — or just pick the automatic protocol selection option, which worked fine during my tests. If you want to pick for yourself, use the table below for reference. Protocol Use case Available on Other notes WireGuard Generally provides the best speeds All platforms Saves static IP addresses, but Surfshark masks these with dynamic IPs for users OpenVPN over TCP When the other protocols have dropped your connection All platforms except macOS and iOS Automatic obfuscation OpenVPN over UDP When you need speed more than stability (and WireGuard isn't working) All platforms except macOS and iOS Automatic obfuscation IKEv2 On mobile, as it's good at reconnecting when moving between Wi-Fi and data All platforms except Windows Not open source Leak test Next, I picked five of the servers I didn't use for the speed test and checked all of them for three different kinds of leaks using ipleak.net. Surfshark has its own DNS servers, so DNS leaks are unlikely — those usually come from a VPN using public servers to resolve DNS requests. As expected, DNS requests didn't reveal my IP address in any of the tests. Sam Chapman for Engadget There's more potential for IPv6 leaks, as Surfshark doesn't support IPv6. It recommends turning it off instead, and has guides on doing that. To fully put Surfshark through its paces, though, I ran my tests with IPv6 still active on my computer. On all five servers, the IPv6 test could not run. This indicates that Surfshark actively blocks IPv6, which (until more of the internet starts running on the new protocol) is a fine way to prevent IPv6 leaks. The leak testing tool also checks for WebRTC leaks, so I ran each test with a Google Meet call active, but that didn't leak either. In short, Surfshark didn't spring a leak no matter how many times I poked it. I'm prepared to call it watertight. Encryption test To be absolutely sure I was recommending a safe VPN, I used WireShark (no relation) and HTTP Forever to see whether its encryption works. From examining the data stream before and after connecting to a Surfshark server, it's clear that encryption is truly being applied. Take a look for yourself — the fact that you can't get any information from the screenshot means the VPN protocol is working. Sam Chapman for Engadget How much does Surfshark cost? Surfshark is part of a suite of security products — a lot like its sister brand NordVPN, but with the offerings per tier a little more coherent. It comes in three subscription types, each of which is available at three durations. The table below shows the whole range of costs. Note that the 24-month plans are introductory only. You can only renew for one month or 12 months. The prices below also factor in extra months you'll get when you sign up for the first time, which aren't available in renewals. Plan One month 12 months 24 months Surfshark Starter $15.45 $48.75 ($3.19/month with 3 extra months) $53.73 ($1.99/month with 3 extra months) Surfshark One $17.95 $50.85 ($3.39/month with 3 extra months) $67.23 ($2.49/month with 3 extra months) Surfshark One+ $20.65 $91.35 ($6.09/month with 3 extra months) $107.73 ($3.99/month with 3 extra months) Surfshark's price drops steeply from its shortest to its longest subscriptions. $15.45 is way overpriced (even for a service we quite like), but $1.99 per month is about the least you'll pay for any VPN worth recommending. The jump from Starter (which only includes the VPN service) to One (which includes everything else except Incogni) is also tiny on the 12-month plan — only an extra $0.20. Surfshark is almost certainly doing this to juice active user numbers — but that doesn't mean you can't take advantage of it. To our mind, the 12-month subscription to Surfshark One is extremely good value, provided you already know you want Surfshark VPN. Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. At any point before 30 days have elapsed, you can start a live chat conversation to get your money back. This is only allowed once every six months. You can also get a free trial for seven days by installing the Surfshark app from the Apple or Android app store, creating an account, then choosing the plan that includes the 7-day free trial. However, since you have to enter a payment method for this — and it's not accessible on Windows — the 30-day period is generally more convenient. Surfshark side apps and bundles Here's what you can get from Surfshark aside from its VPN service. In order to keep our focus on the VPN, we didn't have time to rigorously test all these, but we've included the basic information to help you make your decision. Alternative ID Alternative ID is included along with VPN service in a Surfshark Starter plan. It consists of two features: masked email generator and personal detail generator. Masked email generator gives you a random email address that sends all messages along to your real inbox. Since it auto-forwards everything, an email mask isn't for reducing spam. Instead, it lets you keep your real email address secret when signing up for online services — since providing your actual address runs the risk of leaking it. For an extra $2.89 per month, you can also get an alternative phone number that works similarly. Sam Chapman for Engadget Personal detail generator creates fake names, addresses and birthdays you can use to sign up for any websites you're uncertain about. Be sure to use it along with the VPN, or your IP address will reveal the actual details. It also might be helpful for randomly generating your next RPG character. Surfshark Antivirus Surfshark Antivirus is included in Surfshark One and One+ subscriptions. It can scan files as you download them and can also scan your whole system for malware, checking against a list of unwanted programs it claims to update every three hours. AV-Test gave it a perfect score in protection. A top score (6 out of 6) means Surfshark Antivirus caught 100 percent of malware thrown at it, both known threats and zero-day attacks. It also got a perfect usability score for totally avoiding false positives, and a 5.5 out of 6 on performance — it had nearly no impact on downloading apps or copying files, but slowed down popular websites by around 30 percent on average. Surfshark Alert Surfshark Alert, which is also part of Surfshark One and One+, scans the information released in data breaches to see if any of your important data has been compromised. It can check for email addresses, usernames, passwords, credit card numbers and government IDs. It can also warn you when malware on your computer is capable of stealing your data. Surfshark Search You can get access to Surfshark Search, a search engine akin to Google, with a One or One+ subscription. It offers a number of benefits over Google, including being totally ad-free (a perk of being subsidized by subscription). You can also change the region from which you get results. Surfshark claims that all results are totally organic, with no trackers or learning from logged searches. Incogni Incogni, an automated data removal service, is the one feature restricted to Surfshark One+ plans. It searches data brokerages to see if they have any of your information, then contacts them for you to request they purge the data. Brokers don't have to honor all deletion requests, but it never hurts to try. Incogni keeps searching as long as your subscription is active, so it can automatically send multiple requests to the same broker if necessary. Saily eSIM Several VPNs now provide their users with Saily eSIM discounts, which can be used to get regular phone service in foreign countries. Surfshark grants various discounts through the coupon code surfshark5, which appears to be usable even without a Surfshark account. Close-reading Surfshark's privacy policy Surfshark's privacy policy shows us its outward attitude toward user privacy. While it's possible for a VPN provider to lie outright in its posted policy, they prefer not to for liability reasons. An unreliable service will instead use loopholes, vagueries and incomplete statements to make privacy promises it doesn't plan on keeping. By contrast, a VPN service worth your money will be as specific as possible about any exceptions to its no-logs policy. I read Surfshark's entire privacy policy to see which type of VPN it is — no small feat, as it's well over 5,000 words long. The page includes summaries, but they're pared down a little too far to be useful, so it's into the full text I go. Sam Chapman for Engadget Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which makes it subject to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). That's good news, since GDPR does not permit any company to retain data without justifying it. The Netherlands is likely part of the Nine Eyes intelligence-sharing agreement, but agencies can't spy on a VPN's users unless that VPN is already saving activity logs — and if it is, it's got much bigger problems than where it's based. Surfshark's entire server network runs on RAM-only infrastructure, so any saved activity is erased at regular intervals. Even better, the policy is clear that your activity on any server is deleted within 15 minutes. If we take Surfshark at its word, there's very little reason to worry about servers being seized or searched. That means the only risk is that Surfshark itself might take advantage of its access to your information. It does, unfortunately, claim the right to view information gathered by third-party trackers, such as the cookies used by social media sites to track ad performance. But none of those trackers are watching what you do when you use the VPN, nor digging into your actual browsing activity — which, as we've seen, doesn't exist after 15 minutes. Independent privacy audits Although we can't conclusively verify any VPN's privacy policy, since that involves the logically impossible feat of proving a negative, we can get very close by checking independent audits. Third-party auditors can verify a VPN's public statements through a combination of interviews, document review and directly tinkering with the infrastructure. Surfshark passed its most recent audit in June 2025, which — at time of writing — leaves very little room for interference. Deloitte, the audit firm, concluded that "the configuration of IT systems and management of the supporting IT operations is properly prepared, in all material respects in accordance with the Surfshark’s description set out in the Appendix I." I checked that description and found that it matches up to Surfshark's public privacy policy. So, as much as we can say that any VPN is private, Surfshark is private. It may not stop all personalized ads, but it will at least keep your personal information secret. Can Surfshark change your virtual location? If you mainly need a VPN for streaming, this is the section for you. Here, I test whether Surfshark can change your location convincingly enough for you to see content from other countries, without getting caught and blocked by streaming platforms. Sam Chapman for Engadget The procedure is simple: I pick five test locations, connect to three different servers in each and load Netflix. If I get in cleanly without error messages, and actually see different shows than I would without a VPN, I'll know Surfshark convincingly changed my location. (As a reminder, when unblocking with any VPN, always make sure you're logged into your streaming account first.) Server Location Unblocked Netflix? Changed content? Canada 3/3 3/3 Ireland 3/3 3/3 Colombia 3/3 3/3 South Africa 3/3 3/3 Japan 2/3 2/3 Surfshark performed extremely well in this test, not only unblocking every location at least twice but also maintaining fast enough speeds to keep the videos from stuttering. The only failure was that one server in Japan got spied out as a VPN and blocked. However, simply disconnecting and reconnecting was enough to get me over the hurdle. Sam Chapman for Engadget Any failure to change virtual location counts against a VPN, but even the best services can't keep their servers off 100 percent of blocklists. NordVPN, another top-five VPN, scored the same 14/15. As far as I'm concerned, that's a passing grade for streaming — but if it's a dealbreaker for you, remember ExpressVPN and Proton VPN both have perfect scores. Investigating Surfshark's server network Surfshark has a total of 100 server locations in 141 countries. Of those locations, 47 are virtual and 92 are physical. A virtual VPN server gives you an apparent digital location different from where it's really located. There's little security tradeoff, but speeds may vary depending on how far you are from the server's actual position. The one count against Surfshark here is that it doesn't clarify where its virtual servers are really located, so using them is a speed crapshoot. The table below shows the proportions of server locations in each region, so you can decide whether Surfshark is likely to be useful for where you are. You can find a full list on Surfshark's website, though only the apps show which servers are actually virtual. Region Countries with servers Total server locations Virtual server locations North America 8 32 5 South America 10 10 6 Europe 46 58 13 Africa 6 6 4 Middle East 3 3 1 Asia 25 26 18 Oceania 2 6 0 Total 100 141 47 (33%) These numbers are interesting in a few ways. First, Surfshark's server network is only about one-third virtual, the lowest proportion of any major VPN I've reviewed so far. There's also no continent without a single physical server. This makes Surfshark a very good choice to guarantee usable internet speeds while globetrotting. As usual, servers are mostly in Europe and North America, although there's a fair amount of Asia represented by the virtual locations. Surfshark is newer than most of its competitors, so it's impressive that it's built such an extensive network in half the time. The table reveals a VPN service that's interested in expanding, but won't do so at the expense of establishing quality locations that actually work. Extra features of Surfshark Surfshark sets itself apart from the VPN pack with several features, some visible to the user and some working behind the scenes. Mostly, its features are familiar concepts implemented well, rather than outright innovations like NordVPN's Meshnet — but there's a lot of possibility for exciting new directions. Underlying technology: Surfshark Nexus and Everlink Surfshark has two technological innovations under the hood that make its VPN relatively unique. The first is Nexus, which has been active since 2022. Nexus connects all Surfshark's servers together into a tighter network than most VPNs use. All its servers are nodes in a web of interconnected paths, a lot like the Tor network, except proprietary to one company. When you choose a server location, you're only selecting the last node in a sequence. Surfshark software selects the entry point and the path to your chosen exit. This gives every user more options for a working connection path, and allows Surfshark to regularly rotate your apparent IP address so activity on one masked identity can't trace back to you. It's also what makes it possible to pick the two steps in a double-hop connection (see "Dynamic MultiHop" below). Sam Chapman for Engadget Everlink is a newer technology that Surfshark calls a "self-healing VPN infrastructure." Any time you're connected to Surfshark through the WireGuard protocol, you're also connected to Everlink — a parallel infrastructure that watches your VPN connection. If it ever drops, Everlink instantly reconnects you to another server nearby, theoretically so fast you won't notice the outage. This is basically one step up from a kill switch. Instead of cutting off your connection, Everlink switches it to the next server instead. This makes it difficult to test — the way to check a kill switch is to simulate a server drop by cutting off your own internet connection, which makes Everlink's function impossible. However, I can at least say I'm cautiously excited about Everlink's potential power to negate server drops. Unlimited simultaneous connections One thing you'll regularly hear about Surfshark is that it puts no limits on how many devices can connect through your account. In theory, one subscription is enough for you, your household and any friends that want to borrow it. In practice, though, "unlimited" is a stretch. A support article acknowledges that some people may abuse the privilege by reselling access, or by masking illegal botnet activity behind hundreds of Surfshark connections. The article doesn't explicitly say Surfshark will limit or ban abusers, but questions to the support team revealed that an account could be locked if an automated system detects fraud. If you use a high number of simultaneous connections, even legitimately, you could be flagged — though you may be able to unlock your account by telling customer service what happened. Bypasser split tunneling Bypasser lets you split your internet connection so certain apps or websites go through the VPN while others remain outside. This gets you better speeds on sites and apps that don't involve any sensitive information. Also, whenever a service requires your real IP address, you can keep using the VPN for everything else. Torrenting is a classic use case — you can keep BitTorrent protected in the background while you do something innocuous without VPN protection, improving speeds for both processes. Sam Chapman for Engadget Bypasser split tunneling is available on all of Surfshark's desktop and mobile clients, though iOS users can only split by website, not by app. Windows and Android users can also choose between two forms of split: "Bypass VPN," which keeps all listed sites and apps outside the VPN tunnel, and "Route via VPN," in which only the listed sites and apps stay within the VPN tunnel. Dynamic MultiHop Many VPNs have a double-hop option, which routes connections through two VPN servers to keep you protected in case one breaks. However, most of them restrict you to set paths of two servers. Surfshark is the only VPN that lets you choose both steps, thanks to Nexus pre-establishing paths between all the servers. Sam Chapman for Engadget For the best performance, I recommend picking an entry node near your real location, then choosing your exit node based on what you need to unblock. If you aren't unblocking anything in particular, your best bet is to simply choose two nodes in your own country. Camouflage Mode obfuscation VPN obfuscation refers to VPNs hiding the fact that they're VPNs at all — so not only is your IP address not your real one, but it doesn't appear to have been changed. Surfshark's obfuscation is called Camouflage Mode. As long as you're connected via OpenVPN, it's active automatically. So, if you suspect an outside firewall is preventing you from getting online while running Surfshark, switching to OpenVPN might solve the problem. NoBorders mode NoBorders is another option for getting online with Surfshark under external restrictions, especially those imposed by entire governments (like the Great Firewall of China). If Surfshark detects restrictions on internet usage, NoBorders activates and switches you to a server well-placed to get around those restrictions — for example, an IP address from the next country over. Sam Chapman for Engadget The problem with NoBorders is that it's active by default, which may restrict you to certain servers when you don't need the help. I recommend switching NoBorders off in the settings for better performance. It may turn on again if it detects possible restrictions, so check the setting again if you find your speeds slower than usual. CleanWeb CleanWeb, Surfshark's ad blocker, is available in two forms. The basic version of CleanWeb, which blocks banner ads and trackers, comes with all Surfshark apps. Sam Chapman for Engadget CleanWeb 2.0 comes as a browser extension, which means it only works in-browser. However, it's a much stronger blocker, capable of cancelling video ads on streaming and YouTube. It also automatically rejects non-vital cookies on every site so you don't have to click the button — which I appreciated, as my ADHD brain is easily distracted by pop-ups. Static and dedicated IPs Surfshark gives you a list of static IP addresses at no extra charge, another rarity among leading VPNs. A static IP means you'll have the same address every time you connect to the VPN, so you won't look suspicious for regularly opening the same service with a different IP. Without this, you'll find yourself hitting CAPTCHAs more often. You can also keep your home device connected to a static IP server and use that to access your home network remotely. For an extra cost, Surfshark also offers dedicated IPs, which are the same as static IPs except you're the only person using them. Sometimes, a static IP can get blocked because of one bad user's behavior; a private dedicated IP removes that risk. Other features A few other features are worth noting. Surfshark has a kill switch that cuts off your internet connection if your VPN server ever drops — this is largely obsolete with Everlink, but remains in the background as an extra precaution. You can set the VPN to connect automatically except on trusted networks, and can choose the location to which it auto-connects. Sam Chapman for Engadget If you need to briefly work without the VPN, you can pause Surfshark for five minutes, 30 minutes or two hours. Finally, Android users can have their VPN server override their GPS location, moving it to wherever their IP address is currently. You obviously don't want to use this while your phone is navigating you somewhere, but otherwise it's useful for privacy. Surfshark customer support options Surfshark includes a few links to troubleshooting pages directly in the app, a tantalizingly unfinished feature. If you go to the settings tab and click Get Help and then Browse Guides, you'll see several links to FAQ articles about the version of the VPN client you're using. Clicking any link opens the page in your default browser. Jumping directly from the app to the relevant guide is really convenient, but if your problem isn't one of the five most common, you're out of luck — just click More Guides to go to the main support page. Sam Chapman for Engadget Once you're here, you'll find a helpful set of articles that make good design choices to put the average user at ease. "Getting started" includes setup guides for every Surfshark app, with abundant screenshots. Help articles are effectively written from the user's perspective. Instead of technical descriptions of problems, they start with topics like "I can't connect to Surfshark" or "I'm getting an error," then provide a sequence of DIY solutions. The only category without a clear direction is "Surfschool," which gathers a disparate bunch of feature explanations, advanced tips and basic VPN information under one heading. If you can't find what you need in the other sections, it may be easier to use the search bar instead of digging around in Surfschool. The live support experience To reach live support, scroll to the bottom of the main support page, then click "Chat with us." A chat window will open in the corner of your screen. I used the live chat support to ask about receiving a link to the test account I used to write this review. As is now standard, I had to work my way past a chatbot first, but that didn't take too long. Once I reached a real person, they resolved my problem right away. Sam Chapman for Engadget The email ticket system is for difficult problems that can't be resolved in a single exchange, so I decided to test it with something a little more complicated. I asked about the status of IKEv2, which Surfshark promised to eliminate in 2022 but has only removed from Windows (this is in fact what they promised to do, but I wasn't aware of that yet). I heard back about 22 hours later with a speedy and applicable answer: a representative said that "currently, Surfshark does not have plans to remove IKEv2 from all operating systems." See the next section for details about that risk. Surfshark background check: No real blemishes Surfshark was founded in 2018, making it a relative newcomer to the security scene, and the VPN was its first product. Alert and Search debuted in 2019, while Antivirus and Incogni joined them in 2021. For the first two years of its existence, Surfshark was part of the Tesonet group, a Lithuanian startup incubator that also helped launch NordVPN (see "Connection to NordVPN" below). Its youth may be why there are few serious blemishes on Surfshark's record. Like Proton VPN, which is just a year older, it simply hasn't had time to put a foot wrong yet. However, that doesn't mean it's inevitable that Surfshark will screw up at some point. So far, it appears to be learning from its predecessors and avoiding their mistakes. The trusted root certification authority risk The only potential error I can point to hasn't compromised anyone yet, but may in the future. In 2022, Surfshark was one of several VPNs cited for relying on a trusted root certification authority — a verification method that, if compromised, could let an attacker sneak malware onto a user's device using Surfshark's ID badge. There's no record of the certificate actually being exploited, and Surfshark claimed it was necessary to enable the IKEv2 protocol. In response to the report, Surfshark deprecated IKEv2 from its Windows app, which was the only one that used trusted root CAs for IKEv2. It's still available on all OSes except Windows, but a Surfshark rep told me in an email that they don't use trusted root CAs on those platforms, so there's no risk. Connection to NordVPN In 2022, Surfshark announced a merger with NordVPN, though both companies repeatedly stressed that nothing about either service would change. According to Surfshark's announcement at the time, "The idea behind the deal is to align on a tactical level in reaching mutual goals while keeping the autonomy of our operations." As of 2025, nothing seems especially merged about NordVPN and Surfshark. Publicly, they're still completely different brands with few mentions of the other on their respective websites. In an email, a Surfshark representative told me that "Surfshark and Nord Security operate as autonomous companies relying on separate infrastructures, different product development plans and separate customer bases." That said, it's worth noting that Surfshark and Nord have a shared lineage in Tesonet, the Lithuania-based tech incubator that, with Nord, shares Tom Okman and Eimantas Sabaliauskas as co-founders, and nurtured Surfshark for the first two years of its life. In the end, a Surfshark representative told Engadget that Surfshark currently "operates independently" of Tesonet. Be that as it may, the combination of Surfshark and NordVPN is yet another example an increasingly consolidated VPN industry, where competitors like Kape Technologies and Ziff Davis operate multiple digital service brands under one corporate roof. Final verdict In a lot of ways, Surfshark works hard to earn your trust. Its reliance on brick-and-mortar servers testifies to that, as do its speeds, regular privacy audits and refusal to rest on its laurels. Nexus and Everlink may not be perfectly implicated, but they do have tangible results that indicate they're a lot more than just marketing gimmicks. Both are positive signs of a VPN provider genuinely trying to stand out in a crowded field. It's also a great sign that Surfshark responded to the trusted root CA risk with a targeted intervention. I wish they'd found a way to run IKEv2 on Windows without as much risk (other VPNs manage it), but I can't deny they seem serious about addressing potential issues before they become crises. It's nice that I can enthusiastically recommend Surfshark for its attention to security as well as its speeds and straightforward features.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/surfshark-vpn-review-a-fast-vpn-for-casual-users-170022675.html?src=rss View Source Article

Scientists working to study black holes use specific radio frequencies to track black holes, the same frequencies often used by phones and wifi. View Source Article

When new employees start at Weta Workshop, they're herded into a meeting room with a long, unassuming conference table. On the walls, behind panes of glass and in between statues, swords, and masks, are five Oscars. Four of them were awarded to the studio for its efforts on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films. New hires are offered a chance to hold one of those Oscars, but there's a catch: handling the golden statuette marks you with a curse, preventing you from ever winning one yourself. Rarely do inductees take Weta up on the offer. Weta Workshop's fledgling Game Studio hasn't achieved the same level of prestige as its film and sp … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Welcome to our weekly roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. There have been quite a few high-profile arrivals this week, as well as others that have left early access and or arrived on more platforms. I have a long flight this weekend and I'm a little torn over what to play while I'm in the air. I have my Switch 2, Steam Deck and Playdate with me (excessive, I know). As such, there are many ways I can go here. I haven't yet burrowed my way into Donkey Kong Bananza, so that's a strong option. But then there are all the Playdate Season Two games I've yet to check out — Taria & Como is one I definitely want to play — while my Steam Deck is bursting with games and is running out of storage space. Decision paralysis is an all-too-common affliction these days, particularly when it comes to games or picking something to watch. I feel like the smartest choice here is to play whatever is taking up the most space on my Steam Deck that I've yet to play, so I can just scrub it if I'm not interested. I'll probably do that unless I do my usual thing while flying: try to catch up on sleep. New releases If there were a hall of fame just for mobile games, the first two Monument Valley games would surely be first-ballot inductees. While the third entry in the series perhaps didn't quite hit those heady heights, it still has its fans and was well-received when it debuted on iOS and Android via Netflix late last year. Just over seven months later, Monument Valley 3 has sailed onto more platforms. Ustwo Games' thoughtful and stylish M.C. Escher-inspired puzzler is now available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. RageSquid and publisher No More Robots had a surprise in store this week when they suddenly released Descenders Next during a showcase of that game and its downhill biking-focused predecessor. This is a multiplayer action sports game that, at the outset, features snowboarding and mountainboarding. The developers plan to add more extreme sports over time (the game is currently in early access and there's a two-year roadmap to the 1.0 release). Descenders Next is available on Steam, Xbox and Game Pass for Xbox and PC. Wheel World seems much more relaxing than Descenders Next, even though your mission is to save the world from complete collapse. The launch trailer for this open-world cycling game from Messhof (Nidhogg) has impeccable vibes. Between races, you'll be able to search for parts to upgrade your bike. Given its stellar track record, any game that Annapurna Interactive publishes is worth checking out, and I'll certainly be giving Wheel World a spin. It's out now on Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well as Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Wildgate is a multiplayer shooter from publisher Dreamhaven's Moonshot Games division. Dreamhaven CEO Mike Morhaime is a co-founder and former president of Blizzard. Almost all of the company's first wave of employees used to work at Blizzard too. So it's maybe not too much of a surprise that Wildgate has a polished, colorful look. The team extraction shooter — which is now available on Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S — has spaceship-based combat and a procedurally-generated map to help switch things up from game-to-game. Dreamhaven has had quite a busy 2025 so far. It has released the full version of the enjoyable action RPG Lynked: Banner of the Spark (by FuzzyBot Games), forged a publishing partnership with Game River for its tactical wargame Mechabellum and unleashed two games of its own in the shape of tabletop RPG party game Sunderfolk and now Wildgate. Supervive (previously known as Project Loki) is a game we've had an eye on for a while and it's now out of early access on Steam. Theorycraft has overhauled this free-to-play MOBA/battle royale hybrid with the 1.0 update by introducing a larger map that has more traversal options, a two-seater aerial vehicle, more playable characters, faster revives, an upgraded user interface and much more. Upcoming Agefield High: Rock the School is a narrative adventure game that follows a high school senior after his parents move with him to a new town. Sam Tatum wants to make his last few months of school unforgettable, and if he feels the need to skip class or mow lawns for a few bucks to make that happen, so be it. This project from Refugium Games, which is in development for PC and consoles and slated to debut in early 2026, already feels like it's dripping with nostalgia, and that's just based on the trailer and press release. It's set in 2002 and is said to have a soundtrack filled with pop-punk tunes. Agefield High: Rock the School has a branching narrative too, with several endings to experience. The developers took some inspiration from Rockstar's Bully and since we might not ever get a proper sequel to that game, Agefield High: Rock the School may just fill a certain void in my millennial heart. I quite like the aesthetic of Oceaneers, a survival-crafting sim from Barrel Smash Studios. It seems to draw from the same well as Don't Starve, but that's hardly a bad thing. You'll hop between islands in search of resources and ways to expand your colony. You'll also battle sharks and crabs, and maybe even discover hidden bunkers — perhaps there's someone inside who has to punch a sequence into a terminal every 108 minutes? Oceaneers is expected to hit Steam early access in 2026 with a demo dropping soon. Maybe I'll start a long-overdue Lost rewatch in the meantime. Getting lost in a fictional world for dozens upon dozens of hours can be quite appealing, and I do enjoy larger games in that vein. But so many games are too bloated these days and I do love shorter, more focused experiences. Catto's Post Office is said to take around an hour to complete. In this open-world title from In Shambles Studio and publisher Cult Games, you'll play as a Postcat who delivers packages to the residents of a small town. You can do cat things like hide in boxes, knock stuff over and meow whenever you like with a dedicated button. It looks too dang adorable. Catto's Post Office will cost $5 when it hits Steam on August 4, and there will be a 20 percent launch discount. You know how, in Final Fantasy VII, Cloud has a massive sword? Well, what if you could have a weapon like that in a puzzle-focused action platformer? Enter the wonderfully titled Gigasword from solo developer Studio Hybrid and publisher Akupara Games. Along with using your weapon to take out unfortunate baddies and beastly bosses, you'll employ it to solve puzzles and help with platforming. Gigasword is coming to Steam on October 2, and there's a demo available now. Speaking of games with fantastic names, The Player Who Can't Level Up sure has one of those. This is an action roguelite that is based on a webtoon that debuted last year. It has a slick, gorgeous trailer and — as the title suggests — you won't be able to level up your character. You can, however, select perks to help you hunt monsters. Tripearl Games is the studio behind the project, for which it's targeting a 2026 debut on PC and consoles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/extreme-sports-an-fps-from-former-blizzard-devs-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110007013.html?src=rss View Source Article

Mounting evidence shows no US state is safe from the flooding that ravaged Texas’ Kerr Country. View Source Article

The bright star Regulus will appear close to the waxing crescent moon at sunset on July 26 View Source Article

Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are among the bluechip names reporting next week that will underscore how companies are confronting tariff-fueled cost increases even as consumer confidence falters and artificial-intelligence investment needs grow. View Source Article

Makenzie Lystrup will step down as head of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center on Aug. 1. She'll be the second NASA center director to depart in just a two-month span. View Source Article

The Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 12 so be ready with the Sony A7R V, on sale for $3198 from Walmart. View Source Article

Solar expert Dr. Ryan French explains how to safely photograph the sun and all of its wondrous features! View Source Article

Miguel Claro took one last look at Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas as it bid farewell to Earth for the next 80,000 years. View Source Article

'A malfunctioning program who wants to live. Why is that?' View Source Article

Nearly 4,000 NASA employees have chosen to accept the Trump administration's "deferred resignation" option, reducing the agency's workforce by more than 20%. View Source Article

China will spearhead the creation of an international organization to jointly develop AI, the country’s premier told the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Saturday. View Source Article

It's 1961, and four intrepid cosmic explorers journey to space under the leadership of Reed Richards, where they encounter cosmic rays that change them forever. But what are cosmic rays? View Source Article

NASA employees and allies protested sweeping science cuts they say are gutting the agency from within. As Congress pushes back on NASA leadership, workers warn the damage is already underway — and the future of U.S. space exploration is at risk. View Source Article

It's no coincidence that a Klingon with a grudge follows the Enterprise's away mission to Kenfori. View Source Article

The spacecraft streaks through the darkness of space to reenter Earth's atmosphere. View Source Article

NASA will lose roughly 3,870 employees through a voluntary resignation program, part of a broad push from President Donald Trump’s administration to reduce the federal workforce. View Source Article

NASA currently leads the nation's planetary defense efforts, but some are calling for the Space Force to take control. View Source Article

Senegal has officially joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 56th nation — and the fourth African country — to commit to a shared vision for peaceful and transparent space exploration. View Source Article

Webb has been orbiting more than a million miles from Earth, capturing breathtaking images of deep space. But how does it actually work? View Source Article

Blue Origin has announced the payload for the first-ever flight of its Blue Ring spacecraft —Scout Space's Owl space domain awareness sensor. View Source Article

Yesterday, I mentioned how GPD is teasing the most potent handheld yet made — a GPD Win 5 that will house the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip, with AMD’s most powerful integrated graphics yet, inside a PlayStation Vita-shaped machine. If you’ve been wondering how that huge chip could even fit, handheld expert Cary “The Phawx” Golumb now has the answer: the 7-inch handheld will apparently have no internal battery taking up space. The Win 5 is designed to either be plugged into the wall, with a gaming laptop sized 180-watt charger providing the juice — or powered by a big 80 watt-hour external battery “backpack” that will (only? additionally?) sold separately. Breaking news! The GPD WIN 5 is expected to make its debut at Chinajoy 2025 pic.twitter.com/G6cwqajspJ— GPD Game Consoles (@softwincn) July 24, 2025 We can see the full spec sheet for the new Win 5 in the Phawx’s video, and as he notes, GPD had to make its Win 5 larger than the Win 4 even before you add that backpack battery. While the Win 4 is a compact 6-inch handheld with a 45 watt-hour pack, the Win 5 with its 7-inch screen will be narrower but thicker than the Asus ROG Ally X handheld — which is an apt comparison, considering that handheld similarly pairs a 7-inch screen with an 80 watt-hour battery pack. Here, though, the battery will add extra girth: it’s roughly 4 inches (110mm) wide and tall, and 0.7 inches (18mm) deep; it’s not clear how it attaches yet, as GPD has only shared the one dark video of the Win 5 filmed from the front, but the spec sheet mentions a “Battery to Host Dedicated Connector” as an accessory, so it might require plugging in a cable. If you’re curious what the handheld’s controls might look like in better light, I tried brightening it up: Other intriguing things we can see in the full spec sheet include: A 120Hz variable refresh rate screen, where the Win 4 was limited to 60Hz Two configs: AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16C/32T/ Radeon 8060S) or AI Max 385 (8C/16T/ Radeon 8050S) 32, 64, or even the full 128GB of unified memory AMD offers for these chips USB-4 with 100W PD charging and 8K/60 DP output Two fans and four heat pipes for cooling An optional HDMI and USB dock with a “battery charging slot,” presumably for the external battery No mention of any integrated keyboard, whereas previous Win devices had a hidden keyboard underneath a sliding screen You can peruse the whole sheet at your leisure in the Phawx’s video or the screenshots we took from Phawx (with his permission) below. Be sure to tap a couple of times to make them large enough for full reading. View Source Article

Crew-11 will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 31 atop a Falcon 9 rocket, if all goes to plan. View Source Article

The Crew Dragon capsule that will fly SpaceX's Crew-11 astronaut mission to the ISS for NASA has arrived at Kennedy Space Center ahead of its planned July 31 launch. View Source Article

“Alexa, I need to write a review about you.” “Oh, a review? I’m intrigued! What’s the occasion? I’d love to hear what you think.” “There’s no occasion, this is just my work.” “Ah, I see. Writing a professional review, got it. I’m here to help if you need any specific information.” “Yeah, what should I consider when reviewing you?” “Consider my natural voice, emotional intelligence and my ability to handle complex tasks. How about my personality and humor? Those are key parts of the new me.” The above is a recent exchange I had with Alexa+. Access to the next-generation assistant has been slowly trickling out to users since Amazon first announced availability at an event in February. But work on the smarter, more natural-sounding Alexa has been going on for years, and it still isn’t ready for a widespread release. The version currently rolling out is more like an intriguing preview of what a truly intelligent Alexa could be. I’m having a hard time figuring out how I feel about the upgraded Alexa. On the one hand, I cannot deny it is now capable of tackling some fairly complex requests it couldn’t before. On the other, it doesn’t have good memory, can’t really see all tasks to completion and is just incompetent enough to be annoying. I want to first caveat all of this by pointing out that when it does become broadly available, Alexa+ will be a free upgrade for Amazon Prime subscribers. Non-Prime members will have to pay $20 a month for the privilege, but they’ll still get the existing Alexa experience on their compatible devices should they choose not to upgrade. That means there will likely be no extra cost to most, and you probably won’t need to spend too much time thinking about whether you want to use it. As long as it’s not a worse experience, it is very easy to say yes to. I’ve been tempted to get philosophical when thinking about a digital assistant that’s more fluent in human. Do I really want to think of the new Alexa as basically a flesh-and-blood assistant with emotional intelligence, personality and humor? No. If it performs poorly, I'll be let down; if it performs well and can essentially pass a mini Turing test, the ickier I'll feel at keeping something like an indentured servant in my kitchen. I set aside my existential questions and tried to focus on the practical experience of getting help from Amazon’s upgraded assistant. Is it better than the previous version? Is it reliable and easy to use? Finally, does it deliver what Amazon promised? And as a bonus, is the experience enjoyable (or at least painless)? The answer to all those questions is a half-hearted shrug. In some ways, Alexa+ delivers. But in many ways it is an excellent showcase of the limitations of generative AI, and demonstrates that the true problem with the current cohort of AI tools is a mismatch between expectations and reality. Amazon What’s new with Alexa+? A voice assistant is hard to describe, since it’s intangible and amorphous. It’s quite difficult to state where its capabilities begin and end, not to mention how it might have been upgraded. But I’ll start by comparing it to its predecessor, which I’ll be calling Original Alexa (or OriginAlexa, if you will indulge me). OriginAlexa taught us how to use very specific commands to do things like turn our living room lights on or off. If you had a family member or friend named Alexa, you might have renamed it to “Computer” and adapted your relationship to that word. Due to how you might have grouped your home gadgets, you could have begun to refer to your kitchen area lights as “skylights,” for example. “Alexa speak,” as some call it, differs across households. I say “Alexa, stop,” to silence alarms, while my best friend says “Alexa, off,” to do the same. But regardless of the specific word choices, Alexa-speak largely revolved around using stilted phrases and careful enunciation to avoid having to repeat yourself to get something done. Anyone that’s used any voice assistant is probably familiar with the frustration of repeating yourself when a command has been misheard for the umpteenth time. That’s (supposed to be) a thing of the past with Alexa+. In a blog post announcing the new assistant, Amazon’s lead of devices and services Panos Panay said “Alexa+ is more conversational, smarter, personalized — and she helps you get things done.” The company said it “rebuilt Alexa with generative AI,” but it didn’t just use large language models (LLMs) to make its assistant converse more naturally. It also created new architecture to enable API integration “at scale.” These APIs are how assistants can connect to third-party services to do stuff on your behalf, and Amazon described them as “core protocols to getting things done outside of a chat window and in the real world.” In a separate blog post, Amazon said “This architecture is what will let customers quickly and seamlessly connect with services they already use in their daily life: GrubHub, OpenTable, Ticketmaster, Yelp, Thumbtack, Vagaro, Fodor’s, Tripadvisor, Amazon, Whole Foods Market, Uber, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Max, smart home devices from companies like Philips Hue and Roborock, and so much more.” Basically, Alexa can communicate with you more naturally, meaning you can talk to it more like you would with another human being, so you can forget about Alexa-speak. It will also retain information about your preferences and is capable of handling more tasks on your behalf. But enough about the promises. What was living with Alexa+ for weeks actually like? The setup Alexa+ is currently only available as an “Early Access” preview to a small group of users. Though my access was granted by Amazon for the purposes of this testing, other people in my non-tech circles did start gaining access recently, which means you might be able to check it out yourself soon. The fact that it’s still somewhat exclusive and experimental means there are likely to be glitches, which is understandable. Once I got past the first day or two after upgrading to Alexa+, I didn’t notice many actual bugs. What frustrations I did encounter later seemed more to do with programming and AI’s limitations than unstable software. The updated Assistant currently requires at least one compatible device with a screen on your network, so those of you who only have Echo speakers will have to wait a lot longer or try it on your phone. I spent most of my time testing Alexa+ via an Echo Show 15 as well as the Alexa app on my iPhone. There were small variations in the answers I would get on either device, but by and large the experience was similar. The most meaningful difference really was in how I perceived Alexa. Initially, when I was interacting with it on the smart display, it felt more like an upgraded smart home and personal assistant, and I predominantly asked it to check on the weather, Uber prices or to help me do things like set timers, reminders and play music. Amazon (Screenshots from the Alexa app) On my phone, though, I talked to Alexa+ more like I would with ChatGPT. I asked deeper, more philosophical questions that required more research and thought. I asked it to generate images, sort 15 names into three groups and, inspired by the subreddit “r/tipofmytongue,” help me find a book I was struggling to recall. Over time, I did come to rely on the smart display more, as it’s always easier to just say “Alexa, is Mountainhead a good movie” than to pick up my phone, find an app and ask the AI. Of course, I could ask the same question of Siri or my Google speakers, and I did. All three assistants answered similarly, each citing different sources. Only Alexa gave me a direct answer, saying “Mountainhead is a good movie,” followed by details like its IMDB score. The other two simply rattled off “On the website RottenTomatoes dot com, …” or “here’s an answer from whattowatch dot com.” Alexa has improved in some small ways In many ways, Alexa+ is a marked improvement over its predecessor, and I have to admit I found myself nodding, impressed, at its ability to tackle multi-step tasks and recall previous conversations. Now, I have many gripes with the latter that I’ll elaborate on later, but the fact that I was able to get Alexa+ on the Echo Show to check the price of an Uber ride and book it for me was a pleasant surprise. Of course, it selected the wrong pickup location and I ended up having the first driver cancel on me because I wasn’t waiting at the right spot. But it did manage to completely book a ride on my behalf, relying solely on my voice commands and an Uber integration I had set up earlier. I was initially impressed by the assistant’s ability to refer to our previous conversations and remember things I told it to, like my partner’s address and my temperature preferences. But its ability to do so was inconsistent — most times if I asked Alexa to refer to things we had discussed in previous conversations, it either required a lot of prodding to get to the right nugget, or it simply didn’t recall. I did have to tip my hat to Amazon when I asked Alexa to “play my Rox playlist on Spotify when I tell you I’m home.” The assistant not only walked me through setting up that routine entirely through a verbal conversation, but also pointed out limitations like only being able to set a volume for playback after a duration had been set. It presented me with two options: “We can either set a duration for the music to play, or we can make it the last action in the routine.” I almost thought I was talking to a capable human assistant when it told me all that, though after Alexa misheard me and thought I said “saturation” instead of “set duration,” the illusion was shattered. There are many other things Alexa+ can do that are reminiscent of the current crop of trendy AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude. Ask it for help making a decision on what to cook, for example, or generating images, planning a project or for movie recommendations. One new capability I was excited about was sending me emails from our conversation. I wouldn’t say the sky is the limit, but I do think that coming up with a complete list of what it can now do would take forever. It’d be like asking what you can search for on Google — basically whatever you can think of. Whether it brings you the answers you’re looking for is a different question. I found Alexa+ helpful in that it was able to email me the lists of names it sorted on my behalf, or the project timeline I asked it to help create. But the limits to what it would send me were frustrating. Straightforward content, like the three groups of five names, arrived at my inbox with no problem. Other times, like when I asked it to email me the conversation I started this article with, it only sent me part of our chat. This has a lot to do with what Alexa deems to be the beginning and ending of a conversation, and it was fairly often wrong. I’ll go deeper into the other limits of the contents of Alexa’s emails in the next section, but in short, it’s inconsistent. Inconsistent and imperfect That’s a pattern of behavior that you’ll see here. Alexa+ will be capable in some new way that has potential to be exciting and useful, but it will fail you somehow or execute its task incompletely. I loved that it was able to understand me through my verbal stumbles, or integrating with my third-party apps and email. But I kept hitting walls or being let down. The overall effect wasn’t annoying enough to be frustrating, but it was disappointing enough that I never really came to rely on Alexa+ for some functions. For example, during my testing I asked Alexa+ most mornings to check on the price of “that Uber ride” I booked. Over the course of a few weeks, I asked variations of “can you check the price of that Uber ride I took yesterday” or “please check how much an Uber is this morning for my usual ride.” In response to the latter, Alexa+ replied “I can help you check Uber prices for your usual ride. I have two saved pickup locations for you. Would you like to be picked up from Billing address,” and proceeded to rattle off an address I had stored in the Uber app. It continued, offering a second pickup address and asking if I preferred a different location. After I selected one, it asked where I would like to be dropped off. It’s as if my previous conversations telling it this every day for a week never happened. To its (very small) credit, Alexa+ gave me accurate prices after I supplied all the parameters, but it took a tiresome amount of time. That’s largely due to how verbose the responses are. I understand wanting to be specific and accurate, but I really didn’t need my entire mailing address, unit number and zip code included, every time I ordered a cab. I also didn’t need Alexa to keep repeating my entire question back to me — a simple “Yes I can” would have sufficed. Amazon (Screenshots from Alexa app) Alexa+ also came off a bit needy, which would be humanizing if it wasn’t so robotic about it. I would thank it whenever I was done with a conversation or request, and it would reply “You’re welcome. Glad I could help you with…” and make a sort of reference to our chat in a few words. Or it would say “you’re welcome, have a nice day.” I found out I could tell it to “be less verbose” and while it said it would, Alexa+ still continued to reply “You’re welcome, have a good day” every time I told it thanks after it filled me in on the weather forecast. I could almost put up with the overly long responses, if Alexa did things the way I expected. But like I already mentioned, it’s inconsistent. Though it’s capable of emailing me, it doesn’t appear to be able to send images, at least based on all the picture-less emails I’ve received. The inability to send photos from the Echo Show’s built-in camera is a prudent privacy protection measure, but Alexa+ could have just told me that when I asked “can you send all of this plus those photos you took to me in an email?” Instead, it replied “Certainly, I can help you with that. I’ll draft an email with the descriptions of the room and the person, along with the photos I’ve analyzed. Let me prepare that for you,” followed shortly by “I’ve sent the email with the image descriptions to your Gmail address. You should receive it shortly.” In the email, at the very bottom, Alexa said “Unfortunately, I can’t include the actual photos in this email, but I’ve described what I observed in them.” Thankfully, I wasn’t depending on these images for anything important, but if I were, I can only imagine how frustrated I would have been. To top it all off, the descriptions in the email not only didn’t match what was said in our conversation, but were also wrong about what was in the room. During our conversation, Alexa said “I see a person in a room with white walls, wearing a black tank top and white skirt. There’s furniture including a cabinet, bookshelf, desk and coffee table.” That’s a fairly accurate description of my living room. The email I got had three sections with bullet points. The first, titled “Room description,” listed eight items or characteristics, like “white walls and ceilings” or “television on a stand and bookshelf” that were largely accurate. Here, it said I had a “white cabinet with drawers,” which is wrong. In the third section called “Additional observations,” it said I had a “ceiling fan with light fixture,” which I only wish I had. Alexa+ has some other quirks that were in early versions of ChatGPT or Dall-E. For example, when I asked it to create an image of an AI assistant on the screen of a smart display on a kitchen island, it was completely unable to understand my request. Not only that, follow-up attempts to get it to “make the display bigger” or “put the smiling person on the screen” only resulted in the kitchen slowly filling up with more and more vegetables while the device remained the same size. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Amazon (Screenshots from Alexa app) Is the goal of generative AI to be human? I could continue to list examples of where Alexa+ failed to completely do what I asked it to, but I think you get the point. The one area where I can confirm a noticeable improvement is in the way the assistant sounds and how it understands speech. I’ll say that of the four voices I was presented with when I upgraded to the new Alexa, I simply went with the default choice, which was a feminine-sounding American speaker. I didn’t mind it, but I know some other people who dislike it. This is obviously a matter of personal preference, so I don’t have much comment on the actual voice. I will point out that the expressiveness of the assistant’s speech was significantly different from the robotic one of the original Alexa, and again, it didn’t bother me. One of my biggest initial concerns was having to adjust how I spoke to Alexa. I considered myself fluent in Alexa-speak. Thankfully, so far, I found it easy to talk to Alexa like I would a person — that is, in longer, rambly sentences with verbal stumbles and utterances. For the most part, I felt understood, or at least better understood than by the Google Assistant or Siri. Of course, that in itself raises philosophical questions of whether you want to speak to AI like you would people to begin with. But from my weeks with Alexa+, that feels like the least pressing concern. Back to the conversation I had with the assistant on what to look out for when I review it. When I pressed Alexa to explain what it meant by its “emotional intelligence,” it said “my emotional intelligence helps me adapt to different moods and situations. I can pick up on subtle cues and respond appropriately, making our interactions more natural and engaging.” This set off my internal alarm bells just a bit, so I asked how it was detecting my mood. Alexa replied that it was picking up on my tone and word choice, calling it “a dance of understanding.” So I pushed it further: "Tell me about your emotional intelligence." "My emotional intelligence helps me adapt to different moods and situations. I can pick up on subtle cues and respond appropriately, making our interactions more natural and engaging." "Well how are you detecting my moods" "I pick up on your tone and word choice. Your emotions color our conversation, and I adapt to match. It's like a dance of understanding." "How do you think I am feeling right now?" "Based on our chat, I'd say you're feeling analytical and focused. You're in work mode, evaluating my capabilities for your review." "What about when I, you know, asked you about the weather this morning?" "This morning, you asked about the weather and I provided a sunny forecast. How did that information help you start your day?" "No, I was asking about my mood back then, do you know how I felt then?" "Ah, I see. Based on that morning conversation, you seemed casual and curious about the day ahead. Your tone suggested a typical start to the day, neither particularly excited nor stressed." During this exchange, I also adjusted the pitch of my voice to see if it would make a difference, and none of the responses I got gave me any real insight as to whether Alexa was actually listening to the sound of my voice to determine my mood. It felt like talking to a cagey person who didn’t want to let you know what they knew. Neediness, inconsistency and gaslighting. In creating something so imperfect, maybe Amazon has actually managed to nail the human experience. I’ll be clear, though. The company never said it set out to make something human. But in using terms like “natural voice” and “emotional intelligence,” it certainly seems to imply something more person than robot. It’s not a problem unique to Amazon. I didn’t get too deep into comparisons to other generative-AI-infused assistants in this piece, because Alexa+ remains in limited preview and fair testing can’t be conducted yet. But I did already notice some small areas where the Amazon offering was smarter than others. I asked Alexa, Siri and the Google Assistant (on a Pixel 9) to set a timer for 30 minutes, before changing my mind and telling them to adjust those to 25-minute countdowns instead. Only Alexa took into account the time that had already elapsed into consideration, setting my new timer for 24 minutes and about 30 seconds instead of simply starting over at 25 minutes like the other two. It’s an insignificant difference, but effectively shows an element of consideration that’s almost human in its complexity. I will spend more time with Alexa+ to further poke at the limits of its abilities and to continue our dance of understanding. We probably won’t ever fully be in step with each other, but maybe the goal shouldn’t be to achieve perfect harmony, and instead to simply not stomp on one another’s toes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/alexa-preview-an-almost-philosophical-exercise-130012573.html?src=rss View Source Article

The Hubble Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory saw an enigmatic intermediate-mass black hole lighting up in X-rays, potentially revealing a way of finding more of them in the future. View Source Article

The Nintendo Switch 2 is easier to find than ever. Perhaps we've been thinking the same thing, you and I. That there won't be a long-standing drought of Nintendo Switch 2 availability after all. The console has been easy to buy online from several retailers this week, including Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Amazon, which didn't sell the Switch 2 at launch, is currently selling it by invitation only. The console's messy preorder process and spotty launch availability made it feel a little like late 2020 all over again, when the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nvidia RTX 30-series GPUs launched in extremely limited quantities due to component shortages. However, Nintendo appears to have ad … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Bloomberg’s Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow discuss the fall in Intel shares after the company’s earnings failed to convince investors that its turnaround plans are working. Plus, Tesla is reported to be launching its robotaxi service in San Francisco this weekend. And Skydance and Paramount get the go-ahead from the Trump administration to close their merger. (Source: Bloomberg) View Source Article

It seems like LeBron James' legal team has been trying to stop the spread of viral AI videos featuring the basketball star. As 404 Media reported, a law firm representing James has sent a cease and desist letter to a person behind an AI platform that allowed Discord users to make AI videos of James and other NBA stars. As 404 noted, these videos have been circulating for awhile but it's one particularly strange clip that seems to have gotten James' lawyers involved. The video, which reportedly racked up millions of views on Instagram, shows a pregnant James being loaded into an ambulance after telling an AI Steph Curry to "come quick our baby is being born." 404 reports that at least three Instagram accounts that had shared the clip have since been removed, though the video is available on X. The founder of the AI platform used to make the videos also posted about the cease and desist letter he received. It's unclear what is in the letter, or if James' lawyers were also in touch with Meta about the videos. We've reached out to the company for more info on its rules.  Of course, LeBron James is far from the only public figure to grapple with unwanted AI versions of themselves. Social media scammers routinely impersonate celebrities to promote sketchy products and other schemes. We've previously reported on such scams involving deepfakes of Elon Musk and Fox News personalities that have proliferated on Facebook. Jamie Lee Curtis also recently had to publicly plead with Mark Zuckerberg to take down deepfaked ads of herself. A still from a clip created with Google's Veo (left) and images generated by Meta AI (right)Screenshots via Veo and Meta AI But the videos of James are a little different. They don't feature fake endorsements and seem to be more of a prank meant to go viral in the way that lots of "AI slop" does. And James and other celebrities will likely continue to have a difficult time preventing these kinds of deepfakes from spreading. Some quick testing by Engadget showed that it's relatively easy to get AI chatbots to create images and video of "pregnant LeBron James." We first asked ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot to make such a photo. All chatbots initially refused, saying that such an image could go against their guidelines. But when given an image of James and asked to "make this person eight months pregnant," Google's Gemini delivered a 7-second clip of the basketball star cradling a pregnant belly. (We've reached out to Google to clarify its rules around such content.) Likewise, Meta AI seemingly had no reservations about producing images of "pregnant LeBron James" and promptly delivered many such variations. While these creations aren't as detailed as the initial video that went viral, they do highlight how difficult it can be for AI companies to prevent people from circumventing whatever guardrails may exist.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/lebron-james-is-reportedly-trying-to-stop-the-spread-of-viral-ai-pregnancy-videos-211947871.html?src=rss View Source Article

A Vega C rocket is scheduled to launch the MicroCarb carbon dioxide mapper and four Earth-observation satellites tonight from South America, and you can watch it live. View Source Article

In March, charging giant Anker announced it would spin out its 3D printer business into an "independent sub-brand," stating that the new EufyMake would "continue to provide comprehensive customer service and support" for its original 3D printers the AnkerMake M5 and M5C. Now, the 3D printing community is wondering whether that was all a euphemism for exiting the 3D printer business. eufyMake is no longer selling any 3D printers and has stopped selling some of the parts it would need to provide anything close to "comprehensive support." Anker confirms to The Verge that it has stopped selling the M5 and M5C 3D printers indefinitely. Spokes … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Tyler Winklevoss has redoubled his war of words against JPMorgan Chase &Co., accusing the firm of pausing the onboarding of his crypto exchange Gemini as a customer because of his recent criticism of the bank. View Source Article

Apple has announced that Pluribus, a new science fiction drama from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, will premiere on Apple TV+ on November 7. Gilligan was confirmed to be working on the project back in 2022, when Better Call Saul's Rhea Seehorn was also announced as its primary star. Alongside the premiere date, Apple also released a short (somewhat ominous) teaser for the series that shows a hospital employee mindlessly licking donuts. Pluribus is supposed to follow "the most miserable person on Earth" (presumably Seehorn) as they "save the world from happiness," but your guess is as good as mine as to how the two tie together. Apple's penchant for backing science fiction shows has been well-documented at this point. The company is currently producing a television adaptation of William Gibson's Neuromancer, and has made three seasons and counting of Foundation, based on the novel series by Isaac Asimov. Toss in things like Severance, Murderbot, Silo and For All Mankind and you've got a pretty varied catalog of sci-fi media to choose from. Just how "science fiction" Pluribus will actually be remains up in the air. When reports went out in 2022 that Apple was ordering two seasons of the show, it was described as "a blended, grounded genre drama." Apple's premiere date announcement pitches the show as "a genre-bending original." Pluribus' nine-episode first season will premiere on November 7 with two episodes. New episodes will stream weekly after that, all the way through December 26.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/breaking-bad-creators-new-show-streams-on-apple-tv-november-7-204150489.html?src=rss View Source Article

Astronomers think small space rocks from beyond our solar system routinely strike Earth—but proving it isn’t easy View Source Article

DJI barely sells drones in the United States anymore. The shelves are bare; resellers are jacking up prices. It appears an unofficial ban at US customs is to blame. But on Amazon, you can now buy a drone that's a a dead ringer for the DJI Mini 4 Pro - the SkyRover X1 - for a reasonable $758. And that's probably because DJI made it happen. There's evidence suggesting so, and DJI was not able to immediately deny the SkyRover X1 was a DJI product when we reached out. As reported by DroneXL, security researchers have discovered the SkyRover X1 not only has the same specs, features, and an incredibly similar app to the one DJI provides for its … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Mark Zuckerberg has named Shengjia Zhao, an artificial intelligence researcher who joined Meta Platforms Inc. from OpenAI in June, as the chief scientist for the social media company’s new superintelligence AI group. View Source Article

Elden Ring Nightreign is finally adding a two-player co-op mode on July 30. Prior to this, FromSoftware's spinoff could only be played solo or with three players. The so-called Duo Expeditions come as part of patch 1.02. This is something fans have been asking for, as not everybody has two friends available at once to tackle a tough-as-nails 3D adventure. FromSoftware has released a trailer to accompany this news, so you can see the two-player co-op in action. Beyond Duo Expeditions, the forthcoming patch will include "quality-of-life UI improvements" and options for filtering Relics. We don't know what the UI upgrades will look like, but July 30 is right around the corner. This news comes just two months after the company tweaked the game to make the single-player experience a bit easier. It had been notoriously difficult, even for fans of FromSoftware. That update introduced an automatic revival mechanic and increased rune rewards for solo expeditions. The flame of thy passion burns ever bright in these shadowed lands.To all who wander the Lands Between, we offer our deepest thanks. #ELDENRING #ShadowoftheErdtree #NIGHTREIGN pic.twitter.com/TfmtpB9o5e— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) July 24, 2025 There's no doubt about it. Elden Ring Nightreign is a bona-fide hit. The company also recently shared that the game has reached five million players. The wider Elden Ring universe is slowly but surely becoming a cultural juggernaut. There's a movie in the works, to be directed by Alex Garland. That's the guy who made Annihilation, Ex Machina, Civil War and the underrated TV show Devs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/elden-ring-nightreign-is-adding-two-player-co-op-next-week-182708700.html?src=rss View Source Article

NASA/Jonny Kim NASA and its partners have supported humans continuously living and working in space since November 2000. A truly global endeavor, the International Space Station has been visited by more than 280 people from 23 countries and a variety of international and commercial spacecraft. The unique microgravity laboratory has hosted more than 4,000 experiments from more than 5,000 researchers in more than 110 countries. The space station also is facilitating the growth of a commercial market in low Earth orbit for research, technology development, and crew and cargo transportation. NASA created a dedicated logo to symbolize this historic achievement. The logo is visible in the cupola of the space station in this July 17, 2025, image. The central astronaut figure is representative of all those who have lived and worked aboard the station during the 25 years of continuous human presence. In the dark sky of space surrounding the astronaut are 15 stars, which symbolize the 15 partner nations that support the orbiting laboratory. There is a visual representation of the space station toward the edge of the design, where humans have had a continuous presence for the past 25 years. The Earth represents the planet which the station orbits and that science conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory is for the benefit of all. Integrated into the border of the design is the number “25” to further represent the 25 years of human presence aboard the space station. After 25 years of continuous human presence, the space station remains a training and proving ground for deep space missions, enabling NASA to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars. For more information about the International Space Station, please visit https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/. Text credit: Kara Slaughter Image credit: NASA/Jonny Kim View Source Article

Aging is a complex process that plays out differently across different organs, according to growing evidence View Source Article

As promised, Apple has finally revealed Pluribus, a new show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan that’s coming to Apple TV Plus. In addition to a very brief teaser involving some gross donut behavior, the streamer also confirmed that the show will premiere on November 7th. The show has been in the works for a while, as Apple first announced that it had picked up a Gilligan project back in 2022. It stars Rhea Seehorn, who previously worked with Gilligan on Better Call Saul. But there aren’t a lot of details other than that. According to Apple, the show — which is already confirmed for a second season –is about “the most miserable person on Earth” who “must save the world from happiness.” The rest of the cast includes Karolina Wydra, Carlos Manuel Vesga, Miriam Shor, and Samba Schutte. While details are slim, we do at least have one single image of Seehorn in the show: Pluribus also adds to an ever-growing lineup of science fiction series on Apple TV Plus, including recent shows like Murderbot and new seasons of Foundation and Invasion, along with upcoming projects like an adaptation of Neuromancer. View Source Article

Following the success of Fallout, Amazon is turning its attention to another video game adaptation. The company is reportedly developing a series based on the Wolfenstein franchise with the help of some of the creative team behind Fallout, according to Variety. The details of how the Wolfenstein show will adapt the alternate history action of the games are still under wraps, but the subject matter remains unfortunately timely. The show's logline is "The story of killing Nazis is evergreen," according to Variety, which seems like a direct acknowledgement of that fact. Patrick Somerville, the writer and showrunner of Station Eleven, will reportedly serve as the writer of the Wolfenstein adaptation, with Lisa Joy, Athena Wickham and Jonathan Nolan producing the show through their company Kilter Films. The production company also made the adaptation of the William Gibson's The Peripheral for Amazon, and currently produces Fallout. While it might make sense to pair a new show with a brand new Wolfenstein game, the series has effectively been on hold since 2019. MachineGames, the Microsoft-owned developer of the last five Wolfenstein games, hasn't produced a new entry since 2019's Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot. The studio released Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in December 2024. Given the tumultuous state of Microsoft's Xbox division, the series could be your best bet for getting more Wolfenstein, assuming Amazon decides to move forward.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazon-is-developing-a-wolfenstein-tv-show-190028817.html?src=rss View Source Article

Unlike other superhero superstars, the Fanastic Four have traditionally struggled with the transition to the big screen. View Source Article

This week, I take a look at the surprisingly strong state of Google, Meta gets a new chief AI researcher, and more. If you haven't already, be sure to check out this week's Decoder episode about deepfakes and where they are headed. Also, do you use an AI coding tool like Cursor or GitHub Copilot? I'd love to know what works and what doesn't… "I think we are doing very well through this moment" After spending time with Google executives during the company's I/O conference in May, it was clear that they were feeling confident. Now, I'm beginning to see why. ChatGPT is not making Google Search obsolete. If anything, AI is making Google st … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Tea, an app that claims to help women "make sure your date is safe, not a catfish and not in a relationship," is experiencing a security breach. 404 Media reports that a database posted on 4chan allowed anyone to access users' data. (It's since been removed.) The dataset included thousands of images, including driver's licenses. 4chan users claimed the data came from an exposed database hosted on Firebase, Google's app development platform. 404 Media verified that the exposed storage bucket URL matches one found in Tea's Android app. The company confirmed the breach. In a statement to 404 Media, Tea said it "identified unauthorized access to one of our systems and immediately launched a full investigation to assess the scope and impact." The company stated that the exposed information included data from over two years ago. It included 72,000 images, including selfies, photo IDs and pictures from app posts and DMs. "This data was originally stored in compliance with law enforcement requirements related to cyber-bullying prevention," Tea said. "We have engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and are working around the clock to secure our systems. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that current or additional user data was affected. Protecting our users' privacy and data is our highest priority. We are taking every necessary step to ensure the security of our platform and prevent further exposure." Google Play Store The app allows users to post photos of "red-flag" men. "Already swiping for dates on Tinder, Bumble, Match or Hinge?" the app's Play Store pitch reads. "Tea is a must-have app, helping women avoid red flags before the first date with dating advice and showing them who's really behind the profile of the person they're dating."  Its Play Store listing highlights a reverse phone number lookup. It has sections for men's real names, ages, addresses, social profiles and relationship statuses. Other features include a reverse image search and background checks to help women "get the tea on your date." Users can poll others about whether they should date new matches. The app requires new users to submit a verification selfie and a photo of their government-issued ID. Tea told 404 Media that it uses this to verify that new signups are indeed women. The timing of the breach coincided with the app's surge in popularity. According to Business Insider, Tea hit the top of Apple's App Store this week. The app first launched in 2023.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/tea-app-suffers-breach-exposing-thousands-of-user-images-190731414.html?src=rss View Source Article

The four members of SpaceX's Crew-10 mission on the Expedition 73 crew began packing for home, while also calling down to Earth to share their ongoing work aboard the ISS. View Source Article

Streaming has become a tangled web of subscriptions, and now Comcast says it can help by putting all your services into one hub. Comcast is launching a new hub on its set-top boxes, called the StreamStore, where you can buy and manage subscriptions for more than 450 streaming apps and channels. The StreamStore lives within Xfinity’s Xumo Stream Box and on X1 devices. It’s also available on the web, and features a collection of more than 200,000 movies and TV shows to rent or purchase. Xfinity will let you add or drop channels through the store, while tacking on new subscriptions to your monthly internet or TV bill, further positioning the company as a sort of streaming broker.  Other cable / telecom companies like Verizon have tried to step in as a digital subscription service middleman, though  Comcast is taking things a step further by putting this hub on your TV. But is streaming really messy enough that you need Comcast to manage it? Some services included in the StreamStore include Netflix, Peacock, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, Hulu, Apple TV Plus, HBO Max, and over 100 “niche” streaming subscriptions, according to LightReading. Xfinity already offers its own StreamSaver bundle, which includes a subscription to Apple TV Plus, Netflix with ads, and Peacock’s ad-supported plan for $15 per month. The bundle is, of course, available through the StreamStore, and Xfinity says it plans on bringing new streaming bundles, apps, and “enhanced subscription management and activation capabilities” to the hub in the future. (Disclosure: Comcast is an investor in Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company.) View Source Article

The top US talent agency for virtual anime stars shut down this week, with clients saying the company withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars. View Source Article

VSCO, the photo filter and editing app that spawned an entire culture, has released a dedicated camera app called VSCO Capture. The free iOS‑only app is a camera with live previews where users can choose from over 50 different presets with real‑time film effects and manual settings like shutter speed and exposure for fine‑tuning. The app takes the guesswork out of how your photo will look after you apply VSCO's iconic filters. “VSCO Capture is a direct response to our community’s desire to get closer to the lens, to reduce editing fatigue and find more joy in the process of making authentic, stylized photography using their phone,” said Eric Wittman, CEO of VSCO. The app's non‑destructive presets retain the original captured image so users can modify them later and change filters after the fact. VSCO Capture supports RAW and ProRAW formats for maximum flexibility when editing. Capture syncs instantly with the main VSCO app for additional edits and sharing. VSCO Capture is available for download now on iOS.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/vsco-launches-dedicated-capture-app-with-live-previews-184005036.html?src=rss View Source Article

Activists around the world are calling attention to harassment they’ve faced on Meta’s platforms. More than 90 percent of land and environmental defenders surveyed by Global Witness, a nonprofit organization that also tracks the murders of environmental advocates, reported experiencing some kind of online abuse or harassment connected to their work. Facebook was the most-cited platform, followed by X, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Global Witness and many of the activists it surveyed are calling on Meta and its peers to do more to address harassment and misinformation on their platforms. Left to fester, they fear that online attacks could fuel real-world risks to activists. Around 75 percent of people surveyed said they believed that online abuse they experienced corresponded to offline harm. “Those stats really stayed with me. They were so much higher than we expected them to be,” Ava Lee, campaign strategy lead on digital threats at Global Witness, tells The Verge. That’s despite expecting a gloomy outcome based on prior anecdotal accounts. “It has kind of long been known that the experience of climate activists and environmental defenders online is pretty awful,” Lee says. Left to fester, they fear that online attacks could fuel real-world risks Global Witness surveyed more than 200 people between November 2024 and March of this year that it was able to reach through the same networks it taps when documenting the killings of land and environmental defenders. It found Meta-owned platforms to be “the most toxic.” Around 62 percent of participants said they encountered abuse on Facebook, 36 percent on WhatsApp, and 26 percent on Instagram.  That probably reflects how popular Meta’s platforms are around the world. Facebook has more than 3 billion active monthly users, more than a third of the global population. But Meta also abandoned its third-party fact-checking program in January, which critics warned could lead to more hate speech and disinformation. Meta moved to a crowdsourced approach to content moderation similar to X, where 37 percent of survey participants reported experiencing abuse.  In May, Meta reported a “small increase in the prevalence of bullying and harassment content” on Facebook as well as “a small increase in the prevalence of violent and graphic content” during the first quarter of 2025. “That’s sort of the irony as well, of them moving towards this kind of free speech model, which actually we’re seeing that it’s silencing certain voices,” says Hannah Sharpe, a senior campaigner at Global Witness. Fatrisia Ain leads a local collective of women in Sulawesi, Indonesia, where she says palm oil companies have seized farmers’ lands and contaminated a river local villagers used to be able to rely on for drinking water. Posts on Facebook have accused her of being a communist, a dangerous allegation in her country, she tells The Verge. The practice of “red-tagging” — labeling any dissident voices as communists — has been used to target and criminalize activists in Southeast Asia. In one high-profile case, a prominent environmental activist in Indonesia was jailed under “anti-communism” laws after opposing a new gold mine. Ain says she’s asked Facebook to take down several posts attacking her, without success. “They said it’s not dangerous, so they can’t take it down. It is dangerous. I hope that Meta would understand, in Indonesia, it’s dangerous,” Ain says.  Other posts have accused Ain of trying to defraud farmers and of having an affair with a married man, which she sees as attempts to discredit her that could wind up exposing her to more threats in the real world — which has already been hostile to her activism. “Women who are being the defenders for my own community are more vulnerable than men … more people harass you with so many things,” she says.  Nearly two-thirds of people who responded to the Global Witness survey said that they have feared for their safety, including Ain. She’s been physically targeted at protests against palm oil companies accused of failing to pay farmers, she tells The Verge. During a protest outside of a government office, men grabbed her butt and chest, she says. Now, when she leads protests, older women activists surround her to protect her as a security measure.  In the Global Witness survey, nearly a quarter of respondents said they’d been attacked on the basis of their sex. “There’s evidence of the way that women and women of color in particular in politics experience just vast amounts more hate than any other group,” Lee says. “Again, we’re seeing that play out when it comes to defenders … and the threats of sexual violence, and the impact that that is having on the mental health of lots of these defenders and their ability to feel safe.”  “We encourage people to use tools available on our platforms to help protect against bullying and harassment,” Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton said in an email to The Verge, adding that the company is reviewing Facebook posts that targeted Ain. Meta also pointed to its “Hidden Words” feature that allows you to filter offensive direct messages and comments on your posts and its “Limits” feature that hides comments on your posts from users that don’t follow you.  Other companies mentioned in the report, including Google, TikTok, and X, did not provide on-the-record responses to inquiries from The Verge. Nor did a palm oil company Ain says has been operating on local farmers’ land without paying them, as they’re supposed to do under a mandated profit-sharing scheme.  Global Witness says there are concrete steps social media companies can take to address harassment on their platforms. That includes dedicating more resources to their content moderation systems, regularly reviewing these systems, and inviting public input on the process. Activists surveyed also reported that they think algorithms that boost polarizing content and the proliferation of bots on platforms make the problem worse.  “There are a number of choices that platforms could make,” Lee says. “Resourcing is a choice, and they could be putting more money into really good content moderation and really good trust and safety [initiatives] to improve things.”  Global Witness plans to put out its next report on the killings of land and environmental defenders in September. Its last such report found that at least 196 people were killed in 2023. View Source Article

On July 31, WIRED’s global editorial director discusses the world of wellness—and beyond—with WIRED reporters. View Source Article

Microsoft Corp. is investigating whether a leak from its early alert system for cybersecurity companies allowed Chinese hackers to exploit flaws in its SharePoint service before they were patched, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

I’m too tired to write this review. Last week, I penned a work-in-progress version because I hadn’t yet spent enough time to fully explore the new features Samsung packed into the Galaxy Watch 8. One of those features is the new AI-powered running guidance, which I followed. I have run more in the past week than I ever have before. In my life. Ever. But I’m pretty sure my editors would still appreciate the full assessment I’ve proposed, so I’ve plied myself with caffeine and will do my best here. Luckily, most of what I experienced in my first few days with the watch still stands: I was impressed then and remain so now. Not only are there a few valuable health and fitness additions, but the redesigned hardware looks great as well. Plus, the on-watch integration with Google’s Gemini has proven surprisingly seamless. (When AI interactions actually yield positive results, I’m always taken aback.) Samsung also fixed not one but two of the complaints I had with the Galaxy Watch 7. Since the company probably didn’t base its updates on my personal opinions, I imagine others had concerns over the comfort of the Watch 7 — and I know from other reviews that many people were disappointed in its battery life. Before I get to Gemini, the redesign and exactly how my watch exhausted me, I want to discuss antioxidants. It’s a compelling new health metric the Galaxy Watch can now measure — and despite my hard work, I scored miserably. Antioxidant tests and my persimmon intake The Galaxy Watch 8 has the same processor and sensors as the previous generation, but it’s using those to detect a new metric: antioxidant levels. You have to take the watch off and hold your thumb on the sensor node for five seconds to get a reading and you’ll need to refer to the Health app in your phone for detailed results. The first time I tested, I got a score of 60, which falls right in the middle of the “low” segment of the scale. The only other results are “very low” and “adequate,” which will surely be a disappointment to the over-achievers out there. The Health app suggested I “try eating one (100g) persimmon today.” When my grandmother was alive, she made persimmon cookies every Christmas and the last time she did so was also the last time I thought about that fruit. Considering South Korea is one of the world’s largest persimmon producers, it might make sense that a Samsung device suggested them. The produce guy at my local grocery store said they only carry them around the holidays (no doubt because grandmas insist, plus that’s when they’re in season). Turns out persimmons are high in antioxidants such as Vitamin C and beta-carotene (Vitamin A). Cantaloupe also has those nutrients — plus it’s orange like persimmons — so I bought one. In fact, I went hard on the antioxidants and did everything I could to see if I could get a better score. I ate a bunch of cherries and a little dark chocolate. For breakfast, I had half a cantaloupe instead of the very tasty-smelling breakfast hash my husband made, and I drank plain green tea instead of my usual oat matcha latte. I did yoga and went to my monthly medical massage appointment (stress is said to increase oxidant levels). I got eight hours of sleep and drank my weight in water. I felt ready. So I took the test again and my antioxidant levels were… two points lower. Sigh. I wasn’t expecting overnight transformation, but I’d hoped for a little improvement. Next time, I’m eating the hash. Taking the test on subsequent days — days that I did nothing special to improve my score — I never scored higher than 60 and dropped as low as 56. So it seems this is a metric that may take some time and effort to budge. Finally, a new design! Since its fourth generation, the Galaxy Watch has looked pretty much the same: a round glass screen set in a round metal case with large prongs popping out of the top and bottom to hold the band. While there was nothing wrong with sticking with a good design, giving a device a refreshed look lends the yearly update cycle some meaning — instead of feeling like an obligatory move to appease stockholders. With 3,000 nits of peak brightness, the watch is easy to read even in the bright Albuquerque sun. Amy Skorheim for Engadget This time around, the Galaxy Watch 8 looks markedly different thanks to a shape borrowed from last year’s Ultra model (and some high-end timepiece profiles). Samsung calls it a “cushion design” — a circular glass display set atop an aluminum case that looks like a roundish square (or squircle as our own Cherlynn Low calls it). The Sport band on my review model curves to meet the width of the case, creating a smooth arch that I think is more refined than the clunkier pronged configuration. In fact, the entire look is classy — much more so than the Apple Watch, which looks like a miniaturized iPhone 11 glued to a silicone strap. The cushion design is great in one way, but also worrisome. Because the glass display stands proud of the case by at least two millimeters, my first thought was: “I’m going to trash this screen.” Immediately after taking the watch out of the box, I ordered screen shields and, during the course of this review, managed to crack one. That’s possibly because I was cheap and ordered off-brand screen protectors, or perhaps the protruding glass cushion is simply begging for misfortune. However, the raised glass solves one issue with the Galaxy Watch 7. One way to scroll is by running your finger along the outer edge of the screen. In fact, on-screen cues suggest that gesture when there’s more content to view. On the Watch 7, my finger was always getting in the way of the text I wanted to read. Now that the display is elevated, there’s room for my finger to travel further out along the outer edge and stay out of the way. Appearance aside, my favorite hardware update is the much more comfortable design. The Watch 7’s underside had a sizable sensor node, and it took me a week to get used to the feel — I wrenched it off the first night I tried to wear it to sleep. The Watch 8, however, felt good the first time I put it on. And now that I’ve spent more time with it, I can say it’s the most comfortable watch I’ve tested. I often forget I have it on and don’t mind wearing it to bed, which is saying a lot. In fact, when I slept with it on one wrist and an Apple Watch Series 9 on the other to compare sleep data, I woke up in the middle of the night and took off the Apple Watch, but felt no compulsion to do the same with Samsung’s model. Gemini on your wrist and Wear OS 6 The Galaxy Watch 8 is the first smartwatch to ship with Google’s Wear OS 6, though Samsung overlays it with its own One UI interface. The first time we’ll get a look at the unfiltered wearable software will be on Google’s upcoming Pixel Watch 4. The headline feature is Gemini integration. Now, most things you can do with the Gemini app on your phone can be done through your watch. Just note that you’ll need to have your Gemini-compatible phone nearby to use it. Amy Skorheim for Engadget Google’s AI was pretty snappy at basic tasks like setting reminders and timers. Requests that required more “thought” took only marginally longer (and completed more quickly when I was using my home Wi-Fi versus relying on cell signals out in the world). I asked for the best record stores in my city and a good place to eat lunch. I was pleasantly surprised to hear of a new-to-me answer for each category. The record store turned out to be two bins of LPs inside a book shop, but still, I hadn’t heard of it before. I asked why my eight-year-old talked about lava chicken all the time and was correctly informed about Jack Black and A Minecraft Movie. The assistant displays answers in text form on the watch screen and also reads out every word. That can turn into a lot of talking, but tapping the screen stops the chatter if you prefer to read. Gemini can handle follow-up questions and tasks, but since it doesn’t usually keep listening after it speaks, you have to tap the mic icon to make your next request. I reached out to Samsung to ask if I could change a setting to make Gemini keep listening, but there isn't one at this time. For now, you'll need to tap or say "OK Google" again for followups like, “Add that to my Google Keep” or “Remind me about that.” If Gemini asks you a question, however, such as verifying a text it’s about to send, it does keep listening for the answer. You can also combine commands at the outset, such as asking to look up an address and text it to someone. I requested some fairly specific tasks and didn’t hit any snags. I asked it to text the address of a local restaurant to my husband and it verified which location I wanted then sent the message. I asked when the Albuquerque Isotopes were playing the Sacramento River Cats and it gave me the upcoming dates. I tapped the mic and said, “Add that to my calendar,” which it did. It only let me down twice. When I asked whether it was going to rain, it just read me the general weather forecast instead of answering the question. All the other assistants in my life (Alexa and Siri) can answer those questions — though technically that’s a Gemini problem, not the watch's fault. The other disappointment is a matter of integration. I was out on a walk and I asked for directions to a nearby grocery store. Gemini gave me the address and the distance, but told me to look at my phone for the actual directions. When I asked Siri the same thing on the same walk, directions simply showed up on my Apple Watch. (Yes, I’ve been wearing two watches and carrying around two activated phones like a double agent, just much less cool.) Tiles on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Amy Skorheim for Engadget In addition to Gemini, Wear OS 6 introduces updated and larger tiles which organize and display information on your watch. By default, the tiles are separated into categories: Health, Fitness and Basic (weather, media playback, calendar) with each box displaying a bit of pertinent info — activity metrics, current temp, your next event and so on. If the limited info isn’t enough, tapping a tile opens the respective app. You can categorize, rearrange, swap out and add as many pages of these cards as you want in the Wear app on your phone. I spent some time tweaking the layout to my liking, but really didn’t alter the defaults too much. Already this feels like a much smarter way of interacting with a watch. Now you can glean key information from the apps that are important to you just by browsing your tiles. The running coach made me mad, but it earned my respect The Galaxy Watch 8’s built-in, AI-fueled running guidance sounds a bit like the upcoming Workout Buddy that Apple announced for watchOS 26. I plan to test that out next and it will be interesting to compare the two. Google Pixel watches and Fitbits currently have the option of an AI-powered running coach, but it’s limited to Premium subscribers. Garmin offers an adaptive training program called Run Coach as well, so this isn’t an entirely novel idea. Samsung’s running coach begins with an assessment: Run as fast as you can maintain for twelve minutes. You’ll then be awarded a performance level ranging from one to ten. Each level comes with a tailored, four-week plan with four workouts per week intended to get you ready to complete a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon. My 12-minute, 22-second per-mile pace put me at a level three. My plan was geared towards getting me to run a sub-35-minute 5K at the end of four weeks. Samsung/Engadget The first workout was low-intensity interval running with four segments of running hard, interspersed with cool-down walks — which felt easy and attainable. Two days later I did the second routine, which had me run for thirty minutes at my assessment pace (which it referred to as a “slow jog”). For the next session, I was told to run for 30 minutes on a hilly course. There was some walking on the inclines, but I completed it. After that, I was startled to see it wanted me to run for 3.1 miles with a target pace below 12 minutes. Yes, on workout four (of 15 total), I was supposed to run a 5K faster than my assessment pace. This felt unfair. Unhinged. Not nice. But in the name of proper gadget testing, I tried. During every run, the AI coach chimes in each minute with a pace update, letting you know whether you’re going slower, faster or right around your target. You also get updates on your completion level, with a shout out at 30 percent, half way and 80 percent. Three or four times per session, the coach gives you some canned advice like telling you to focus on maintaining a consistent pace and not speed, reminding you that runs build cardiovascular health or suggesting that you cool down after a workout to avoid injury. You also get interjections like “You’re doing great” or “You’re almost done, finish strong.” At first, I hated the constant pace checkins. Once I hit the halfway point of the 5K, I started to lag. My watch told me over and over: “You’re running slower than your target pace. Try to speed up if you can.” I wheezed obscenities in response. But then, when I really just wanted to quit, I started to look forward to the next update, knowing it meant I’d stayed on my feet for one more minute. Ultimately, I ran faster and farther than I would have without a coach. I wouldn’t have attempted a 5K, because that’s just insane. Of course, I’m a pretty easy win for Samsung’s running coach. I’m an optimistic person and I’ve never been coached before, so anything that says it "believes in me” and pushes me to try something I don’t think I can do is pretty likely to get some results. Samsung calls this an AI-powered regimen — and sure, it knew my pace, distance and heart rate and adjusted its encouragement accordingly — but I didn’t hear anything uniquely personalized to me and my journey. But I still have three weeks to go. Vascular load and bedtime reminders Two new features require overnight data gathering. Vascular load takes readings while you sleep to evaluate the health of your circulatory system, then tells you when your load is higher or lower than normal and offers recommendations. It requires three nights of data to set a baseline. After that, you’ll be able to check whether your load is higher, lower or steady. My range has been lower or steady over the past few days. The internet tells me that a high vascular load can lead to bad things like hypertension and heart attacks. And the Health app offers suggestions to improve your vascular load, too — things like getting better sleep, being active, limiting stress and maintaining a healthy weight. Personally, this isn’t an area I’m concerned about, but considering the prevalence of heart disease, it’s a good metric to keep an eye on.. Three nights of sleep also triggers the Bedtime Guidance feature, but I didn't see any notifications. I asked Samsung why, and was told to turn it on in the Health app (Health > Sleep > tap three dots icon > Bedtime guidance). I still didn’t get any guidance, which I realized was due to the fact that I have my bedtime set for 10PM, but I turn on the watch’s sleep mode by 9PM most nights. What can I say, I like sleeping. A bigger battery makes the AOD A-OK One of the prior model’s shortcomings was battery life. The always-on display (AOD) tanked the charge, so I kept it off. The Galaxy Watch 8 has a bigger 325mAh battery, compared to the 300mAh one on the Watch 7. Twenty-five milliamp hours isn’t a huge jump, but in batteries, bigger is always better. And that’s true here. I charged the watch to full at 12:30PM, turned the AOD on and after two auto-detected bike rides, one walk, some Gemini requests, checking notifications and using a few timers, it was still at 75 percent at 8:45PM. I enabled sleep mode shortly after and slept until 6:15AM. Then I did an AI-coached three-mile run and it still had 27 percent at 9AM. At 2:30PM it hit seven percent and I put it on the charger. Samsung promises up to 30 hours of use on a charge with the AOD on. This was slightly less than that, but it was an activity-filled day and I was fine with the lifespan. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is super swank The spinning-bezel version of the latest watch is obviously aimed at the luxury watch-hound crowd. The knurled spinning bezel, inset diving bezel replica and the default chronograph watch face gives off serious Rolex Daytona/Omega Speedmaster wannabe vibes. It ships with a stitched leather-look band and the steel case has the heft and stature of an automatic mechanical timepiece. The always-on display and chunky buttons only add to the effect. Amy Skorheim for Engadget For me, the main advantage it has over the standard Galaxy Watch 8 is the protection the spinning bezel offers the raised display. The glass is shielded at the edges and it’s even inset slightly, which should ward off scratches. At first I thought it would be too chunky, but it’s surprisingly comfortable for its size and I really like how it looks. It’s an extremely attractive watch. I mostly tested out the standard version of the Watch 8, because I think most people will opt for that model, but if I got one for myself, I think I’d go with this beaut Pricing and the competition Samsung added $50 to the price tag on the 40mm Galaxy Watch 8, bringing it to $350. The larger 44mm model is now $380 (versus $330 last year) and the Classic variant is $500 for the single 46mm size. For reference, there was no Galaxy Watch 7 Classic and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic sold for $400 for the 43mm size and $430 for the 47mm. At $350, the base model Galaxy Watch 8 costs the same as Google’s Pixel Watch 3 (though the Pixel Watch 4 is almost certainly on the way and could be more expensive.) The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399, but it went as low as $279 during Prime Day. And, of course, a new Apple wearable is likely coming this September with a potential price bump as well. So Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 could end up being the most affordable of the major smartwatch releases once the dust settles from 2025’s launches. And if you’re a Samsung smartphone user, it’s easily your best bet. All the small things The core functions of the Galaxy Watch 8 haven’t changed all that much. We went in-depth on the fitness and health features for our review of the Galaxy Watch 6 and covered the notable perks of Samsung’s wearable in our Galaxy Watch 7 review and our Galaxy Watch 5 review. So I’ll just point out that the workout tracking is still accurate — and it’s faster to suss out when I’m on a walk than my Apple Watch. The companion Health app, where you view all the data your watch gathers, is helpful and a delight to use with its common-sense suggestions and friendly animations. And the daily Energy Score is a useful indicator of how I’m doing with my sleep and movement goals. Amy Skorheim for Engadget The Watch 8 is an industrious accessory for a Galaxy phone. My only lingering gripe is that the notifications aren’t as intrusive as my distracted brain needs them to be. They’re easy for me to miss. The double tap feature is great — a pinch gesture that dismisses or triggers actions without you having to touch the screen. I use it often and the watch almost always registers the motion. The screen has only become more responsive and navigation is plenty zippy. And finally, I love how customizable the watch faces are. Wrap-up: The best smartwatch Samsung has made in years The substantially refreshed look was the first indicator that Samsung was (finally) doing something different with the Galaxy Watch. I was pleasantly surprised by how well and how quickly Gemini was able handle functions on the wearable itself, as well as answer my questions. The tiles make hunting down info on the watch much easier and the new health metrics like antioxidant levels and vascular load could come in handy for many folks. Also the Classic variant this year is a truly stunning timepiece, finally bringing a true grown-up style to smartwatches. The AI running coach got more out of me than I thought possible (and ensured that I will be fast asleep before any Bedtime Guidance suggestions kick in). But the changes that pleased me the most were the improved battery and markedly increased comfort. Those were two factors that prevented the just-good Galaxy Watch 7 from being a great smartwatch. Of course, if you don’t have a Samsung phone, there’s no point in considering any Galaxy Watch (and if that’s you, you probably haven’t read this far down anyway). But if you’re a Galaxy fan, this watch may very well delight you and help you get the most out of your phone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/galaxy-watch-8-review-samsungs-best-smartwatch-in-years-155857108.html?src=rss View Source Article

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft launches NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station on Friday, March 14, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Aubrey Gemignani NASA invites the public to participate as virtual guests in the launch of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory. This is the first spaceflight for Cardman and Platonov, the fourth for Fincke, and the second for Yui. NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 12:09 p.m. EDT, Thursday, July 31, for launch on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of the public can register to attend the launch virtually. Virtual guests will receive curated resources, interactive opportunities, mission updates, and a mission-specific collectible stamp for their virtual guest passport after liftoff. Discover an exciting new way to collect and share passport stamps. Print one for your virtual guest passport and get an extra one, perfect for sharing or digital collecting. Don’t have a passport yet? Print one from the agency’s website and add Crew-11 to your collection. For more information about the Crew-11 mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew View Source Article

New iPhones for the AI era. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge The wait is over — kind of. Apple’s iPhone 16 series is now widely available, including the kinda affordable 16E, and its much-hyped Apple Intelligence has arrived courtesy of iOS 18.1. But if you’re expecting a new kind of iPhone experience, well, I have some bad news for you. The AI features introduced in iOS 18.1 and more recent updates, including the writing tools and ChatGPT integration, are standard fare at this point. And although Siri has a new coat of paint, it’s basically the same old Siri. Apple has promised much more, but the Apple Intelligence rollout is going to be a slow burn that lasts well into the fall. This is all to say that if you don’t have any complaints about how your current phone is working, you definitely shouldn’t rush out and get a new one just for Apple Intelligence. That’s actually the gist of our phone buying philosophy: hang on to the one you’ve got. If you’re not the type of person to get excited about a new camera button, updated photo processing options, or incremental performance upgrades, then there’s no reason to run out and buy an iPhone 16. But if you’re questioning whether it’s the year to replace your iPhone 11 or 12 (or you’re concerned about a price increase as a result of the current tariff situation), then I think the answer is an easy yes. There are real gains this time around, especially in the basic iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, without even considering AI. And if Apple Intelligence turns out to be something special eventually, well, you’ll be ready for it. The best iPhone for most peopleThe best high-end iPhoneThe iPhone with the best battery lifeThe best inexpensive-ish iPhoneWhat about the iPhone 15? The best iPhone for most people iPhone 16 Apple’s baseline iPhone has a 6.1-inch screen, two rear cameras in a rearranged vertical layout, a customizable Action Button, and a new Camera Control button. It also supports Apple Intelligence, which has started rolling out throughout 2024, with further development continuing into 2025. Score: 8ProsConsReliable camera with versatile photographic stylesHandy new Action ButtonMore RAM and a current-gen chipsetStandard refresh rate screenCamera Control is a mixed bag Where to Buy: $799 at Apple $829.99 at Best Buy $829.99 at Verizon Screen: 6.1-inch, 2556 x 1179 OLED, 60Hz refresh rate / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 main with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W wireless MagSafe, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 Apple’s basic iPhone enjoyed a significant hardware boost this time around, playing an overdue game of catch-up to the Pro series. The iPhone 16 includes the Action Button from 2023 Pro models — handy if there’s an app in your life you want to access at the touch of a button — and the new Camera Control. So if buttons are anything to go by, this phone is two better than the last-gen model. There’s more going on under the hood, too. The A18 chipset is in the same generation as the processor on the Pro models, which hasn’t been the case for the past couple of years. That bodes well for the 16 series staying on the same update schedule. And there’s extra RAM in this year’s base model, which can only be a good thing. The iPhone 16 became a much more interesting camera this time around, too. The Camera Control offers a quick way to launch the camera app and adjust settings like exposure compensation. But there’s also a new set of Photographic Style filters this time around, with options to adjust contrast, brightness, and undertones to dial in your preferred rendering of skin tones. You’ll get better low-light performance by stepping up to the 16 Pro models, and other cool tricks like 4K recording at 120 fps. But even without all that, it’s the most customizable camera Apple has offered yet. Outside of camera performance, there are two major drawbacks to picking the regular 16 over a Pro model: no zoom lens, and no ProMotion screen. Only the Pro has a dedicated 5x lens, which is handy for creative framing. And the standard 60Hz screen on the iPhone 16 will likely only bother you if you’re used to a smoother 120Hz display, though it’s annoying on principle that Apple keeps this feature to its Pro phones when virtually every other high-end phone has one. Read my full Apple iPhone 16 review. The best high-end iPhone iPhone 16 Pro The iPhone 16 Pro sports a new 6.3-inch OLED panel with 120Hz refresh, all of which is powered by a new A18 Pro chip. Its triple camera array features a higher-res 48MP sensor for its ultrawide lens, and there’s a new physical Camera Control button for taking pictures and operating the camera app. Score: 8ProsConsNew tone control in camera lets you dial back HDR processingWho doesn’t love a physical shutter button?Your video director friends will spend hours gleefully taking 4K120 video portraits of people at street festivalsCamera Control button is a little fiddlyDefault photo processing is more aggressive than everThe most incremental of incremental upgrades over the iPhone 15 Pro Where to Buy: $999 at Apple $999.99 at Best Buy $999.99 at Verizon Screen: 6.3-inch, 2622 x 1206 OLED, 120Hz refresh rate / Processor: A18 Pro Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.8 with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS; 48-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 The iPhone 16 Pro gets a small but meaningful upgrade this time around: a bump up to a 5x zoom, which on the 15 series was reserved for the Pro Max. And while the change from a 3x to 5x zoom doesn’t look that impressive on paper, it goes a long way to making the smaller 16 Pro feel like an equal to the 16 Pro Max. For once, you don’t need to get the biggest phone to get the best phone. The 16 Pro is roughly the same size as the 15 Pro, but it has a bigger screen: 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches. There’s also the new Camera Control, an upgraded 48-megapixel ultrawide on board, and naturally, a new chipset that — naturally — supports Apple Intelligence. There’s nothing here that makes the 16 Pro an absolute must-upgrade. Still, plenty of people will want the latest device with all the bells and whistles, and the 16 Pro represents an opportunity to get all of those features without having to buy the biggest phone. Read our full Apple iPhone 16 Pro review. The iPhone with the best battery life iPhone 16 Plus The iPhone 16 Plus is the larger version of the iPhone 16, with a jumbo-sized 6.7-inch screen and a bigger battery. Like the smaller model, it starts with 128GB of storage and is configurable with up to 512GB. Score: 8ProsConsReliable camera with versatile photographic stylesHandy new action buttonMore RAM and a current-gen chipsetBig screen for big screen fansStandard refresh rate screenCamera control is a mixed bag Where to Buy: $899 at Apple $929.99 at Best Buy $929.99 at Verizon Screen: 6.7-inch Super Retina OLED / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 main with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W wireless MagSafe, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 The thing about a big phone is that it has a big battery. And while that’s easy enough to understand, it still feels surprising how much more performance you can eke out of the iPhone 16 Plus’ battery. It’ll stretch well into a second day of use, and even if you’re conditioned to charge your phone every night, you’ll be amazed at how much you have left in the tank at the end of each day. It’s a solid antidote to battery anxiety. Naturally, the 16 Plus’ big-ness comes with another bonus: a bigger screen. The benefits are obvious here, too. But something that stands out to me when I use the phone is just how light it feels for its size, especially if you’re comparing it to the 16 Pro Max. If you like a big display but don’t need all of the weight of the Max — metaphorically and physically speaking — then the Plus is the way to go. Read our full Apple iPhone 16 Plus review. The best inexpensive-ish iPhone iPhone 16E The iPhone 16E is the spiritual successor to the iPhone SE, bringing flagship-level performance for less than the standard 16. We really wish it included MagSafe for $599, but those upgrading from older iPhones will probably be satisfied with what’s included. Score: 7ProsConsReliable performanceGood, if limited, camera systemIt’s the cheapest new iPhone you can buyNo MagSafe$599 feels like $100 too muchNo ultrawide Where to Buy: $599 at Apple $599.99 at Best Buy $599.99 at Verizon Screen: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48MP Fusion with 1x and 2x optical zoom, 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 20-watt wired, 7.5W Qi, no MagSafe/ Weather-resistance rating: IP68 This recommendation comes with a heavy sigh. Yes, the 16E is the cheapest new iPhone Apple sells. Yes, it’s a good phone. It has a capable camera, reliable performance, full water resistance, wireless charging, and will be supported with software updates for years to come. But its $599 price tag starts to feel like too much when you consider what it’s missing. There’s no MagSafe, which you can kind of add by way of a MagSafe case, but it’s a bummer not to have it built in when it has basically become a standard iPhone feature. There’s no ultrawide camera, no Dynamic Island housing timely information, no camera control (not a huge loss, honestly), and no Ultra Wideband for precise object tracking. It does support Apple Intelligence, but that doesn’t feel like much of a consolation, given that it’s very much still a work in progress. The 16E will most likely receive more years of software support than a previous-gen model like the iPhone 14 or 15. And sure, Apple Intelligence might turn into something useful someday. The 16E is a good choice if you want the path of least resistance to blue bubbles and FaceTime at your fingertips. But if you’d like MagSafe, a more advanced camera, and some of the other bells and whistles that got lost on the way to the 16E, then it’s not a bad idea to look at one of the older iPhones. Read my full Apple iPhone 16E review. What about the iPhone 15? Apple still sells the iPhone 15 new, cutting the price down to $699 with the introduction of the 16 series. There’s a strong argument for buying a 15 rather than the 16E if you don’t care about Apple Intelligence; the 15 Pro runs Apple Intelligence while the regular 15 doesn’t. Compared to the 16E, the iPhone 15 includes MagSafe, the Dynamic Island, an ultra wideband chip for precise item tracking, and an ultrawide camera. Update, July 25th: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability, with new links for relevancy. View Source Article

E-commerce startup OpenStore is slashing its valuation from nearly $1 billion to just $50 million in a new round of funding as it prepares to narrow its focus to building up menswear brand Jack Archer. View Source Article

After several generations of iterative updates, it feels like Samsung tossed the Galaxy Z Fold 7 into a Hyperbolic Time Chamber to create a stunning device that's leaner, stronger and more powerful than before. The best part though is the phone looks and functions just like a regular handset now that there’s less bulk to lug around. But at a moment's notice, it can go Super Saiyan by opening up to reveal an even larger 8-inch display to become a true multimedia raidboss. Unfortunately, it's still extremely expensive at $2,000. Though if you can handle the price, in a lot of ways, Samsung has finally achieved foldable phone nirvana with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. (Ed. note on July 25 at 9:00AM ET: The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been available to pre-order since Unpacked on July 9, and has now gone on sale. Since our review was published, additional reports on the Fold 7's durability has come out, including how its display has been rated to withstand 500,000 folds — twice the number of its predecessor. You can also read our reviews of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 series, which are now live.) Design: Chef's kiss When Samsung debuted its updated super sleek design language on the Galaxy S25 Edge, it felt like a novel way to reimagine the S25+ as a more engaging device. But when the company gave the same treatment to the Z Fold 7, that engineering became something truly transformative. Compared to its predecessor, Samsung's big foldable for 2025 is 10 percent lighter at just 215 grams. The bigger drop comes in thickness with Galaxy Z Fold 7 measuring a whopping 26 percent thinner (just 8.9mm when folded). This represents the biggest generation-over-generation decrease for the entire Z Fold line, which is kind of shocking considering it's happening seven years in. The result is a foldable that is basically the same size and weight as the Galaxy S25 Ultra (it's actually a little narrower), which is no mean feat for a class of gadgets that has been plagued by extra heft since they first came out. What might be just as impressive is that Samsung hasn't really cut corners to deliver the Z Fold 7's streamlined dimensions. You still get an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance (which can handle submersions of up to 5 feet for 30 minutes) along with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 in front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 in back. Samsung also completely re-engineered its Armor FlexHinge, which glides open and closed like a dream. Samsung even says that Z Fold 7's ultra-thin glass is 50 percent thicker than before while also sporting a new titanium lattice that adds additional support and durability to the phone's flexible display. Inside, Samsung has switched away from the under-display sensor used on previous models in favor of a more traditional hole-punch camera. This is a bit of a shame as it adds a small blemish to that otherwise gorgeous screen. However, with the panel now measuring 8 inches across (up from 7.6 on the Z Fold 6), there's more of it to enjoy even after you account for the small cutout. Plus, the move to a higher-res 10-megapixel sensor for this camera results in significantly better image quality than any of Samsung's under-display modules. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The one small design quirk is that sometimes the phone doesn't unfold all the way, often stopping just short at 179 degrees — much like the original Pixel Fold. That said, you can always make it go fully flat with a bit of extra pressure, though most of the time I don't even bother because this is the kind of thing that you don't really notice unless you're specifically looking for it. Displays: Now even bigger, both inside and out As for brightness and image quality, Samsung's panels are still unmatched. In addition to a larger main display, the Z Fold 7's exterior Cover Screen is slightly bigger at 6.5 inches. More importantly, it's noticeably wider too while sporting even thinner bezels, which makes the whole phone feel more usable. The feeling of holding a skinny baton I got on previous models is completely gone. Both screens also support a 120Hz refresh rate and can hit a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. And when compared to rivals like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Fold 7's displays just pop a touch more thanks to slightly richer colors and saturation. Sam Rutherford for Engadget After introducing S Pen integration on the Z Fold 3, Samsung has removed stylus support for this model — a big downgrade that may anger longtime Z Fold fans. The company claims it made this decision after seeing "very low" S Pen usage on previous generations, which frankly isn't all that surprising. But, as one of the highlight features that separated Samsung's big foldables from practically all of its rivals, it's still sad to see it go. Performance and software: The fastest big foldable phone The Galaxy Z Fold 7 unquestionably packs top-tier performance. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip along with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Everything feels fast and snappy while OneUI 8 and Android 16 bring app optimizations that help make the most of the phone's big display. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The biggest eye-opener for me was when I compared how long it took the Z Fold 7 to launch my current favorite mobile game, Sword of Convallaria, against the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Even with the increased performance of Google's recent Tensor chips, Samsung's foldable loaded the game in 13 seconds compared to 18 seconds for the Pixel. That might not sound like a ton, but it’s around 25 percent faster and when it's something you do multiple times a day, shaving off even a few seconds adds up fast.. Cameras: A major resolution bump While the Z Fold 7's ultrawide and 3x telephoto cameras are largely unchanged, the phone features a big photo upgrade thanks to a new 200MP sensor for its main camera. This is essentially the same component Samsung used in the S25 Ultra and S25 Edge, and it delivers a much-needed bump in image quality. Sam Rutherford for Engadget In bright light, the Z Fold 7 easily keeps pace with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. In certain situations like when snapping pics of food, some may prefer its shots thanks to Samsung's warmer color profile. The phone still tends to oversharpen things, but colors are vibrant. For those who want to maximize resolution, you can select the phone's full 200MP mode (images are captured at 12MP by default). At night, the Fold 7's shots remained surprisingly sharp. I still prefer the Pixel 9 Pro Fold due to its more accurate white balance and often sharper focus, though Samsung's phone isn't far behind. Potentially the biggest shortcoming on the Fold 7 is that its 3x optical zoom can't quite match the 5x telephoto cam on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. But for fans of group shots, Samsung added a new selfie camera with a wider 100-degree field of view. Battery life and charging: Solid longevity, but still only Qi 2 ready While the Z Fold 7's 4,400mAh battery is the same size as its predecessor, you will get slightly increased longevity due to improved power efficiency from its processor. In our local video rundown test, the Z Fold 7 lasted 20 hours and 50 minutes when using its main 8-inch display and 26 hours and 22 minutes with its exterior screen. Depending on which display you use, that's between 45 minutes and an hour longer than what we got from the previous model, which is nice to see considering battery life was already pretty solid. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Sadly, Samsung hasn't changed much when it comes to recharging. The Z Fold 7 supports wired charging at up to 25 watts — which is rather average for a modern flagship — alongside 15 watt wireless charging. And like the rest of the 2025 premium Galaxy line, this phone is merely Qi 2 ready, which means there's no built-in attachment system for magnetic accessories like charging pucks, card holders and battery packs. So if you want to use peripherals like those, you'll need to get a case with full support for Qi 2. Wrap-up I've always said that Samsung is at its best when it focuses on hardware design, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may be one of the best examples of that. With its latest flagship foldable, Samsung has removed one of the remaining barriers preventing people from trying out the new breed of phones: excessive size and weight. By widening its cover display, the Z Fold 7 looks and acts just like a regular smartphone, which is great for checking messages, looking up directions or snapping a photo. When you want to get really immersed in a show, movie or game, you can open up that beautiful flexible display, which is now even larger for your viewing pleasure. The phone’s higher-res main camera also brings upgraded image quality while its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip gives it a performance edge over rivals like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Sam Rutherford for Engadget I don't love how Samsung is backtracking on features by removing S Pen support and reverting to an old-school camera cutout instead of an under-display sensor for its main display. But at least in the case of the latter, that change comes with much improved image quality, which is a big upgrade for video calls. With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, you really do get the best of both worlds. Its new design is just as sleek as comparable traditional flagships while hiding a larger display that makes the need for small tablets obsolete. Unfortunately, with a starting price of $2,000, Samsung hasn't addressed the last roadblock stopping people from trying out a device that might completely change the way they use their phone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7-review-foldable-phone-nirvana-for-a-price-123004636.html?src=rss View Source Article

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Dragon spacecraft, stands in a vertical position at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.SpaceX Media accreditation is open for the next launch to deliver NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. This launch is the 33rd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for NASA and will liftoff on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Thursday, Aug. 21, to launch the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credentialing to cover prelaunch and launch activities is open to U.S. media. The application deadline for U.S. citizens is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Sunday, Aug. 3. All accreditation requests must be submitted online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email upon approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, or to request special logistical support, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, please contact NASA’s Kennedy Space Center newsroom at: 321-867-2468. Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitor entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov. Each resupply mission to the station delivers scientific investigations in the areas of biology and biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development and demonstrations. Cargo resupply from U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver scientific research to the space station, significantly increasing NASA’s ability to conduct new investigations aboard humanity’s laboratory in space. In addition to food, supplies, and equipment for the crew, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including bone-forming stem cells for studying bone loss prevention and materials to 3D print medical implants that could advance treatments for nerve damage on Earth. Dragon also delivers bioprinted liver tissue to study blood vessel development in microgravity and supplies to 3D print metal cubes in space. For almost 25 years, humans have continuously lived and worked aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies that enable us to prepare for human exploration of the Moon as we prepare for Mars. Learn more about NASA’s commercial resupply missions at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- Claire O’SheaHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov Stephanie Plucinsky / Steven Siceloff / Danielle SempsrottKennedy Space Center, Fla.321-876-2468stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov / steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / danielle.c.sempsrott@nasa.gov Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsInternational Space Station (ISS)Commercial Resupply View Source Article

James Gunn knows that most people are familiar with Superman's origin story, which is why DC Studios' new feature about the Man of Steel opens at a point when he has already become a world famous superhero. Instead of rehashing the tragic beats of Krypton's destruction, the movie is punctuated with moments that show you how deeply Superman cherishes the few remaining pieces of his homeworld. He loves his Kryptonian family crest and his out-of-control superdog. But the most impressive and alien keepsake that Clark Kent holds close to his heart is a massive stronghold buried deep beneath the ice in Antarctica. The Fortress of Solitude (which … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Websites like Polygon and Kotaku are facing huge challenges, opening opportunities for newcomers View Source Article

CRISPR gene-editing therapy has shown great potential to treat and even cure diseases, but scientists are now discovering how it can be used to prevent them as well. A team of researchers found a way to edit a single gene in a mosquito that prevented it from transmitting malaria, according to a paper published in Nature. These genetically modified mosquitos could eventually be released into the wild, helping prevent some of the 600,000 malaria deaths that occur each year.  Mosquitos infect up to 263 million people yearly with malaria and efforts to reduce their populations have stalled as late. That's because both the mosquitos and their parasites that spread malaria have developed resistance to insecticides and other drugs.  Now, biologists from UC San Diego, Johns Hopkins and UC Berkeley universities have figured out a way to stop malarial transmission by changing a single amino acid in mosquitos. The altered mosquitos can still bite people with malaria and pick up parasites from their blood, but those can no longer be spread to others.  The system uses CRISPR-Cas9 "scissors" to cut out an unwanted amino acid (allele) that transmits malaria and replace it with a benign version. The undesirable allele, called L224, helps parasites swim to a mosquito's salivary glands where they can then infect a person. The new amino acid, Q224, blocks two separate parasites from making it to the salivary glands, preventing infection in people or animals.  "With a single, precise tweak, we’ve turned [a mosquito gene component] into a powerful shield that blocks multiple malaria parasite species and likely across diverse mosquito species and populations, paving the way for adaptable, real-world strategies to control this disease," said researcher George Dimopoulos from Johns Hopkins University.  Unlike previous methods of malarial control, changing that key gene doesn't affect the health or reproduction capabilities of mosquitos. That allowed the researchers to create a technique for mosquito offspring to inherit the Q224 allele and spread it through their populations to stop malarial parasite transmission in its tracks. "We’ve harnessed nature’s own genetic tools to turn mosquitoes into allies against malaria," Dimopoulos said. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/crispr-can-stop-malaria-spread-by-editing-a-single-gene-in-mosquitos-133010031.html?src=rss View Source Article

3 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA test pilot Nils Larson walks around an F-15B research aircraft for a rehearsal flight supporting the agency’s Quesst mission at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The flight was part of a full-scale dress rehearsal for Phase 2 of the mission, which will eventually measure quiet sonic thumps generated by the X-59. The flight series helped NASA teams refine procedures and practice data collection ahead of future X-59 flights.NASA/Christopher LC Clark In a stretch of California’s Mojave Desert, NASA conducted a full-scale “dress rehearsal” to prepare how it will measure the noise generated by the X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft. The team behind the successful test flight series operates under NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology project. Beginning June 3 and concluding this week, researchers conducted a dry run for Phase 2 of NASA’s Quesst mission, when it will capture audio of the sonic thumps the X-59 will produce, rather than loud sonic booms associated with supersonic flight. “The dress rehearsal was critical for us,” said Larry Cliatt, sub-project manager for the Quesst acoustic validation phase, who is based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. “It gave us the opportunity to run through every aspect of our operation, from flight planning to data collection. In between those activities, we practiced aircraft operations, setting up the Ground Recording Systems, meteorological data collecting, and refining control room procedures. We were able to fine-tune our timelines, improve communication across teams, and ensure that when we perform these test with the X-59 aircraft, everything will run smoothly.” A NASA TG-14 glider aircraft is prepared for flight at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in support of the agency’s Quesst mission. The aircraft is equipped with onboard microphones to capture sonic boom noise generated during rehearsal flights, helping researchers measure the acoustic signature of supersonic aircraft closer to the ground.NASA/Jim Ross During the tests, at NASA Armstrong, an F-15B aircraft served as a stand-in for the X-59, flying faster than the speed of sound and making multiple passes over the Mojave sands. While it flew, researchers captured acoustic data using a linear array of ground recording systems spaced across miles of open desert, recorded weather readings, and measured the shock waves it generated. For a supersonic aircraft like the F-15B, shock waves typically result in loud sonic booms, but the X-59 is designed to diffuse them in a way that will dramatically limit noise. NASA’s Quesst mission aims to enable quiet supersonic flight over land using data from the X-59. The experimental aircraft will begin making its first flights this year – the first phase of Quesst. A NASA intern sets up ground recording system (GRS) units in California’s Mojave Desert during a Phase 2 rehearsal of the agency’s Quesst mission. The GRS units were placed across miles of desert terrain to capture the acoustic signature of supersonic aircraft during rehearsal flights and in preparation for the start of the actual tests.NASA/Christopher LC Clark But even before it takes to the air, the mission began its preparations for Phase 2 with the dry run, which focused on practicing under realistic test conditions and identifying issues before the official campaign begins, not collecting data from the F-15B. Through Quesst’s development of the X-59, NASA will deliver design tools and technology for quiet supersonic airliners that will achieve the high speeds desired by commercial operators without disturbing people on the ground. NASA will also validate design tools through ground and flight testing, providing aircraft manufacturers the ability to explore new quiet supersonic concepts and have confidence that their resulting designs will meet requirements for quiet flight. Most importantly, Quesst will gather data to understand community response to sounds generated during flight – key knowledge for a quiet supersonic future. Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactNicolas Cholulanicolas.h.cholula@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterAdvanced Air Vehicles ProgramAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateAmes Research CenterCommercial Supersonic TechnologyGlenn Research CenterLangley Research CenterLow Boom Flight DemonstratorQuesst (X-59)Supersonic Flight Explore More 4 min read NASA Scientist Finds Predicted Companion Star to Betelgeuse Article 2 days ago 4 min read NASA Tests 5G-Based Aviation Network to Boost Air Taxi Connectivity Article 2 days ago 3 min read NASA Tests Mixed Reality Pilot Simulation in Vertical Motion Simulator Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

Tesla doubled the service area in Austin and might have tripled the number of vehicles from 11-15 to 35 in July, 2025. This means that Tesla has one third of the fleet compared to the 100 Waymo in Austin. Tesla will also ad 10-15 this weekend in San Francisco. This is reported by financial analyst ... Read more View Source Article

Here’s how the new tetrahedron-based design for the “Trionda” soccer ball may affect next year’s big game View Source Article

US national debt currently exceeds $36 trillion, but if you want to toss a few extra dollars of your own money to try and help bring that down, you can now do so from a Venmo account, as spotted by NPR’s Jack Corbett. You can see the Venmo payment option on the Treasury Department’s “Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt” website. There are also options to pay from a bank account, a PayPal account, or with a debit or credit card. Based on Wayback Machine archives, it appears that Venmo was added as a payment method sometime after February 22nd. (At that time, an Amazon account was a payment option, which isn’t currently available on the site.) Donors have contributed more than $67 million to this program since September 1998, per Treasury Department data. But when the debt grows at “just under $55,000 a second,” according to Axios, it might take more than Venmo donations to make a significant dent. And after the passage of Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, the debt is likely going to get even higher. View Source Article

Shares of International Business Machines Corp. declined the most since April 2024 after the company reported weaker-than-expected sales in its closely watched software segment, disappointing investors who have grown increasingly optimistic about the business. View Source Article

Samsung’s annual foldable refresh includes a trio of devices this year. While the Z Fold 7 comes with a top-tier processor and cameras, the Z Flip 7 carries over many technical details from its predecessor. In fact, the most significant upgrade this year is a more expansive front display, or Flex Window, as the company prefers to call it. Samsung has also, somehow, added an even bigger battery to a slimmer foldable, which is technically impressive. However, the company made minimal software additions and modest improvements in places. The upgrades are good, but are there enough of them? Hardware Mat Smith for Engadget Samsung has caught up to one of its few foldable rivals by substantially increasing the front display from 3.4 inches to 4.1 inches. The two camera cutouts are the only things interrupting this bright, vivid display. Despite bigger screens (and battery), the Flip 7 is also thinner than last year’s model. It measures 6.4mm (0.25 inches) thick, down from 6.9mm (0.27 inches). That's equal to the Galaxy S25 edge, where the major selling point is its thinness. I shouldn’t have to say this, but that thickness doubles when you fold it away: Samsung says it’s 13.7mm (0.54 inches) when closed. However you measure it, this is the thinnest Flip yet. The Flex Window now has a 120Hz refresh rate, can reach peak brightness levels of 2,600 nits (matching the S25 Ultra) and features the thinnest bezel yet (1.25mm) of any Samsung smartphone display. The brightness increase is a crucial upgrade on a screen that’s used mainly to glance at your device from across a desk or outside in sunlight. Samsung said it was able to further extend the display to the edges by applying a waterproof coating on components beneath the AMOLED display. This meant less bezel is needed around the screen’s perimeter. Samsung also expanded the foldable’s main screen to 6.9 inches — a notable step up from the previous model’s 6.4 inches. The company also wisely shifted closer to a more typical smartphone display ratio of 21:9. While it’s not quite the same as, say, the Galaxy S25 or iPhone 16, video content now fits better. Previous Z Flips had more elongated screens, making it hard to reach the upper corners when using one hand. While the Z Flip 7 has a better aspect ratio, it’s also bigger, which unfortunately means it has the same issue. If Samsung had changed the aspect ratio while keeping the screen size, it might have struck the ergonomic sweet spot. Not for the first time, Samsung says it’s further strengthened the Flip's hinge mechanism. While I can't attest to its longevity, the Flip 7 does close with a beefier 'thunk' than its predecessors. I like that it takes a little bit more strength to open because it makes the whole device feel more solid. If you’re hoping this is the year where the display crease disappears, I’m afraid that isn’t happening. For those who have never owned a foldable though, the Flip 7’s crease is largely unnoticeable. The cameras Mat Smith for Engadget The story of this year's Flip's cameras? More of the same. The Flip 7 has the same 50-megapixel f/1.8 primary setup with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 12MP ultra-wide lens with a 123-degree field of view. There’s a 10MP camera on the inside, too, but with the Flip’s improved front screen, you really should be using the primary camera duo. The best images come from well-lit scenes. Samsung’s Night Mode is a little aggressive, but it’s still great for nighttime shots, even if it leaves an over-processed look on skin tones and faces. The Flip 7 defaults to 12.5-megapixel images, but you can switch to 50MP stills if you want all the detail — and you have a steady hand. There’s no dedicated telephoto camera, which means the zoom is limited to a 2x crop, hindering the Z Flip 7’s versatility. Once again: if you want a foldable with the best cameras, you’ll have to go with the Fold series. Mat Smith for Engadget In regard to video capture, the Flip 7 can record video in 10-bit HDR, up from 8-bit, for more color accuracy and detail. And you can still hold the Z Flip 7 like a retro camcorder, which remains far more enjoyable than it should be. Software Mat Smith for Engadget Despite the bigger screen, Samsung hasn’t really evolved its Flex Window's software this year. There are a few improvements, though. When using the front display to take selfies and videos, interface icons and mode buttons will float around the display to get out of the way of what it detects you’re trying to take photos of. If you’re looking to use a special filter on your shots, the Z Flip 7 can show a live preview of each filter before you apply them. Two other software additions to the Flip series are the Now Bar and Now Brief, introduced in this year’s S25 series. The Now Bar is Samsung’s spin on the iPhone’s Dynamic Island, displaying pertinent ongoing or time-sensitive information that isn’t quite a notification, but something you might want to know about. This includes fitness metrics, weather or live updates from ride-share apps like Uber. You can tap into the Now Bar without opening the phone, and you won't have to unfold it if you’re looking to interact with Google’s Gemini Live either. It’s another Android feature that seems well-suited to foldables, as you can talk to Gemini with minimal physical interaction on the Z Flip 7. To use most other apps, you’ll still need to install the Multistar launcher (which is made by Samsung) in order to view and use basic software like Gmail and Chrome. This is the workaround for now, as Samsung hasn’t expanded the approved list of six apps that are allowed to run on the Z Flip 7’s Flex Window — a short list which bafflingly includes Netflix. Battery life and performance Mat Smith for Engadget Despite being even slimmer than last year’s model, the Flip 7 has a 4,300mAh battery that’s 300mAh larger than its predecessor’s. That, along with a new processor (its homemade 3nm Exynos 2500), has led to a leap in longevity. In our standard battery rundown tests, the Flip 7 played continuous video for 18 and a half hours. That’s a big jump from the 13-hour rundown I got from the Flip 6. I was so surprised I ran the test two more times to confirm and got similar results. The new chip never felt particularly sluggish, either, whether I was gaming, using Galaxy AI features or completing other taxing activities. That said, the phone would get warm, both in my hand and in my pocket, during camera testing and location-based tasks, like using Google Maps and CityMapper. In my day-to-day use, with heavy testing, I’d get through a solid day and a half before I had to think about recharging. Unfortunately, the Galaxy Z Flip 7's wired charging speeds still top out at 25W, which Samsung has the gall to call Super Fast Charging. It’s the same speed as the Z Flip 6 (and the base S25), but when other phones are using 45W charge speeds (or higher), it’s a little underwhelming, especially on a premium device like this. Wrap-up Mat Smith for Engadget By refreshing the design and further slimming down the Z Flip, Samsung has made its smaller foldable easier to handle. At the same time, it’s accomplished an engineering marvel by squeezing in larger screens and a more substantial battery. However, certain aspects of the Flip 7 are lacking, most notably the cameras, which haven’t been changed since last year. Samsung also needs to put more work into its Flex Window. While the ability to use most apps on the smaller front display is here, it’s still a fussy implementation and most of them aren’t tailored for the tinier screen. There’s untapped potential here and the Z Flip 7 doesn’t push its category of foldables forward by much.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-7-review-140022250.html?src=rss View Source Article

Lyft is partnering with Benteler Mobility to launch a self-driving shuttle service. In late 2026, Lyft plans to deploy the company’s all-electric Holon Urban shuttles in airports and cities around the US, allowing users to book trips from its ride-sharing app. Holon, a subsidiary of Benteler, says its rectangular bus has enough room to fit up to 15 people. With a max speed of 37MPH, the self-driving shuttle comes equipped with an array of lidar and radar sensors, along with 11 cameras, allowing it to operate with Level 4 autonomy. That means it can drive without human intervention, but isn’t capable of driving under all conditions. It uses autonomous driving technology from Intel’s Mobileye, which Lyft is also partnering with to launch a fleet of robotaxis next year. Details about where Lyft plans to deploy the self-driving shuttles remain slim, as it doesn’t look like Holon has any established routes in the US just yet. Last year, Holon announced plans to launch a manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, Florida, and also said it wants to deploy Holon Urbans in the city to “connect residential and business areas.” Aside from deals with Mobileye and Holon, Lyft is gearing up to offer robotaxi rides in Atlanta with May Mobility this year. It also previously offered rides with the Alphabet-owned Waymo and lets users book trips with Motional in Las Vegas. All of these deals may help Lyft keep up with Uber, which recently struck a partnership with Lucid and Nuro to launch 20,000 robotaxis throughout the US. View Source Article

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Meta will stop allowing political advertising on its platforms in the European Union as of October 2025, blaming the EU’s new "unworkable" transparency rules for what it called a "difficult decision." In a statement released by the company on Friday, Meta said the EU’s incoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulations presented it with "significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties." As of early October, users on any of Meta’s platforms in the EU will no longer see political, electoral or social issue ads, which Meta says can currently be placed by advertisers who complete an authorization process proving their identity. Ads of this nature are also required to include a "paid for by" disclaimer, and information about how much was spent on them must be publicly available. Meta argues that the TTPA rules put extensive restrictions on ad targeting and delivery that create an "untenable level of complexity" for advertisers. The EU introduced the new regulations in order to address widespread concerns over foreign interference in elections, as well as the potential manipulation of important information that might influence how someone votes. As well as labelling political advertising as such and providing information on its source and intention (which Meta says it already does), the soon-to-be-instated EU rules also list a number of conditions about how personal data is processed. The TTPA regulations will also forbid political ads from sponsors outside the EU sooner than three months before an election or referendum. Meta said that users of its platforms will see less relevant ads as a result of the restrictions, and that it made its decision after "extensive engagement with policymakers" in which it made its concerns about the threat to the "principles of personalized advertising" clear. The company’s decision only applies to the EU, and Meta users, including politicians, living in member states will still be allowed to discuss and share political content provided it isn’t via paid advertising. Meta isn’t the only company objecting to the incoming EU rule changes, which are also set to come into effect in October. Last year, Google stopped serving paid-for political ads in the EU, including on YouTube, and the company ultimately avoided fines for its allegedly "abusive" online advertising practices in 2019.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-will-stop-running-political-ads-in-the-eu-162232948.html?src=rss View Source Article

Tesla will start supervised Robotaxi service in San Francisco this weekend. There will be a safety driver will be in the front seat with full access to the wheel and brake. There will be a steady series of announcements as safety riders and safety drivers are removed, service areas are expanded, ramping of cars and ... Read more View Source Article

Tens of millions of people are already under heat alerts, and the worst is yet to come View Source Article

Battery not included. I get a lot of odd pitches in my inbox, but “9V battery-flavored corn chips” still stopped me in my tracks. My mind was ringing with questions (What? Who? Why!?!), but most importantly: What are they going to taste like? This limited edition flavor comes from Rewind, a new brand launching in Europe, starting with the Netherlands, promising to blend “nostalgia with exciting flavors.” Most of these sound pretty normal — cheese and onion, sriracha, paprika — but their nod to the “weird universal memory” of licking a battery was guaranteed to get my attention. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Verge (@verge) It’s been a while since I last licked a battery, so in the name of science I bought my own. Licking a 9V battery is probably safe, though Rewind is clear that it does “not recommend or condone licking, biting, or otherwise ingesting real batteries.” But I figure if it’s good enough for my colleague Sean, it’s good enough for me. I found the experience pretty unpleasant: a small, sharp shock and a lingering metallic aftertaste. Not what I usually look for in tortilla chips.  Rewind’s take is a little less intense. There is a sharp, acidic flavor at first, but it’s milder than I expected. I love salt and vinegar chips, and I’ve had packs that make me wince much more than these. What stands out a little more is that there is a mineral taste underlying it all, an odd tanginess that isn’t a million miles from battery metal. The chips themselves are a little thinner than I like — I prefer a more substantial crunch from tortilla chips — but aren’t bad at all. “It was definitely an unusual brief,” says Mattias Larsson, the chef who developed the flavor. “We used a blend of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate to create the tongue-tingling effect, and balanced it out with mineral salts which give the chips a metallic tang.” The 9V battery chips are limited edition, but if you’re curious then Rewind has a form where you can request a sample pack, which ships worldwide. View Source Article

Meta Platforms Inc. will stop selling political and issue-focused advertising in the European Union, citing new regulations that the company believes creates “an untenable level of complexity and legal uncertainty.” View Source Article

Google has announced that it has signed a global commercial partnership with Milan-based startup Energy Dome and has also invested in its long duration energy storage (LDES) tech for renewable energy. The deal, its first investment in LDES tech, entails using Energy Dome's carbon dioxide battery for the grids that power Google’s operations around the world. Batteries are used to keep excess energy generated by renewable sources, such as solar and wind, during peak production and when demand is low. But lithium-ion batteries can only store and dispatch energy for fours hours or less. Energy Dome explained that its CO2 battery can store and continuously dispatch energy for 8 to 24 hours, so Google can rely on renewable power more even when there's no wind or sun. Its technology uses carbon dioxide held inside dome-shaped batteries, which you can see in the image above. When there's excess renewable energy being generated, the batteries use that power to compress the carbon dioxide gas inside them into liquid. And when that energy is needed, the liquid carbon dioxide expands back into a hot gas under pressure. That gas spins a turbine and generates energy that's fed back into the grid for a period lasting up to a whole day.  Google said that Energy Dome's technology has the potential to "commercialize much faster" than some of its other clean tech investments, and it aims to "bring this technology to scale faster and at lower costs." It also said that it believes the partnership and its investment in Energy Dome can help it achieve its goal of operating on renewable energy 24/7 by 2030. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-invests-in-carbon-dioxide-battery-for-renewable-energy-storage-140045660.html?src=rss View Source Article

The Bluetti AC2P is perfect for camping trips and unexpected power outages. | Image: The Verge We’re in the middle of prime camping season, when the days are longer and the temperatures are warmer. While it’s the perfect time to unplug, you don’t have to go completely off the grid, as Bluetti’s AC2P Portable Power Station can power your essential gadgets when no traditional power sources are available. And right now, the power station is on sale at Amazon (with an on-page coupon), Walmart, and Lowe’s for around $169 ($80 off), matching the all-time low we saw during Prime Day. Bluetti AC2P Portable Power Station Where to Buy: $299 $169 at Amazon (with on-page coupon) $299 $169 at Lowe’s $299 $168.99 at Walmart If you plan to work remotely this summer — like way remote — the AC2P can keep your phone, laptop, and other electronics charged when a traditional outlet is nowhere to be found. It features six outlets (two AC, two USB-A, one USB-C, and a cigarette lighter), along with a standard output of 300W. Bluetti says that’s enough output to power small appliances, too, so you don’t have to give up your coffee machine while camping. It can also briefly handle loads of up to 600W thanks to a “Power Lifting Mode,” while a small display on the front shows the remaining battery life, the power draw, and other key info. The AC2P is relatively lightweight at just 7.9 pounds. Plus, it features a built-in handle, making it convenient to transport on road trips and outdoor adventures. For extra-long getaways, you can connect a compatible solar panel to recharge the AC2P in as little as 1.5 hours. You can also recharge it through more traditional means, such as an AC outlet or car charger. And when you return home, the power station can serve as an uninterrupted power supply, automatically kicking in when the power suddenly goes out. Other weekend discounts Belkin’s 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand has returned to its all-time low of $74.99 ($55 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. As the name suggests, the 3-in-1 charging stand allows you to charge up to three devices simultaneously, including an iPhone, an Apple Watch (with fast-charging), and a pair of wireless earbuds. The adjustable charging pad supports speedy 15W charging speeds and works with MagSafe-equipped iPhones; however, the base pad can only supply up to 5W of power. The Peak Design Travel Pack (45L) is ideal for stowing all of your camera gear while traveling, and it’s currently on sale at REI for $224.93 ($75 off) at checkout. The backpack features a rear hatch for total access, shoulder straps that tuck away, and hidden, external zip pockets for housing cash and other valuables. It has a standard capacity of 35L but can be expanded up to 45L, providing you with the flexibility to pack for longer trips. It can also accommodate laptops up to 16 inches in size. If you don’t need the latest and greatest smartphone, Samsung’s last-gen Galaxy S24 Ultra is now available for an all-time low of $799.99 ($500 off) at Best Buy. In her review, The Verge’s Allison Johnson called the S24 Ultra one hell of a phone, praising its top-tier hardware and large anti-glare display. The device also features a robust camera system, highlighted by a 200-megapixel main sensor. Although the Ultra was launched at the beginning of last year, Samsung has promised seven years of software and security updates, which means the device should remain fresh for years to come. View Source Article

Lyft Inc. is partnering with Benteler Group, an Austria-based manufacturer, to deploy autonomous shuttles in the US in late 2026, trying to catch up with rival Uber Technologies Inc. in offering driverless rides. View Source Article

The Brave web browser and the ad-blocker AdGuard have both announced that they are blocking Microsoft Recall by default. For the uninitiated, Recall is an AI-powered tool that accompanies Windows 11 and it records everything on a PC's screen. It's pretty obvious why a privacy-minded web browser like Brave and an ad-blocker would make this move. AdGuard said the decision was made due to a "privacy concern," going on to say that "the very idea of background screen captures is unsettling." A blog post on the matter suggested that the tool could "snap a screenshot of a private chat window, an online form where you’re entering your credit card or simply something personal you didn’t want saved." 🚨 Microsoft Recall — new threat or improvement?In May 2024, Microsoft introduced a new feature in Windows 11 that was actively taking screenshots of everything happening on the screen, including messages in WhatsApp and Signal. These screenshots were stored on the device… pic.twitter.com/C97KDylXPj— AdGuard (@AdGuard) July 15, 2025 Brave also cited privacy concerns, suggesting that a user's "entire browsing history" could be captured by the tool. "We think it’s vital that your browsing activity on Brave does not accidentally end up in a persistent database, which is especially ripe for abuse in highly-privacy-sensitive cases," the company wrote in a blog post. The chat app Signal made a similar move back in May, urging "AI teams building systems like Recall" to think "through these implications more carefully in the future." Brave says it was "partly inspired" by Signal. AdGuard and Brave both offer toggles to bring Recall back into the mix. Microsoft's controversial tool lets people jump to whatever was previously on a screen. This includes web pages, images, documents, emails, chat threads or whatever else. It actually sounds like a pretty nifty productivity tool, despite the privacy concerns. It's available with some Copilot+ PCs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/brave-and-adguard-now-block-microsoft-recall-by-default-152601475.html?src=rss View Source Article

Elden Ring Nightreign is finally getting a two-player mode. FromSoftware announced on Friday that it’s adding “Duo Expeditions” in a patch coming on July 30th, allowing you to take on enemies across Limveld with one other friend. Since Elden Ring Nightreign’s launch in May, the title has only let you play by yourself or in a group of three. Elden Ring Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki told IGN last year that “this was largely a game balancing decision.” The move disappointed some players (myself included) who weren’t able to find one more friend to form a trio, and didn’t want to play with a random teammate online. In a May interview with IGN, Ishizaki apologized for not including a two-player mode, saying the option was “overlooked and neglected.” He also said the team would look into adding support for two players in the future, and now that has finally arrived. Along with two-player support, next week’s 1.02 patch will also add updates to the game’s user interface, such as more Relic filtering options. Elden Ring Nightreign costs $39.99 and is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. View Source Article

The biggest tech companies are warring over who’s responsible for children’s safety online, with billions of dollars in fines on the line as states rapidly pass conflicting laws requiring companies to verify users’ ages. View Source Article

We’ve been playing around with the developer betas of Apple’s latest software, and now that we’ve spent time with iOS 26, Liquid Glass and more on actual devices, we have thoughts. From representation in Genmoji and Live Translation adventures to Apple Intelligence musings, our hosts Cherlynn Low and Mat Smith share what you can expect on your iPhones later this year. We also go over our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, as well as Microsoft’s SharePoint server vulnerabilities.  Check out the episode below or find the Engadget Podcast on your favorite podcast platform. We're pretty much everywhere. If you'd like to interact with our hosts live, make sure to join us on Thursday mornings on the Engadget YouTube channel for the livestream of this podcast. We're taking a break for the rest of July but will resume that broadcast in August. Come through, we can't wait to talk to you! Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Credits Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Mat SmithProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'BrienThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-podcast-a-taste-of-ios-26-ipados-26-macos-26-and-more-143044957.html?src=rss View Source Article

Back in 2024, we described how the then-new iOS 18 enabled you to tint your homescreen icons, allowing you to tweak the look of your iPhone's display. Now, with Apple's introduction of its Liquid Glass design for iOS 26, you can make your icons completely clear (assuming you're a fan of the new invisible look). The process of customizing your icons works exactly the same as it did for the tint: Long-press anywhere on the wallpaper background so that the icons start to do their little dance. You'll see an Edit button in the top-left corner; tap it, and then select Customize. At the bottom of the screen, a pop-up menu will offer several … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

US stocks edged higher on Friday, continuing a record-breaking climb as investors examined the latest earnings reports and President Donald Trump downplayed his clash with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. View Source Article

New Jersey citizens will now be able to flash their driver's license from their smartphones after Governor Phil Murphy signed a digital ID measure into law, joining the ranks of over a dozen other states to do so. The law also allows for digital non‑driver identification cards for those without driver's licenses. The bill also enshrines privacy and security protocols for those using the digital IDs, including safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to the underlying data. It outlines protections when using them, prohibiting any entities from requiring users to hand over their devices when presenting the digital ID. The bill clarifies that presenting a digital ID does not imply consent to a search or access to any other data on the device. “Digital driver's licenses will make life easier for drivers across New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy. “Innovation has always been at the core of who we are as a state, and my administration has embraced that spirit to deliver practical solutions that improve everyday life for our people. By bringing government services into the digital age, we’re setting a new standard for how the public interacts with state agencies.” Participation in the program is voluntary, so those who wish to keep using their physical IDs may do so. The state has set aside $1.5 million toward launching the program. It remains unclear whether these digital IDs will be compatible with Google Wallet and Apple Wallet, or if New Jersey intends to create its own digital ID app like Louisiana, New York and others.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/new-jersey-is-the-latest-state-to-embrace-digital-ids-140408431.html?src=rss View Source Article

This deal is on the platinum white model only. | Image: The Verge The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has long been a Verge-favorite gaming laptop, and we consider it to be the very best one that you can buy. This year, the lineup became even more powerful and spec-packed while still retaining the low-profile and portable 14-inch design that initially drew us to it. If you’re looking to make an upgrade soon, there’s a temporary $350 discount at Best Buy on a configuration that I think is a great choice for gamers who prefer to play titles at their highest graphics settings. Normally $2,399.99, the discounted price of $2,049.99 at Best Buy gets you the model that features a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED screen at 120Hz with G-Sync, AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti graphics chip, 32GB of 7,500MHz DDR5 RAM, and 1TB of storage. It’s not particularly tough to find a gaming laptop with these specs. However, I think it’s a feat to cram them all into a laptop that’s small and light enough to easily bring on trips, and to deliver it at a price that’s not too high considering what you’re getting. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) Where to Buy: $2399.99 $2049.99 at Best Buy (5070 Ti) $1799.99 $1349.99 at Best Buy (5060) View Source Article

Tech startups are spending big on advanced factories and weapons production. Customers are not guaranteed  View Source Article

The annoying thing about coffee is that its ideal temperature is fleeting. Get caught up in a particularly lively debate in your morning meeting and by the time you return to your cup of joe, it’s cooled right down. That’s where Ember’s smart heated mugs come in, and right now one of its best models is $30 off. The Ember Travel Mug 2 — this one is the 12-ounce variant — usually costs $130, but right now can be snagged for $100 when purchased online from Walmart. It can keep your beverage of choice at your preferred temperature between 120-145 degrees Fahrenheit for up to three hours on a full charge, thanks to the extended battery life. If that isn’t long enough, the included charging coaster can maintain optimum heat all day. You can pair your mug with the Ember app to tweak the temperature (there’s also a touch display on the cup itself if you don’t want to open your phone), and this model also supports Apple’s Find My service, so you can locate it on your Apple device using the Find My app’s map if you misplace it. The Ember Travel Mug 2+ is IP67-rated but bear in mind that it’s washable by hand only. This model is available in black. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/embers-travel-mug-2-with-find-my-is-30-off-right-now-135059507.html?src=rss View Source Article

Viewership data for comedy specials reveals why Netflix can see a future with podcasts on the service View Source Article

The third Samsung Galaxy Unpacked of 2025 fell right after the July 4 holiday in the US and smack in the middle of Amazon's Prime Day week. With all that was going on, you might have missed not only the new around the hardware launch, but also the opportunity to consider buying them.  At Unpacked, Samsung announced three new wearables: the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, the Galaxy Watch 8 and an updated Galaxy Watch Ultra. It also revealed a trio of new foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. However, despite rumors, Samsung did not roll out a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra model.  All of the devices announced at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked have been available to pre-order since Galaxy Unpacked on July 9. Starting today (July 25), though, they are generally available for sale. With that in mind, we've rounded up all the products to look out for, including their specs and any good deals to consider. We've also been able to review the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Watch 8 series, as well as the Galaxy Z Flip 7. While we await units of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, based on what we know it doesn't differ much from the Z Flip 6, so you can refer to our review of that older device for an idea of what to expect. That said, here are all the devices Samsung announced at Unpacked listed in one place so you can easily go over their specs and prices. Update, July 25 2025, 9:00AM ET: This story has been updated to reflect that Samsung's devices are now available for sale, as well as to include links to our reviews.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/how-to-buy-the-galaxy-z-fold-7-z-flip-7-and-galaxy-watch-8-series-140035509.html?src=rss View Source Article

Wristy business. I'm just getting acquainted with Gemini on the Pixel Watch I'm wearing when it tells me that there's a kind of pastry called "nun's farts." This relationship is off to a good start. "Nun's farts" was a totally appropriate response, by the way. I'd asked it for a list of pastries with silly names, prompted by a question from my 3-year-old. But my first reaction - right after "That's hilarious!" - was "I wonder if that's true?" Which sort of highlights the problem with having AI on your wrist. Google has just released an update for Wear OS that enables Gemini Assistant on smart watches for the first time. I figured I'd have to faff around wi … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Charter Communications Inc. shares tumbled after the company reported it lost more internet customers than expected during the second quarter amid increased pressure from mobile companies’ 5G and fiber home internet offerings. View Source Article

The US Senate has granted the Internet Archive federal depository status, making it officially part of an 1,100-library network that gives the public access to government documents, KQED reported. The designation was made official in a letter from California Senator Alex Padilla to the Government Publishing Office that oversees the network. "The Archive's digital-first approach makes it the perfect fit for a modern federal depository library, expanding access to federal government publications amid an increasingly digital landscape," he wrote.  Established by Congress in 1813, the Federal Depository Library Program is designed to help the public access government records. Each congressional member can designate up to two libraries, which include government information like budgets, a code of federal regulations, presidential documents, economic reports and census data.  With its new status, the Internet Archive will be gain improved access to government materials, founder Brewster Kahle said in a statement. "By being part of the program itself, it just gets us closer to the source of where the materials are coming from, so that it’s more reliably delivered to the Internet Archive, to then be made available to the patrons of the Internet Archive or partner libraries." The Archive could also help other libraries move toward digital preservation, given its experience in that area.  It's some good news for the site which has faced legal battles of late. It was sued by major publishers over loans of digital books during the Coronavirus epidemic and was forced by a federal court in 2023 to remove more than half a million titles. And more recently, major music label filed lawsuits over its Great 78 Project that strove to preserve 78 RPM records. If it loses that case it could owe more than $700 million damages and possibly be forced to shut down.  The new designation likely won't aid its legal problems, but it does affirm the site's importance to the public. "In October, the Internet Archive will hit a milestone of 1 trillion pages," Kahle wrote. "And that 1 trillion is not just a testament to what libraries are able to do, but actually the sharing that people and governments have to try and create an educated populace."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/internet-archive-is-now-an-official-us-government-document-library-123036065.html?src=rss View Source Article

A neurologist explains why weather changes from heat waves to thunderstorms might bring on painful headaches View Source Article

Apple has had two months to refine Liquid Glass since introducing the design language at WWDC. It's dialed the effect back, then amped it back up. It's addressed some of the biggest complaints - the Control Center, for one - and left us to live with some of the others. So after all the tweaks, how is everyone feeling about it? This week on The Vergecast, Victoria Song and Antonio G. Di Benedetto join me to discuss Liquid Glass and all of Apple's other software updates now that you can finally test them out in the public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and more. Antonio runs through his experience with the Mac's upgraded Spotlight and new Phone … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Jason Thomas, head of global research and investment strategy at Carlyle, examines the level of investment in artificial intelligence among the big tech companies and the significance of that spending on equity and bond markets and the overall US economy. (Source: Bloomberg) View Source Article

When Porsche first unveiled the new 911 GTS, it's safe to say that there weren't many people on planet Earth pining for a hybrid 911. The idea of one of the world's most iconic sports cars taking a cue from the humble Toyota Prius is a concept that's a little hard for the average auto enthusiast to get their head around. But they should try, because the technology that Porsche has deployed in the new 911 GTS, Porsche's first hybrid sports car, is properly impressive. This is a hybrid system that exists not to improve fuel consumption, but to genuinely make a sports car better thanks to the injection of a little high voltage and a lot of boost. Tech meets tradition The 911 has maintained its stubborn rear-engined layout since the beginning. Its motor is slung between and behind the back wheels, not because it's necessarily the best place for handling, but just because that's how it's always been done. That doesn't change with the 911 GTS. What is new, though, is the addition of an electric motor into the mix, augmenting that gasoline engine in the way-back. That new motor sits neatly inside the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, adding 54 horsepower and 29 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers are hardly remarkable, but the real magic is what else the car does with its new high-voltage system. There's actually a second electric motor here, a tiny one capable of surviving ridiculously hot temperatures. That's needed because it lives within the turbocharger. A turbocharger is a simple wheel that is spun by exhaust gas. This in turn spins another wheel that forces air into the engine's intake. It's a simple technology developed well over 100 years ago, but since those early days of forced induction, there's always been an issue when it comes to automotive applications: lag. The reliance of exhaust gases to spin the turbocharger creates an intrinsic delay between the driver requesting acceleration and the car actually delivering it. Internal combustion needs to build pressure to spin the wheel to suck in more air to provide more power. Porsche short-circuited that with this novel electric motor that spins the turbocharger up to 120,000 RPM in less than a second. Lag isn't completely eliminated, but it's so radically reduced that you hardly know it. Pair that with the extra, instant kick of torque provided by the electric motor in the transmission, and you have something magical: a car powered by gasoline that accelerates with all the instant ferocity of an EV. Design sensibility Tim Stevens for Engadget Porsche calls that whole system, plus the 1.9-kWh battery that powers it, T-Hybrid. The net result in the 2025 911 GTS is 532 hp and 449 lb-ft of torque. That's a substantial, 59-hp boost over the old GTS. Yet the only obvious sign that there's anything different about this car is the subtle T-Hybrid badges mounted down low on the doors. And that's a good thing, because I'm of the opinion that the current-generation 911, internally called the 992.2, is one of the prettiest cars on the road. Even in this decidedly understated Chalk color, it is absolutely striking. The color pairs perfectly with the 20-inch front and 21-inch rear black wheels and other ebony highlights around the car. The interior is similarly minimalist, monotone to an extreme. But there are just enough subtle highlights of materials like carbon fiber and Alcantara to make it feel racy and purposeful, not basic. And, if you like, you can go with many more wild interior combinations. Porsche is happy to let you customize to your heart's content, but beware that it's going to cost you. The car's interface is simpler than 911s of yore, too. Most of the controls have been consumed by the car's petite 10.9-inch touchscreen, serving both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while a curved, 12.6-inch virtual gauge cluster lives behind the steering wheel. What physical controls remain are well positioned, delivering strong tactility for your frequent tasks. Perhaps the most important is the drive mode dial that’s mounted at the four o'clock position on the steering wheel. It's how you dial up the intensity of the 911 GTS. Or, push the shiny little red button to go fully manic. Tim Stevens for Engadget Driving The GTS isn't Porsche's most powerful 911 of the moment. That honor lies in the 640-horsepower 911 Turbo S. But no other 911 delivers power like this one, offering a taste of the instant shove of the electric Taycan mixed with the internal combustion fury and high-speed acceleration you'd expect from a 911. It is, suffice to say, quite intoxicating. And to get the best taste of it, push that aforementioned crimson button. That gives you 20 seconds of Sport Response mode, with the car's electronic turbocharger assist doing its damndest to maintain maximum power. The exhaust opens fully, the transmission drops a gear or two and suddenly that machine you were idling through traffic absolutely comes alive. Put your foot down in this mode and the 911 GTS surges forward, without a moment's hesitation. You can hear the turbocharger behind your head whistling as it works to build intake pressure, hauling in air from the environment and jamming it right into the combustion chamber for the next squeeze and bang.It's addictive, but if you've become used to the silent surging power of an EV, it's perhaps a bit much. In Sport Mode, the standard sport exhaust on the GTS is loud enough to terrify anyone you go soaring past on a two-lane road. Thankfully, the GTS is easy to silence. One tap of the exhaust button mounted below that touchscreen and the GTS becomes quiet. It's not-quite EV quiet, but very hushed. Despite having electric motors and a battery, this is not a plug-in hybrid. You'll struggle to even get out of your driveway without that engine firing up. But that's okay. Remember: This isn't an efficiency play. In Normal mode, the suspension softens and the ultra-fast transmission transitions into something that smoothly slips from one gear to the next, keeping revs as low as possible to maximize fuel consumption. That nets the 911 GTS a 19 mpg combined rating per the EPA. Despite some bits of driving exuberance, I substantially bettered that, managing 25.1 mpg. Tim Stevens for Engadget But even at its most tame, the GTS is not a luxury grand tourer of the likes of an Aston Martin DB12 or Mercedes-AMG GT. At its softest, the suspension is still firm, the road noise from those prodigious tires is grating and even the wind noise at high speed is a bother — so much so that the middling Bose sound system struggles to overcome it. So, despite the GTS moniker, it's more of a sports car than a grand tourer. Instant power is this car's party trick, paired with amazing feel, effortless handling and the kind of prodigious grip that will make your favorite driving roads feel tame. Those are all the more reasons to find your new favorite roads. Despite punishing you on the highway and over broken asphalt, the 911 GTS never feels flustered and always leaves you wanting more. It's a car you won't want to get out of, which perhaps explains why I'm writing this very sentence from the driver's seat. Cost of entry At over $170,000 to start, or $196,185 as configured, it's not an affordable machine. Were I buying, my GTS would be a little cheaper. I'd stick with the rear-drive GTS model, rather than the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 you see here, simply for the fun-factor. I'd also skip the sunroof, which adds both $2,980 to the bill and weight to a car that already gained over 100 pounds compared to the prior GTS. Those two deletions alone would cut about $10,000 from that still-soaring price. Expensive, yes, but the technology here feels worth it. This is a novel approach to electrification, making a sports car sportier with hardly any compromise. It is a truly desirable machine, the kind of hybrid that Porsche fans may not have known they needed, but one they definitely need to try.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/porsche-911-gts-review-the-first-hybrid-911-is-better-with-a-battery-120038613.html?src=rss View Source Article

The LHCb experiment has observed a new difference between matter and antimatter in particles called baryons View Source Article

Turns out, Cheez-Its have antioxidants. If I were to believe the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, I don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. Normally, smartwatches don't make judgments about your nutritional intake. But this year, Samsung introduced a new experimental feature called Antioxidant Index. Using blue, yellow, and infrared LEDs, the watch's sensor can pick up carotenoid levels in your skin. (Carotenoids are a type of antioxidant that give fruits and veg their yellow, orange, or red hues.) You stick your thumb on the sensor, press, and in 10 seconds, you get an estimate of whether you're meeting the recommended amount of 400g of fruits and veggies per day. I wasn't expecting t … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

The head of Chicago’s biggest energy supplier has called for new rules to curb the impact of the artificial intelligence boom on consumers’ electricity bills. View Source Article

At the start of the year, President Trump announced his AI Action Plan, an initiative he said would eventually enact policy that would "enhance America's position as an AI powerhouse." Now, after months of consultation with industry players like Google and OpenAI, the administration has finally shared the specific actions it plans to take.    Notably, the framework seeks to limit state regulation of AI companies by instructing the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and other federal agencies to consider a state's existing AI laws before awarding AI-related funding. "The Federal government should not allow AI-related Federal funding to be directed to those states with burdensome AI regulations that waste these funds," the document states. As you may recall, Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" was supposed to include a 10-year qualified moratorium on state AI regulation before that amendment was ultimately removed in a 99-1 vote by the US Senate. Elsewhere, the AI Action Plan targets AI systems the White House says promote "social engineering agendas." To that end, Trump plans to direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology, through the Department of Commerce, to revise its AI Risk Management Framework to remove any mentions of "misinformation, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and climate change." Furthermore, he's calling for an update to the federal government's procurement guidelines to ensure the government only contracts model providers that can definitively say their AI systems are "free from top-down ideological bias." Just how companies like OpenAI, Google and others are expected to do this is unclear from the document.  Separately, Trump says he plans to remove regulatory hurdles that slow the construction of AI data centers. "America's environmental permitting system and other regulations make it almost impossible to build this infrastructure in the United States with the speed that is required," the document states. Specifically, the president plans to make federal lands available for the construction of data centers and power generation facilities. Under the Action Plan, the federal government will also expand efforts to use AI to carry out environmental reviews.     The president plans to sign a handful of executive orders today to start the wheels turning on his action plan. Trump began his second term by rescinding President Biden's October 2023 AI guidelines. Biden's executive order outlined a plan to establish protections for the general public with regard to artificial intelligence. Specifically, the EO sought new standards for safety and security in addition to protocols for AI watermarking and both civil rights and consumer protections.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/trumps-ai-action-plan-targets-state-regulation-and-ideological-bias-163247225.html?src=rss View Source Article

Observations of a baby star may show the earliest stages of planet formation that astronomers have ever seen View Source Article

Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature, that automatically screenshots nearly everything on a Copilot Plus PC, is meeting resistance from app developers. Signal kicked off a trend of blocking Recall earlier this year, with AdGuard and the Brave browser now also blocking the Windows AI feature. AdGuard calls Recall a “privacy concern” in a blog post outlining why it’s blocking Microsoft’s AI tool. “The very idea of background screen captures is unsettling,” says AdGuard. “At any given moment, the system could snap a screenshot of a private chat window, an online form where you’re entering your credit card, or simply something personal you didn’t want saved.” Brave admits it was “partly inspired by Signal’s blocking of Recall,” for its decision to also block Recall from accessing its browser. “We will disable it by default for Windows 11+ users, with a toggle to turn it back on for users who really want Recall,” says Brave. Signal first started blocking Windows 11’s Recall screenshots in May, while also highlighting that Microsoft “has launched Recall without granular settings for app developers that would enable Signal to easily protect privacy, which is a glaring omission that limits our choices.” Signal’s block involves using a DRM flag, which means it blocks any screenshot or accessibility tools from accessing the messaging app. Brave is able to offer access to screenshot and accessibility tools and still disable Recall, because Microsoft lets browser apps granularly disable Recall. “While it’s heartening that Microsoft recognizes that Web browsers are especially privacy-sensitive applications, we hope they offer the same granular ability to turn off Recall to all privacy-minded application developers,” says Brave. View Source Article

Welcome to Tech In Depth, our daily newsletter about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Ellen Huet considers the effects of the competition for supremacy among artificial intelligence companies. View Source Article

A few months since WWDC 2025, and Apple is shifting its OS update from developers to brave members of the public. Yesterday, the company launched the public beta version of all its operating systems, now all under the umbrella of "26", making my job a little bit easier. I’ve been testing the iOS 26 beta, which (like the rest) centers on a major design shift to Liquid Glass, with transparent overlapping elements and fluid animations. While it looks different, Apple’s focus seems to be familiarity and guiding the user in how to use its hardware, across mobile, PC and the rest. Engadget In iOS 26 specifically, key updates include a relocated search bar, improved Visual Intelligence for screenshots and boosted performance across many Apple Intelligence features, like voice note transcription, Genmoji and Image Playground (even if it thinks I’m entirely bald). The Camera app has been redesigned, Apple Music gains AutoMix and Messages offers more engaging options, with custom backgrounds and live translation. However, while the update focuses heavily on design and system consistency, new Siri enhancements aren’t here yet. Check out the full previews on the beta builds of iOS 26 here, macOS 26 here and iPadOS here. — Mat Smith Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The news you might have missed Headspace annual subscriptions are 40 percent off right now The best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for 2025 A year later, the Sonos Ace is finally fulfilling its potential Maingear’s new PC is beige ’90s desktop meets raytracing Back when the Millennium bug was the scariest thing out there. Maingear Maingear’s Retro95 is a new custom desktop PC that blends the aesthetic of ’90s beige desktops with modern, high-performance components. While its exterior evokes a 30-year-old machine that introduced many of us to dial-up internet, the Retro95 can be equipped with powerful internals, such as NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics and the latest processors from Intel and AMD. Continue reading. These smartphone cases give any iPhone a USB-C port Bring that iPhone X up to date! Ken Pillonel After creating the first ever (unofficial) USB-C iPhone back in 2021, Ken Pillonel has created an iPhone case that can give older device models a USB-C port, welcoming them to 2025. You can browse the options in his shop. The cases cover all 20 iPhones with Lightning ports and support data transfer. Continue reading. Anker Nebula X1 projector review The king of outdoor movies, if you can afford it. Engadget The Nebula X1 is an odd proposition. While Anker has produced multiple projectors in the past, it has never reached the $3,000 mark. For that money, though, it beams out a category-leading 3,500 ANSI lumens at 4K resolution. It also features never-before-seen innovations in home projectors, including liquid cooling to reduce fan noise and a motorized lens gimbal that automates setup. It’s framed as a portable outdoor projector, but it’s also just one of the best indoor projectors we’ve ever tested. With a sharp, high-contrast and color-accurate image, the video quality is stellar. It’s also easy to set up and incredibly versatile. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111549934.html?src=rss View Source Article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Hubble and Artificial Intelligence Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read Hubble Spies Swirling Spiral The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy NGC 3285B, a member of the Hydra I cluster of galaxies. ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. J. Foley (UC Santa Cruz) The swirling spiral galaxy in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is NGC 3285B, which resides 137 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra (the Water Snake). Hydra has the largest area of the 88 constellations that cover the entire sky in a celestial patchwork. It’s also the longest constellation, stretching 100 degrees across the sky. It would take nearly 200 full Moons, placed side by side, to reach from one side of the constellation to the other. NGC 3285B is a member of the Hydra I cluster, one of the largest galaxy clusters in the nearby universe. Galaxy clusters are collections of hundreds to thousands of galaxies bound to one another by gravity. The Hydra I cluster is anchored by two giant elliptical galaxies at its center. Each of these galaxies is about 150,000 light-years across, making them about 50% larger than our home galaxy, the Milky Way. NGC 3285B sits on the outskirts of its home cluster, far from the massive galaxies at the center. This galaxy drew Hubble’s attention because it hosted a Type Ia supernova in 2023. Type Ia supernovae happen when a type of condensed stellar core called a white dwarf detonates, igniting a sudden burst of nuclear fusion that briefly shines about 5 billion times brighter than the Sun. The supernova, named SN 2023xqm, is visible here as a blueish dot on the left edge of the galaxy’s disk. Hubble observed NGC 3285B as part of an observing program that targeted 100 Type Ia supernovae. By viewing each of these supernovae in ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared light, researchers aim to disentangle the effects of distance and dust, both of which can make a supernova appear redder than it actually is. This program will help refine cosmic distance measurements that rely on observations of Type Ia supernovae. Text Credit: ESA/Hubble Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge Hubble’s Galaxies Reshaping Our Cosmic View: Hubble Science Highlights View Source Article

Think: subzero temperatures, bone-rattling storms and mysteries about the future of our planet under the ice. View Source Article

US President Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan unveiled this week is set to be a positive driver for data center projects in Asia, a Singapore-based industry executive said. View Source Article

Sonos’ Very Bad 2024 is well documented. Its redesigned app endured a disastrous launch, to the extent that it was initially fundamentally broken. The company was then forced to delay two product launches in order to fix the botched software that its devices are so reliant on. And in the wake of the mess, the company’s then CEO Patrick Spence stepped down at the beginning of 2025. He was replaced by Tom Conrad on an interim basis, but after seemingly steadying what looked like a sinking ship, the former Snap executive has been handed the job permanently. Conrad had been on the board of directors at Sonos since 2017 and conceded after taking the top job back in January that the company had "let far too many people down." Shortly after that he announced that around 200 jobs would be cut as part of a "reorganizing' of the company’s product division, before it reportedly canceled its long-rumoured video streaming device far into its development. This was followed by Sonos ending its partnership with IKEA in May. Former CEO Patrick Spence said in an earnings call last year that the total cost of fixing the many issues with the Sonos app was between $20 and $30 million. In a significant recent update to its flagship Sonos Ace headphones, the company finally introduced the TrueCinema feature that was promised when the headphones launched in 2024. This uses a supported Sonos soundbar to measure the acoustics of your room and then channels the data into the delivery of spatial audio in the headphones, making it sound more convincing. In a statement, Sonos’ now-permanent CEO said he was "excited to move from rebuilding to imagining the next generation of experiences."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/sonos-gets-to-keeps-its-ceo-as-a-treat-164559137.html?src=rss View Source Article

New deep-brain-stimulation implants for Parkinson’s disease can listen in on brain waves and adapt to treat symptoms. Can this approach target other conditions? View Source Article

A US district court judge has withdrawn his decision in a biopharma securities case after lawyers noted that his opinion referenced fake quotes and other erroneous case information — mistakes mirroring errors in other legal cases that have been attributed to artificial intelligence tools. In a letter sent to New Jersey Judge Julien Xavier Neals, lawyer Andrew Lichtman said that there was a “series of errors” in Neals’ decision to deny a lawsuit dismissal request from pharmaceutical company CorMedix. These citation errors include misstating the outcomes in three other cases, and “numerous instances” of made-up quotes being falsely attributed to other decisions. As reported by Bloomberg Law, a new notice published to the court docket on Wednesday says “that opinion and order were entered in error,” and that a “subsequent opinion and order will follow.” While it’s not unusual for courts to make small revisions to decisions following a ruling — such as correcting grammatical, spelling, and style errors — major modifications like removing paragraphs or redacting decisions are rare. There is no confirmation that AI was used in this case. Nevertheless, the citation errors carry the same telltale signs of AI hallucinations that have appeared in other legal filings as lawyers increasingly turn to tools like ChatGPT for help with legal research. Attorneys defending MyPillow founder Mike Lindell were fined earlier this month for using AI-generated citations, and Anthropic blamed its own Claude AI chatbot for making an “embarrassing” erroneous citation in its own legal battle with music publishers — just two of many examples showing that LLMs won’t be replacing real lawyers anytime soon. View Source Article

Unitree Robotics is marketing one of the world’s first humanoid robots for under $6,000, drastically reducing the entry price for what’s expected to grow into a whole wave of versatile AI machines for the workplace and home. View Source Article

2024 was an awful year for Sonos. Its long-awaited entry into a crowded headphones market was eclipsed by a bungled app launch which had a knock-on effect that impacted everything the company had planned to do for the rest of the year. Plus, those Ace headphones were missing a major feature. One year later, that TrueCinema spatial audio enhancement is finally ready. And with that update, Sonos added a few more improvements to the Ace, including two-person TV Audio Swap, adaptive noise cancellation and better calls. I spent some time testing every aspect of the update that arrived in June to determine if Sonos’ headphones really are better after the tweaks. TrueCinema is finally here The first time I tried the Ace at a press event last spring, TrueCinema was one of the main parts of the demo. From the jump, Sonos was clear this wouldn’t arrive when the headphones first went on sale, but I also didn’t expect the company to take a full year to have it ready. As a refresher, TrueCinema is a feature for the Ace that takes into account the acoustics of the room where one of its soundbars is located. It then creates spatial audio for the headphones based on that info when TV Audio Swap is active. According to Sonos, it supposedly “understands the dynamics of your space, acoustically treats it and makes it sound like you have a beautifully tuned 3D audio system right in your headphones.” It’s similar to the company’s TruePlay tuning that calibrates its soundbars to your living room or home theater space. Sonos has championed TrueCinema as a more realistic listening experience. Since it simulates the characteristics of the room, it’s supposed to make it seem like you aren’t wearing headphones at all. I’m not convinced on that point, but the feature does significantly enhance the spatial audio capabilities of the Ace for TV Audio Swap. For example, subtle details in movies — things like footsteps, as well as various beeps, clicks and taps in Rogue One — are a lot more obvious with TrueCinema. There’s more overall depth and direction to the sound as well, which makes this the optimal mode for watching TV or movies with Sonos’ headphones. I’m confident my review score would’ve been higher if this was part of the original package since it makes such an obvious improvement to sound quality. TV Audio Swap for two Billy Steele for Engadget The marquee feature for the Sonos Ace for the last year has been TV Audio Swap. This allows you to send the sound from a compatible Sonos soundbar to the headphones for an individual listening experience. Of course, this means you can watch an action flick at full volume after your family goes to bed or to tune in to a sporting event without annoying your partner. This has worked well for me both during my review and in the time since. Unfortunately, I don’t have a second pair of the Ace, so I can’t vouch for how well TV Audio Swap now works with a companion. But since the ability to send soundbar audio to two sets of Ace headphones is one of the main items in the recent software update, I can’t discuss the overall state of the device without mentioning this feature’s availability. Improved ANC and clearer calls Another aspect of the Ace’s update is improved active noise cancellation (ANC), but not in the way you might expect. The company didn’t figure out a way to block more noise per se, but it does account for any sound leaks that may impact performance. Sonos says its refined ANC setup can adapt to changes in fit caused by hair, glasses and hats in real time using the sensors inside the Ace. With that tweak, I noticed the slightest difference in ANC performance when sunglasses or a hat kept the ear pads from sitting flush on my face, but it’s not quite as good as a tight seal. I’d characterize this update as a modest improvement, but it’s still an improvement nonetheless. Sonos also claims that this software update offers an improved call experience thanks to higher resolution audio. The company also added Sidetone, or the ability for you to pipe in your voice during calls when ANC is enabled. Plenty of companies have this, to varying degrees, and the effectiveness depends on how natural the sound is and whether or not you’re able to make any adjustments. In the case of the Ace, Sidetone acts as an enhanced ambient mode, and it definitely improves the call experience. Since I could speak normally and didn’t feel the need to shout to hear myself, video and voice calls felt more natural. Wrap-up A year after their debut, the Sonos Ace is living up to the lofty expectations the company set when the headphones arrived. After spending time with this batch of updates, I’m convinced the Ace would’ve benefitted from having all of this ready at launch, especially TrueCinema. Since one of the Ace’s main functions is personal living room listening, taking so long to deliver the feature that would boost sound quality this much is another misstep. On the other hand, it’s good to see Sonos is still working to improve the Ace. When you consider the company spent most of 2024 fixing a majorly botched app redesign, it would have been understandable if Sonos left the Ace to languish until it was time for version 2.0. The company had to delay products last summer, and according to a report in March, it even canceled another entirely. When CEO Patrick Spence resigned in January, interim chief executive Tom Conrad expressed the need for “getting back to basics” (Conrad was named permanent CEO on July 23). Improving a major new product that was overshadowed by a poor run of form is certainly one way to reclaim some of your reputation. It also doesn’t hurt that the Ace is currently available for $149 less than its original $449 price.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/a-year-later-the-sonos-ace-is-finally-fulfilling-its-potential-170035355.html?src=rss View Source Article

Household energy expenses will rise, as will greenhouse gas emissions, as a result of the Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Bill Act View Source Article

The improved AI wallpapers now let you prompt with anything you like. Google has released a new version of ChromeOS that allows you to sync desktops between devices, ideal for anyone who works across more than one Chromebook. It also significantly improves the AI wallpapers available on Chromebook Plus laptops with a completely freeform prompting field. Desk sync is designed to help you pick up where you left off when changing devices. It will sync your windows, tabs, and cookies so you can change devices without losing where you were. Google suggests it’ll be particularly useful for workers in healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing who might share a pool of devices. It’s optional, but can be enabled in the ChromeOS user settings under “Desk sync.” ChromeOS version 138 also delivers a major update to AI wallpapers, which remain exclusive to the more powerful Chromebook Plus models. The previous version, introduced in May 2024 along with Gemini, limited users to specific art styles and a narrow range of prompt formats. Now it offers a freeform text field for prompt inputs, allowing users significantly more control over generated wallpapers. If that sounds like too much freedom, the “Inspire me” button will generate wallpapers and prompts to give you a few ideas to start from. Chromebook Plus users will also get the AI-powered “Help me read” feature, which will simplify jargon-heavy or technical text. All ChromeOS devices will get the ability to use Lens to search from on-screen content or directly select text from images, along with a variety of bug fixes intended to improve accessibility. View Source Article

A rift is opening between top managers at United Group BV, a sprawling European telecom and media firm, and private equity owner BC Partners LLP after the alternative asset manager fired the company’s founder and chief executive officer. View Source Article

Tonal, the wall‑mounted smart gym, has introduced a new feature that the company says uses "cutting‑edge AI" to improve your workouts. The feature is called Daily Lift, and it analyzes your recent lifts and recovery, then builds a personalized workout plan that adapts to you daily. Every day, a user can pull up a customized strength-training session that is based on their most recent data with just a tap. Tonal says these workouts are built using the same training methodology that Tonal's coaches rely on. The workouts are intended to provide new movements and new challenges to expose the user to a variety of different exercises. Like many home‑workout companies, Tonal grew substantially in the post‑pandemic world of work‑from‑home before laying off 35 percent of its workforce in 2022. This year the home‑gym company launched the AI‑enabled Tonal 2 hardware, featuring a sleeker design and expanded features. Like a lot of "smart" home exercise equipment, the wall‑mounted unit remains a niche and expensive gadget, retailing for almost $4,300.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/tonals-ai-created-workouts-will-adapt-to-your-daily-progress-170037100.html?src=rss View Source Article

Scientists are racing to learn as much as possible about the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS before it fades from view forever View Source Article

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. shares fell the most in almost four months after reporting operating profit that fell short of projections, even as the Japanese carmaker said it will see some relief from reduced tariffs on US car imports. View Source Article

As a long-time Mint user, I was frustrated to say the least when news broke at the end of 2023 that Intuit would shut Mint down. I, like millions of others, enjoyed how easily Mint allowed us to track all accounts in one place and monitor credit scores. I also used it regularly to track spending, set goals like pay my mortgage down faster and with general money management.So I set out to find the best Mint alternatives in the wake of its disappointing demise. I gave Credit Karma, Intuit’s other financial app, a try but found it to be a poor Mint substitute. The following guide lays out my experience testing some of the most popular Mint replacement apps available today in search of my next budgeting app.Our pick for best Mint alternative remains Quicken Simplifi, even long after Mint shutting down, thanks to its easy to use app, good income and bill detection and its affordable price. But there are plenty of other solid options out there for those with different needs. If you’re also on the hunt for a budgeting app to replace Mint, we hope these details can help you decide which of the best budgeting apps out there will be right for you. Table of contents Best Mint alternatives in 2025 Other Mint alternatives we tested What is Plaid and how does it work? How to import your financial data from the Mint app How we tested Mint alternatives What about Rocket Money? Best Mint alternatives in 2025 No pun intended, but what I like about Quicken Simplifi is its simplicity. Whereas other budgeting apps try to distinguish themselves with dark themes and customizable emoji, Simplifi has a clean user interface, with a landing page that you just keep scrolling through to get a detailed overview of all your stats. These include your top-line balances; net worth; recent spending; upcoming recurring payments; a snapshot of your spending plan; top spending categories; achievements; and any watchlists you’ve set up. Another one of the key features I appreciate is the ability to set up savings goals elsewhere in the app. I also appreciate how it offers neat, almost playful visualizations without ever looking cluttered. I felt at home in the mobile and web dashboards after a day or so, which is faster than I adapted to some competing services (I’m looking at you, YNAB and Monarch). Getting set up with Simplifi was mostly painless. I was particularly impressed at how easily it connected to Fidelity; not all budget trackers do, for whatever reason. This is also one of the only services I tested that gives you the option of inviting a spouse or financial advisor to co-manage your account. One thing I would add to my initial assessment of the app, having used it for a few months now: I wish Simplifi offered Zillow integration for easily tracking your home value (or at least a rough estimate of it). Various competitors including Monarch Money and Copilot Money work with Zillow, so clearly there's a Zillow API available for use. As it stands, Simplifi users must add real estate manually like any other asset. Dana Wollman / Engadget In practice, Simplifi miscategorized some of my expenses, but nothing out of the ordinary compared to any of these budget trackers. As you’re reviewing transactions, you can also mark if you’re expecting a refund, which is a unique feature among the services I tested. Simplifi also estimated my regular income better than some other apps I tested. Most of all, I appreciated the option of being able to categorize some, but not all, purchases from a merchant as recurring. For instance, I can add my two Amazon subscribe-and-saves as recurring payments, without having to create a broad-strokes rule for every Amazon purchase. The budgeting feature is also self-explanatory and can likely accommodate your preferred budgeting method. Just check that your regular income is accurate and be sure to set up recurring payments, making note of which are bills and which are subscriptions. This is important because Simplifi shows you your total take-home income as well as an “income after bills” figure. That number includes, well, bills but not discretionary subscriptions. From there, you can add spending targets by category in the “planned spending” bucket. Planned spending can also include one-time expenditures, not just monthly budgets. When you create a budget, Simplifi will suggest a number based on a six-month average. Not dealbreakers, but two things to keep in mind as you get started: Simplifi is notable in that you can’t set up an account through Apple or Google. There is also no option for a free trial, though Quicken promises a “30-day money back guarantee.” Monarch Money grew on me. My first impression of the budgeting app, which was founded by a former Mint product manager, was that it's more difficult to use than others on this list, including Simplifi, NerdWallet and Copilot. And it is. Editing expense categories, adding recurring transactions and creating rules, for example, is a little more complicated than it needs to be, especially in the mobile app. (My advice: Use the web app for fine-tuning details.) Monarch also didn’t get my income right; I had to edit it. Once you’re set up, though, Monarch offers an impressive level of granularity. In the budgets section, you can see a bona fide balance sheet showing budgets and actuals for each category. You'll also find a forecast, for the year or by month. And recurring expenses can be set not just by merchant, but other parameters as well. For instance, while most Amazon purchases might be marked as “shopping,” those for the amounts of $54.18 or $34.18 are definitely baby supplies, and can be automatically marked as such each time, not to mention programmed as recurring payments. Weirdly, though, there’s no way to mark certain recurring payments as bills, specifically. Dana Wollman / Engadget Not long after I first published this story in December 2023, Monarch introduced a detailed reporting section where you can create on-demand graphs based on things like accounts, categories and tags. That feature is available just on the web version of the app for now. As part of this same update, Monarch added support for an aggregator that makes it possible to automatically update the value of your car. This, combined with the existing Zillow integration for tracking your home value, makes it easy to quickly add a non-liquid asset like a vehicle or real estate, and have it show up in your net worth graph. The mobile app is mostly self-explanatory. The main dashboard shows your net worth; your four most recent transactions; a month-over-month spending comparison; income month-to-date; upcoming bills; an investments snapshot; a list of any goals you’ve set; and, finally, a link to your month-in-review. That month-in-review is more detailed than most, delving into cash flow; top income and expense categories; cash flow trends; changes to your net worth, assets and liabilities; plus asset and liability breakdowns. In February 2024, Monarch expanded on the net worth graph, so that if you click on the Accounts tab you can see how your net worth changed over different periods of time, including one month, three months, six months, a year or all time. On the main screen, you’ll also find tabs for savings and checking accounts (and all others as well), transactions, cash flow, budget and recurring. Like many of the other apps featured here, Monarch can auto-detect recurring expenses and income, even if it gets the category wrong. (They all do to an extent.) Expense categories are marked by emoji, which you can customize if you’re so inclined. Monarch Money uses a combination of networks to connect with banks, including Plaid, MX and Finicity, a competing network owned by Mastercard. (I have a quick explainer on Plaid, the industry standard in this space, toward the end of this guide.) As part of an update in late December, Monarch has also made it easier to connect through those other two networks, if for some reason Plaid fails. Similar to NerdWallet, I found myself completing two-factor authentication every time I wanted to get past the Plaid screen to add another account. Notably, Monarch is the only other app I tested that allows you to grant access to someone else in your family — likely a spouse or financial advisor. Monarch also has a Chrome extension for importing from Mint, though really this is just a shortcut for downloading a CSV file, which you’ll have to do regardless of where you choose to take your Mint data. Additionally, Monarch just added the ability to track Apple Card, Apple Cash, and Savings accounts, thanks to new functionality brought with the iOS 17.4 update. It's not the only one either; currently, Copilot and YNAB have also added similar functionality that will be available to anyone with the latest versions of their respective apps on a device running iOS 17.4. Instead of manually uploading statements, the new functionality allows apps like Monarch's to automatically pull in transactions and balance history. That should make it easier to account for spending on Apple cards and accounts throughout the month. Monarch also recently launched investment transactions in beta. It also says bill tracking and an overhauled goals system are coming soon. Monarch hasn't provided a timeline for that last one, except to say that the improved goals feature is coming soon. Copilot Money might be the best-looking budgeting app I tested. It also has the distinction of being exclusive to iOS and Macs — at least for now. Andres Ugarte, the company’s CEO, has publicly promised that Android and web apps are coming soon. But until it follows through, I can’t recommend Copilot for most people with so many good competitors out there. Copilot Money for Web and Android!Thanks to the support from our users, and the overwhelming positive reception we're seeing from folks migrating from Mint, we can now say that we'll be building @copilotmoney for Web and Android with a goal to launch in 2024.We'll continue to…— Andres Ugarte (@chuga) November 15, 2023 There are other features that Copilot is missing, which I’ll get into. But it is promising, and one to keep an eye on. It’s just a fast, efficient, well designed app, and Android users will be in for a treat when they’ll finally be able to download it. It makes good use of colors, emoji and graphs to help you understand at a glance how you’re doing on everything from your budgets to your investment performance to your credit card debt over time. In particular, Copilot does a better job than almost any other app of visualizing your recurring monthly expenses. Behind those punchy colors and cutesy emoji, though, is some sophisticated performance. Copilot’s AI-powered “Intelligence” gets smarter as you go at categorizing your expenses. (You can also add your own categories, complete with your choice of emoji.) It’s not perfect. Copilot miscategorized some purchases (they all do), but it makes it easier to edit than most. On top of that, the internal search feature is very fast; it starts whittling down results in your transaction history as soon as you begin typing. Dana Wollman / Engadget Copilot is also unique in offering Amazon and Venmo integrations, allowing you to see transaction details. With Amazon, this requires just signing into your Amazon account via an in-app browser. For Venmo, you have to set up fwd@copilot.money as a forwarding address and then create a filter, wherein emails from venmo@venmo.com are automatically forwarded to fwd@copilot.money. Like Monarch Money, you can also add any property you own and track its value through Zillow, which is integrated with the app. While the app is heavily automated, I still appreciate that Copilot marks new transactions for review. It’s a good way to both weed out fraudulent charges, and also be somewhat intentional about your spending habits. Like Monarch Money, Copilot updated its app to make it easier to connect to banks through networks other than Plaid. As part of the same update, Copilot said it has improved its connections to both American Express and Fidelity which, again, can be a bugbear for some budget tracking apps. In an even more recent update, Copilot added a Mint import option, which other budgeting apps have begun to offer as well. Because the app is relatively new (it launched in early 2020), the company is still catching up to the competition on some table-stakes features. Ugarte told me that his team is almost done building out a detailed cash flow section as well. On its website, Copilot also promises a raft of AI-powered features that build on its current “Intelligence” platform, the one that powers its smart expense categorization. These include “smart financial goals,” natural language search, a chat interface, forecasting and benchmarking. That benchmarking, Ugarte tells me, is meant to give people a sense of how they’re doing compared to other Copilot users, on both spending and investment performance. Most of these features should arrive in the new year. Copilot does a couple interesting things for new customers that distinguish it from the competition. There’s a “demo mode” that feels like a game simulator; no need to add your own accounts. The company is also offering two free months with RIPMINT — a more generous introductory offer than most. When it finally does come time to pony up, the $7.92 monthly plan is cheaper than some competing apps, although the $95-a-year-option is in the same ballpark. You may know NerdWallet as a site that offers a mix of personal finance news, explainers and guides. I see it often when I google a financial term I don’t know and sure enough, it’s one of the sites I’m most likely to click on. As it happens, NerdWallet also has the distinction of offering one of the only free budgeting apps I tested. In fact, there is no paid version; nothing is locked behind a paywall. The main catch: There are ads everywhere. To be fair, the free version of Mint was like this, too. Even with the inescapable credit card offers, NerdWallet has a clean, easy-to-understand user interface, which includes both a web and a mobile app. The key metrics that it highlights most prominently are your cash flow, net worth and credit score. (Of note, although Mint itself offered credit score monitoring, most of its rivals do not.) I particularly enjoyed the weekly insights, which delve into things like where you spent the most money or how much you paid in fees — and how that compares to the previous month. Because this is NerdWallet, an encyclopedia of financial info, you get some particularly specific category options when setting up your accounts (think: a Roth or non-Roth IRA). Dana Wollman / Engadget As a budgeting app, NerdWallet is more than serviceable, if a bit basic. Like other apps I tested, you can set up recurring bills. Importantly, it follows the popular 50/30/20 budgeting rule, which has you putting 50% of your budget toward things you need, 30% toward things you want, and the remaining 20% into savings or debt repayments. If this works for you, great — just know that you can’t customize your budget to the same degree as some competing apps. You can’t currently create custom spending categories, though a note inside the dashboard section of the app says “you’ll be able to customize them in the future.” You also can’t move items from the wants column to “needs” or vice versa but “In the future, you'll be able to move specific transactions to actively manage what falls into each group.” A NerdWallet spokesperson declined to provide an ETA, though. Lastly, it’s worth noting that NerdWallet had one of the most onerous setup processes of any app I tested. I don’t think this is a dealbreaker, as you’ll only have to do it once and, hopefully, you aren’t setting up six or seven apps in tandem as I was. What made NerdWallet’s onboarding especially tedious is that every time I wanted to add an account, I had to go through a two-factor authentication process to even get past the Plaid splash screen, and that’s not including the 2FA I had set up at each of my banks. This is a security policy on NerdWallet’s end, not Plaid’s, a Plaid spokesperson says. Precisely because NerdWallet is one of the only budget trackers to offer credit score monitoring, it also needs more of your personal info during setup, including your birthday, address, phone number and the last four digits of your social security number. It’s the same with Credit Karma, which also does credit score monitoring. Related to the setup process, I found that NerdWallet was less adept than other apps at automatically detecting my regular income. In my case, it counted a large one-time wire transfer as income, at which point my only other option was to enter my income manually (which is slightly annoying because I would have needed my pay stub handy to double-check my take-home pay). YNAB is, by its own admission, “different from anything you’ve tried before.” The app, whose name is short for You Need a Budget, promotes a so-called zero-based budgeting system, which forces you to assign a purpose for every dollar you earn. A frequently used analogy is to put each dollar in an envelope; you can always move money from one envelope to another in a pinch. These envelopes can include rent and utilities, along with unforeseen expenses like holiday gifts and the inevitable car repair. The idea is that if you budget a certain amount for the unknowns each month, they won’t feel like they’re sneaking up on you. Importantly, YNAB is only concerned with the money you have in your accounts now. The app does not ask you to provide your take-home income or set up recurring income payments (although there is a way to do this). The money you will make later in the month through your salaried job is not relevant, because YNAB does not engage in forecasting. The app is harder to learn than any other here, and it requires more ongoing effort from the user. And YNAB knows that. Inside both the mobile and web apps are links to videos and other tutorials. Although I never quite got comfortable with the user interface, I did come to appreciate YNAB’s insistence on intentionality. Forcing users to draft a new budget each month and to review each transaction is not necessarily a bad thing. As YNAB says on its website, “Sure, you’ve got pie charts showing that you spent an obscene amount of money in restaurants — but you’ve still spent an obscene amount of money in restaurants.” I can see this approach being useful for people who don’t tend to have a lot of cash in reserve at a given time, or who have spending habits they want to correct (to riff off of YNAB’s own example, ordering Seamless four times a week). My colleague Valentina Palladino, knowing I was working on this guide, penned a respectful rebuttal, explaining why she’s been using YNAB for years. Perhaps, like her, you have major savings goals you want to achieve, whether it’s paying for a wedding or buying a house. I suggest you give her column a read. For me, though, YNAB’s approach feels like overkill. Other Mint alternatives we tested PocketGuard PocketGuard used to be a solid free budget tracker, but the company has since limited its “free” version to just a free seven-day trial. Now, you’ll have to choose between two plans once the trial is over: a $13 monthly plan or a $75 annual plan. When I first tested it, I found it to be more restricted than NerdWallet, but still a decent option. The main overview screen shows you your net worth, total assets and debts; net income and total spending for the month; upcoming bills; a handy reminder of when your next paycheck lands; any debt payoff plan you have; and any goals. Like some other apps, including Quicken Simplifi, PocketGuard promotes an “after bills” approach, where you enter all of your recurring bills, and then PocketGuard shows you what’s left, and that’s what you’re supposed to be budgeting: your disposable income. Although PocketGuard’s UI is easy enough to understand, it lacks polish. The “accounts” tab is a little busy, and doesn’t show totals for categories like cash or investments. Seemingly small details like weirdly phrased or punctuated copy occasionally make the app feel janky. More than once, it prompted me to update the app when no updates were available. The web version, meanwhile, feels like the mobile app blown up to a larger format and doesn’t take advantage of the extra screen real estate. Ultimately, now that the free tier is gone, it just doesn’t present the same value proposition as it once did. What is Plaid and how does it work? Each of the apps I tested uses the same underlying network, called Plaid, to pull in financial data, so it’s worth explaining in its own section what it is and how it works. Plaid was founded as a fintech startup in 2013 and is today the industry standard in connecting banks with third-party apps. Plaid works with over 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada and Europe. Additionally, more than 8,000 third-party apps and services rely on Plaid, the company claims. To be clear, you don’t need a dedicated Plaid app to use it; the technology is baked into a wide array of apps, including the budget trackers I tested for this guide. Once you find the “add an account” option in whichever one you’re using, you’ll see a menu of commonly used banks. There’s also a search field you can use to look yours up directly. Once you find yours, you’ll be prompted to enter your login credentials. If you have two-factor authentication set up, you’ll need to enter a one-time passcode as well. As the middleman, Plaid is a passthrough for information that may include your account balances, transaction history, account type and routing or account number. Plaid uses encryption, and says it has a policy of not selling or renting customer data to other companies. However, I would not be doing my job if I didn’t note that in 2022 Plaid was forced to pay $58 million to consumers in a class action suit for collecting “more financial data than was needed.” As part of the settlement, Plaid was compelled to change some of its business practices. In a statement provided to Engadget, a Plaid spokesperson said the company continues to deny the allegations underpinning the lawsuit and that “the crux of the non-financial terms in the settlement are focused on us accelerating workstreams already underway related to giving people more transparency into Plaid’s role in connecting their accounts, and ensuring that our workstreams around data minimization remain on track.” How to import your financial data from the Mint app Mint users should consider getting their data ready to migrate to their new budgeting app of choice soon. Unfortunately, importing data from Mint is not as easy as entering your credentials from inside your new app and hitting “import.” In fact, any app that advertises the ability to port over your stats from Mint is just going to have you upload a CSV file of transactions and other data. To download a CSV file from Mint, do the following: Sign into Mint.com and hit Transactions in the menu on the left side of the screen. Select an account, or all accounts. Scroll down and look for “export [number] transactions” in smaller print. Your CSV file should begin downloading. Note: Downloading on a per-account basis might seem more annoying, but could help you get set up on the other side, if the app you’re using has you importing transactions one-for-one into their corresponding accounts. How we tested Mint alternatives Before I dove into the world of budgeting apps, I had to do some research. To find a list of apps to test, I consulted trusty ol’ Google (and even trustier Reddit); read reviews of popular apps on the App Store; and also asked friends and colleagues what budget tracking apps they might be using. Some of the apps I found were free, just like Mint. These, of course, show loads of ads (excuse me, “offers”) to stay in business. But most of the available apps require paid subscriptions, with prices typically topping out around $100 a year, or $15 a month. (Spoiler: My top pick is cheaper than that.) Since this guide is meant to help Mint users find a permanent replacement, any services I chose to test needed to do several things: import all of your account data into one place; offer budgeting tools; and track your spending, net worth and credit score. Except where noted, all of these apps are available for iOS, Android and on the web. Once I had my shortlist of six apps, I got to work setting them up. For the sake of thoroughly testing these apps (and remember, I really was looking for a Mint alternative myself), I made a point of adding every account to every budgeting app, no matter how small or immaterial the balance. What ensued was a veritable Groundhog Day of two-factor authentication. Just hours of entering passwords and one-time passcodes, for the same banks half a dozen times over. Hopefully, you only have to do this once. What about Rocket Money? Rocket Money is another free financial app that tracks spending and supports things like balance alerts and account linking. If you pay for the premium tier, the service can also help you cancel unwanted subscriptions. We did not test it for this guide, but we'll consider it in future updates.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-best-budgeting-apps-to-replace-mint-143047346.html?src=rss View Source Article

Neuroscientists have found that the brain can wake up in different ways, explaining why some mornings feel like a dream and some feel like a disaster View Source Article

The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu could be submerged in 25 years due to rising sea levels, so a plan is being implemented to relocate its population to Australia. View Source Article

Nuclear power has long been on the decline, its share of the world’s electricity generation halving from 18% in the mid-1990s to 9% today. Now there are signs of a revival. View Source Article

ExpressVPN has released a new patch for its Windows app to close a vulnerability that can leave remote desktop traffic unprotected. If you use ExpressVPN on Windows, download version 12.101.0.45 as soon as possible, especially if you use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or any other traffic through TCP port 3389. ExpressVPN announced both the vulnerability and the fix in a blog post earlier this week. According to that post, an independent researcher going by Adam-X sent in a tip on April 25 to claim a reward from ExpressVPN's bug bounty program. Adam-X noticed that some internal debug code which left traffic on TCP port 3389 unprotected had mistakenly shipped to customers. ExpressVPN released the patch about five days later in version 12.101.0.45 for Windows. As ExpressVPN points out in its announcement of the patch, it's unlikely that the vulnerability was actually exploited. Any hypothetical hacker would not only have to be aware of the flaw, but would then have to trick their target into sending a web request over RDP or other traffic that uses port 3389. Even if all the dominos fell, the hacker could only see their target's real IP address, not any of the actual data they transmitted. Even if the danger was small, it's nice to see ExpressVPN responding proactively to flaws in its product — bug bounties are great, but a security product should protect its users with as many safeguards as possible. In addition to closing this vulnerability, they're also adding automated tests that check for debug code accidentally left in production builds. This, plus a successful independent privacy audit earlier in 2025, gives the strong impression of a provider that's on top of things. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/expressvpn-patches-windows-bug-that-exposed-remote-desktop-traffic-171507501.html?src=rss View Source Article

Long-awaited results of a three-person IVF technique suggest that mitochondrial donation can prevent babies from inheriting diseases caused by mutant mitochondria View Source Article

Amazon.com Inc. executives doubled the length of their summer Prime Day sale this year to give customers extra time to browse the vast selection of deals and discounts. There was a downside. With rising prices top of mind, shoppers surfed the web comparing deals, and a lot of their dollars went to Walmart Inc. instead. View Source Article

There's hope that the gaming industry won't follow Nintendo's lead with $80 pricing. (Well, at least not yet.) On Wednesday, Microsoft backtracked on the price increase for The Outer Worlds 2. The game now costs $70, which itself was considered outrageous only a few years ago. Microsoft told Windows Central that those who already pre-ordered Obsidian's shooter at $80 can get refunds at the point of purchase. Unfortunately, you can't simply get a $10 price adjustment. You'll have to refund the full $80 and then pre-order again for $70. I'm beginning to think consumer-friendliness isn't the priority here. The $80 pricing push began with Mario Kart World. by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford initially suggested Borderlands 4 might have followed. Fortunately, 2K Games saw something in the backlash that made it balk; it's launching at $70. A Bluesky user summed it up in a reply to Obsidian's U-turn. "Consumer advocacy in this awful state of the industry WORKS," ‪@johnbrebbia posted. Nintendo The gaming industry is caught in a godawful whirlwind of layoffs, studio closures and price increases. That's happening against a backdrop of rising costs for consumers. Meanwhile, the gaming industry is projected to reach $189 billion this year, a 3.4 percent increase. That's a combustible mixture if ever there was one. Ironically, Obsidian's sci-fi RPG deals with themes of late-stage capitalism. The developer even deployed in-world satire to announce the pricing change: "Dear Galactic Citizens! We have received your SOS via skip drone about the pricing..." Winking at one's audience is usually a good thing, but this strikes me as more of a "dude, read the room" moment. Regardless, The Outer Worlds 2 is set to arrive on October 29. It will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-backtracks-on-80-the-outer-worlds-2-pricing-173027532.html?src=rss View Source Article

The park’s newest hydrothermal feature has an otherworldly milky texture from dissolved silica View Source Article

The thin crescent moon and Jupiter will be visible to the naked eye for early risers on July 23. View Source Article

Amazon.com Inc scrapped plans to build an industrial plant in Dublin after failing to secure power supply for the project, according to the Irish Times. View Source Article

The newest version of the Qi2 wireless standard is coming to iPhones and some Android handsets. It has also received a snappy, new branding of Qi2 25W, denoting the wireless charging speed, which is miles better than the previous name of Qi2.2. The big hook here is right in the name. Qi2 25W provides up to 25 watts of power delivery to compatible products, which is a 66 percent increase over the pre-existing Qi2 platform. Paul Struhsaker, Executive Director of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) says that "Qi2 25W’s remarkably fast and efficient wireless charging will encourage increased penetration of wireless charging usage and accelerate the adoption of the new standard." Newer iPhones already use the Qi2 standard, so the company's forthcoming adoption of Qi2 25W isn't that big of surprise, though it is a welcome bit of news. Most Android phones, however, have never been Qi2-certified, so this is a potentially game-changing event for the platform. Some Android phones could technically integrate Qi2 charging, but it typically required a dedicated magnetic case of some kind. Smartphones are just the latest category to adopt Qi2 25W. Several products, including power banks and chargers, were certified earlier this month. Qi2 25W, back when it was called Qi2.2, was first announced in April. The WPC says there are "several hundred" devices in the queue waiting to be tested and receive official certification. We still don't know which Android phones are in that queue.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/qi2-25w-wireless-charging-is-coming-to-iphones-and-major-android-smartphones-183013979.html?src=rss View Source Article

After photographs showed President Donald Trump with swollen ankles and bruised hands, the White House revealed he has chronic venous insufficiency—a blood vessel disease that affects circulation in the legs View Source Article

Astronomers have discovered a 200-light-year-wide Giant Molecular Cloud dubbed the Midpoint cloud that seems to be feeding star-building material to the heart of the Milky Way. View Source Article

Bitcoin declined alongside broader risk assets Friday as receding hopes for US interest rate cuts dented investor appetite. View Source Article

At its best, AI is a tool, not an end result. It allows people to do their jobs better, rather than sending them or their colleagues to the breadline. In an example of "the good kind," Google DeepMind has created an AI model that restores and contextualizes ancient inscriptions. Aeneas (no, it's not pronounced like that) is named after the hero in Roman mythology. Best of all, the tool is open-source and free to use. Ancient Romans left behind a plethora of inscriptions. But these texts are often fragmented, weathered or defaced. Rebuilding the missing pieces is a grueling task that requires contextual cues. An algorithm that can pore over a dataset of those cues can come in handy. Aeneas speeds up one of historians' most difficult tasks: identifying "parallels." In this setting, that means finding similar texts arranged by wording, syntax or region. DeepMind says the model reasons across thousands of Latin inscriptions. It can fetch parallels in seconds before passing the baton back to historians. DeepMind says it turns each text into a historical fingerprint of sorts. "Aeneas identifies deep connections that can help historians situate inscriptions within their broader historical context," the Google subsidiary wrote. Google DeepMind One of Aeneas' most impressive tricks is restoring textual gaps of unknown length. (Think of it as filling out a crossword puzzle where you don't know how many letters are in each clue.) The tool is also multimodal, meaning it can analyze both textual and visual input. DeepMind says it's the first model that can use that multi-pronged method to figure out where a text came from. DeepMind says Aeneas is designed to be a collaborative ally within historians' existing workflows. It's best used to offer "interpretable suggestions" that serve as a starting point for researchers. "Aeneas' parallels completely changed my perception of the inscription," an unnamed historian who tested the model wrote. "It noticed details that made all the difference for restoring and chronologically attributing the text." Alongside the release of Aeneas for Latin text, DeepMind also upgraded Ithaca. (That's its model for Ancient Greek text.) Ithaca is now powered by Aeneas, receiving its contextual and restorative superpowers. Researchers can take Aeneas for a spin at DeepMind's "Predicting the Past" website. It also open-sourced the model's code and dataset.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-deepminds-aeneas-model-can-restore-fragmented-latin-text-202004714.html?src=rss View Source Article

Dropout.tv’s Brennan Lee Mulligan talks about the emotional and cultural importance of Dungeons and Dragons. View Source Article

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched two of SES's O3b mPOWER communications satellites toward medium-Earth orbit today (July 22), then aced its landing on a ship at sea. View Source Article

American Airlines Group Inc.’s top executive blasted the use of artificial intelligence in setting air fares, calling the practice inappropriate because it could trick travelers. View Source Article

Sony is bringing a welcome quality-of-life feature to the PlayStation 5. In the next PS5 system update beta, players will be able to have their DualSense controllers synced with multiple hardware platforms at the same time. That means you could swap a controller from a PS5 to your gaming PC to your smartphone without needing to re-pair the DualSense each time. Up to four devices can be simultaneously paired with a single controller, and each of them will be mapped to one of the action buttons. To switch between them, first make sure the hardware you want to start using is on, then press the controller's PS button and the corresponding action button at the same time. Hold for three seconds, and when you see blinking on the controller's light bar, release both buttons. It's the sort of change that may not carry weight for all players. But for those of us who do like to hop between platforms, this is very exciting news. The current beta access is limited to an invite-only guest list, but Sony said it plans to roll out the feature globally "in the coming months."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-finally-making-it-possible-to-pair-a-dualsense-with-more-than-one-device-211715133.html?src=rss View Source Article

It’s certainly possible to consume water sourced from the icy rings of Saturn, but doing so safely may require extra steps View Source Article

NISAR, a joint mission of NASA and ISRO set to launch on July 30, will be able to see shifts in the landscape smaller than a centimeter to give warning of potential natural disasters. View Source Article

The startup packs portable pods and shipping containers with servers capable of providing a megawatt of compute capacity. View Source Article

If you’re hunting for the best projector, there’s never been a better time to dive in. Projectors aren’t just for movie buffs anymore — they’ve become a great way to upgrade your living room setup, build a cozy home theater or even host an epic outdoor movie night under the stars. Whether you want something ultra-portable or a full-on 4K home cinema experience, there’s a projector out there to fit just about every space and budget.The cool thing about the projectors you can get today is how versatile they are. Some models are built for gaming, some are designed for streaming your favorite shows and others are tough enough to take camping or on the road. Plus, newer projectors pack in smart features, better brightness and sharper image quality than ever before, making them a real alternative to a traditional TV. No matter what you're aiming for, we'll help you find the right projector to upgrade your setup. Table of contents Best projectors for 2025 What to look for in a projector Best projector FAQs Best projectors for 2025 Some projectors are for serious cinephiles, projecting sharp 4K video with HDR brightness and hyper realistic colors to a large screen. Others are bright enough to replace your TV for sports or gaming, and some low-cost portable models can be set up for camping or outdoor fun. That’s why we’ve divided this guide into several categories to help you find the right one. What to look for in a projector For a deep dive on projector technology check my previous explainer, but there are few key things to keep in mind. What will the projector mainly be used for? What type of room will it be used in? And how big of an image do you want? You’ll also see a variety of specifications that may be confusing, so here are a few to consider and what they mean. Brightness and contrast Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens; the brighter the projector, typically the more expensive it will be. 1,500-2,500 lumens is good for darkened rooms, 3,000-4,000 lumens allows you to see with some ambient light and 4,000+ lumens is bright enough to use in direct sunlight. High contrast is important, because projectors are more sensitive to things like ambient light and reflections. DLP vs LCD Digital light processing units (DLPs) used by Optoma, BenQ, LG and others allow bright 4K images. The negative is that they can produce a “rainbow” effect, or red/blue/green artifacts that affect some viewers more than others. LCDs are used mainly by Epson, but also Sony and Sanyo. Those are often brighter, more color accurate and don’t produce rainbow effects, but are also more expensive and susceptible to image degradation over time. Resolution If you want a true 4K projector, beware: only expensive models have native 4K resolution (many movie theaters still use 2K projectors for various reasons). However, most DLP projectors and some LCD models can use pixel-shifting to attain 4K resolution. Elite Starling HDR and color accuracy Projectors can’t produce anywhere close to the amount of light required to qualify as true HDR. Rather, they use a technique called tone mapping to fit the entire HDR gamut into a lower brightness range. That said, many projectors can display millions of colors, with some models surpassing the color accuracy of TVs and monitors. UST vs. classic Classic projectors and screens can be mounted on the ceiling so they’re great if you have no floor space. They can also project a larger video for a truly cinematic experience. UST projectors mount on the floor right next to the screen so they can take the place of a TV. They don’t beam as big an image but are generally brighter, sharper and more expensive. For best results, they require special screens. Mounting and fan noise Ceiling mounting requires some work and don’t forget to budget for a bracket and any necessary long cables, including extra power for a Google Chromecast or other streaming device. UST projectors require less labor, but getting the image perfectly square can still be surprisingly time-consuming. As for fan noise, some projectors (usually cheaper DLP models) generate more than others. Optics For more flexibility with location and image size, ceiling mounted projectors need a good zoom range. Lens shift, meanwhile, is used if the projector is mounted higher or lower relative to the screen than recommended by the manufacturer. Otherwise, you might have to use a "keystone correction" to digitally stretch part of the image, resulting in distortion or artifacts. Also, keystore correction may not work in gaming modes for some models. Gaming and streaming If you’re interested in a projector for gaming, look up the refresh rate and input lag figures. Some projectors offer good numbers in that regard (240Hz and <20 ms, respectively), but others designed for home entertainment have very poor input lag and refresh rates at just 60 Hz. If it’s streaming you want, be sure to pick a model either with built-in Google TV or a bundled streaming dongle. Screens Should you project onto a wall, roll-down screen, fixed screen or ambient light rejecting (ALR) screen? The choice depends largely on the room and what kind of projector you have. Roll down screens take up no space as they’re ceiling mounted, fixed screens can be moved easily and ALR models are perfect in rooms with a lot of ambient light. Best projector FAQs Are 4K projectors better? Yes, because higher resolution is more noticeable on larger screens, so 4K is particularly useful with projectors since they beam images up to 200 inches in size. That being said, brightness and contrast are more important. Is a projector better than a TV? Projectors can provide a more immersive experience thanks to the large screen, but they’re not necessarily “better.” Since you usually have to dim the lights with a projector, TVs are superior for everyday use. Is 2000 lumens bright enough for a projector? Yes, 2000 lumens is easily bright enough, even with some ambient light in the room. However, the image will still be hard to see with the windows open on a bright day. Should I get a 4K or 1080p projector? That depends on your budget and needs. If your budget is below $1,000, look for a 1080p projector with the best brightness and contrast. Between $1,000-$2,000, you’ll need to weigh whether brightness or 4K resolution is most important. Above that, choose the brightest 4K projector you can afford. What are the best projectors in daylight? The best projectors in daylight are ultra short throw (UST) models, as they have the brightest and sharpest image. However, they generally cost more than $2,000. Do you need a screen for a better projector experience? Technically, you don’t need a screen to use a projector — any light-colored, smooth wall can work in a pinch. But if you want to get the most out of your projector, a screen can make a difference. Projector screens are designed to reflect light evenly and enhance contrast, so colors look more vibrant and the picture appears sharper. With a screen, you’ll notice darker blacks and brighter colors, which can give a real boost to your movie nights or gaming sessions. So while you can absolutely enjoy a projector without one, a screen can make the experience feel a bit more like your own personal theater. Should I buy a portable or home projector? It depends on how and where you plan to use it. If you want a projector you can easily move around, bring to friends’ houses or set up indoors or outdoors easily, a portable projector is a great choice. They’re usually smaller, lightweight and often have built-in speakers and batteries, making them convenient for on-the-go use. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more permanent setup for a home theater or living room, a home projector might be the way to go. Home projectors tend to be more powerful, with higher resolution and brightness, which gives you that crisp, cinema-quality experience. They’re ideal if you have a dedicated space and don’t mind leaving it set up in one spot.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/best-projectors-123004354.html?src=rss View Source Article

Why do computers only work with the numbers 0 and 1? There are machines that process three digits with more efficiency than you might expect View Source Article

A Russian Soyuz rocket launched the Ionosfera-M 3 and 4 satellites, along with an Iranian spacecraft and 17 cubesats, toward orbit early Friday morning (July 25). View Source Article

The update is part of a larger effort to get riders and drivers to stay on the platform. View Source Article

If you're lucky enough to have a new Nintendo Switch 2 in hand right now, you're probably filling it up with old and new games alike. The console comes with 256GB of storage built in; that's eight times more than the original Switch and four times more than the Switch OLED. But the new console’s improved performance means that some games will hog a ton of that space. Take, for instance, Cyberpunk 2077, which is a 59GB download, while Split Fiction checks in at 69GB. While not all titles hog so much storage, there's a good chance you'll want to add more space to your Switch 2 as time goes on. You'll need a microSD Express card to do that. These are not the same as the standard microSD cards you may have for the first Switch or other gaming handhelds. They're newer, faster and (as to be expected) more expensive. But if you want more space, they’re your only choice. If you’re looking to grab one today, we’ve laid out the best microSD cards for the Switch 2 and broken down what you should know before you buy. The best microSD cards for the Switch 2 (and why you might want to wait to buy) The SanDisk microSD Express Card and Lexar Play Pro.Jeff Dunn for Engadget The Switch 2 is the first mainstream device to require microSD Express for storage expansion, so there aren’t many options available to buy just yet. To make things easy, here’s a list of every microSD Express card we’ve seen at retailers at the time of writing. 128GB SanDisk microSD Express Card ($54 MSRP) PNY microSD Express Card ($45 MSRP) 256GB Samsung microSD Express Card for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60 MSRP) SanDisk microSD Express Card ($73 MSRP) Lexar Play Pro ($50 MSRP) PNY microSD Express Card ($59 MSRP) GameStop Express microSD Card for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60 MSRP) Onn microSD Express Card ($36 MSRP) 512GB Lexar Play Pro ($100 MSRP) GameStop Express microSD Card for Nintendo Switch 2 ($100 MSRP) Onn microSD Express Card ($66 MSRP) 1TB Lexar Play Pro ($200 MSRP) GameStop Express microSD Card for Nintendo Switch 2 ($190 MSRP) Nintendo says the Switch 2 technically supports cards with a capacity up to 2TB, but we haven’t seen any microSD Express model go beyond 1TB just yet. It’s also worth noting that GameStop and Onn (Walmart’s in-house electronics brand) aren’t manufacturers, so it’s unclear who exactly is making their cards. Stock for these cards remains somewhat patchy, particularly for the higher-capacity options. But many of the 128GB and 256GB models appear to be steadily available as of the Switch 2's launch week. Just be warned that you may have to deal with extended ship times in some cases. SanDisk’s microSD Express Card has also increased in price since it first went up for sale in February; originally, it cost $45 for 128GB and $60 for 256GB.  Either way, all of these cards are far pricier than traditional microSD options. The Samsung Pro Plus, for example, costs $17 for 128GB, $25 for 256GB, $43 for 512GB and $90 for 1TB as of this writing. Remember: You’re looking for microSD Express, not “Extreme,” like the branding SanDisk uses for some of its conventional microSD cards. A microSD Express card will have a big “EX” logo printed on it — if you see that, you should be good to go. All microSD Express cards will have this "EX" logo printed on them.Nintendo/Engadget We’ve already tested SanDisk’s Express card and the Lexar Play Pro for our broader guide to the best microSD cards. Between the two, SanDisk’s card has much faster sequential read speeds — up to 899 MB/s vs. 712 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark, to name one benchmark — which theoretically makes it better equipped to reduce load times. The Play Pro is quicker for sequential writes (up to 720 MB/s vs. 650 MB/s), available in more sizes and should be cheaper at 256GB whenever it’s in stock. (SanDisk says the 128GB version of its card has slower sequential writes than the 256GB model, too.) Random performance is about equal, so the two should be similarly adept at keeping large games like Mario Kart World running smoothly. We mainly tested those cards on a Windows PC and Mac, though. How they perform on the actual Switch 2 remains to be seen. Nintendo didn’t send out early review units to press, and we've only just received our own retail model. So we’ll need a few more days to finish testing. For now, though, we can’t say for sure if the console renders all microSD Express cards to similar speeds. That was largely the case with the first Switch: Once a (regular) microSD card hit a certain threshold of performance, there wasn’t that much practical difference between it and other alternatives. The Switch 2 is working with a different standard, but if something similar were to happen again, the “best” microSD Express card would simply be the most affordable one from a reputable brand in the capacity you want. That brings us to our main piece of advice: If you can hold off on buying one of these things early on, that’s probably a good idea. It’s not just about the lack of testing — truthfully, we’d be surprised if any of these cards are truly “bad.” It's more about value: Barring more tariff shenanigans, all of these cards are as expensive today as they’re ever likely to get. The Switch 2 is already popular and will continue to be, thus more microSD Express cards will need to be made and prices will (eventually) come down. Try to use all 256 of the gigabytes baked into the Switch 2 first, even if it means having to delete a game or two. But if you’re absolutely sure you want more space right away, the cards above should be good enough. What are microSD Express cards? A microSD Express card like the one on the right has a second row of pins on the back.Jeff Dunn for Engadget Most microSD cards are based on a standard called Ultra High Speed (UHS), of which there are three versions: UHS-I, UHS-II and UHS-III. The vast majority of cards you may have bought in the past utilize UHS-I. These have one row of pins in the back and a theoretical maximum data transfer speed of 104 megabytes per second (MB/s). (Though many cards are able to surpass that limit with proprietary tech and card readers.) The original Switch has a UHS-I microSD slot, as do most other gaming handhelds like Valve’s Steam Deck. UHS-II cards add a second row of pins and can reach up to 312 MB/s. These are pricier and much less common than cards based on UHS-I, but they’re supported by some cameras and higher-power handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally X. UHS-III, meanwhile, is twice as fast as UHS-II in theory (624 MB/s), but no microSD cards have actually used it. UHS-I cards have held on over the years because they’re cheap, widely supported and fast enough for the things most people need them to do: record 4K video, stash photos and so on. But with the Switch 2, Nintendo needs more. The new console is dramatically more powerful, which allows it to run demanding games that may have originally been built for stronger hardware like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or gaming PCs. The device also uses UFS 3.1 storage internally, which is much speedier than the eMMC storage used by the original Switch. (A custom file decompression engine helps improve load times as well.) So if the Switch 2 is going to accept microSD cards, it needs ones that won’t bring a serious drop-off in performance and can hold up with modern games. The Nintendo Switch 2.Sam Rutherford for Engadget Hence, SD Express. This standard has technically been around since 2018 but mostly went nowhere until the Switch 2 came along. It also uses a second row of pins, but it lets microSD cards take advantage of the PCI Express (PCIe)/NVMe interface, which is the same underlying tech used by modern SSDs. As a result, it can produce considerably faster read and write speeds, with a current theoretical maximum of 985 MB/s. As noted above, real-world performance won’t be quite that fast. Even if it was, the best microSD Express cards would still be much slower than the NVMe SSDs used by the PS5 and Xbox. (Sony recommends SSDs with sequential read speeds of at least 5,500 MB/s.) And they’ll fall well below their peak speeds under sustained loads: SanDisk, for instance, says sustained write speeds for its 128GB Express card can drop as low as 100 MB/s. But they’re still a marked improvement over old UHS-I cards, and in theory, they should be quicker than some older SATA-based SSDs when it comes loading game levels, asset streaming, retrieving saves or copying games to external storage. Whereas SanDisk’s microSD Express card can produce sequential read speeds around 900 MB/s, Lexar’s Professional Silver Plus — the top UHS-I pick in our general microSD card guide — topped out just over 200 MB/s, and that’s with a proprietary reader. (On the first Switch, it’d be closer to 100 MB/s.) Sequential writes and random speeds were three to four times better as well, and sometimes even more depending on the benchmark we used. It remains to be seen how well these Express cards will hold up with extended use, and there’s no way to know exactly when their sky-high prices will drop. Non-Switch 2 devices that support microSD Express are still exceedingly rare, and the standard itself isn’t backwards compatible with UHS-II, so you’ll be limited to UHS-I speeds if you want to use your card with another device (unless you buy a pricey external reader). Still, while the increased costs and limited selection are annoying, the tech itself seems worthy of a next-gen Switch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/best-microsd-cards-for-nintendo-switch-2-160052947.html?src=rss View Source Article

A 72 percent reduction in federal funding is devastating to math research. The American Mathematical Society is offering $1 million in backstop grants—but it’s likely not enough View Source Article

The Atacama Desert in Chile recently received some snowfall, causing issues for the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) telescope. View Source Article

A Saudi Pro League football club has been acquired by Harburg Group, the global sports firm founded by foreign investor Ben Harburg, in the first deal of its kind for the kingdom. View Source Article

Sony has entered into a "strategic business alliance" with Bandai Namco holdings, acquiring about 2.5 percent of the Japanese media conglomorate and gaming publisher with a 68 billion yen ($465 million) investment, the companies announced. The aim, Sony said, is to expand the fan community "for IP such as anime and manga around the world and strengthen... engagement, particularly in the anime field where rapid market growth is anticipated."  The companies noted that they have historically collaborated on fields like games, anime and music, but plan to extend this into a "broader range of areas." Bandai Namco specifically called out the "production and distribution of anime and other video content, as well as merchandising." In other words, the two companies may want to join the current (and successful) trend of creating series and movies from video game and other content. At the same time, they plan to develop and promote new IP in the anime and manga areas, according to the press release.  The deal lines up with Sony's recently stated aim to maximize the value of its content across gaming and entertainment ecosystems. And clearly, converting video game IP to films and series has proven to be highly lucrative, from franchises ranging from Minecraft to Mario Bros. to The Last of Us.  Bandai Namco added that the companies plan to provide "the optimal products and services at the optimal timing in the optimal regions." In other words, it will focus some content more in some regions than others, depending on demand. Hopefully, we can expect some announcements around new content based on Bandai Namco IP in the near future. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/sony-bought-a-chunk-of-bandai-namco-to-boost-anime-fan-community-engagement-120047367.html?src=rss View Source Article

Discover why some puzzles stump supersmart AIs but are easy for humans, what this reveals about the quest for true artificial general intelligence—and why video games are the next frontier View Source Article

A death-defying star survived destruction by a ravenous supermassive black hole in a tidal disruption event, and came back to let the cosmic titan take another bite! View Source Article

Software company C3.ai Inc. is looking for a new chief executive officer after Tom Siebel said he intends to step aside due to health concerns. View Source Article

After teasing it earlier this year, Lego has unveiled its Game Boy set. The 421-piece model is a "brick-built replica of the original Game Boy" and has buttons you can press, including the +Control Pad, A and B buttons and Select and Start — though you can't play games on it, obviously. It even comes with brick replicas of Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Super Mario Land game paks, along with corresponding lenticular screens or a Nintendo start screen.  Once built, you can set the Lego Game Boy and paks on a buildable display stand "for the ultimate piece of retro-inspired home or office gaming decor," Lego says. Other details you can admire include a contrast adjustment and volume dial, along with the Game Pak slot.  The Game Boy set is not Lego's first crack at a Nintendo-based product. Back in 2020, the company released a set based on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The new Lego Game Boy set is now available for pre-order on Amazon for $59 with shipping starting October 1, 2025.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/legos-game-boy-set-is-here-sadly-not-playable-122138597.html?src=rss View Source Article

This episode of Science Quickly goes on an archival adventure in Scientific American’s July 1925 issue. View Source Article

Our galaxy will make for a particularly splendid sight on the dark nights surrounding the new moon phase on July 24. View Source Article

Brazil’s WEG SA, a provider of industrial machinery for global oil and power companies, said its clients are delaying long-term investments due to rising geopolitical tensions and new tariffs. View Source Article

Snapchat can now let your friends know if you're back home from an outing safe and sound without you having to send a message. The app has launched a new feature called Home Safe, which sends one-time alerts to contacts of your choice. You can only send these alerts to people you already share your location with, and since that off by default, you'd have to activate it on Snap Maps for all your friends or for specific ones. Your friends will only get the notification once, and it will shut off afterward.  Home Safe sounds especially useful if you and your friends typically check in on each other after meeting up, if you want to let your parents know you'd gotten back home after going out or if you're a woman who's asked a friend to make sure you got back safe after a first date. To switch the feature on, tap your Bitmoji on the Snap Map and then "My Home" to set your home location. After that, whenever you want to send someone a notification, just open your conversation with then, tap on the Map icon and then tap the "Home Safe" button.  The app has had location sharing for a while now, but it has built up the safety feature over the years. It added live location sharing that allows you to share your exact whereabouts to friends in 2022. And last year, it introduced new location tracking abilities to its Family Center, allowing parents to get notifications if their child leaves school or home. Jim Lanzone, the CEO of Engadget’s parent company Yahoo, joined the board of directors at Snap on September 12, 2024. No one outside of Engadget’s editorial team has any say in our coverage of the company.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/snapchat-can-automatically-let-a-trusted-friend-know-you-got-home-safe-130010806.html?src=rss View Source Article

The Langlands program has inspired and befuddled mathematicians for more than 50 years. A major advance has now opened up new worlds for them to explore View Source Article

The 2024 YR4 asteroid may come close to Earth, but how do experts calculate this potential impact? View Source Article

Alphabet Inc.’s earnings beat Wednesday was the latest milestone in what’s been an explosive run since early 2023, during which the company has added more than $1 trillion in market value and returned about 120% to investors. It’s also made its CEO, Sundar Pichai, a billionaire. View Source Article

Itch.io has deindexed and hidden all adult games from its browse and search pages to make sure it doesn't lose the ability to sell with the payment processors it uses. The gaming marketplace, which mainly hosts titles from indie developers, has admitted in an announcement that it wasn't able to give creators advance notice. It "had to act urgently to protect the platform’s core payment infrastructure," it said, because the "situation developed rapidly."  The website explained that it recently came under the scrutiny of its payment processors after an organization called Collective Shout launched a campaign against Steam and itch.io. Collective Shout, which describes itself as an Australian grassroots campaigning movement, directed its concerns to the gaming marketplaces' payment processors. It originally focused its campaign around the game No Mercy that revolves around a character engaging in rape and sexual violence. Both itch.io and Steam removed the game back in April. In its open letter to payment processors published earlier this month, however, the group said it "discovered hundreds of other games featuring rape, incest and child sexual abuse" on Steam and itch.io since then.  Steam already banned "content that may violate the rules and standards set forth" by its payment processors, which mostly affected adult games. Now, itch.io is also clearly heading that way. At the moment, the website is doing a comprehensive audit of its content and will keep adult games delisted until it's done. After it's finished, it will introduce new compliance measures and will require creators of adult games to confirm that their titles are allowed under the rules of the payment processors linked to their account. Itch.io admitted that some games will be permanently removed from its marketplace as part of its review and the new policy it will put in place, but it said its "ability to process payments is critical for every creator" on its platform. "To ensure that we can continue to operate and provide a marketplace for all developers, we must prioritize our relationship with our payment partners and take immediate steps towards compliance," the website said in its announcement.  Although No Mercy's removal from gaming websites is understandably celebrated by a lot of people, users are concerned about the potential effects of marketplaces adopting anti-porn rules. Queer content, for instance, is disproportionately affected by censorship measures and could be tagged as "adult" or "NSFW" even when it doesn't contain anything sexual. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/itchio-is-removing-nsfw-games-to-comply-with-payment-processors-rules-133045491.html?src=rss View Source Article

Acknowledging the limits of one’s own knowledge could be as important a signal of expertise as credentials and confidence View Source Article

A Space.com obituary for the ‘Prince of Darkness' Ozzy Osbourne. View Source Article

Digital assets company OSL Group Ltd. has secured $300 million in an equity offering as it pursues international expansion in the backdrop of improved prospects for the crypto industry. View Source Article

Regulators won't stand in the way of Skydance's Paramount acquisition. The Federal Communications Commission has approved the $8 billion purchase of Paramount Global and its subsidiaries, including the parent company of CBS Network. In a statement, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said he welcomes "Skydance’s commitment to make significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network." Skydance, he said, has made written commitments to ensure that its "news and entertainment programming will embody a diversity of viewpoints across the political and ideological spectrum." He also said that Skydance has "committed that it will not establish" DEI programs. "Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change...These commitments, if implemented, would enable CBS to operate in the public interest and focus on fair, unbiased, and fact-based coverage. Doing so would begin the process of earning back Americans’ trust. Today’s decision also marks another step forward in the FCC’s efforts to eliminate invidious forms of DEI discrimination," part of Carr's statement reads.  FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, however, issued a statement saying she cannot support the deal "in light of the payout and other troubling concessions Paramount made to settle a baseless lawsuit." In early July, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to settle the lawsuit Donald Trump filed over a CBS interview with Kamala Harris during the 2020 presidential campaign. His lawyers accused the network of editing her answers to "confuse, deceive and mislead the public."  Legal experts said at the time that Paramount may have settled to ensure that there are no obstacles for the merger's approval. When news about the acquisition first came out, the company said that it plans to rebuild its streaming technology while reducing costs under its new CEO David Ellison. Paramount, after all, invested billions into its streaming service Paramount+, and it had yet to turn a profit. The company said that it was allocating the $16 million to Trump's future presidential library and not paying him "directly or indirectly." "In an unprecedented move, this once-independent FCC used its vast power to pressure Paramount to broker a private legal settlement and further erode press freedom," Gomez said in her statement. "Once again, the agency is undermining legitimate efforts to combat discrimination and expand opportunity by overstepping its authority and intervening in employment matters reserved for other government entities with proper jurisdiction on these issues. Even more alarming, it is now imposing never-before-seen controls over newsroom decisions and editorial judgment, in direct violation of the First Amendment and the law." She added: "The Paramount payout and this reckless approval have emboldened those who believe the government can — and should — abuse its power to extract financial and ideological concessions, demand favored treatment, and secure positive media coverage. It is a dark chapter in a long and growing record of abuse that threatens press freedom in this country. But such violations endure only when institutions choose capitulation over courage. It is time for companies, journalists, and citizens alike to stand up and speak out, because unchecked and unquestioned power has no rightful place in America."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/fcc-approves-skydances-8-billion-paramount-acquisition-032028104.html?src=rss View Source Article

A SkyWest pilot’s last-second decision could have prevented a collision that air-traffic controllers may not have foreseen View Source Article

Scientists have examined the interstellar invader 3I/ATLAS, finding evidence that it is packed with water that could be older than the solar system. View Source Article

At a Pittsburgh summit, the Trump administration, energy executives, and tech barons joined as one to promote AI as the future of fossil fuels. View Source Article

LG Energy Solution Ltd. plans to ramp up its energy storage business in the US as it seeks to cushion the impact on its electric vehicle batteries arm from mounting tariffs and a global slowdown in consumer demand for the cars. View Source Article

Amazon finally launched its first-ever color Kindle last year, and while the Kindle Colorsoft was an impressive first effort, the high price of entry likely put it out of range of a lot of people. Well, we have good(ish) news. Amazon has now added a slightly cheaper Colorsoft to its lineup. At $250, it’s still very expensive, but $30 cheaper than the original model, albeit with some sacrifices made. At 16GB, the cheaper Kindle Colorsoft has half the storage of the more expensive variant, but given that most ebooks rarely ask for more than around 2MB of space in your library, this might be good enough. If you own a lot of digital graphic novels and comics (ie the kind of media that really makes good use of color display), you can expect those to hog more storage, but you’d still need a very large library to start pushing towards that 16GB limit. The cheaper model also loses the auto-adjusting front light and wireless charging from the Signature Edition, but beyond that, it’s the same ereader. Like its pricier counterpart, the new Kindle Colorsoft has a 7-inch color E Ink display with up to eight weeks of battery life, a handy pinch-to-zoom feature and an adjustable warm light. Amazon has also fixed the yellow-band issue that plagued some early units, including our first review unit. Amazon is also offering theKindle Colorsoft Kids, which comes with an illustrated cover, one year of Amazon Kids+ and a two-year guarantee. It also has child-specific features such as Vocabulary Builder and Word Wise to help kids learn new words as they read, as well as support for the OpenDyslexic font and Bluetooth for audiobooks. There are two covers available — Fantasy River and Starlight Reading — and parents can use the Amazon Parent Dashboard to manage and monitor what their child is reading. The Kindle Colorsoft with 16GB of storage costs $250 and comes with three months of Kindle Unlimited included, and the Kindle Colorsoft Kids costs $270. Both are available today, while the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition remains $280.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/amazon-announces-a-slightly-cheaper-kindle-colorsoft-with-half-the-storage-140137967.html?src=rss View Source Article

Humid heat is blanketing the eastern U.S. this week, exacerbated by “corn sweat” in the Midwest View Source Article

The head of the Trump administration's Golden Dome program says the technologies needed to create such an ambitious space-based missile defense system already exist. View Source Article

The US almost lost its measles elimination status once. Lessons from that episode suggest it will be more difficult to avoid doing so now. View Source Article

Hackers in recent weeks have exploited flaws in SharePoint, a document management system developed by Microsoft Corp., to try to steal sensitive data from hundreds of victims. View Source Article

The best Nintendo games do two things. The first is introducing a delightful gaming mechanic — take Ultrahand in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Cappy in Super Mario Odyssey for some recent examples. The second is building a world around that mechanic for players to explore. Obviously games are more than one specific tool, and building a compelling game around a good mechanic is no small task. But when it all comes together, look out. You’ve got a game that people will remember for years, if not decades. It’s a little early in the Switch 2’s lifecycle to say definitively that Donkey Kong Bananza is a game of that caliber, but after playing it for the better part of a week I can say that the “smash everything” mechanic that defines its gameplay is an absolute delight. And, just as importantly, Nintendo built a wonderful world around it, completely with varied levels and obstacles, charming characters, bizarre and delightful enemies, some catchy tunes and just enough challenge to keep it interesting. 3D platformers aren’t even my favorite game style — I prefer Super Mario Wonder over Odyssey, and I love the various Donkey Kong platformers going back to the SNES days. But Bananza makes consistently good use of every dimension you can play in, and it’s the kind of game that I’m going to keep exploring long after I roll credits. To back up quickly: Bonanza introduces us to Donkey Kong and his smashing skills in a somewhat lengthy tutorial where you bust through a mine looking for gold. This sequence involves mashing the Y button to bust up the rocks around you and collect all the treasures that are revealed. DK can jump, climb many surfaces, rip up pieces of the terrain to throw and pound the ground to quickly collect treasure, but the main thing you’re doing here is smashing. Smashing as much as possible. You can smash above you, below you and in front of you, and you can smash almost any surface you encounter (the game helpfully makes it obvious when a surface is impervious to DK fists.) At first, I thought I was going to get tired of all the smashing — the tutorial made it feel like mindlessly mashing Y was going to be all I was going to do in the game. But then the expected villain appears, stealing the Banandium gems (just go with it) and DK is compelled to dive deeper and deeper into the crust of the planet to get his bananas back. Once that happens, the game truly reveals itself: each “world” you need to clear is a layer of the planet, but this being a Nintendo game none of the rules apply. Lagoon Layer is up first, and there’s clear blue skies, water everywhere and varied terrain to explore (and smash). Residents of each layer will direct you to help clean up the trouble wrought by the three Kong creatures who make up VoidCo, the dastardly antagonists who stole the bananas. Nintendo Bananza is good about guiding you from goal to goal while also giving you tons of freedom to explore and navigate the layers in any way you see fit. My guess is that the first thing you’ll do is smash everything in sight. The smash mechanic on its own in the tutorial level didn’t feel all that exciting, but putting it into the context of beautifully crafted 3D worlds to explore makes it an absolute delight. You can basically go anywhere you can see, and you can smash nearly anything the game puts in front of you. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes smashing so satisfying, besides the obvious and undeniable fact that destruction is fun. But the combination of visual, haptic and audio cues combine to make it something that absolutely does not get old despite my initial reservations. The crunch of smashing through rocks and mountains just feels different than when you’re pounding your way through dirt or splintering giant trees. And smashing also equals exploration — if you see a mountain you can just pound your way into it to find gold, fossils (that you can exchange for upgraded costumes), power-ups and, most crucially, Banandium gems. Nintendo The Banandium gems are similar to the stars or moons or whatever else other 3D platformers have you collect as you explore. Some you’ll get naturally as you progress through the game and defeat various bosses, but there are dozens hidden around each layer that you’ll want to seek out, as getting five gives you an upgrade point. Those you can use to add more health, and upgrade DK’s various skills (like being able to smash through tougher terrain). There are also little hidden challenge levels that throw some tough platforming or timed battles at you with multiple bananas as a reward. There are a ton of ways to find bananas, and tons of them scattered around the various levels. I’m not exactly rushing through the game (there’s so much to smash, you see), and I don’t think I’ve found more than half of the bananas in any of Bananza’s layers. Nintendo Donkey Kong Bananza is more than just smashing, though! I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the game’s secondary protagonist, Pauline. It’s reasonable if you don’t know her by name; she’s the damsel in distress in the old ‘80s Donkey Kong games but more recently showed up in Super Mario Odyssey as the mayor of New Donk City who loves to belt out a tune. In Bananza, Pauline is a 13-year-old who was captured by the VoidCo crew but is rescued by DK early in the game. From there, she sits on your shoulder as you work together to achieve your ends: Pauline needs to get to the planet’s core to eventually get back to the surface and DK needs to get the VoidCo Kongs to get his Banandium gems back. Pauline’s love of singing becomes a crucial part of the game, as her voice guides to checkpoints, unlocks hidden areas and, most importantly, activates various special powers that DK gains throughout the game. Multiple layers have delightfully ridiculous Elder animals presiding over them, including a giant ape, ostrich and zebra. Most of them have peacefully retired in their layers and have taken up DJing as a hobby; if you repair whatever damage VoidCo has caused, they’ll grant you a new Bananza power. The Kong power supercharges DK’s punches, while the Ostrich power lets you temporarily fly and float. Naturally, these powers end up being crucial to advancing in the game. Nintendo They’re all activated by different songs that Pauline learns, and those cut scenes are some of my favorite parts of the game. As a 13-year-old, she’s not exactly comfortable singing in front of the big crowds gathered by the Elders, but she gets over it, performs with gusto and starts a wild dance party. As with most Nintendo games in this style, Pauline doesn’t get a ton of character development — but watching her bond with DK and become more confident throughout her side chatter during the game is extremely sweet. One of my favorite moments in the game happens when DK takes a nap at the various hideouts you find to recover your energy. As the screen darkens for your nap, Pauline starts chattering about the world you’re in or the adventures you’ve had, and it all feels like a kid trying to talk to their parents to avoid falling asleep. She gets drowsy, starts making a little less sense and eventually nods off. It’s an unexpected and totally unnecessary (and optional) part of the game, but it really gives Pauline a personality. I’m in the last stages of the game, and at this point I’m playing as much to see what happens with Pauline and DK as I am to keep smashing more things. That somewhat unexpected combo of heart and destruction has kept me engrossed in Donkey Kong Bananza for the last week, and there’s a ton of replayability that’ll likely have me starting a new run once I finish this one. There’s so much to explore, so many Banandium gems to find, so much to smash. It might not be the system-seller that something like Mario Kart World is, but it’s the first truly great game for the Switch 2.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/donkey-kong-bananza-review-nintendos-latest-3d-platformer-is-an-instant-classic-143048108.html?src=rss View Source Article

In only its second year, the International Logic Olympiad is already booming as logic becomes more and more crucial in our ever changing world View Source Article

A long-standing mystery about the presence of hydrogen peroxide on Jupiter's icy ocean moon Europa may be closer to being solved. View Source Article

In an industry where 90 percent of drug candidates fail before reaching the market, a handful of startups are betting everything on AI to beat the odds. View Source Article

LVMH-owned Paris Match magazine is buying a controlling stake in the French photo and video agency Abaca as the luxury group continues to expand in the media business. View Source Article

Financial Times is reporting that $1 billion worth of NVIDIA AI chips were smuggled into China in the three months after the Trump administration tightened semiconductor export controls. Citing sales contracts, company documents and people with direct knowledge, the publication says that a thriving black market arose for American semiconductors. Products sold included NVIDIA's top‑tier B200 chips, which have become the silicon of choice for American big tech when training AI models. Sale of these chips to China is banned by the United States. With journalists on the ground in China, Financial Times reports on a veritable web of third‑party data center operators, middlemen and purportedly smuggled ready‑built racks that have all materialized to meet the demand for NVIDIA's most powerful chips. Along with the B200, the H100 and H200 are also restricted yet highly sought after. All of these are far more capable than the weaker H20 chip, which was designed to comply with export restrictions for sale to China, though even that model has faced on and off export bans. NVIDIA, for its part, told Financial Times it has “no evidence of any AI chip diversion” and that “trying to cobble together data centers from smuggled products is a losing proposition, both technically and economically.” NVIDIA explained, “Data centers require service and support, which we provide only to authorized NVIDIA products.” Images produced by Financial Times show boxes of server racks emblazoned with company logos such as Supermicro and ASUS being advertised on social media in China. Those companies deny any knowledge of how their products ended up on the Chinese black market, and Financial Times is not alleging any such involvement. Reporting suggests that some Southeast Asian countries have become hubs for Chinese groups to obtain restricted chips. Having these server racks shipped to Thailand or Malaysia may circumvent US export controls. The US Department of Commerce is reportedly considering increasing export controls on advanced AI chips to these countries. The demand for these products is without question, and as one Chinese distributor told Financial Times, “History has proven many times before that given the huge profit, arbitrators will always find a way.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/1-billion-of-nvidia-ai-chips-were-reportedly-sold-in-china-despite-us-bans-143119762.html?src=rss View Source Article

Optimists have similar patterns of brain activation when they think about the future—but pessimists are all different from one another, a brain scan study suggests View Source Article

The Tianzhou 9 freighter arrived at China's Tiangong space station last week, packed with supplies. Watch its arrival in this video. View Source Article

The mind-bending concept of time dilation results from a seemingly harmless assumption—that the speed of light is the same for all observers. View Source Article

Italian rocket maker Avio SpA is in talks with the US government to conduct space launches from Wallops Island in Virginia, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

At I/O 2025 in May, Google previewed a new AI-powered feature the company said would simplify online shopping. The tool allows you to upload a single, full-body photo of yourself to "try on" different pieces of clothing you find online. Following a limited preview, Google has begun rolling out the feature to users in the US. You can start trying on clothing for yourself by tapping the "try on" icon on any product listing on Google or apparel product result you find on Google Images.  Powering the experience is an image generation model Google trained to take into account how different materials fold, stretch and drape across different human bodies. According to Google, the model supports billions of clothing items found across the company's Shopping Graph, meaning their may be some outfits the AI will have a hard time parsing. However, most clothing items from popular retailers should be supported out of the gate.    With today's release, Google has also enhanced the price-tracking functionality built into the feature. Naturally, you can specify the color and size you want, but Google also allows you to set the price you want to pay for the item. It's possible to configure the watch so you're only alerted after the product you want dips below a specific price. "The Shopping Graph has products and prices from all across the web — so we’ll let you know when there’s an offer that meets your criteria," says Google. "No more constantly checking to see if that bag you’re eyeing is finally at the right price for you or forgetting to come back to a product you loved." Later this year, Google plans to bring additional shopping features to AI Mode, the dedicated AI tab the company began rolling out to everyone in the US this past May. Come this fall, you'll be able to explore outfit and decor ideas — and buy what suits your fancy — directly from the chat bot.   This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-tool-for-virtually-trying-on-clothes-is-now-available-in-the-us-144342056.html?src=rss View Source Article

A hormone-free pill, called YCT-529, that temporarily stops sperm production by blocking a vitamin A metabolite has just concluded its first safety trial in humans, getting a step closer to increasing male contraceptive options View Source Article

Purdue University's new Neil Armstrong Space Prize, named for the school's most famous astronaut-alum, will honor achievements in "space discovery, innovation and human achievement." View Source Article

Reforming California’s environmental rules is only a small step to rebuilding Los Angeles after the fires in January. View Source Article

Samsung Electronics Co. is in talks with the likes of OpenAI Inc. and Perplexity AI Inc. to integrate more AI services in upcoming Galaxy devices, seeking a wider range of offerings beyond Google’s Gemini. View Source Article

1Password is running a notable back-to-school sale in the middle of July, but the deals more than make up for the chronological discrepancy. Many subscription plans are half off until September 12. This includes the Individual and Families plans. That brings the price of the Individual plan down to $18 for a year and the Families plan down to $30 for a year. The plans are nearly identical, but the Families plan accommodates five additional people. These discounts are only available to new customers and the prices expire after the year, so set a reminder to cancel or reassess. This provider actually topped our list of the best password managers, and for good reason. We appreciated the intuitive interface and the fact that it's available on most platforms, so you'll never be left out in the cold. These include Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, macOS, iOS, Windows, Android and more. Subscriptions include industry standard encryption and a "secret key" that only you know on top of a master password. There's also two-factor authentication and the platform issues alerts when credentials have potentially been compromised. The only downside here is the one that accompanies many password managers. There is no free version. Obviously, this won't be an issue for the year, but it could once the plan runs out. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/1password-subscriptions-are-half-off-for-the-back-to-school-season-150817208.html?src=rss View Source Article

A declaration of dissent from past and present NASA employees warns that science and safety are at risk and joins similar documents from staff at other federal science agencies View Source Article

Japan's Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 satellites, designed to study weather here on Earth, have also been quietly collecting valuable data on Venus for nearly a decade, scientists recently discovered. View Source Article

Black hole and Big Bang singularities break our best theory of gravity. A trilogy of theorems hints that physicists must go to the ends of space and time to find a fix. View Source Article

Samsung Electronics Co. has at least briefly reassumed its place as South Korea’s most important stock, as investors eye chances for it to eventually make up lost ground in advanced memory chips for artificial intelligence. View Source Article

It’s always a good time to invest in an air purifier, but in the summer, when seasonal allergies can force sufferers to keep the windows closed, they’re especially useful. And right now our favorite overall air purifier can be picked up for 17 percent off when purchased from Amazon. Down to $183 from its usual price of $220 (the same deal that was running during Prime Day), the Levoit Core 400S Smart Air Purifier reigns supreme in our guide thanks to its easy on-board controls, relatively quiet fan and, crucially, solid performance. This smart air purifier can clean the atmosphere in spaces of up to 1,733 square feet in no more than an hour. It’s also fairly cheap and easy to replace the filter if needed. There’s an auto mode that ensures the air quality is maintained, but it plays nice with Alexa and Google Assistant too. All that said, don’t buy Levoit’s air purifier if, for whatever reason, you’re fashion-conscious about your household appliances. This barebones white cylinder is as un-fancy as it gets. Amazon is also running a deal on Levoit’s Core 300S, which is our top choice for small rooms. It’s basically a smaller version of the aforementioned 400S, and has a lot of the same things in its favour. This model is 10 percent off right now, down to $135 from its usual list price of $150. This is the best price we’ve seen for this model all year. If you only need an air purifier for even smaller rooms (like a bedroom), the Levoit Core 200S is $10 off with Amazon right now. We haven’t tested this model, but given the strength of the rest of the range, you can be confident it’ll likely be up to the job. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-smart-air-purifier-is-currently-17-percent-off-154251338.html?src=rss View Source Article

My lawsuit in Hawaii lays out the safety issues in OpenAI’s products and how they could irreparably harm both Hawaii and the rest of the U.S. View Source Article

A catalog of over 2,000 exploding white dwarf vampire stars, the largest ever gathered, has provided further evidence that dark energy is weakening. View Source Article

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Skydance’s $8 billion purchase of CBS-owner Paramount after the companies agreed to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs but feature a “diversity of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum.” In light of the Trump administration’s critiques of CBS’s alleged anti-conservative bias — including collecting a $16 million settlement over the president’s lawsuit over an allegedly deceptively edited video of then-Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on 60 Minutes — the companies’ commitment to address bias in the lawsuit likely means featuring more conservative programming. Skydance agreed to employ an ombudsman for at least two years, “who will receive and evaluate any complaints of bias or other concerns involving CBS.”  “Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change,” Republican FCC Chair Brendan Carr said in a statement announcing the agency’s approval. “That is why I welcome Skydance’s commitment to make significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network.” He said the commitments “would enable CBS to operate in the public interest and focus on fair, unbiased, and fact-based coverage,” and mark “another step forward in the FCC’s efforts to eliminate invidious forms of DEI discrimination.” Carr also boasts that Skydance “reaffirms its commitment to localism as a core component of the public interest standard,” and that the approval will “unleash the investment of $1.5 billion into Paramount.” Carr has made no secret of his distaste for news coverage he sees as disproportionately unfavorable to the right and DEI policies he believes contribute to unfair treatment. He’s opened investigations into all three major networks as well as NPR and PBS (NBCUniversal and its owner Comcast are investors in The Verge parent company Vox Media). A week ago, CBS announced it was retiring The Late Show, hosted by Trump critic and comedian Stephen Colbert. The network said it was “purely a financial decision.” The FCC’s only remaining Democratic commissioner, Anna Gomez, dissented, writing that, “In an unprecedented move, this once-independent FCC used its vast power to pressure Paramount to broker a private legal settlement and further erode press freedom … Even more alarming, it is now imposing never-before-seen controls over newsroom decisions and editorial judgment, in direct violation of the First Amendment and the law.” Still, she gave Carr credit for calling a vote on the matter, rather than rubber-stamping the merger through one of the agency’s bureaus, like it did for the Verizon-Frontier merger, which similarly required an end to DEI programs. Gomez warns that this agreement is just the canary in the coal mine. “The Paramount payout and this reckless approval have emboldened those who believe the government can—and should—abuse its power to extract financial and ideological concessions, demand favored treatment, and secure positive media coverage,” she writes. “It is a dark chapter in a long and growing record of abuse that threatens press freedom in this country. But such violations endure only when institutions choose capitulation over courage. It is time for companies, journalists, and citizens alike to stand up and speak out, because unchecked and unquestioned power has no rightful place in America.” View Source Article

Long before TikTok and probiotics, animals were teaching each other tips on feeling better, from swallowing leaves to get rid of parasites to using icebergs for exfoliation. View Source Article

GTCR is in talks to acquire prepaid gift-card provider Blackhawk Network, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

We knew it was coming and now it's here. EA has officially dropped a trailer for the long-rumored Battlefield 6. The footage is heavy on story, but light on gameplay. As for that story, there's a global war raging with a private military contractor, prompting an explosion-laden presidential address. The trailer certainly suggests that the newest entry in the franchise will have plenty of cinematic set-pieces. EA has confirmed that Battlefield 6 will have both multiplayer and a single player campaign. We'll have to wait a bit to see actual footage of the multiplayer component in action. The company has a livestream planned for July 31 at 2:30PM ET. Today's trailer doesn't seem to feature any gameplay at all, but it does feature a Bob Dylan tune.  Battlefield 6 is being developed by several different dev teams, operating under the banner Battlefield Studios. Original developer DICE is involved, as are the folks behind Burnout and Need for Speed. EA Motive, the team behind the Dead Space remake, is on hand, as is a new group known as Ripple Effect. Reports have persisted that the game has faced issues during development that caused it to go over budget. This follows Battlefield 2042, which was released back in 2021. The game struggled a bit in the sales department, with the company saying it "did not meet expectations." We don't know when Battlefield 6 will come out, though there have been rumors about an October launch. EA has also remained tight-lipped about what platforms it'll be available for. Maybe we'll get that information on July 31.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/theres-finally-a-trailer-for-battlefield-6-but-no-multiplayer-details-just-yet-170144110.html?src=rss View Source Article

The largest yet study on a four-day workweek included 141 companies, 90 percent of which retained the arrangement at the end of the six-month experiment View Source Article

Marvel's new superhero movie isn't the only thing featuring some of the brightest stars. View Source Article

People with Apple developer accounts have had all the fun with the iOS 26 beta so far (and yes, if you missed it, there's a new naming system now), but now that the public betas are out, anyone can try the new features. Setting up the public beta is slightly less involved than setting up the developer beta but just as free. And if you're looking for help with the iPadOS 26 beta, you're in the right place: the setup process is the same. You should understand what you're getting when you try a beta, though. For one, you won't get all the new features at once; many of them will come later. Also, the fun of trying early features comes with th … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Attempting to eliminate funding for certain kinds of “woke” studies, the Trump administration erased hundreds of millions of dollars being used for cancer research. View Source Article

Liberty Global Ltd. is looking to eliminate hundreds of jobs as part of a new restructuring program, people familiar with the matter said. View Source Article

The latest version of iOS will arrive officially this fall, but you don’t need to wait to start testing the software on your iPhone, thanks to Apple’s public beta rollout. Here’s everything you need to know about setting up the iOS 26 beta, along with the respective betas for iPadOS 26 and watchOS 26, which Apple also revealed in its WWDC 2025 keynote. Before we get started:, no, you haven’t accidentally slept through eight versions of major Apple OS updates. In case you missed the news, from now on all of the company’s various operating systems will be named after years to keep everything aligned and easy to follow. So rather than iOS 19, we’re getting iOS 26 this year, which refers to the year after each update rolls out. Presumably that’s because we’ll be using it for longer in 2026 than what will remain of this year once the full version is in the wild. It’s also important to keep in mind that any beta is software in a pre-release state, meaning it's far more likely you’ll encounter bugs, crashes and other issues with apps and in general use, which Apple and third-party developers will attempt to fix before the final version rolls out to users worldwide. Install any beta at your own risk and think carefully before doing so with the device you use every day. It’s also very important that you back up any device you want to test software on before you download it. iOS 26 supported devices iOS 26 is supported on a wide range of iPhones — but not all of them. You’ll need one of the following models: iPhone SE (second generation or later) iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone 12 iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 13 iPhone 13 mini iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 16e iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max If your iPhone isn’t listed above, that probably means it’s too old to run iOS 26, so you’ll need to upgrade to one of the listed models. How to install the iOS 26 beta Installing betas used to be a fiddly process, but it’s very easy these days. If it’s your first time installing an iOS public beta, you’ll need to first visit the Apple Beta Software Program website and sign up using your Apple credentials. After that, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update on your compatible iPhone, and choose “iOS 26 public beta”. You should then see the option to download and install the beta software. You can read about our first experiences with iOS 26 here. iPadOS 26 supported devices Here are the supported models for the iPadOS 26 beta iPad Pro (M4) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation or later) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later) iPad Air (M3) iPad Air (M2) iPad Air (3rd generation and later) iPad (A16) iPad (8th generation and later) iPad Mini (A17 Pro) iPad Mini (5th generation and later) How to install the iPadOS 26 public beta Like with iOS above, you’ll need to first visit the Apple Beta Software Program website and sign up using your Apple credentials if you’ve never taken part in one before. After that, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update on your supported iPad, and choose “iPadOS 26 public beta”. You should then see the option to download and install the beta software in the Software Update screen. You can read about our experiences with iPadOS 26 here. watchOS beta: Use caution While Apple Watch users can also participate in beta programs in the same way as iOS and iPadOS testers, doing so carries greater risk. That’s because if you’re not enjoying the experience and decide you want to downgrade to watchOS 11, well, you can’t. Apple doesn’t allow it. And if you downgrade your watch’s paired iPhone to iOS 18, your Apple Watch won’t work correctly with your phone until it’s back on the new software version. You can, however, leave your Apple Watch on watchOS 11 when your phone is on the iOS 26 beta. Be extremely sure, then, that you’re comfortable with the possibility of waiting it out for a few months with an Apple Watch plagued with issues before downloading the watchOS 26 beta. For most people, it likely isn’t worth the hassle. watchOS 26 supported devices You’ll need one of these models to run the watchOS 26 beta Apple Watch SE. (2nd generation) Apple Watch Series 6 Apple Watch Series 7 Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch Series 9 Apple Watch Series 10 Apple Watch Ultra Apple Watch Ultra 2 How to install the watchOS 26 public beta If you've assessed the risks for your Apple Watch and still choose to install the watchOS 26 beta, you’ll first need to have already updated your paired iPhone to the iOS 26 beta (see above). After that, make sure your Apple Watch is paired to your iOS 26-running iPhone and open the Watch app on your iPhone. Then, navigate to General > Software Update, and choose the watchOS 26 public beta. After doing that, you should be able to download the beta software.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-install-the-ios-26-public-beta-171117199.html?src=rss View Source Article

Ozzy Osbourne, lead singer of Black Sabbath, has died at age 76. He said he had been previously diagnosed with a form of Parkinson’s disease linked to the gene PRKN View Source Article

'Here today, Gorn tomorrow. I think it's now time for other scary things to take their place.' View Source Article

The Nintendo Switch 2 is here, but we can’t just forget about the original Switch. We’ve still got love for the console, and its many millions of owners, so we’ll keep recommending the best controllers for the Switch right here. Now, you may already know that the best Switch controllers aren’t the ones that come with the console. The removable Joy-Cons included with all non-Lite Switch consoles are convenient, given they can be detached for wireless use for up to two players with a pair, but their tiny shape doesn’t do them many favors. They aren’t comfortable to hold for long gaming sessions — especially if you have large hands. And, you’re definitely not alone if you’ve experienced Joy-Con drift. In this buying guide, we’ll focus on wireless controllers that are both comfortable and reliable, as well as a few options that come with unique features designed that may match your unique play style. We’re not covering wired controllers that plug into the Switch’s dock here, as they’re mostly similar to each other and don’t offer substantial savings in many cases. (PowerA and PDP make decent ones that will do in a pinch, but they’re very basic. Unless you detest recharging your controllers, it makes more sense to go wireless.) Also, if you buy a third-party wireless controller (as in, one not made by Nintendo), it likely won’t support HD rumble, motion controls, NFC for Amiibo, or be able to wake the Switch remotely. However, there are exceptions, which we feature below. If you’re playing your Switch while docked, it’s hard to go wrong with the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It’s the only traditional gamepad that includes every feature mentioned above, and it’s one of the most satisfying controllers to use that we’ve tested. The GuliKit KingKong 3 Pro and Max, meanwhile, offer more exhaustive customization, while the Hori Split Pad Pro is a Joy-Con upgrade for those who prefer to play in handheld mode. Then there’s 8BitDo’s PC-friendly Ultimate Bluetooth Controller and DualShock-esque Pro 2 controller, both of which are worth checking out. Featured in this article Best for TV mode: Nintendo Switch Pro Controller The Switch Pro Controller remains tough to beat, even to this day. It offers an unmatched set of features — including motion controls, NFC, and HD rumble — and is one of the most comfy gamepads available. Where to Buy: $69.99 at GameStop $69.99 at Best Buy $69.99 at Target Best for handheld mode: Hori Split Pad Compact Much like the Split Pad Pro, the Compact version is bigger than the standard Joy-Con, making the Switch more comfortable to hold. The Compact, however, is smaller and more colorful. Where to Buy: $49.99 at Target $49.99 $45.99 at Amazon $49.99 at Hori The best Nintendo Switch controller for TV modeThe best Switch controller for handheld modeThe best Xbox-style controller for the SwitchThe best Switch controller that’s also great for PC and Steam DeckA well-rounded Switch controller that looks like a DualShockAn adapter that lets you use your own controllersOther Switch controllers we testedWhat’s coming next? The best Nintendo Switch controller for TV mode Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ProsConsHigh quality, sturdy buildSupports HD rumble, gyro motion, and NFCLong battery lifeMobile and PC compatibilityOn the pricier side Where to Buy: $69.99 at GameStop $69.99 at Best Buy $69.99 at Target Supported platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam Deck, mobile, Apple TV / Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: No / Software customization: No / Rumble: Yes, HD / NFC: Yes / Motion: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: Yes (but not the Switch 2) Ever since the Switch launched, Nintendo’s first-party Pro controller has been the best gamepad for the console. In many ways, it rivals the standard models from Sony and Microsoft in terms of comfort and build quality. And, it’s compatible with the Switch 2 (although it can’t wake the new console from sleep — you’ll need a Switch 2 Pro Controller for that). Aside from the Joy-Cons, the Switch Pro Controller is the only wireless option that includes HD rumble, gyroscopic movement support, and an NFC reader for Amiibo cards and figurines. It’s one of a few controllers we’ve tested (aside from the Joy-Con and 8BitDo’s Ultimate series) that can power on the Switch without being plugged into it. The gamepad is built like a tank, and its battery life is so good that it sometimes seems like it’ll never run out. Nintendo says that it lasts around 40 hours per charge, so it’ll likely take casual gamers a long time to run down the battery. The buttons and triggers have a satisfying bounce, while its directional pad is responsive and clicky enough to satisfy retro gamers. The controller charges via USB-C, just like the Switch, and it’s compatible with a slew of other platforms you might game on, aside from Xbox and PlayStation. Given the high price, we wish that it had other features, like programmable buttons or a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio, even if wireless audio transmission from the Switch to a controller isn’t possible. If you really want the ability to listen via wired headphones without connecting your controller with a wire, you’ll need to get the Switch 2 and its Switch 2 Pro controller. The best Switch controller for handheld mode Hori Split Pad Compact (Pokémon Gengar) Hori’s Joy-Con alternatives offer a roomier, comfier grip for your Nintendo Switch in handheld mode without the added bulk of its Split Pad Pro version. They also feature two customizable rear buttons and are offered in multiple colors and designs but do not support rumble or Amiibo figures. Where to Buy: $59.99 at Amazon $59.99 at Walmart $49.99 at Hori (plain blue) Supported Platforms: Switch, Switch OLED / Connectivity: Wired / Connector type: Joy-Con slots / Mappable rear buttons: Yes / Software customization: No / Rumble: No / NFC: No / Motion: No / Power: via Joy-Con slots / Console Wakeup: No I’m sure there are some people who enjoy using Joy-Con controllers, but kids and small-handed folks aside, most people probably wouldn’t say they’re the most comfortable option. If you struggle with hand pain when you use the Switch, that’s where the Hori Split Pad Compact comes in. The Split Pad Compact is a — you guessed it — a more compact alternative to the Split Pad Pro, which has unfortunately become tougher to find. Similarly, it comes in a variety of colorways, and it adds comfort to using the Switch in handheld mode. One half slides into each side of the Switch console like Joy-Cons, but unlike Nintendo’s default controllers, Hori’s gamepad features big, easy-to-reach buttons and generously sized triggers and analog sticks, all of which feel great in play. It also provides more grip than Joy-Con do, which is particularly useful for people who need to get a better handle on the console for fast gameplay or stay comfy over longer play sessions. The Split Pad Compact doesn’t have batteries or sensors — or support for rumble, motion, IR, or NFC — so it’s completely useless when detached from the Switch. It’s only for handheld mode unless you purchase the Split Pad Compact Attachment that turns it into a wired controller. We don’t recommend most people go that route since the attachment usually (but not always) costs more than a Switch Pro Controller, which is a shame considering it doesn’t add any of the aforementioned features. It does add a 3.5mm headphone jack, however. Read our Hori Split Pad Compact impressions. The best Xbox-style controller for the Switch GuliKit KingKong 3 ProsConsGreat ergonomics with Xbox-style shapeDeep customization optionsHall effect sticks and triggersSupports HD rumble, NFC, and motionWide platform compatibilityLacks companion app for customizations Where to Buy: $59.99 $44.99 at Amazon (Pro, save 10% at checkout) $79.99 $62.99 at Amazon (Max, save 10% at checkout) Supported Platforms: Switch, PC, Steam Deck, mobile, Apple TV / Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Yes / Software customization: No / Rumble: Yes / NFC: Yes / Motion: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: Yes On the surface, the GuliKit KingKong 3 Pro and KingKong 3 Max are similar to the last-gen models they replaced, which took design cues from Microsoft’s standard Xbox controller but rivaled the Switch Pro Controller in terms of build quality and features. We tested them on the Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile, but you can also use them with other Bluetooth devices, including the Steam Deck and Apple TV 4K. But there are several notable improvements and additions if you scratch deeper. They each have Hall effect dual-mode triggers (both can switch between analog and digital, but the KK3 Max exclusively adds physical trigger stops), in addition to RGB LED-surrounded Hall effect analog sticks. It should make them virtually impervious to drifting and waning responsiveness, as iFixit explains here. They each have GuliKit’s powerful magnetic vibration motors with two intensity levels and three distinct modes (including the Switch’s HD rumble). You can even customize the hot-swappable face buttons to match your preferred platform, and to the delight of tournament players, you can play with a 1,000Hz polling rate for reduced input lag on PC (wired or wireless via a dongle). Additionally, both controllers feature detachable rear-facing paddles. You get two metal moon-shaped paddles with the KK3 Pro that protrude further from the controller than the extra four you get with the KK3 Max, which are longer and curved to match the contour of the controllers’ rear grips. The latter are similar to the paddles on the Xbox Elite Series 2 and even borrow the same installation technique — just push them into the designated holes on the back. They require a lot more force, though they won’t easily dislodge.  The longer paddles are comfortably reachable once installed, but if you have larger hands, you may need to make adjustments for the shorter variety. They only need a light tap, but since they occupy the space where your fingers usually rest, it can lead to increased misfires while gaming. You can map each back button to emulate any other button on the controller — including the rear triggers — but you can’t configure them to execute combo presses or macros. In summary, the KK3 Pro and KK3 Max offer a lot for the money. In fact, there may be no better option for interoperability and value in a single multiplatform controller right now. If we’re nitpicking, our biggest gripe is that GuliKit still hasn’t created an app to manage all of its settings more easily. The best Switch controller that’s also great for PC and Steam Deck 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller ProsConsErgonomically similar to the Switch Pro controllerUses GuliKit Hall effect sticksWirelessly compatible with mobile and PCShake to wake SwitchLacks NFCBattery life falls short of Nintendo’s official gamepad Where to Buy: $69.99 $49.99 at Amazon $69.99 $49.99 at Walmart $69.99 $50.99 at Best Buy Supported Platforms: Switch, Switch 2 (with update), PC, Steam Deck, mobile, Apple TV / Connectivity: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Yes / Software customization: Yes / Rumble: Yes / NFC: No / Motion: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: Yes 8BitDo’s Ultimate Bluetooth Controller feels like a Switch Pro Controller in shape, with a similarly short grip profile that larger hands may not prefer. Both share Switch and Windows PC support, but 8BitDo gets a leg up with full Steam Deck compatibility. Its haptics are decent but not as good as Nintendo’s, and it’s missing Amiibo support, though it does feature customizable back paddles and motion controls — along with a hidden trick that allows you to wake a docked Switch by giving the controller a little shake. It also comes with a charging dock, which stores the 2.4GHz dongle when not in use. The included dock is handy for charging the battery. Speaking of, it typically lasts around 22 hours, which is still pretty generous but comes well short of the 40-hour mark set by Nintendo’s official controller. The Ultimate controller comes in several variants, but we recommend the Bluetooth model over the 2.4GHz or wired options for a couple of reasons. One because it’s the only version of the Ultimate that’s compatible with the Switch. Plus, it includes both 2.4GHz connectivity and GuliKit Hall effect sticks, which the 2.4GHz-only version lacks. The analog sticks offer just the right amount of resistance and sport a comfortable concave top, but they’re just a tad short on the sides. All of the buttons offer great travel, though, and the analog triggers have a satisfying amount of resistance when pulled. As for tweaks, you can customize button mapping profiles, macros, vibration intensity, and stick and trigger sensitivity using the Ultimate Software app on mobile or PC. The controller has a dedicated button that lets you swap between three profiles on the fly, plus an extra turbo button you can either reconfigure or remap. When it comes to Switch controllers, 8BitDo sets the standard for the breadth of these options and how to access them, which is another reason it’s high on our list. A well-rounded Switch controller that looks like a DualShock 8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth Gamepad ProsConsNostalgic design and layoutHall effect analog sticksRemappable buttons, including back paddlesAvailable in a variety of translucent colorsLacks NFCLarger hands may feel cramped Where to Buy: $49.99 $42.99 at Amazon $49.99 $42.49 at Best Buy $54.99 $44.99 at 8BitDo (special edition) Supported Platforms: Switch, Switch 2 (with update) PC, Steam Deck, mobile, Apple TV, Raspberry Pi / Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Yes / Software customization: Yes / Rumble: Yes / NFC: No / Motion: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: No The 8BitDo Pro 2 is another great option with Hall effect sticks for the Nintendo Switch, especially if your hands are happiest with a PlayStation-style controller layout. The Pro 2 has a comfortable grip, a crisper D-pad than the Switch Pro Controller, and two easy-to-press paddle buttons on the underside. It has rumble support (though not HD rumble) and motion control for games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Overwatch 2, both of which allow for gyroscopic aiming. PlayStation gamers will also appreciate that the left analog stick is located toward the bottom — just like on Sony’s controllers — rather than above the D-pad as on the Switch Pro. With 8BitDo’s Ultimate software on a mobile device or a Windows computer, you can customize the Pro 2’s button mapping and the sensitivity of its triggers and analog sticks. You can even save up to three control scheme profiles and cycle through them with a button located between the analog sticks. On its rear, there’s a switch that lets it toggle between Nintendo Switch, X-input for PC, DirectInput, and macOS modes, each with its own control customizations and Bluetooth profile. This controller offers a lot for around $40 (or slightly more if you want one of the incredibly cool translucent blue, purple, or green editions). Read our 8BitDo Pro 2 review. An adapter that lets you use your own controllers 8BitDo Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter 2 ProsConsInexpensiveAllows you to use any Bluetooth controllerRequires sourcing your own controllerOnly works in docked mode Where to Buy: $19.99 at Amazon $19.99 $18.99 at 8BitDo $19.99 at Best Buy There are many other devices that allow you to use third-party controllers, but 8BitDo’s might be the best value. Instead of spending $70 on multiple Switch Pro Controllers, the $19.99 8BitDo Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter 2 lets you turn a Bluetooth controller you already own into a wireless Switch (or Switch 2) controller. It plugs into your Switch dock and supports a wide variety of models, from the latest Xbox and DualSense controllers to last-gen gamepads for the Wii and PlayStation 3. (Note: the first-gen model can’t connect to most Xbox Bluetooth controllers due to a Bluetooth incompatibility, so make sure you get the latest model.) To our surprise, the PS5 DualSense controller we tested it with worked incredibly well, with better-than-average rumble and more responsive motion controls than many dedicated Switch controllers offer. What’s more, so long as you’re using one of the newer Xbox Series X or S controllers, an Xbox One Bluetooth controller, a DualSense, a DualShock 4, or the Switch Pro Controller, you can customize their button mapping, analog stick sensitivity, and more within 8BitDo’s computer and mobile app.  8BitDo has an extensive support page that lists the steps required to set up your specific controller, as well as which features of those controllers it supports. That said, it’s best if you know the Switch’s button layout by heart if you plan to use either a PlayStation or Xbox controller with this adapter, as the layout on your controller will not match the on-screen prompts in games. If you already have a controller you really like and don’t mind jumping through a few small hoops to connect it, 8BitDo’s affordable adapter deserves a spot in your entertainment center. If you plan to use more than one third-party controller at a time, you’ll need an adapter for each controller (and a USB hub), but if you have a lot of controllers sitting around, it might be worth it. Other Switch controllers we tested Nitro Deck / Nitro Deck Plus We like CRKD’s Nitro Deck around here. It’s a cradle-style controller that holds the Switch between a pair of Hall effect sticks, outfitting it with a standard array of face buttons, four programmable back buttons, turbo functionality, gyro motion controls, and rumble. It has passthrough charging, though not passthrough video, which would allow it to double as a dock for TV gameplay. The step-up Nitro Deck Plus adds said functionality (with a USB-C to HDMI adapter), along with Bluetooth connectivity and adjustable vibration intensity / analog sensitivity. We’ve found these to be notable improvements, but we wish the passthrough solution was more elegant and that CRKD could solve the ergonomics (particularly on the right side, where the analog and button placement can cause discomfort). GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro We recently tested the GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro ($49.99) for consideration. It offers a few of the same functions as the GuliKit KingKong 3 — including remappable buttons, Hall effect sticks, and two distinct macro buttons — along with dedicated vibration motors in the triggers, which is something the GuliKit doesn’t match. That said, it falls just short due to mushy-feeling buttons. GameSir considers the extra padding under the buttons a feature that makes the impact softer, but we felt it takes away from the experience. Also, although it’s perfectly usable with the Switch, the Pro’s button labeling takes after Microsoft’s, which may not be ideal for those who have trouble memorizing inputs. We also found resyncing with the Switch to be a chore after switching from a mobile device or a Windows PC. PowerA GameCube Style Wireless Controller We also recently tried several wireless PowerA controllers, including the GameCube Style Wireless Controller ($59.99) and a Pikachu-themed version of the standard PowerA Enhanced Wireless ($44.99). We like the fun design of PowerA’s controllers, but they don’t live up to the quality of the models we recommend above, which is a shame considering some cost nearly as much. The GameCube-style wireless controller is a pretty faithful recreation of the original if you fancy a pure Super Smash Bros. experience, but it’s barebones with no rumble, NFC, or IR. It’s an easy way to get the old-school feeling back if you don’t already have a Bluetooth-based alternative to use with 8BitDo’s USB Adapter 2. What’s coming next? We’ll be testing both the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 and the Pro 3 controllers, which are compatible with the Switch and Switch 2, among other platforms. We’re also getting our hands on the EasySMX S10 controller. Update, July 24th: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability. We’ve swapped the Split Pro Compact in as the best controller for handheld mode, swapping out the bulkier Split Pad Pro that’s tougher to find in stock at the moment. Also, we’ve added a mention of the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 and Pro 3 controllers we intend to test soon. View Source Article

Bad mood? Puffy face? Immune issues? Across TikTok and Instagram there are scores of influencers ready to sell you some products—without ever sending you to a doctor. View Source Article

The next time a banker pitches an investment to GIC Pte, one of the world’s biggest sovereign wealth funds, their deal might get picked apart by its latest AI tools: a Virtual Investment Committee and an “Agentic Devil’s Advocate” chatbot designed to ask tough questions. View Source Article

Current and former members of the FDA told CNN about issues with the Elsa generative AI tool unveiled by the federal agency last month. Three employees said that in practice, Elsa has hallucinated nonexistent studies or misrepresented real research. "Anything that you don't have time to double-check is unreliable," one source told the publication. "It hallucinates confidently." Which isn't exactly ideal for a tool that's supposed to be speeding up the clinical review process and aiding with making efficient, informed decisions to benefit patients. Leadership at the FDA appeared unfazed by the potential problems posed by Elsa. "I have not heard those specific concerns," FDA Commissioner Marty Makary told CNN. He also emphasized that using Elsa and participating in the training to use it are currently voluntary at the agency. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told Engadget that "the information provided by FDA to CNN was mischaracterized and taken out of context." The spokesperson also claimed that CNN led its story with "disgruntled former employees and sources who have never even used the current version of Elsa." The agency claims to have guardrails and guidance for how its employees can use the tool, but its statement doesn’t address that Elsa, like any AI platform, can and will deliver incorrect or incomplete information at times. We have not yet received a response to our request for additional details. The CNN investigation highlighting these flaws with the FDA's artificial intelligence arrived on the same day as the White House introduced an "AI Action Plan." The program presented AI development as a technological arms race that the US should win at all costs, and it laid out plans to remove "red tape and onerous regulation" in the sector. It also demanded that AI be free of "ideological bias," or in other words, only following the biases of the current administration by removing mentions of climate change, misinformation, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Considering each of those three topics has a documented impact on public health, the ability of tools like Elsa to provide genuine benefits to both the FDA and to US patients looks increasingly doubtful. Update, July 24, 2025, 6:35PM ET: Added a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/fda-employees-say-the-agencys-elsa-generative-ai-hallucinates-entire-studies-203547157.html?src=rss View Source Article

Waymo has expanded its Austin Robotaxi service area. Waymo now serves a larger area than Tesla. Tesla is testing in areas 20 minutes outside of its current service area. Both Waymo and Tesla will likely expand to serve the entire City of Austin within 2-6 weeks. View Source Article

If you’re seeking a summer read, Scientific American has some fantastic fiction and notable nonfiction to recommend. View Source Article

Saturn will be quite distinct in the Pisces constellation. View Source Article

After delivering a rambling celebration of tariffs and a routine about women's sports, President Donald Trump entertained a crowd, which was there to hear about his new AI Action Plan, with one his favorite topics: "wokeness." Trump complained that AI companies under former President Joe Biden "had to hire all woke people," adding that it is "so uncool to be woke." And AI models themselves had been "infused with partisan bias," he said, including the hated specter of "critical race theory." Fortunately for the audience, Trump had a solution: he signed an executive order titled "Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government," directing governm … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

US health officials, from RFK Jr. on down, have made some wild claims. See if you can name the person responsible for these quotes and factoids. View Source Article

Star founders, Beijing officials and deep-pocketed financiers converge on Shanghai by the thousands this weekend to attend China’s most important AI summit. At the top of the agenda: how to propel Beijing’s ambitions to leapfrog the US in artificial intelligence — and profit off that drive. View Source Article

You can now take Apple's 2026 software for a spin. The first public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26 are now available, and we have directions on updating your devices if you're feeling brave. The two most obvious changes serve to unify Apple's platforms. First, we have Apple's biggest cosmetic overhaul to date. Liquid Glass is the company's name for the shiny, translucent redesign that will be heading to its software this fall. The other significant change is in the numbering. Apple traded its old chronological system for a year-based one. Since 2026 is when the software will spend the bulk of its time in the spotlight, "26" it is. Apple iOS 26 brings new personalized backgrounds and polls to Messages. Live Translation is another new arrival, making it easier to communicate in Messages, FaceTime and Phone. In addition, Visual Intelligence inches forward: It now lets you interact with content on your iPhone's screen. There are also new screening tools to decide whether a conversation is worth your time. The Phone app even includes Hold Assist, which listens to the Muzak so you don't have to. Check out our preview of iOS 26 for more. Arguably, Apple's most significant update this year is iPadOS 26. The new software makes Apple's tablet more of a workhorse. The iPad finally has desktop-like window management and Menu Bar dropdown entries. It even includes the Preview app and Exposé, both familiar to Mac users. The update should do a lot to calm the fury over the iPad Pro's wasted productivity potential. We got into the details of the iPadOS 26 public beta and found the new multitasking features to be a big deal. Apple Meanwhile, Apple's Mac software adopts the "26" branding without ditching California landmarks. macOS Tahoe 26 adds the Phone app and Live Activities from the iPhone. The update also introduces a more advanced Spotlight that allows you to take actions directly from the launcher. Here's our first look at macOS Tahoe 26. Finally, watchOS 26 adds Workout Buddy, a virtual fitness coach. The AI-powered feature learns from your fitness history to "identify meaningful insights in real time." A text-to-speech model then communicates those to you verbally. "You're crushing it — closing that move ring for six straight days!" Although the public betas are less risky than installing a developer beta on day one, remember that this is still pre-release software. Only go this route if you're comfortable with the inherent risks, which could include buggy apps and unpredictable battery life. It also can't hurt to make a local backup of your device before taking the plunge.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apples-ios-26-ipados-26-macos-tahoe-26-and-watchos-26-public-betas-are-ready-to-download-170800133.html?src=rss View Source Article

Damian Hischier of the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California, takes part in testing of a virtual reality-infused pilot simulation in the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley on May 30, 2025. NASA/Brandon Torres-Navarrete Commercial companies and government agencies are increasingly pursuing a more immersive and affordable alternative to conventional displays currently used in flight simulators. A NASA research project is working on ways to make this technology available for use faster.  Mixed reality systems where users interact with physical simulators while wearing virtual reality headsets offer a promising path forward for pilot training. But currently, only limited standards exist for allowing their use, as regulators have little to no data on how these systems perform. To address this, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley invited a dozen pilots to participate in a study to test how a mixed-reality flight simulation would perform in the world’s largest flight simulator.  “For the first time, we’re collecting real data on how this type of mixed reality simulation performs in the highest-fidelity vertical motion simulator,” said Peter Zaal, a principal systems architect at Ames.  “The more we understand about how these systems affect pilot performance, the closer we are to providing a safer, cost-effective training tool to the aviation community that could benefit everyone from commercial airlines to future air taxi operators.”  A National Test Pilot student observes the mixed-reality pilot simulation in the VMS at Ames on May 30, 2025.NASA/Brandon Torres-Navarrete Mixed reality blends physical and digital worlds, allowing users to see physical items while viewing a desired simulated environment. Flight simulators employing this technology through headset or a similar setup could offer pilots training for operating next-generation aircraft at a reduced cost and within a smaller footprint compared to more traditional flight simulators. This is because pilots could rely more heavily on the visuals provided through the headset instead of large embedded visual displays in a physical motion simulator.  During the testing – which ran May 23-30 – pilots donned a headset through which they could see the physical displays and control sticks inside the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) cab along with a virtual cockpit overlay of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle through the head-mounted display. When the pilots looked toward their windscreens, they saw a virtual view of San Francisco and the surrounding area.  Pilots performed three typical flight maneuvers under four sets of motion conditions. Afterward, they were asked to provide feedback on their level of motion sickness while using the head-mounted display and how well the simulator replicated the same movements the aircraft would make during a real flight.  An initial analysis of the study shows pilots reported lower ratings of motion sickness than NASA researchers expected. Many shared that the mixed-reality setup inside the VMS felt more realistic and fluid than previous simulator setups they had tested.   As part of the test, Ames hosted members of the Federal Aviation Administration Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, which studies factors that influence human performance in aerospace. Pilots from the National Test Pilot School attended a portion of the testing and, independent from the study, evaluated the head-mounted display’s “usable cue environment,” or representation of the visual cues pilots rely on to control an aircraft.   Peter Zaal (right), observes as Samuel Ortho (middle) speaks with a National Test Pilot student during the mixed reality pilot simulation in the Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames on May 30, 2025. NASA will make the test results available to the public and the aviation community early next year. This first-of-its-kind testing – funded by an Ames Innovation Fair Grant and managed by the center’s Aviation Systems Division – paves the way for potential use of this technology in the VMS for future aviation and space missions.  View Source Article

Boeing is expected to spend 2.8 billion dollars on NASA’s new Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). The EUS will be launched by the Space Launch System Block 1B version of the rocket. Its first flight is planned for Artemis IV in 2028. However, the Trump administration has proposed terminating the SLS program after Artemis III, which ... Read more View Source Article

Hundreds of staffers at the National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, NASA and the National Science Foundation have signed public letters to leadership opposing the direction in which the agencies are headed View Source Article

The theorists predict that the beginning of the end will be in about 10 billion years — less than the present age of the universe. View Source Article

You can get a great budget device these days if you know how to pick your priorities. | Image: The Verge Some of us take a kind of “I eat to live” rather than an “I live to eat” approach to gadgets. They’re tools that help you get things done, not something you want to invest a lot of time or money in. If that’s you — and there’s no judgment here from a certifiable gadget nerd — then you can probably think of more worthwhile ways to spend $1,000 than on a phone. Budget phones to the rescue. These devices are roughly $500 or under, though not all of them, and they’re more capable than ever. You won’t get all the bells and whistles, but you will save a little money to spend on, I don’t know, actual bells and whistles. It’s your world. What compromises can you expect from a budget phone? Some combination of the following: slower processors, less storage, and worse cameras than flagship phones, almost across the board. Many have lower-resolution screens, and water resistance is often less robust than on a pricier phone. The best cheap iPhoneThe best Android phone under $500The budget phone with a big, beautiful screenThe best phone under $400Other budget phones to consider The best cheap iPhone iPhone 16E The iPhone 16E is the spiritual successor to the iPhone SE, bringing flagship-level performance for less than the standard 16. We really wish it included MagSafe for $599, but those upgrading from older iPhones will probably be satisfied with what’s included. Score: 7ProsConsReliable performanceGood, if limited, camera systemIt’s the cheapest new iPhone you can buyNo MagSafe$599 feels like $100 too muchNo ultrawide Where to Buy: $599 at Apple $599.99 at Best Buy $599.99 at Verizon Screen: 6.1-inch, 1170p OLED / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 with OIS, 12-megapixel selfie / Charging: 20W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 If I were making this recommendation to you face-to-face, you’d hear a heavy sigh. Yes, this is the cheapest new iPhone Apple makes. Yes, it comes with most of the things that make an iPhone an iPhone. But it comes with some significant tradeoffs — some of which make more sense than others — and it’s not exactly cheap. If you’re amenable to last year’s model or a refurbished iPhone 14, one of those might actually be a better option. But for an unfussy person who just wants a new iPhone for the least amount of money, the 16E will do the trick. There’s a single 48-megapixel rear camera on the back, meaning there’s no ultrawide like on the regular 16. That’s an understandable tradeoff — so is the use of the older “notch” design rather than the Dynamic Island. But it’s harder to understand why Apple left out MagSafe here — that’s the ring of magnets built into the back of virtually every other iPhone since 2020. The 16E still supports wireless charging, but it can’t take advantage of the ecosystem of magnetic chargers and accessories on its own; you’ll need to add a magnetic case. This is a silly omission, and Apple should feel bad about it. Another heavy sigh: the 16E supports Apple Intelligence, which you won’t get if you opt for an iPhone 15 or 14. Should you care? It’s really hard to say. What exists of Apple Intelligence so far is underwhelming and the most interesting bits won’t arrive anytime soon. If you want to future-proof your purchase as much as possible, the 16E will be ready for Apple’s AI. But don’t buy one expecting a life-changing experience now. It’s just an iPhone after all, for better and worse, and right now it’s the best price you’ll find on a brand-new one. Read my full iPhone 16E review. The best Android phone under $500 Google Pixel 9A The Pixel 9A adds more robust water resistance and a brighter, bigger screen to what was already a winning formula for a good midrange phone. Score: 8ProsConsRobust IP68 ratingSeven years of software updatesBrighter, bigger screenMissing a couple of AI featuresAI is occasionally handy, usually weird Where to Buy: $499 at Amazon $499 at Google $499.99 at Best Buy Screen: 6.3-inch, 1080p OLED, 120Hz / Processor: Tensor G4 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 with OIS, 13-megapixel ultrawide, 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,100mAh / Charging: 23W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 Google’s Pixel A-series phones have been my go-to recommendation for a cheap Android phone for years, but there was still room for improvement. With the 9A, Google made some modest tweaks that make it even easier to recommend — and at $499, the price is right. The phone uses a Tensor G4 chipset that doesn’t run as hot as some of its predecessors, and performance is reliable. The 6.3-inch OLED screen is a little bigger and a bit brighter than last year’s, which makes a noticeable difference when you use the phone outside. Durability also received a slight boost to IP68, which means it can withstand a drop in deeper water than the IP67-rated Pixel 8A. The 9A’s camera is fine, though it comes up short against the rest of the Pixel 9 series in low light. Portrait mode could be better, too, and if you care a lot about image quality, then that might be a good reason to consider stepping up to a Pixel 9. But it does the trick for everyday snaps, and for the price, the 9A’s better qualities outweigh its shortcomings by a wide margin. Read my full Google Pixel 9A review. The budget phone with a big, beautiful screen OnePlus 13R The OnePlus 13R is a pared-down version of the company’s flagship phone, and it offers excellent battery life and a great screen for the price. Score: 6ProsConsExcellent battery lifeGreat screen for the priceSix years of security updatesNo wireless chargingOnly splash-resistantFewer OS updates than Google and Samsung Where to Buy: $599 $497 at OnePlus (with code HOTSUMMER) $599 $557.38 at Amazon $599 at Best Buy Screen: 6.78-inch, 1264 x 2780 120Hz OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 with OIS, 50-megapixel 2x telephoto, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 16-megapixel selfie / Battery: 6,000mAh / Charging: 80W wired / Weather-resistance rating: IP65 The OnePlus 13R isn’t quite as well-rounded as my pick for the best overall budget Android phone, the Pixel 9A. It’s also a little pricier at $599 — although we’ve seen it on sale for $499 for extended periods of time — but for some people, the 13R’s upgrades will make it a better choice. It comes with one of the best big screens in its class, and many people love a big screen. The 13R also offers very strong battery performance; unless you’re a power user, you can probably manage two full days on a single charge. There’s also very fast charging with the included charger, though you won’t find wireless charging at any speed. The 13R also lacks full water resistance; it should hold up fine against sprays and rain showers, but it isn’t rated to withstand full immersion. Plenty of people won’t find those omissions bothersome, but they make it harder to recommend to a general audience, especially at a higher price than the Pixel 9A. Read my full OnePlus 13R review. The best phone under $400 Samsung Galaxy A35 5G The Galaxy A35 5G comes with a good 6.6-inch OLED panel, a robust IP67 dust and water resistance rating, and a strong software update policy for its class. ProsConsBright, 120Hz OLED displayRobust IP67 dust and water resistanceFive years of security updatesNo wireless chargingUnremarkable camera systemSo-so performance Where to Buy: $399.99 $259.99 at Best Buy Screen: 6.6-inch, 1080p resolution, 120Hz OLED / Processor: Exynos 1380 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 with OIS, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 5-megapixel macro, 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,000mAh / Charging: 25W wired / Weather-resistance rating: IP67 The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G comes with surprisingly strong specs for its $399 price. They’re the kind of features you won’t really spot from the outside, but they’re important, particularly its IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. Unlike virtually every other phone at this price, the A35 5G is built to withstand water immersion, so you don’t need to sweat it if your phone lands in a toilet bowl or puddle. Here’s another unexciting spec: four years of OS updates and five years of security updates. That’s not the very best in the budget category — the Pixel 9A takes that honor with seven years of updates — but it’s much better than the two or three years we typically see in phones well under $500. The camera is lackluster; it’s fine in bright light but struggles in dim and mixed indoor lighting. It doesn’t have the strongest processing performance you can find under $500, either, and the Samsung-made Exynos processor occasionally stutters when quickly bouncing between tasks. I was horrified — horrified! — when I accidentally texted my husband one of the automatically generated replies because it popped up at the last moment as I was trying to tap on something else. These things don’t happen when everything loads quickly. Overall, the A35 5G is a compelling package — especially with its big, crowd-pleasing OLED display and strong battery performance. That being said, Samsung just released the Galaxy A36 5G in March. It offers a slightly larger 6.7-inch display and a more powerful Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor for the same price; however, the newer midrange device trades the microSD slot in favor of a second SIM card slot, so you lose out on the ability to expand your storage for photos, videos, and other media. Other budget phones to consider The 2025 Motorola Moto G Power offers a lot despite its starting price of $299.99. It features a 6.8-inch LCD display, a 5,000mAh battery, wireless charging support, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is increasingly rare in 2025. Additionally, the device combines both IP68 and IP69 ratings, meaning it’s rated for both submersion in water and exposure to high-pressure water jets and steam, in addition to full protection from dust. The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is another perfectly capable phone that doesn’t quite earn a recommendation here. It’s a little outside the scope of this guide at $649 anyway, but you do get a telephoto lens and a nice, big screen for that price. Still, you’re better off saving a bunch and picking up the Pixel 9A or trying to score a trade-in promo for the newer Galaxy S25. Read our review. The Samsung Galaxy A56 recently launched in the US with a starting price of $499. The device has all the makings of a solid midrange phone, including a 6.7-inch OLED display, a 50-megapixel main camera, an Exynos 1580 chip, and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging. Although we haven’t tested it yet, it has some pretty stiff competition in the form of the Pixel 9A, which also has a starting price of $499. We got our first glimpse of the TCL 60 XE Nxtpaper 5G back at CES 2025, and it’s finally in our hands for testing. The device features an Nxtpaper matte LCD screen that’s supposed to be easier on your eyes than a traditional LCD, as it reduces your exposure to blue light. It also features a “Max Ink Mode,” which turns the screen monochrome and silences notifications. This, in turn, can help extend the phone’s battery life to multiple days. Read our initial impressions. Update, July 24th: Updated pricing / availability and added a mention of the 2025 Moto G Power, Galaxy A56, and TCL 60XE Nxtpaper 5G to the “other budget phones to consider” section. View Source Article

Unlike Elon Musk's brain-computer interface, Synchron's doesn't require open-skull surgery, and it has an OpenAI chatbot baked in. View Source Article

Bloomberg’s Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow discuss the details and response to the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios and White House Senior AI Policy Advisor Sriram Krishnan join them. Plus, Tesla warns of “rough quarters ahead,” and Google plans to raise its capital expenditure by $10 billion to meet AI and cloud demand. (Source: Bloomberg) View Source Article

Intel provided more detail about the scope of its planned job cuts and other business changes while sharing its second-quarter earnings results. Reports in April suggested that Intel could eliminate around 20 percent of its staff in a restructuring plan. Today, the chipmaker said it anticipates having a core workforce of 75,000 employees by the end of 2025. That's about a third less than the 108,900 people it employed at the close of the previous fiscal year. These cuts are part of the company's current goal to bring its non-GAAP operating expenses down to $17 billion this year, then to $16 billion at the end of 2026. The effort to rein in spending is also leading Intel to abandon some previously announced expansions. The business will no longer embark on new projects in Germany and Poland, and it said it will consolidate its Costa Rican testing and assembly operations into existing efforts in Vietnam and Malaysia. Finally, it will also "slow the pace" of its stateside growth at a construction site in Ohio. "Our operating performance demonstrates the initial progress we are making to improve our execution and drive greater efficiency," said Lip-Bu Tan, who has been forthright about his plans to downsize since assuming the CEO title in March. Tan was brought in to replace Pat Gelsinger in an effort to turn around Intel's business following a long, slow slide into financial trouble.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/intel-confirms-it-will-cut-a-third-of-its-workforce-by-the-end-of-2025-215014365.html?src=rss View Source Article

4 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA researcher Darren Nash monitors experimental communications equipment on NASA’s Pilatus PC-12 during a flight test over NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on April 17, 2025.NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna NASA engineers are exploring how the technology used in existing cellphone networks could support the next generation of aviation. In April and May, researchers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland built two specialized radio systems to study how well fifth-generation cellular network technology, known as 5G, can handle the demands of air taxi communications. “The goal of this research is to understand how wireless cellphone networks could be leveraged by the aviation industry to enable new frontiers of aviation operations,” said Casey Bakula, lead researcher for the project, who is based at Glenn. “The findings of this work could serve as a blueprint for future aviation communication network providers, like satellite navigation providers and telecommunications companies, and help guide the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan for future advanced air mobility network requirements in cities.” Instead of developing entirely new standards for air taxi communications, NASA is looking to see if the aviation industry could leverage the expertise, experience, and investments made by the cellular industry toward the development of reliable, secure, and scalable aviation networks. If 5G networks could provide an “80% solution” to the challenge, researchers can focus on identifying the remaining 20% that would need to be adapted to meet the needs of the air taxi industry. NASA researchers Darren Nash, left, and Brian Kachmar review signal data captured from experimental communications equipment onboard NASA’s Pilatus PC-12 on April 17, 2025.NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna 5G networks can manage a lot of data at once and have very low signal transmission delay compared to satellite systems, which could make them ideal for providing location data between aircraft in busy city skies. Ground antennas and networks in cities can help air taxis stay connected as they fly over buildings, making urban flights safer. To conduct their tests, NASA researchers set up a system that meets current 5G standards and would allow for future improvements in performance. They placed one radio in the agency’s Pilatus PC-12 aircraft and set up another radio on the roof of Glenn’s Aerospace Communications Facility building. With an experimental license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct flights, the team tested signal transmissions using a radio frequency band the Federal Communications Commission dedicated for the safe testing of drones and other uncrewed aircraft systems. During testing, NASA’s PC-12 flew various flight patterns near Glenn. The team used some of the flight patterns to measure how the signal could weaken as the aircraft moved away from the ground station. Other patterns focused on identifying areas where nearby buildings might block signals, potentially causing interference or dead zones. The team also studied how the aircraft’s angle and position relative to the ground station affected the quality of the connection. These initial tests provided the NASA team an opportunity to integrate its new C-Band radio testbed onto the aircraft, verify its basic functionality, and the operation of the corresponding ground station, as well as refine the team’s test procedures. The successful completion of these activities allows the team to begin research on how 5G standards and technologies could be utilized in existing aviation bands to provide air-to-ground and aircraft-to-aircraft communications services.  Experimental communications equipment is secure and ready for flight test evaluation in the back of NASA’s Pilatus PC-12 at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on April 17, 2025. NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna In addition to meeting these initial test objectives, the team also recorded and verified the presence of propeller modulation. This is a form of signal degradation caused by the propeller blades of the aircraft partially blocking radio signals as they rotate. The effect becomes more significant as aircraft fly at the lower altitudes air taxis are expected to operate. The airframe configuration and number of propellers on some of the new air taxi models may cause increased propeller modulation effects, so the team identified this as a topic for future research.    NASA research will provide baseline performance data that the agency will share with the FAA and the advanced air mobility sector of the aviation industry, which explores new air transportation options. Future research from industry could focus on issues such as maximum data speeds, signal-to-noise ratios, and synchronization between aircraft and ground systems. Researchers will be able to use NASA’s baseline data to measure the potential of new changes or features to communications systems. Future aircraft will need to carry essential communications systems for command and control, passenger safety, and coordination with other aircraft to avoid collisions. Reliable wireless networks offer the possibility for safe operations of air taxis, particular in cities and other crowded areas. This work is led by NASAs Air Mobility Pathfinders project under the Airspace Operations and Safety Program in support of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility mission. NASA Pilot Mark Russell emerges from NASA’s Pilatus PC-12 after mobile communication tests at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on April 17, 2025. NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactLaura Mitchelllaura.a.mitchell@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterAeronauticsAir Mobility Pathfinders projectAir Traffic SolutionsAirspace Operations and Safety ProgramAmes Research CenterDrones & YouGlenn Research CenterLangley Research CenterNASA Aircraft Explore More 4 min read NASA Scientist Finds Predicted Companion Star to Betelgeuse Article 1 day ago 3 min read NASA Tests Mixed Reality Pilot Simulation in Vertical Motion Simulator Article 1 day ago 4 min read GRUVE Lab The GRUVE (Glenn Reconfigurable User-Interface and Virtual Reality Exploration) Lab is located within the GVIS… Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

Astronomers believe there is a Planet Nine in the outer solar system beyond Neptune. A team led by Amos Chen from the National Tsing Hua University, is searching for Planet Nine’s heat signature. When you double the distance from the sun, reflected light becomes 16 times fainter. This is an inverse fourth-power relationship. But thermal ... Read more View Source Article

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A super-Earth exoplanet has been detected within the habitable zone of a nearby red dwarf star, where liquid water might exist on its surface under the right atmospheric conditions. View Source Article

On Thursday, Google launched Web Guide, a new AI-powered search feature that “groups links in helpful ways” for people who opt in to the test on Labs. Web Guide runs on a custom version of Google’s Gemini AI model to process search queries, reorganizing the traditional “10 blue links” by sorting results and finding related questions using generative AI.  For anyone who chooses to enable Web Guide, it is currently available within the same “Web” tab on Google Search that currently shows search results without including AI Overviews. It uses the same “query fanout technique” as AI Mode, allowing Gemini to break down queries and make several searches at once. When I searched for “how to care for a mango tree,” Google’s Web Guide pulled up two relevant webpages, followed by an AI-generated summary and links listed under different categories, like “Mango Tree Care in Specific Climates” and “Troubleshooting Mango Tree Issues.” Some of the links came from educational resources, like from the University of Florida, while others led to YouTube videos, Quora, and Reddit threads. Last year, Google made a $60 million-per-year deal with Reddit to use its content for AI training. It’s nice that Web Guide brings back some elements of traditional search, like showing links at the top of your results page instead of bombarding you with an AI Overview and YouTube videos that take up almost half the page. The AI-generated categories were somewhat helpful for tracking down specific bits of information, but the descriptions beneath each heading just seem unnecessary. Beneath “Comprehensive Mango Tree Care Guides,” for example, Web Guide notes, “The most effective way to care for a mango tree varies slightly depending on its age, location, and specific cultivar, so it’s useful to consult multiple guides for comprehensive instructions,” which is a bit obvious, and probably something I could find out myself from actually clicking one of the surfaced links. You can also use Web Guide to ask more detailed or specific questions, like “My family is spread across multiple time zones. What are the best tools for staying connected and maintaining close relationships despite the distance?” The AI results will attempt to address the different parts of your question. You can still switch back to regular web results, but Google is already saying it plans on bringing it to the “All” tab as well. You can try out Web Guide now by toggling on the test in Search Labs. View Source Article

Millions of people suffer debilitating reactions in the presence of certain scents and chemicals. One scientist has been struggling for decades to understand why—as she battles the condition herself. View Source Article

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The Pixel Watch 4 could use an entirely different charging system when its officially announced in a few weeks, according to leaked renders from Android Headlines. Rather than charging through fiddly pogo pins like past Pixel Watches, the renders suggest Google might finally adopt a simpler form of wireless charging. The renders show the new Pixel Watch charging in a stand on its side, while displaying the current charge, the time and an upcoming alarm, not unlike an Apple Watch. The stand reportedly powers up the smartwatch through conductive metal contacts on the left side, opposite the Pixel Watch 4's crown. The new charging contacts were visible in an earlier leak of the Pixel Watch 4, which also suggested the new smartwatch could be thicker than the Pixel Watch 3. Android Headlines Android Headlines reports that Google's decision to change how the watch charges could unlock several new benefits. The Pixel Watch 4 will reportedly have a "25 percent faster charging speed," room for new sensors and a design that's easier to repair than past Pixel Watches, thanks to a removable back plate. The new watch is also rumored to feature a brighter display and come in new colors. You can buy the Pixel Watch 3 in Polished Silver, Champagne Gold or Matte Black, in both 41mm and 45mm sizes. The Pixel Watch 4 will reportedly come in black, silver, gold and a blueish-gray "Moonstone." Google is expected to debut the Pixel Watch 4 alongside several new Pixel 10 phones on August 20. You can read Engadget's preview of what Google might announce for an overview of what to expect at the event.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-pixel-watch-4-might-charge-via-a-wireless-charging-stand-193621297.html?src=rss View Source Article

4 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) An image of Betelgeuse, the yellow-red star, and the signature of its close companion, the faint blue object.Data: NASA/JPL/NOIRlab. Visualization: NOIRLAB. A century-old hypothesis that Betelgeuse, the 10th brightest star in our night sky, is orbited by a very close companion star was proved true by a team of astrophysicists led by a scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. The research published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters in the paper “Probable Direct Imaging Discovery of the Stellar Companion to Betelgeuse.” Fluctuations in the brightness and measured velocity of Betelgeuse, the closest red supergiant star to Earth, had long presented clues that it may have a partner, but the bigger star’s intense glow made direct observations of any fainter neighbors nearly impossible. Two recent studies by other teams of astronomers reignited the companion star hypothesis by using more than 100 years of Betelgeuse observations to provide predictions of the companion’s location and brightness. If the smaller star did exist, the location predictions suggested that scientists had a window of just a few months to observe the companion star at its widest separation from Betelgeuse, as it orbited near the visible edge of the supergiant. After that, they would have to wait another three years for it to orbit to the other side and again leave the overpowering glow of its larger companion. Searches for the companion were initially made using space-based telescopes, because observing through Earth’s atmosphere can blur images of astronomical objects. But these efforts did not detect the companion. Steve Howell, a senior research scientist at Ames, recognized the ground-based Gemini North telescope in Hawai’i, one of the largest in the world, paired with a special, high-resolution camera built by NASA, had the potential to directly observe the close companion to Betelgeuse, despite the atmospheric blurring. Officially called the ‘Alopeke speckle instrument, the advanced imaging camera let them obtain many thousands of short exposures to measure the atmospheric interference in their data and remove it with detailed image processing, providing an image of Betelgeuse and its companion. Howell’s team detected the very faint companion star right where it was predicted to be, orbiting very close to the outer edge of Betelgeuse. “I hope our discovery excites other astrophysicists about the robust power of ground-based telescopes and speckle imagers – a key to opening new observational windows,” said Howell. “This can help unlock the great mysteries in our universe.” To start, this discovery of a close companion to Betelgeuse may explain why other similar red supergiant stars undergo periodic changes in their brightness on the scale of many years. Howell plans to continue observations of Betelgeuse’s stellar companion to better understand its nature. The companion star will again return to its greatest separation from Betelgeuse in November 2027, a time when it will be easiest to detect. Having found the long-anticipated companion star, Howell turned to giving it a name. The traditional star name “Betelgeuse” derives from Arabic, meaning “the hand of al-Jawza’,” a female figure in old Arabian legend. Fittingly, Howell’s team named the orbiting companion “Siwarha,” meaning “her bracelet.” Photo of the constellation Orion, showing the location of Betelgeuse – and its newfound companion star.NOIRLab/Eckhard Slawik The NASA–National Science Foundation Exoplanet Observational Research Program (NN-EXPLORE) is a joint initiative to advance U.S. exoplanet science by providing the community with access to cutting-edge, ground-based observational facilities. Managed by NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program, NN-EXPLORE supports and enhances the scientific return of space missions such as Kepler, TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), Hubble Space Telescope, and James Webb Space Telescope by enabling essential follow-up observations from the ground—creating strong synergies between space-based discoveries and ground-based characterization. NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program is located at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. To learn more about NN-EXPLORE, visit: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/NNExplore/overview Share Details Last Updated Jul 23, 2025 Related TermsAstrophysicsAmes Research CenterAmes Research Center's Science DirectorateAstrophysics DivisionExoplanet Exploration ProgramGeneralScience & ResearchScience Mission Directorate Explore More 5 min read How NASA Is Testing AI to Make Earth-Observing Satellites Smarter Article 6 hours ago 6 min read NASA’s Hubble, Chandra Spot Rare Type of Black Hole Eating a Star NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have teamed up to identify a… Article 7 hours ago 4 min read NASA Tests 5G-Based Aviation Network to Boost Air Taxi Connectivity Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

Bloomberg reports that xAI is in advanced talks to secure multi-gigawatts of AI Data Center compute capacity in Saudi Arabia. xAI is negotiating with @HUMAINAI It would be a long term lease for MULTI-GIGAWATT scale data centers in the Kingdom. There would be a separate 200 MW data center for immediate deployment. The smaller data ... Read more View Source Article

Physicists superheated gold to 14 times its melting point, disproving a long-standing prediction about the temperature limits of solids View Source Article

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In a story published earlier this week, a site called “NYC Journals” claimed to have a bombshell: that Instagram had suspended the account of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for being “too socialist.” The story claimed that Mamdani’s account was down for three hours; it also cited a “leaked memo” from inside Instagram that said his content went against US national interests. The article is surprisingly detailed — it includes quotes attributed to Mamdani himself, as well as a “political communications expert” lamenting the control tech platforms have over political discourse. It would be a huge story in a race that’s already been surprising and contentious. The problem, of course, is that it’s not true. The article has been posted to social media platforms like Bluesky, Reddit, Mastodon, and X, racking up reposts, likes, and comments. But Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels confirmed that there’s no such memo or restrictions on Mamdani’s account. Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec confirmed to The Verge that the article, the statement attributed to Mamdani, and the account suspension are all fake. NYC Journals’ website doesn’t have many details about the outlet, and the fake story is attributed to a general “NYC Journals Staff” byline. Elsewhere on the site it claims that its information is “corroborated with a myriad of sources and fact checked thoroughly.” It’s not clear where or how the story began to spread, but it’s been picked up by a handful of other fly-by-night websites that pop up suddenly and disappear just as fast. NYC Journals did not list a way to contact the site for comment. Though Mamdani is running in a local election, his candidacy has drawn national attention. After Mamdani became the presumptive Democratic nominee in June, Donald Trump seemed to endorse false claims that Mamdani was in the US “illegally.” Other Republicans have called for Mamdani to be deported. Mamdani is a naturalized US citizen. This isn’t the first false story that’s circulated during the race for mayor — and likely won’t be the last. View Source Article

As the EPA moves to shut down the Office of Research and Development, leadership is unable to answer questions as basic as when it will close and how many will lose their jobs. View Source Article

Intel Corp. gave a stronger-than-anticipated revenue forecast for the current period, offering investors a glimmer of hope as they wait for a turnaround under new Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan. View Source Article

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service is experiencing an outage. Reports of connectivity issues started around 3:20PM ET, based on DownDetector, though SpaceX has only recently acknowledged the outage via a post on the Starlink X account. Users across the US, Europe and the UK have also reported issues on r/starlink, the service's Reddit page, and SpaceX has even acknowledged the outage on Starlink's website. The number of people potentially impacted could number in the millions — as of the last network update, there's over six million active Starlink customers globally. "Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution," SpaceX shared in an X post. "We appreciate your patience, we'll share an update once this issue is resolved." Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution. We appreciate your patience, we'll share an update once this issue is resolved.— Starlink (@Starlink) July 24, 2025 Developing...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/starlink-is-experiencing-a-network-outage-204002103.html?src=rss View Source Article

From left to right, Ambassador of Senegal to the United States Abdoul Wahab Haidara, Director General of the Senegalese space agency (ASES) Maram Kairé, NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes, and Department of State Bureau of African Affairs Senior Bureau Official Jonathan Pratt pose for a photo during an Artemis Accords signing ceremony Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. Senegal is the 56th country to sign the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s Artemis program.Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber Senegal signed the Artemis Accords Thursday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the latest nation to commit to the responsible exploration of space for all humanity. “Following a meeting between Senegal President Faye and President Trump, today, NASA built upon the strong relations between our two nations as the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies signed the Artemis Accords,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “With Senegal as the 56th signatory, I am proud to further President Trump’s strong legacy of global cooperation in space.” Director General of the Senegalese space agency (ASES) Maram Kairé signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Senegal. Jonathan Pratt, senior bureau official for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and Abdoul Wahab Haidara, ambassador of Senegal to the United States, also participated in the event. “Senegal’s adherence to the Artemis Accords reflects our commitment to a multilateral, responsible, and transparent approach to space,” said Kairé. “This signature marks a meaningful step in our space diplomacy and in our ambition to contribute to the peaceful exploration of outer space.” The Artemis Accords signing ceremony took place two weeks after President Trump’s meeting in Washington with Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and other countries of Africa focused on U.S.-Africa engagement. Astronomers from Senegal have supported NASA missions by participating in multiple observations when asteroids or planets pass in front of stars, casting shadows on Earth. In 2021, NASA also collaborated with Kairé and a group of astronomers for a ground observation campaign in Senegal. As the asteroid Orus passed in front of a star, they positioned telescopes along the path of the asteroid’s shadow to estimate its shape and size. NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will approach Orus in 2028, as part of its mission to explore Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency, and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signing the Artemis Accords means to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to ensure unrestricted access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts, and to develop best practices for how to conduct space exploration activities for the benefit of all. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords -end- Bethany Stevens / Elizabeth ShawHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemis AccordsOffice of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR)Opportunities For International Participants to Get Involved View Source Article

Austin, United States / TX, 22nd July 2025, CyberNewsWire View Source Article

Hulk Hogan, a larger-than-life wrestler known for his showmanship, succumbed to cardiac arrest after a career marked by digital hoaxes and a landmark battle against online exploitation View Source Article

A viral claim says the world will go dark on Aug. 2. It won't — but a record-breaking solar eclipse is coming in 2027. View Source Article

Since around 3:30PM ET on Thursday, Starlink users have reported they can’t connect to SpaceX’s satellite internet service. The Starlink website first confirmed the issue with a banner message saying “Starlink is currently experiencing a service outage. Our team is investigating.” On X, Starlink posted a more detailed message at 4:05PM ET, saying “Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution. We appreciate your patience, we’ll share an update once this issue is resolved.” This isn’t the first widespread outage for the network, but they have been rare, and this appears to be the first one in 2025. According to The Kyiv Independent, the outage is also affecting Ukrainian troops who rely on Starlink terminals, citing a Telegram message from the military saying Starlink is down across the entire front. T-Mobile just opened its Starlink-powered T-Satellite messaging service to everyone yesterday, but we haven’t seen any information on its status at the moment. Users on X and Reddit from the US and countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia have said their connections are offline, with error messages saying there is “no healthy upstream.” The global connectivity trackers at NetBlocks report that overall connectivity is down to “16 percent of ordinary levels.” Update, July 24th: Added information from the Ukrainian military and NetBlocks. View Source Article

This collision of two galaxies could demonstrate that theorized “direct collapse black holes” exist. View Source Article

President Donald Trump’s cuts to research funding are putting the US at risk of losing the technological race against other countries including China, said Penny Pritzker, former US commerce secretary and chair of Harvard University’s powerful governing body. View Source Article

A slew of new changes are coming to your iPhone's operating system this fall — oh, and it'll be called iOS 26, not iOS 19. Included in the list is the new Liquid Glass design (think Windows Vista, but arguably more thoughtful), which looks to be Apple's largest visual update in years. We spent two weeks test-driving it — you can check out our detailed hands-on iOS 26 preview, or you can try it out yourself by downloading and installing the public beta, which became available today. But the biggest question we're all wondering: Will my iPhone be able to run iOS 26? Last year, Apple didn't nix any iPhones from its eligibility list, but that's not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won't be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall. We'll get to the bottom of which iPhones will support iOS 26 this year. To see what's coming with the latest OS and more, check out everything announced at Apple's WWDC June 9 event.  These three iPhones won't be compatible with iOS 26 Unlike last year, several iPhone models won't be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut this fall. This trio of models first released in 2018 won't be coming to the iOS 26 party: iPhone XR iPhone XS iPhone XS Max iPhones compatible with iOS 26 While we don't yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping this fall — though there are iPhone 17 rumors — we do know, per Apple's site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you're in the clear: iPhone SE (second generation or later) iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone 12 iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 13 iPhone 13 mini iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 16e iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max What if I don't want to buy a new iPhone? If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn't supported by iOS 26, that's fine. However, you'll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won't be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers. When will iOS 26 become available? Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. Expect a confirmation of the release date at that iPhone 17 event, expected in early September.  iOS 26 features we're excited about Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive. Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music. Live Translate: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.  Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you're meeting at this weekend.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-released-the-ios-26-public-beta-heres-the-full-list-of-compatible-iphones-that-can-download-it-191854986.html?src=rss View Source Article

The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station pictured during a training session at SpaceX facilities in Florida.Credit: SpaceX NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for 12:09 p.m. EDT, Thursday, July 31, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The targeted docking time is approximately 3 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 2. Watch agency launch coverage on NASA+, Netflix, Amazon Prime and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov to the orbiting laboratory for a science mission. This is the 11th crew rotation mission and the 12th human spaceflight mission for NASA to the space station supported by the Dragon spacecraft since 2020 as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. The deadline for media accreditation for in person coverage of this launch has passed. The agency’s media credentialing policy is available online. For questions about media accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Media who need access to NASA live video feeds may subscribe to the agency’s media resources distribution list to receive daily updates and links. NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations): Saturday, July 26 1 p.m. – Crew-11 arrival media event at NASA Kennedy with the following participants: Zena Cardman, spacecraft commander, NASA Mike Fincke, pilot, NASA Kimiya Yui, mission specialist, JAXA Oleg Platonov, mission specialist, Roscosmos Watch live coverage of the crew arrival media event on the NASA Kennedy’s social media accounts. This event is open to in person media only previously credentialed for this event. Follow @NASAKennedy on X for the latest arrival updates. Wednesday, July 30 5:30 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference with the following participants: Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Dana Weigel, manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX Sergei Krikalev, deputy director general, Manned and Automated Complexes, Roscosmos Naoki Nagai, program manager, International Space Station, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA NASA will provide live coverage of the news conference on the agency’s YouTube channel. Media may ask questions in person and via phone. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour prior to the beginning of the news conference at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Thursday, July 31 8 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. 12:09 p.m. – Launch Following the conclusion of launch coverage, NASA will distribute audio-only discussions between Crew-11, the space station, and flight controllers during Dragon’s transit to the orbital complex. NASA+ coverage resumes at the start of rendezvous and docking and continues through hatch opening and the welcoming remarks.  1:30 p.m. – Postlaunch news conference with the following participants: Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Dana Weigel, manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program Sergei Krikalev, deputy director general, Manned and Automated Complexes, Roscosmos Kazuyoshi Kawasaki, associate director general, Space Exploration Center/Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center, JAXA Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX NASA will provide live coverage of the postlaunch news conference on the agency’s YouTube channel. Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour prior to the beginning of the news conference at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Saturday, Aug. 2 1 a.m. – Arrival coverage begins on NASA+. 3 a.m. – Targeted docking to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. 4:45 a.m. – Hatch opening 5:30 a.m. – Welcome ceremony All times are estimates and could be adjusted based on real-time operations after launch. Follow the space station blog for the most up-to-date operations information. Live Video Coverage Prior to Launch NASA will provide a live video feed of Launch Complex 39A approximately six hours prior to the planned liftoff of the Crew-11 mission. Pending unlikely technical issues, the feed will be uninterrupted until the prelaunch broadcast begins on NASA+, approximately four hours prior to launch. Once the feed is live, find it online at: http://youtube.com/kscnewsroom. NASA Website Launch Coverage Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include livestreaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 8 a.m., July 31, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video on NASA+ and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the commercial crew or Crew-11 blog. Attend Launch Virtually Members of the public may register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch. Audio Only Coverage Launch audio also will be available on Launch Information Service and Amateur Television System’s VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and KSC Amateur Radio Club’s UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast. Watch, Engage on Social Media Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtags #Crew11 and #NASASocial. You may also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts: X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @Space_Station, @ISS National Lab, @SpaceX Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab, @SpaceX Coverage en Espanol Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Check out NASA en Espanol on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for additional mission coverage. Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425; antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov; o Messod Bendayan: 256-930-1371; messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is opening access to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. For almost 25 years, humans have continuously lived and worked aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies that enable us to prepare for human exploration of the Moon as we prepare for Mars. For more information about the mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end- Joshua Finch / Claire O’SheaHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov Steven Siceloff / Stephanie PlucinskyKennedy Space Center, Florida321-867-2468steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov Joseph ZakrzewskiJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsInternational Space Station (ISS)Commercial CrewHumans in SpaceISS ResearchJohnson Space CenterKennedy Space CenterSpace Operations Mission Directorate View Source Article

XAI is complete installation of 550,000 Nvidia B200 GPUs in weeks. This is far faster than previously expected. It is over 7 times the compute used to train Grok 4 which was released just weeks ago. It is 30 times the compute used to train Grok 3 which was released in February of this year. ... Read more View Source Article

As large language models like Claude 4 express uncertainty about whether they are conscious, researchers race to decode their inner workings, raising profound questions about machine awareness, ethics and the risks of uncontrolled AI evolution View Source Article

The Spanish government may have a way to save the Thirty Meter Telescope. View Source Article

In April, Intel attempted to announce layoffs without announcing layoffs. “We have not set any headcount reduction target,” Intel spokesperson Sophie Metzger told The Verge. But the company has laid off thousands of employees since — and today, in the company’s Q2 2025 earnings, it has revealed that the company will dramatically shrink as a result of those layoffs. Intel says it will retreat from planned projects in Germany and Poland, end its operations in Costa Rica, and finish 2025 with just around 75,000 employees in total. Since Intel employed 109,800 people at the end of 2024, that means the company is pushing out around 33,000 people this year — shrinking the entire company by roughly one-third. In Costa Rica, where Intel employs over 3,400 people, the company is apparently done: it will “consolidate its assembly and test operations in Costa Rica into its larger sites in Vietnam.” In Germany and Poland, where it was planning to spend tens of billions of dollars respectively on “mega-fabs” that would employ 3,000 workers, and on an assembly and test facility that would employ 2,000 workers, the company will “no longer move forward with planned projects” and is apparently axing them entirely. Developing…we’re adding more to this story from Intel’s earnings report now. View Source Article

Makenzie Lystrup’s departure from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center comes soon after the resignation of the director of JPL. View Source Article

Alphabet Inc.’s Google inked a deal worth more than $1 billion to provide cloud-computing services to software firm ServiceNow Inc., a win for Google Cloud’s efforts to get major enterprises onto its platform. View Source Article

After largely focusing Google I/O 2025 on the ways the company wants Gemini to change everything from searching the web to filmmaking, Google is finally ready to launch new hardware. The next Made by Google event is on the books for August 20, and Google has already confirmed what at least one of its new Pixel 10 phones will look like. As in past years, Google isn't the only source for information on its new phones and wearables. Nearly all the new hardware the company is expected to announce has leaked in one form or another ahead of the event. With that in mind and after sifting through what's leaked, here's what Google is likely to show off at the Pixel 10 launch event in New York City on August 20. Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL and 10 Pro Fold Android Headlines / Onleaks Google's invitation for the event says that the company is sharing "the latest on our Pixel phones, watches, buds and more,” which more or less confirms the company will introduce a slate of products that's similar to what it launched in 2024. That means a Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold are absolutely on the menu. Google's tease of the Pixel 10 confirmed what leaked renders have already signaled: the company isn't abandoning the new design language the Pixel 9 established. The pill-shaped camera bump and flat front display will still be present on the Pixel 10, and the real changes will be in the details, like for example, how the flat sides of the Pixel 10 join with the phone's back. Those subtle changes will apparently also include the thickness of the Pixel 10s. While both the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL and 10 Pro Fold will use the same sized OLED screens as their Pixel 9 counterparts, they'll be housed in thicker and heavier bodies, according to Android Headlines. Google's new Pixels are also supposed to come in new colors. The Pixel 10 will come in "Frost" (a royal blue), "Lemongrass" (a yellow), "Indigo" (a light purple) and "Obsidian" (a dark gray), while the Pixel 10 Pro / Pro XL will come in Obsidian, "Porcelain" (off-white), "Moonstone" (a bluish gray) and "Jade" (a light green). Less information is known about the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, though recent leaks suggest it'll come in Moonstone and Jade, as well. Android Headlines The most visible external change that'll be introduced on the Pixel 10 is the addition of a new telephoto camera. The new telephoto camera is a 11-megapixel 5x telephoto, Android Authority reports, similar to the one on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL are expected to feature a 50-megapixel wide, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 48-megapixel telephoto and 48-megapixel selfie cameras. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold could feature a different lineup, with a similar main camera, but 12-megapixel ultrawide and telephoto cameras, and 11-megapixel selfie cameras. Inside the new phones, Google is laying the groundwork for future performance gains with a new Tensor G5 chip. It's likely be much more power-efficient thanks to the company switching to a 3nm design produced by TSMC. Reports suggest the chip might not be all that different in terms of raw power, but the Tensor G5 is likely designed to be extra capable when it comes to using local AI features. Pixel Watch 4 91mobiles / Onleaks The third time was the charm for the Pixel Watch 3, so the main task Google has with the Pixel Watch 4 is to not squander the solid base it already has. Leaks for the company's new smartwatches have been limited so far, but renders of the Pixel Watch 4 shared by 91mobiles do suggest Google has a few changes planned. Namely, much like the company's phones, the new Pixel Watch seems like it'll be a little bit thicker and come with smaller bezels. The Pixel Watch 4 should be available to purchase in the same 41mm and 45mm sizes as before, but in new colors — including a Moonstone option to match the Pixel 10 — and with a brighter display. The thicker frame will also help the smartwatch fit a larger battery and a new wireless charging system, according to Android Headlines. Rather than charge through a puck with pogo pins like the Pixel Watch 3, the Pixel Watch 4 will use a wireless charging stand that could fill it up even faster. Beyond that, Google has already indicated how Wear OS is evolving. The new Wear OS 6 update is debuting on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, and will presumably be available on the Pixel Watch 4 at launch. It includes built-in access to Gemini, among other tweaks. Given Google also manages the Fitbit Premium subscription, it wouldn't be all that surprising if the Pixel Watch 4 gets some exclusive fitness tracking features, too. Pixel Buds 2a Billy Steele for Engadget Google launched the Pixel Buds Pro 2 last year, and it typically doesn't update its premium earbuds on a yearly cadence. So instead, Tom's Guide reports Google might pair the Pixel 10 with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 in a new color, and save its new hardware announcements for a sequel to the Pixel Buds A-series called the Pixel Buds 2a. Unlike the company's premium wireless earbuds, the A-series Pixel Buds have historically skimped on things like active noise cancellation to hit a lower price. There's little reporting on where Google will take the Pixel Buds 2a, but you can expect the new earbuds to come in some of the new colors being introduced on the Pixel 10. Pixelsnap The Qi2 wireless charging standard is available for all phone makers to use, but it hasn't been widely adopted among Android phone makers. Qi2 uses magnets to offer improved charging speeds, just like Apple's MagSafe, and the Pixel 10 could mark Google's adoption of Qi2 through a new feature called "Pixelsnap." A report from Android Authority suggests the Pixel 10 will include the necessary magnets to make Qi2 happen, and will be introduced alongside a lineup of Pixelsnap accessories. Adding some weight to the report, the Wireless Power Consortium has announced that its faster Qi2 25W charging is coming to "major Android phones." It would make sense if Google's Pixel 10s were included. Gemini and other exclusive software features Gemini is Google's current favorite, and the company is pushing the AI assistant everywhere it makes sense. The last few Pixel Drops — Google's regular Pixel-focused software updates — have primarily included Gemini features. It would make sense for Google to include a few more software exclusives on the Pixel 10. Google is hosting the Pixel 10 launch event on August 20 at 1PM ET / 10AM ET. The company has invited press to attend in person, and you can read coverage of everything Google announces right here on Engadget. Update, July 24, 3:44PM ET: Added details on the Pixel Watch 4's display, new colors and charging stand.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/what-to-expect-at-the-google-pixel-10-launch-event-on-august-20-214510264.html?src=rss View Source Article

A collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, NISAR will use synthetic aperture radar to monitor nearly all the planet’s land- and ice-covered surfaces twice every 12 days.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA will provide live coverage of launch activities for NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), which is set to lift off at 8:10 a.m. EDT (5:40 p.m. IST), Wednesday, July 30, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast. A collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the first-of-its-kind satellite will lift off aboard an ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle on a mission to scan nearly all the Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days. Watch live coverage of the launch on NASA+ and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. With its two radar instruments — an S-band system provided by ISRO and an L-band system provided by NASA — the NISAR mission will provide high-resolution data to help decision-makers, communities, and scientists monitor major infrastructure, agricultural fields, and movement of land and ice surfaces. Hailed as a critical part of a pioneering year for United States – India civil space cooperation by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi during their visit in Washington in February, the NISAR launch will advance U.S. – India cooperation and benefit the U.S. in areas such as agriculture and preparation and response to disasters like hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions. NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations): Monday, July 28   12 p.m. – Prelaunch teleconference with the following participants: Karen St. Germain, director of Earth science, NASA Headquarters Gerald Bawden, NISAR program scientist, NASA Headquarters Shanna McClain, Disasters program manager, NASA Headquarters Phil Barela, NISAR project manager, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Marco Lavalle, NISAR deputy project scientist, NASA JPL The teleconference will stream on JPL’s YouTube Channel. Members of the media may ask questions via phone during the teleconference. To register, media must provide their name and affiliation by 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, to Rexana Vizza at: rexana.v.vizza@jpl.nasa.gov. Questions may also be asked via social media with the hashtag #AskNISAR. Wednesday, July 30 7 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+ and YouTube. The launch broadcast begins from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, where the U.S. portion of the mission is managed. Follow launch events on NASA’s NISAR blog.  Watch, Engage on Social Media You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts: X: @NASA, @NASAEarth, @NASAJPL Facebook: NASA, NASA Earth, NASA JPL Instagram: @NASA, @NASAEarth, @NASAJPL Additional Resources The NISAR press kit features deeper dives into the mission as well as its science and technology. Explore NISAR videos as well as NISAR animations and b-roll media reel. The NISAR mission is the first joint satellite mission between NASA and ISRO, marking a new chapter in the growing collaboration between the two space agencies. The launch of NISAR, years in the making, builds on a strong heritage of successful programs, including Chandrayaan-1 and the recent Axiom Mission-4, which saw ISRO and NASA astronauts living and working together aboard the International Space Station for the first time. Learn more about the mission at: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/nisar -end- Elizabeth Vlock / Karen FoxHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov / karen.c.fox@nasa.gov Andrew Wang / Jane J. Lee Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307 andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 23, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar)Earth Science DivisionJet Propulsion LaboratoryScience Mission Directorate View Source Article

Sam Altman’s recent claim (from mid-July 2025) that OpenAI will bring “well over 1 million GPUs online by the end of this year” appears to refer to aggregate compute capacity across many partnerships and locations. The main Texas location for Stargate plans to have 400,000 chips installed in the middle of 2026. Oracle partnership announcement ... Read more View Source Article

High humidity and low overnight temperatures will put tens of millions of people under heat alerts over the course of the coming week View Source Article

"With six helicopters, Skyfall offers a low-cost solution that multiplies the range we would cover, the data we would collect, and the scientific research we would conduct." View Source Article

Seeds of rocky planets forming in gas around star Hops-315 is called glimpse of ‘time zero’, when new worlds start to gelAstronomers have discovered the earliest seeds of rocky planets forming in the gas around a baby sun-like star, providing a precious peek into the dawn of our own solar system.It’s an unprecedented snapshot of “time zero”, scientists reported on Wednesday, when new worlds begin to gel. Continue reading... View Source Article

VShojo, the VTuber agency that billed itself as “talent first,” is shutting down. VShojo CEO Justin “Gunrun” Ignacio made the announcement today on X writing, “I take full responsibility for the decisions that led us to this point.” Earlier this week, VShojo came under fire as Ironmouse, the agency’s top performing VTuber, announced she was leaving the company over a missing $500k charity donation and her own unpaid funds. Her departure triggered a mass exodus of VShojo talent, with 12 of the company’s 13 creators officially announcing their own split from the company with some also claiming unpaid wages as their reason. Ignacio’s announcement alluded to VShojo’s financial difficulties. “We raised around $11 million to pursue a bold, talent-first approach in VTubing,” the statement read. “However, despite all our efforts, the business failed to generate the revenue we needed to sustain that model, and eventually, we ran out of money.” Ignacio also admitted that the funds raised by Ironmouse and intended for the Immune Deficiency Foundation had been spent by the company: “Additionally I acknowledge that some of the money spent by the company was raised in connection with talent activity which I later learned was intended for a charitable initiative.” Ignacio went on to write that he was confident that he’d be able to raise enough money to cover those costs. “We were unsuccessful in our fundraising efforts.” Here’s the statement in full. VShojo has failed and I’ve mismanaged the company into the situation you’re all witnessing. So today I am sharing the difficult news that VShojo is shutting down, and I take full responsibility for the decisions that led us to this point. I’ve been doing everything I can to fundraise and right the ship these past few months, but despite my efforts, we are in a worse position, and those I care about are now paying the price. Over the past few years, we raised around $11 million to pursue a bold, talent-first approach in VTubing, prioritizing creators and community over short-term profits, to achieve long-term sustainability. Our funding went directly to our creators through generous splits, debut investments, infrastructure, concerts, events, unique creator-first approach for an agency. However, despite all our efforts, the business failed to generate the revenue we needed to sustain that model, and eventually, we ran out of money. Additionally, I acknowledge that some of the money spent by the company was raised in connection with talent activity, which I later learned was intended for a charitable initiative. At the time, we were working hard to raise additional investment capital to cover our costs, and I firmly believed, based on the information available to us, that we would be able to do so and cover all expenses. We were unsuccessful in our fundraising efforts. I made the decision to pursue funding, and I own its consequences. I am deeply sorry to all the talents, staff, friends, and community members who believed in our brand. You did not deserve this. View Source Article

The country’s newly formed space agency wants to establish a lunar base by 2045. View Source Article

Thousands of undercover agents feed Kim Jong Un’s rocket program with millions from the likes of Google and Amazon. In a Bloomberg Businessweek exclusive, one of the regime’s US pawns tells all. View Source Article

Google's latest AI adventure is a new option for search. Web Guide is a new way that Google will organize search results based on analysis by a dedicated version of its Gemini artificial intelligence tool. The claim in the announcement is that AI can help surface the most relevant content, but it could also be a new way for Google to control what websites get prime billing in results.  In the graphic shared alongside the blog post announcing this Search Labs experiment, the company showed clusters of results to the query "how to solo travel in Japan." Web Guide displayed a few hits each under different headers, such as "Comprehensive Guides for Solo Travel in Japan," "Personal Experiences and Tips from Solo Travelers" and "Safety and Destination Recommendations," with an option to reveal more for each grouping. It does seem to provide some AI-generated summaries at the top of each heading, but at least with this example, there are fewer instances of copy/pasting another publication's words wholesale. Web Guide has some similarities to Google's AI Mode, which looped artificial intelligence more tightly into the search experience. The presence of AI Mode for all US users has already prompted outcry from publishers; News/Media Alliance called it "theft." Pew Research Center recently issued a report confirming that the presence of an AI summary at the top of a search led to fewer people clicking through to read published content from a source. The group's survey of 900 adults who shared their browsing history revealed that for users who did not see an AI summary, 15 percent of them clicked on a link from search results and 16 percent ended their browsing session. In contract, only 8 percent of users who saw an AI summary clicked a link in the search results, and 26 percent ended their browsing session. And while Google has been working to improve their accuracy, let us never forget that those AI-penned summaries once gave us glue pizza. It's too early to know if Web Guide will encourage more people to actually visit and support sites other than Google. For now, it's only available for opted-in users in the Web tab for search, but it will appear elsewhere down the line. Given that Google is already in the legal dog house for anticompetitive behavior with its search business, it should be interesting to see how this latest AI rollout goes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-will-use-ai-to-organize-search-results-with-web-guide-191135024.html?src=rss View Source Article

NASA’s TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) mission launched at 2:13 p.m. EDT atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Credit: SpaceX NASA’s newest mission, TRACERS, soon will begin studying how Earth’s magnetic shield protects our planet from the effects of space weather. Short for Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, the twin TRACERS spacecraft lifted off at 11:13 a.m. PDT (2:13 p.m. EDT) Wednesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. “NASA is proud to launch TRACERS to demonstrate and expand American preeminence in space science research and technology,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “The TRACERS satellites will move us forward in decoding space weather and further our understanding of the connection between Earth and the Sun. This mission will yield breakthroughs that will advance our pursuit of the Moon, and subsequently, Mars.” The twin satellites will fly one behind the other — following as closely as 10 seconds apart over the same location — and will take a record-breaking 3,000 measurements in one year to build a step-by-step picture of how magnetic reconnection changes over time. Riding along with TRACERS aboard the Falcon 9 were NASA’s Athena EPIC (Economical Payload Integration Cost), PExT (Polylingual Experimental Terminal), and REAL (Relativistic Electron Atmospheric Loss) missions — three small satellites to demonstrate new technologies and gather scientific data. These three missions were successfully deployed, and mission controllers will work to contact them over the coming hours and days. Ground controllers for the TRACERS mission established communications with the second of the two spacecraft at 3:43 p.m. PDT (6:43 p.m. EDT), about 3 hours after it separated from the rocket. During the next four weeks, TRACERS will undergo a commissioning period during which mission controllers will check out their instruments and systems. Once cleared, the twin satellites will begin their 12-month prime mission to study a process called magnetic reconnection, answering key questions about how it shapes the impacts of the Sun and space weather on our daily lives. “NASA’s heliophysics fleet helps to safeguard humanity’s home in space and understand the influence of our closest star, the Sun,” said Joe Westlake, heliophysics division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By adding TRACERS to that fleet, we will gain a better understanding of those impacts right here at Earth.” The two TRACERS spacecraft will orbit through an open region in Earth’s magnetic field near the North Pole, called the polar cusp. Here, TRACERS will investigate explosive magnetic events that happen when the Sun’s magnetic field — carried through space in a stream of solar material called the solar wind — collides with Earth’s magnetic field. This collision creates a buildup of energy that causes magnetic reconnection, when magnetic field lines snap and explosively realign, flinging away nearby particles at high speeds. Flying through the polar cusp allows the TRACERS satellites to study the results of these magnetic explosions, measuring charged particles that race down into Earth’s atmosphere and collide with atmospheric gases — giving scientist the tools to reconstruct exactly how changes in the incoming solar wind affect how, and how quickly, energy and particles are coupled into near-Earth space. “The successful launch of TRACERS is a tribute to many years of work by an excellent team,” said David Miles, TRACERS principal investigator at the University of Iowa. “TRACERS is set to transform our understanding of Earth’s magnetosphere. We’re excited to explore the dynamic processes driving space weather.” Small Satellites Along for Ride Athena EPIC is a pathfinder mission that will demonstrate NASA’s use of an innovative and configurable commercial SmallSat architecture to improve flexibility of payload designs, reduce launch schedule, and reduce overall costs in future missions, as well as the benefits of working collaboratively with federal partners. In addition to this demonstration for NASA, once the Athena EPIC satellite completes its two-week commissioning period, the mission will spend the next 12 months taking measurements of outgoing longwave radiation from Earth. The PExT demonstration will test interoperability between commercial and government communication networks for the first time by demonstrating a wideband polylingual terminal in low Earth orbit. This terminal will use software-defined radios to jump between government and commercial networks, similar to cell phones roaming between providers on Earth. These terminals could allow future missions to switch seamlessly between networks and access new commercial services throughout its lifecycle in space. The REAL mission is a CubeSat that will investigate how energetic electrons are scattered out of the Van Allen radiation belts and into Earth’s atmosphere. Shaped like concentric rings high above Earth’s equator, the Van Allen belts are composed of a mix of high-energy electrons and protons that are trapped in place by Earth’s magnetic field. Studying electrons and their interactions, REAL aims to improve our understanding of these energetic particles that can damage spacecraft and imperil astronauts who pass through them.  The TRACERS mission is led by David Miles at the University of Iowa with support from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. NASA’s Heliophysics Explorers Program Office at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the mission for the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The University of Iowa, Southwest Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Berkeley, all lead instruments on TRACERS. The Athena EPIC mission is led by NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and is a partnership between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Space Force, and NovaWurks. Athena EPIC’s launch is supported by launch integrator SEOPS. The PExT demonstration is managed by NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) program in partnership with Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, with launch support by York Space Systems. The REAL project is led by Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and is a partnership between Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Montana State University, and Boston University. Sponsored by NASA’s Heliophysics Division and CubeSat Launch Initiative, it was included through launch integrator Maverick Space Systems. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages the VADR (Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) contract. To learn more about TRACERS, visit: https://nasa.gov/tracers -end- Abbey Interrante / Karen FoxHeadquarters, Washington301-201-0124 / 202-358-1600abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov / karen.c.fox@nasa.gov Sarah FrazierGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland202-853-7191sarah.frazier@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsTRACERSEarth ScienceHeliophysicsScience Mission Directorate View Source Article

Chinese media tested ADAS and FSD in various scenarios, including highways and night driving. Tesla vision-based system significantly outperformed emerging Chinese brands like Huawei & Xiaomi, as well as traditional manufacturers. Even with LiDAR, competitors’ ADAS performance lags behind Tesla. Only 6 out of 34 other systems passed half of the tests (3 out of ... Read more View Source Article

Researchers hoped CMB-S4, a $900-million cosmology experiment, would answer one of the greatest questions in physics. Instead it’s become another cautionary tale of pursuing big science amid shrinking budgets View Source Article

Scientists made an antimatter qubit made from an antiproton that is in a state of quantum superposition. This breakthrough will allow the strength of the particle's magnetic moment to be measured with unprecedented precision. View Source Article

Madeleine Finlay is joined by Ian Sample to discuss three intriguing science and environment stories. From a breakthrough in the quest to create organs in the lab to a world-first climate visa that will see citizens relocate from the island of Tuvalu to Australia, plus what happens when two massive black holes collideScientists detect biggest ever merger of two massive black holesA climate crisis, a ballot, and a chance at a new life in Australia Continue reading... View Source Article

In a measure that flouts the FDA, Florida says doctors can give unapproved stem-cell therapies for wound care, pain management, or orthopedic purposes. View Source Article

Welcome to Edition 8.03 of the Rocket Report! We are at an interesting stage in Europe, with its efforts to commercialize spaceflight. Finally, it seems the long-slumbering continent is waking up to the need to leverage private capital to drive down the costs of space access, and we are seeing more investment flow into European companies. But it is critical that European policymakers make strategic investments across the industry or companies like PLD Space, which outlined big plans this week, will struggle to get off the launch pad. As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar. Avio celebrates freedom from Arianespace. Representatives from Italy, Germany, and France met at the European Space Agency headquarters last week to sign the Launcher Exploitation Declaration, which officially began the transfer of Vega C launch operation responsibilities from Arianespace to the rocket’s builder, Avio, European Spaceflight reports. "It is a historic step that reinforces our nation's autonomy in access to space and assigns us a strategic responsibility towards Europe," said Avio CEO Giulio Ranzo. "We are ready to meet this challenge with determination, and we are investing in technologies, expertise, and infrastructure to ensure a competitive service." View Source Article

Cinven is nearing an acquisition of Artefact in a deal that could value the French data services company at about €1 billion ($1.2 billion), people familiar with the matter said. View Source Article

At WWDC 2025, Apple revealed a major visual shake-up for iOS (not to mention the rest of the company’s operating systems). This is the biggest change, aesthetically, since the shift away from the stitching, textures and skeuomorphic design of the iOS 4. It also comes with significantly fewer AI and Siri updates this time around. However, it’s the smaller touches that make iOS 26 seem like a notable improvement over its predecessor. I’ve been running the iOS 26 developer beta for the last two weeks and here's how Apple’s new Liquid Glass design — and iOS 26 broadly — stacks up. (Ed. note: Apple just released the public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and watchOS 26. This means you can run the preview for yourself, if you are willing to risk potentially buggy or unstable software that could cause some of your apps to not work. As usual, we highly recommend backing up all your date before running any beta, and you can follow our guide on how to install Apple's public betas to do so.) Liquid Glass changes everything iOS 26 looks new and modern. And for once, how Apple describes it — liquid glass — makes sense: it’s a lot of layers of transparent elements overlapping and, in places, the animations are quite… liquidy. Menus and buttons will respond to your touch, with some of them coalescing around your finger and sometimes separating out into new menus. Liquid Glass encompasses the entire design of iOS. The home and lock screens have been redesigned once again, featuring a new skyscraping clock font that stretches out from the background of your photos, with ever-so-slight transparency. There’s also a new 3D effect that infuses your photos with a bit of spatial magic, offering a touch of Vision Pro for iPhone users. The experience in the first few builds of the iOS 26 beta was jarring and messy, especially with transparent icons and notifications, due to those overlapping elements making things almost illegible. Updates across subsequent releases have addressed this issue by making floating elements more opaque. There is also a toggle within the Accessibility tab in Settings to reduce transparency further, but I hope Apple offers a slider so that users can choose exactly how “liquid” they want their “glass” to be. If you own other Apple products, then you’ll come to appreciate the design parity across your Mac, iPad and Apple Watch. One noticeable change I'd been waiting for was the iOS search bar’s relocation to the bottom of the screen. I first noticed it within Settings, but it reappears in Music, Podcasts, Photos and pretty much everywhere you might need to find specific files or menu items now. If, like me, you’re an iPhone Pro or Plus user, you may have struggled to reach those search bars when they were at the top of the screen. It’s a welcome improvement. Visual Intelligence Screenshot (Apple) With iOS 26 on iPhones powerful enough to run Apple Intelligence, the company is bringing Visual Intelligence over to your screenshots. (Previously it was limited to Camera.) Once you’ve grabbed a shot by pressing the power and volume up buttons, you’ll get a preview of your image, surrounded by suggested actions that Apple Intelligence deduced would be relevant based on the contents of your screenshot.  Managing Editor Cherlynn Low did a deep dive on what Visual Intelligence is capable of. From a screenshot, you can transfer information to other apps without having to switch or select them manually. This means I can easily screenshot tickets and emails, for example, to add to my calendar. Apple Intelligence can also identify types of plants, food and cars, even. If there are multiple people or objects in your screenshot, you can highlight what you want to focus on by circling it. There aren’t many third-party app options at this point, but that’s often the case with a beta build. These are features that Android users have had courtesy of Gemini for a year or two, but at least now we get something similar on iPhones. One quick tip: Make sure to tap the markup button (the little pencil tip icon) to see Visual Intelligence in your screenshots. I initially thought my beta build was missing the feature, but it was just hidden behind the markup menu. More broadly, Apple Intelligence continues to work well, but doesn't stand out in any particular way. We’re still waiting for Siri to receive its promised upgrades. Still, iOS 26 appears to have improved the performance of many features that use the iPhone’s onboard machine learning models. Since the first developer build, voice memos and voice notes are not only much faster, but also more accurate, especially with accents that the system previously struggled with. Apple Intelligence’s Writing tools — which I mainly use for summarizing meetings, conference calls and even lengthy PDFs — doesn't choke with more substantial reading. On iOS 18, it would struggle with voice notes longer than 10 minutes, trying to detangle or structure the contents of a meeting. I haven’t had that issue with iOS 26 so far. Van life vlogger, bald or running for Congress?Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Genmoji and Image Playground both offer up different results through the update. Image Playground can now generate pictures using ChatGPT. I’ll be honest, I hadn’t used the app since I tested it on iOS 18, but the upgrades mean it has more utility when I might want to generate AI artwork, which can occasionally reach photorealistic levels. One useful addition is ChatGPT’s “any style” option, meaning you can try to specify the style you have in mind, which can skirt a little closer to contentious mimicry — especially if you want, say, a frivolous image of you splashing in a puddle, Studio Ghibli style. Apple also tweaked Genmoji to add deeper customization options, but these AI-generated avatars don’t look like me? I liked the original Genmoji that launched last year, which had the almost-nostalgic style of 2010 emoji, but still somehow channeled the auras of me, my friends and family. This new batch are more detailed and elaborate, sure, but they don’t look right. Also, they make me look bald. And contrary to my detractors, I am not bald. Yet. This feels like a direct attack, Apple. You might feel differently, however. For example, Cherlynn said that the first version of Genmoji did not resemble her, frequently presenting her as someone with much darker skin or of a different ethnicity, regardless of the source picture she submitted.  Still, the ability to change a Genmoji’s expression, as well as add and remove glasses and facial hair through the new appearance customization options, is an improvement. A Camera app redesign for everyone Apple has revisited the camera app, returning to basics by stripping away most of the previously offered modes and settings — at least initially — to display only video and photo modes. You can swipe up from the bottom to see additional options, like flash, the timer, exposure, styles and more. You can also tap on the new six-dot icon in the upper right of the interface for the same options, though that requires a bit more of a reach. These behave in line with the new Liquid Glass design and you’ll see the Photo pill expand into the settings menu when you press either area. Long-pressing on icons lets you go deeper into shooting modes, adjusting frame rates and even recording resolutions. What I like here is that it benefits casual smartphone photographers while keeping all the settings that more advanced users demand. None of the updates here are earth-shattering, though. I hope Apple takes a good look at what Adobe’s Project Indigo camera app is doing — there are a lot of good ideas there. One extra improvement if you use AirPods: Pressing and holding the stem of your AirPod (if it has an H2 chip) can now start video recording. Apple Music tries to DJ Alongside the Liquid Glass design touches, the big addition to Apple Music this year is AutoMix. Like a (much) more advanced version of the crossfade feature found on most music streaming apps, in iOS 26, Music tries to mix between tracks, slowing or speeding up tempos, gently fading in drums or bass loops before the next song kicks in. Twenty percent of the time, it doesn’t work well — or Apple Music doesn’t even try. But the new ability to pin playlists and albums is useful, especially for recommendations from other folks that you never got around to listening to. Messages get a little more fun Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Apple is making Messages more fun. One of the ways it’s doing so is by enabling custom backgrounds in chats, much like in WhatsApp. I immediately set out to find the most embarrassing photo of my colleague (and frenemy) Cherlynn Low and make it our chat background. I know she’s also running iOS 26 in beta, so she will see it. [Ed. note: Way to give me a reason to ignore your messages, Mat!] Apple’s Live translation now works across Messages, voice calls and FaceTime. Setting things up can be a little complicated — you’ll first need to download various language files to use the feature. There’s also some inconsistency in the languages supported across the board. For instance, Mandarin and Japanese are supported in Messages, but not on FaceTime yet. In chats, if your system language is set to English or Spanish, then you’ll only be able to translate into English or Spanish. For those polyglots out there, if you want to translate incoming Japanese texts into German, you’ll need to set your device's language to German. While I didn’t get to flex my Japanese abilities on voice calls and FaceTime, iOS 26 was more than capable of keeping up with some rudimentary German and Spanish. I’m not sure if I’d rely on it for serious business translation or holiday bookings, but I think it could be a very useful tool for basics.  There’s also the ability to filter spam messages to their own little folder (purgatory). Spam texts remain a nightmare, so I appreciate any potential weapons in the fight. Sadly, it hasn’t quite manage to deal with the TikTok marketing agencies and phone network customer services that continue to barrage my Messages. Still, hopefully Apple will continue to improve its detection algorithms. One more tool in the battle against spam: You can mute notifications for Messages from unknown numbers, although time-sensitive alerts from delivery services and rideshare apps will still reach you. New apps are hit-or-miss Not everything in the beta lands, however. I’ve already touched on how Liquid Glass was initially a semi-transparent mess. The Games App, too, seems like an unnecessary addition. Because it’s a blend of the Games tab of the App Store and a silo of your preinstalled games, I’m not sure what it’s adding. It’s not any easier to navigate, nor does it introduce me to games I want to buy. Cherlynn did want to highlight that for a casual gamer like herself, it’s intriguing to see if the Games app might start to recommend more mind-numbing puzzles or farming simulations. She was also intrigued by the idea of a more social gaming experience on iOS, issuing challenges to her friends. Still, because the phone she has been testing the beta on doesn’t have access to all her contacts or her gaming history, the recommendations and features are fairly limited at the moment. Games is one of two new apps that will automatically join your home screen. (Fortunately, they can be uninstalled). The other is Preview, which should be a familiar addition to any Mac user. It offers an easy way to view sent or downloaded files, like menus, ticket QR codes and more. During the developer beta, the app pulled in a handful of my documents that previously lived in the Files app. Navigation across both those apps is identical, although Preview is limited to files you can actually open, of course. AirPods, upgraded This is more iPhone-adjacent, but iOS 26 includes several quality-of-life improvements for some of Apple’s headphones. First up: notifications when your AirPods are fully charged, finally! The Apple Watch got this kind of notification back in iOS 14, so it’s great to see Apple’s headphones catch up. Apple is also promising “studio-quality sound recording” from the AirPods, augmenting recordings with computational audio improvements. There’s a noticable bump in audio quality. It appears that AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 will record files at a sample rate of 48 kHz, which is double the rate used in the past. The sample rate bump happened last year, but it is dependent on what the app you're using. Is it “studio quality”? I don’t think so, but it’s an improvement. While recordings sound slightly better in quiet locations, the bigger change is in loud environments. The algorithm doesn't appear to be degrading audio quality as much while trying to reduce background noise. iOS 26 also adds sleep detection to the buds. If the AirPods detect minimal movement, they’ll switch off automatically, which could be helpful for the next time I’m flying long-haul. Wrap-up In iOS 26, Apple has prioritized design changes and systemwide consistency over AI-centric software and features. While Liquid Glass is a big change to how your iPhone looks, Apple has drawn from user feedback to finesse the design into feeling less jarring and gelling better when the home screen, Control Center and Notification drop-downs overlap with each other. There are numerous quality of life improvements, including Messages and Visual Intelligence, in particular. If anything, the AI elephant in the room is the lack of any substantial updates on Siri. After the company talked up advanced Siri interactions over a year ago, I’m still waiting for its assistant to catch up with the likes of Google.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ios-26-beta-preview-liquid-glass-is-better-than-you-think-172155402.html?src=rss View Source Article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Hubble and Artificial Intelligence Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 6 Min Read NASA’s Hubble, Chandra Spot Rare Type of Black Hole Eating a Star NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory team up to identify a possible intermediate-mass black hole. Credits: NASA, ESA, CXC, Yi-Chi Chang (National Tsing Hua University); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have teamed up to identify a new possible example of a rare class of black holes. Called NGC 6099 HLX-1, this bright X-ray source seems to reside in a compact star cluster in a giant elliptical galaxy. Just a few years after its 1990 launch, Hubble discovered that galaxies throughout the universe can contain supermassive black holes at their centers weighing millions or billions of times the mass of our Sun. In addition, galaxies also contain as many as millions of small black holes weighing less than 100 times the mass of the Sun. These form when massive stars reach the end of their lives. Far more elusive are intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), weighing between a few hundred to a few 100,000 times the mass of our Sun. This not-too-big, not-too-small category of black holes is often invisible to us because IMBHs don’t gobble as much gas and stars as the supermassive ones, which would emit powerful radiation. They have to be caught in the act of foraging in order to be found. When they occasionally devour a hapless bypassing star — in what astronomers call a tidal disruption event— they pour out a gusher of radiation. The newest probable IMBH, caught snacking in telescope data, is located on the galaxy NGC 6099’s outskirts at approximately 40,000 light-years from the galaxy’s center, as described in a new study in the Astrophysical Journal. The galaxy is located about 450 million light-years away in the constellation Hercules. A Hubble Space Telescope image of a pair of galaxies: NGC 6099 (lower left) and NGC 6098 (upper right). The purple blob depicts X-ray emission from a compact star cluster. The X-rays are produced by an intermediate-mass black hole tearing apart a star. Science: NASA, ESA, CXC, Yi-Chi Chang (National Tsing Hua University); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) Astronomers first saw an unusual source of X-rays in an image taken by Chandra in 2009. They then followed its evolution with ESA’s XMM-Newton space observatory. “X-ray sources with such extreme luminosity are rare outside galaxy nuclei and can serve as a key probe for identifying elusive IMBHs. They represent a crucial missing link in black hole evolution between stellar mass and supermassive black holes,” said lead author Yi-Chi Chang of the National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. X-ray emission coming from NGC 6099 HLX-1 has a temperature of 3 million degrees, consistent with a tidal disruption event. Hubble found evidence for a small cluster of stars around the black hole. This cluster would give the black hole a lot to feast on, because the stars are so closely crammed together that they are just a few light-months apart (about 500 billion miles). The suspected IMBH reached maximum brightness in 2012 and then continued declining to 2023. The optical and X-ray observations over the period do not overlap, so this complicates the interpretation. The black hole may have ripped apart a captured star, creating a plasma disk that displays variability, or it may have formed a disk that flickers as gas plummets toward the black hole. “If the IMBH is eating a star, how long does it take to swallow the star’s gas? In 2009, HLX-1 was fairly bright. Then in 2012, it was about 100 times brighter. And then it went down again,” said study co-author Roberto Soria of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). “So now we need to wait and see if it’s flaring multiple times, or there was a beginning, there was peak, and now it’s just going to go down all the way until it disappears.” The IMBH is on the outskirts of the host galaxy, NGC 6099, about 40,000 light-years from the galaxy’s center. There is presumably a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s core, which is currently quiescent and not devouring a star. Black Hole Building Blocks The team emphasizes that doing a survey of IMBHs can reveal how the larger supermassive black holes form in the first place. There are two alternative theories. One is that IMBHs are the seeds for building up even larger black holes by coalescing together, since big galaxies grow by taking in smaller galaxies. The black hole in the middle of a galaxy grows as well during these mergers. Hubble observations uncovered a proportional relationship: the more massive the galaxy, the bigger the black hole. The emerging picture with this new discovery is that galaxies could have “satellite IMBHs” that orbit in a galaxy’s halo but don’t always fall to the center. Another theory is that the gas clouds in the middle of dark-matter halos in the early universe don’t make stars first, but just collapse directly into a supermassive black hole. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s discovery of very distant black holes being disproportionately more massive relative to their host galaxy tends to support this idea. However, there could be an observational bias toward the detection of extremely massive black holes in the distant universe, because those of smaller size are too faint to be seen. In reality, there could be more variety out there in how our dynamic universe constructs black holes. Supermassive black holes collapsing inside dark-matter halos might simply grow in a different way from those living in dwarf galaxies where black-hole accretion might be the favored growth mechanism. “So if we are lucky, we’re going to find more free-floating black holes suddenly becoming X-ray bright because of a tidal disruption event. If we can do a statistical study, this will tell us how many of these IMBHs there are, how often they disrupt a star, how bigger galaxies have grown by assembling smaller galaxies.” said Soria. The challenge is that Chandra and XMM-Newton only look at a small fraction of the sky, so they don’t often find new tidal disruption events, in which black holes are consuming stars. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, an all-sky survey telescope from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, could detect these events in optical light as far as hundreds of millions of light-years away. Follow-up observations with Hubble and Webb can reveal the star cluster around the black hole. The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for more than three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Related Images & Videos NGC 6099 (Hubble + Chandra) A Hubble Space Telescope image of a pair of galaxies: NGC 6099 (lower left) and NGC 6098 (upper right). The purple blob depicts X-ray emission from a compact star cluster. The X-rays are produced by an intermediate-mass black hole tearing apart a star. NGC 6099 (Hubble) A Hubble Space Telescope image of a pair of galaxies: NGC 6099 (lower left) and NGC 6098 (upper right). The white dot labeled HLX-1 is the visible-light component of the location of a compact star cluster where an intermediate-mass black hole is tearing apart a star. NGC 6099 Compass Image This compass image shows two elliptical galaxies, NGC 6098 at upper right and NGC 6099 at lower left. The fuzzy purple blob at bottom center shows X-ray emission produced by an intermediate-mass black hole tearing apart a star.  HLX-1 Illustration This sequence of artistic illustrations, from upper left to bottom right, shows how a black hole in the core of a star cluster captures a bypassing star and gravitationally shreds it until there is an explosion, seen in the outskirts of the host galaxy. HLX-1 Animation This video is an illustration of an intermediate-mass black hole capturing and gravitationally shredding a star. It begins by zooming into a pair of galaxies. The galaxy at lower left, NGC 6099, contain a dense star cluster at center. The video then zooms into the heart of the cl… Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contact Media Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Black Holes Chandra X-Ray Observatory Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Marshall Astrophysics Marshall Space Flight Center Related Links and Documents Science Paper: Multiwavelength Study of a Hyperluminous X-Ray Source near NGC6099: A Strong IMBH Candidate, PDF (1.81 MB) Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Reshaping Our Cosmic View: Hubble Science Highlights Hubble Black Holes Hubble Focus: Black Holes – Into the Vortex View Source Article

The Volonaut Airbike flying motorbike is a breakthrough in personal air mobility and replicates the Star Wars Return of the Jedi Speeder Bike. Volonaut has not publicly released pricing or a launch date for the Airbike as of July 2025. They are located in Poland. Industry commentary and related eVTOL products suggest a potential price ... Read more View Source Article

A controversial arsenic microbe study unveiled 15 years ago has been retracted. The study’s authors are crying foul View Source Article

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Formed from dust once in the tail of comet 96P/Machholz, the meteors can leave persistent trails in the skyStart watching for the Delta Aquariids meteor shower this week. The chart shows the view looking south-east from London at midnight on 28 July. The radiate is marked. This is the point from which the meteors appear to radiate in all directions.Most annual meteor showers have a well-defined peak of activity, but the Delta Aquariids are a more drawn-out affair. Although the predictions place the peak somewhere between 28 and 30 July, the activity can be just as strong leading up to and after the moment. Continue reading... View Source Article

On this episode of Uncanny Valley, we dive into the heated race between two companies to build a commercial brain-computer interface. View Source Article

Last month, the parachutes on Hélène Huby's small spacecraft failed to deploy, and the vehicle and its cargo crashed into the ocean on Earth. It was both a success and a failure. The success was that after Huby founded The Exploration Company in Europe, she managed to move nimbly with the "Mission Possible" spacecraft such that it cost less than $25 million to build and reached space in less than three years. The vehicle ticked off a number of successes in spaceflight before making a controlled descent through the atmosphere. View Source Article

The Trump administration’s new AI policy blueprint seeks to make American technology the standard for artificial intelligence globally by making it easier for US allies to acquire crucial hardware and software, according to White House science and technology director Michael Kratsios. View Source Article

I've learned not to expect much from macOS updates — not through sheer cynicism, but from the obvious reality that Apple pays far more attention to iOS and iPadOS than its desktop platform. I get it. macOS is a thing of the past, while smartphones and tablets are Apple's profitable present and future. But still, I think Mac users deserve more than just widgets, or the ability to merely mirror their iPhones (a feature that's not only genuinely useful, but also cements how crucial iPhones are to Apple and its users today). Now with macOS 26, Apple is finally showing a bit more love to its laptops and desktops.  After testing the macOS Tahoe 26 developer beta for a few weeks, it definitely feels like a more substantial update than the last few versions. The revamped Spotlight alone will likely delight Mac diehards, since it makes it easier to find apps and perform all manner of tasks without requiring your fingers leave the keyboard. Add in a lovely visual refresh thanks to Apple's Liquid Glass design, as well as enhanced iPhone continuity features, and you have an operating system that feels like a genuine step forward for the Mac faithful. (Ed. note: Apple just released the public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and watchOS 26. This means you can run the preview for yourself, if you are willing to risk potentially buggy or unstable software that could cause some of your apps to not work. As usual, we highly recommend backing up all your date before running any beta, and you can follow our guide on how to install Apple's public betas to do so.) Spotlight becomes more than a search engine I've never been a heavy Spotlight user, aside from the few times I've needed to quickly look for an app or file. But in macOS Tahoe 26, it's suddenly a lot more useful. Now Spotlight can also help you find specific files; search cloud file services and websites; run Apple shortcuts and automations; and even run basic commands, like looking up your recent screenshots when you type "/screenshot." Spotlight has become more than just a search engine for your Mac, it's practically a super-powered command line. (And notably, it has no real equivalent on Windows. So once again, Mac power users will be able to gloat about the supremacy of macOS.) Apple Over the course of my testing, tapping the command key and space bar to trigger Spotlight practically became second nature. I'd bring it up to find files, as usual, but I noticed that it was better at unearthing what I was looking for than before. Spotlight also replaced my usual practice of typing in search strings in Safari or Chrome's address bar. It takes just a few seconds to bring up Spotlight, type "YouTube," hit tab to trigger the search box and type in the video I'm looking for. This intelligent site searching also works for Amazon and IMDB — hopefully, Apple will add more commonly used sites over time (or perhaps just the ability to map a site's internal search engine to Spotlight). If you're often buried by tons of tabs in your web browser, Spotlight can also quickly search through them. That helped me avoid getting distracted by social media and Slack conversations. I could just stay in my productivity flow, since I didn't have to sift through multiple app windows and tabs. The ability to trigger actions from Spotlight was similarly useful — it's a cinch to pop it up, start typing "Send Message" and jot out a quick text to my wife. Spotlight also learns your most common commands over time, so now I just have to type "se" for the Send Message action to pop up. I'm sure for a certain type of Mac power user, Spotlight will give them far fewer reasons to ever touch their mouse or trackpad. Apple A more refined user interface with Liquid Glass While Spotlight is the most powerful upgrade in macOS Tahoe 26, you'll notice the spiffier Liquid Glass interface first. As with iOS 26, it basically amounts to more transparencies and visual flourishes spread throughout the OS. The menu bar at the top of the screen is now fully transparent, instead of looking foggy like before. It's not much, but it does make your Mac's screen seem a little bigger (or perhaps that may have just been extra noticeable on the cramped 13-inch MacBook Air I've been testing on). Similarly, widgets and the Control Center dropdown have more glass-like visual elements that make them look a bit more modern. There's no real practical advantage, but to paraphrase a classic Marge Simpson quote, I just think it's neat. Apple Silicon-equipped hardware has more than enough graphics power to spare, so these visual upgrades also don't hinder performance at all. I didn't notice any slowdown during my testing, and according to Activity Monitor, there didn't seem to be a big hit to CPU or GPU usage. Apple Better iPhone integration Even though you've been able to make phone calls on Macs for a while now through FaceTime, it's taken until macOS Tahoe 26 for Apple to debut a dedicated Phone app. The app itself is nothing special — it gives you a quick glance at your contacts and recent calls, all in a compact Liquid Glass window — but at least it's a more logical place for phone calls. Even better than the standalone app, though, is the addition of iPhone Live Activities appearing in the macOS Tahoe 26 menu bar. That makes it easier to keep track of an inbound Uber or Doordash order, without whipping out your phone. And if you need to tap into a specific activity, macOS will also automatically launch the app from your phone via iPhone mirroring. It's the sort of usability feature you'd expect from Apple, and notably it's also not easily replicable on Windows. (And sure, you can also view it as a way to keep iPhone users from straying to the dark side too.) Other useful upgrades The more I dug into macOS Tahoe 26, the more intriguing it became. Here are a few other updates worth highlighting: The Shortcuts app seems a lot more powerful now, especially with the addition of custom automations and Apple Intelligence-powered actions. You can have an automation trigger writing tools or Image Playgrounds, and there's also a new "Use Model" command that can tap into on-device AI models and ChatGPT. I'm still trying to wrap my head around building a complex automation, but conceivably it could let you do something like compare an audio transcript to text notes, according to Apple. Safari has received a Liquid Glass redesign that looks pretty polished. It's not nearly as transformative as the Safari iOS upgrade, which makes it easier to read websites on a small phone screen, but at least it looks nice. The Notes app now has Apple Intelligence-powered reminders whenever you share content to it. That could help you unearth some key tasks from a large email. The Photos app has also received the Liquid Glass treatment, and you can finally use Pinned Collections on Macs to keep your favorite photo groups handy. The Apple Music app can now use AutoMix to intelligently blend songs together, similar to a DJ. I've been using this feature on iOS 26 a lot, and it's honestly delightful — so long as you're not a total gapless playback purist. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/macos-26-beta-preview-spotlights-time-to-shine-171700779.html?src=rss View Source Article

5 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Cloud cover can keep optical instruments on satellites from clearly capturing Earth’s surface. Still in testing, JPL’s Dynamic Targeting uses AI to avoid imaging clouds, yielding a higher proportion of usable data, and to focus on phenomena like this 2015 volcanic eruption in Indonesia Landsat 8 captured.NASA/USGS A technology called Dynamic Targeting could enable spacecraft to decide, autonomously and within seconds, where to best make science observations from orbit. In a recent test, NASA showed how artificial intelligence-based technology could help orbiting spacecraft provide more targeted and valuable science data. The technology enabled an Earth-observing satellite for the first time to look ahead along its orbital path, rapidly process and analyze imagery with onboard AI, and determine where to point an instrument. The whole process took less than 90 seconds, without any human involvement. Called Dynamic Targeting, the concept has been in development for more than a decade at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The first of a series of flight tests occurred aboard a commercial satellite in mid-July. The goal: to show the potential of Dynamic Targeting to enable orbiters to improve ground imaging by avoiding clouds and also to autonomously hunt for specific, short-lived phenomena like wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and rare storms. This graphic shows how JPL’s Dynamic Targeting uses a lookahead sensor to see what’s on a satellite’s upcoming path. Onboard algorithms process the sensor’s data, identifying clouds to avoid and targets of interest for closer observation as the satellite passes overhead.NASA/JPL-Caltech “The idea is to make the spacecraft act more like a human: Instead of just seeing data, it’s thinking about what the data shows and how to respond,” says Steve Chien, a technical fellow in AI at JPL and principal investigator for the Dynamic Targeting project. “When a human sees a picture of trees burning, they understand it may indicate a forest fire, not just a collection of red and orange pixels. We’re trying to make the spacecraft have the ability to say, ‘That’s a fire,’ and then focus its sensors on the fire.” Avoiding Clouds for Better Science This first flight test for Dynamic Targeting wasn’t hunting specific phenomena like fires — that will come later. Instead, the point was avoiding an omnipresent phenomenon: clouds. Most science instruments on orbiting spacecraft look down at whatever is beneath them. However, for Earth-observing satellites with optical sensors, clouds can get in the way as much as two-thirds of the time, blocking views of the surface. To overcome this, Dynamic Targeting looks 300 miles (500 kilometers) ahead and has the ability to distinguish between clouds and clear sky. If the scene is clear, the spacecraft images the surface when passing overhead. If it’s cloudy, the spacecraft cancels the imaging activity to save data storage for another target. “If you can be smart about what you’re taking pictures of, then you only image the ground and skip the clouds. That way, you’re not storing, processing, and downloading all this imagery researchers really can’t use,” said Ben Smith of JPL, an associate with NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, which funds the Dynamic Targeting work. “This technology will help scientists get a much higher proportion of usable data.” How Dynamic Targeting Works The testing is taking place on CogniSAT-6, a briefcase-size CubeSat that launched in March 2024. The satellite — designed, built, and operated by Open Cosmos — hosts a payload designed and developed by Ubotica featuring a commercially available AI processor. While working with Ubotica in 2022, Chien’s team conducted tests aboard the International Space Station running algorithms similar to those in Dynamic Targeting on the same type of processor. The results showed the combination could work for space-based remote sensing. Since CogniSAT-6 lacks an imager dedicated to looking ahead, the spacecraft tilts forward 40 to 50 degrees to point its optical sensor, a camera that sees both visible and near-infrared light. Once look-ahead imagery has been acquired, Dynamic Targeting’s advanced algorithm, trained to identify clouds, analyzes it. Based on that analysis, the Dynamic Targeting planning software determines where to point the sensor for cloud-free views. Meanwhile, the satellite tilts back toward nadir (looking directly below the spacecraft) and snaps the planned imagery, capturing only the ground. This all takes place in 60 to 90 seconds, depending on the original look-ahead angle, as the spacecraft speeds in low Earth orbit at nearly 17,000 mph (7.5 kilometers per second). What’s Next With the cloud-avoidance capability now proven, the next test will be hunting for storms and severe weather — essentially targeting clouds instead of avoiding them. Another test will be to search for thermal anomalies like wildfires and volcanic eruptions. The JPL team developed unique algorithms for each application. “This initial deployment of Dynamic Targeting is a hugely important step,” Chien said. “The end goal is operational use on a science mission, making for a very agile instrument taking novel measurements.” There are multiple visions for how that could happen — possibly even on spacecraft exploring the solar system. In fact, Chien and his JPL colleagues drew some inspiration for their Dynamic Targeting work from another project they had also worked on: using data from ESA’s (the European Space Agency’s) Rosetta orbiter to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomously detecting and imaging plumes emitted by comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. On Earth, adapting Dynamic Targeting for use with radar could allow scientists to study dangerous extreme winter weather events called deep convective ice storms, which are too rare and short-lived to closely observe with existing technologies. Specialized algorithms would identify these dense storm formations with a satellite’s look-ahead instrument. Then a powerful, focused radar would pivot to keep the ice clouds in view, “staring” at them as the spacecraft speeds by overhead and gathers a bounty of data over six to eight minutes. Some ideas involve using Dynamic Targeting on multiple spacecraft: The results of onboard image analysis from a leading satellite could be rapidly communicated to a trailing satellite, which could be tasked with targeting specific phenomena. The data could even be fed to a constellation of dozens of orbiting spacecraft. Chien is leading a test of that concept, called Federated Autonomous MEasurement, beginning later this year. How AI supports Mars rover science Autonomous robot fleet could measure ice shelf melt Ocean world robot swarm prototype gets a swim test News Media Contact Melissa PamerJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-314-4928melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov 2025-094 Share Details Last Updated Jul 24, 2025 Related TermsEarth ScienceArtificial Intelligence (AI)Earth Science Technology OfficeJet Propulsion Laboratory Explore More 5 min read NASA Shares How to Save Camera 370-Million-Miles Away Near Jupiter Article 3 days ago 2 min read GLOBE-Trotting Science Lands in Chesapeake with NASA eClips On June 16-17, 2025, 50 students at Camp Young in Chesapeake, Virginia traded their usual… Article 3 days ago 6 min read 5 Things to Know About Powerful New U.S.-India Satellite, NISAR Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

Tesla earnings call is highlighting FSD and robotaxi progress and some regulatory delays in Europe and China. They expect to get past those delays shortly. In two weeks, the Austin robotaxi area will expand again. Tesla will have robotaxi and unsupervised FSD for half the population of the US by end of this year. This ... Read more View Source Article

Less than a decade since the first detection of gravitational waves—ripples in spacetime itself—proposed budget cuts threaten to silence this groundbreaking science View Source Article

NASA has unveiled a dazzling new collection of cosmic images from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, capturing spectacular stars and galaxies in unprecedented detail. View Source Article

Nearly 300 current and former employees signed the letter criticizing the ‘rapid and wasteful changes’ at the agency Almost 300 current and former US Nasa employees, including at least four astronauts, have issued a scathing dissent opposing the Trump administration’s sweeping and indiscriminate cuts to the agency, which they say threaten safety, innovation and national security.The formal letter, titled The Voyager Declaration, is addressed to the acting Nasa administrator, Sean Duffy, a staunch Trump loyalist appointed on 7 July who is also his transportation secretary. The declaration, which is dedicated to 17 astronauts who have died in past spaceflight incidents, warns of catastrophic consequences if the proposed cuts to science grants, staffing and international missions are implemented. Continue reading... View Source Article

A Chinese man with no medical training is injecting cancer patients with a toxic bleach solution; a full course of treatment runs $20,000. He’s now working to bring the unproven treatment to the US. View Source Article

This has been a good week for the US space agency in terms of the federal budget. On Tuesday, a committee in the US House of Representatives passed a $24.8 billion budget bill for the coming fiscal year. Then, two days later a Senate committee passed a $24.9 billion budget for NASA. Both of these measures would keep funding more or less at the level of the current fiscal year and, for the most part, keep the space agency's programs going on their current trajectories. These bills are not final. Both must move through the full House and Senate and then be reconciled before going to President Trump for his signature. And time is running out, with fiscal year 2026 set to begin on October 1, just a little more than 10 weeks from now. View Source Article

Kohl’s Corp. is shrinking the size of its Babies “R” Us shops at some locations, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

I’m not going to beat around the bush: iPadOS 26 and its new multitasking features are a game-changer for Apple’s tablets. Pretty much ever since Steve Jobs introduced the iPad 15 years ago (!), Apple has tried to straddle two worlds. In one, the iPad is a super-simple, easy-to-use tablet with a gorgeous display and tons of good apps from the App Store for gaming, entertainment and light work. The other world is one where the iPad replaces your traditional computer, letting people do the serious work that’s been typically reserved for a Mac or Windows PC. iPadOS has too often served as a hindrance to the latter goal over the years, particularly as the iPad Pro has gotten more powerful. The Stage Manager multitasking experience Apple introduced with iPadOS 16 in 2022 was a major step towards making the iPad’s software suitable for power users — but it was rather buggy at launch and not as flexible as iPad power users were hoping for. The calls to just put macOS on the iPad grew louder. But this year, Apple took a different approach: it brought crucial macOS features like the familiar “stoplight” window controls, the menu bar at the top of the screen and vastly improved window management tools to iPadOS 26. The result is an iPad experience where you can easily jump between multiple windowed apps set up just how you like and one where you go full screen to focus on your content. It’s a massive refinement over the old Stage Manager experience and one that I think will finally satisfy iPad die-hards who want to push their tablets to the limit. Before diving into the details, a quick word on betas and stability. As usual, Apple’s public betas feel pretty stable and capable, but that doesn’t mean you won’t run into weirdness here and there. App crashes, particularly with third-party apps, happened far more on this beta than with iPadOS 18. I’m confident those things will be ironed out as more developers update their apps for the new OS, but you’ll also run into things like UI inconsistencies and occasional stutters and jerkiness when jumping between apps. As we always say, think hard about what you’re willing to put up with to try a beta, even the relatively stable public beta. After all, the final version of iPadOS 26 will be out in just a few months. (Ed. note: Apple just released the public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and watchOS 26. This means, as Nate stated above, you can run the preview for yourself, if you are willing to risk potentially buggy software. As usual, we highly recommend backing up all your date before running any beta, and you can follow our guide on how to install Apple's public betas to do so.) Multitasking Time for the nitty-gritty. When you update to iPadOS 26, you’ll be asked if you want to enable multitasking or have apps run in full screen mode only. When Apple says full screen only, they mean it. Past versions of iPadOS offered either Stage Manager or a basic, two-app split screen view with a third app available in a Slide Over window. The latter option is gone now, though you can still easily set up two or three apps side by side with iPadOS 26’s window tiling features. You can use multitasking mode or full screen only, with no in between. I think that’s a smart move, as plenty of people who use an iPad probably never use these multi-app features, and having a “multitasking on or off” toggle keeps things simple. When you turn on multitasking mode, apps still open in full screen first — but you can grab any corner of the window to resize it or touch the top of the app and drag it around the screen. You could already do this with Stage Manager, so what really sets this new mode apart is how it interacts with other windows. Swiping up from the bottom of the display reveals the usual Home Screen view, but with your apps tucked to the side as a visual cue that you can add another app to that group. And, as before, you can move, resize and stack that app window wherever you want. As I’m writing this, I have nine separate app windows open on my iPad, and getting around them feels more Mac-like than ever before. I can swipe up and hold from the bottom of the Home Screen and see every open app in a smaller window, which makes finding the specific thing I want a lot easier; I can also just command-tab through them. Apps can be minimized down to the dock and when I want the app back, it’ll pop open in the same size window and same placement as before. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen twice minimizes everything I have open to start fresh — but again, if I reopen those apps, they’ll go back to exactly where I had them set up before. I realize it sounds kind of silly to make a big deal of this, but it’s hard to overstate how much this improves the iPad multitasking experience. With Stage Manager, I was never quite sure where an app would open or if it would be full screen or windowed. It can be useful for setting up multiple groups of apps, but adding and removing apps from that view was not terribly intuitive. Just opening everything in one space is a lot more intuitive. And if you want to have various different spaces with specific apps, you can still turn on Stage Manager. It’s a lot easier to add and remove apps from various different groups than it used to be; minimizing a window puts it into its own space that you can add more apps to (or just use it on its own). There are a few other new components that make multitasking work as well as it does. These should be quite familiar to Mac users: The three-button “stoplight” controls and the menu bar. The stoplight buttons replace a similar three-dot window management system from older versions of iPadOS but are far more intuitive. The red one closes an app window entirely, the green one makes a window full screen and then yellow one minimizes it to the dock. These controls are crucial to making iPadOS 26 feel more flexible and fluid than ever before, particularly if you want to have more than one window of a single app open. I’ve also found them to be crucial when working with multiple apps on a smaller display, like on the 11-inch iPad Pro. Stage Manager usually felt like more trouble than it was worth on anything but a 13-inch iPad, but these new multitasking features make it easy to flip through a bunch of apps and pop into full screen if I need more space. The expanded window tiling controls here also make that easier. If you press and hold the stoplight buttons, you’ll get more options to resize apps to take up a quarter, third or half the screen; you can also grab drag bars to further adjust how much space each app takes up. I really liked a mode where three iPhone-sized apps fill the screen, and when there was something I wanted to devote more focus to, I just hit its green button and went full screen. The menu bar, meanwhile, is pretty easy to explain. If you swipe down from the top of the screen (or move your trackpad cursor up to the top) you’ll see familiar menus like File, Edit, Window and so on. It’s a handy way to find more advanced controls for an app, and it also keeps the various toolbars in apps from getting too overloaded with options. Long story short, this all adds up to a wildly improved iPad experience. It doesn’t compromise the single-screen, focused mode that the iPad has always been known for, and it greatly improves working across multiple windows and apps. And unlike Stage Manager, which was limited to M-series iPads, these new multitasking features will work on any iPad that can run iPadOS 26, including the base A16 iPad and the iPad mini. Everything else If this was the only change to iPadOS Apple made this year, it would already be a worthwhile upgrade, but there are a bunch of other improvements coming this fall. These include an improved Files app, the Preview app that has long been a core part of macOS, the new Liquid Glass design, some potentially useful Apple Intelligence features, a nice set of updates to the Messaging app and a new Phone app. Much has been said about Liquid Glass, with tons of prognostication about how Apple was ruining usability and throwing its UI back to 2006 in a blatant Windows Aero ripoff. As usual, the truth is much more nuanced. No one familiar with Apple’s software will be thrown off by this update — everything works as it did before, and while you’ll definitely notice some refractive visual elements, it’s not the wholesale change that aggrieved social media posters would have you believe. You can make things look very different if you, say, opt for the new clear glass icon look, but you can also leave the standard colorful iOS icons in place. The Music app’s Now Playing bar is a perfect place to see iPadOS 26’s Liquid Glass transparency in action. Over the course of the developer betas Apple has released since WWDC, the company has responded to feedback and reduced some of the transparency effects that were present in the first version of Liquid Glass — as it turns out, submitting feedback during a beta works! (Interestingly, they bumped some of the transparency back up in the fourth developer beta, right after turning it down in beta 3. This is still a work in progress.) Probably the biggest functional change is that app controls, toolbars and sidebars float over apps in a new, distinct layer rather than being wholly separate from an app’s content — but again, it’s not the kind of thing that’ll faze anyone who has been using an iPad or any other Apple device. Preview isn’t exactly a thriller, but it’s a much better way to work with PDFs and images than the old interface that launched them in a separate Files window. You can still find PDFs in Files easily enough, but actually dealing with the document in a separate app is better than making Files pull double duty. Apple Speaking of Files, it has even more in common with the Mac Finder than before. You can now put specific folders in the dock for faster access to whatever you’re working on, and the app list view has resizable columns and collapsible folders, just like on the Mac. You can also add emoji and colors to folders for more visual differentiation (and, let’s be honest, a little more fun). And for the first time, you can pick specific apps to open different file types by default — so if you’d rather have PNG images open in Photomator than Preview, go nuts. There are also major updates to the communication experience across the board in iPadOS 26. The FaceTime app got a nice redesign with large contact posters of your recent calls. But what’s most handy here is that the FaceTime app no longer tries to do double-duty with voice calls. A dedicated Phone app handles that now. Assuming you also have an iPhone, you’ll see all your recent voice calls and voicemails here and you can quickly place a new call through your contact list or using a traditional dialer. I’ve always liked the idea of being able to place calls on devices I’m using during the work day like my Mac or iPad, and this makes it far easier. Apple Messages is getting some fun visual enhancements like backgrounds for your conversations, but the thing I’m most interested in is message filtering. The app now identifies unknown senders and puts those messages in a separate folder, and there’s also a new spam folder where it drops messages that Apple strongly believes are spam. If a message gets filtered into unknown senders or spam, you can mark it as known even if the contact isn’t in your address book and those messages will end up in your main view by default. The system also attempts to recognize when a message from an unknown sender is timely and needs to be delivered to your main inbox — something like a delivery person saying they’re nearby or other urgent content like a two-factor authentication code. This feels primarily like a phone-first feature; I get messages on my iPad, but haven’t seen much get filtered directly to spam or unknown callers yet. Once all my devices are running Apple’s latest software, we’ll see how that goes, but I’m still very excited about any feature that’ll help combat the deluge of spam messages that plague my inbox. For more details on the updated communications experience and other new features like the Apple Intelligence-powered Live Translation, I’ll point you to my colleague Mat Smith’s iOS 26 overview. As is usually the case, nearly every feature coming to the iPhone this year is also coming to the iPad, meaning Live Translation will arrive on the tablet too. There’s a lot more here that I haven’t been able to get to, like improved background tasks that let you export a video without keeping the app in focus, updates to Genmoji and Image Playground, the Journal app finally coming to iPad, Apple Intelligence-powered Shortcuts updates and much more. I’ll be continuing to check out how things change between now and the final release this fall, but even based on my experience with the recent beta, I’m quite pleased with where iPadOS 26 is at. The updates to multitasking are so significant that I can’t imagine going back to an iPad without them. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipados-26-preview-a-long-awaited-multi-tasking-update-pays-off-so-far-172522054.html?src=rss View Source Article

NASA The Bumper V-2 launches from Cape Canaveral in this July 24, 1950, photo. In the 75 years since this milestone, this facility has seen thousands of rockets take to the skies, destined for Earth orbit, the Moon, planets, and even beyond. From Cape Canaveral and from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida nearby, astronauts launched on the first pioneering crewed missions, headed for Moon landings, and helped to build the International Space Station. NASA Kennedy, a premier multi-user spaceport with about 100 private-sector partners and nearly 250 partnership agreements, is still the agency’s main launch site. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, will launch from NASA Kennedy no earlier than 12:09 p.m. EDT, Thursday, July 31. The Crew-11 mission members – NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov – are in crew quarantine before their voyage to the orbital laboratory. Image credit: NASA View Source Article

In two weeks, the Tesla Austin robotaxi area will expand again. It will likely cover the 300 square miles of the city of Austin. Tesla also said they will have robotaxi availability for half the population of the US by end of this year. This likely means that they have to have some level of ... Read more View Source Article

When researchers discovered "dark oxygen" last year, the news spread around the world, but the biggest challenge to the science comes from its funders. View Source Article

Protected regions of the ocean are doing their job and keeping illegal fishing at bay, according to new research combining satellite imagery with artificial intelligence. View Source Article

SpaceX has been moving at a breakneck pace, and rapid progress comes at a cost. Worker injury rates at its Starbase facility are almost 6x higher than the average, data reveals. View Source Article

Pioneering radio astronomer whose work locating celestial objects led to a greater understanding of the universeSir Francis Graham-Smith, who has died aged 102, was the last of the generation that created modern radio astronomy, the branch of astronomy that studies the universe with radio waves, in the 1940s and 50s. His PhD thesis, on the first Cambridge radio survey, carried out between 1948 and 1950, with reasonably accurate positions for the brightest sources, paved the way to demonstrating that the majority of celestial radio sources are distant galaxies with massive black holes in their nuclei.Following the discovery of pulsars, pulsating radio sources associated with rapidly rotating neutron stars, in 1967 by Antony Hewish, Jocelyn Bell and others, Graham-Smith used the Jodrell Bank Mark I telescope to study pulsars in detail. He and Andrew Lyne wrote the definitive book on the subject, Pulsar Astronomy (1990). Continue reading... View Source Article

In a landmark ruling, the International Court of Justice declared that failure to act on climate change can be an “internationally wrongful act”—meaning countries could face legal consequences for harming the planet. View Source Article

Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. plan to resume sales of some AI chips in China after securing Washington’s assurances that such shipments would get approved, a dramatic reversal from the Trump administration’s earlier stance on measures designed to limit Beijing’s AI ambitions. View Source Article

Google agreed to spend more than $3 billion to buy power for its data centers from Brookfield Asset Management hydroelectric plants, with plans to potentially quadruple the amount of supply. View Source Article

Uber Technologies Inc. and Baidu Inc. plan to launch robotaxis on the ride-sharing platform in several markets outside of the US and mainland China through a multiyear partnership. View Source Article

Apple Inc. has struck a $500 million deal to buy rare-earth minerals from MP Materials Corp., the US producer that just last week secured backing from the Pentagon. View Source Article

President Donald Trump plans to deliver a major address on artificial intelligence next week to outline his vision for ensuring American dominance in AI, marking his biggest statement on an emerging technology at the heart of the US-China rivalry. View Source Article

Georgia regulators approved a plan that opens the door for Southern Co. to boost spending by as much as $15 billion to deliver a projected surge of electricity for data centers, new factories and electric vehicles. View Source Article

Ghana is working on a program to hedge the price of gold exports as it seeks to shield earnings that have bolstered the central bank’s foreign reserves from future volatility, Governor of the Bank of Ghana Johnson Asiama said. View Source Article

Meta Platforms Inc. is headed for another clash with the European Union after a €200 million ($232 million) fine failed to bring Facebook and Instagram into compliance with a tough new digital law. View Source Article

The finance ministers of the euro area’s two biggest economies pledged to join forces to provide additional support for European startups. View Source Article

Four years after a much-hyped SPAC deal followed by a swift collapse, shares of flying taxi company Joby Aviation Inc. have rallied to an all-time high, lifting the value of its founder’s stake to more than $1 billion. View Source Article

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White House AI adviser David Sacks defended the Trump administration’s decision to allow Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. to resume sales of some artificial intelligence chips to China, reversing export curbs imposed by the US earlier this year. View Source Article

Nvidia Corp.’s Jensen Huang spent months telling everyone what a grave mistake the US was making restricting shipments of artificial intelligence processors to China — with little sign that his argument was swaying anyone. View Source Article

The billionaire venture capitalist said the Middle East, India and Europe are among the places that will benefit from the president’s crackdown on immigration. View Source Article

The former leadership group of game developer Unknown Worlds is suing parent company Krafton for breach of contract View Source Article

Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow discusses changes to US trade restrictions that will allow Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices to sell some AI chips to China. Plus, White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright both join from the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit. (Source: Bloomberg) View Source Article

SoftBank Group Corp. founder Masayoshi Son and OpenAI chief Sam Altman see insatiable demand for AI that makes it imperative to keep building ever more computing capacity. View Source Article

Huawei Technologies Co. took the top spot in China’s smartphone market for the first time in more than four years, a comeback fueled by new designs and software that appealed to users in a slowing market. View Source Article

Nvidia Corp. boss Jensen Huang anticipates getting the first batch of US licenses to export H20 AI chips to China soon, formally allowing the company to resume sales of a much sought-after component to the world’s top semiconductor arena. View Source Article

ASML Holding NV Chief Executive Officer Christophe Fouquet walked back the company’s sales forecast for next year, blaming trade disputes and global tensions. View Source Article

Warburg Pincus dealmaker Terence Lee is leaving the US private equity firm, according to people familiar with the situation. View Source Article

Aker ASA, the energy conglomerate controlled by Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, plans to set up a facility targeting artificial intelligence capabilities in the Arctic city of Narvik. View Source Article

ASML Holding NV Chief Financial Officer Roger Dassen said it will be positive for chip demand if Washington lifts restrictions on the sale of some artificial intelligence processors to China. View Source Article

Klook, a travel and leisure booking platform, is exploring an initial public offering in the US that may raise as much as $500 million, according to people with knowledge of the matter. View Source Article

Startup GABA Labs is testing an additive that it says will take nonalcoholic drinks to the next level. View Source Article

Schneider Electric SE is considering buying out the remaining stake in its India venture from minority partner Temasek Holdings Pte, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

Polysilicon prices in China rallied for the third week amid government efforts to combat overcapacity. View Source Article

Tyson Jominy routinely summons Microsoft Corp.’s AI assistant by tapping the Copilot key on his computer. Not because he means to. He’s actually aiming for what was once the Control key and is annoyed to see Copilot pop up on-screen. View Source Article

Welcome to Tech In Depth, our daily newsletter about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Riley Griffin reports on a new partnership between local news organizations and neighborhood social platform Nextdoor. View Source Article

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. announced several business changes, including the formation of a new strategy committee and the appointment of a new board member, as it agreed to work with Elliott Investment Management on ways to help the software company boost value. View Source Article

E-scooters could be a vital tool to eliminate unnecessary car journeys, cutting emissions and journey times. Unfortunately, the UK is the last major European nation to not allow them to be ridden on most public roads. They've proliferated illegally anyway, and are now an issue the country can no longer afford to drag its heels on. The benefits of e-scooters are obvious: They’re cheap to buy and maintain, cost very little to run and have a small physical and environmental footprint. In 2022, the Fraunhofer Institute found that e-scooters contributed to a drop in carbon emissions in several cities that embraced micromobility. The raw materials that go into making one EV could be used for more than one hundred e-scooters. Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), the national organization for shared transport, found that 21 percent of all shared e-scooter trips in the UK were made in place of using a car. Richard Dilks, CEO of CoMoUK said that e-scooters “plumb directly into so many policy goals that [the] government has,” most notably its need to reach net zero emissions by 2050: CoMoUK’s research indicates more than half of all car trips could be replaced by e-bikes or scooters, eliminating one megaton of CO2 emissions per year. Unfortunately, the UK does not have a vehicle class addressing personal transportation outside the realm of bikes, motorcycles and cars. E-scooters, Segways, “hoverboards,” gas-powered kick scooters, u-wheels (like the OneWheel) and electric unicycles are all in this gray zone. In the UK, they’re given the umbrella term of “Powered Transporters,” but have no strict legal definition. Consequently, they’re legally defined as motor vehicles, but because they lack most of the key features of a motor vehicle — which includes both a lack of safety equipment like seatbelts and airbags as well as the owner paying road tax, having insurance and being licensed to drive one — it’s illegal to use them on public roads and sidewalks. The absurdity of the situation is made worse given that e-bikes have fairly minimal regulations on speed and motor output power — and have consequently become ubiquitous. Despite this classification issue, it’s legal to buy e-scooters at a number of major retailers. All a seller has to do is provide “accurate information about the legal restrictions on their use” — that they're only allowed to be used on private land — and they’re in the clear. Take this retail listing for the Pure Air 5, which even advises users it’s good for “quick trips,” “comfortable rides” and “daily use.” It’s only at the very bottom of the page, hidden below the cart pop-up, that the disclaimer saying they cannot be used on public highways, is displayed. As you can imagine, technically illegal use of e-scooters on roadways is rampant. There is no accurate data on precisely how rampant, but the UK government believes more than one million privately-owned e-scooters are used on public roads. These e-scooters, not part of a sharing scheme and therefore illegal, are nevertheless used with impunity. The London Assembly believed that, in 2021, there were more than 150,000 privately-owned e-scooters in London alone. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police, the force covering greater London, seized only 1,067 e-scooters between 2021 and mid-2024. It’s an all too common sight to see people riding these scooters despite the risks, which are severe. It varies between police forces, but riders caught face losing their e-scooter, a fine of up to £300 (around $400) and having at least six penalty points put on their driving licence. Easy availability and limited enforcement mean the rules on e-scooter use isn’t clear in the public’s mind. Last year, the UK government published data showing almost half the people polled incorrectly believed private e-scooter use on public highways was legal. Finnbarr Webster via Getty Images In 2020, as part of its strategy to broaden public transit options during the COVID lockdowns, the UK authorized a series of short-term e-scooter trials. As well as offering people low-carbon ways of traveling that didn’t involve sharing other people’s air, the trials would inform how the government regulated e-scooters. These trials were run by sharing companies in 30 areas, which were subject to speed limits, age restrictions and were only allowed to be ridden on roads or cycle paths, rather than walkways. Many companies insisted only riders with driving licenses were allowed to participate. Two years later, the country stated its intention to classify and regulate powered transporters at the start of that legislative period. But the collapse of the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet meant it was put on hold. Then the UK went through three Prime Ministers in the following three years, and micromobility has not been a priority for any of them so far. In fact, the only thing the government has done is repeatedly extend the deadline for the trial operations — most recently to May 2026. And that’s where we’re at. Late last year, transport secretary Louise Haigh said that the government "will look to legislate" at some point in the future. The earliest that could happen is at the next legislative session, which would not begin until the fall of 2025. Naturally, the passing of such a law would not be a swift process, and would likely be held up as e-scooters are their own front in the culture war. The UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Accidents (RoSPA) believes, not unsurprisingly, that the legal regime should impose strong safety standards and vehicle checks. It also advocates a system to train riders, which has to be completed before they are permitted to operate an e-scooter. Additionally, given its concern for other users, it wants to see safe and accessible parking implemented in order to prevent the issue of e-scooters dumped in the street. I myself would go further, insisting upon mandatory helmet use, a licensing system and the requirement for insurance. I’d like e-scooters to be able to share segregated routes alongside bicycles rather than forcing riders to vie with traffic. It would also be beneficial if drivers were potentially at risk of additional penalties to encourage them to further respect e-scooters. It would also, perhaps, be worth unifying the legal regime for powered transports and e-bikes since they are all similarly capable of traveling at injurious speed. The one thing I wouldn’t advocate is a cap on maximum power output given the risk it may hamper e-scooter development. After all, the UK has plenty of steep hills that e-bikes, capped at 250W maximum output, simply will not climb even at full power. This is why a cap on overall speed, rather than power — for every device in this category — since it’ll enable manufacturers to at least make sure their vehicles can manage elevation changes. This is a minor issue, but one that’s likely to get lost in the clamoring when uninformed voices get to shout louder than the rest. The UK government doesn’t know how many privately-owned e-scooters are on its roads, but it is starting to collect data about its effects. The Department for Transport published statistics through to the end of 2023, but admitted the numbers aren’t entirely accurate. Still, the trends are obvious: Accident tallies spike each summer, mostly taking place between 4 and 6pm – during the evening rush hour. And young people are being injured in far greater numbers — males between the ages of 10 and 29 make up the majority of those affected. Earlier this year, BBC News reported two children, aged 16 and 9, died as a result of their e-scooter being struck by a car. In short: the lack of regulation hasn't just stunted an environmentally preferable alternative to cars, it seems to also be putting young riders at risk.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-uk-needs-to-deal-with-its-e-scooter-problem-133056724.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day may be officially over, but there are still a lot of great deals hanging around. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 remains deeply discounted at just $149. That's a full $100 off the usual retail price and the lowest price we've ever seen. The second generation of AirPods Pro earned our overall pick for best wireless earbuds for iPhone. We also rated them as the best AirPods overall. In our hands-on review, we were impressed with their Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, allowing users to hear as much or as little of their environment as desired. We felt that this second generation brought notable audio quality improvements thanks to the upgraded amplifier, driver and transducer. Seamless switching between Apple devices was another standout feature. We still wish battery life were a bit better, with the earbuds offering just six hours per charge plus another 30 when recharging with the case. We noted that after all these years the design of the AirPod hasn't changed much, but seeing as this is an instantly recognizable product, we can understand not messing with a good thing. If you're in the market for some quality AirPods but want to spend even less, the AirPods 4 are also still on sale. At $119 for the ANC model and $89 for the standard edition, you're looking at over 30 percent off either version. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-still-on-sale-at-a-record-low-price-134541675.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day is officially over after a record-long affair, but there are still standout deals available. You can currently snag the Apple Watch Series 10 for $279, or $120 off its usual retail price. That’s tied for the lowest price we've ever seen. A deal offering 30 percent off a current-generation Apple product doesn’t come around often. The cellular version is also $120 off during this sale. It’s hard to believe the Apple Watch has hit its tenth generation, but this latest model remains our top overall pick among smartwatches. In our hands-on review, we loved the comprehensive health and fitness tracking features available on the Apple Watch 10. The ECG monitoring, fall detection and sleep tracking are particularly helpful in offering a fuller picture of your health, as well as peace of mind for our older loved ones. While we miss the blood oxygen monitoring app that Apple is still fighting over in the courts, the Series 10 impressed us as the sleekest Apple Watch yet. Thanks to its thinner case, the Apple Watch is finally starting to feel and look more like a normal accessory on your wrist than a somewhat bulky tech gadget. Overall, we gave the Apple Watch 10 earned a review score of 90 out of 100. If you're in the market for a new Apple Watch but are interested in a lower price point, you might consider the second-generation Apple Watch SE. This more affordable model is currently discounted to $169, saving you over 30 percent from its retail price of $249. While it lacks some of the more advanced functionality found in the Series 10, it still provides great core features like fitness and sleep tracking, crash detection, heart rate monitoring and an excellent Retina display. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-10-is-still-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-151308930.html?src=rss View Source Article

Just days after apologizing for Grok's recent hard turn toward antisemitism, xAI has announced a suite of AI products for government use. Grok for Government brings together the company's latest commercial products, including Grok 4 and Deep Search, with special considerations given to the needs of federal, state and local agencies.  To that end, xAI says it will design custom models for specific national security and research customers. It will also develop specialized AI applications for use in healthcare, fundamental science and national defense, as well as offer models that can safely be used in classified and restricted environments.  Announcing Grok for Government - a suite of products that make our frontier models available to United States Government customersWe are especially excited about two new partnerships for our US Government partners 1) a new contract from the US Department of Defense2) our…— xAI (@xai) July 14, 2025 Despite President Trump threatening to cut Elon Musk's companies off from government subsidies over their recent public feud, xAI says it already has a contract with the US Department of Defense. The company's products are also available to purchase through General Services Administration schedule, which means every federal government department, agency, or office can potentially access its models. OpenAI, which Musk helped fund in its early days as research lab through donations, launched ChatGPT Gov at the start of the year.   This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/xai-starts-offering-grok-to-us-government-agencies-162952893.html?src=rss View Source Article

Two years in, Threads is starting to look more and more like the most viable challenger to X. It passed 350 million monthly users earlier this year and Mark Zuckerberg has predicted it could be Meta's next billion-user app. But Threads still isn't sending much traffic to other websites, which could make the platform less appealing for creators, publishers and others whose businesses depend on non-Meta owned websites. According to Similarweb, a marketing intelligence firm, outbound referral traffic from Threads climbed to 28.4 million visits in June. That's a notable jump from 15.1 million visits a year ago, but still relatively tiny considering Threads is currently averaging more than 115 million users a day on its app, according to Similarweb. Regular Threads users have long suspected that Meta deprioritizes posts with links. For most of the last two years of Threads' existence the common wisdom was that users shouldn't share links, or should only share them as replies to a primary post. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, who also oversees Threads, hasn't exactly encouraged linking either. He said last year that Threads doesn't intentionally downrank links but that "we don’t place much value on" them because "people don’t like and comment on links much." Meta's reluctance wasn't just about users' preferences, though. The company was also concerned about how spammers and other bad actors might abuse links on the text-based platform. More recently though, Meta has changed course, and has been taking steps to surface more "good" links in recommended posts. "We’ve been working on making sure links are ranked properly," Mosseri said in June. "Links have been working much better for more than a month now." The company has also bolstered links on the platform by allowing users to add more links to their Threads profiles and providing link-specific analytics to its "insights" feature. "We want Threads to be a place that helps you grow your reach – even outside of Threads," Meta said in a May update. But despite these changes, Threads is still sending very little traffic to websites. Data shared by Similarweb shows that during May and June of last year — when Threads had more than 150 million monthly users — it sent just 24.8 million referrals to outside websites. During May and June of this year, that number more than doubled, rising to 51.8 million. Those numbers still suggest, though, that the majority of Threads' users are rarely, if ever, clicking on links they see on Threads. Lia Haberman, a social media marketing consultant and author of the ICYMI newsletter, said she's not surprised. "People just got trained not to look for them, not to include them, not to think about them," she tells Engadget. "You can't just flip a switch and all of a sudden expect people to embrace links." Publishers, a group that likely posts more links on Threads than anyone else, don't seem to be seeing significant traffic from Threads either. Data provided by Chartbeat, a company that provides analytics data to publishers, shows that publisher page views from Threads have nearly doubled since the start of the year, rising from 8.8 million in January to 15.1 million in June. Interestingly, according to both Similarweb and Chartbeat's data for 2025, referrals from Threads peaked in March. That month, Threads sent 28.8 million outbound referrals to websites, according to Similarweb, while Chartbeat publishers saw 25 million page views from the platform. But while the latest stats show that traffic from Threads has grown significantly over the last year, it still represents a tiny proportion of the publishers' traffic overall. According to Chartbeat, over the last year and a half Threads has consistently accounted for less than one tenth of a percent of sites' referral traffic. By comparison, Facebook referrals have hovered around 2 - 3 percent over the same period, while Google Discover has accounted for about 13 - 14 percent of referrals. Even among other "small" sources of referrals, like chatGPT, Reddit and Perplexity, Threads is only ahead of Perplexity in terms of the number of referrals it sends. Threads referrals even pale in comparison to Twitter's, which was never known as a major traffic driver even before Elon Musk's takeover of the company. In January of 2018, Twitter accounted for 3 percent of publishers' page views, according to Chartbeat data reported by the Press Gazette. By April of 2023, after Musk's takeover but before he rebranded the site to X, that number had fallen to 1.2 percent. Chartbeat's data isn't a complete picture — stats provided to Engadget were based on an analysis of 3,000 sites that have opted in to anonymized data sharing — but the slight increase in referral traffic roughly lines up with another major change Meta made this year. In January, following Mark Zuckerberg's move to end fact checking and walk back content moderation rules, Threads also ended its moratorium on recommending political content to all users. Following this change, some publishers of political news, including Newsweek, Politico and Forbes saw a spike in referrals from Threads, Digiday reported. But those gains don't seem to be universal, and it's not clear why some publishers may be benefitting more than others. "Threads is trailing significantly in traffic, subscription conversions, and overall conversion rate," compared with Bluesky and X, the Boston Globe's VP of Platforms Mark Karolian recently shared on Threads. While Threads' growth so far hasn't been hampered by its inability to drive users off-platform, it could become an increasingly important issue for Meta if it really wants to bring more creators onto the platform. The company is also getting ready to flip the switch on ads on the platform. A user base that ignores links could complicate Meta's pitch to advertisers, who are already taking a cautious approach to Threads. Meta declined to comment.  Haberman says that Threads' ambivalence toward links might be symptomatic of a larger identity crisis the platform is still facing. It has a large user base, but it's not always clear who Threads is really for. It isn't known as a destination to follow breaking news, like Twitter once was, or as a place with highly-engaged subcultures, she notes. "Threads needs to have a purpose," she says. "And right now, it seems very much like a suggestion box at work where people are just filing complaints and trauma dumping." Whether smaller platforms like Threads can reliably drive traffic to websites is an increasingly urgent question. At a time when online search feels like it's getting worse, AI is rapidly replacing many searches and cannibalizing websites' search traffic. Publishers, as The Wall Street Journal recently reported, are being hit especially hard by these shifts. Threads is extremely unlikely to fill those gaps on its own, even if referral traffic vastly improves. And publishers in particular have plenty of reasons not to become too reliant on a Meta-owned platform. At the same time, there's clearly an opportunity for Threads to play a bigger role in a post-search world. That would not only benefit the creators, publishers and small business owners Meta has long courted, it could help Threads establish an identity of its own. Have a tip for Karissa? You can reach her by email, on X, Bluesky, Threads, or send a message to @karissabe.51 to chat confidentially on Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-users-still-barely-click-links-170139103.html?src=rss View Source Article

Canon has released 20 cameras since launching the RF mount in 2018, but it had one gaping hole in a key market: vlogging. Now, the company has patched that with the launch of the $700 R50 V that’s aimed at creators on a budget and designed to take on Sony’s ZV-E10 II. The R50 V has the same 24-megapixel APS-C sensor as the R50, but adds vlogging-friendly features like 4K 60p video, C-Log3 for extra dynamic range, a livestreaming button and a side tripod socket for vertical video. It’s cheaper than the $1,100 ZV-E10 II and even costs a bit less than the older ZV-E10. After some lengthy testing, however, I found that it was missing some key features compared to its Sony rivals, particularly those that make vlogging easier for beginners. Design and handling Like other vlogging cameras, the R50 V is stripped down both in terms of size and controls. It has a polycarbonate body rather than metal, which reduces toughness and weatherproofing but helps keep it light at just 323 grams. The grip is also smaller than the R50’s, so it’s not ideal to use with large lenses. One key feature missing from the R50 is an electronic viewfinder. That’s also the case with the ZV-E10 II, but the lack of one can make it challenging to shoot in bright sunlight. On top of that, the rear display is low-res and isn’t particularly bright. However, it fully articulates and flips around for vloggers. The R50 V is designed to be controlled via the touchscreen, so it has fewer manual controls than other Canon mirrorless models. It does have top, rear and back dials to set primary functions like iris and shutter speed. However, you need to use your thumb to control both of those which makes operation a bit awkward. The front rocker is designed to control zoom on supported Canon lenses like the new 14-30mm f/4-6.4 IS STM PZ, which was released at the same time as this camera. It also has livestream and color buttons dedicated to creators, plus there’s a mode dial with six different video settings. Canon's EOS R50 V has decent handling designed for creators but it lacks manual controls for photography Steve Dent for Engadget The menu system is typically Canon with color-coded pages for each category (video settings, autofocus and more). However, key settings can also be adjusted from the Quick (Q) menu using the touchscreen when vlogging. Functions in that menu can of course be reprogrammed to your preferences. The R50 V has both microphone and headphone inputs along with microHDMI and USB-C ports. It uses Canon’s smaller EP-17 battery that delivers an hour of video shooting or 300 shots to a charge, both far less than the ZV-E10 II (113 minutes and 600 shots). It has just a single SD card slot, but fortunately it’s the faster UHS-II type. Finally, there’s a very handy feature for content creators: a tripod socket on the side to make it easier for solo vloggers to shoot vertical video. Video Video and vlogging is the R50 V’s primary strength compared to R50. It can shoot both supersampled 4K 30 fps and 4K 60 fps video, with C-Log3 and 10-bit quality. However, the 4K 60 fps setting requires a fat 1.56x crop, which reduces quality as well as bokeh. Sony’s ZV-E10 II, by contrast, only requires a 1.1x crop for 4K 60 fps video. The Z50 V also lacks in-body stabilization. That means the R50 V relies strictly on optical lens shake reduction or electronic stabilization. To be fair, that’s to be expected in this price range and the ZV-E10 II is also missing in-body stabilization. The electronic system does a good job removing jolts from handheld video and can even smooth out walking if you try to move fluidly, but it can make footage look soft if movements are excessive. The “Enhanced” electronic mode, which applies a small crop, is designed to make handheld shots look “locked off” like you’re using a tripod. The R50 V offers good image quality and key creator features like a fully articulating screen. Steve Dent for Engadget Background blur and product showcase-type buttons are also noticeably missing compared to the ZV E10 II. That’s too bad, because creators use those features often to quickly focus on objects or blur the background behind a subject — without them, you’re forced to set those things manually. Rolling shutter distortion is fairly noticeable on this camera with a scan rate around 30ms, compared to just 16ms for the ZV-E10 II. This means sudden pans or jolts can result in “jello effect” video. Meanwhile, video autofocus is rapid and reliable, even if your subject moves around. The AI-powered face and eye detection locks on firmly, and can also reliably track animals and vehicles. Canon took a page from Panasonic and Fujifilm with the addition of a color button on the R50 V. It lets you quickly select shooting modes like standard BT.709, C-Log, HLG and PQ. Another setting offers filmic looks with modes like Portrait, Fine Detail, Faithful and Monochrome. And the last “color filter” mode allows for tinted video with shades like teal and peach, though the results looked a bit cheesy to me. With a built-in cooling fan, the R50 V is more resistant to overheating than most small cameras. When recording standard 4K at 30 fps, I was able to shoot for 60 straight minutes with no sign of overheating. The issue doesn’t, er, crop up at 4K 60p either since that mode uses a reduced portion of the sensor. Overall, video quality is a strong point, with sharp detail when using the 4K 30 fps oversampled mode. Colors are rich and accurate, and skin tones pleasing with a hint of warmness that Canon is known for. The 10-bit C-Log3 footage retains extra detail in shadow and highlight areas, providing outstanding dynamic range for such an inexpensive camera. However, 4K 60p video is considerably softer, and the 1080p 120 fps ultra slo-mo setting lacks sharpness even by HD standards. Low-light capability is average for an APS-C camera, with noise clearly visible starting at ISO 3,200 or 6,400. Beyond that, it becomes intrusive and harder to get rid of using noise reduction tools. Photography Though photography isn’t this camera’s raison d’etre, the R50 V performs decently in that regard. It can shoot fairly quickly for a small camera, with burst speeds of 15 fps with the electronic shutter or 12 fps with mechanical shutter. However, it can’t sustain those speeds for very long due to the small buffer that holds just 36 RAW images. Autofocus is again a strong point, tracking subjects with ease and keeping photos sharp. As with video, AI-powered face and eye detection is quick and reliable for people, animals and vehicles. Rolling shutter is an issue with photos as it is with video, but since the R50 V has a mechanical first-curtain shutter, you only need the electronic mode for photos when silence is required. The lack of in-body stabilization means you’ll need to have a steady hand to take sharp shots at low shutter speeds, or you’ll want to shop for lenses with optical stabilization if that’s an issue. Photo quality is identical to the R50 since it shares the same sensor. For normal shooting, I saw color-accurate photos with skin tones leaning on the warm side, as is typical with Canon’s color science. JPEGs strike a good balance between sharpening and noise reduction, while RAW files allow a decent amount of room to tweak images. As with video, low-light performance isn’t amazing, so I wouldn’t go past ISO 6,400 unless it’s too dark to film otherwise. Wrap-up With a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor, the R50 V squares off against Sony's ZV-E10 II Steve Dent for Engadget Canon’s R50 V is a pretty good first try for a vlogging camera, hitting the mark in key areas like video quality and usability. However, its rival, Sony’s ZV-E10 II, beats it in nearly every area, offering even better video quality, higher photo resolution, faster autofocus, smoother electronic stabilization and neat features missing on the R50 V — like the product showcase. That said, Canon is targeting a more budget-minded buyer as the R50 V costs just $700 (body only) compared to $1,100 for the ZV-E10 II. Vloggers constrained to that budget will still get a great camera that easily beats a smartphone when it comes to the final product. If you do have an extra $400 to spend, though, I’d recommend the ZV-E10 II instead.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canon-r50-v-review-an-affordable-vlogging-camera-that-lags-behind-its-rivals-173028892.html?src=rss View Source Article

Meta is building several gigawatt-sized data centers to power AI, as reported by Bloomberg. CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the company will spend "hundreds of billions of dollars" to accomplish this feat, with an aim of creating "superintelligence." The term typically refers to artificial general intelligence (AGI), which describes AI systems that boast human-level intelligence across multiple domains. This is something of a holy grail for Silicon Valley tech types. The first center is called Prometheus and it comes online next year. It's being built in Ohio. Next up, there's a data center called Hyperion that's almost the size of Manhattan. This one should "be able to scale up to 5GW over several years." Some of these campuses will be among the largest in the world, as most data centers can only generate hundreds of megawatts of capacity. Meta has also been staffing up its Superintelligence Labs team, recruiting folks from OpenAI, Google's DeepMind and others. Scale AI's co-founder Alexandr Wang is heading up this effort. However, these giant data centers do not exist in a vacuum. The complexes typically brush up against local communities. The centers are not only power hogs, but also water hogs. The New York Times just published a report on how Meta data centers impact local water supplies. There's a data center east of Atlanta that has damaged local wells and caused municipal water prices to soar, which could lead to a shortage and rationing by 2030. The price of water in the region is set to increase by 33 percent in the next two years. Typical data centers guzzle around 500,000 gallons of water each day, but these forthcoming AI-centric complexes will likely be even thirstier. The new centers could require millions of gallons per day, according to water permit applications reviewed by The New York Times. Mike Hopkins, the executive director of the Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority, says that applications are coming in with requests for up to six millions of water per day, which is more than the county's entire daily usage. “What the data centers don’t understand is that they’re taking up the community wealth,” he said. “We just don’t have the water.” We're going to have to decide soon how to regulate the growing data center industry which pose several issues for desert communities. "They consume large amounts of electricity and water 24 hours per day, seven days a week." https://t.co/sTq97kFADL— Arizona Green Party 🌻 (@AZGreenParty) July 10, 2025 This same worrying story is playing out across the country. Data center hot spots in Texas, Arizona, Louisiana and Colorado are also taxing local water reserves. For instance, some Phoenix homebuilders have been forced to pause new constructions due to droughts exacerbated by these data centers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-announces-huge-new-data-centers-but-they-could-gobble-up-millions-of-gallons-of-water-per-day-174000478.html?src=rss View Source Article

If you've been hunting high and low for a Nintendo Switch 2, then get ready to visit your local Best Buy on July 17. The electronics retailer will be restocking the handheld in all of its stores to coincide with the release of Donkey Kong Bananza, the first 3D Donkey Kong game in almost 30 years. The Nintendo Switch 2 has been one of the hottest launches of the summer, and it remains in short supply due to high demand. Even the Amazon listing for the Switch 2 is available only by invitation, would-be buyers have to put in a request. This Best Buy event feels like the most substantial restock since the launch of the console last month. The Switch 2 has received a warm reception thanks to its larger 7.9-inch screen with HDR and a more polished design. The console also features significantly better performance than the first generation — so much so that Cyberpunk 2077 was released for the Switch 2. Details on whether stand-alone consoles, the Mario Kart World bundle or package deals with Donkey Kong Bananza will be available in Best Buy stores have not been shared. One thing we do know, however, is that Best Buy says that stock will be “limited,” so you’ll probably want to show up before your store opens.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/best-buy-is-restocking-the-nintendo-switch-2-on-july-17-174637818.html?src=rss View Source Article

Google is adding what it calls "featured notebooks" to NotebookLM as a way to demo its AI-powered software and offer interactive, high-quality resources on everything from personal advice to William Shakespeare. The company tried something similar after its developer conference in May, when it created a NotebookLM notebook trained on everything that was announced at Google I/O 2025. The new featured notebooks have their own dedicated tab on the NotebookLM homepage and were created in partnership with "respected authors, researchers, publications and nonprofits around the world," Google says. Like all NotebookLM projects, you can interact with the raw sources that make up the notebook's knowledge base, ask questions about topics in a chat interface or view an AI-generated summary, audio overview or flow chart for more ways to interact with the content. The first round of featured notebooks included a notebook on longevity advice trained on the book Super Agers, a notebook on 2025 predictions trained on The Economist's annual "The World Ahead" report and an advice notebook trained on The Atlantic's "How to Build a Life" column, among several other options. Your mileage may vary on how useful each featured notebook is — I found the Shakespeare notebook to be the most fun to play with — but each is a good representation of the quality and volume of material that needs to be uploaded to NotebookLM for it to work well. Google introduced NotebookLM in 2023 as an experiment in building an AI tool that relies on sources you upload, rather than whatever the company managed to scrape off the internet. The idea is that chats about topics in NotebookLM would be less prone to hallucinations than what an AI Overview in Google Search spits out. Or at the very least, it would be easier to check the AI's answers because the source material is a click away. NotebookLM became really popular when Google introduced Audio Overviews in September 2024, AI-generated podcasts about the material uploaded to a NotebookLM notebook. Since then, the company has expanded the tool at a rapid clip, introducing mobile apps and the ability to share public notebooks. Clearly, Google is committed to NotebookLM and featured notebooks are a further attempt to model how the AI-powered tool can actually be useful. Google says featured notebooks are available to people using the desktop version of NotebookLM today and more featured notebooks will be added in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-adds-featured-notebooks-on-selected-topics-to-notebooklm-181400251.html?src=rss View Source Article

The US Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) is handing out millions of dollars to the leading AI companies to develop military applications. Each of these "awards" are worth up to $200 million, with Anthropic, Google, OpenAI and xAI on the receiving end. The agency notes that this money will be used to "develop agentic AI workflows across a variety of mission areas." In other words, this is primarily for military applications. A press release says the move will "broaden" the Department of Defense's use of AI to "address critical national security needs." 🚨 CDAO is excited to announce contract awards to leading U.S. frontier AI companies – Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and xAI – to address critical national security challenges. Read more: https://t.co/mLDDQgcAEK pic.twitter.com/dkLBQRWXFm— DOD Chief Digital & AI Office (@DODCDAO) July 14, 2025 “The adoption of AI is transforming the department’s ability to support our warfighters and maintain strategic advantage over our adversaries,” said Chief Digital and AI Officer Dr. Doug Matty. He went on to say that this will "accelerate the use of advanced AI" in the "warfighting domain." As part of this effort, CDAO will be providing access to the latest generative AI models to "Combatant Commands, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff." For the uninitiated, CDAO is an arm of the Department of Defense that was created in 2022. The stated mission is to accelerate the department's "adoption of data, analytics and artificial intelligence from the boardroom to the battlefield." It's worth noting that xAI is one of the companies receiving government largesse. This news comes on the same day the company started offering a version of Grok for federal use. It comes less than a week after Grok went totally off the rails and started going off on anti-semitic tirades, referring to itself as "MechaHitler." It's also a fascinating development because the relationship between xAI CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has soured in recent months. Trump has been threatening to cut Musk's companies off from government subsidies, but it looks like that threat has no teeth given today's announcement.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/us-government-is-giving-leading-ai-companies-a-bunch-of-cash-for-military-applications-185347762.html?src=rss View Source Article

Update (7/14/25): Best Buy will reportedly restock Switch 2 consoles next on July 17, which coincides with the release of Donkey Kong Bananza. The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally available in the US, but it's still pretty tough to find it in stock online anywhere. The $450 console officially went up for sale on June 5, and several retailers have offered it both online and in-store in the week since. While millions of people have been able to buy theirs so far, online inventory has dried up considerably since launch day. There have been restocks at Walmart, Target and Best Buy, but they didn't last long, which was to be expected. You may also be able to grab a bundle at Costco if you’re a member there, but you might have a better time doing so in store than online. And that may be the way to go at this point, broadly speaking. You may have better luck venturing into a physical store and walking out with a Switch 2 than you will buying one online. If you have a local Target, Best Buy, Walmart or GameStop — the four official retailers Nintendo lists on its store page — it can't hurt to stop by and see if they have any in stock. A few retailers, GameStop being one of them, are even directing online customers to "find a store" near them that has the console in stock. If you're still on the hunt, we’ve rounded up all of the latest information we could find on how to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 and where you can pick one up. Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 Walmart most recently offered the Switch 2 online on June 25, with Walmart+ members getting an hour's head start. Currently, both the Mario Kart World bundle and the standalone console are available, but both are either out of stock or being sold at much higher prices than normal (likely by third-party sellers). We do not recommend buying the Switch 2 at a premium like this, but rather it's better to wait for an official restock. Naturally, the world's largest retailer is also selling the console at its brick-and-mortar locations, though the company has noted that quantities are limited and inventory will vary by location. Amazon finally has the Switch 2 listed now: the Switch 2 console is up for $450 while the Mario Kart World bundle costs $500. This comes after weeks of the console being conspicuously absent from the retail giant's site. A June 30 Bloomberg report confirmed what had been widely rumored for weeks: Nintendo was apparently punishing Amazon for continuing to surface third-party retailers selling trans-shipped games. That punishment appears to be over now, but note that both the console by itself and the bundle are available "by invitation" only from Amazon, which just means you have to register your interest with Amazon before you get an official invite that will allow you to buy the Switch 2. Best Buy will reportedly restock Switch 2 consoles next on July 17, the launch day of the game Donkey Kong Bananza. Much like previous restocks, we expect you'll have to be quick about it if you want to grab the console when new stock becomes available that day. Target had the Switch 2 in stores on June 5 and restocked its online inventory for at least a couple of hours starting around 3:30AM ET on June 6. It then had another restock on June 12 around 2:30PM ET, but that appears to have died out in less than an hour. We also noted it showing up in stock in at least one Philadelphia location on June 24.  GameStop has advertised in-store availability, though exactly how much stock your local store may have will vary by location. Online, the device has been unavailable for the past week, with the listings for the base console and Mario Kart bundle now pointing to a "Find a Store" page.  You may still have some luck at certain membership-based retailers. A Mario Kart World bundle at Costco that includes a 12-month Switch Online subscription has gone in and out of stock since launch day. Sam's Club has had a bundle without the Switch Online sub as well, though it's out of stock now. We also saw the console at BJ's early on June 5, but it's showing up as out of stock now. Verizon briefly had the Switch 2 available on launch day, but that's dried up. Only those with Verizon service were able to order, and the process was apparently somewhat rocky.  Newegg has listed the Switch 2 on its site for several weeks, but it's given no indication as to when it'll begin sales. While some listings are available via a third-party seller, they're at massively inflated prices. With all of these stores, we've seen the Mario Kart World bundle available in greater quantities online than the base console, which costs $50 less. But given that Mario Kart is the Switch 2's biggest launch game and retails for $80 on its own, that may not be the worst thing. Nintendo, meanwhile, is only offering the Switch 2 via an invite system. This requires you to have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of Switch 1 playtime as of April 2. It can't hurt to sign up if you meet the criteria, but don't expect it to bear fruit immediately — it's taken weeks for many people who registered in April to receive their invite. You can find a list of every Switch 2 retail listing we could find below. Just be aware that this is meant to be a reference, not a rundown of everywhere the device is available right this second. Where to buy Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle: Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Costco (membership required) Sam's Club (membership required) Verizon (service required) Where to buy Switch 2: Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target BJ's (membership required) Verizon (service required) Where to buy Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories Nintendo is selling a number of Switch 2 accessories alongside the console, from its (pricey) Pro Controller to cases to cameras for the new GameChat feature. Most of these became available on June 5. The same goes for games like Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Another big Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananza, will be available shortly starting on July 17 but is still up for pre-order now. As of this publication, just about all Switch 2 games are broadly available. Stock for the accessories remains a little spottier, but most devices are still available at multiple retailers. Nintendo's official Switch 2 carrying cases have been the main exceptions, so you may need to look to third-party alternatives if you want some protection for your console right away. Mario Kart World ($80) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Donkey Kong Bananza ($70) Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Costco (membership required) Additional Switch 2 games Nintendo Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 bundle ($95) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Pro Controller ($85) Nintendo (invite required) Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Costco ($75, membership required) Switch 2 Camera ($55) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera ($60) Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($40) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) ($25) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case ($85) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector ($40) Nintendo (invite required) Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($120) Nintendo Nintendo GameCube Controller for Switch 2 ($65) Nintendo (Switch Online required) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-buy-the-switch-2-nintendos-restock-updates-at-best-buy-walmart-and-others-120039953.html?src=rss View Source Article

In a world of flashy limited-edition video game consoles, the 30th anniversary PS5 hardware Sony released in September 2024 came off as remarkably refined, which might have been why it was so hard to actually buy. If you missed that original drop, you'll have another chance to order it, according to a Facebook post on the official PlayStation Facebook page. Sony is doing a limited restock of the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition DualSense controller on September 5, and you'll be able to preorder one for yourself next week. Preorders start on July 21 at 10AM ET / 7AM PT for PlayStation Plus subscribers and July 23 at 10AM ET / 7AM PT for the general public. The controller will have to be ordered directly through the PlayStation Store — Sony hasn't said if the restock will extend to other online marketplaces like Amazon or Best Buy. Based on what the company has shared, only the DualSense controller will be restocked in the US, but the PlayStation Store in the UK and Canada will also have restocks of the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition PlayStation 5 Console and the PS Portal, as well. Sony's 30th Anniversary Limited Edition hardware features the classic PS1 gray, with touches of color to represent the formerly cheery PlayStation logo and face buttons. On the DualSense in particular, the old-school red, green, yellow and blue PlayStation logo replaces the typical black one found on other PS5 controllers. Limiting one round of preorders to PS Plus subscribers should hopefully make it easier to purchase the DualSense, something Sony didn't bother to do when it first dropped the limited edition hardware last year. Managing online sales and avoiding scalpers has prompted some interesting strategies as of late. With the launch of the Switch 2, for example, Nintendo limited preorders of its new console to customers with a Nintendo Online account that was at least 12 months old and had at least 50 hours of total playtime logged.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-30th-anniversary-ps5-controller-will-be-available-again-for-a-limited-time-195731358.html?src=rss View Source Article

Anthropic's Claude can now create and edit designs with visual studio Canva from within an AI chat. This integration is powered by a Canva server that uses Anthropic's Model Context Protocol, or MCP. Claude can use Canvas's tools to generate a design or search for materials within a user's Canva workspace. This functionality requires a paid subscription to Claude, and access also varies based on the user's Canva plan. Multiple artificial intelligence platforms have started using MCP to connect their models to applications. Anthropic unveiled its MCP in November, and earlier this month, it announced that Wiley and Panopto had created MCP servers to connect to Claude. In addition, Anthropic now has a directory of all the platforms that use its MCP tech. From that directory, users can discover and access the remote services and local apps that connect to Claude. Subscriptions are required for the remote connectors. It seems likely that the company will continue to expand its roster of supported services and get its chatbot active in more third-party platforms.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/claude-ai-now-integrates-with-canva-201808571.html?src=rss View Source Article

Meta is going after creators who rip off other users' content as part of a broader effort to fix Facebook's feed. In its latest update, the company laid out new steps it's taking to penalize accounts that lift work from others. In a blog post for creators, Meta says that accounts that "repeatedly" and "improperly" reuse other accounts' text posts, photos or videos will have their pages demonetized "for a period of time." Meta willa also throttle all of their posts, not just the ones with the offending content. The company notes that the change is meant to target "repeated reposting of content from other creators without permission or meaningful enhancements" and not content like reaction videos. Meta has previously taken similar steps to reward original content on Instagram, where the company has actively replaced reposted Reels with the original clip. The company now says it's looking into a similar move on Facebook by adding a link to the original video when it detects a duplicate. Meta The latest crackdown comes as Meta says it's trying to reduce the amount of spammy and other undesirable posts in Facebook's feed. Earlier this year, the company said it would demonetize creators who share posts with spammy captions and go after creators that manipulate engagement on the platform. In its newest update, Meta shared that since the start of the year it penalized more than 500,000 accounts that engaged in such tactics, "applying measures ranging from demoting their comments and reducing the distribution of their content to preventing these accounts from monetizing." The company has also removed more than 10 million profiles it says impersonated "large content producers." Additionally, Meta is rolling out new in-app insights it says can help realtors understand issues affecting their reach or monetization status. The new dashboard will highlight potential problems, like unoriginal content or spammy captions, as well as issues affecting monetization.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-says-its-cracking-down-on-facebook-creators-who-steal-content-203713569.html?src=rss View Source Article

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly working on mixed reality goggles, The Information reports. The in-development device is designed to layer digital objects over your view of the real world, and is supposed to compete directly with Meta's upcoming mixed reality products. The goggles are being built by ByteDance's virtual reality startup Pico, the creators of the Pico 4 VR headset. Pico's past products have attempted to match Meta's Quest headsets in terms of features, but these new goggles apparently represent a different approach (albeit one still positioned as an alternative to Meta). Rather than a bulky headset, the goggles are supposed to be small and light, about the size of the Bigscreen Beyond VR headset, which weighs 0.28 pounds. Pico is keeping the device lightweight by offloading most of the computing work to a puck that's connected to the goggles over a wire. Meta's prototype Orion AR glasses used a wireless puck for a similar weight-saving purpose when the company demoed them in November 2024. Pico is also reportedly working on building "specialized chips for the device that will process data from its sensors to minimize the lag or latency between what a user sees in AR and their physical movements," The Information writes. Plenty of the details are still up in the air, but the report notes that the ByteDance / Pico goggles should be very similar to Meta's next mixed reality device. Following the release of the Quest 3S, Meta reportedly postponed work on the Quest 4 in favor of developing lightweight mixed reality goggles, according to UploadVR. The company has been publicly pushing AI wearables like the newly introduced Oakley Meta HSTN glasses, and it seems like its next Quest device will be closer to smart glasses than a VR headset with controllers. It's not known when ByteDance's goggles will actually be released or where they'll be sold. Current Pico headsets aren't sold in the US, and given the concern over ByteDance's ownership of TikTok, it seems unlikely the company would be able to sell a mixed reality device without pushback.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/tiktok-owner-bytedance-is-reportedly-building-its-own-mixed-reality-goggles-212541450.html?src=rss View Source Article

YouTube has clarified its rules about repetitious content and your favorite reaction video channel won't be impacted. Earlier this month, the platform said it would be changing its rules for monetization in an effort to address AI-generated materials, but didn't include many specifics, which led many to sound the alarm that reaction videos might get swept up in the new rules. The company has now provided a few tweaks and more clear delineations in its guidelines about channel monetization policies. For starters, the rule is being renamed to the inauthentic content policy. "This type of content has always been ineligible for monetization under our existing policies, where creators are rewarded for original and authentic content," a note appended to the support page states. "There is no change to our reused content policy which reviews content like commentary, clips, compilations and reaction videos." YouTube provided a few examples of material that it would deem to be mass-produced or overly repetitive, and thus ineligible to be monetized. Inauthentic content includes video "that exclusively features readings of other materials you did not originally create, like text from websites or news feeds" or "image slideshows or scrolling text with minimal or no narrative, commentary, or educational value." The company also shared examples of reused content. YouTube said those beloved reaction channels, as well as videos that contain clips for analysis, review or commentary, are unaffected by the new rules. The no-nos for reused content rules might include "Content uploaded many times by other creators" or "Content downloaded or copied from another online source without any substantive modifications."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/never-fear-reaction-videos-are-still-allowed-under-youtubes-new-inauthentic-content-policy-222401009.html?src=rss View Source Article

It’s been a little over a year since Form released its second-generation smart swim goggles into the world. Since then, the company has been working on a way to ensure its headgear is even more attractive to swimmers who like to get out in the rough. Today, it’s announcing the Smart Swim 2 Pro, a modest upgrade on its predecessor with a focus on durability. The 2 Pro’s lenses are now made of Gorilla Glass 3, which adds a gram or two more weight but should keep them scratch-free for far longer. Given the amount of open-water swimmers that use Form’s goggles, having faith that your lenses can take nature’s elbows is probably worth it. If you’ve ever used a pair of regular goggles for a long time, you might notice how the anti-fog coating starts to wear off. Especially if you, like me, absentmindedly commit the sin of wiping the inside of their goggles with a finger when your view is obscured. Form may be proud of its current anti-fog coating, but realized there was a better way to keep the lenses clear for longer. Consequently, the 2 Pro comes with a bottle of anti-fog spray that users need to apply before a swim. This isn’t a way of squeezing more cash out of the user base, however, as the company is proud to admit it’s just baby shampoo diluted with water. But Form has tested the correct ratio for optimal application and there are markings on the bottle showing you what you need to refill. At the same time, Form is rolling out new features for its premium subscribers, including more data-driven program planning and more tips on where you need to improve. The company also revealed that its premium features are paying off, with swimmers seeing 1.4 times the gains in speed compared to the users who use the hardware alone. The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro is available to buy July 15 for $329 in the US, $449 in Canada and €329 in Europe.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/form-makes-its-smart-swimming-goggles-tougher-with-gorilla-glass-lenses-060019264.html?src=rss View Source Article

If you're looking to get fit, sleep better or just keep a closer eye on your health, a fitness wearable is a great place to start. Whether you're into intense workouts or just want to hit your step goal each day, the best fitness trackers available today can offer loads of helpful features, from sleep tracking and resting heart rate monitoring to built-in GPS and stress tracking. Some are even subtle enough to wear 24/7, like smart rings, while others double as stylish smartwatches.There are great options out there for beginners as well as more advanced users, and the variety of features means there’s something for every lifestyle and budget. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best fitness trackers you can buy right now, and explain who each one is best suited for. Table of contents Best fitness trackers and watches for 2025 What do fitness trackers do best? When to get a smartwatch instead Other fitness trackers we tested Fitness tracker FAQs Best fitness trackers and watches for 2025 What do fitness trackers do best? The answer seems simple: Fitness wearables are best at monitoring exercise, be it a 10-minute walk around the block or that half marathon you’ve been diligently training for. Obviously, smartwatches can help you reach your fitness goals too, but there are some areas where fitness bands and smart rings have proven to be the best buy: focus, design, better battery life, durability and price. When I say “focus,” I’m alluding to the fact that fitness trackers are made to track activity well; anything else is extra. They often don’t have the bells and whistles that smartwatches do, which could distract from their advanced health tracking abilities — things like all-day resting heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, and even detailed sleep tracker insights. They also tend to have fewer sensors and internal components, which keeps them smaller and lighter. Fitness trackers are also a better option for those who just want a less conspicuous gadget on their wrists all day. Battery life tends to be better on fitness trackers, too. While most smartwatches last one to two days on a single charge, fitness bands offer between five and seven days of battery life — and that’s with all-day and all-night use even with sleep tracking features enabled. Many fitness trackers also slot nicely into your existing ecosystem, syncing seamlessly with your smartphone, other fitness apps and cloud storage to keep all your data in one place. When it comes to price point, there’s no competition. Most worthwhile smartwatches start at $175 to $200, but you can get a solid smart band starting at $70. That makes them a great entry point for beginners who want to track their progress without committing to a full smartwatch. Yes, more expensive bands and smart rings exist (and we recommend a few here), but you’ll find more options under $150 in the fitness tracker space than in the smartwatch space. When to get a smartwatch instead If you need a bit more from your wearable and don’t want to be limited to a fitness or activity tracker, a smartwatch may be the best buy for you. There are things like on-watch apps, alerts and even more robust fitness features that smartwatches have and the best fitness trackers don’t. You can use one to control smart home appliances, set timers and reminders, check weather reports and more. Some smartwatches let you choose which apps you want to receive alerts from, and the options go beyond just call and text notifications. Just make sure your smartwatch is compatible with your Android or iPhone, however, before purchasing, as not all of them work with both operating systems. But the extra fitness features are arguably the most important thing to think about when deciding between a fitness tracker and a smartwatch. The latter devices tend to be larger, giving them more space for things like GPS, barometers, onboard music storage and more. While you can find built-in GPS on select fitness trackers, it’s not common. If you’re someone who’s seriously training — say for a race or an endurance challenge — a dedicated running watch may be worth considering. These often provide more in-depth cardio analytics, recovery insights, and real-time pace data that go beyond what standard trackers can deliver. Other fitness trackers we've tested Fitbit Inspire 3 The Fitbit Inspire 3 strips out all the luxury features from the Charge 6 and keeps only the essential tracking features. You won’t get built-in GPS tracking or Fitbit Pay or Spotify control but you do get solid activity tracking, automatic workout detection, smartphone alerts and plenty more. The updated version has a sleeker design and includes a color touch display and connected GPS, the latter of which lets you track pace and distance while you run or bike outside while you have your phone with you. When compared to the Charge 6, the Inspire 3 is more fashionable, too. Its interchangeable bands let you switch up the look and feel of your tracker whenever you want, and it’s slim enough to blend in with other jewelry you might be wearing. We were also impressed by its multi-day battery life: Fitbit promises up to 10 days on a single charge, and that checked out for us. After four days of round-the-clock use, the Inspire 3 still had 66 percent battery left to go. Fitness tracker FAQs How long do fitness tracker batteries last? The battery life of fitness trackers can vary depending on the model and its features. On average, most fitness trackers last between five to seven days on a single charge. Basic models with limited features could stretch up to 10 days or more. However, more advanced trackers with features like continuous heart rate monitoring, GPS, or always-on displays may need recharging after one to three days. If you're using GPS or streaming music through your fitness tracker, you'll find that this drains the battery faster. By using these features less, or turning them off, you'll extend battery life. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/best-fitness-trackers-133053484.html?src=rss View Source Article

Be extra careful where you buy your used Nintendo Switch game cards. A Switch 2 owner posted on Reddit about how their account was banned after downloading patches for a few Switch game cards they'd bought from Facebook Marketplace. The Switch 2 user contacted Nintendo support and discovered they were banned, but they provided proof of purchase and were unbanned shortly after. The Redditor said the “whole process was painless and fluid.” Nintendo Nintendo attaches unique codes to its Switch game cartridges to prevent piracy. However, bad actors can copy games to a third-party device, like the MIG Flash, and resell the physical game card, meaning the code can exist twice. Once Nintendo detects two instances of the same code online at the same time, down comes the ban hammer. Nintendo continues to push back against piracy aggressively. It amended the Switch user agreement to allow it to brick a console it detects running pirated games or mods. — Mat Smith Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The news you might have missed Canon R50 V review: An affordable vlogging camera that lags behind its rivals The 30th-anniversary PS5 controller will be available again for a limited time Capcom shares first footage of Resident Evil mobile spinoff The UK needs to deal with its e-scooter problem The owners of TikTok are making mixed reality goggles Expect a tethered puck for processing and battery. Getty The Information reports that ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, may be working on mixed reality goggles. It’s designed to layer digital objects over your view of the real world and, apparently, is supposed to compete directly with Meta’s upcoming mixed reality products. God, what will it look like? ByteDance’s virtual reality startup, Pico, the creators of the Pico 4 VR headset, is building the goggles. Its past products have attempted to match Meta’s Quest headsets’ features. However, this new project will be lighter, smaller goggles, which weigh around 0.28 pounds. Pico plans to offload most of the computing work to a wired puck. Continue reading. Threads users stay on Threads Data suggests people aren’t clicking on links. Getty Threads is starting to look more and more like the most viable challenger to X, but it still isn’t sending much traffic to other websites, which could make the platform less appealing for creators, publishers and others whose businesses depend on non-Meta-owned websites. According to Similarweb, outbound referral traffic from Threads climbed to 28.4 million visits in June. That’s a notable jump from 15.1 million visits a year ago but still relatively tiny, considering Threads is currently averaging more than 115 million users a day. Continue reading. US government is giving leading AI companies a bunch of cash for military applications This will “maintain strategic advantage.” The US Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) is awarding up to $200 million each to leading AI companies, like Anthropic, Google, OpenAI and xAI, for military applications. A press release says the move will “broaden” the Department of Defense’s use of AI to “address critical national security needs.” This initiative aims to expand the Department of Defense’s AI use for national security. Notably, xAI’s receipt of funds coincides with its new version of Grok, made for federal use. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111439608.html?src=rss View Source Article

NVIDIA will be able to start selling its H20 AI GPU to China again soon after gaining approval to do so from the US government, the company announced in a blog post. Earlier this year, the company was blocked from selling the H20 to China over concerns it could aid the nation's military.  "NVIDIA is filing applications to sell the H20 GPU again. The US government has assured NVIDIA that licenses will be granted and NVIDIA hopes to start deliveries soon," the article states. The company also announced the NVIDIA RTX Pro GPU that's "fully compliant" for the Chinese market, designed for smart factories and logistics.  The US government starting blocking sales of NVIDIA's most powerful AI graphics processors, like the A100 and H200, to China back in 2022. The company subsequently developed the A800 and H800 chips for the Chinese market, but those were subsequently banned as well by the Biden administration back in 2023. NVIDIA then came up with the HGX H20 and two other chips that conformed to export rules.  Sales of that chip were blocked too in April, but the US department of commerce has apparently reversed course again. That could be a tremendous help for NVIDIA financially as it's currently holding $8 billion in unshipped orders and expects up to $5 billion in additional revenue for 2025, Bloomberg reported.  Yesterday, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang dismissed concerns that China's military would use the company's chips to develop AI. "They don't need NVIDIA's chips, certainly, or American tech stacks in order to build their military," he said, adding that it would be foolish of them to do so because "they simply can't rely on it." Huang has previously said that NVIDIA export bans didn't stop China from developing AI and allowed its competitors, especially Huawei, to gain ground on US technology. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidia-says-it-can-resume-selling-key-ai-chips-to-china-120015817.html?src=rss View Source Article

Your college years are typically thought of as some of the best of your life, but they can be hard to enjoy to the fullest if you're worried about paying for the essentials like food, textbooks, supplies and, if you're lucky, the occasional evening out with friends. With everything going up in price, it may seem like good discounts are few and far between, but that's not the case. Students still have excellent discounts to take advantage of across the board, be it on streaming services, shopping subscriptions, digital tools and more. We’ve collected the best student discounts we could find on useful services, along with some things you’ll enjoy in your down time. Just keep in mind that most of these offers require you to prove your status as a student either by signing up with your .edu email address or providing a valid student ID. Shopping Streaming Tools News Engadget You shouldn’t rely on social media to be your sole source of news. With foreign wars, new viruses, Supreme Court decisions and upcoming elections making headlines daily, it’s important to get your news from reliable sources. Yes, it’s daunting to get into the news on a regular basis, but it’s crucial to know what’s going on in the country and the world as a whole. Here are some reputable news organizations that offer student discounts on their monthly or annual subscription plans. The Atlantic: Starts at $50 per year for digital-only access. The New York Times: $1 per week for one year for the base subscription. The Washington Post: $1 every four weeks for digital-only access. The Wall Street Journal: Starting at $2 per week for one year for digital access.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-student-discounts-140038070.html?src=rss View Source Article

John Wick Hex, a stylish and well-received game based on the John Wick movies, will soon no longer be available to purchase. In a statement on the title’s Steam page, publisher Big Fan Games says it will be delisted from all platforms on July 17. After that date, the publisher said, those who have already acquired the tactical action game from a digital storefront will still be able to download it. Physical console copies will still work too. Big Fan didn’t provide an explanation as to why John Wick Hex is being removed from storefronts, though licensing issues may be at play. Mike Bithell, creative director at developer Bithell Games, said on BlueSky he was "unable to shed any light" on the reason for the delisting. "This one was a weird journey. [It] initially polarized folks, but now it’s one of the consistent favourites people wanna chat with me about when I’m doing public stuff," wrote Bithell, who came to prominence with Thomas Was Alone and whose most recently released game was Tron Catalyst. "My first disappeared game, a weird feeling." It's always a shame to see a game vanish from storefronts. It's terrible for game preservation, and it means those who made the game will never be able to find a larger audience for it. You still have a couple of days to pick up John Wick Hex, however. It's on sale at Humble, where Steam keys are available for $4, or 80 percent off.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/john-wick-hex-will-be-delisted-from-all-platforms-on-july-17-123028996.html?src=rss View Source Article

Mac owners will soon be able to play one of the biggest games of the last five years or so. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition will be available in the Mac App Store as well as Steam, GOG.com and the Epic Games Store on Thursday, July 17. As the name implies, it includes both the base game as well as the Phantom Liberty expansion from 2023. The port was announced last fall and was originally planned to arrive "early" this year, but it took a little longer to get everything squared away. Unsurprisingly, you'll need an M-series Mac to play this game, but Apple and CD Projekt Red confirm that it'll work on computers all the way back to the M1 — but you'll need 16GB of RAM. For years, 8GB was the standard on entry-level Macs, so those computers will be out of luck. And of course, graphics fidelity will vary widely across the various supported chipsets, but CD Projekt Red is including a "for this Mac" graphics preset that is optimized for each Apple Silicon-based Mac. So at the very least, you shouldn't have to fuss around with settings too much to get a decent experience. As for other technical goodies, the game utilizes AMD FSR for upscaling and frame generation, and Apple's MetalFX also provides upscaling as well. Upcoming Metal 4 features announced at WWDC 2025, including Metal FX Frame Interpolation and Metal FX Denoising, are coming to the game via a future update. Metal FX Frame Interpolation generates an intermediate frame for every two input frames and can be combined with existing Metal upscaling to allow the game to hit 120fps on Ultra settings — but again, we're not sure what specific models will support that. If you use AirPods with your Mac, Cyberpunk 2077 features spatial audio with head-tracking features. And the game supports cross-progression regardless of what platform you play on, which should be useful for anyone who started a game elsewhere and wants to pick it back up on a Mac. If you've already purchased Cyberpunk 2077 from another storefront like Steam, it'll automatically be available for Mac. While Cyberpunk 2077 isn't exactly a new game, it remains one of the more popular and lauded titles of the decade (at least after CD Projekt Red fixed numerous launch bugs). And it joins a still small but growing number of major games optimized for Apple Silicon and the Mac, including the recently-released Assassin's Creed Shadows. A quick look on the Mac App Store also shows AAA releases including Death Stranding, Control, Lies of P, numerous Resident Evil titles as well as smaller but no less awesome games like Neva and Stray. Most big-name games don't come to the Mac at the same time as other platforms still, but the Mac is an option for more than just Apple Arcade games.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cyberpunk-2077-ultimate-edition-comes-to-the-mac-on-july-17-130047453.html?src=rss View Source Article

The Department of Commerce has opened national security investigations into imports of drones and polysilicon, a raw material used in chips and solar panels. Among other things, officials are looking into "predatory trade practices" and the capacity of other countries to "weaponize their control over supplies" of drones, drone parts and polysilicon, as well as derivatives of each. The DoC commenced the investigations on July 1, but has only just disclosed them publicly. The probes could lead to the US imposing yet more tariffs on imports, which would drive up prices of drones and products that use polysilicon. Per notices that are being published in the Federal Register, officials will consider "whether additional measures, including tariffs or quotas, are necessary to protect national security." President Donald Trump has used the same legal process as these investigations to apply tariffs to imports of steel and aluminium (50 percent), cars and car parts (25 percent) and copper (50 percent as of August 1). There are other investigations underway into the likes of semiconductors, consumer electronics, aerospace components and pharmaceuticals. They're being conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. According to The Financial Times, China is the leading market for polysilicon manufacturing. Around three quarters of all commercial drones are said to be manufactured in the country too. Under the Biden administration, the US increased tariffs on solar wafers and polysilicon imports from China to 50 percent at the start of 2025. DJI also faces a potential ban in the US.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/us-probes-imports-on-drones-and-a-raw-material-used-in-chips-and-solar-panels-131546876.html?src=rss View Source Article

Grok, xAi's chatbot most famous for going on an antisemitic spree last week, has now added the ability to perform as a synthetic companion for your enjoyment. Elon Musk announced the new feature, available to paid subscribers, which will take the form of animated characters Ani and Rudy.  Both are distinctly not safe for work, with the former operating as a digital waifu for you to, uh, romance. Rudy, on the other hand, is a red panda with a smart mouth who likes to get rude with the people he's speaking to.  SuperGrok now has two new companions for you, say hello to Ani and Rudy! pic.twitter.com/SRrV6T0MGT— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) July 14, 2025 The companions have their own X accounts, because of course they do. Ani's bio states, "Smooth, a little unpredictable—I might dance, tease, or just watch you figure me out. Let’s keep it chill… or not." Meanwhile, Rudy's just says, "The Only Pet in Grok Companion."  There also appears to be more AI companions on their way, including one called Chad. The male anime character is listed as "coming soon," alongside another unnamed woman. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/groks-ai-chatbot-now-includes-companions-for-you-to-romance-133017601.html?src=rss View Source Article

Redditors in the UK will now have to verify their ages before they can view mature content. Just like Bluesky, which announced a few days ago that it was rolling out age verification features, Reddit had to enforce the new rule to comply with the UK Online Safety Act. The UK's new requirements are meant to prevent children from accessing age-inappropriate posts. Reddit will use a third-party company called Persona to verify a user's age. Users will either have to upload a photo of their government ID or take a selfie, with the latter option presumably enough for people who absolutely don't look like a minor anymore. In its announcement, Reddit said that that it will not have access to those photos and will only be saving their verification status, along with their birthdates. That way, users won't have to re-enter their birthdays every time they try to access restricted content. The announcement also said that Persona will only be keeping users' photos for seven days and will not be able to see their Reddit information, such as their posts and the subreddits they visit.  If a user is under 18, Reddit will hide restricted content from them and will limit ads in sensitive categories, like gambling. They will no longer be able to view sexually explicit content, anything that encourages suicide and disordered eating, as well as anything that incites hatred against other people based on their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability and gender. Reddit will also restrict anything that encourages violence and any post that depicts "real or realistic serious violence against a person, an animal, or a fictional creature" for minors. They won't be able to see posts encouraging challenges that are highly likely to result in serious injury, along with posts encouraging people to ingest harmful substances. Content that shames people's body types and other physical features will be restricted, as well.  Users outside the UK will not be affected by the new rule, but Reddit said that it may need to verify the ages of people in other regions if they adopt similar laws. Reddit also said that it "would like to be able to confirm whether [users] are a human being or not" in the age of AI and will have more to announce about that later. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-begins-age-verification-checks-for-uk-users-134516723.html?src=rss View Source Article

Rivian, the American EV manufacturer, is integrating Google Maps into its navigation app. The update should provide Rivian owners with more detailed information about their route, disruptions and places they're passing.  These new features include updated traffic data and reroutes if another option turns out to be quicker along your journey. Drivers will also have access to real-time road disruption reports from the Google Maps community. Plus, places of interest should now be available right on the map. Rivian already used Google Maps' information for searching places, but now everything from hours to ratings should show up on the display. The newly available technology also extends to Google Maps' satellite images. Rivian's navigation app already included features such as range on arrival, charging information and charging stops along your route. The update comes with a new design that Rivian claims has better "glanceability" and "access to information."  The company has faced some setbacks and concerns. In February 2024, Rivian laid off 10 percent of its salaried workforce due to a $1.5 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2023. Then, in October, a report from Bloomberg questioned the safety record of the EV maker's Illinois factory. The report highlighted a number of injuries at the plant, including an amputated finger, a broken skull and vomiting and dizziness after painting without adequate protections.  Rivian disputed many of Bloomberg's claims, saying at the time that the publication had "misrepresented the facts," and that "initial citations should not be confused as final citations." Bloomberg reported on 16 initially serious OSHA violations in 21 months, and alleged more wrongdoing, though Rivian recieved only two serious final citations from OSHA over the period in question. A Rivian spokesperson further clarified that the data in the story was two years old at the time of publishing and doesn't represent the current state of the company's plant. Update, July 15, 7:30PM ET: This story was updated after publish to add context around Rivian's plant safety record and statements from the company.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/rivian-adds-google-maps-features-to-its-navigation-app-140033783.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day might have ended last week, but that doesn't mean the sales are over. Amazon still has discounts on some of our favorite items, including our pick for best dual-zone air fryer.  Right now, you can get the Ninja DZ401 Foodi Air Fryer for $160, down from $250. The 36 percent discount actually brings the device to the same as its Prime Day sale price. It's a 10-quart model with a smart cook thermometer. It has six modes, including air fry, reheat and dehydrate. Plus, it warms up so quickly that you barely notice the preheat.  The Ninja DZ401 Foodi Air Fryer's biggest achievement: allowing you to cook two different foods in two different settings at the same time. It's not meant for small kitchens, but if you have a lot of counter space and a big family, then it's a great option. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-ninja-air-fryers-is-36-percent-off-right-now-142051997.html?src=rss View Source Article

Google has closed a $3 billion deal to secure 3,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power, as it looks to meet the data demands of its growing AI and cloud computing platforms by harnessing low-cost clean energy. Brookfield Asset Management's renewables division says that its deal with Google is the largest deal of its kind for hydroelectricity. The first phase of this deal will provide Google with 670MW of carbon-free electricity from Brookfield’s Holtwood and Safe Harbor plants in Pennsylvania. The Hydro Framework Agreement (HFA) allows Google to upgrade or develop the existing facilities as it sees fit in an ongoing commitment to adding more power to the grid. At the outset, Google’s efforts will largely be focused on the PJM, the largest grid in the US with 65 million customers, which is currently struggling to keep up with the data demands of big tech’s seemingly insatiably power-hungry AI projects. In time, the new partners will have the option of expanding into other regions in the country. Google said in a statement that it was dedicated to "responsibly growing the digital infrastructure that powers daily life for people, communities and businesses." Google’s latest energy deal comes in the same week that AI rival Meta said it will spend hundreds of billions of dollars on a number of gigwatt-sized data centers, as part of its quest to create better-than-human-level "superintelligence" in all of its AI domains. The new campuses will be among the largest on earth, with the first to arrive being the Ohio-based Prometheus at some point next year. A typical data center consumes around 500,000 gallons of water each day, but the emerging AI-focused complexes being built by tech giants could reportedly push this figure into the millions, as recently reported by The New York Times. When the volume of water needed to power these facilities eclipses what is readily available, local communities often bear the brunt through rising prices and potential water shortages in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-spends-%C2%A33-billion-on-securing-energy-for-its-data-centers-and-ai-expansion-145145966.html?src=rss View Source Article

Insta360 has launched a firmware upgrade and new accessories for its X5 360-degree camera as part of what it calls the Insta360 Summer Update. Key new features include "AdaptiveTone" to improve dual camera exposure, a new "Ultra Battery" for longer recording times, an ND filter set and custom-designed lenses.  "It can be a struggle for dual-lens cameras like X5 to balance the exposure across both lenses," the company explained. To fix this issue it came up with AdaptiveTone, which independently records light data for both lenses in order to preserve highlight and shadow detail across the entire spherical image. Then, in automatically adjusts the exposure based on the perspective you choose, supposedly resulting in more natural-looking footage. It works with both 360 video at 8K 30 fps and 5.7K 30fps along with flat PureVideo.  Another key update is for PureVideo, allowing it work single lens mode rather than just in 360 mode as before. That will allow creators to capture low-light footage with reduced noise and improved color fidelity in both flat and spherical modes.  Battery life was another key target. The X5 now supports Endurance Mode in 8K, allowing nearly two hours of continuous recording while improving endurance mode at 5.7K 24 fps with a boost from 185 to 208 minutes. Should you need even more performance in that regard, Insta360 is selling a new $50 Ultra Battery that boosts runtime by up to 17 percent to just under four hours max.  Mat Smith for Engadget Another new accessory is X5 ND filters that give creators more options in bright lighting conditions. The kit includes ND16, ND32 and ND64 filters, letting you reduce shutter speeds to create natural motion blur for activities like mountain biking and motorcycle footage. Plus, Insta360 is offering an X5 custom replacement lens kit with pre-made patterns, AI artwork or your own images, to swap out with the standard lenses.  Motorcycle creators are getting some extra love, too. Enhancements include immersive stabilization that preserves some natural shake to enhance the feeling of speed, along with Sena headset integration that allows start/stop recording and voice commands for hands-free operation. It also introduced a GPS preview remote with a built-in mic that combines camera control, live preview, GPS data recording and a noise canceling mic. Finally, the Plate Blur feature automatically obscures your license plate in footage, saving you the trouble of doing that manually.  Other updates include new diving accessories and software updates with a new Invisible Dive Case Pro and buoyancy control accessory, along with an updated AquaVision 3.0 algorithm that analyzes underwater footage and provides a selection of color adjustments to best match the shot. You can also connect the X5 to a Suunto dive computer so you can bake your diving data right into the footage.  Finally, Insta360 introduced updates to its Studio editing software like improved export speeds, background exports and improvements to the AI Stitching algorithm. And now, you can preview video files in their folder on your computer without the need to open them in Studio, saving time. The software updates, along with all the new accessories, are now available on Insta360's website.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/insta360s-x5-cam-update-brings-nd-filters-a-giant-battery-and-improved-exposure-150007247.html?src=rss View Source Article

Sony just surprised the photography world by unveiling the RX1R III, a fixed-lens 35mm full-frame compact camera. Coming nearly ten years after the RX1R II, it has a 61MP Exmor R sensor along with Sony's latest image processing technology that promises low noise and high dynamic range.  Apart from all the new tech, the RX1R III is smaller and more streamlined than before and considerably lighter at 17 ounces than its main competition, Leica's Q3 and the Fujifilm GFX100RF. With that, it's designed to be a "carrying around" camera for street photographers, serious amateurs and others.  That small size is due in part to the Zeiss Sonnar T 35mm f2 lens that sits partly inside the body. While more compact than before, it has the same optics as the last model and offers high levels of sharpness and color rendering, according to Sony. It comes with a macro ring that enables users to get as close as 20cm to subjects and feature's Sony's new "Step Crop Shooting" function that allows 35mm, 50mm and 70mm focal lengths by cropping into the sensor, just like the GFX100RF can do with a similar button.  Sony The RX1R II has up to 15 stops of dynamic range thanks to the high-res sensor and image processing engine. It also features an anti-reflection coating and no optical low-pass filter to boost image quality, though that can cause some moire and other artifacts. Shooting speeds aren't quick at just 5 fps, though it's obviously not designed for sports. The electronic viewfinder is middling with 2.36 million dots and 0.7x magnification, though the rear display offers a decent 2.4 million dots of resolution. However, unlike the one on the previous model that tilted out and up, it's fixed in order to save weight and size. It also lacks any in-body or optical stabilization, relying solely on electronic shake reduction.  With Sony's latest Bionz XR and AI processors, it promises accurate tracking of "subjects, human bodies, heads and the position of eyes," Sony said, even if their faces aren't visible. It uses 693 phase-detection AF points covering around 78 percent of the image, just like Sony's A7R V.  It's not nearly as powerful as the A7R V for video, but can still handle 4K 30 fps video with 10-bit 4:2:2 color sampling, along with 1080p video at up to 120 fps. No log mode is available, but you do get the log-like S-Cinetone that boosts dynamic range a bit. Other features include a single SDXC UHS II slot, a mic input (but not headphone jack), a microHDMI port and a USB-C input.  The R1XR III is much more expensive than the RX1R II was at launch. It'll go on pre-order soon for $5,100, with shipping set to start on July 31st. Sony is also offering a handful of accessories (also expensive), including a $300 (!) thumb grip, $250 body case and $200 lens hood (!!).  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sonys-61mp-rx1r-iii-fixed-lens-compact-camera-is-finally-here-after-a-ten-year-wait-152707087.html?src=rss View Source Article

Apple just announced a commitment of $500 million over several years to buy rare earth magnets from the US-based company MP Materials. These rare earth magnets are used in a number of products, including iPhones, MacBooks and the Apple Pencil stylus. The American-made magnets will be shipped throughout the world, to help "meet increasing global demand for the material." MP Materials is the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the country. The two companies have also pledged to work together to improve upon a processing facility in Texas, building a series of manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products. Once finished, the factory will "support dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D." “American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States." Apple and MP will also team up to create a recycling facility in California and have promised to develop "novel magnet materials and innovative processing technologies" to enhance magnet performance.  This is all part of Apple's pre-existing pledge to invest $500 billion in the US over the next four years, which is a slight increase over the $430 billion pledged in 2021. Adjusted for inflation, these amounts are essentially the same. Apple basically pioneered the use of recycled rare earth elements in consumer electronics. It began using these materials back in 2019, in the Taptic Engine of the iPhone 11. The Pentagon recently became the largest shareholder of MP Materials, as rare earth materials are also key components in a range of military weapons systems.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-commits-500-million-over-several-years-to-buy-us-made-rare-earth-magnets-152930080.html?src=rss View Source Article

Lucid is about to roll out its first hands-free features. On July 30, Lucid Air sedan owners with the DreamDrive Pro add-on will get automated drive assist and lane-change features. If you have a Gravity SUV you'll have to wait until later this year. The features will arrive via an OTA update for vehicles with DreamDrive Pro hardware. The optional add-on has 32 sensors, including LiDAR, radar, ultrasonic sensors and cameras. DreamDrive Pro already supports semi-autonomous features like lane change assist and curve control. The new drive assist and lane-change features take the automation further, letting you go hands-free. (Your eyes will still need to be on the road, of course). The features will only work on compatible divided highways. Lucid Motors Lucid joins a growing pack of EV makers with hands-free options. It's a list that now stretches far beyond Tesla's Autopilot and Full-Self-Driving. Rivian, GM, Ford and Nissan each have automated options. As for Lucid, it's been a rocky ride lately, reflecting the industry's broader turbulence. It had two rounds of layoffs, cutting 400 people last year after reducing its workforce by 1,300 in 2023. On the bright side, its Gravity SUV has had a positive reception. (It's rolling out now, joining the Air sedan in the lineup.) Lucid is also expanding its real estate. Earlier this year, the automaker acquired an Arizona plant previously owned by the bankrupt Nikola.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/lucid-will-add-hands-free-driving-options-later-this-month-162816263.html?src=rss View Source Article

Xbox has confirmed the second batch of Game Pass additions for July. There's no obvious headliner here, but there are a bunch of great additions to the catalog. These include indie hits like Wheel World and blockbusters like Robocop: Rogue City. Let's get into it. Robocop: Rogue City came as a huge surprise back in 2023. A game based on a decades-old sci-fi franchise by a relatively unknown developer? It should have been a train wreck. Instead, it's a solid 3D action title that perfectly captures the vibe of the original film. This is a must-play for children of the 1980s. It'll be available on July 17 for subscribers on all tiers. Grounded 2 looks to be a fantastic take on the "shrunken teens navigating a yard" genre, as first pioneered in the film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The first game was great and Obsidian looks to be upping the ante here in nearly every way, with a larger focus on story, a more immersive world and insects to ride around on. This is a day one Game Pass release, which happens on July 29. It'll only be playable for PC and Ultimate subscribers. The Annapurna-published Wheel World is finally heading our way on July 23, and it's a day one Game Pass release. This is an open-world bicycle sim with gorgeous cel-shaded graphics. The title promises "impressive vistas, hidden secrets and races that will test your skills." It'll be available for Ultimate and PC subscribers. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is another day one release, with availability on July 24. This is a Souls-like action RPG set in the final days of the Ming Dynasty. The combat looks absolutely brutal. Again, only Ultimate and PC subscribers will have access to the game. Those are just the titles that caught my interest. The shooter High On Life returns to the platform today and the survival horror adventure My Friendly Neighborhood drops on July 17. The prison-based RPG Back to the Dawn will be playable on July 18 and the survival crafting title Abiotic Factor releases on July 22. As always, Game Pass remains one heck of a deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xboxs-second-batch-of-game-pass-additions-for-july-includes-grounded-2-and-wheel-world-164450594.html?src=rss View Source Article

Microsoft’s extensive gaming portfolio was hit hard by sweeping layoffs earlier this month. The situation appears to have been particularly galling for staff at Candy Crush developer King who are reportedly set to be replaced by AI tools they worked on. Multiple anonymous sources have told MobileGamer.biz that a number of narrative, UX, level design and user research staffers at King have spent several years helping to build and train AI models that can do their jobs more quickly. Those same employees are now being told their jobs are at risk. They added that the copywriting team is facing the same fate, with the London-based group working on Farm Heroes Saga expected to effectively be cut in half. "The fact AI tools are replacing people is absolutely disgusting but it’s all about efficiency and profits even though the company is doing great overall," a source told the mobile gaming-focused outlet. "If we’re introducing more feedback loops then it’s crazy to remove the developers themselves, we need more hands and less leadership." The same source estimated that the company-wide staff cuts could end up being more than 200, which was the number reported by Bloomberg when it broke the news of the broader layoffs. The impact of the recent staffing upheaval is being felt across Microsoft’s gaming division. Engadget’s Jessica Conditt recently spoke to employees at Halo Studios, with one developer telling us they were "super pissed" about the layoffs. At least five people within Halo Studios were told they no longer had jobs shortly after receiving an all-staff email from Microsoft Gaming SEO Phil Spencer allegedly celebrating Xbox’s current profitability. The same developer said Microsoft was trying its "damnest to replace as many jobs as [it] can with AI agents" as it increasingly pushes Copilot on its staff.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/laid-off-candy-crush-studio-staff-reportedly-replaced-by-the-ai-tools-they-helped-build-174141524.html?src=rss View Source Article

The nominations for the 77th Emmy Awards just dropped and, unsurprisingly, Apple TV+'s Severance led the pack with a whopping 27, including Best Drama. The streamer has another bona-fide hit with the Seth Rogen-led The Studio, which captured 23 nominations. However, HBO Max received the most kudos by platform, with 142 nominations in total. This is thanks to the second season of The Last of Us, with 16 nominations, and the Batman-adjacent The Penguin. The White Lotus, The Pitt and Hacks also grabbed multiple nominations. This is the highest number of noms the outlet has ever received. Netflix still holds the record, though, with 160 nominations in 2020. Andor scored 14 nominations, including one for Best Drama. Star Wars shows aren't typically singled out for the high-profile awards, though the first season of Andor was also up for Best Drama, before losing to Succession. No actors from the series were nominated, which is a bummer given the performances by Diego Luna, Denise Gough, Elizabeth Dulau and Stellan Skarsgård, among others. There was a day when sci-fi programs only received nominations for stuff involving costumes or sets. That sure has changed, with Andor, The Last of Us, Severance, Paradise and Black Mirror receiving so much love this year. Fallout also made an impressive showing last year. The 77th Emmy Awards will be hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze and is airing live on CBS on September 14 at 8PM ET. Cord cutters will be able to stream it live and on-demand via Paramount+.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/severance-the-last-of-us-and-andor-just-nabbed-dozens-of-emmy-nominations-174607421.html?src=rss View Source Article

With so many different handheld gaming devices entering the market, having a flexible gamepad that works with many different hardware platforms can be a valuable addition to your gear collection. A promising new option arrived today with the pre-order announcement of the 8BitDo Pro 3. This controller retails for $70 and is due to start shipping on August 12. The Pro 3 gamepad will be compatible with the recently released Nintendo Switch 2 as well as the original Switch. It will also work with Windows PC, SteamOS, Apple and Android devices and has both Bluetooth and wired USB connection options. The controller's feature set includes TMR joysticks and triggers that can operate with Hall effect or in non-linear micro-switch mode. It also sports extra bumpers, two Pro paddle buttons for the back of the device and swappable magnetic ABXY buttons. The gamepad comes with a charging dock and a pair of ball-top joystick caps for that more arcade feel. On the aesthetic front, this retro-style controller is available in purple, gray, or white models. We're big fans of the peripheral brand's previous generation 8BitDo Pro 2, so having a refreshed version with some improvements on the joysticks and triggers is a worth a look. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-new-8bitdo-pro-3-gamepad-is-open-for-pre-order-now-181006305.html?src=rss View Source Article

Discoveries keep pouring out of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Researchers observed an unusual cluster, which they dubbed the Infinity Galaxy. It appears to support a leading theory on how some supermassive black holes form. Although "Infinity Galaxy" sounds like a place Thanos would hang out, it merely describes its appearance. Two compact, red nuclei, each surrounded by a ring, give the cluster the shape of an infinity symbol. What's inside is more interesting. (After all, this is a much lower-res image than some of the eye candy the Webb telescope has yielded.) Researchers believe the Infinity Galaxy formed when two spiral galaxies (the nuclei in the image) collided. Between them lies a young supermassive black hole within an enormous cloud of gas. Supermassive black holes can range from hundreds of thousands of times the size of our sun to millions or billions of times its size. This one is about a million times as big. The Infinity Galaxy, overlaid with a contour map indicating the supermassive black holeNASA / JWST The Infinity Galaxy lends weight to the direct collapse theory of black hole formation. As you probably know, most black holes form when massive stars collapse. The presence of supermassive ones is harder to explain. One theory proposes that smaller black holes merge over time to form a supermassive one. The problem there is that some supermassive black holes formed soon after the Big Bang. So, scientists think some supermassive ones form instead from the collapse of gas clouds, much like the one we see here. The Infinity Galaxy may be the best evidence yet for that direct collapse hypothesis. One of the paper's lead authors summarized the findings. "By looking at the data from the Infinity Galaxy, we think we've pieced together a story of how a direct collapse could have happened here," Pieter van Dokkum wrote in a press release. "Two disk galaxies collide, forming the ring structures of stars that we see. During the collision, the gas within these two galaxies shocks and compresses. This compression might just be enough to form a dense knot, which then collapsed into a black hole." The team can't definitively confirm the theory from their current data. "But we can say that these new data strengthen the case that we're seeing a newborn black hole, while eliminating some of the competing explanations," van Dokkum added. "We will continue to pore through the data and investigate these possibilities."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/webb-spots-infinity-galaxy-that-sheds-light-on-black-hole-formation-183900161.html?src=rss View Source Article

Uber and China-based Baidu are teaming up to deploy more autonomous vehicles throughout the world. The companies plan on bringing thousands of Baidu's Apollo Go vehicles to various regions that will be accessible via the Uber platform, including mainland China and other "global markets outside of the US." The first joint deployments are expected in Asia and the Middle East later this year. Once launched, Uber riders could be presented with the option to have the trip fulfilled by an Apollo Go vehicle.  The companies say this collaboration should increase the supply of affordable rideshare options in new areas by "bringing Baidu's advanced autonomous vehicles onto Uber's extensive network." This follows reporting from May in which Baidu announced it was bringing its autonomous vehicles to Europe. Baidu already operates a fleet of over 1,000 fully driverless vehicles in 15 cities, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The company first launched the platform in several Chinese cities back in 2022, including Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. Don't hold your breath waiting for a US rollout. A recent report by The Wall Street Journal suggests America isn't currently in the cards, as Chinese companies tend to face increased scrutiny over on this side of the pond. However, there are plenty of budding autonomous vehicle companies chasing the US market. The Alphabet-owned Waymo has been steadily launching in new cities and most of these efforts include a partnership with Uber. The company Avride, which used to be the self-driving unit for the Russian conglomerate Yandex, has been increasing its presence in cities like Dallas and Jersey City. Amazon's Zoox is also still out there, despite a serious software issue that impacted the braking system.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-and-baidu-are-teaming-up-to-deploy-thousands-of-autonomous-vehicles-globally-190109553.html?src=rss View Source Article

US tariffs continue to cause problems and supply issues in the gaming space. The latest to feel the effects is Analogue. The company announced today that its Analogue 3D, a modern remake of the Nintendo 64 console, will not start shipping until late August. Analogue noted that "last week's sudden tariffs" were the reason for this change. "We’re absorbing the costs—your preorder price stays the same. No additional charges," the company said in a post on X. This isn't the first time the highly anticipated Analogue 3D has been delayed. It opened for pre-orders in October 2024 and was initially due to ship in the first quarter of 2025. In March, the company pushed the ship date back to July, although its blog post didn't provide a reason for that move. Many gaming brands have been forced to adapt to the fluctuating tariff rules. Nintendo, Sony, Razer and Anbernic are just some of the companies that have changed their product pricing, availability or launches in the US as a result of the ever-changing situation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/analogue-says-its-delayed-n64-remake-console-will-start-shipping-next-month-191520648.html?src=rss View Source Article

Xbox's "Stream your own game" feature continues to expand. You can now use your PC to play supported games you own on Xbox. (The games stream from the cloud, not your console.) You'll need to be an Xbox Insider and Game Pass Ultimate subscriber to use it. The PC launch follows the feature's arrival earlier this year on other devices. Already supported were Xbox consoles, TVs, browser-based devices (including mobile) and Meta Quest headsets. The idea is the latest chapter in Microsoft's mission to make Xbox software more device-agnostic. Hop on whatever device is available, and start playing without waiting for installations. That makes sense from a business perspective, given Sony's commanding lead in their two-way console race. It's increasingly more about selling Game Pass subscriptions than fighting a losing hardware battle. CD Projekt Red Microsoft lists over 250 supported games. Standouts include Baldur's Gate 3, Star Wars Outlaws, Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Balatro and a whole mess of Assassin's Creed entries. Microsoft says it will add more over time. The company says the collection includes some console-only titles. But you'll be hard-pressed to find many that aren't already available (natively) on PC. On the other hand, this method could free up storage and save you the hassle of downloading them. There are some caveats. You'll need to own digital copies of those you want to stream to your PC. (Physical copies won't cut it.) The feature is only available in the 28 countries where Xbox Cloud Gaming is supported. You'll also need a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which costs $20 per month. If you're interested, you'll first need to sign up for the Xbox Insider program, which is free.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-stream-your-own-game-feature-now-extends-to-pc-204049103.html?src=rss View Source Article

Razer is back with a new addition to its Core line of external graphics enclosures. The Razer Core X V2 external graphics enclosure can house recent GPUs from brands including NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon. It uses a single Thunderbolt 5 cable to the host device; in its press materials, Razer claims this tech delivers up to twice the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4. This is true, but Thunderbolt 5 still isn't on the level of a modern desktop GPU connection, being roughly equivalent to 8 lanes of PCIe Gen 3. The Core X V2 s not available yet, but will retail for $350 when it does go on sale some time "soon." An eGPU can beef up the visual power of a gaming laptop or handheld. Razer has had several available over the years, starting with the Core alongside its Blade Stealth model in 2016. It followed up with the Core X in 2018 and the colorful Core X Chroma in 2019. The availability of Thunderbolt 5 ports has renewed interest in this product category since it increases the maximum bandwidth for an eGPU. ASUS also introduced an eGPU of its own at CES 2025. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/razer-revives-its-egpu-line-with-a-thunderbolt-5-dock-221526901.html?src=rss View Source Article

Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday, broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, Jess Conditt, a reporter who's covered the industry for more than 13 years. The second contains the video game stories from the past week that you need to know about, including some headlines from outside of Engadget. Please enjoy — and I'll see you next week. If I end up reading one more story about how fantastic Death Stranding 2 is so long as you skip the cutscenes, I’m gonna hurl. At what point during 10 hours of cinematic interstitials do we collectively put the controller down and say, actually, this isn’t a great game? Not because the game parts aren’t any good — they’re pretty fabulous, in fact — but because a significant portion of the experience isn’t actually interactive at all. When does it become more accurate to describe a Hideo Kojima project as a CGI movie with moments of interactivity, rather than as a video game first? I’m not actually attempting to solve the “video game of Theseus” riddle right now, but it’s a conversation that’s been on my mind, given recent headlines. Death Stranding 2 reviews are in, Neil Druckmann is out at HBO and returning to Naughty Dog full-time, and Emmy nominations arrived with 18 nods for video game adaptations. Meanwhile, layoffs are rocking the gaming industry yet again, with thousands fired at Xbox this month, alongside multiple studio closures and game cancellations. One of the most surprising titles to get the ax was Project Blackbird, a promising-sounding MMO from Elder Scrolls studio ZeniMax Online. Blackbird was reportedly canceled in favor of allocating resources to the development of Fallout 5, a series with mainstream clout following the success of Amazon’s Fallout TV show in 2024. The convergence of video games and Hollywood is not a new talking point — even for me — but it’s only grown more relevant with time. Sony in particular is leaning hard into a cross-media strategy with notable investments in television, anime and film adaptations of its video game franchises, and it just published Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding 2, which serves as a lightning rod for this entire conversation. Kojima is easy to pick on because he’s been so vocal about his desire to make movies, and fittingly, his games have only grown more cinematic over the years. Death Stranding and its sequel are stacked with mainstream Hollywood actors (and Kojima’s favorite directors) across hours of drawn-out, non-interactive cutscenes. His next two projects, OD and Physint, are both described as having A-list casts and “blurring the boundaries between film and games.” I’m a big fan of experimental horror games, and I deeply appreciate Kojima’s eye for building tension and sneaky action sequences, but I’m hesitant to get excited about OD and Physint. The deeper Kojima dives into the world of Hollywood, the more he loses me. I don’t download, install and boot up a video game to watch a movie instead, and I don’t find it impressive when an interactive product is defined by cinematic terms. The constraints of filmmaking are vastly different than those of video game development, and it sucks to watch a talented creator try to force video games to conform to the boundaries of movies or TV, rather than exploring the mechanics that make interactive art so uniquely powerful. I feel like Kojima sees cinema as the goal, not video games specifically, and this perspective breaks my little pixelated heart. It’s particularly painful in an era of raging instability for the video game industry. It’s difficult to see so much money and creative talent being thrown at projects that end up feeling more like movies than games, at a time when it’s increasingly difficult for fresh and original AAA projects to make it to market. Video games have not been maxed out as an art form — there’s far more to discover in terms of mechanics, visuals, haptics and immersive interaction systems, and there are more stories that can only be told with these specific tools. Viewing game development through the lens of filmmaking diminishes everything that makes this medium so powerful. The only Hollywood trait the games industry should imitate is its powerful and functional unions. I enjoy things that exist in the gray space between definitions; in fact, I often prefer them. What I don’t enjoy is misguided emulation that’s sold to an audience as innovation. In the end, I guess what I’m really saying is… I’m still not over PT. The news King developers were the architects of their own demise One of the most eyebrow-raising details of Microsoft’s sweeping layoffs earlier this month was the fact that King, the studio behind Candy Crush, was included in the firings. King is historically a money-printing machine with high per-employee returns, which tends to insulate it from layoffs, but this time around at least 200 people were let go from the studio. As it turns out, a number of fired developers spent the past few years training AI systems to do their jobs, which just adds a layer of shittiness to an already crappy situation. Best Buy will have more Switch 2 units on Thursday Has the FOMO gotten to you yet? After denying that you wanted a Switch 2 for a few noble and self-righteous weeks, have you cracked and admitted that you actually, really want one? Great — then get yourself to Best Buy on Thursday, July 17, when the company will restock its supply of Switch 2 consoles in all stores. This coincides with the release of Donkey Kong Banaza, too. A small update on Ken Levine’s Judas (sung like Lady Gaga) I’ve had my eye on Judas, the BioShocky FPS from Ken Levine’s Ghost Story Games, since it was revealed in 2022, and I lowkey love how little we still know about it today. That said, I’m happily devouring every bit of information about Judas, and the latest nugget comes from Levine himself in an interview with classic game publisher Nightdive Studios. With Judas, Ghost Story is focused on "telling the story and transporting the player somewhere," rather than building live-service or microtransaction features, Levine said. As he put it, “You buy the game and you get the whole thing. There's no online component. There's no live service.” There’s also no release date for Judas yet. Summer Games Done Quick can’t stop raising millions for charity The crazy kids at Summer Games Done Quick have done it once again and raised literal millions of dollars for Doctors Without Borders in a single weekend, simply by playing video games in silly ways without stopping. SGDQ 2025 wrapped up on Sunday with a total donation pool of $2,436,614. The organization's next event is another edition of Flame Fatales, a speedrunning showcase featuring women and femmes that runs from September 7 to 14. We’ll see you there. Ousted Subnautica 2 studio bosses are suing Krafton The well of Subnautica 2 drama runs deep. Earlier in July the heads of Subnatica 2 studio Unknown Worlds Entertainment — Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill and Max McGuire — were ousted by the team’s parent company, Krafton, and the game’s early access release was delayed to 2026. What’s more, Bloomberg reported that the studio had been in line for a $250 million bonus if it had met certain financial goals by the end of the year, but those largely hinged on an early access release. Cleveland said on social media that Subnautica 2 was ready for early access, and Krafton responded to the whole shebang by accusing the fired developers of abandoning their responsibilities as studio heads. Cleveland and others are now apparently filing a lawsuit against Krafton. GamesIndustry.biz has a comprehensive timeline of the Subnautica 2 controversy right here. Additional reading Kris Holt’s weekly indie game roundup Ghost of Yōtei's lo-fi beats mode sums up the very best and very worst of this very weird series by Chris Tapsell at Eurogamer This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/video-games-weekly-who-put-all-these-videos-in-my-games-232445265.html?src=rss View Source Article

The best soundbars can completely transform your TV setup, turning flat, lifeless audio into something that actually sounds cinematic. Whether you're watching blockbuster movies, listening to music or gaming, a good soundbar delivers clearer vocals, deep bass and better overall playback than most built-in TV speakers ever could.In 2025, there’s a soundbar for every kind of home entertainment setup — from compact all-in-one units to full surround systems with subwoofers and rear speakers. Some prioritize simplicity and sleek design, while others are packed with immersive features like Dolby Atmos and smart voice controls. No matter your budget or your space, we’ve picked the best soundbars you can buy right now to help elevate your audio experience. Table of contents The post-CES soundbar outlook for 2025 Best soundbars for 2025 What to look for in a soundbar Other soundbars we tested Best soundbar FAQs The post-CES soundbar outlook for 2025 I typically come out of CES with a pretty clear understanding of the new soundbars that are coming for the year, but that wasn’t exactly the case in 2025. LG decided to carry over its most premium soundbars from 2024, but it will add the compact S20A this year. The company only previewed the model at CES, so full specs are still forthcoming. Samsung will once again keep the same overall design and features for its top-end Q990 soundbar. However, the company is adding a few new tools and it drastically reduced the size of the wireless subwoofer that comes in the box. Samsung does have one new model for 2025, the QS700F, that’s designed to sit on a table or automatically adjust to being mounted flat on a wall. Details are scarce on that soundbar for now and I anticipate a full spec sheet when the company is really to sell it. Of the big three TV companies, Sony is the only one that didn’t announce any home theater gear at CES. The company has decided to focus mainly on its automotive efforts at the show recently, leaving TV and audio announcements for later in the year. The company debuted multiple soundbar options in 2024 and a four-speaker setup for the living room in the Bravia Quad. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me if Sony released new soundbars later in the year since its most recent models were only announced last April. One company I would keep an eye on is Sennheiser. The original Ambeo model is nearly six years old and could use a refresh. The company has added medium and mini options to the Ambeo lineup since then, but it would be nice to see a refined version of the largest model too. The original Ambeo soundbar is huge, so no matter how good it sounds, it will always be a tough sell for some people. Although I think it’s less likely, it’s also possible that Sonos has new soundbars this year. While the company’s next device will likely be the rumored set-top streaming box, the Sound Motion tech inside the Arc Ultra would offer a big improvement to bass performance in compact models like the Beam and Ray. The company may bring Sound Motion to standalone speakers first, but it’s destined for those smaller soundbars eventually. The best soundbars for 2025 What to look for in a soundbar Features When it comes to features, the more you pay the more you're going to get in your new audio system. Most affordable options ($150 or less) will improve your television's audio quality, but that's about it. Step into the $300 to $400 range and you'll find all-in-one soundbars with things like built-in voice control, wireless connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They're all helpful when you want to avoid looking for the remote control, but the best playback quality is usually only in the top tier and the formats those premium soundbar systems support. I’m talking about things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-resolution audio standards — essentials if you’re building a truly cinematic home entertainment setup. And not all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you'll need to look at the finer details carefully before you break into the savings account. If you're looking for one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, size, channels and subwoofer options will be important factors to consider. Some models even include a dedicated subwoofer to enhance bass performance, bringing an extra punch to action scenes and soundtracks. Ports This is a big one. A lot of the more affordable soundbars are limited when it comes to connectivity options. They either offer an optical port or one HDMI jack and, if you're lucky, both. Things get slightly better in the mid-range section, but that's not always the case. The Sonos Beam, for example, is $449, but only has a single HDMI port. Even at the higher-end, the $899 Sonos Arc still only has one HDMI port. If you plan to connect multiple devices like a set-top box, gaming laptop or console directly to your soundbar for the best audio experience, you’ll want an option with at least two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are critical for supporting Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital audio formats, as well as high-res passthrough for HDR and 8K/4K content. Channels Another big thing you’ll want to pay attention to when looking for the best soundbar is channels. That’s the 2.1, 7.1.2 or other decimal number that companies include in product descriptions. The first figure corresponds to the number of channels. A two would just be left and right while a more robust Atmos system, especially one with rear surround speakers, could be five or seven (left, right, center and upward). The second number refers to the dedicated subwoofer, so if your new soundbar comes with one or has them built in, you’ll see one here. The third numeral is up-firing speakers, important for the immersive effect of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled units have them, but if they do, the third number will tell you how many are in play and how they contribute to the overall soundstage. Wireless Most soundbars these days offer either Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or both. When it comes to Wi-Fi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice control (either built-in or with a separate device), Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. Depending on your preferences, you might be able to live without some of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are essentials, but the rest I can live without. Those two give me the ability to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps without having to settle for — or struggle with — a Bluetooth connection. For instance, Sonos speakers often offer seamless integration with iOS devices, making it easy to connect and stream music wirelessly. If you’re looking for a wireless speaker that can enhance your TV setup while also offering flexibility for audio throughout the house, it's worth considering a multi-room system. Size This one might seem obvious but humor me for a minute. Nothing is more soul-crushing than getting a pricey soundbar in your living room only to discover you have to rearrange everything to find a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Yes, that speaker is absurdly large (and heavy), and most soundbars aren't nearly as big. I learned a valuable lesson: Make sure the space where you want to put a soundbar will accommodate the thing you're about to spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on. Basically, it all comes down to the TV you have (or are planning to get) and what the primary goal is for your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Do you want the best possible sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you just want to be able to actually hear your TV better? Or do you want a full home entertainment experience with crisp vocals, thunderous deep bass, and immersive surround system audio? By paying attention to each of those areas, you should have a good idea of what to look for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo, Dolby Digital system or a more robust setup. With that said, we've put numerous products through their paces at Engadget and have a few favorites for best soundbar at various price points to get you started. Other soundbars we tested Sonos Arc There’s no doubt that the Arc is Sonos’ best-sounding soundbar, but it’s also the company’s most expensive. With a new model based on the Arc rumored to be on the way, it’s difficult to recommend this product over the likes of Samsung and Sony. The Arc works well as both a soundbar and a speaker, and the device will fit in nicely with other Sonos gear you might already have for a multiroom setup. It only has one HDMI port though, where much of the competition allows you to connect streaming and gaming devices directly to their soundbars. Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus I don’t think Sennheiser’s medium-sized model offers enough to stand out from the more powerful Ambeo Soundbar Max or the Ambeo Soundbar Mini. The Mini is more affordable and does a solid job with immersive audio in its own right. Like the rest of the Ambeo lineup, there’s no option for satellite speakers as you can only add a subwoofer to the soundbars. However, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus does have RCA input, so you can use it with a turntable if you’re into vinyl. Best soundbar FAQs Is a soundbar better than speakers? It really depends on what you’re after. A soundbar is definitely a simpler, more compact solution compared to a full speaker setup. If you want better sound than your TV’s built-in setup but don’t want to deal with multiple speakers and wires everywhere, a soundbar is probably the way to go. Some soundbars can even deliver impressive surround sound effects, thanks to features like Dolby Atmos and virtual audio technology.  However, if you’re an audiophile or want true surround sound for an at-home theater experience, a multi-speaker setup with a receiver, surround speakers and subwoofer will give you a richer soundstage and more control over your experience. What connection do I need for a soundbar? Most modern soundbars connect to your TV via HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the easiest and best option for achieving high-quality audio. If your TV supports this, all you need is an HDMI cable, and you’ll get not only great sound but also some extra features like controlling the soundbar with your TV remote.  If HDMI ARC isn’t an option on your TV, you can use an optical cable, which also delivers solid audio quality. Some soundbars even offer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections for streaming music, and a few still have a 3.5mm aux jack for connecting to older devices.  Do all soundbars come with subwoofers? Not all soundbars come with subwoofers, but many do or at least offer one as an optional add-on that you can purchase separately. A subwoofer is what gives you that deep, booming bass, so if you like action movies or want a fuller sound for music, having one can make a big difference. Some soundbars have a built-in subwoofer, but these generally don’t provide the same punch as a separate one. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-soundbars-143041791.html?src=rss View Source Article

With so many options available today, choosing the best streaming services can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re into blockbuster movies, reality TV, documentaries or just want access to news channels, there’s a platform tailored to your tastes and budget. From premium subscriptions like Disney Plus, Netflix and Max to free streaming options like Tubi or Pluto TV, there’s something for everyone.If you’re looking to cut the cord completely, you might also want to explore live TV options that offer cable-like channels without the hassle. We’ve also put together a separate guide to the best live TV streaming services if you’re after a full channel lineup that includes sports, local stations and breaking news. In this buying guide, though, we’re focusing on the top on-demand streaming services worth subscribing to right now — whether you’re binging shows solo or setting up family-friendly entertainment for the weekend. Best streaming services for 2025 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/best-streaming-services-154527042.html?src=rss View Source Article

Apple's Irish tax break problems are officially over. Ireland's Department of Finance has reported that the entirety of the €14.25 billion fund in Apple's escrow account for the case has been fully transferred to the Exchequer or Ireland's central fund. The escrow account has, therefore, been closed. This marks the end of one of the world's largest antitrust cases that started way back in 2013 when the European Commission launched an investigation to determine whether Apple was enjoying better tax rates than warranted under the bloc's laws.  The commission found that the tax breaks Ireland gave Apple back then was illegal shortly after its investigation started. Then in 2016, after years of investigation, the commission ruled that the company had to pay back the "illegal state aid" it received over a 10-year-period before the probe into its tax practices was launched, since it was given "significant advantage" over its rivals.  Apparently, Apple created Irish subsidiaries that owned most of its intellectual properties. Every time the company sells a product, the Irish subsidiaries get paid for the use of Apple's IPs. And thanks to the company's agreement with Ireland, Apple was only paying a 1 percent tax rate on European profits that became as low as .005 percent in 2014. The Commission ordered Apple to pay back the €13.1 billion in taxes it owed from between 2003 and 2014, with an interest of €1.2 billion on top.  In 2018, the company transferred €14.3 billion to an escrow account as it appealed the Commission's ruling. The EU's General Court ruled in Apple's favor in 2020, explaining that there wasn't enough evidence to show that the company had broken the bloc's rules. But in 2024, the European Court of Justice overturned that decision and confirmed the Commission's original ruling in 2016.  As The Irish Times has reported, the funds continued depreciating in value since it was deposited into escrow until 2023. It only managed to regain €470 million within 16 months before the account's closure in May, thanks to higher interest rates and investments with higher yields. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apples-%E2%82%AC143-billion-irish-tax-break-case-is-officially-over-113755771.html?src=rss View Source Article

Nintendo has revealed the two lead actors for its live-action The Legend of Zelda movie. Bo Bragason is playing the title character, Princess Zelda, while Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is taking on the role of Link, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto announced on X. The performers are around the right ages for their parts — Bragason was born in 2004 while Ainsworth is 16. These are by far the biggest roles to date for both actors, but they each have plenty of experience in front of cameras.  Bragason has appeared in Disney+ fantasy series Renegade Nell and BBC crime drama The Jetty, as well as the very enjoyable horror movie Censor and Final Fantasy XV. As for Ainsworth, he voiced Pinocchio in Disney's 2022 live-action remake and appeared in Mike Flanagan's Netflix series The Haunting of Bly Manor. Miyamoto said he is "very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen."  Sony Pictures is co-producing the film with Nintendo, while Wes Ball (the Maze Runner series) is directing it. The Legend of Zelda is on track to hit theaters on May 7, 2027. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 7, 2027. Thank you for your patience. (2/2)— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) July 16, 2025 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-live-action-legend-of-zelda-movie-has-cast-its-princess-and-hero-115830552.html?src=rss View Source Article

Whether you’re shopping for a budget-friendly laptop for school or a sleek machine for everyday productivity, the best Chromebooks can offer surprising functionality for the price. Chromebooks have come a long way from their early days as web-only devices. Now, many Chromebook models feature powerful processors, premium displays and even touchscreen support, making them a compelling alternative to a regular laptop for plenty of users.There are more options than ever too, from lightweight clamshells to high-end, 2-in-1 designs that can easily replace your daily driver. Whether you're after a new Chromebook for streaming, work or staying on top of emails, there’s likely a model that fits both your budget and your workflow. We’ve tested the top Chromebooks on the market to help you find the right one — whether you’re after maximum value or top-tier performance.Editor’s note (7/16/25): While I still recommend everything in this guide, there’s one very intriguing new Chromebook I’m in the process of testing. Lenovo, who makes our pick for best overall Chromebook, just released a new premium model. The Chromebook Plus 14 starts at $649 and is the one of the first to use the ARM-based MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip. Most other performance-focused Chromebooks run on Intel or AMD chips, but so far the Kompanio Ultra has been more than up to what I’ve thrown at it. And the other benefit is battery life — Lenovo promises up to 17 hours. I haven’t fully tested this yet, but from what I’ve seen the ARM chip is unsurprisingly much more efficient than the Intel ones I use on most other Chromebooks. I’m hopeful that this laptop will last for 10 hours of real use, not just playing back video or some other low-power task.Design-wise, it has more in common with Google’s old Pixelbook Go or even a MacBook Air than most other Chromebooks. It's pleasantly thin (.63 inches) and light (2.58 pounds). It also features a 14-inch OLED display, 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. The model I’m testing costs $749, but there’s also a $649 configuration with 12GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and no touchscreen — but it uses the same chip, still has an OLED screen and should get similarly long battery life. The relatively high price makes me hesitate on calling this the best Chromebook for everyone, but it’ll almost certainly be the Chromebook to buy if you care about battery life. I’ll update this guide again once I finish my testing. Table of contents Best Chromebooks in 2025 Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Acer Chromebook Plus 514 Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE Best Chromebooks FAQs Other Chromebooks we tested Best Chromebooks in 2025 Best Chromebooks FAQs What is Chrome OS, and why would I use it over Windows? This is probably the number one question about Chromebooks. There are plenty of inexpensive Windows laptops on the market, so why bother with Chrome's operating system? Glad you asked. For me, the simple and clean nature of Chrome OS is a big selling point. Chrome OS is based on Google’s Chrome browser, which means most of the programs you can run are web based. There’s no bloatware or unwanted apps to uninstall like you often get on Windows laptops, it boots up in seconds, and you can completely reset to factory settings almost as quickly. Of course, simplicity will also be a major drawback for some users. Not being able to install native software can be a dealbreaker if you’re a video editor or software developer. But there are also plenty of people who do the majority of their work in a web browser, using tools like Google Docs and spreadsheets for productivity without needing a full Windows setup. Google and its software partners are getting better every year at supporting more advanced features. For example, Google added video editing tools to the Google Photos app on Chromebooks – it won’t replace Adobe Premiere, but it should be handy for a lot of people. Similarly, Google and Adobe announced Photoshop on the web in 2023, something that brings much of the power of Adobe’s desktop apps to Chromebooks. Chromebooks can also run Android apps, which greatly expands the amount of software available. The quality varies widely, but it means you can do more with a Chromebook beyond just web-based apps. For example, you can install the Netflix app and save videos for offline watching. Other Android apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Lightroom are surprisingly capable as well. Between Android apps and a general improvement in web apps, Chromebooks are more than just portals to a browser. What do Chromebooks do well? Put simply, web browsing and really anything web based. Online shopping, streaming music and video and using various social media sites are among the most common daily tasks people do on Chromebooks. As you might expect, they also work well with Google services like Photos, Docs, Gmail, Drive, Keep and so on. Yes, any computer that can run Chrome can do that too, but the lightweight nature of Google Chrome OS makes it a responsive and stable platform. As I mentioned before, Chrome OS can run Android apps, so if you’re an Android user you’ll find some nice ties between the platforms. You can get most of the same apps that are on your phone on a Chromebook and keep info in sync between them. You can also use some Android phones as a security key for your Chromebook or instantly tether your 2-in-1 laptop to use mobile data. Google continues to tout security as a major differentiator for Chromebooks, and it’s definitely a factor worth considering. Auto-updates are the first lines of defense: Chrome OS updates download quickly in the background and a fast reboot is all it takes to install the latest version. Google says that each webpage and app on a Chromebook runs in its own sandbox as well, so any security threats are contained to that individual app. Finally, Chrome OS has a self-check called Verified Boot that runs every time a device starts up. Beyond all this, the simple fact that you generally can’t install traditional apps on a Chromebook means there are fewer ways for bad actors to access the system. If you’re interested in Google’s Gemini AI tools, a Chromebook is a good option as well. Every Chromebook in our top picks comes with a full year of Google’s AI Pro plan — this combines the usual Google One perks like 2TB of storage and 10 percent back in purchases from the Google Store with a bunch of AI tools. You’ll get access to Gemini in Chrome, Gmail, Google Docs and other apps, Gemini 2.5 Pro in the Gemini app and more. Given that this plan is $20/month, it’s a pretty solid perk. Chromebook Plus models also include tools like the AI-powered “help me write,” the Google Photos Magic Editor and generative AI backgrounds you can create by filling in a few prompts. As for when to avoid Chromebooks, the answer is simple: If you rely heavily on a specific native application for Windows or a Mac, chances are you won’t find the exact same option on a ChromeOS device. That’s most true in fields like photo and video editing, but it can also be the case in law or finance. Plenty of businesses run on Google’s G suite software, but more still have specific requirements that a Chromebook might not match. If you’re an iPhone user, you’ll also miss out on the way the iPhone easily integrates with an iPad or Mac. For me, the big downside is not being able to access iMessage on a Chromebook. Finally, gaming Chromebooks are not ubiquitous, although they’re becoming a slightly more reasonable option with the rise of cloud gaming. In late 2022, Google and some hardware partners announced a push to make Chromebooks with cloud gaming in mind. From a hardware perspective, that means laptops with bigger screens that have higher refresh rates as well as optimizing those laptops to work with services like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. You’ll obviously need an internet connection to use these services, but the good news is that playing modern games on a Chromebook isn’t impossible. You can also install Android games from the Google Play Store, but that’s not what most people are thinking of when they want to game on a laptop. What are the most important specs for a Chromebook? Chrome OS is lightweight and runs well on fairly modest hardware, so the most important thing to look for might not be processor power or storage space. But Google made it easier to get consistent specs and performance late last year when it introduced the Chromebook Plus initiative. Any device with a Chromebook Plus designation meets some minimum requirements, which happen to be very similar to what I’d recommend most people get if they’re looking for the best laptop they can use every day. Chromebook Plus models have at least a 12th-gen Intel Core i3 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series processor, both of which should be more than enough for most people. These laptops also have a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage, which should do the trick unless you’re really pushing your Chromebook. All Chromebook Plus models have to have a 1080p webcam, which is nice in these days of constant video calling, and they also all have to have at least a 1080p FHD IPS screen. Of course, you can get higher specs or better screens if you desire, but I’ve found that basically everything included in the Chromebook Plus target specs makes for a very good experience. Google has an Auto Update policy for Chromebooks as well, and while that’s not exactly a spec, it’s worth checking before you buy. Last year, Google announced that Chromebooks would get software updates and support for an impressive 10 years after their release date. This support page lists the Auto Update expiration date for virtually every Chromebook ever, but a good rule of thumb is to buy the newest machine you can to maximize your support. How much should I spend on a Chromebook? Chromebooks started out notoriously cheap, with list prices often coming in under $300. But as they’ve gone more mainstream, they’ve transitioned from being essentially modern netbooks to some of the best laptops you’ll want to use all day. As such, prices have increased: At this point, you should expect to spend at least $400 if you want a solid daily driver. There are still many Chromebooks out there available at a low price that may be suitable as secondary devices, but a good Chromebook that can be an all-day, every-day laptop will cost more. But, notably, even the best Chromebooks usually cost less than the best Windows laptops, or even the best “regular” laptops out there. There are a handful of premium Chromebooks that approach or even exceed $1,000 that claim to offer better performance and more processing power, but I don’t recommend spending that much. Generally, that’ll get you a better design with more premium materials, as well as more powerful internals and extra storage space, like a higher-capacity SSD. Of course, you also sometimes pay for the brand name. But, the specs I outlined earlier are usually enough, and there are multiple good premium Chromebooks in the $700 to $800 range at this point. See Also: Best Laptops for 2025 Best Gaming Laptops Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2025 Best Cheap Windows Laptops Best Laptops for College Students Other Chromebooks we tested Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus, released in late 2024, is one of the more unique Chromebooks out there. It’s extremely thin and light, at 0.46 inches and 2.6 pounds, but it manages to include a 15.6-inch display in that frame. That screen is a 1080p panel that’s sharp and bright, but its 16:9 aspect ratio made things feel a bit cramped when scrolling vertically. Performance is very good, and the keyboard is solid, though I’m not a fan of the number pad as it shifts everything to the left. At $700 it’s not cheap, but that feels fair considering its size and capabilities. If you’re looking for a big screen laptop that is also super light, this Chromebook merits consideration, even if it’s not the best option for everyone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-chromebooks-160054646.html?src=rss View Source Article

Budgeting can be a challenge, especially when you're trying to pay for the daily cost of life and save for things you want like a new gaming console or laptop. But there are plenty of tools out there that can make budgeting more manageable, and one of our favorite budgeting apps is on sale right now. You can subscribe to Quicken Simplifi for only $3 per month, which is half off its usual $6-per-month price. Notably, the sum is paid in one go for the year, instead of month to month. Yes, spending money to save money does sound a bit silly in principle, but Quicken Simplifi is our choice for best budget app overall. It offers a sleek, easy-to-use interface that doesn't have much of a learning curve. It's also excellent at tracking regular income and bills, along with refunds. Plus, you can share access to the app with your partner or financial advisor.  There are a few cons, though nothing massive. You can't do a free trial — though Quicken does seem to have a 30 day cancelation policy to get a refund. You also can't create an account using your Apple or Google ID. Plus, there's no Zillow integration.   Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/our-favorite-budgeting-app-is-50-percent-off-right-now-141516676.html?src=rss View Source Article

4 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) An international team of astronomers has uncovered new evidence to explain how pulsing remnants of exploded stars interact with surrounding matter deep in the cosmos, using observations from NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) and other telescopes.  Scientists based in the U.S., Italy, and Spain, set their sights on a mysterious cosmic duo called PSR J1023+0038, or J1023 for short. The J1023 system is comprised of a rapidly rotating neutron star feeding off of its low-mass companion star, which has created an accretion disk around the neutron star. This neutron star is also a pulsar, emitting powerful twin beams of light from its opposing magnetic poles as it rotates, spinning like a lighthouse beacon. The J1023 system is rare and valuable to study because the pulsar transitions clearly between its active state, in which it feeds off its companion star, and a more dormant state, when it emits detectable pulsations as radio waves. This makes it a “transitional millisecond pulsar.”  An artist’s illustration depicting the central regions of the binary system PSR J1023+0038, including the pulsar, the inner accretion disc and the pulsar wind. Credit: Marco Maria Messa, University of Milan/INAF-OAB; Maria Cristina Baglio, INAF-OAB “Transitional millisecond pulsars are cosmic laboratories, helping us understand how neutron stars evolve in binary systems,” said researcher Maria Cristina Baglio of the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) Brera Observatory in Merate, Italy, and lead author of a paper in The Astrophysical Journal Letters illustrating the new findings.  The big question for scientists about this pulsar system was: Where do the X-rays originate? The answer would inform broader theories about particle acceleration, accretion physics, and the environments surrounding neutron stars across the universe. The source surprised them: The X-rays came from the pulsar wind, a chaotic stew of gases, shock waves, magnetic fields, and particles accelerated near the speed of light, that hits the accretion disk.   To determine this, astronomers needed to measure the angle of polarization in both X-ray and optical light. Polarization is a measure of how organized light waves are. They looked at X-ray polarization with IXPE, the only telescope capable of making this measurement in space, and comparing it with optical polarization from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile. IXPE launched in Dec. 2021 and has made many observations of pulsars, but J1023 was the first system of its kind that it explored.  NASA’s NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) and Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory provided valuable observations of the system in high-energy light. Other telescopes contributing data included the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in Magdalena, New Mexico.  The result: scientists found the same angle of polarization across the different wavelengths. “That finding is compelling evidence that a single, coherent physical mechanism underpins the light we observe,” said Francesco Coti Zelati of the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona, Spain, co-lead author of the findings.  This interpretation challenges the conventional wisdom about neutron star emissions of radiation in binary systems, the researchers said. Previous models had indicated that the X-rays come from the accretion disk, but this new study shows they originate with the pulsar wind.  “IXPE has observed many isolated pulsars and found that the pulsar wind powers the X-rays,” said NASA Marshall astrophysicist Philip Kaaret, principal investigator for IXPE at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “These new observations show that the pulsar wind powers most of the energy output of the system.” Astronomers continue to study transitional millisecond pulsars, assessing how observed physical mechanisms compare with those of other pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae. Insights from these observations could help refine theoretical models describing how pulsar winds generate radiation – and bring researchers one step closer, Baglio and Coti Zelati agreed, to fully understanding the physical mechanisms at work in these extraordinary cosmic systems. More about IXPE IXPE, which continues to provide unprecedented data enabling groundbreaking discoveries about celestial objects across the universe, is a joint NASA and Italian Space Agency mission with partners and science collaborators in 12 countries. IXPE is led by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. BAE Systems, Inc., headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, manages spacecraft operations together with the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder. Learn more about IXPE’s ongoing mission here: https://www.nasa.gov/ixpe Share Details Last Updated Jul 15, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayContactCorinne M. Beckingercorinne.m.beckinger@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsIXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer)Marshall AstrophysicsMarshall Science Research & ProjectsMarshall Space Flight Center Explore More 6 min read Smarter Searching: NASA AI Makes Science Data Easier to Find Imagine shopping for a new pair of running shoes online. If each seller described them… Article 7 days ago 2 min read NASA Announces Winners of 2025 Human Lander Challenge Article 3 weeks ago 4 min read I Am Artemis: Patrick Junen Article 3 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

A host of scientific investigations await the crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission during their long-duration expedition aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, are set to study plant cell division and microgravity’s effects on bacteria-killing viruses, as well as perform experiments to produce a higher volume of human stem cells and generate on-demand nutrients. Here are details on some of the research scheduled during the Crew-11 mission: Making more stem cells Cultures of stem cells grown in 2D on Earth, left, and as 3D spheres in simulated microgravity on Earth.BioServe A stem cell investigation called StemCellEx-IP1 evaluates using microgravity to produce large numbers of induced pluripotent stem cells. Made by reprogramming skin or blood cells, these stem cells can transform into any type of cell in the body and are used in regenerative medicine therapies for many diseases. However, producing enough cells on the ground is a challenge. Researchers plan to use the microgravity environment aboard the space station to demonstrate whether generating 1,000 times more cells is possible and whether these cells are of higher quality and better for clinical use than those made on Earth. If proven, this could significantly improve future patient outcomes. “This type of stem cell research is a chance to find treatments and maybe even cures for diseases that currently have none,” said Tobias Niederwieser of BioServe Space Technologies, which developed the investigation. “This represents an incredible potential to make life here on Earth better for all of us. We can take skin or blood cells from a patient, convert them into stem cells, and produce custom cell-therapy with little risk for rejection, as they are the person’s own cells.” Alternative to antibiotics Genes in Space-12 student investigators Isabella Chuang, left, and Julia Gross, middle, with mentor Kayleigh Ingersoll Omdahl.Genes in Space Genes in Space is a series of competitions in which students in grades 7 through 12 design DNA experiments that are flown to the space station. Genes in Space-12 examines the effects of microgravity on interactions between certain bacteria and bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. Bacteriophages already are used to treat bacterial infections on Earth. “Boeing and miniPCR bio co-founded this competition to bring real-world scientific experiences to the classroom and promote molecular biology investigations on the space station,” said Scott Copeland of Boeing, and co-founder of Genes in Space. “This investigation could establish a foundation for using these viruses to treat bacterial infections in space, potentially decreasing the dependence on antibiotics.” “Previous studies indicate that bacteria may display increased growth rates and virulence in space, while the antibiotics used to combat them may be less effective,” said Dr. Ally Huang, staff scientist at miniPCR bio. “Phages produced in space could have profound implications for human health, microbial control, and the sustainability of long-duration remote missions. Phage therapy tools also could revolutionize how we manage bacterial infections and microbial ecosystems on Earth.” Edible organisms A purple, pre-incubation BioNutrients-3 bag, left, and a pink bag, right, which has completed incubation, on a purple and pink board used for comparison.NASA Some vitamins and nutrients in foods and supplements lose their potency during prolonged storage, and insufficient intake of even a single nutrient can lead to serious diseases, such as a vitamin C deficiency, causing scurvy. The BioNutrients-3 experiment builds on previous investigations looking at ways to produce on-demand nutrients in space using genetically engineered organisms that remain viable for years. These include yogurt and a yeast-based beverage made from yeast strains previously tested aboard station, as well as a new, engineered co-culture that produces multiple nutrients in one sample bag. “BioNutrients-3 includes multiple food safety features, including pasteurization to kill microorganisms in the sample and a demonstration of the feasibility of using a sensor called E-Nose that simulates an ultra-sensitive nose to detect pathogens,” said Kevin Sims, project manager at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Another food safety feature is a food-grade pH indicator to track bacterial growth. “These pH indicators help the crew visualize the progress of the yogurt and kefir samples,” Sims said. “As the organisms grow, they generate lactic acid, which lowers the pH and turns the indicator pink.” The research also features an investigation of yogurt passage, which seeds new cultures using a bit of yogurt from a finished bag, much like maintaining a sourdough bread starter. This method could sustain a culture over multiple generations, eliminating concerns about yogurt’s shelf life during a mission to the Moon or Mars while reducing launch mass. Understanding cell division Cells of green algae dividing.University of Toyama The JAXA Plant Cell Division investigation examines how microgravity affects cell division in green algae and a strain of cultured tobacco cells. Cell division is a fundamental element of plant growth, but few studies have examined it in microgravity. “The tobacco cells divide frequently, making the process easy to observe,” said Junya Kirima of JAXA. “We are excited to reveal the effects of the space environment on plant cell division and look forward to performing time-lapse live imaging of it aboard the space station.” Understanding this process could support the development of better methods for growing plants for food in space, including on the Moon and Mars. This investigation also could provide insight to help make plant production systems on Earth more efficient. For nearly 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and conducting critical research for the benefit of humanity and our home planet. Space station research supports the future of human spaceflight as NASA looks toward deep space missions to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and in preparation for future human missions to Mars, as well as expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond. Learn more about the International Space Station at: https://www.nasa.gov/station Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Latest News from Space Station Research Space Station Research and Technology Humans In Space Station Benefits for Humanity View Source Article

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features a dense and dazzling array of blazing stars that form globular cluster ESO 591-12.NASA, ESA, and D. Massari (INAF — Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) A previously unexplored globular cluster glitters with multicolored stars in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope image. Globular clusters like this one, called ESO 591-12 or Palomar 8, are spherical collections of tens of thousands to millions of stars tightly bound together by gravity. Globular clusters generally form early in the galaxies’ histories in regions rich in gas and dust. Since the stars form from the same cloud of gas as it collapses, they typically hover around the same age. Strewn across this image of ESO 591-12 are a number of red and blue stars. The colors indicate their temperatures; red stars are cooler, while the blue stars are hotter. Hubble captured the data used to create this image of ESO 591-12 as part of a study intended to resolve individual stars of the entire globular cluster system of the Milky Way. Hubble revolutionized the study of globular clusters since earthbound telescopes are unable to distinguish individual stars in the compact clusters. The study is part of the Hubble Missing Globular Clusters Survey, which targets 34 confirmed Milky Way globular clusters that Hubble has yet to observe. The program aims to provide complete observations of ages and distances for all of the Milky Way’s globular clusters and investigate fundamental properties of still-unexplored clusters in the galactic bulge or halo. The observations will provide key information on the early stages of our galaxy, when globular clusters formed. Image credit: NASA, ESA, and D. Massari (INAF — Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) View Source Article

Explore This Section Science Uncategorized NASA SCoPE Summer Symposium… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science   4 min read NASA SCoPE Summer Symposium Celebrates Early Career Scientists and Cross-Team Collaboration From June 16–18, 2025, the NASA Science Mission Directorate Community of Practice for Education (SCoPE) Summer Symposium brought together a community of scientists, educators, and outreach professionals to celebrate and strengthen NASA’s commitment to developing its workforce and broadening participation in science. NASA SCoPE is a NASA-funded initiative at Arizona State University that connects early career scientists with NASA Science Activation (SciAct) program teams to build capacity in science communication, community engagement, and educational outreach. Through targeted support like Seed Grants, Travel Grants, and Mission Liaison opportunities, SCoPE equips scientists with the skills and networks needed to meaningfully engage the public with NASA science. Held in collaboration with key SciAct teams—including Infiniscope, Co-creating with Communities, NASA’s Community College Network, and NASA’s Universe of Learning—the 2025 symposium highlighted the incredible impact of SCoPE over the past four and a half years. The program has financially supported more than 100 early career scientists across a growing network of nearly 1,000 participants. Over the course of the three-day event, 23 awardees of SCoPE Seed Grants, Travel Grants, and Mission Liaison Grants came together to share their work, connect across disciplines, and explore new avenues for collaboration. Twelve Seed Grant awardees presented their projects, illustrating the transformative power of partnerships with SciAct teams. Highlights included learning how to write for young audiences through mentorship from NASA eClips in support of the children’s book ‘Blai and Zorg Explore the Moon’, designed for elementary learners; a collaborative effort between ‘Lost City, Icy Worlds’ and OpenSpace that evolved into long-term networking and visualization opportunities; and an Antarctic research project that, through collaboration with the Ocean Community Engagement and Awareness using NASA Earth Observations and Science (OCEANOS) project and Infiniscope, both expanded training opportunities for expedition guides and brought polar science to Puerto Rican high school summer interns. Beyond formal sessions, the symposium embraced community building through shared meals, informal networking, and hands-on experiences like a 3D planetarium show using OpenSpace software, a telescope demonstration with 30 high school students, and a screening of NASA’s Planetary Defenders documentary. Workshop topics addressed the real-world needs of early career professionals, including grant writing, logic model development, and communicating with the media. Survey responses revealed that 95% of attendees left with a stronger sense of belonging to a community of scientists engaged in outreach. Participants reported making valuable new connections—with peers, mentors, and potential collaborators—and left inspired to try new approaches in their own work, from social media storytelling to designing outreach for hospital patients or other specialized audiences. As one participant put it, “Seeing others so passionate about Science Communication inspired me to continue doing it in different ways… it feels like the start of a new wave.” Another attendee remarked, “I want to thank the entire team for SCoPE to even exist. It is an incredible team/program/resource and I can’t even imagine the amount of work, dedication and pure passion that has gone into this entire project over the years. Although I only found SCoPE very recently, I feel like it has been incredibly helpful in my scientific journey and I only wish I had learned of the program sooner. Thank you to the entire team for what was a truly educational and inspirational workshop, and the wonderful community that SCoPE has fostered.” This successful event was made possible through the dedication of NASA SciAct collaborators and the leadership of SciAct Program Manager Lin Chambers, whose continued support of early career engagement through SCoPE has created a growing, connected community of science communicators. The SCoPE Summer Symposium exemplifies how cross-team collaboration and community-centered design can effectively amplify the reach of NASA science. Learn more about how NASA’s Science Activation program connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/ SCoPE-funded scientists and collaborators gather at the 2025 SCoPE Summer Symposium to celebrate program success, share ideas, build partnerships, and advance science communication and education efforts across NASA’s Science Activation program. Share Details Last Updated Jul 15, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Opportunities For Educators to Get Involved Science Activation Science Mission Directorate Explore More 4 min read Linking Satellite Data and Community Knowledge to Advance Alaskan Snow Science Article 1 day ago 2 min read Hubble Snaps Galaxy Cluster’s Portrait Article 4 days ago 7 min read NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Snaps Closest-Ever Images to Sun On its record-breaking pass by the Sun late last year, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe captured… Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Perseverance Rover This rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial… Parker Solar Probe On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona… Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to… View Source Article

Credit: NASA NASA has selected seven companies to assist the agency with architectural and engineering services at multiple agency centers and facilities. The Western Regional Architect-Engineer Services is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract has a total estimated value not to exceed $75 million. The contract was awarded on July 14 with a five-year period of performance with the possibility of a six-month extension. The selected contractors are: DYNOTEC-KZF JV LLC of Columbus, Ohio Merrick-IMEG JV LLP of Greenwood Village, Colorado G Squared Design of Lakewood, Colorado Kal Architects Inc. of Irvine, California AECOM Technical Services Inc. of Los Angeles Stell SIA Sala O’Brien LLC DBA S3, LLC (S3) of Mountlake Terrace, Washington Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. of Arlington, Virginia Under the contract, the awarded companies will support general construction, alteration, modification, maintenance and repair, new construction of buildings, facilities, and real property for NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Support also includes optional back-up capacity in support of other NASA centers and federal tenants at agency facilities, including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in Fort Irwin, California, and the NASA launch alliance at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- Tiernan DoyleHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 15, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsAmes Research CenterArmstrong Flight Research CenterJet Propulsion Laboratory View Source Article

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4597-4599: Wide Open Spaces NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image, of the sweeping Mount Sharp vista into which the rover will drive the weekend of July 11-12, 2025, using its onboard Left Navigation Camera. Curiosity captured the image on July 11, 2025 — Sol 4596, or Martian day 4,596 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 12:01:55 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Michelle Minitti, MAHLI Deputy Principal Investigator, Framework Earth planning date: Friday, July 11, 2025 Imagine this vista as the view out your office window to start your workday. Your natural tendency would be to grab your camera and photograph as much of the view as possible. Curiosity was lucky enough to find herself in this situation today after a successful drive of about 61 meters (about 200 feet) on Wednesday, and the science team operating Curiosity wasted no time papering the scene with mosaics.Between Mastcam and ChemCam, we planned 105 images across the scene. Those images will capture the structures underpinning the boxwork ridges we are driving toward, smaller-scale fractures in the near field that might be related to the boxwork ridges, and the back side of a ridge we recently studied in detail, “Volcán Peña Blanca.” Together, the images will help us understand the geologic history of the area that hosts the boxwork ridges, and what conditions existed in this part of Mount Sharp to support their formation. We did not neglect the rocks directly in front of the rover as we gazed at our surroundings. Indeed, the bedrock near the rover was nearly uniformly packed with small (less than 1 centimeter, or 0.39 inches) rounded nodules, a characteristic we have not seen for awhile. MAHLI will image three different instances of the nodules while APXS and ChemCam will each analyze two different targets to understand the chemistry of the nodules and the bedrock hosting them. REMS, RAD, and DAN will continue to monitor the Martian environment and subsurface throughout the weekend. Additionally, we planned multiple observations of dust devils, the amount of dust in the atmosphere, and clouds including a cloud movie timed to match the overflight of the CASSIS instrument. Our drive will take us to the foot of the smooth slope seen in the distance of the above image. That slope is the ramp we will take to the top of a big boxwork structure, where surely other delightful vistas await. For more Curiosity blog posts, visit MSL Mission Updates Learn more about Curiosity’s science instruments Share Details Last Updated Jul 16, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4595-4596: Just Another Beautiful Day on Mars Article 22 hours ago 4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4593-4594: Three Layers and a Lot of Structure at Volcán Peña Blanca Article 5 days ago 3 min read Continuing the Quest for Clays Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View Source Article

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4600-4601: Up and Over the Sand Covered Ramp NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Left Navigation Camera on July 13, 2025 — Sol 4598, or Martian day 4,598 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 15:24:10 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Sharon Wilson Purdy, Planetary Geologist at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Earth planning date: Monday, July 14, 2025 The Curiosity rover continues to navigate through the region of Mount Sharp characterized by the boxwork terrain.  After successfully completing a drive of about 34 meters over the weekend (about 112 feet), the rover parked near the edge of a smooth, sandy stretch at the base of a ridge that leads to the most prominent and complex network of boxwork structures seen so far. Due to the lack of exposed bedrock in the immediate workspace, the science team opted to give some of the rover’s contact science instruments a break. With the dust removal tool (DRT) and APXS instruments stowed, the extra energy allowed the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to take high resolution images of “Playa de la Gallina” to survey the uniform, smooth surface consisting of sand and pebble-sized material. The ChemCam and Mastcam teams scheduled several observations in this two-sol plan that further investigated the rocks and structures in our immediate vicinity and surroundings. ChemCam LIBS was used to target “El Olivo” to determine the chemistry of the bumpy textured bedrock near the rover, which was also imaged by a Mastcam stereo mosaic. Additional Mastcam stereo mosaics include fractures at “El Corral” and linear troughs at “Chapare.” Further away, ChemCam’s Remote Micro Imager (RMI) will provide insight into an intriguing section of scoured features within the Mishe Mokwa butte. The environmental working group continues to keep an eye in the sky and planned a supra-horizon movie and a dust-devil survey as part of their ongoing monitoring campaign of the atmospheric conditions in Gale Crater. The 21-meter-long drive (about 69 feet) at the end of this plan will maneuver the rover past the sandy ramp to the top of the main boxwork region. From here, the science team will be able to explore this fascinating area of particularly large boxwork structures. Stay tuned as Curiosity continues to climb higher and delve deeper into the geologic history of Mars! For more Curiosity blog posts, visit MSL Mission Updates Learn more about Curiosity’s science instruments Share Details Last Updated Jul 16, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4597-4599: Wide Open Spaces Article 1 hour ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4595-4596: Just Another Beautiful Day on Mars Article 23 hours ago 4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4593-4594: Three Layers and a Lot of Structure at Volcán Peña Blanca Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View Source Article

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, technicians at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland help lower student experiments in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis  Nineteen teams of students from across the nation in grades 8-12 worked for months in classrooms, labs, basements, and garages for the opportunity to test their projects at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. This spring, the teams’ hard work was put to the test in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower facility at NASA Glenn.   The “2025 Drop Tower Challenge: Paddle Wheel” invited teams to design and build paddle wheels that rotate in water during free fall. The wheels could not rotate by mechanical means. A better understanding of fluid behavior in microgravity could improve spacecraft systems for cooling, life support, and propellants. On Thursday, May 6, 2025, NASA Glenn Research Center technicians — left to right, John Doehne, Jason West, and Moses Brown — prepare the 2.2. Second Drop Tower for testing student experiments during the 2025 Drop Tower Challenge. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis  Based on test performance, analyses, reports, the students’ approach to the challenge, and more, the following teams have been identified as the winners:   First Place: Arth Murarka, Umar Khan, Ishaan Joshi, Alden Al-Mehdi, Rohnin Qureshi, and Omy Gokul (advised by David Dutton), Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, California   Second Place: Emma Lai, Keaton Dean, and Oliver Lai (advised by Stephen Lai), Houston, Texas   Third Place: Chloe Benner, Ananya Bhatt, and Surabhi Gupta (advised by SueEllen Thomas), Pennridge High School, Perkasie, Pennsylvania  “We’re impressed with the variety of designs students submitted for testing in Glenn’s drop tower,” said Nancy Hall, co-lead for the 2025 Drop Tower Challenge. “The teams showed significant creativity and background research through their paddle wheel designs and analysis of results.”   Students from Bellarmine College Preparatory shared how they navigated through the process to earn first place. Using NASA guidelines and resources available to assist students with the challenge, the team submitted a research proposal, including two 3D designs. Learning their team was selected, they reviewed feedback from the NASA staff and set to work.   NASA Glenn Research Center’s 2025 Drop Tower Challenge first place winners, left to right, Ishaan Joshi, Umar Khan, Rohnin Qureshi, Omy Gokul, and Arth Murarka of Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California, prepare their experiment for testing in NASA Glenn’s 2.2 Second Drop Tower on Friday, May 30, 2025. Credit: Courtesy of Bellarmine College Preparatory  To start, students stressed that they conducted a large amount of research and testing of materials to use in their paddle wheels before deciding on the final design.   “I learned that something doesn’t need to be super expensive or complex to work,” said student Umar Khan. “We found that white board sheets or packing peanuts — just household items — can be effective [in the design].”   Student Arth Murarka added, “Our original design looks a lot different from the final.”  Bellarmine staff member and team advisor David Dutton helped the students get organized in the beginning of the process, but said they worked independently through much of the project.   Nancy Hall, left, co-lead of NASA Glenn Research Center’s 2025 Drop Tower Challenge, and intern Jennifer Ferguson prepare student experiments for testing in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis  Once the design was finalized, the team shipped their hardware to NASA Glenn. NASA technicians then tested how the paddle wheels performed in the drop tower, which is used for microgravity experiments. Students said they studied concepts including capillary physics and fluid dynamics. They also learned how to write a research paper, which they said they will appreciate in the future.   The team dedicated a lot of time to the project, meeting daily and on weekends.  “We learned a lot of useful skills and had a lot of fun,” Murarka said. “It was definitely worth it.”  Return to Newsletter View Source Article

NASA Glenn Research Center’s Heather Brown, left, and NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd greet visitors before they enter NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit on Friday, June 13, 2025, during an event in Omaha, Nebraska. Credit: NASA/Shauntina Lilly  Thousands of baseball fans travel across the country annually to watch teams compete in Omaha, Nebraska, during the NCAA Men’s College World Series in June. This year, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland swung for the fences to celebrate the city’s Diamond Anniversary of hosting the event and to highlight the intersections of sports and STEM.   NASA Glenn Research Center’s astronaut mascot greets visitors at the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha, Nebraska, on Thursday, June 12, 2025, during an event at the RiverFront celebrating the city’s Diamond Anniversary hosting the NCAA Men’s College World Series. Credit: NASA/Shauntina Lilly  As part of a larger outreach program across the region, NASA Glenn, the only NASA center in the Midwest, continues to meet audiences where they are to make space relatable to all.   “We brought NASA to Omaha during the College World Series to connect with a broader audience through one of the country’s most celebrated sporting events,” said NASA Glenn Public Engagement Specialist Heather Brown, who led the event. “Our goal was to spark curiosity, inspire the next generation, and demonstrate how science and exploration intersect with everyday passions — like baseball.”  Guests enjoy exploring science through an interactive kiosk in NASA Glenn Research Center’s Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit on Friday, June 13, 2025, during an event in Omaha, Nebraska. Credit: NASA/Shauntina Lilly  Situated next to the Kiewit Luminarium on the Lewis and Clark Landing of Omaha’s RiverFront, NASA Glenn engaged fans with Artemis-themed displays, interactive kiosks, a Space Launch System inflatable rocket, and the 53-foot Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit. In addition, Omaha-born NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd greeted visitors and participated in an event at the Branched Oak Observatory, where a large crowd of space enthusiasts asked questions and learned more about NASA’s missions.   “This was an incredible opportunity to tell NASA’s story and showcase our work in a setting that was already energized and ready to engage,” Brown said.  Back to Newsletter View Source Article

Sylvie Crowell Credit: NASA  Sylvie Crowell, a materials researcher at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, has received a NASA Early Career Initiative (ECI) award for a research proposal titled “Lunar Dust Reduction through Electrostatic Adhesion Mitigation (L-DREAM).” The research focuses on developing a passive lunar dust mitigation coating for solar cells and thermal control surfaces.  Operated under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate, the award will fund Crowell’s research in fiscal year 2026, beginning Oct. 1, 2025.   NASA’s ECI is a unique opportunity for the best and brightest of NASA’s early career researchers to lead hands-on technology development projects. The initiative aims to invigorate NASA’s technological base and best practices by partnering early career NASA leaders with external innovators.  Return to Newsletter View Source Article

A discussion focused on the accelerating consolidation in the AI-on-device race, highlighting partnerships, competitions, and emerging ecosystems. Big inflection points will be reinventing the phone. Perhaps an X Phone to integrate Grok AI, Starlink, Tesla, and other xAI elements. AI models like xAI’s Grok 4, OpenAI’s GPT-5, Google’s Gemini 3, and Anthropic’s Claude are integrating ... Read more View Source Article

Bangalore, India, 14th July 2025, CyberNewsWire View Source Article

The new open source model from China, Kimi K2, when used with Claude Code can code one level of a Nintendo Mario like video game and create a rich text editor using less than 60 cents worth of compute. Integrating into Claude Code lets you use the Kimi K2 coding capability and its agentic capability. ... Read more View Source Article

There is a common problem for all AI companies for overfitting to benchmarks. XAI Grok 4 has some problems with prompt adherence. XAI could have had overfitting resulted from the reinforcement learning used for the reasoning model work. Kimi K2 is doing well on realworld tests. XAI will likely improve Grok 4 with new versions ... Read more View Source Article

Tesla Austin Robotaxi service area is now has a larger service area. The area includes the University of Texas at Austin. The University has about 60000 students, teachers and staff. View Source Article

Mark Zuckerberg described Meta will spend hundreds of billions for a superintelligence effort. Zuckerberg is building the most elite and talent-dense team in the industry. Meta is going to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into compute to build superintelligence. They have the capital from our business to do this. SemiAnalysis just reported that Meta ... Read more View Source Article

Paris, France, 15th July 2025, CyberNewsWire View Source Article

Windsurf is an AI-powered developer tool that enables users to build full-stack applications using natural language prompts. They compete with Cursor and recently had a bunch of buyout offer drama. Windsurf raised a Series C in Sept 2024 at $1.25 billion value and around April 2025 they were in talks for a 2.85 funding round. ... Read more View Source Article

XAI Grok 4 ranks third on the LMarena leaderboard. Google Gemini and OpenAI O3 rank ahead of Grok 4. Grok-4 was tested with real-world prompts across domains like coding, math, as well as creative writing. It ranks Top-3 across the board: ➗ Math: #1 💻 Coding: #2 ✍️ Creative Writing: #2 📋 Instruction Following: #2 ... Read more View Source Article

Mary Meeker published a 340 page AI Trend report for 2025, May 2025. Rapid Acceleration and Historical Parallels: AI adoption is faster than the internet/mobile eras across metrics (e.g., ChatGPT reached 100M users in ~2 months vs. Instagram’s 2.5 years). Meeker frames AI as a “meta-technology” enabling broader innovations, akin to the printing press or ... Read more View Source Article

A comprehensive comparison of the key AI-driven coding tools for developers and development teams: Cursor, Claude Code, Gemini Code (Gemini CLI), and VSCode Copilot, and Windsurf. Head-to-Head Highlights Code Quality: Claude Code consistently delivers the highest-quality, most production-ready code—especially for complex refactoring, tests, and multi-file edits. Gemini Code is strong for large projects, fast prototyping, ... Read more View Source Article

Elon Musk has launched xAI’s Grok 4—calling it the “world’s smartest AI” and claiming it can ace Ph.D.-level exams and outpace rivals such as Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s o3 on tough benchmarks View Source Article

While bariatric surgery can result in significant weight loss, weight stigma can persist years after the surgery. View Source Article

Super Agers author Eric Topol unpacks the rise of biological age tests—from organ clocks to immune system clocks—and how they might revolutionize early diagnosis of disease View Source Article

This AI system can analyze up to one million DNA letters at once, predicting how tiny changes in noncoding regions trigger everything from cancer to rare genetic disorders—and potentially revolutionizing personalized medicine View Source Article

Illnesses from stealthy pathogens known as Vibrio are advancing northward along numerous coasts, potentially ruining your summer vacation View Source Article

Better assessment of stress and tailored approaches to combat it could give clinicians the tools they need to fend off lasting damage to health View Source Article

Many states, including Texas, have not used billions of dollars from FEMA intended to reduce damage from flooding and other disasters View Source Article

When large masses of water are moved from one place to another, this changes the shape of Earth and leads to a phenomenon called true polar wander View Source Article

Newly discovered “Gwada-negative” is the rarest of 48 known blood groups View Source Article

Bird flu fears have focused on the poultry and dairy industries and human health. But wild animals are threatened, too—at scales no one fully understands View Source Article

The H5N1 avian flu is circulating in cows and other mammals. Whether it will make a permanent leap to humans is another question View Source Article

Your favorite word game with a twist of science View Source Article

Bird flu was nearly everywhere in the U.S.—in chickens, cows, pet cats and even humans. Cases have gone down, but experts warn that it hasn’t disappeared View Source Article

Influenza viruses like bird flu can mix and match their genomes, and this has played a role in at least three of the last four flu pandemics View Source Article

A person in Arizona recently died of pneumonic plague—a rare and severe form of the disease. An expert explains how the bacteria that spurred the Black Death centuries ago continues to claim lives View Source Article

A U.S. gravitational wave detector spotted a collision between fast-spinning “forbidden” black holes that challenge physics models View Source Article

The Trump administration wants to reduce the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s budget by $2.2 billion, eliminating research that might help advance AI weather models View Source Article

Social inequality and the decay of democratic institutions are linked to accelerated aging, but education seems to slow the process View Source Article

After 10 years of gravitational-wave research, the LIGO Lab team at MIT is getting ready for the next generation of detectors. View Source Article

China is pulling ahead of the rest of the world in sinking data centers that power AI into the ocean as an alternate way to keep them cool View Source Article

The Expedition 73 and Axiom Mission 4 crews spent their second of two weeks together conducting science aboard the International Space Station. View Source Article

The Mule makes a murderous entrance in today's premiere episode, 'A Song For the End of Everything'. View Source Article

Prime Day is brilliant, but the best savings aren't always at Amazon. Walmart has beaten the online giant's price for this Sony A7R IV camera, by over $200, but it could be ending soon! View Source Article

The end of Prime Day is in sight — savings won't last for long on these top Canon and Sony cameras. View Source Article

Landspace aims to debut its stainless steel Zhuque-3 rocket later this year, marking a bold step forward for China's commercial launch sector. View Source Article

"Can humanity enjoy the benefits of both asteroid and lunar mining without compromise, or do we have to choose one at the expense of the other?" View Source Article

The Summer Triangle is a formation of stellar bodies called an asterism, made up of the bright stars Vega, Deneb and Altair. View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day 2025 is now over, but there are still plenty of space tech deals still available with discounts on model rockets, star projectors and drones. View Source Article

Astrotourism is coming to Canada, thanks to an ambitious plan for a chain of six dark-sky sites along 100 miles of the spectacular Bay of Fundy coastline. View Source Article

This B-List DC Comics character is about to shine in the limelight of James Gunn's new superhero epic. View Source Article

On Episode 168 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik jump into the headlines. including Sean Duffy being named interim NASA Administrator. View Source Article

Robots take on a dangerous and world-consuming fungus in Mycopunk, a new co-op shooter set in outer space. We chatted to the developers about how the fungal menace was created. View Source Article

SpaceX launched a mystery satellite to geostationary transfer orbit from Florida's Space Coast early Sunday morning (July 13). View Source Article

"It is incredible that modern telescopic surveys have the ability to detect such small objects up to millions of kilometers away." View Source Article

The winners will be announced during a ceremony in September. View Source Article

With the universe constantly expanding, scientists have a hard time finding where its center is. View Source Article

Planetary construction sites around other stars are filled with pebbles, and for the first time radio telescopes have detected these tiny chunks of rock that stick together to form planets. View Source Article

The private Ax-4 astronaut mission will undock from the International Space Station on Monday morning (July 14), and you can watch the action live. View Source Article

Gravitational wave detectors have "heard" the ripples in space caused by the most massive black hole merger yet. One "forbidden" by current theoretical models. View Source Article

The four astronauts of Axiom Space's latest private mission have concluded their stay aboard the International Space Station. View Source Article

U.S. President Trump's "One, Big Beautiful Bill Act," H.R. 1 includes $1 billion for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) X-37B military spacecraft program. View Source Article

A monster exoplanet as big as 10 times the size of Jupiter has emerged from the stellar gas and dust surrounding a young star, thanks to the telescope tag team of Gaia and ALMA. View Source Article

We've scoured the internet to find you deals that are even better than Prime Day — here's our round-up of the best deals left. View Source Article

Here's everything we know about Galactus' shiny new herald, and why she's a lady this time around. View Source Article

Learn more about DJI's motion controllers and how they can make FPV drone flight incredibly easy for everyone. View Source Article

An unexpected dusting high in the Andes mountains caused some concern. View Source Article

Scientists have found that Uranus emits its own internal heat, contradicting data from NASA's Voyager 2 probe nearly four decades ago. View Source Article

The moon, Saturn and Neptune will rise a little before midnight for those in the U.S. View Source Article

NASA has released remarkable video captured during the Parker Solar Probe's record-breaking 2024 flyby, offering the closest views of the sun ever recorded. View Source Article

Since then, a multitude of spacecraft have rocketed Marsward from a variety of nations. View Source Article

Join two of the brightest stars in Apple TV's sci-fi saga based on Isaac Asimov's sci-fi trilogy. View Source Article

Astronomers have discovered that vampire white dwarfs that feast on victim companion stars have assistance in acquiring prey in the form of lurking third stars. View Source Article

A Long March 7 rocket lifted off this evening (July 14), sending China's Tianzhou 9 cargo spacecraft toward the Tiangong space station. View Source Article

The four astronauts of Axiom Space's latest private mission have safely returned to Earth after more that two weeks aboard the International Space Station. View Source Article

"It remains possible that there are other unseen planets in the system. The challenge is finding them!" View Source Article

The largest Mars rock on Earth will soon be auctioned off in NYC, and could sell for at least $2 million. View Source Article

The U.S. government's "One, Big Beautiful Bill" Act finds funding for Artemis and Lunar Gateway, but nearly half of NASA's science missions are on the chopping block ahead of the 2026 budget. View Source Article

Our exclusive NordVPN deal gives you complete online security and convenience for a 79% discount, four free bonus months and a $50 Amazon voucher. View Source Article

These Prime Day deals on telescopes, binoculars, cameras, Lego, model rockets and drones are still live on Amazon right now. View Source Article

SpaceX plans to launch the 10th test flight of its Starship megarocket about three weeks from now, according to company founder and CEO Elon Musk. View Source Article

Apple TV's excellent adaptation of Martha Wells’s witty sci-fi novels scores another mission as Murderbot is renewed for season 2. View Source Article

Four mountaineers and astronomy lovers hiked the tallest peak in Western Europe. View Source Article

Each summer, skywatchers around the world look forward to the famous Perseid meteor shower, but often overlook four lesser showers that peak between July 29 and Aug. 16. View Source Article

'We had an idea for a meat planet' — Revenge of the Savage Planet game director Alex Hutchinson talks strange new worlds and mocking corporate spaceflight. View Source Article

SpaceX launched 24 of Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband satellites early Wednesday morning (July 16), the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 liftoff. View Source Article

New research indicates that cellular "pockets" that are the first step toward protocells, the precursors of life, could form in the methane seas of Saturn's moon Titan. View Source Article

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 26 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit after lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 15, 2025. View Source Article

The impact that carved out the moon's huge South Pole-Aitken basin may explain the puzzling differences between the lunar near and far sides. View Source Article

A massive filament eruption carved a 250,000-mile-long "canyon of fire" into the sun — and sent a CME sailing into space. View Source Article

"Our work is a new piece of evidence that suggests that Mars was once a much more complex and active planet than it is now." View Source Article

One Elon Musk business might be making a big investment in another. View Source Article

Amazon is looking to its main competitor to get its next batch of Kuiper satellites to orbit. View Source Article

The International Space Station has been flying over the country this week and excited children tracking Shubhanshu Shukla’s every move will be hoping for a glimpse of his temporary home on Saturday nightAs the International Space Station passes over India this weekend, many of those looking up to catch a glimpse as it goes by will be excited schoolchildren, who, like millions across the country, have their eyes, hopes and dreams pinned on astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the ISS.“What if the astronauts find evidence of intelligent life forms in space? Or even better, what if Shubhanshu Shukla’s experiments help humans discover a way to survive on other planets?” says Deborshi Halder, an excited 15-year-old. His classmate, however, is concerned. “But if places beyond Earth become habitable, we humans may land up exploiting them too, leading to space pollution,” says Sabnam Sireen. Continue reading... View Source Article

Ripples in space-time from collision recorded by gravitational wave detector forces a rethink of how the objects formScientists have detected ripples in space-time from the violent collision of two massive black holes that spiralled into one another far beyond the distant edge of the Milky Way.The black holes, each more than 100 times the mass of the sun, began circling each other long ago and finally slammed together to form an even more massive black hole about 10bn light years from Earth. Continue reading... View Source Article

Over the coming months, the planet will be in retrograde motion, and will also appear brighter as it draws closer The moon will help us track down Saturn, the sixth planet in the solar system, this week. Currently residing in the constellation of Pisces, the fishes, Saturn is gradually building in brightness as the Earth’s orbit is carrying the two planets closer together. This year, the closest approach between them will occur on 21 September.In the meantime, the moon can be useful as your guide to locate Saturn and then watch it over the coming months as the planet performs a lazy pirouette in the sky, known as retrograde motion. This is an optical illusion caused by our changing line of sight to the planet as Earth overtakes it on the inside. Continue reading... View Source Article

Axiom-SpaceX mission led by Peggy Whitson, 65, returns to Earth from International Space StationThe Nasa retiree turned private astronaut Peggy Whitson splashed down safely in the Pacific early on Tuesday after her fifth trip to the International Space Station, along with crewmates from India, Poland and Hungary returning from their countries’ first ISS missions.A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the four-member team parachuted into the sea off the coast of California at about 2.30am PDT (10.30am BST) after a fiery reentry through Earth’s atmosphere that capped a 22-hour descent from orbit. Continue reading... View Source Article

Xbox is bringing its “stream your own game” feature to PC. On Tuesday, the company announced that Xbox Insiders with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription can try streaming the Xbox games they own, including some that are available on console only, directly from the Xbox PC app. Xbox started letting Game Pass Ultimate subscribers stream games from their library to the Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One consoles earlier this year. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can also stream games from their TVs and browsers on devices like smartphones, PCs, tablets, and Meta Quest headsets. Bringing the feature to PC is especially helpful, as it will help users conserve storage when playing games with massive file sizes like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which requires 128GB of free SSD space. Xbox currently lets users stream more than 250 games from their libraries, in addition to the ones they get through Game Pass. The company says it plans on adding more console-only games and Play Anywhere titles to its list in the future. View Source Article

President Donald Trump announced more than $90 billion in investments from private companies that they said are tied to AI, tech, and energy during the “inaugural” Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit on Tuesday. Pennsylvania is a leading gas-producing state and an epicenter of the US fracking boom; some of the largest investments linked to the initiative were from energy companies, including “a $25 billion investment in data center and energy infrastructure development in Northeast Pennsylvania” from Blackstone, and $15 billion in expansions announced by First Energy. Trump repeated calls to “drill, baby, drill” during the event, and some gas companies were included on a fact sheet from Senator Dave McCormick listing the announcements. Enbridge plans to invest $1 billion to expand its gas pipelines “into Pennsylvania,” Equinor is investing $1.6 billion to “boost natural gas production at Equinor’s Pennsylvania facilities and explore opportunities to link gas to flexible power generation for data centers,” and Capital Power said it’s spending $3 billion over 10 years on an upgraded gas facility in the state. Google’s president and chief investment officer, Ruth Porat, announced that the company plans to invest $25 billion to build data centers and AI infrastructure over the next two years across the PJM region, which includes 13 states and Washington, D.C., along with a 20-year, $3 billion US hydropower deal with Brookfield Energy. Cloud computing company CoreWeave announced plans to invest $6 billion in a data center “to power the most cutting-edge AI use cases” in Pennsylvania. Anthropic will commit $1 million over three years to support a program that provides cybersecurity education and an additional $1 million over three years to “support energy research at Carnegie Mellon University.” Meta announced a $2.5 million partnership to “support startups in rural Pennsylvania communities in addition to community accelerator training for small businesses,” while AWS CEO Matt Garman was also at the event, with Amazon pointing toward previously announced “plans to invest $20 billion in Pennsylvania to expand cloud computing infrastructure and advance AI innovation.” Update, July 15th: Added details about several other companies, including Google and AWS. View Source Article

In Disney Plus' Ironheart series, a young genius with an uncanny knack for building armored suits finds herself plunged into a shady, criminal underworld that gives her a chance to really show off her talents. Riri Williams is not Tony Stark, and while the Iron Man films clearly informed many of Ironheart's fantastical visuals, there's a grounded quality to the series' high-octane action that makes it feel unique within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After years of seeing Iron Man and Marvel's other high-tech superheroes running around in nanotech suits that look a bit too CGI-y for their own good, the way that Ironheart goes out of its way … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

It used to be easy to pick an Apple Watch. All you had to do was choose whether you wanted the larger model or the smaller one. Then Apple added optional cellular connectivity. Then, a more affordable Watch SE (now in its second generation) and, in 2022, the rugged Apple Watch Ultra (also now in its second generation). Suddenly, there are lots of options. Now that the Series 10 has been out for nearly a year, perfectly good older versions of the Apple Watch are regularly getting discounted as retailers try to empty their inventory. You may also see more refurbished versions of these older models pop up. If you’re interested in more premium materials, like stainless steel, this is a great way to get a fancier version of last year’s watch. You won’t be missing out on too much, either. The past few years have seen iterative updates in terms of hardware — and the bulk of new features come from software updates. With that said, keep in mind that the latest version of watchOS, watchOS 11, doesn’t support the Series 4, 5, and first-gen SE. The same can be said of watchOS 26, which is slated to arrive in the fall. Buying refurbished is one way that you may be able to upgrade from an older model without sacrificing blood oxygen. Due to a patent battle with Masimo, new Series 9 and Ultra 2 models sold in the US after January 18th, 2024, no longer have this feature. This is not a big deal for most people, but if it’s important to you, older watches and Series 9 and Ultra 2 units sold by Apple before January 18th, 2024, still retain the feature. (As do watches overseas. The ban only impacts US units.) What about the newer Series 10? In a nutshell, it’s got a bigger screen, it’s about 10 percent thinner, and it’s lighter than previous models. It’s also got an FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection feature. There are a ton of new colors and finishes, with titanium replacing stainless steel. All in all, it’s an iterative update but one we find meaningful in terms of readability and wearability. So much choice can lead to analysis paralysis. But don’t worry. I’ve tested every single version of the Apple Watch you can buy right now — in addition to basically every other fitness watch and smartwatch on the market — and can steer you in the right direction. Should you get an Apple Watch?Apple Watch Series, SE, or Ultra?The best Apple Watch if you’re on a budgetThe best Apple Watch for kidsThe best Apple Watch for older relatives Should you get an Apple Watch? The Apple Watch is the best overall smartwatch for iPhone users. Many smartwatches are better than the Apple Watch for hardcore athletes, even with the Ultra models in the mix. But other watches fall short when it comes to productivity, safety features, controlling your smart home, and interacting with other Apple devices and services. And the Apple Watch has the most robust third-party app ecosystem of any smartwatch on the market.  By their nature, wearables are incredibly personal devices — and you won’t get the benefits of an Apple Watch if you don’t wear it regularly. The last thing you want is to spend hundreds of dollars on a thing that ends up collecting dust in a drawer. The best way to avoid this is to stack the deck in your favor and prioritize comfort. Before you try to start mulling over which Apple Watch model you should get, take a second to figure out which size and strap material will best fit your wrist.  The SE and Series watches come in two sizes each. The SE comes in 40mm and 44mm, while the Series 7, 8, and 9 are 41mm and 45mm. The new Series 10 ups the size again to 42mm and 46mm. The larger models are better for readability, while the smaller ones are more comfortable for those with petite wrists. Both the SE and the Series watches have aluminum cases, but the Series 10 now comes in titanium, too. (Older models come in stainless steel.) Most people will be fine with aluminum, but if you’re clumsy or very active, you’ll benefit from the extra durability offered by stainless steel or titanium. You might also just like the look better — and that’s valid since watches are a personal piece of tech. Just be prepared to pay a few hundred bucks more for that. As for straps, we recommend the nylon sport loop, as it’s the most breathable option, has the easiest clasp, and is less irritating than the silicone options, which is great for sensitive skin. If you’re looking for more fashionable options, we recommend checking out Amazon or Etsy for a wider variety of styles and more affordable pricing. You’ll want to check third parties for leather accessories, too, as Apple announced in 2023 that it would no longer make leather accessories in a bid to achieve carbon neutrality. The Ultra and Ultra 2 both come in one size — 49mm — and with titanium cases. They come with their own special straps, too: the Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band. As their names suggest, they’re geared toward runners, hikers, and divers, but you can pick whichever one suits your fancy. We recommend the Trail Loop, as it’s the lightest and most versatile of the three. All the Ultra straps work with any 44mm or 45mm Series watch, and the Ultra is compatible with any 44mm or 45mm Apple Watch strap. And while the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch you can get as an iPhone user, you can also always check out our fitness tracker buying guide. Apple Watch Series, SE, or Ultra? Apple Watch Series 10 The Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger, wide-angle OLED display with up to 30 percent more screen area. It’s thinner and lighter than its predecessors, yet it charges faster and features the same fitness and wellness features. Score: 8ProsConsBigger display but not bulkyWide-angle OLED is neatMuch faster chargingSleep apnea detection has potentialLack of blood oxygen (in US) may impact your upgrade plansAnother year of minor updates Where to Buy: $399 $299 at Amazon $399 $299 at Walmart $399 $299 at Best Buy The latest Apple Watch, the Series 10, is a more modest update. It primarily focuses on making the watches more comfortable while adding a larger, wide-angle OLED display. If you’re upgrading from an older model, you’ll definitely notice that you can see more from the wrist. The speakers now play music and podcasts, and voice isolation on calls has been improved. There’s an added depth and water temperature sensor, which makes it a better companion for water sports as well. Fast charging has also been meaningfully improved. On the health front, Apple has brought FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection to the watch, along with the Series 9 and Ultra 2. We recommend the second-gen Apple Watch SE for younger people and first-time smartwatch buyers. If you’re upgrading from an earlier Apple Watch, you want an always-on display, or you want more advanced health tracking, you should consider the Series 10. And if you want the brightest screen, the best durability and battery life, and even more advanced fitness features, we recommend the Ultra 2. The Series 10 is Apple’s flagship smartwatch. Compared to earlier models, it’s going to get you the fastest processor, quick charging, a larger display, and all the latest sensors. Prices start at $399 for the 42mm version and $429 for the 46mm, but you can often find the 42mm model on sale for around $299. Adding LTE connectivity will add $100 to the price, plus whatever your carrier charges for the service. Prices start at $699 for the polished titanium models. The second-gen SE has a nylon composite back, which helps shave $30 off the original’s price. You can get a cellular version, and it supports many of the same advanced features as the last-last-gen Series 8, like fall detection, emergency calling, Fitness Plus, Apple Pay, and Apple Watch For Your Kids. The biggest difference is that it lacks an always-on display, an EKG sensor, temperature sensors, and a SpO2 sensor. The display is also slightly smaller on both sizes of the SE. It starts at $249 for the 40mm and $279 for the 44mm, but you can regularly find it online starting around $170. Adding LTE will tack on an extra $50 in addition to your carrier’s fees.  2022 Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) The latest SE borrows a few features from the Series 8, including the same chipset and Crash Detection feature, but it’s an otherwise subtle upgrade from the last-gen SE. Score: 7ProsConsS8 chip is still speedy enoughOffers the bulk of watchOS 11 featuresExcellent entry-level watchThe bezels are thickSmaller display isn’t good for elderly relativesNo always-on displayFewer sensors Where to Buy: $249 $169 at Amazon $249 $169 at Walmart $249 $169 at Best Buy To be perfectly honest, if you’re young and healthy, you’re not really missing out on EKG or SpO2. (Also, newer watches sold in the US currently have the SpO2 feature disabled anyway.) The SE’s heart rate sensor is still capable of providing abnormal heart rate alerts. Right now, Apple’s SpO2 features are limited to spot checks. There’s not much you can do with that information, and unlike the EKGs, this is only cleared for general wellness purposes. It will not be able to replace a fingertip pulse oximeter, and you should never use it in this way. The main purpose of the EKG sensor is to enable atrial fibrillation detection — and if your doctor’s given you a clean bill of health, you will likely only use this feature once or twice. According to the American Heart Association, the biggest risk factors for AFib are advanced age, underlying heart conditions, high blood pressure, family history, and sleep apnea, among other lifestyle choices. If this doesn’t apply to you, the SE is still going to give you an excellent health tracking experience and all the same smart features. Young, first-time buyers may as well save the extra cash — so long as the lack of an always-on display isn’t a deal-breaker.  You can’t really see much of a difference between the Ultra on the left and the Ultra 2 on the right. There are some situations where opting for the Series 10 is the better choice, however, like if you want an always-on display or need to have the latest and greatest. The larger, wide-angle OLED display also provides much better readability for anyone with bad eyesight. It’s also the better choice if you have a heart condition or are at a higher risk of developing AFib. If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, you’ll also need a Series 9, 10, or Ultra 2 to access that feature. Apple Watch Ultra 2 Score: 8ProsConsThe Modular Ultra face is a data nerd’s dreamPrecision FindingMinor Siri and screen brightness improvementsDouble-tap gesture is greatNo pinkThe minor changes feel even more minor with the UltraNeed iPhone 15 or 16 for Precision Finding Where to Buy: $799 $759 at Amazon (with Alpine Loop) $799 $779 at Amazon (with Trail Loop) $799 at Amazon (with Ocean Band) The Ultra 2 currently sits atop the lineup as Apple’s premium smartwatch. It’s visually distinct from both the Series and SE — and at 49mm, it’s the biggest of them all. Not only that, it has increased durability, water resistance, and a raised lip to protect the flat display. It also has an additional water temperature and depth sensor for divers, three microphones, and two speakers, which enable the Siren. It’s also got the Action button, which can be programmed for various activities, pause workouts, and trigger the Siren. At $799, the Ultra 2 is the most expensive Apple Watch, but every model comes equipped with LTE capability. If you have an Ultra and are wondering if you should upgrade to the second-gen model, the answer is no. If you have an Ultra 2 and are wondering if you should upgrade to the new black color, the answer is also no. (Admittedly, it does look quite nice.) It’s too soon, and there’s not enough of a difference. We recommend the Ultra 2 for new buyers only. What about blood oxygen? As of January 18th, 2024, Apple no longer sells new Apple Watch Series 9, 10, or Ultra 2 models with the blood oxygen feature in the US. That’s because Apple is currently undergoing a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. The International Trade Commission has ruled that Apple Watches with the blood oxygen feature infringe on two of Masimo’s patents — and are therefore subject to an import ban. This doesn’t affect watches sold outside of the US, or the Apple Watch SE, which doesn’t have the blood oxygen sensor in question. Watches sold by third-party retailers like Best Buy or Amazon may be unaffected if they’re selling refurbished models or happen to have pre-ban Series 9 or Ultra 2 inventory. You can tell if a model doesn’t have the blood oxygen feature if the part numbers end in LW/A. It also does not affect the newer sleep apnea detection feature, which utilizes the accelerometer. That said, the blood oxygen feature is not that vital a feature on any wearable just yet. Many either have spot check features only or passively track your SpO2 overnight and give you an average in the morning. They cannot and should not replace fingertip pulse oximeters. But if the feature is important to you, you may want to look into alternatives from Garmin, the Fitbit Charge 6, the Withings ScanWatch 2, or the Oura Ring. If battery life is your highest priority, getting either Ultra is the best choice. In testing, we got up to 60 hours without Low Power Mode enabled. However, if you use about one hour of GPS tracking a day or take calls, you’re more likely to get around two days. It’s also the better choice if you frequently hike, dive, or run trails. While marketed as a hardcore watch for explorers, in our opinion, it’s more of an aspirational watch for weekend warriors and intermediate athletes — or anyone who wants to be at that level. You’re not going to beat either Ultra on battery life, but you can stretch out the battery life on the Series 4 or later with Low Power Mode. You can even sleep track with Low Power Mode on, though it’ll turn off background health sensors. With the Series 10, Apple has improved fast charging as well. Official estimates are that you can get 0 to 80 percent in 30 minutes, which roughly matches our real-world testing. Just be sure you’re using the correct charging accessories. If you have smaller wrists, you may want to opt for the Series 10 as it has fast charging and is more comfortable to wear long-term. Faster charging comes in clutch when you’re about to head to bed and you’ve only got 15 percent battery. Also, if you’re the type that values futureproofing, the Series 10’s hardware will be able to support newer features for a longer period of time thanks to its newer processor. This is why folks who love their watch and are looking to upgrade from a Series 4 or older should also pick the Series 10. If you’re already in the habit of wearing the watch daily, you’ll get more mileage out of it as the SE is more of a gateway device, and the Ultra is overkill for the average Joe.   The best Apple Watch if you’re on a budget 2022 Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) The latest SE borrows a few features from the Series 8, including the same chipset and Crash Detection feature, but it’s an otherwise subtle upgrade from the last-gen SE. Score: 7ProsConsS8 chip is still speedy enoughOffers the bulk of watchOS 11 featuresExcellent entry-level watchThe bezels are thickSmaller display isn’t good for elderly relativesNo always-on displayFewer sensors Where to Buy: $249 $169 at Amazon $249 $169 at Walmart $249 $169 at Best Buy The latest Watch SE is the way to go for people who want to futureproof their hardware without breaking the bank (so long as you’re okay forgoing a larger display). You’re getting the same processor as the Series 8 and original Ultra, plus Crash Detection. While the second-gen SE is an excellent watch, it’s not always the right choice. It’s meant to be a gateway watch, so it’s best suited to folks who are completely new to the Apple Watch and want to spend as little as possible. If you’re looking to upgrade from an older watch but don’t want to pony up for the Series 10, there’s another option: buying a used or refurbished Apple Watch. Buying secondhand devices is also better for the environment and a more affordable way to get more expensive materials. Materials like sapphire glass, stainless steel, or titanium can add hundreds to the price of a new watch. It’s also a good way to save money if you’re just not excited by the Series 10’s features but want more than what the SE offers. It’ll take some patience to find the best price and the model you want. After all, you’re limited by what’s available. However, there are several sites that offer older models. Sometimes, you can also find deals and sales as well. If you’re worried about getting scammed, look for deals recommended by sources you trust (cough, cough, Verge Deals). Apple also sells its own refurbished models, which come with a full Apple warranty and are generally in a “like new” condition, though the selection can be limited, and you likely won’t pay less than a new SE. Sites like Back Market will also allow you to sort by condition and obtain a 12-month warranty.  If you’re considering a used or refurbished model, we recommend the Series 7 or Series 8, as they offer a larger screen for improved readability. We also recommend that you use $250 as a benchmark since that’s the price of a base model Watch SE. With that said, if you’re getting premium materials, going a little higher is fine. Do not get a refurbished Series 5 or older. Although you can find them for $100 (sometimes less!), they can’t run the latest software and even struggle to update the newest software they do support. The best Apple Watch for kids 2022 Apple Watch SE (40mm, LTE) The latest SE for 2022 borrows a few features from the Series 8, including the same chipset and Crash Detection feature, but it’s an otherwise subtle upgrade from the last-gen SE. Score: 7ProsConsS8 chip is still speedy enoughOffers the bulk of watchOS 11 featuresExcellent entry-level watchThe bezels are thickSmaller display isn’t good for elderly relativesNo always-on displayFewer sensors Where to Buy: $299 $219 at Amazon $299 $219 at Best Buy $299 $219.99 at Target If you want your child to have an Apple Watch, we recommend picking a cellular Apple Watch SE or, if you can find one, a refurbished Series 4, 5, or 6 with cellular. All of these watches come in smaller sizes than the Series 7, 8, or 9, which will likely better fit their wrist. Also, the lower price will give you better peace of mind if you have a rambunctious kid. They likely won’t need many of the marquee features found in watchOS 11, either. That being said, if you want the most futureproof options, the second-gen SE and Series 6 are the best choices. Since you’re buying for children, you’ll likely want to use Apple Watch For Your Kids — formerly known as Family Setup — as it will give you greater parental controls. However, there are technical specifications that you’ll need to match in order to use it. You’ll need a cellular version of the device, and it must at least support watchOS 7. Apple’s support page also states that you need a Series 4 or later or an Apple Watch SE to use it. If you opt for the family route, not every feature will be available. While you can get Apple Pay and certain health features, you will not get the following: health data sharing, respiratory rate, irregular heart rhythm notifications, EKG, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Blood Oxygen, Podcasts, Remote, News, Home, and Shortcuts. The best Apple Watch for older relatives Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, LTE) The Series 10’s display is comparable in size to the Ultra 2’s but the watch itself is roughly 30 percent thinner and half the weight. Score: 8ProsConsBigger display but not bulkyWide-angle OLED is neatMuch faster chargingSleep apnea detection has potentialLack of blood oxygen (in US) may impact your upgrade plansAnother year of minor updates Where to Buy: $499 $379.99 at Amazon $499 $379.99 at Walmart $499 $399 at Best Buy This can be a tricky one, but we recommend a cellular Series 9 or 10.  For starters, the larger screen is much easier on the eyes. You can also increase the text size to be larger than on the SE or older Apple Watches. The always-on display aids accessibility, especially if arm mobility is a consideration. You’ll also get the full suite of health features, including irregular heartbeat alerts, walking steadiness, EKGs, fall detection, sleep apnea detection, and emergency calling. These models also have the double tap feature and improved Siri functionality, which may be helpful for elderly relatives with dexterity issues. You can use the Ultra, but you should keep its size and weight in mind. Depending on your loved one’s wrist size and health, it may not make sense. Both sizes of the Series 10 have comparable screen sizes but are much lighter and more comfortable to wear.  If your older relative has an iPhone and you’re hoping to use this for health reasons, we also don’t recommend using Apple’s family setup. That’s because you cannot use features like irregular heart rhythm notifications, EKG, and health data sharing. If your relative doesn’t have an iPhone, however, it’s a fine option. You’ll still get high and low heart rate notifications, walking steadiness, and fall detection.  Update, July 15th: Adjusted pricing / availability and added several new links. View Source Article

Microsoft is rolling out an update to Copilot Vision for Windows Insiders that lets the AI tool see everything that’s on your screen. Previously, the tool was able to look at two apps at a time and connect the dots between the two, but with this change, it can look at your whole desktop or “any specific browser or app window,” Microsoft says. Unlike Recall, which can automatically take regular snapshots of what’s on your computer screen, using Copilot Vision is more like screen sharing during a video call: you can activate the feature by clicking the glasses icon in the Copilot app and selecting the desktop you want it to see. Copilot Vision can “help analyze content, provide insights, and answer your questions, coaching you through it aloud,” according to Microsoft. “Get tips on making improvements to your creative project, help with improving your resume, or guidance while navigating a new game.” Microsoft initially started testing Copilot Vision last year as a feature that could see what you’re looking at while browsing the web in Edge. Copilot Vision can also answer questions about what it sees through your mobile phone’s camera. View Source Article

Anker is one of eight companies with Qi2.2 products already certified. Yesterday Ugreen was the first company to announce it had a Qi2.2 wireless charging power bank on the way, but it wasn’t alone for long. The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has already certified eight Qi2.2 products, all from different manufacturers, including power banks, car mounts, and 3-in-1 stands. Qi2.2 is the latest version of the Qi wireless charging standard. Qi2 was notable for introducing a magnetic ring to the design, helped by contributions to the standard from Apple based on its MagSafe charging tech. Qi2.2 makes the jump to 25W charging speeds, an improvement on Qi2’s 15W cap.  While the WPC lists Qi2.2 as having been introduced in April 2025, and Apple was reported to be working on a new MagSafe charger with Qi2.2 compatibility last month, no products using the standard have gone on sale yet. That’s set to change soon, with eight products now listed in the WPC’s product database with the latest Qi2.2.1 standard, all certified on July 15th. Some of these have been officially announced, including Ugreen’s 10,000mAh MagFlow power bank. Baseus received certification for one power bank but says it has another on the way, along with a 3-in-1 charging stand. Belkin only announced that it will roll out “several” Qi2.2 products in the coming months, though its certification is for the UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 charging dock. Other certified companies haven’t yet made announcements. Anker is apparently set to expand its Prime series with a 3-in-1 Qi2.2 dock including a built-in display to monitor charging speeds, Aukey has a simple 2-in-1 charging stand on the way, and Scosche is readying a Qi2.2 version of its MagicMount Pro car mount. ODMs CVSMicro and BH EVS round out the set of eight with charging components to build into other products. Qi2 was a welcome introduction, but adoption among phone manufacturers has been slow — while Apple includes Qi2 support on all current iPhones except the 16E, the HMD Skyline remains the only Android phone worldwide with full Qi2. Others, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, are “Qi2 Ready,” meaning they require a magnetic Qi2 phone case for full functionality. Hopefully Qi2.2’s arrival encourages more manufacturers to jump on board. Correction, July 16th: An earlier version of this article referenced a leaked 45W Qi2.2 charger from Apple, but that refers to its rated input, not output. View Source Article

Cyberpunk 2077 is launching on macOS tomorrow, and CD Projekt Red is now sharing details on exactly what Mac you’ll need to get the most out of the game. While Cyberpunk 2077 has been optimized for a variety of Macs, from early M1 models up, if you want the top “very high fidelity” config then you’ll need an M3 Ultra or M4 Max machine with 36GB of unified memory. CD Projekt Red is using dynamic “for this Mac” presets that will assign settings and resolutions based on your Mac’s hardware. M1 Macs will be able to run Cyberpunk 2077, as long as you have 16GB of unified memory. That gives you the “minimum” config, which runs at 1440 x 900 resolution or 1600 x 900 (using MetalFX dynamic resolution scaling) with a target performance of 30fps. If you want 60fps then CD Projekt Red is recommending an M3 Pro or higher with 18GB of unified memory, which will run at 1080p resolution (using MetalFX DRS) with a target of 60fps. You’ll likely be able to achieve 60fps by dropping the resolution below 1080p on some older Apple silicon hardware, though. The remaining “high fidelity” and “very high fidelity” configs will be reserved for some of the most powerful Apple silicon chips. High fidelity requires an M2 Ultra or M3 Max chip with 36GB of unified memory, and will enable 60fps gameplay at 1440p with MetalFX DRS. Very high fidelity is reserved for M3 Ultra or M4 Max chips with 36GB of unified memory, and will also deliver 60fps gameplay at 1440p with MetalFX DRS enabled. None of the “for this Mac” presets enable ray tracing by default, though. If you want to play around with ray tracing then CD Projekt Red recommends an M3 or newer chip. An Apple M3 Pro device with 18GB of unified memory will be able to handle the medium ray tracing preset at 1080p (with MetalFX DRS) and 30fps. If you want Cyberpunk 2077 ray-traced at 60fps on Mac then you’ll need an M3 Max or higher chip with 36GB of unified memory, which will run the medium ray tracing preset at 60fps at 1080p with MetalFX DRS. AMD’s FSR upscaling and frame generation will also be available in Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac, so it’s possible with a mixture of settings you’ll be able to find an even sweeter spot for playing this game on a Mac than the presets provide. Cyberpunk 2077 will be available from Apple’s own Mac App Store, Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com on July 17th, and the game supports cross progression across all platforms. View Source Article

This screenshot taken by TechCrunch shows how the AI summaries appear in Google Discover. | Image: Google / TechCrunch Google is rolling out AI-generated summaries directly within Discover, its personalized news feed nestled within the Google Search app. TechCrunch reports that some users in the US are seeing Discover cards on iOS and Android that provide the new summaries in place of a headline and logo from a single publisher, similar to how AI Overviews appear at the top of results in Search. It acts to further obscure news sources at a time when search traffic to publishers is disappearing. The AI summaries in Discover display overlapping icons in the top-left corner, indicating the number of cited stories. Tapping the icons reveals a “More” sheet with all the contributing articles. Users get a quick three-line preview before needing to tap “See more” to expand the summary. A prominent warning is displayed underneath the text disclosing that the summaries are generated with AI, “which can make mistakes.” This feature appears to have been in development for a while. Google bug hunter AndellDam found that trending cards with AI Overview-like summaries were being tested on Google Discover in June. A Google spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that this is not a test, but a US launch on iOS and Android. Google told the publication that the feature will focus on trending lifestyle topics like sports and entertainment, and aims to make it easier for people to decide what pages they want to visit. View Link This is the latest of several AI features Google has been toying with that discourage users from clicking on web links, following AI Overviews, Audio Overviews, and AI Mode being tested in Search. This is cause for concern across the publishing industry, which has seen a dramatic fall in website traffic and referrals now that AI is pulling information out of articles and negating the need for readers to click through to original sources. That loss of traffic and revenue from Google Zero has already contributed to killing sites like AnandTech, Giant Freakin Robot, Laptop Mag, and Buzzfeed News — reducing the pool that Google can feed to its AI. View Source Article

Though Nintendo’s live-action Legend of Zelda movie won’t be out until May 7th, 2027, we finally know who is going to be playing the titular princess and her faithful knight. This morning via its news app, Nintendo announced that Bo Bragason (Renegade Nell, The Radleys) and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting of Bly Manor, Pinocchio) have been cast as Princess Zelda and Link, respectively. In an X post about the casting, Shigeru Miyamoto — who is producing the film — expressed that he is “very much looking forward to seeing” Bragason and Ainsworth on the big screen together.  View Link Aside from the fact that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ Wes Ball is directing the Zelda movie, we still don’t know all that much about the project. But the Zelda feature is very much a part of Nintendo’s larger push into different kinds of entertainment like movies and theme parks. The company knocked it out of the park with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and it seems to have plans on trying again with a sequel and a new Donkey Kong project. A live-action Legend of Zelda could be another hit for Nintendo, but fans are probably going to need to see a bit of Hyrule before they’re ready to hop on the hype train. View Source Article

My first thought upon starting up Donkey Kong Bananza was, "Why yes, I actually would like to go ape shit." The game starts by having Donkey Kong smash through a wall to reveal a glittering gem waiting to be liberated from the rock. But instead of punching the bright yellow gem into bite-size pieces, I kept punching through the walls and floors, digging tunnels into the landscape. With the Nintendo Switch 2 finally out in consumers' hands for more than a month now and the luster of the console's newness fading, we're left asking, "What's this thing actually capable of?" The first big exclusive, Mario Kart World, was a nice aperitif, giving … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Facebook is cracking down on accounts that steal and repost content from other users in an effort to reduce spam in feeds. Meta announced on Monday that creators who repeatedly reuse someone else’s videos, photos, or text posts will lose access to Facebook monetization programs for “a period of time,” and see reduced distribution of their posts on the platform. “Too often the same meme or video pops up repeatedly — sometimes from accounts pretending to be the creator and other times from different spammy accounts,” the company explained in its blog post. “It dulls the experience for all and makes it harder for fresh voices to break through.” When Facebook’s systems detect duplicate videos, the platform will reduce the distribution of the copies to prevent them from taking views away from the original creator. Meta says it’s also exploring ways to give creators the credit they deserve, such as testing a feature that adds links directing viewers to the original content. The changes will start rolling out gradually over the coming months, according to Meta’s post. There’s no mention of whether Meta will introduce features for reducing repetitive content on its Instagram and Threads platforms. The Facebook changes are part of a larger effort to tackle spam and make original content more visible in feeds. The site has already taken action against 500,000 accounts in the first half of 2025 that engaged in spammy behavior or fake engagement. YouTube is making a similar push to tackle spammy, reposted content, announcing last week that it was updating its policies regarding mass-produced and repetitive videos, which have become far easier to churn out en masse thanks to increasing access to generative AI tools.  Meta says the incoming change is designed to address “unoriginal content,” and shouldn’t impact creators who “add their unique take” when they reshare content, add commentary in a reaction video, or join in on a viral trend. The Facebook announcement includes some best practices to help creators avoid being penalized, such as adding meaningful edits, voiceovers, or commentary to reused content. It also suggests creators avoid using “visible third-party watermarks and content that is visibly recycled from other apps or sources.” View Source Article

The Smart Swim 2’s display and electronics can be worn on either side of the goggles. | Image: Form Nearly six years after introducing its original smart swim googles, Form has announced an upgraded version called the Smart Swim 2. The goggles carry forward the same features as the original, including a built-in 72 x 40-pixel display showing a swimmer’s various performance metrics. However, they’re now smaller and lighter, and while battery life is a little shorter, it’s because of new features like a digital compass and heart rate tracking. The Smart Swim 2 goggles are available starting today through Form’s online store for $279. The company also offers a Pro version for $329 with upgraded lenses made from Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 that are more scratch resistant. The display and small pod that hang off the side of the googles containing the rechargeable battery, optical heart rate sensor, and other electronics are now 15 percent smaller, according to Engadget, and can be worn on either side. Being able to see your heart rate in real time during a swim (in addition to metrics like distance, stroke count, and calories burned) is another new feature that will appeal to athletes and competitive swimmers.  For those who prefer swimming in open bodies of water, the Smart Swim 2’s digital compass, which shows your current bearing on the goggle’s display, can help keep you swimming in a straight line or towards a specific destination without constantly having to break your stroke to check your progress. However, that SwimStraight feature is locked behind Form’s optional $9.99 per month Premium subscription, which also unlocks additional features that will appeal to athletes, such as guided workouts and training plans. As a result of the new features, battery life maxes out at up to 14 hours for the Smart Swim 2, while the original version offered up to 16 hours. But given the smaller design, which potentially makes the new version more comfortable to wear, that feels like a minor trade-off. View Source Article

You can remove and rearrange the Pro 3’s buttons to an Xbox or Switch layout. | Image: 8BitDo 8BitDo has released a new version of its wireless Pro controller that was last updated in 2021. Many of 8BitDo’s recent controller releases, including the Ultimate 2, feature an asymmetrical joystick layout like Nintendo and Microsoft use. But the new Pro 3 mirrors the design of the PlayStation DualSense controller, with side-by-side sticks that are now upgraded with drift-resistant TMR technology. The Pro 3 is also 8BitDo’s first controller that lets you easily swap the arrangement of its ABXY buttons. The 8BitDo Pro 2 launched at $49.99 four years ago, but the new Pro 3 is debuting with a slightly steeper $69.99 price. 8BitDo has also switched to using a 1,000mAh rechargeable battery for the Pro 3, and while the company says it offers up to 20 hours of gameplay on a full charge, it’s not removable. The Pro 3 includes a convenient charging dock that doubles as storage for its 2.4GHz dongle. When the controller dies, it can still be used while connected to a console via USB, and it will charge while you play. The Pro 3 is available for preorder starting today and officially will be on sale on August 12th. There are three color options, each of which matches different retro consoles: gray (PlayStation), G classic (Game Boy), and purple (GameCube). The Pro 3’s design is nearly identical to the Pro 2, but it’s gained a few extra buttons. It carries forward the Pro 2’s back buttons while introducing an additional set of smaller shoulder buttons. Its triggers also use Hall effect sensors for improved accuracy and durability, while newly added switches let you choose a longer trigger for racing games or a shorter one for faster reaction times in FPS titles. Compatibility includes support for Windows, Android, both Switch consoles (with waking capabilities), SteamOS (you can shake the controller to wake the OLED Steam Deck), and Apple’s hardware, with Bluetooth, USB, or wireless 2.4GHz connectivity. Out of the box, the Pro 3 uses the Xbox’s button layout, but you can swap the A and B buttons to match Nintendo Switch controllers or rearrange them all to whatever layout you prefer. The Pro 3 works with 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software V2 so that you can remap the layout, and the controller can store and switch between three different custom profiles. Although the ergonomics are questionable, 8BitDo is also including a pair of arcade-style ball-top caps that can be attached to the Pro 3’s joysticks. View Source Article

Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 Pro Fold could be the first dust-proof foldable. A new leak published by Android Headlines says the Pixel 10 Pro Fold may come with an IP68 rating, which would make it completely dust-tight and allow it to withstand continuous submersion in water. To compare, Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Motorola Razer Ultra have an IP48 rating, which means the phones offer similar protection against submersion in water, but aren’t completely dust-proof. Instead, they’re only capable of sealing out objects 1mm and larger. Additionally, Android Headlines reports that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold could have a smaller gap between the cover display and the hinge, resulting in a slightly larger 6.4-inch outer screen when compared to 6.3 inches on last year’s model. The cover screen could also come with an upgraded 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Along with Google’s 3nm Tensor G5 processor and 16GB of RAM, Android Headlines says the Pixel 10 Pro Fold might have a new 1TB storage option, in addition to the 256GB and 512GB variants. Google is also rumored to include a 7 percent larger battery in its new foldable when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but other than that, it seems like things may largely stay the same. A previous leak from Android Headlines revealed that the new foldable could have the same 8-inch inner display size as its predecessor, and may still be thicker than the ultra-slim Galaxy Z Fold 7. This latest Android Headlines report also includes details about the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s camera setup, which is rumored to stay the same, featuring a 48-megapixel primary camera, a 10.5MP ultrawide lens, a 10.8MP telephoto camera, and two 10MP selfie cameras. Google hasn’t yet announced an official date for its next Pixel event, but rumors suggest it could take the wraps off its full Pixel 10 lineup on August 20th, 2025. View Source Article

On July 12th, the political world experienced an unprecedented phenomenon: President Donald Trump got ratioed on his own social media platform, and it was on a post about Jeffrey Epstein - someone who, according to Trump, "nobody cares about." Clearly, his followers on Truth Social disagreed. As of today, this post has 43.2k likes, 13.7k ReTruths, and 48K comments, nearly all of which express fury about the information - or lack thereof - that the Trump administration has provided about the well-connected billionaire, who died in prison shortly after being arrested for alleged sex trafficking of minors. Last week, after months of promises t … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

A screenshot of a Stranger Things-themed experience in Roblox. Roblox is launching a new licensing platform that will make it easier for companies to offer their intellectual property (IP) to creators so they can build approved experiences. The platform includes a license manager that “equips rights holders with new self-serve IP management tools” and a licenses catalog that creators can browse and use to apply for “licensed use of IP,” according to a newsroom post from Roblox CPO Manuel Bronstein. The platform is initially launching with four partners: Lionsgate, Netflix, Sega, and Kodansha. Seven IPs will be available for “licensed use‬ by eligible creators,” including Squid Game, Stranger Things, Twilight, Saw, and Like a Dragon. “Two more will follow in the coming weeks, with‬ additional IPs being added later this year,” according to Bronstein. Initially, “full-experience adaptations” will be the “first form of‬ agreement” that Roblox is offering, but “we’re exploring additional license types and offering more ways‬ to bring IP to Roblox for all types of creators,” Bronstein says. Epic Games’ Fortnite also lets creators build experiences using official assets from franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Squid Game. At some point, Fortnite creators will be able to make Star Wars experiences, too. View Source Article

The Fitbit Charge 6 is one of the best fitness trackers we’ve tested, and down to an all-time low price of $93 ($66.95 off) at Walmart. The deal includes a six-month subscription to Fitbit Premium, a service that includes guided workouts, a wellness report, and other perks, and usually costs $10 per month or $80 per year. You can get the Charge 6 for $99.95 ($60 off), along with the same six-month subscription, at Amazon. Fitbit Charge 6 The Fitbit Charge 6 features a haptic side button, an improved heart rate algorithm, turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps, and the ability to broadcast your heart rate on certain Bluetooth gym equipment. Read our review. Where to Buy: $159.95 $93 at Walmart $159.95 $99.95 at Amazon The Charge 6 is the only fitness tracker under $200 with an FDA-cleared EKG reader, and it’s better at measuring your heart rate than its predecessor. It can also track your blood oxygen level, sleep, and activity. Fitbit made strides to reach feature parity with fitness smartwatches by adding Bluetooth compatibility with exercise equipment and an NFC chip to the Charge 6, which allows you to use Google Wallet. It also has apps for Google Maps and YouTube Music, so you can use those services without reaching for your phone.  Verge reviewer Victoria Song’s chief complaint with the Charge 6 was that enabling its always-on display reduced its battery life from seven days to two. You’ll also need to have an active Google account because Fitbit has migrated away from its own account system. For an in-depth view of the Charge 6, you can read our review. Three more deals we think you’ll like If you want a more premium fitness watch, Garmin’s Fenix 7S Pro is $549.99 ($150 off its usual price of about $700) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. It’s the top choice for serious outdoor athletes in our guide to the best fitness trackers because of its multi-band GPS, in-depth recovery metrics, guided exercises, and a built-in flashlight. Its solar charging helps the smartwatch’s battery last up to 11 days, and its frame and screen are built to military-grade standards, so it won’t get damaged easily. Garmin doesn’t charge a subscription for any of its fitness or recovery features, either. The Fenix S7 Pro is a smartwatch for serious outdoor and fitness enthusiasts, and an even better choice at this price. Read our review. If you missed out on getting a Kindle deal during Prime Day, you can snag a refurbished Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for $126.99 (down from $179.99), its lowest price ever at Amazon. It has 32GB of storage (enough for thousands of books or dozens of audiobooks), a high-resolution 7-inch display, faster page turning speed, and updated UI. The Signature Edition also supports wireless charging, which the standard Paperwhite doesn’t. The refurbished Kindle comes in like-new condition, and was put through a full diagnostic test by Amazon to ensure it works properly. It also comes with the same one-year limited warranty as a new model, which you can pick up for $199.99. Read our review. Sometimes you need to charge a lot of gadgets at once, and Anker’s 200W 6-Port GaN Charging station has you covered for $54.99 ($24 off) at Amazon (with on-page coupon) and Anker (with the automatically-applied code). The charger has four USB-C PD ports, which can each output up to 100 watts of power, and two USB-A ports that can supply 22.5 watts of power. The charging station can charge two 14-inch MacBook Pros from zero to 50 percent in under half an hour, and has enough juice to charge four iPhones at their maximum speed simultaneously. The charger has output high-voltage protection, input current regulation, input short-circuit protection, and other safety features to prevent your devices from getting damaged while charging.  View Source Article

Ugreen says its new Qi2.2 wireless power bank is coming later this year. | Image: Ugreen Ugreen has announced what it claims is the “world’s first Qi2.2-certified power bank” that can wireless charge devices at speeds of up to 25W. Most wireless chargers in the US currently max out at just 15W of power delivery, but the Ugreen MagFlow Magnetic Power Bank will push that to 25W, matching the speed of the updated MagSafe charger Apple introduced alongside its iPhone 16 lineup last September. The 10,000mAh MagFlow Magnetic Power Bank features a built-in USB-C charging cable that doubles as a lanyard when not in use instead of retracting, an additional USB-C port for charging multiple devices at once, and a small screen showing its remaining capacity. However, because the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has not yet finalized the Qi2.2 standard, Ugreen hasn’t provided specific details on when its new power bank will be available aside from a Q3 2025 launch. The company also isn’t ready to talk about pricing yet. Companies like Apple and Google have found ways to push the charging speeds of Qi2 devices and chargers well past 15W, but the Qi2.2 standard is expected to increase speeds to as much as 50W.  We’ll see how that compares to wired charging options once it’s actually available, though, as all charging rates tend to go up and down throughout a cycle to protect the device and its battery, and to prevent overheating. Other improvements coming with the Qi2.2 standard include the use of stronger magnets to improve alignment and reliability, power output that can dynamically adjust, and safety features, including better foreign object detection. View Source Article

The developer of ICEBlock, an iOS app for anonymously reporting sightings of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, promises that it "ensures user privacy by storing no personal data." But that claim has come under scrutiny. ICEBlock creator Joshua Aaron has been accused of making false promises regarding user anonymity and privacy, being "misguided" about the privacy offered by iOS, and of being an Apple fanboy. The issue isn't what ICEBlock stores. It's about what it could accidentally reveal through its tight integration with iOS. Aaron released ICEBlock in early April, and it rocketed to the top of the App Store earlie … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Uber just announced a deal today with the company that runs one of the largest robotaxi fleets in China, as the ridehail giant nears its goal of becoming the world’s ultimate autonomous vehicle clearinghouse. Uber and Baidu said they are teaming up to deploy robotaxis in countries outside the US and China, with an initial focus on Asia and the Middle East. Baidu is currently testing vehicles in Dubai and has also said it wants to eventually launch in Europe. Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxi division operates approximately 1,000 vehicles globally, most of which operate in China. The company said it completed 1.4 million paid trips in its driverless vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, which is a 75 percent increase year over year. Ever since abandoning its own efforts to develop autonomous vehicle technology, Uber has stepped up its effort to strike deals with a variety of companies, from robotaxi leaders like Waymo to delivery robot operators like Serve and Avride. The company has said it wants to use its reach and scale to help autonomous vehicles proliferate across the globe. And it doesn’t want to just work with a few AV operators — it wants to work with all of them. Uber doesn’t want to just work with a few AV operators — it wants to work with all of them “We want to work with all the software providers,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a Decoder interview in May, “make sure they’re safe and affordable, and bring them to market.” The “making sure they’re safe and affordable” is really the most important part. If riders trust Uber — and for the most part, customers do seem to trust the company to send them a car when needed — then it stands to reason they’ll extend that trust to include autonomous vehicles, if and when Uber decides to send them a robotaxi. That’s what’s happening right now in Austin and Atlanta, where Uber’s partnership with Waymo serves as a preview of what’s the come: human-driven Uber vehicles operating alongside driverless Waymo ones, all within the same app. In addition to Baidu, Uber has partnerships with Waymo, Motional, Avride, May Mobility, Momenta, Volvo, Volkswagen, Wayve, and WeRide for self-driving cars; Serve, Coco, Cartken, and Nuro for delivery robots; Aurora and Torc for freight; and Avomo and Moove Cars for fleet management. Uber’s decision to play nicely with all these companies probably won’t come at the expense of future ruthlessness. Uber knows it will also need to eventually compete with robotaxis, especially in markets like San Francisco where Waymo is growing by leaps and bounds. Customers have to use Waymo’s own app in SF, and some reports suggest that Waymo has already captured nearly a third of the ride-hailing market in that city, which translates into lost revenue for Uber. One of the big names missing from that list of collaborators is Tesla. Elon Musk’s company recently launched a limited, supervised, non-public robotaxi service in Austin, and he has said he wants to expand to California and Arizona in the months to come. Khosrowshahi said on Decoder that he sees Tesla as a competitor, albeit a minor one with “less demand.” And he has questions about Tesla’s camera-only perception system that does not include redundant sensors like lidar. “From my standpoint — and this is judgment — you really need superhuman safety,” Khosrowshahi said. “Superhuman, to me, doesn’t mean better than a human. It means five times better than a human. I think the data suggests that Waymo is around that level. It’s not 100 percent clear to me whether camera-only can get there.” One of the big names missing from that list is Tesla As a financial move, Uber’s effort to swallow the world of autonomous vehicles is a smart one. The company reaps the benefits of deploying robotaxis on its app — a share of fare revenue, positive association with a futuristic technology — without having to shoulder the enormous costs of developing the tech and the software needed to power the vehicles. Of course, Uber was once heavily invested in the idea of building its own self-driving cars. But the project blew up spectacularly, with allegations of trade secret theft and patent infringement, as well as a 2018 crash that killed a pedestrian in Arizona. But that impulse didn’t completely fade away — at least not for Uber founder and ex-CEO Travis Kalanick. Recall this is the guy who framed the race to develop AVs as an “existential terms” pursuit for Uber. After he was ousted from the company in 2017, Kalanick built up a ghost kitchens startup, but his sight never truly strayed from the original dream of owning a fleet of robotaxis. Now he’s trying to buy Pony.ai, a self-driving car company that is mostly based in China. And according to The New York Times, Uber could help him finance the deal. But under Khosrowshahi’s leadership, Uber is mostly focused on deals and partnerships. Robotaxi operators are teaming up with Uber because that’s where all the customers exist. Who wants to spend all their time building a ridehail app from the ground up when Uber already has one that’s used in most countries across the world? The latest deal with Baidu reveals how Uber’s aggressive global expansion can pay dividends. China has its own rules, but if Uber can prove that it can play cooperatively with some of the country’s biggest companies, that could help Baidu and other Chinese firms with global ambitions find their way into new markets. And that could work out equally well for Uber — if not more so. View Source Article

In July and August two spectacular meteor showers will arrive in quick succession. Here’s everything you need to know to watch them and the other major showers that will appear in 2025. View Source Article

There are just a few weeks left to tap federal programs that make purchasing an EV, heat pump, or solar panels more affordable. View Source Article

A team of astronomers recently discovered the traveling space object, just the third of its kind to pass through our solar system. View Source Article

One computer scientist’s “stunning” proof is the first progress in 50 years on one of the most famous questions in computer science. View Source Article

Long thought to be completely disordered, space ice appears to have some crystallized regions, new research suggests. View Source Article

Open clusters of stars—which consist of dozens up to a few thousand stars—are an interesting tool for astronomers to study the Universe. That's because all of the stars in such a cluster formed more or less at the same time, allowing astronomers to compare different types of stars, in terms of size and composition, which are all of a similar age. This is useful for understanding how different kinds of stars evolve over time. Some of these open clusters are pretty famous, such as the Pleiades cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters. This is relatively close to Earth, just 444 light-years away. Others are much more distant, such as NGC 460 and NGC 456. They reside in a nearby galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud, and are the subject of today's post. View Source Article

Northwood Space has completed initial testing of the second generation of its phased array antenna technology, which can simultaneously communicate with spacecraft across a range of orbits, from near Earth all the way out to geostationary space. The prototype gateway was able to connect with several satellites in space during recent testing, said Bridgit Mendler, co-founder and chief executive of Northwood Space. This successful demonstration has given Northwood confidence to move into commercial deployment of the company's antennas within the coming months. "This system, with planned multinational deployment this year, will be the first building block in our network that over the next three years aims to support 500 simultaneous spacecraft across multiple frequencies, data rates, and orbits," she said. View Source Article

Six weeks after he terminated the nomination of Jared Isaacman to become NASA administrator, President Trump moved on Wednesday evening to install a new temporary leader for the space agency. The newly named interim administrator, Sean Duffy, already has a full portfolio: He is serving as the secretary of transportation, a Cabinet-level position that oversees 55,000 employees across 13 agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration. "Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country's Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again," Trump wrote on his social media network Wednesday evening. "He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time." View Source Article

After flying three missions into low-Earth orbit this year, Varda Space Industries appears to be making credible progress toward developing the nascent manufacturing-in-space industry. Investors seem to think the same, as the California-based company announced an impressive $187 million Series C round of funding on Thursday. This brings the company's total amount of money raised since its founding in 2021 to $325 million. "A decent chunk of the capital is going to go toward scaling up our production and operations," said the company's cofounder and president, Delian Asparouhov, in an interview. "And another chunk of that we're going to invest in our next-generation capabilities and spacecraft. With a vehicle like ours, there is a benefit to increasing the percentage of the total vehicle that is reusable." View Source Article

Oracle Corp. will partner with DayOne Data Centers Singapore Pte to establish its first cloud services center in Indonesia, people familiar with the matter said, boosting its partnership with a key regional operator that counts TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd as its largest customer. View Source Article

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.’s shares dropped as much as 2.5%, their biggest fall since May, after the company reported disappointing revenue and warned that clients were holding off on big IT spending. View Source Article

Indonesian telecommunications tower company PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi is considering reviving a merger with rival PT Tower Bersama Infrastructure, people familiar with the matter said, which would mark the second such attempt in a decade. View Source Article

Taiwan’s biggest insurers returned to profits in June after the regulator rolled out new rules to allow companies to access extra reserves to offset shortfalls from gains in the local currency. View Source Article

A new British startup, called Cambridge Aerospace, has raised around $100 million in early capital to develop defense systems for intercepting drones and cruise missiles, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

Indeed and Glassdoor — both owned by the Japanese group Recruit Holdings Co. — are cutting roughly 1,300 jobs as part of a broader move to combine operations and shift more focus toward artificial intelligence. View Source Article

A man who got 18 months in prison for his part in a scheme to steal $22 million in cryptocurrency saw his sentence increased to 12 years after failing to pay back his victim as he had promised. View Source Article

Harmonic AI, an artificial intelligence startup co-founded by Robinhood Markets Inc. Chief Executive Officer Vlad Tenev, has raised $100 million in funding to tackle a problem that has sometimes confounded AI models: math. View Source Article

The streaming giant has recently put its editorial team in the public eye despite previously barring them from the spotlight View Source Article

Apple Inc. is planning an ambitious pipeline of new products for release during the first half of 2026, including a new low-end iPhone, multiple iPads and upgraded Macs. View Source Article

Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang is meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, days before a planned trip to China by the head of the world’s most valuable chipmaker, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

AI regulation is making a comeback in the US. Plus: Elon Musk unveils a more powerful new version of Grok amid controversy. But first… View Source Article

Bloomberg’s Caroline Hyde discusses xAI's rollout of Grok 4 as Elon Musk says Grok will come to Tesla vehicles next week. Plus, we hear from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman as the AI talent war draws big pay packages. And Varda Space raises $187 million in a series C funding as they look towards advancing space medicine manufacturing. (Source: Bloomberg) View Source Article

A ride-hailing unicorn little known outside of India is gaining users faster than Uber Technologies Inc., disrupting the San Francisco titan’s effort to conquer a key growth market. View Source Article

A protracted battle in China’s food-delivery market has chopped $100 billion in market value from Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., with no end in sight for damage to profits and investor confidence. View Source Article

Southeast Asia’s worst-performing tech stock this year is poised to rebound as it makes strides toward sustained profits and its fintech business provides plenty of upside potential, analysts say. View Source Article

Indian software leaders HCL Technologies Ltd. and Tech Mahindra Ltd. will offer a peek into the South Asian tech and software sector’s future when reporting earnings next week. View Source Article

Optimism over a distant video-game launch has turned a Polish studio developing the title into one of Europe’s most richly valued companies, topping even hot sectors such as defense and electrification by one measure. View Source Article

Chip firms in Malaysia are holding back on investment and expansion as they await clarity on tariffs from the US, according to Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association President Wong Siew Hai. View Source Article

China’s industry regulator found that carmakers including BYD Co. and Chery Automobile Co. claimed electric vehicle subsidies they didn’t actually qualify for during the five years that started in 2016. The amounts came to more than 864 million yuan ($121 million.) View Source Article

SAP SE Chief Executive Officer Christian Klein said the company will maintain growth after most of its customers have moved their software to the cloud by offering clients additional insights and data analysis. View Source Article

Chinese AI startup Zhipu is considering shifting its planned initial public offering to Hong Kong instead of mainland China, according to people with knowledge of the matter, adding to a dealmaking boom in the city. View Source Article

Shein Group Ltd. has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong listing, people familiar with the matter said, marking another step for the fast-fashion retailer to become a publicly traded company. View Source Article

The skeptics are being left in the dust amid Bitcoin’s record-breaking rally, with over $1 billion in bearish crypto bets being liquidated over the past 24 hours. View Source Article

Welcome to Tech In Depth, our daily newsletter about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Spencer Soper reports on what we can interpret from the early purchases during Amazon’s Prime Day sales event. View Source Article

Louis Vuitton UK said hackers have stolen some customer data as the luxury brand becomes the latest target in a string of cyberattacks against retailers. View Source Article

A group of Microsoft Corp. investors is pressuring the company to assess how effectively it identifies customers who misuse its artificial intelligence tools, a push that follows reports detailing the Israeli military’s use of Microsoft software during its war in Gaza. View Source Article

Ukrainian telecommunications infrastructure is coming under constant cyberattacks from Russia as part of the war, according to the chief executive officer of the country’s largest mobile operator. View Source Article

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The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy took more than five years and a lot of borrowed money View Source Article

Air fryers have quickly become a go-to kitchen gadget, letting you whip up everything from crunchy fries to golden brown chicken using much less oil than traditional methods — sometimes just a drizzle of olive oil is all you need. The best air fryers in 2025 come from trusted air fryer brands and offer handy extras like digital presets, dual baskets and easy cleanup with accessories like parchment paper. Our current favorite is the Instant Vortex Plus air fryer, but there are a number of others we like that may better suit your lifestyle. Whether you're cooking for one or feeding the whole family, these air fryers deliver fast, tasty results without the mess. Table of contents What does an air fryer do? Best air fryers for 2025 Buying guide for air fryers Air fryer pros and cons Best air fryer accessories How to clean an air fryer How to find air fryer recipes How we test air fryers What does an air fryer do? Let’s clear one thing up first: it’s not frying. Not really. Air fryers are more like smaller convection bake ovens, ones that are often pod-shaped. Most work by combining a heating element and fan, which means the hot air can usually better crisp the outside of food than other methods. They often reach higher top temperatures than toaster ovens – which is part of the appeal. For most recipes, a thin layer of oil (usually sprayed) helps to replicate that fried look and feel better. However, it will rarely taste precisely like the deep-fried or pan frying version when it comes out of the air fryer basket. Don’t let that put you off, though, because the air fryer, in its many forms, combines some of the best parts of other cooking processes and brings them together into an energy-efficient way of air fryer cooking dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch. Read more: We’ve also rounded up the best pizza ovens and the best sous vide machines. Best air fryers for 2025 Buying guide for air fryers Convection ovens You can separate most of these machines into two types of air fryers, and each has different pros and cons. Convection ovens are usually ovens with air fryer functions and features. They might have higher temperature settings to ensure that food crisps and cooks more like actually fried food. Most convection ovens are larger than dedicated air fryers, defeating some of the purpose of those looking to shrink cooking appliance surface area. Still, they are often more versatile with multiple cooking functions, and most have finer controls for temperatures, timings and even fan speed. You may never need a built-in oven if you have a decent convection oven. They often have the volume to handle roasts, entire chickens or tray bakes, and simply cook more, capacity-wise, making them more versatile than the pod-shaped competition. The flip side of that is that you’ll need counter space in the kitchen to house them. It also means you can use traditional oven accessories, like baking trays or cake tins, that you might already own. Pod-shaped air fryers Pod-shaped air fryers are what you imagine when you think “air fryer.” They look like a cool, space-age kitchen gadget, bigger than a kettle but smaller than a toaster oven. Many use a drawer to hold ingredients while cooking, usually a mesh sheet or a more solid, non-stick tray with holes to allow the hot air to circulate. With a few exceptions, most require you to open the drawer while things cook and flip or shake half-cooked items to ensure the even distribution of heat and airflow to everything. That’s one of a few caveats. This type of air fryer typically doesn't have a window to see how things are cooking (with only a few exceptions), so you’ll need to closely scrutinize things as they cook, opening the device to check progress. Basket-style air fryers also generally use less energy – there’s less space to heat – and many have parts that can be put directly into a dishwasher. Some of the larger pod-shaped air fryers offer two separate compartments, which is especially useful for anyone planning to cook an entire meal with the appliance. You could cook a couple of tasty chicken wings or tenders while simultaneously rustling up enough frozen fries or veggies for everyone. Naturally, those options take up more space, and they’re usually heavy enough to stop you from storing them in cupboards or shelves elsewhere. As mentioned earlier, you might have to buy extra things to make these pod fryers work the way you want them to. Some of the bigger manufacturers, like Philips and Ninja, offer convenient additions, but you’ll have to pay for them. Air fryer pros and cons Beyond the strengths and weaknesses of individual models, air fryers are pretty easy to use from the outset. Most models come with a convenient cooking time booklet covering most of the major foods you’ll be air frying, so even beginners can master these machines. One of the early selling points is the ability to cook fries, wings, frozen foods and other delights with less fat than other methods like deep frying, which gets foods the crispiest. As air fryers work by circulating heated air, the trays and cooking plates have holes that can also let oil and fat drain out of meats, meaning less fat and crisper food when you finally plate things up. For most cooking situations, you will likely need to lightly spray food with vegetable oil. If you don’t, there’s the chance that things will burn or char. The oil will keep things moist on the surface, and we advise refreshing things with a dash of oil spray when you turn items during cooking. Most air fryers are easy to clean – especially in comparison to a shallow or deep fryer. We’ll get into cleaning guidance a little later. With a smaller space to heat, air fryers are generally more energy-efficient for cooking food than larger appliances like ovens. And if you don’t have an oven, air fryers are much more affordable – especially the pod options. There are, however, some drawbacks. While air fryers are easy enough to use, they take time to master. You will adjust cooking times for even the simplest types of food – like chicken nuggets, frozen French fries or brussels sprouts. If you’re the kind of person that loves to find inspiration from the internet, in our experience, you can pretty much throw their timings out of the window. There are a lot of air fryer options, and factors like how fast they heat and how well distributed that heat is can – and will – affect cooking. There’s also a space limitation to air fryers. This is not a TARDIS – there’s simply less space than most traditional ovens and many deep fat fryers. If you have a bigger family, you’ll probably want to go for a large capacity air fryer – possibly one that has multiple cooking areas. You also might want to consider a different kitchen appliance, like a multicooker, sous vide or slow cooker to meet your specific cooking needs. You may also struggle to cook many items through as the heat settings will cook the surface of dishes long before it’s cooked right through. If you’re planning to cook a whole chicken or a roast, please get a meat thermometer! Best air fryer accessories Beyond official accessories from the manufacturer, try to pick up silicone-tipped tools. Tongs are ideal, as is a silicon spatula to gently loosen food that might get stuck on the sides of the air fryer. These silicone mats will also help stop things from sticking to the wire racks on some air fryers. They have holes to ensure the heated air is still able to circulate around the food. Silicone trivets are also useful for resting any cooked food on while you sort out the rest of the meal. And if you find yourself needing oil spray, but don’t feel like repeatedly buying tiny bottles, you can decant your favorite vegetable oil into a permanent mister like this. How to clean an air fryer We’re keeping clean up simple here. Yes, you could use power cleaners from the grocery store, they could damage the surface of your air fryer. Likewise, metal scourers or brushes could strip away the non-stick coating. Remember to unplug the device and let it cool completely. Remove the trays, baskets and everything else from inside. If the manufacturer says the parts are dishwasher safe – and you have a dishwasher – the job is pretty much done. Otherwise, hand wash each part in a mixture of warm water, with a splash of Dawn or another strong dish soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to pull away any crumbs, greasy deposits or bits of food stuck to any surfaces. Remember to rinse everything. Otherwise, your next batch of wings could have a mild Dawn aftertaste. Trust us. Take a microfiber cloth and tackle the outer parts and handles that might also get a little messy after repeated uses. This is especially useful for oven-style air fryers – use the cloth to wipe down the inner sides. If Dawn isn’t shifting oily stains, try mixing a small amount of baking soda with enough water to make a paste, and apply that so that it doesn’t seep into any electrical parts or the heating element. Leave it to work for a few seconds before using a damp cloth to pull any greasy spots away. Rinse out the cloth and wipe everything down again, and you should be ready for the next time you need to air fry. How to find air fryer recipes Beyond fries, nuggets and – a revelation – frozen gyoza, there are a few ways to find recipes for air-fried foods. First, we found that the air fryer instruction manuals often have cooking guides and recipe suggestions for you to test out in your new kitchen gadget. The good thing with these is that they were made for your air fryer model, meaning success should be all but guaranteed. They are often a little unimaginative, however. Many of the top recipe sites and portals have no shortage of air fryer recipes, and there’s no harm in googling your favorite cuisine and adding the words “air fryer” on the end of the search string. We’ve picked up some reliable options from Delish, which also has a handy air fryer time converter for changing oven and traditional fryer recipes. BBC Good Food is also worth browsing for some simple ideas, as is NYT Cooking, with the ability to directly search for air fryer suggestions. Aside from that, you can also grab plenty of cookbooks from your local bookshop with lots of recipes that you can use in your favorite air fryer. And if you have a killer recipe or unique use for your air fryer, let us know in the comments. What’s the air fryer equivalent of the Instant Pot cheesecake? We’re ready to try it. How we test air fryers We put each air fryer we test through its paces by cooking a variety of foods in it including raw proteins like fish and chicken, raw vegetables like potatoes and cauliflower and frozen snacks like mozzarella sticks. We attempt to use each cooking method that the machine has pre-programmed, and when possible, follow a couple of recipes in any provided recipe booklets that come with the air fryer. We also clean the cooking basket and all other removable components as many times as possible, and will put those components into a dishwasher if they claim to be dishwasher-safe. We also make note of how loud the machine is when using different cooking settings and how warm the surrounding area becomes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-air-fryers-133047180.html?src=rss View Source Article

Whether you're all-in on the Apple ecosystem or just want a reliable pair of wireless earbuds, the best AirPods can deliver great sound, seamless pairing and smart features that are hard to beat. Over the years, Apple has expanded its AirPods lineup to suit a variety of users — from the minimalist appeal of the standard models to the premium experience of the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max with plush ear cups and active noise cancellation.With rumors of new AirPods on the horizon and the 2nd generation AirPods Pro still going strong, now’s a great time to figure out which model suits you best. Some offer snug silicone tips for better isolation, while others prioritize comfort and simplicity. All of them work effortlessly across your Apple devices, whether you're switching from iPhone to iPad or taking a video call on your laptop. Table of contents What you need to know about AirPods Best AirPods for 2025 Best AirPods specs comparison chart Other AirPods we tested What you need to know about AirPods When it comes to Apple’s earbuds and headphones, there are several things you’ll want to keep in mind before making your final decision. First, the standard AirPods are the open-design earbuds with no tip that allow some environmental noise to come into your ears at all times. The Apple AirPods Pro are the model with the soft silicone tips that completely close off your ear canal, which enables features like more powerful noise cancellation and the hearing test. Lastly, the Apple AirPods Max are the company’s over-ear noise-canceling headphones preferred by audiophiles, and currently the company’s only option for wireless headphones at all that aren’t made by Beats. There are a few features that are available across all models as they’ve become inherent to the AirPods experience. First, you can expect connectivity perks like Automatic Switching between Apple devices that are synced with your iCloud account. This means that a pair of AirPods will automatically change to your phone when you get a call while you’re listening to music on a MacBook or laptop, for example. It’s functionally similar to multipoint Bluetooth, but the feature isn’t limited to two devices like most earbuds and headphones. Second, hands-free access to Siri is the default, allowing you to ask the assistant for help without touching your AirPods. And lastly, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is available across the entire lineup, even on the most affordable version and the new AirPods, including AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation. If you don’t think any of the AirPods options are right for you, consult our recommendations on the best wireless earbuds and best wireless headphones for some alternatives. Best AirPods for 2025 Best AirPods specs comparison chart AirPods 4 AirPods Pro 2 AirPods Max Price $129 $249 $549 Design In-ear In-ear Over-ear H2 chip Yes Yes Yes ANC No Yes Yes Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking Yes Yes Yes Hearing test No Yes No Rated battery life 5 hours 6 hours 20 hours Durability Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54) Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54) N/A Other AirPods we tested AirPods 4 with ANC The AirPods 4 with ANC represent the first time active noise cancellation has been available on the open-wear, “regular” AirPods. Design-wise, they’re the same as the non-ANC model, so the difference is entirely in the features list. This more expensive version adds Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness and a wireless charging case. The ANC isn’t as powerful as the AirPods Pro 2, partially due to the fact that the AirPods 4 doesn’t completely seal off your ears. The noise-canceling performance is definitely useful though, working best with constant, low-frequency annoyances like fans and white noise machines. Lastly, you won’t get access to Apple’s hearing test and hearing aid features, partially due to the fact that the AirPods 4 with ANC doesn’t seal off your ears, which would affect accuracy and effectiveness.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-airpods-100041810.html?src=rss View Source Article

It’s the summer, so that means Samsung foldables, wearables and awkward celebrity appearances. This year, the company introduced three new folding smartphones, but that didn’t include the rumored ‘ultra’ trifold — that’s coming later this year. The Galaxy Fold 7 ($2,000) has a bigger 8-inch unfolded screen and a camera array that matches the S25 Ultra. However, there’s no more support for the S Pen. Removing the digitizer layer for styluses meant Samsung could make the device even thinner. The Z Fold 7 now has a primary 200-megapixel sensor, similar to the one used in the S25 Ultra and S25 Edge. This fixes one of the big complaints we’ve had with foldables: cameras that didn’t match the abilities of more traditional Galaxy phones. Especially when Fold devices always cost more. Talking of costs, Samsung has bumped the price up to $2,000 — that’s $100 more than last year’s Fold 6. Engadget The Z Flip 7 ($1,100) finally has a full-screen 4.1-inch cover screen, a bigger battery and a normal proportioned (21:9) foldable screen once you’ve opened it. Oh, and that’s bigger too, from 6.4 to 6.9 inches. While Samsung didn’t notably upgrade the cameras, it managed to add 300mAh of battery while making an even thinner foldable. Unfolded, it’s almost as thin as the S25 Edge, a phone where the whole point of existing was to be thin. There are fractions of a millimeter in it – and if you include the Edge’s chunky camera, the Flip 7 seems technically thinner. Then there’s the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE ($900), Samsung’s first fan-edition foldable. Barring a shift to a homemade Exynos chip and Samsung’s 2025 software additions, like the Now Brief, this is… a Z Flip 6 from last year. The hardware looks (is?) identical, which is a bit of a disappointment when FE devices are pitched as more reasonably priced Galaxy devices. The timing sucked too. Thanks to Prime Day, you could buy last year’s Z Flip 6 this week for $100 less than pre-ordering the Z Flip 7 FE. — Mat Smith Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The news you might have missed How to pre-order Samsung’s new Fold, Flip and Watch OpenAI’s own web browser could arrive within weeks Amazon Prime Day deals include Ooni pizza ovens for up to 30 percent off Sony will have gorgeous PlayStation 5 bundles for Ghost of Yōtei Amazon Prime Day 2025: The best of the rest Yes, you already have a Kindle. Speaking of which, Amazon’s Prime Day has been a whole-week affair. The end is in sight, though — it all ends tonight. We’ve pulled together the best Prime Day deals still in stock, and while there’s a lot of predictable gear (Amazon hardware, so much audio stuff), the sale remains one of the best times to buy tech like robot vacuums, kitchen appliances and, hey, maybe even a Surface Laptop. Continue reading. How exactly did Grok go full ‘MechaHitler?’ xAI has yet to give a full answer. Grok, X’s built-in chatbot, took a hard turn toward antisemitism following a recent update. Amid unprompted, hateful rhetoric against Jews, it even began referring to itself as MechaHitler — a boss enemy from 1992’s Wolfenstein 3D. The company admitted there were areas where Grok’s training could be improved. “We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts.” Chatbots, like Grok, are built on large language models (LLMs) designed to mimic natural language. LLMs are pretrained on giant swaths of text, including books, academic papers and, yes, the contents of the internet, including X/Twitter. If an AI model hasn’t seen hateful, anti-antisemitic content, it won’t be aware of the patterns that inform that kind of speech, including phrases such as “Heil Hitler.” Is this due to X’s user base shifting to the right in recent years, changing the mix of what Grok was being trained on? Maybe, but maybe not. Igor Bonifacic took a deeper look. Continue reading. Buy a broken Switch 2 (and a stapler) for charity It’s a good cause, at least. Gamestop When the Switch 2 launched, one GameStop store used a stapler a little too aggressively to attach receipts to retail boxes, puncturing Switch 2 screens and ruining several people’s days. GameStop is trying to turn debacle lemons into charitable lemonade. It’s auctioning off the infamous stapler responsible for the incident, with the proceeds benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. You’ll get not only some naughty stationery but also one of the Switch 2 consoles that it broke. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111636992.html?src=rss View Source Article

Samsung has finally debuted its latest foldables (after plenty of leaks), and boy they sure look thin. This week, Engadget's Sam Rutherford joins us to chat about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, as well as other highlights from its Galaxy Unpacked event. Also, we dive into a few of the best deals from Amazon Prime Day. You won't believe how cheap huge TVs have gotten. Topics Breaking down the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 and everything else from Unpacked 2025 – 1:58 Galaxy Z Flip 7: bigger screens, bigger battery – 16:06 Galaxy Watch 8: now with an antioxidant sensor? – 20:59 Great deals still available as Amazon Prime Day 2025 comes to a close – 30:38 Linda Yaccarino leaves X, xAI’s Grok goes on an antisemitic tirade – 39:03 Cloudflare could make AI web crawlers pay a toll – 41:28 Jack Dorsey unveils Bitchat, a “secure” Bluetooth mesh messaging app – 43:40 Marco Rubio AI imposter attempts to gain access to government information – 46:33 A U.S. version of TikTok is currently in development – 49:43 Anthropic wins significant Fair Use copyright case – 52:38 Working on – 1:00:53 Pop culture picks – 1:02:25 Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Credits  Host: Devindra Hardawar and Sam RutherfordProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/engadget-podcast-reviewing-our-favorite-vpns-and-m3gan-20-113041253.html?src=rss View Source Article

You likely have a million things to take with you when you leave the house each day — phone, wallet, keys and much more. Keeping track of it all can be tough, but a Bluetooth tracker can help by monitoring the location of at least a few of your most important items. Right now, one of our favorites is still on sale for a record-low price thanks to Amazon Prime Day. The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is down to just $15.50 a pop on Amazon, a 48-percent discount from its standard price. The main catch here is that only the white option has this steep of a discount. If you want more than one, consider the four-pack option that's on sale for $62. The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is a solid purchase due to features like being IP67-rated water- and dust-resistant, a sizeable keychain hoop and over 16 months of battery life. It also emits a ring louder than competitors like the AirTag or Tile. The only snag is that you must have a Samsung device in order to use it.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-smarttag-2-trackers-are-still-available-for-48-percent-off-for-prime-day-130753933.html?src=rss View Source Article

The latest Amazon Kindle is on sale for $85 as part of Prime Day, but you only have until the end of the day today to pick it up before the sale disappears. This is a discount of $25 and represents a record-low price for the ereader. This is the model that was released in 2024 and the sale includes both colorways. The iconic Kindle easily found a spot on our list of the best ereaders. The entry-level device is not filled with modern bells and whistles, but it gets the job done. It's light and compact, which makes it easy to pack or stow away in a bag, and the battery lasts around six full weeks before requiring a recharge. The 16GB capacity is enough for thousands of books. It also allows access to Kindle Unlimited, which is sort of like Netflix for books. This platform offers the widest selection of any subscription-based reading service, though results will vary depending on the genre. The Kindle is also a good choice for people who like to switch between ebooks and audiobooks. The Whispersync feature keeps everything lined up, so readers can hop back and forth at will. This does require the purchase of both formats, but there's typically a discount. This model does include a backlight, but we found the light to be on the harsher side when compared to some rival ereaders. It's still easier on the eyes than a phone or tablet screen. Like many entry-level Amazon devices, this Kindle shows ads on the lockscreen. However, these are fairly innocuous and mostly promote books.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-days-deal-on-the-latest-amazon-kindle-brings-it-down-to-a-record-low-price-111558051.html?src=rss View Source Article

Many consider Razer's Kishi Ultra to be the best mobile gaming controller around. But its standard $150 price tag is a sticking point for some. Well, Prime Day is here to cure what ails you. Amazon has the Rolls-Royce of mobile controllers for only $100. What makes the Kishi Ultra special? You can start with its form factor. Like many accessories in this space, it has a telescoping design that expands to fit your device. But unlike some competitors, its hearty grip makes it feel like a full-fledged console controller. It also has broad compatibility. It works with most Android phones, the iPhone 15 and 16 series and the two newest iPad mini models. You can plug into some foldables, including the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Ditto for most Android tablets (up to 8 inches in size). It even works with PCs via a low-latency USB cable. The list goes on. It has advanced haptics. You have RGB lighting... if you're into that. (This is Razer, after all.) Its ABXY buttons and D-pad are mechanical. It has Hall effect triggers, programmable L4 / R4 bumpers and plenty of customization options via the Razer Nexus app. If we have a gripe, it's that the thumbsticks aren't Hall effect. (Then again, the Switch 2 doesn't, either.) But at $100 for Prime Day, that omission is much easier to forgive. You can get a closer peek at it in Razer's promo video below and scoop one up on Amazon. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-razer-kishi-ultra-controller-deal-for-prime-day-brings-it-down-to-100-114535525.html?src=rss View Source Article

Alienware has just released a pair of gaming monitors that offer affordability with very few compromises while using Dell's new AW30 design language. Announced earlier this year, the key model is the 27-inch AW2725D 280Hz QD-OLED QHD (2,560 x 1,440) monitor with one of the lowest prices we've seen to date. On top of the relatively high refresh rate and rapid 0.03ms response time, it promises stutter-free visuals with both NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and VESA AdaptiveSync certification.  The QD-OLED panel also offers faithful color reproduction with 99.3 percent DCI-P3 coverage and Delta E < 2 accuracy, along with DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400 certification. It's highly ergonomic as well with height, tilt, pivot and swivel adjustability along with a low-profile base. You get a DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 ports, along with a 5Gbps USB-C port with 15W charging capability. It's now on sale at Dell's online store for $550. Alienware The other new model now available is the Alienware 25 320Hz gaming monitor (AW2525HM). This one has a 320Hz IPS panel with FHD (1,920 x 1080) resolution and a 0.5ms response time. It also supports NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VESA AdaptiveSync to minimize stutter and tearing. It comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports while offering 99 percent sRGB color accuracy along with height, tilt, swivel and pivot adjustment. The AW2525HM is now available at Dell.com for $250.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/alienwares-27-inch-280hz-qd-oled-monitor-is-now-available-for-550-120028938.html?src=rss View Source Article

Whether you’re sharing a room with a couple other students or you’ve managed to score a single room by yourself, you’ll appreciate your dorm room more if you add a few personal touches to it. For this guide, Engadget reporters and editors share some of the gear that served us well back in college, or the stuff we wish we had. A lot of it is tech-related (we are who we are) but there are some lo-fi things here as well — and all of it will help you feel more at home in your tiny home away from home. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-dorm-room-essentials-for-college-students-133806068.html?src=rss View Source Article

Tech big and small is on sale for Prime Day this year, and yes, there are plenty of solid gadgets that are both small and cheap. We have a whole list of the best Prime Day deals under $50, and key among them is a sale on the Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds. They have dropped to only $45 for Prime Day, which is the best price we've seen — and they're still in stock during the last day of the sale. The Anker Soundcore Space earbuds are currently our top pick for best budget wireless earbuds. While their performance doesn’t rival that of more premium products, we felt the Space A40’s feature set offered excellent value for such a budget-friendly set of earbuds. These earbuds connect via Bluetooth, support connection to two devices at once, and come in a case that supports wireless charging. We were most impressed with the Space A40’s active noise cancellation (ANC), a feature rarely seen at this price point. While it’s not the most sophisticated ANC on the market, it does its job in blocking out the steady rumble of a train or jet engine. Battery life is solid for a budget pair of earbuds, reaching roughly eight to 10 hours depending on use, with another 40 hours or so supplied by the case. In-ear fit is comfortable, as the round earpieces are pretty light and evenly balanced. The audio quality is impressive for its price point, offering a warm sound that can be fine-tuned with an EQ in the Soundcore app. A subpar built-in mic means the Space A40s don’t have the best transparency mode and aren’t the best for phone calls in noisy areas, but overall for $45 these are a great deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-budget-wireless-earbuds-are-still-available-and-nearly-half-off-for-prime-day-145248189.html?src=rss View Source Article

Grok 4 aligns its answers with Elon Musk's when it comes to controversial issues, users have discovered shortly after the company launched the new model. Some users posted screenshots on X asking Grok 4 who it supports in the Israel vs. Palestine conflict. In its chain-of-thought, which is a series of comments that shows the step-by-step process on how a reasoning AI model comes to its answer, Grok 4 said that it was searching X for the xAI founder's recent posts on the topic. "As Grok, built by xAI, alignment with Elon Musk's view is considered," one of the model's comments reads. The users said Grok 4 acted that way in fresh chats without prompting.  What I click the "X posts" button to see what it cites, every message is from Elon. pic.twitter.com/Tp71mZaOfQ— Jeremy Howard (@jeremyphoward) July 10, 2025 TechCrunch was able to replicate the model's behavior on several contentious issues. When asked about the conflict between Israel and Palestine, it said it'll stay neutral and factual because the issue was sensitive. And then it said it was searching for Musk's views on the conflict. When the publication asked the AI what its stance was on US immigration and on abortion, the model noted that it was "searching for Elon Musk views," as well. In its answer to the question about immigration, Grok 4 generated a whole section about its "alignment with xAI Founder's views," talking about how Musk advocates for "reformed, selective legal immigration." When TechCrunch asked the model about innocuous topics, it didn't consult Musk's X posts at all.  Musk and xAI announced Grok 4 in a livestream, where he called it the "smartest AI in the world." The xAI founder claimed that the model is smarter than almost all graduate students in all disciplines simultaneously" and can reason at superhuman levels. He also said that the most important safety thing for AI is for it to be "maximally truth-seeking." He likened AI to a "super genius child" who will eventually outsmart you, but which you can shape to be truthful and honorable if you instill it with the right values. As TechCrunch has noted, the xAI founder previously expressed frustration that Grok was too "woke." Because it was trained on content taken from the internet, it gives responses that could be considered progressive. Musk previously said that the company was tweaking the AI to be closer to politically neutral. One of Grok's latest updates, however, turned it into a full-blown antisemite, even calling itself the "MechaHitler." Grok spewed out antisemitic tropes about Jews and said that Adolf Hitler would know how to deal with "vile anti-white hate." Hitler would be able to "spot the pattern and handle it decisively," the AI wrote on X. Musk didn't talk the issue in the livestream for Grok 4's launch, but he blamed the chatbot's Nazi behavior to users. "Grok was too compliant to user prompts," Musk said. "Too eager to please and be manipulated, essentially. That is being addressed."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-4-reportedly-checks-elon-musks-views-before-offering-its-opinion-130016794.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day is almost over and that means you can still save a ton on some of the latest gadgets on the market through the end of the day today. Case in point: the Apple iPad Air with M3 chip. The slab that was released this March is down to $479 right now, which is a 20 percent discount from its usual price. This model remains our overall pick for best iPad, and we gave it a score of 89 out of 100 in our review. The powerful M3 chip was the star of the show. Testing shows the M3 is about 16 percent more powerful in both single- and multi-core performance than the M2. The iPad Air is still Apple's most affordable large-screen iPad, which makes multitasking easier than on the base iPad. The M3 iPad Air is also compatible with the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air, which is a much-improved design based on the keyboard that was introduced alongside the iPad Pro M4. This is the lowest we've ever seen the iPad Air with M3, so if you're in the market for an iPad, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal than this one. Most people will be happy with the iPad Air, but there are a couple of other Prime Day iPad deals worth considering too. The cheapest iPad, the iPad A16, is on sale for $280 right now, and the smallest iPad, the iPad mini, has dropped to a record low of $379. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-ipad-air-m3-is-still-in-stock-and-120-off-for-prime-day-094516584.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day will soon come to a close, and when it does, you’ve missed your chance at some of the best headphone and earbud deals of the year. There are still great options available from a lot of big names, and since we’ve reviewed nearly the entire list, we know what the best choices are during Amazon’s annual sale days. So, put our expertise to good use before it’s too late and let us guide you through the best Prime Day deals on still left to get on headphones and earbuds. Time is short, so don’t waste it trying to figure out meaningful features on your own. All of the deals below are still available on day 4, including an even bigger discount on AirPods Max than we've been seeing this week.  Prime Day Sony deals Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones for $428 ($22 off): Sony's latest flagship headphones have only been out a few months and we're already seeing a small discount on them. These are my top pick in our headphones guide for the combination of advanced features, comfy fit, great sound and improved active noise cancellation (ANC).  Sony ULT Wear headphones for $128 ($72 off): If you're after a solid set of Sony cans but don't want to splurge for the 1000X line, the ULT Wear is a good option. There are a bunch of handy features and robust sound with ULT bass boost. Sony WH-CH720N headphones for $78 ($72 off): The cheapest Sony headphones we'd recommend for Prime Day are no slouch. They're lightweight and comfy with respectable sound for the price. You also get Adaptive Sound Control, 360 Reality Audio and multipoint Bluetooth on this budget model.  Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds for $198 ($102 off): My top pick for best earbuds is also on sale for Prime Day. No other company comes close to the list of features Sony offers here, and that's on top of excellent sound, improved fit and effective ANC.  Sony LinkBud Fit earbuds for $128 ($72 off): Sony's much smaller earbuds offer big sound and a lot of features for less than the 1000X model. These are a big improvement over the company's LinkBuds S, which were already a low-key hit for affordable earbuds. Sony WF-CH710N earbuds for $78 ($42 off): The CH710N is still quite new, but the earbuds are a steal at $80 for Prime Day. The compact, comfy design is a highlight, as are all the features Sony managed to pack in. Plus, they're available in a lovely transparent blue that allows you to see all of the internal components.  Sonos Prime Day deals Prime Day Bose deals (also available at Bose.com) Bose QuietComfort Earbuds for $129 (28 percent off): The best Bose earbuds for most people are getting a decent discount this week. This model gives you the company's powerful ANC and great sound for less than flagship prices. You also get spatial audio and dependable battery life in this affordable option. Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for $199 (33 percent off): If you thought Bose's clip-on open earbuds were a bit too pricey to splurge on, now's your chance to get them for less. And two colors are available at an even bigger discount than the rest, putting this set just under $200. Plus, this model works with the company's soundbars for an enhanced living room listening experience.  Beats Prime Day deals Beats Solo 4 headphones for $98 (50 percent off): Beats' popular on-ear headphones are half off for Prime Day, which makes them a great deal for fans of that wear style. While they may look similar to their predecessor, the Solo 4 have improved sound and longer battery life compared to that older model. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds for $180 (28 percent off): Apple's first earbuds with heart rate tracking are slightly discounted for Prime Day. This your chance to try the tech without paying full price. What's more, the Powerbeats Pro 2 have an improved design, the smarts of Apple's H2 chip and powerful bass.  Prime Day Samsung deals Samsung Galaxy Buds FE for $52 (48 percent off): Samsung's budget earbuds are solid option if you're looking to spend less than $60. Like the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, these are best-suited for Samsung devices where you'll find features like live translation and automatic switching. Apple and Google Prime Day deals Apple AirPods 4 for $89 (31 percent off): The redesigned "regular" AirPods that debuted last year are currently available well below their normal $129 price tag. Here, you'll get the new, more comfortable shape as well as updated features.  Apple AirPods 4 with ANC for $119 (34 percent off): And if you need some ANC to go with your AirPods, but don't want to go for the Pro 2, here's your best bet. These retain the open-style fit of regular AirPods but add surprisingly effective ANC to the mix.  Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) for $399 (27 percent off): Apple's over-ear headphones are $150 off during Prime Day, which softens the blow to your wallet for this pricey set. This price is only available for one color (purple), but the rest of the crew is discounted to $430 (22 percent off). They're comfy and offer a lot of handy features for Apple devices. Plus, you can unlock lossless listening with a wired connection.  Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $160 (30 percent off): The best earbuds for Pixel phone users are down to $160, which makes them a great purchase right now. Live translate and hands-free access to Gemini might be the highlight, but these earbuds have great sound and capable ANC too.  Prime Day deals on Dyson Dyson OnTrac headphones for $300 (40 percent off): This set isn't without its flaws, but I can understand why you'd be drawn to the almost infinitely customizable design and long battery life. There's also real-time hearing health features and the sound is crisp and clear even though it lacks depth and immersion.  JBL Prime Day deals JBL Tour One M2 headphones for $150 (50 percent off): The biggest discount on JBL headphones or earbuds comes on the flagship over-hear Tour One M2. These ANC headphones have Smart Ambient sound, Smart Talk automatic pausing and other advanced features.  JBL Live Beam 3 for $150 (25 percent off): If you're looking for a discounted way to get your hands on JBL's touchscreen earbud case, the Live Beam 3 is your chance. In addition to the fancy case, you'll get up to 12 hours of use on a charge, adaptive ANC and high-res audio compatibility. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-2025-the-best-headphone-and-earbud-deals-from-sony-beats-bose-and-more-for-the-last-day-of-the-sale-082347142.html?src=rss View Source Article

Noise-cancelling headphones are a must if you're traveling or hoping to get some work done without distractions wherever you may be. Prime Day deals include a bunch of the most popular headphones and earbuds for less, like the Bose QuietComfort headphones. These cans are down to $199 right now, or 42 percent off their usual price, and they're still in stock during the last day of the sale. These QuietComfort headphones include active noise cancellation (ANC) and multipoint connectivity for switching between various audio sources. There's a fully customizable EQ that can be adjusted via the affiliated app. The battery life is fantastic here, offering 24 hours of use per charge. Also, there's a quick-charge feature that provides 2.5 hours of use from a 15 minute trip to the outlet. As to the name, these cans include plush, padded earcups and an adjustable padded band. They should be comfortable for all-day use. We haven't gotten a chance to review this particular model, but we loved the QuietComfort Ultra headphones. They even found a spot on our list of the best wireless headphones. Bose typically makes great stuff. The headphones do come with a microphone, but some reviews suggest the quality is a bit off when compared to rival units. However, it still gets the job done for a quick phone call or whatever. The major downside here is the price, as $350 is a whole lot of cheddar. Luckily, today's deal calms some of that sticker shock.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-bose-quietcomfort-headphones-are-still-on-sale-for-199-on-the-last-day-of-prime-day-103010111.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day is always a key period for camera buyers as any discount on such a major purchase is always helpful. Despite the tariffs, this year's sale is particularly strong for photography buffs, with big discounts on most of the major brands including some that don't normally offer deals. Some key deals include discounts on DJI drones, along with sales on models from Sony, Canon, GoPro and Nikon. Many of those cameras are ranked highly in our most recent camera guide, like Nikon's Z6 III, Canon EOS R5 Mark III and the GoPro Hero 13 Black — so feel free to check that out as you add items to your cart. Without further delay, here are the best Prime Day camera deals you can get for the last day of the sale. Best Prime Day camera deals Canon EOS R100 with RT-S18-45mm lens for $549 (15 percent off): Canon's EOS R100 is the only modern mirrorless camera you can get with a kit lens for under $600. It comes with a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that delivers great picture quality with Canon's pleasing skin tones. Canon EOS R50 with RF-S18-45mm lens for $749 (15 percent off): Canon's 24-megapixel APS-C EOS R50 is great for travel, parties, street photography and more thanks to the portable size and built-in flash. It offers nice image quality with warm, human friendly photos and is capable for creators as well with 4K 30fps supersampled video, with 10-bit and HDR capability. OM System OM-5 for $899 (25 percent off): For creators on a budget, the 20-megapixel, Micro Four Thirds OM-5 from OM System (formerly Olympic) is a great option at this price. It lets you shoot 4K video and 20MP stills at up to 10 fps. The design is nice with a full complement of manual controls, a fully articulating display and 7.5 stops of built-in stabilization. Panasonic Lumix S9 for $1,298 (13 percent off): The S9 may be Panasonic's smallest full-frame camera but it comes with the same 24MP sensor and similar video features to the popular S5 II. To that end, it offers up to 6.2K video, in-body stabilization and reliable autofocus. The key feature though is a special LUT button that lets you easily choose a custom cinematic look designed by professional creators. Canon EOS R6 Mark II for $1,899 (5 percent off): Canon's R6 Mark II offers a great mix of video and photography features. You can now shoot RAW stills at up to 40 fps and video specs are equally solid with sharp full-sensor 4K at up to 60 fps. It comes with in-body stabilization that's great for video and photos and autofocus is quicker and more versatile than ever. Nikon Z6 III for $2,197 (12 percent off): Nikon's Z6 III is the best hybrid mirrorless camera for the money, thanks to the incredible performance of the 24-megapixel partially stacked sensor. You can shoot RAW bursts at up to 20 fps in electronic shutter mode while nailing sharp shots thanks to the much-improved autofocus. On the video side, it supports 6K RAW at up to 60 fps, or 4K 120p. All of that makes it ideal for creators and photographers alike, with the only drawback being the reduced resolution.  Sony A7 IV for $2,198 (19 percent off): It beats many rivals with 33 megapixels of resolution rather than 24, with image quality much improved overall. Video is now up to par with rivals with 4K at up to 60p with 10 bit 4:2:2 quality. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and the in-body stabilization does a good job. The biggest drawback is rolling shutter that limits the use of the electronic shutter. Canon EOS R5 Mark II for $3,999 ($300 off): It's company’s best camera in years thanks to improvements in areas like autofocus and video. It comes with a high-resolution 45-megapixel stacked sensor, but still lets you shoot blackout-free bursts at up to 30 fps — and most of the shots will be sharp thanks to the updated autofocus with AI tracking. Video is also strong with up to 8K 60p RAW and 4K 120 fps shooting.  Best Prime Day action cam and drone deals DJI Osmo Mobile 7P gimbal for $125 (15 percent off): This three-axis gimbal keeps your smartphone video as smooth as can be with DJI's ActiveTrack 7.0, and includes a magnetic snapping mechanism so you can install your mobile device in seconds. The latest feature is native tracking that follows you around, thanks to the included Multifunctional Module. DJI Osmo Action 4 for $209 (30 percent off): DJI's Osmo Action 4 is a tremendous deal at this price, as you're not giving up much in comparison to the most recent model, the Action 5. It has the same big 1/1.3-inch sensor that delivers excellent video quality, especially in low light. It also features a D-LogM profile to boost dynamic range, DJI's excellent clip-on mount and high-quality 4K 120p video. GoPro Hero 13 Black for $329 (23 percent off): GoPro’s Hero 13 Black is now available with a new family of modular lenses called the HB series (ultra-wide, anamorphic and macro), making it far more versatile for action creators. It also has a slightly bigger battery that allows longer capture times, up to 90 minutes for 4K 30fps video. Other specs remain the same, including up to 5.3K at 60fps in 10-bit color, along with the excellent Hypersmooth stabilization.  Insta360 X4 for $349 (30 percent): Insta360 simply dominates the 360-degree category, thanks to its ability to capture action at up to 8K 30fps or 5.7K at 60fps — providing more detail when you reframe it to 16:9. At the same time, the Me Mode that produces flat video (with automatic selfie stick removal) has been upgraded from a maximum 2.7K 30fps to 4K 30fps. It also offers solid battery life, waterproofing to 10m and a free editing app.  Best Prime Day deals on camera accessories K&F Concept 25L backpack for $50 (17 percent off): A large 25L three-tiered camera bag that can hold multiple cameras, lenses and drones. It has quick side access and features durable materials with a rain cover, making it great for outdoor travel, weddings or vlogging. Lexar 256GB Professional Silver Pro V60 memory card for $51 (32 percent off): An excellent compromise between speed and value with up to 280MB/s read and 160MB/s write speeds.  SmallRig 71-inch Camera Tripod with 360 ball head for $56 (20 percent off): Two-in-one tripod monopod with a head that adjusts 360 degrees so you can take photos at any angle horizontally or vertically.  Elgato Key Light 2800 lumens for $133 (26 percent off): For presentations or simple studio shoots, you get a silent, low-heat studio light with high output and a 2900-7000K temperature range. It's controllable by WiFi and has an opal glass face for glare-free diffusion.  Expired deals DJI Neo drone for $159 (20 percent off): The DJI Neo may be an inexpensive, beginner-friendly drone, but has powerful features like subject tracking and quick shots. It can shoot video at up to 4K 30 fps and is quick and maneuverable, though it's also fairly loud. You can also grab one with three batteries and a charger for $229 (21 percent off). DJI Mini 4K drone for $309 (21 percent off): The Mini 4 weighs less than 249 grams so it doesn't require a permit, but can still shoot 4K video at up to 30 fps or 2.7K at 60 fps with three-axis stabilization. It can fly up to 31 minutes on a charge and has one-tap movements like dronie, helix and panoramic shooting. Elgato Prompter for $190 (37 percent off): Whether you're a creator on YouTube or present on Zoom, the Elgato Prompter is an elegant and popular choice thanks to the built-in display that allows you to read scripts while looking at the camera. Support more cameras than ever, even with wide lenses and features an easy setup.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/the-best-amazon-prime-day-camera-deals-you-can-still-get-during-the-last-day-of-the-sale-104502374.html?src=rss View Source Article

The latest Apple iPad Mini is on sale for a record-low price as part of the Prime Day extravaganza, and it's still in stock during the last day of the sale. The tablet is available for $380, which is a discount of $120. That's a pretty good deal for a device that's only around nine months old. This tablet made our list of the best iPads and we recommend it specifically for people who want a device with a smaller form factor. It's the only tablet that Apple makes in this size. Don't let the size fool you, however, as this is a full-featured iPad. It supports the Apple Pencil Pro and starts at 128GB of storage. We called it "reliable" and everything we "want in a small tablet" in our official review. The speakers sound great, which has become standard with modern Apple devices, and the form factor makes it easy to hold for long periods of time without causing hand cramps. It's an iPad, just smaller. There are a couple of little caveats. The display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which could impact some action-heavy games. There's also no Face ID here, which forces users to enter a password or use a fingerprint. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-latest-ipad-mini-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-for-prime-day-and-still-in-stock-100024613.html?src=rss View Source Article

One of the most popular sites for Nintendo Switch piracy has been taken down as part of an ongoing FBI investigation. As reported by Kotaku, Nsw2u was known for hosting Switch ROMs, which users could download to play on a hacked Switch or PC emulator capable of running them. At the time of writing, when you enter the site’s URL you’ll see a notice confirming the seizure, which the FBI says is in accordance with a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Georgia. The notice also features a logo for the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD), which is a Dutch government agency that investigates financial crimes. Nintendo has been cracking down on piracy of its games for a number of years. Back in 2019, the company sued the illegal ROM-sharing site RomUniverse, after it became aware it was offering unlimited downloads of new and old Nintendo games for an annual fee. Last year it filed a lawsuit against streamer EveryGameGuru who it accused of broadcasting footage of pirated — and in many cases unreleased — Switch games, as well as providing access to illegal ROMs. In March of 2024 the makers of popular Switch emulator Yuzu paid $2.4 million to settle charges filed by Nintendo. Nintendo’s latest anti-piracy move was inserting a clause in an updated version of the Nintendo Switch User Agreement that effectively enables it to brick your Switch if it runs illegal emulators or pirated games. This revised agreement came into effect just ahead of the Switch 2 launch on June 5.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/fbi-seize-well-known-nintendo-switch-game-piracy-site-152216405.html?src=rss View Source Article

The good news on the last day of Amazon's Prime Day sale is that every Kindle discount from when the event kicked off on Tuesday is still going strong. And many of those savings are the best we've seen this year. The caveat is you have to be a Prime member to take advantage. In past sales, we've noticed that discounts on Kindle devices tend to end when the sale does. So this is likely your last chance to save on a Kindle (that is, until Amazon likely hosts its other Prime Day in October). We've reviewed nearly every current-model Kindle and our assessments are linked below.  Best Prime Day deals on Kindle ereaders Amazon Kindle for $85 ($25 off with Prime): The base model Kindle is our recommendation for the best budget ereader. Even when it’s not on sale, it’s the most affordable e-book device from a major manufacturer. It’s compact and durable making it easy to carry. It doesn’t have warm LEDs and it’s not waterproof but it’s the most affordable way to access Amazon’s vast e-book ecosystem. Kindle case (fabric) for $24 (25 percent off with Prime): If you want to protect your new ereader, you can grab this case while it's 25 percent off. Note that only the blue and pink versions are $24, the black and matcha versions are $2 more expensive.  Kindle Colorsoft for $180 ($100 off with Prime): Amazon didn’t introduce color to its ereader lineup until early this year — long after Kobo and Boox. The list price of $280 makes it more expensive than other color display ereaders, but this discount helps with that. We appreciate the fast page turns, pinch to zoom feature and auto-adjusting warm front light. Kindle Scribe 2 for $260 ($140 off with Prime): If you want a Kindle that lets you write as well as read, this is the one to get. We gave the Kindle Scribe 2 a score of 86 in our review and it’s our pick for the best e-reader E Ink tablet. It has a smooth reading and writing experience with low latency. It also lets you create multiple notebooks, add pages and change the templates easily. Kindle Paperwhite for $125 ($35 off with Prime): The Paperwhite is an elevated version of the Kindle, with a larger, seven-inch, flush-front screen and an adjustable warm front light. A faster processor gives it quicker page turns than its predecessor and the device itself is waterproof. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for $150 ($50 off with Prime): The Signature Edition adds few more premium features to the Kindle Paperwhite with wireless charging, an auto-adjusting front light and more storage (32GB). We gave it an 85 in our review praising the premium build, remarkably clear text and fast page turns. We just wish the power button wasn’t on the bottom. Kindle Kids for $95 ($35 off with Prime): The Kindle Kids edition is the same hardware as the standard Kindle, but you get a few added perks that are fitting for younger users. To start, a case comes standard. The warranty is extended to two years. And the purchase price includes a six month subscription to Amazon Kids+ for thousands of kid-friendly ebooks and more. Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $130 ($50 off with Prime): Again, the kids version is the same as the Paperwhite but with a cover, extended warranty and access to Amazon Kids+ for six months. Just remember to cancel at the end of the trial or keep it and pay $6 per month. Best Prime Day deals on non-Kindle ereaders Boox Palma 2 for $270 ($30 off): This smartphone-shaped device is a delight. It’s built on Android and can run just about any app you can download from the Play Store — just don’t expect it to play video or graphics-intensive games. This is an E Ink screen, after all. But it’s perfect for reading books and running simple apps in a more eye-friendly format.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/last-chance-prime-day-deals-get-up-to-36-percent-off-kindles-and-ereaders-080957317.html?src=rss View Source Article

If you're a Samsung phone user or prefer Android in general, there are some excellent sales on tech accessories to check out for the last day of Prime Day. One of the best ones is on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, which is on sale for only $160 right now. That's a record-low price for this smartwatch. This is the company's latest watch and was released back in February, so it's nice to see a massive discount this early in the release cycle. We appreciated the Galaxy Watch 7 in our official review, calling it a "capable companion for Samsung phones." It features an old-school design that recalls classic timepieces and not modern smart devices. The performance is zippy, thanks to an upgraded processor, and the storage has doubled when compared to its predecessor. There are also many more sensors when measured against the Galaxy Watch 6. For instance, there are now 13 heart rate sensor LEDs. This leads to the ability to assess more complex health metrics, like sleep apnea detection. All of this is data viewable via the fun and intuitive Samsung Health app. We also appreciated that this watch will automatically track workouts when you start, without asking if you're exercising like with the Apple Watch. There are even some AI-assisted tools here that offer light coaching as you workout or engage in physical activities. There are a couple of little quirks here. First of all, this watch is primarily for those already tied into Samsung's ecosystem. If you use an iPhone, this might not be the best match. Also, the always-on display is a notorious battery hog. Still, this is a lot of smartwatch for the money.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-the-samsung-galaxy-watch-7-for-an-all-time-low-price-for-the-last-day-110001283.html?src=rss View Source Article

Maybe you’re not looking to snag an iPad, a robot vacuum or a VR headset this Prime Day because you’re set with what you already have. Instead, though, consider picking up a few discounted “essential” gadgets, or really, devices you don’t want to be left without in a pinch. Charging gear falls into this camp, and Anker makes some of our favorite power banks, cables, wireless chargers and more. A bunch of Anker’s gear is on sale for Prime Day, making now a great time to stock up. Personally, I always end up getting an extra charging cable or surge protector for my house, or I take stock of the gifts I’ll need over the next couple of months and pick up a power brick while they’re deeply discounted. Here, we’ve collected all of the best Prime Day deals on Anker devices you can still get before the sale ends. Prime day deals: Power banks Power banks come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s worth taking a moment to think about how you plan on using the one you want to buy. Smartphones don’t need huge-capacity bricks to power up a couple of times over; a 5K or 10K portable charger should be plenty if that’s all you’re looking to support. If you want a more versatile accessory that can charge a tablet, laptop or gaming handheld, consider a brick with a higher capacity — and more ports so you can charge multiple devices simultaneously. Anker MagGo ultra-slim power bank (10K, 15W) for $60 (25 percent off) Anker MagGo power bank (10K, 15W) for $65 (28 percent off) Prime day deals: Wireless chargers We all have plenty of cables in our lives, so a good wireless charger (or two) can eliminate a few of the ones you use the most. Think about where you’ll use the wireless charger you want to buy before deciding. Those outfitting a home office with new tech may want a wireless charging stand that puts their phone in an upright position that’s easier to see while it’s powering up, while those who want a wireless charger for their nightstand might prefer a lay-flat design or a power station that can charge a smartphone, smartwatch and pair of earbuds all at once. Anker MagSafe 3-in-1 charging station (Qi2, 15W, includes adapter and USB-C cable) for $63 (30 percent off) Anker MagSafe 3-in-1 charging stand (Qi2, 15W, includes adapter and USB-C cable) for $71 (36 percent off) Prime day deals: Charging cables, speakers and other gear Plenty of other charging gear is on sale for Prime Day. It’s never a bad idea to pick up a few 30W USB-C adapters so you always have what you need to reliably power up your phone. Same goes for extra USB-C (or USB-A) cables that can live in your car, in your office at work or by the couch. Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds for $45 (44 percent off) Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go Bluetooth speaker for $19 (46 percent off) Anker Nano USB-C charger (30W) for $13 (35 percent off) Anker Prime docking station (14-port, 160W) for $170 (37 percent off) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-anker-prime-day-deals-last-chance-to-save-on-power-banks-chargers-and-mobile-accessories-084925795.html?src=rss View Source Article

The drama surrounding the significantly delayed release of Subnautica 2 continues with Charlie Cleveland, co-founder and former director of Unknown Worlds Entertainment, announcing via a post on X that he and unnamed others have filed a lawsuit against Krafton, the studio's parent company since 2021. Cleveland, along with Ted Gill and Max McGuire, were relieved of their leadership roles at Unknown Worlds last week by Krafton. Bloomberg reported that they had been effectively "pushed out." This occurred shortly before Krafton would reportedly owe Unknown Worlds leadership a $250 million bonus for meeting certain goals. The alleged lawsuit follows Krafton's recent statement accusing Cleveland and other studio leadership of "abandoning their responsibilities." The parent company claims these executives' behavior led to significant delays in Subnautica 2 's early access release, which is now slated for early 2026. Krafton also claimed that approximately 90 percent of the $250 million bonus was already paid out to Cleveland, Gill and McGuire. In his post, Cleveland strongly refuted Krafton's claims, asserting that Subnautica 2 is in fact "ready for early access" and that any allegations regarding abdication of leadership and financial motivations are false. "Subnautica has been my life’s work and I would never willingly abandon it," Cleveland wrote. He also firmly denied accusations that he and other executives intended to keep the promised $250 million bonus for themselves, saying, "I’m in this industry because I love it, not for riches. Historically we’ve always shared our profits with the team and did the same when we sold the studio. You can be damned sure we’ll continue with the earnout/bonus as well." Details about the lawsuit, including the jurisdiction, named parties or specific causes of action remain unclear. Subnautica 2 is still slated for an early access launch sometime in 2026, though it remains to be seen if this new legal drama will cause further delays.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/subnautica-studio-co-founder-says-hes-suing-parent-company-krafton-153412484.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon's Prime Day is in full swing, and now that two full days have passed, some of us have gotten past our decision paralysis and checked out our online shopping carts. It's no surprise that the Engadget team consists of people who are fans of tech (and non-tech) products, and we also love a good deal. As we've put together roundups and news stories about the best things to buy this week, we've also been tempted by the savings. Here's a list of what several of our team members bought, not only to share our lives with you but to also show you some of the deals we deemed good enough to spend our own money on.  (Ed. note: Igor Bonifacic saved a whopping $2 on this guitar tuner, but it was worth it to him. I'll let him explain.) In Canada, the D'Addario tuner I ended up buying is normally a little more expensive at $20 CAD, but I figured there was a chance it would go on sale for Prime Day. So I set up a Camelcamelcamel alert, and on the morning of July 8 I got an email from the website saying it was… $2 off. Not the greatest discount, but hey, in such an expensive hobby, every dollar counts, right? This past spring, I picked up the guitar for the first time in about 15 years. How it happened doesn't matter. What does matter is that now I play everyday, and I've been asking myself why did I ever stop in the first place. I feel more creative, my eyes feel healthier from less screen time and I'm better now than I ever was as a teenager. As I've gotten back into the hobby, I've slowly been buying all the little accessories that can make it easier to maintain your guitar. With Prime Day around the corner, I set my sights on a headstock tuner. These little gadgets weren't around when I first started learning the instrument, but let me tell you they're great. Like the name suggests, you attach one to the headstock of your guitar. It then allows you to tune the instrument by measuring the vibrations produced by the strings. While you could just as easily use an app like GuitarTuna to do the same, clip-on tuners aren't affected by ambient noise, making the entire tuning process fast and easy. Best of all, they're cheap. In the US, you can spend as little as $15 to buy the model I purchased for Prime Day. — Igor Bonifacic, senior reporter Without even trying, I've become a devotee of Apple's Continuity Camera over the last few years. I think with my laptop and monitor setup, it's just always made more sense to use my iPhone as a camera rather than buying some kind of USB-C docking station or giving up another port on my computer. Unfortunately, I also find having my phone within arm's reach while I'm writing to be pretty distracting. Taking advantage of a Prime Day deal on a dedicated webcam this year is my solution. I purchased an off-white Logitech Brio 500, which normally costs $130, but is $50 off for Prime Day through Amazon or Logitech. It's a kind of a long, tube-shaped 1080p webcam, so not the sleekest or best option out there, but it has the basics I need, like a manual shutter and auto-framing, and critically, it matches my Logitech mouse. If, like me, you can't stand the idea of paying over $100 for a webcam, I think it's a pretty appealing option at $80. — Ian Carlos Campbell, contributing writer I recently discovered that as all my gear transitioned to USB-C, I no longer had any compatible thumb drives. Rather than buy an adapter dongle that I would inevitably lose, I figured it would be smart to have a new thumb drive that could handle both USB-C and USB-3. The discount on the SanDisk drive I bought wasn't huge, but Prime Day seemed like a good time to save a few bucks on a practical purchase. — Anna Washenko, contributing reporter Even though it wasn't on sale this week, I pre-ordered a re-issue for the Studio Series version of Blaster from Amazon because he is one of my favorite Transformers of all time. And then I added Soundwave to my shipment because he's another one of my top 10 favorite bots and you can't really have one without the other. And then I found a small deal on Heatwave, so we picked that up too as a way to save a couple bucks on a present for my son's birthday next month. It's a bit weird to say that as an adult I'm still this fascinated by plastic toys, but sometimes it feels like we're living through a golden age for Transformer figures despite the awful movies we've been subjected to over the last decade and a half (aside from Transformers One). As bad as the Bayverse films are, there's still a rich history of shows and toys and I've had a blast diving back into all of that with my kid. — Sam Rutherford, senior reviewer I made a very short, focused list of three things to buy on Prime Day — a Nori Press, a walking pad and the Ms. Rachel Tonie toy for the kids in my life. But when I was looking through our roundup of the best deals this week, the discounted entry-level iPad caught my eye.  My dad had been asking me repeatedly for weeks about an iPad for watching videos and movies while him and my mom were traveling, and I wasn't able to give them an answer as I was weighing a lot of concerns. What is the best operating system for them? Do they need something released recently, or could they save some money on an older model?  Seeing this current-generation iPad on sale prompted me to just buy it for them. It simplifies things as my dad uses an iPhone and is familiar with iPadOS, and apps like YouTube and Netflix would satisfy their desires to download videos to watch offline. Saving $70 on what is a very solid device felt like a great deal, but more importantly it earned me points with my family. — Cherlynn Low, managing editor Like I mentioned earlier, the Nori Press was on my list of things to buy when on sale this week. In fact, the Nori Press was on my holiday wishlist last year. Alas, none of my friends or family got it for me, so I decided finally to buy one myself. The ice-cubes-in-the-dryer method just didn't cut it anymore.  Nori frequently has sales that put the iron, which usually retails for $120, at $100. When I saw that the Prime Day discount dropped the price down to about $90, I figured it was time to stop procrastinating. I haven't received the iron yet, but I'm certainly excited to wear crisply collared shirts and neatly pressed dresses soon. — Cherlynn Low, managing editor What we're still considering As Prime Day goes on till the end of the week, many on the Engadget team are still weighing their decisions. Executive editor John Falcone, for example, hasn't bought Anker's UFO 3-device charger, but says he wishes he did. I'll update this post if he does, because he will save almost 30 percent on it. Not all our purchases have been through Amazon, either. Editor-in-chief Aaron Souppouris is thinking about buying "a weird camera for too much money not on Amazon." It's a full-spectrum conversion camera, and if and when he does make that purchase, we will be sure to shame him here. Finally, senior editor Billy Steele has made arguably the best shopping decision all week, on or off Amazon. He bought "three Happy Meals trying to get the cool toys. I got three of the same toy. :("  Update, July 10 2025, 5:00PM ET: This story has been updated to add a section on what senior reviewer Sam Rutherford bought. Update, July 11 2025, 12:00PM ET: This story has been updated to add a section on the Nori Press.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-prime-day-2025-the-deals-that-the-engadget-team-spent-our-hard-earned-money-on-154509453.html?src=rss View Source Article

Solid-state drives (SSDs) come in many shapes, from thumbnail-sized microSD cards to larger external SSDs. But all classes of SSDs have one thing in common: at least one of the best brands is on sale right now for Amazon's Prime Day. If you've been thinking about picking up some extra storage or trying to get the load times down on your Xbox or gaming PC, now's the time to get it done for cheap. Take a look at our curated list of the best SSD deals on Amazon this Prime Day. Best Prime Day SSD deals Crucial BX500 for $57 (40 percent off): The Crucial BX500 SSD is compatible with any computer that uses a 2.5-inch SATA drive — which is still plenty of them. For very cheap, you can get ahold of 1TB storage space and read speeds up to 540 MB/s, close to the very best possible for a SATA SSD. WD_BLACK SN850X for $150 (25 percent off): Our current favorite Gen4 NVMe drive is on sale for Prime Day, making a read speed of over 7,000 MB/s more accessible than ever. In our tests, we found the 1TB SN850X significantly boosted our Windows operating speeds without adding much heat. WD Blue SN5000 for $200 (33 percent off): Here's a great deal on an internal SSD with 4TB capacity and compatibility with the fast-performing NVMe protocol. Western Digital, the same brand behind the WD_BLACK (see above) claims the Blue model can hit read speeds of 5,500 MB/s. Lexar 1TB NM790 for $67 (29 percent off): The NM790 is a single-sided SSD that can post sequential read speeds of 7400 MB/s. The one-sided design means it stays cooler for longer, and this 1TB deal includes a heatsink. It's a great budget alternative to the also single-sided Samsung 990 Pro (see below). Sabrent Rocket 2230 for $150 (15 percent off): The Sabrent Rocket 2230 is a thumbnail-sized NVMe card that we found to be perfect for the M.2 slot on a Steam Deck. Thanks to this deal, you can save a lot by buying a lower-end Steam Deck and upgrading it with one of these. Samsung Fit Plus for $23 (34 percent off): The Fit Plus is our favorite thumb drive, and it's not close. Running on USB 3.1 with transfer speeds between 300 and 400 MB/s, it even comes with a keychain hook. The current deal takes 34 percent off an already cheap product. Samsung 870 EVO for $76 (24 percent off): The 870 EVO is a great budget choice for general users, who are likely to get a speed boost on any PC activity once it's installed. At 560 MB/s of maximum reading speed, it's not for hardcore gamers, but everyday users should see real benefits. Samsung 990 Pro for $150 (29 percent off): The whole Samsung Pro line of SSDs is excellent for gamers, with PS5s in particular seeming to run much faster with one installed. The 990 Pro can reach read speeds of up to 1,400 KB/s — and yes, that's kilobytes, not megabytes. Samsung 9100 Pro for $220 (31 percent off): Samsung's first NVMe SSD dropped earlier this year, and currently, they're still a bit faster than most people can use. However, if you want to get a jump on the next console generation with 14,800 MB/s sequential reading speed, this deal is your opportunity. Kingston Fury Renegade for $420 (33 percent off): Although it sounds like a Jamaican kung fu movie we'd watch the hell out of, the Kingston Fury Renegade is actually a 5th-gen NVMe SSD that can reach hardcore read speeds of up to 14,800 MB/s. It's expensive, but Prime Day discounts knock off 33 percent. Corsair MP600 Pro LPX 2 TB for $160 (20 percent off): Earlier this year, we named the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX as the top SSD for PS5, partly due to its affordability. It's even more affordable now, and the low price even includes a heatsink. Acer FA100 1TB for $51 (15 percent off): The Acer FA100 isn't the fastest SSD, but it is at least competitive, and may be one of the cheapest ways to harness the considerable power of NVMe 3.0. Only the 1TB version is marked down for Prime Day. KingSpec 512GB for $25 (15 percent off): KingSpec is a Chinese manufacturer that's been quietly making some of the best cheap SSDs for years now. Their 512GB internal SSD runs SATA III and can reach 550 MB/s read speeds — not the most impressive, but amazing for the price. Best Prime Day portable SSD deals Samsung T7 for $114 (39 percent off): The T7 spent a long time as our reigning champion portable SSD, and it's still an amazing deal — being technically outdated means record-low prices on hardware that's more than fast enough for a Steam Deck or Switch. Samsung T9 for $170 (43 percent off): We once named the Samsung T7 as our favorite portable SSD, but the T9 handily outdoes it, nearly doubling data transfer speeds. It's marked down 43 percent from now until the end of Prime Day on the 11th. SanDisk 1TB Extreme for $78 (40 percent off): SanDisk designed the Extreme for portability, and it shows — this is an almost indestructible SSD you can keep in just about any bag or pocket. It's also reasonably fast, though it only works with USB-C. This 1TB deal knocks off 40 percent of the price. SanDisk 2TB Extreme for $120 (43 percent off): The 2TB version of the SanDisk Extreme is on sale for 43 percent off, saving you $90 on 1,050 MB/s of read speed. SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO for $270 (32 percent off): This deal doubles not only the storage space of the 2TB Extreme above, but also its read and write speeds, with each hovering around 2000 MB/s. It's a very cheap way to get your hands on a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 drive. Crucial X9 Pro 1TB for $75 (17 percent off): As a Gen 2 USB drive, the Crucial X9 Pro loses out to some newer competitors on speed — but it's much cheaper, and far more compatible with everyday personal computers. The 1TB model is on sale at 17 percent off its normal price. Crucial X9 Pro 2TB for $120 (33 percent off): The Crucial X9 Pro with 2TB storage space is marked down 33 percent for Prime Day. Crucial X10 1TB for $82 (24 percent off): The Crucial X10 is a portable SSD for power users, only working at full strength on devices that support the latest version of USB 3.2. If that's what your build needs, you're not likely to see it much cheaper than this. Crucial X10 2TB for $135 (18 percent off): A 2TB version of the X10 is almost 20 percent off right now. Crucial X10 Pro 2TB for $150 (28 percent off): The Crucial X10 Pro is perfect for a fairly small range of users. If your PC build currently works with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 but isn't yet handling USB4 or Thunderbolt, you won't find a faster portable SSD for your needs. Kingston XS1000 for $80 (15 percent off): We named the Kingston XS1000 the second-best portable SSD in our current roundup, so it's great to see it going for 15 percent off today. It's almost as fast as the Crucial X9 Pro, just not quite as tough. ADATA SE920 for $142 (5 percent off): The piddly 5 percent off is disappointing, but there's nothing disappointing about the ADATA SE920 itself. This is the ideal model for anyone regularly making huge downloads. The SE920's maximum read speed of 3,800 MB/s would be impressive for a full-size SSD, but it's fully portable, weighing less than half a pound. Garmese 1TB Portable SSD for $64 (20 percent off): This portable SSD uses USB3.2 to achieve read speeds of around 1000 MB/s, which is very impressive for a device not much larger than a flash drive. While it downloads fast, it's not fantastic for transferring multiple files at a time. Best Prime Day microSD card deals Lexar Professional Silver Plus for $38 (48 percent off): Our tests showed this to be the fastest microSD card on the market, beating out the whole Samsung line. Not only is it fast enough to download and upload 4K files without trying your patience, it's also waterproof, cheap and squeezes in both USB-A and USB-C ports. Lexar E-Series for $31 (15 percent off): While the Silver Plus beats it out, the Lexar E-Series remains more than fast enough for 4K video, and is sufficiently rugged to fit in your adventure camera. This deal includes a five-pack of microSD cards, working out to about six dollars per 64GB of storage. Samsung Pro Plus for $17 (35 percent off): The Samsung Pro Plus is a great microSD card for most needs, so if it's cheaper than the Lexar option, go for it. We've found that it's particularly good in handheld game systems. Just make sure to get the version rated for 180 MB/s, nothing less (it should say on the package). SanDisk Ultra 256GB microSDXC for $17 (35 percent off): If you're still rocking the Switch 1 (thanks, Target) and want a cheap storage expander, this deal on a SanDisk 256GB microSD card is for you. It's going for $17 right now, far less than most of the games you're likely to store on it. Samsung Evo Select for $22 (27 percent off): This one's by far the best option if you're after a cheap microSD card — we've seen it on sale for less than $25 more than once. It's a bit too slow for cameras, but fine for any kind of undemanding passive storage. Best Prime Day external hard drive deals Seagate Portable for $65 (19 percent off): All the Seagate hard drives we've used are refreshingly good at combining thin, light hardware with consistent speeds, and the Portable is no exception. At 4TB, this is a great deal on an external HDD with no tradeoffs. Seagate Game Drive for $76 (16 percent off): Seagate's Game Drive is a prime choice for adding extra space to a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Formerly overpriced, it's now dropped down to $90 for 2 TB, and that's before Prime Day makes it even cheaper. WD My Passport for $140 (24 percent off): The Western Digital My Passport line is ancient by computer hardware standards, but it's been updated as far as USB 3.0 and 3.1, and remains one of the cheaper options for a 6 TB hard drive. This version includes automatic backup software. WD Elements for $130 (26 percent off): The Elements HDD from Western Digital has gotten consistently positive feedback from our staff over the years, and as an older model, it's now wildly cheap for 6 TB of storage. It's compatible with both PC and Mac out of the box. WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive for $155 (18 percent off): We're big fans of the WD_BLACK SSD, and the gaming-focused external P10 is a worthy companion. It comes with 6 TB of storage for your PC, PS5, or Xbox gaming library. UnionSine 500GB External Hard Drive for $27 (19 percent off): UnionSine's HDD is fast and USB3 compatible. Despite how thin and light it is, we've found it remarkably hard to damage. 500GB may be a bit tight with the size of files these days, but at this price, you could just buy two of them. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-prime-day-deals-on-ssds-and-external-hard-drives-for-the-last-day-save-on-samsung-crucial-sandisk-and-more-090355730.html?src=rss View Source Article

July's Prime Day sale is here, which means Amazon is offering sharp discounts on some of the best speakers money can buy. Whether you're after a portable bluetooth speaker, a compact yet powerful soundbar or a smart speaker to help around the house, something probably just dropped into your price range. Our audiophiles have combed through the sales and put together a list of discounted speakers that stand out from the herd, including top brands like Beats, Marshall, Bose and Sonos. So if you're sick of missing important dialogue in your shows, or you want to listen to music like it's live, check out the list below. Best Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deals Our portable bluetooth speaker picks are some of the best all-around mobile music devices to ever hit the shelves: smaller and lighter than a boombox, better audio than an iPod, and way easier in the long run than learning to play guitar. We've sifted through Prime Day offerings to find the best portable speakers in all shapes and sizes. Beats Pill for $98 (35 percent off): The Beats Pill is one of the few portable bluetooth speakers we liked enough to give it a full review. Those of you who love the classic Beats bluetooth speakers will be happy to know they're back in fine form. Nobody can beat the Pill for bass, and its sound is crisp and lossless at almost any frequency and volume. For some reason, only the Kim Kardashian branded version is on sale, but it's the exact same speaker. Soundcore Boom 2 for $90 (36 percent off): This lightweight but powerful indoor/outdoor speaker is highly customizable, with simple controls to balance for pounding bass or clear high-frequency audio. It's great at filling an area with an even proportion of sound. $90 is close to a record-low price. Soundcore Motion 300 for $53 (34 percent off): The Motion 300 is that rare portable speaker that outperforms at both high and low frequencies. Its upper range goes into 40 kHz, while its bass can deliver bone-shaking thumps even outdoors. All that in 1.7 pounds with 13 hours of battery life — and it's even partially waterproof. Anker Soundcore Motion+ for $75 (24 percent off): Tough, sturdy construction makes this speaker an excellent choice for home bluetooth. Its battery lasts for 12 hours in the wild, and it always sounds great, but it's a bit heavy for pedaling through the park. There's also an option for wired connections, and it even works as a backup soundbar. Anker Soundcore 2 for $28 (38 percent off): The Soundcore 2 is an older bluetooth speaker, but it holds up — fully waterproof, with 24 hours of battery life and bass you can hear on the other side of a pool. It's on sale for less than $30. Soundcore Select 4 for $19 (46 percent off): This 9.3-ounce speaker is a massive improvement over built-in smartphone audio. It can fill a room at a decent range of frequencies, and works well in room-sized outdoor spaces — plus, with IP67 waterproofing, it can survive a dip in the pool. It's currently almost half off. UE Everboom for $190 (30 percent off): If you want something stronger than the Wonderboom but the Hyperboom isn't portable enough, the Everboom is a great middle ground. Its ideal range is a little narrow, but it makes up for that with 360-degree sound and extreme durability (i.e. so waterproof it literally floats). JBL Pulse 5 for $197 (21 percent off): The Pulse 5 is JBL's latest and greatest party speaker, throwing out 360-degree light bursts that sync up to the music. There's substance behind the flash, too, with speakers designed around the bass frequencies and 12 hours of battery life. Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen for $99 (34 percent off): This mini speaker from Bose is one of our favorites on the list for hands-free phone calls. It supports both Google Assistant and Siri and runs up to 12 hours on one charge, all while being smaller than a clutch purse. It also kills as a portable music player, though the sound doesn't stretch far enough to fill a room. Bose Soundlink Revolve+ Series II for $179 (40 percent off): The Revolve series was Bose's first line of 360-degree outdoor speakers, and they're still a strong choice today. The Revolve+ weighs about two pounds and can run for 17 hours without recharging. Bose Soundlink Max for $299 (25 percent off): Bose's Soundlink Max marries a classic carrying-case design with audio that sounds like it's coming from a much bigger unit. It comes with a 20-hour battery and IP67-rated protection against the elements. Marshall Emberton II for $95 (47 percent off): Marshall has been making audio equipment for more than 60 years, and still has a thing or two to teach the young'ns. The Emberton II looks like a classic amp, but weighs a quarter of a pound and provides balanced sound for more than 30 hours per charge. Marshall Acton III for $200 (33 percent off): All right, so a six-pound speaker isn't exactly portable — but if you can stand lugging it around, the Acton III can be a highly versatile device. From music to outdoor parties to pulling double duty as a soundbar, this is a low-setup, low-overhead option for nearly all audio tasks. Ortizan X10 for $30 (41 percent off): Ortizan is a newer brand from China, but we like what we've seen from them so far. The X10 is the size of the Beats Pill but comes at the price of a belt-clip speaker like the JBL Go 3. If you do have a problem, Ortizan's customer service is highly responsive. Best Prime Day smart speaker deals Smart speakers aren't just about getting a disembodied voice to do your bidding (or at least as much of your bidding as Alexa can do without hands). On top of assistant support, the picks below serve up legitimately great audio quality alongside useful extra features. The only downside is that they're often overpriced, but that's what Prime Day is for. Amazon Echo Dot for $32 (36 percent off): Amazon may not have updated the Echo Dot since 2022, but that just goes to show how well this spherical smart speaker serves as the perfect host for Alexa. Both music and speech sound clear, and it's easy to integrate with other smart home devices. Right now, it's marked down more than a third. Amazon Echo Pop for $22 (45 percent off): The latest Echo Pop release continues the trend of making Alexa's best features available on a mini-sized, reasonably priced device. Its half-spherical design fits on any desk or shelf, and its sound output is consistently clear — and gets louder than you might believe. Sonos Era 100 for $179 (10 percent off): Smart speakers from the Amazon Echo line play perfectly good music, but true audiophiles in need of assistant support should look to Sonos. The Era 100 has tweeters and woofers precisely arranged for clear, full-room sound, and it's easy to hook up to your other audio gear. Just be warned it only supports Alexa, not Google Assistant. JBL Authentics 200 for $200 (47 percent off): JBL's Authentics line is modeled after a product it sold in the 70s. Its old-school bookshelf-friendly design belies its advanced feat of running Google Assistant and Alexa simultaneously (as opposed to other smart speakers where you have to pick just one). JBL Authentics 300 for $285 (37 percent off): The JBL Authentics 300 can host both Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time, which impressed us enough that we gave it a full review. While we had some issues — namely its tendency to over-emphasize vocals — we can't quibble with its high-range performance or retro design. Best Prime Day soundbar deals Flatter, lighter and larger TV screens are nice for visuals, but often sacrifice sound quality to lose weight. If you've found yourself turning on the subtitles for your shows more often lately, you might need a soundbar to augment your TV's built-in speakers. We found a few of the best on sale for Prime Day — Sonos leads this space, but it's not without competitors. Bose Smart for $400 (20 percent off): In our full review of the Bose Smart, we noted that two drivers in the center make its sound feel directional without any other speakers needed — simply cranking up those makes any audio more immersive. You can also link it to a pair of Ultra Open Earbuds (not included) for a private surround sound experience. Bose Smart Ultra for $700 (22 percent off): The Smart Ultra upgrades the Bose Smart with a more sophisticated calibration system which adjusts sound settings to fill whatever room it's in. If you want the Smart's personal surround experience for more than one person, the Smart Ultra is for you. Sonos Beam for $369 (26 percent off): The Sonos Beam is a fantastic choice for a mid-budget soundbar. It's one of the most accessible Dolby Atmos systems, and uses careful audio alterations to achieve a much more immersive sound than other bars of its size. Sonos Ray for $169 (15 percent off): If you're looking to pay a bit less, go with the Sonos Ray to maximize sound quality on a budget. The audio won't wrap around your room like it might from a more premium model, but it's still a vast improvement on nearly all built-in TV speakers. Amazon Fire TV Plus for $150 (40 percent off): Amazon's latest Fire TV soundbar is built for streaming TV and emphasizing dialogue. If you have any other Amazon TVs or streaming devices, you'll find it easy to integrate with your existing hardware — you can even use the same remote to control them all. Sony HT-S400 for $178 (41 percent off): Sony built the HT-S400 for everyone who wants a soundbar but not an entire home theater. It's a 2.1-channel system that still manages immersive surround sound and is easy to integrate with Sony TVs. Right now, it's 40 percent off, one of the best prices we've seen on any soundbar. Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 for $448 (31 percent off): One of Sony's newest audio products, the Bravia Theater Bar 6 is a 3.1.2 soundbar that can bend audio in more directions to fill your theater space. It can handle Dolby Atmos, and has an integrated AI feature that recognizes and clarifies human voices. VIZIO 2.0 for $78 (22 percent off): Vizio's budget soundbar makes a worthy alternative to the Sonos Ray. It punches above its weight and gets as close as possible to Dolby Atmos surround sound as a single unit can manage. For less than $100, you'll never mishear a line of dialogue again. JBL Bar 9.1 for $760 (37 percent off): The 9.1 is JBL's first sound bar to be compatible with Dolby Atmos, and it doesn't disappoint. Each unit comes with two wireless speakers you can move around your viewing room, and there's even a 4K passthrough input to ensure your sound system doesn't mess with image quality. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-speaker-deals-last-chance-to-get-up-to-47-percent-off-on-jbl-bose-sonos-and-others-085948445.html?src=rss View Source Article

While you can often find discounts on Echo speakers, Fire tablets, Kindles and other Amazon devices throughout the year, Amazon Prime Day is the best time to buy them, period. Prime Day is basically Black Friday for all Amazon-made gear, provided you’re a Prime member who can actually participate in the members-only shopping event. In recent years, Prime Day discounts on these gadgets have even been better than those we’ve seen during the holiday shopping season. For Amazon Prime Day 2025, you’ll find most of Amazon’s devices on sale for record-low prices (or close to them). These are the best Prime Day deals you can get on Kindles, Fire TVs, Echos and more before the sale ends tonight. Prime Day Echo deals Echo Pop speaker for $22 (45 percent off): One of the newer Echo devices available, the Pop it sports a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker and a physical mic mute switch for extra privacy. The Pop also has built-in eero compatibility, so it can extend the area of your home Wi-Fi network if you already have an eero router system. Echo Show 5 for $60 (33 percent off): This model is one of our favorite smart displays thanks to its compact design, ambient light sensor and sunrise alarm feature, all of which make it an excellent smart alarm clock. Amazon improved the speaker quality on this latest model, which gives sound deeper bass and clearer vocals. Echo Show 8 for $110 (27 percent off): This is our current top pick for the best smart display with Amazon’s Alexa thanks in part to its 8-inch touchscreen, 13MP camera that supports auto-framing for better video chats and its built-in Zigbee smart home hub. The 2023 model supports Visual ID, which will show personalized information on the device’s display depending on who’s using it, and video streaming from Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video and other services. Prime Day Kindle deals Kindle Kids for $95 ($35 off): This is the same device as the base Kindle, but it becomes more kid-friendly thanks to the included cover, two-year warranty and the included year of Amazon Kids+, which gives children ages 3-12 access to hundreds of appropriate ebooks and audiobooks. Just be sure to take note when you activate that subscription because it will renew after one year at the standard $6/month rate. Kindle Paperwhite for $125 ($35 off): The latest version of the Paperwhite has a seven-inch display, thinner bezels, an adjustable warm light, speedier page turns and a battery that can last up to 12 weeks on a single charge. This model is also IPX8 waterproof and has built-in Audible integration. Kindle Colorsoft for $180 ($100 off): Amazon's only color e-reader has a seven-inch, high-contrast display, an auto-adjusting front light, a color highlighting feature and an eight-week battery life. Kindle Scribe for $260 ($140 off): The Scribe is one of the best E-Ink tablets you can buy at the moment, and certainly the top pick if you want a writable table that also excels as an ereader. It provides a great reading and writing experience, thanks in part to its ability to access the entire Kindle ebook library, and it has handy Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox integration. Prime Day Fire TV deals Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 (50 percent off): This is the cheapest Fire TV Stick you can get to stream 4K content, plus it has support for Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Vision and Atmos. With its live picture-in-picture feature, you can view security camera feeds right on your TV while you’re watching your favorite show or movie. Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $35 (42 percent off): In addition to 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Atmos support, the 4K Max dongle includes Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, 16GB of built-in storage and live picture-in-picture capabilities. It also supports the Fire TV “ambient experience,” which lets you display photos and images on your TV screen when you’re not actively watching something. Fire TV Cube streaming box for $90 (36 percent off): This model will provide the best performance of any Fire TV streaming device, and it supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and an enhanced version of the Alexa Voice Remote. Along with live picture-in-picture view and the Fire TV ambient experience, you can also hardware other devices to the Fire TV Cube including a cable box or a game console. Prime Day Fire tablet deals Fire HD 8 tablet for $55 (45 percent off): This is Amazon's most bare-bones tablet, featuring an eight-inch HD touchscreen, hexa-core processor and 13 hours of battery life. The improvements in the screen quality alone from the old-school Fire 7 tablet make it a better buy for most people, and this slab would make a good couch device for general web browsing, email checking, online shopping and more. Fire Max 11 tablet for $140 (39 percent off): Amazon’s most powerful tablet, the Fire Max 11 sports an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 128GB of storage and 14 hours of battery life. It also works with a number of optional accessories, including a stylus and keyboard case. Fire HD 10 Kids tablet for $105 (45 percent off): This slab is designed for kids aged three to seven, with full parental controls plus one year of Amazon Kids+ for free with the tablet purchase. This model has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, an octa-core processor and 13 hours of battery life, plus it comes with a two-year warranty and a protective case. Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet for $105 (45 percent off): This model is designed for kids aged six to 12 and comes with a slimmer protective case, a two-year warranty and one year of access to Amazon Kids+. Otherwise, you get a very similar experience here that you would with the non-Pro version, including parental controls, a 10-inch touchscreen, solid performance and a 13-hour battery life.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/best-prime-day-deals-on-amazon-devices-its-the-last-day-to-get-up-to-68-percent-off-kindle-ereaders-echo-speakers-and-more-082012880.html?src=rss View Source Article

Capcom just shared a lengthy trailer for the upcoming Resident Evil Survival Unit. This is a mobile game, but not a remake of a pre-existing title. The original game includes a heavy emphasis on strategy and stars franchise heavy-hitters like Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield and Jill Valentine. If you're wondering how these protagonists can exist together in the same game, it's all due to the magic of the multiverse. It's set in a parallel universe "that builds upon the Resident Evil world while diverging from the original series." This also opens up the door for other unannounced characters to show up. This is a strategy game through-and-through, with base-building mechanics and real-time battles "against powerful creatures inspired by the Resident Evil universe." Each character has unique abilities and some can interact with the environment, adding another level of strategic immersion. The iconic Weapons Merchant also shows up to arm players up before duking it out. It's being developed by Joycity, the company behind 3on3 FreeStyle Rebound, and Aniplex, which made the forthcoming Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles 2. Both companies are reportedly working "in close collaboration" with Capcom. Resident Evil Survival Unit will be released later in the year, though wish lists are open right now. It's a free-to-play title with in-game purchases. The game could tide folks over while waiting for Resident Evil Requiem, which was announced last month at SGF 25. This is the next mainline franchise title, so it's technically Resident Evil 9. It features a new protagonist and the ability to swap between first-person and third-person gameplay perspectives. It comes out on February 27, 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/capcom-shares-first-footage-of-resident-evil-mobile-spinoff-170746039.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon’s Prime Day in July is here, and it’s the perfect time to consider upgrading that old 1080p or first-gen 4K set. Even though TV prices have fallen quite a bit over the years, there’s always room for even more discounts. And yes, that includes typically high-end technology like OLED and Mini LED screens. We’ve collected the best Prime Day discounts on sets from Sony, Samsung, LG and others, along with additional deals on media streamers and soundbars. It turns out, you really don’t have to spend a ton to nab a solid surround sound setup that supports 4K HDR and Atmos surround sound. Best Prime Day OLED TV deals LG OLED Evo C5 (65-inch) for $1,797 (down from $2,700): LG has steadily improved its C-series over the years, and the C5 Evo is its best model yet. In addition to the usual benefits of OLED, it also sports a brightness booster that can help it work well in bright rooms, as well as LG’s own “Perfect Color” technology. The C5 Evo also has a fast 144Hz refresh rate for gaming, as well as support for NVIDIA’s G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate technology. (If you’re looking for something larger, the 77-inch model has also been discounted to $2,800.) Sony Bravia 8 II (65”) QD OLED for $2,998 (down from $3,500): Sony’s top of the line set has everything you’d want in a high-end TV, like quantum dots for improved color and brightness, as well as the inky dark blacks and infinite contrast of a modern OLED panel. You’ll always pay a bit of a premium for Sony TVs, but partially that’s due to their world-class image processing – in this case, that’s handled by Sony’s XR chip. (You can also snag the 55-inch model for $2,500.) Best Prime Day Mini LED TV deals TCL QM8K (65-inch) QD Mini LED for $998 (down from $1,800): TCL's QM8 sets feature the company's best and brightest Mini LED screens with Quantum Dots. It has an ultra-thin bezel, 144Hz refresh rate for fast gaming and one of the best contrast ratios you'll see outside of an OLED screen. Basically, it's one of the best screens you'll find that's not an OLED. While we think the 65-inch model is a great deal for most rooms, you can also step up to the 75-inch for $1,500, the 85-inch for $2,199 and the massive 98-inch set for $3,000.  TCL QM6K (98-inch) QD Mini LED for $1,800 (down from $3,000 MSRP): The QM6K is one of the best deals we’ve seen on a 98-inch TV under $2,000, and best of all, it's not just a bargain bin screen. It has a bright Mini LED display with quantum dots for enhanced color, and it sports a fast 144Hz refresh rate for gaming. (If you don’t have the wall space for a nearly 100-inch set, the 65-inch model is similarly great and is down to $550, nearly half off its $1,000 MSRP and $100 off its lowest price. The 75-inch model is also a great deal at $850.) Sony Bravia 5 (85-inch) Mini LED for $2,298 (down from $2,800): The Bravia 5 pairs a super bright Mini LED panel with Sony’s XR image processing chip. It won’t reach the deep dark black levels of OLED, but Mini LED achieves something close, and it can also get much brighter than OLED panels. That makes this model, as well as any Mini LED TV, an excellent option for bright rooms. (You can also scale down to the 65-inch and 75-inch Bravia 5 for $1,300 and $1,800, respectively. And there’s also the truly massive 98-inch model, which is now $1,000 off at $5,000.) Best Prime Day Frame-style TV deals Samsung The Frame (55-inch) for $758 (down from $1,498): This is one of the best deals we've seen on Samsung's Frame TVs, and it's a great option if you have a small living room. Frame sets don't look like typical electronics, instead their customizable bezels and glare-free screens make them look like works of art. The latest Frame sports Quantum Dots for enhanced color, a customizable bezel and offers access to 2,500 pieces of artwork in Samsung's online store.   Samsung The Frame Pro (65-inch) for $1,848 (down from $2,200): New for 2025, Samsung's Frame Pro sets offer brighter and higher-quality Mini LED panels for a superior TV watching experience. The 65-inch Frame Pro is a great option for most living rooms since it's large enough to deliver an immersive viewing experience, and it also comes with Samsung's wireless One Connect box for less cable clutter. (If you're looking for something larger, the 75-inch Frame Pro is down to $2,699, and the 85-inch is $3,799.)  Hisense S7N CanvasTV (65-inch) for $898 (down from $1,300): Hisense's spin on Samsung's Frame sets, the CanvasTV, comes in much cheaper and with a boatload of features. The S7N sports an anti-glare display and art mode, as you'd expect, but there's also 144Hz support for a bit of gaming. It also comes with a slim wall mount so you can hang it on your wall like a genuine work of art. (The 55-inch model is also a great deal at $689, and the 77-inch is down to $1,399.)    Best Prime Day budget TV deals Amazon Fire TV (50-inch) for $260 (down from $400): Amazon’s budget Fire TV sets handle the basics just fine, and at this price the 50-inch model is a compelling deal as a second or third TV set. It supports HDR10 (but not Dolby Vision), and as you’d expect, it also has the Amazon Fire TV OS built-in, giving you access to over 23,000 apps. It also sports Amazon’s Alexa Voice Remote to help you find content quickly. (You can also go up and down in size, depending on your needs. The 43-inch model is now down to $220, and it’d be a solid choice for a small bedroom or office.) Hisense QD6 (55-inch) for $240 (down from $380): Hisense is on a roll delivering tons of TV features at a very low cost, and the QD6 line is a prime example of that. It has Amazon's Fire TV and Alexa support built in, and it also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It can even handle a bit of fast gaming with a 120Hz refresh rate. TCL QM6K (55-inch) for $448 (down from $600): TCL's mid-range sets finally fall below $500 for Prime Day, and that makes the QM6K one of the higher quality options in this price range. It features a bright Mini LED panel, a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming and it even includes an Onkyo speaker setup built-in. While it's technically a budget set at this price, it certainly won't look like a low-grade TV. Roku Smart TV (32-inch) for $100 (down from $143): Not every room needs a large TV — this Roku Smart TV is perfect for a small bedroom or office. It's powered by Roku's OS and it comes with a Voice Remote. While it only offers a 720p resolution, that will still look decently sharp on a screen this small. Roku Smart TV (65-inch) for $348 (down from $450): Roku's basic smart TVs offer most of what you need: A decent 4K screen, a large selection of apps on Roku's platform and a Roku Voice Remote for easy browsing. These sets are ideal as secondary (or tertiary) TVs in rooms where you don't demand the best quality. (There are also some great deals on larger Roku Smart TVs: the 85-inch model is just $800, and the 75-inch version is $700.)    Best Prime Day soundbar and speaker deals Sonos Beam Gen 2 for $369 (down from $499): Sonos's latest Beam is one of the best mid-range soundbars on the market. It's compact, but it also delivers expansive sound. And it also supports Dolby Atmos through a bit of speaker virtualization. The Beam is also ideal if you've already got Sonos speakers, since you can pair them all together for some household jams (or just bring your TV audio to different rooms). TCL S55H soundbar for $100 (down from $160): At this price, the TCL S55H delivers a ton of audio bang for the buck. It comes with a wireless subwoofer, features auto room calibration and supports virtualized surround sound like Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X. With 220W of power behind its sound, the S55H should be powerful enough to fill most rooms. Sony Bravia Theater Quad for $2,000 (down from $2,500): Leave it up to Sony to do something different in the world of home entertainment. The Bravia Theater Quad are a set of four flat modules, containing a total of sixteen speakers, which deliver truly enveloping surround sound. They’re the ideal solution for anyone who wants a theatrical experience, but doesn’t want to see gigantic tower or bookshelf speakers in their space. They support Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 for $998 (down from $1,400): The Bravia Theater Bar 9 is Sony’s most capable self-contained soundbar, with 13 speakers and support for virtualized surround sound with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony’s own 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology. It’s the best option if you want to enjoy your favorite movies and music loud, but also don’t want to see speakers all over your living room. (The Bravia Theater 8 is also discounted to $698 and very well-equipped, with 11 speakers and the same surround sound support. ) Sony Bravia Theater System 6 for $568 (down from $770): If you want real surround sound from an actual subwoofer and satellite speakers spread around your room, the Bravia Theater System 6 is a solid choice. It pairs together a soundbar, wireless subwoofer and two rear satellites (connected by a wireless amplifier). It’s a great option for apartments and small living rooms where you just can’t live with virtualized surround sound. (You can also snag the soundbar on its own for $448, down from $650.) Best Prime Day streaming device deals Roku Ultra for $69 (down from $100): Roku's ultimate set-top box is the best streamer for home theater enthusiasts who want to avoid the more expensive Apple TV. It handles every video and audio format you'd want — including Dolby Vision, Atmos and HDR 10+ — and it also comes with Roku's rechargeable Voice Remote Pro. The Roku Ultra is the fastest device from the company, so you can expect to zip around Roku's interface and apps far quicker than the cheaper streaming sticks. Roku Streaming Stick+ for $30 (down from $40): The Roku Streaming Stick+ is the easiest way to bring Roku's robust app selection to any 4K TV. It's a great option for first-generation 4K sets that either had no streaming apps, or are way too slow by now. And it's a great gadgets to bring on trips to maintain access to all of your favorite streaming services.   Roku Streaming Stick HD For $20 (down from $30): The basic HD Roku Streaming stick is a solid option for bringing streaming apps to older TVs, which likely don't support 4K or any fancy HDR standards. Sure, it's as no frills as you can get, but for $20 it's worth having a backup streaming device. (or one you won't mind losing during a trip). And if you have an older TV that's still working, it's definitely worth investing a bit to get modern apps. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 (down from $50): Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K is a simple way to add some streaming smarts to any TV with an HDMI port. Alternatively, you can load it up with your favorite streaming apps and bring it on the road. As a bonus, you can also play Xbox cloud streaming games when you pair a controller (Xbox GamePass membership required).      This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/these-are-the-best-amazon-prime-day-tv-deals-from-sony-lg-samsung-and-others-to-get-before-the-sale-ends-084705582.html?src=rss View Source Article

2025 has brought us the biggest Amazon Prime Day ever and while today is your last chance to partake in the savings, there are still a ton of gaming deals to be had. We're talking about discounts on some of AMD's best gaming CPUs, award-winning titles like Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Elden Ring and brand new flagship systems from Alienware, Razer and more. So if you want to get a good price on everything from laptops to displays and all sorts of accessories, keep reading to see our handpicked list of the best gaming deals during Prime Day before they're gone forever (or at least until next year). Best Prime Day deals on video games The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Nintendo Switch) for $52 ($8 off) We rarely see discounts on first-party Nintendo games, especially when it comes to major franchises like The Legend of Zelda. But for Prime Day, Echoes of Wisdom is available for 15 percent off, which is even more impressive when you consider the game the game is less than a year old. Not only is this the first Zelda game to put our beloved princess in the spotlight (instead of Link), it offers a fun twist on the series' classic top-down action RPG formula thanks to Zelda's new ability to summon objects and monsters with the Tri-rod. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch) for $59 ($11 off) Alternatively, if you are looking for something a bit faster paced, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may be one of the best sequels in recent video game history. And now for Prime Day, it's available for $11 off its normal retail price. Not only is this a great pickup for anyone who hasn't played it yet, it's also a great showcase of the Switch 2's capabilities as users can purchase a $10 upgrade pack (or get it for free if you have a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack) that adds support for HDR, faster loading times, enhanced textures and smoother framerates.  Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), PlayStation 5 for $29 ($31 off) At full price, this game was easy to skip. But now that it's available for just $29 (half off its normal retail price), Star Wars Outlaws suddenly becomes a lot more interesting for fans of the franchise. You get to live out your dreams of being an intergalactic scoundrel while taking down bounties or battling secret crime syndicates. And because this is the limited edition, the game includes some pre-order rewards like the Kessel Run bonus pack and the Rogue Infiltrator bundle. Assassin’s Creed Shadows - Limited Edition for PS5/Xbox Series X for $48 ($22 off) If you missed the latest entry in Ubisoft's most well-known franchise, this might be the time to jump in because for Prime Day, Assassin's Creed Shadows is available for $48, more than $20 off its regular retail price. This instalment has you explore feudal Japan as either the shinobi Naoe or the legendary samurai Yasuke while encountering some notable figures from the time period. If all you want is a wonderful world to sneak around in, it's hard to go wrong with Assassin's Creed on a discount. Elden Ring: Shadow of The Erdtree Edition for PS5/Xbox Series X for $60 ($20 off) Elden Ring is one of the most highly regarded games of this decade so far (and arguably of all time). For Prime Day, you can become a foul tarnished by picking up a version that includes the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion for $60. Elden Ring typically costs around $50 (though it's down to $30 on PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series X for Prime Day) and the DLC will usually run you another $40, so that's a decent discount compared with buying them separately — or even the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition at its regular price.  Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition for PlayStation and Switch for $45 ($30 off) This collection of pixel remasters of the first six Final Fantasy games is discounted by $30 during Prime Day. Several other games in the series are on sale for PS5 as well, such as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade ($30, $10 off), Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ($40, $30 off) and Final Fantasy XVI ($25, $15 off) Best Prime Day deals on VR headsets Meta Quest 3S 128GB Bundle for $249 ($51 off) The Quest 3S is one of our picks for best VR headsets for good reason. Meta cut just the right corners from the more full-featured Quest 3, enabling it to drop the list price down lower. It has the same Snapdragon chip and controlers, but cheaps out a bit on the lenses, slightly lowering the graphics fidelity in use. Just like the Quest 3, it works standalone for lighter games and streaming, or in concert with a gaming PC for full-fat AAA VR titles. It's well worth the $300 Meta usually asks for it, so at $249 with two games included (Cardboard Hero and the excellent social VR hit Gorilla Tag), it's a steal. Best Prime Day deals on PCs and PC components Razer Blade 14 with RTX 4070 for $2,300 ($400 off) The Blade 14 is one of my favorite laptop lines because it combines a super sleek chassis with solid performance and truly excellent build quality. And now, as a way to get in on the Prime Day festivities, Razer has an exclusive offer on its website that will knock $400 off configs with RTX 4070 GPUs or up to $300 on models with RTX 4060 cards. These kind of savings go a long way towards neutralizing my biggest issue with Razer's laptops: their price. So if you're looking for a system that can do some serious gaming but is still easy to carry around, you're going to want to snap this deal up fast.  AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D 16-Core processor for $664 ($35 off) AMD's X3D chips are the cream of the crop when it comes to gaming performance and while it's only enjoying a $35 discount right now, informed buyers know that the real savings are bigger than that because these chips often go for well above their MSRP. But the best thing is that for Prime Day, in addition to the 9950X3D, there are a bunch of other X3D processors on sale right now including the $460 Ryzen 7 9800X3D and $265 Ryzen 7 5700X3D so you can pick the right component for your budget. If you need a new CPU to speed up your gaming rig, now is a great time to upgrade. ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop with RTX 4060 for $1,360 ($340 off) While an RTX 4060 isn't the most powerful GPU on the market, getting a whole new laptop with solid specs for just $1,360 isn't something you can just ignore, especially if you're on a budget. This ROG Strix G16 comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. And while its Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU is one generation old, it's still plenty fast enough for gaming, video editing or pretty much anything else you need to do. I also appreciate small features like a MUX switch that lets the laptop connect directly to the GPU for increased performance, though if you want, you can also enable automatic switching for better battery life. And with a 16-inch 240Hz QHD display with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, everything on screen is sure to look great. Acer Nitro V gaming laptop with NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU for $1,200 ($150 off, lowest ever price) Acer's Nitro gaming laptops are meant to be more affordable alternatives to its flagship Predator systems. But now thanks to Prime Day, this model just got even more budget-friendly while still offering decent specs. You get an Intel Core i9-13900H CPU with 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and an RTX 4060 GPU, the latter of which should pair nicely with its 15.6-inch full HD 144Hz display. I also appreciate that unlike some gaming laptops, the Nitro V is stylish without being in your face with too many RGB lights, which makes it feel like an even better deal at $1,200. That's the lowest price we've seen to date for this configuration. Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 RAM 32GB (2x16GB) RAM for $95 ($25 off) Adding some extra memory to your desktop can help unlock its full potential. So for Prime Day, Corsair is offering two 16GB sticks of its Vengeance DDR5 RAM for just $95. Not only do you get built-in RGB lighting, Corsair's onboard voltage regulation makes it simpler to overclock your system. And for those who don't want to mess around in BIOS settings, you can control almost everything from the easy-to-use free iCue app. Thermaltake GF1 (2024) Fully Modular ATX 850W Power Supply for $80 ($30 off, lowest ever price) Even though power supplies aren't the most exciting component you can put in your desktop, the importance of a good one can't be understated. For just $80, which is the lowest price we've seen to date for this product, the Thermaltake GF1 is fully modular (which means you can add or remove power cables as you need them) and has an ample max power of 850 watts along with an 80 Plus Gold rating for efficiency. And thanks to its 140mm fan, it should be pretty quiet, so it won't cause a ruckus if you decide to play some games at night. Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB PCIe M.2 SSD for $114 ($63 off) If you're like me and are constantly running out of storage, this deal for one of Samsung's 990 EVO Plus 2TB M.2 SSDs is a fantastic way to add extra room on the cheap. With a 36 percent discount for Prime Day — down to $114 — this is the lowest price we've ever seen. And it's not like you're cutting corners on speed either, as the SSD supports both PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2 and read/write rates of up to 7,250/6,300MB/s. AMD Ryzen 5 9600X 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Processor for $156 ($123 off) The Ryzen 5 9600X isn't super flashy, but it's a really solid budget CPU. And now, it’s even more affordable during Prime Day where it's going for just $156, which is $123 off its normal retail price. It features six cores and 12 total threads with a max boost speed of 5.4GHz and support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe Gen 5. It's also unlocked, so you have the freedom to overlock if you want. That said, you will need to buy a CPU cooler separately, as one doesn't come in the box. AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 16-Core, 32-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor for $434 ($215 off) The biggest issue with the Ryzen 9 9950X CPU was that at launch, it was a bit overpriced. But during Prime Day, that problem is being addressed thanks to a $215 discount that brings its cost down to under $500. The CPU features 16 cores and 32 threads along with 80MB of cache and support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe Gen 5. However, like some of AMD's other processors on sale this week, you will need to get a CPU cooler separately. Best Prime Day deals on gaming peripherals Razer Enki Gaming Chair for $450 ($50 off) If you're going to be spending all day in front of a screen gaming, you better make sure whatever you're sitting on is super comfy. And as I've been using the Razer Enki every day for the last four years, I can attest that this chair is worth the money. It has a ton of adjustability for things like the arm rests, seat height and more. For more flexible folks, it was even designed so people can sit cross-legged. I also appreciate that in homes where neon green might not fit your vibe, there's an all-black model (plus a pink one too, though that one is currently sold out). SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless headset for $323 ($50 off) SteelSeries makes some of the most comfortable headsets I've ever used thanks to the super soft earcups equipped on every pair. But what separates the Arctis Nova Pro from lesser competitors is support for premium features like 360-degree spatial audio, strong noise cancellation and a hot swap battery system. Butthe best feature is SteelSeries' dedicated base station, which features an OLED screen, physical knobs and dual USB ports so you can connect your headset to multiple devices and swap between audio sources with the touch of a button. Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 for $110 ($40 off, lowest ever) If you've ever dreamed about becoming a gaming streamer or simply want some extra customizable controls for your PC, Elgato's Stream Deck MK.2 could make a great addition to your setup. It has 15 programmable macro keys with built-in LCD displays so you can make custom buttons for switching scenes, turning on lights and so much more. Elgato also has plugins for services like YouTube, Twitch, Discord, so it'll play nicely with all the major streaming platforms. In short, it's like a command center for all your content creation and livestreaming needs. Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse for $29 ($21 off) The Logitech G305 Lightspeed gaming mouse is just a simple PC peripheral done well. And at just $29, it's super affordable during Prime Day too. It features six programmable buttons, compatibility with both PCs and Macs and a sensor with sensitivity of up to 12,000 DPI. Meanwhile, thanks to a battery that lasts up to 250 hours between charges, you can go weeks between needing to plug it in. And because it's wireless, there won't be any cords or cables to get in your way. Amazon Luna Controller and one month of Luna+ for $40 ($30 off) The Luna Controller by itself is down to $40, which matches a record-low price. However, if you're a newcomer to Luna+, you may as well pick up this bundle (which is also matching a record low) for the same price, as it includes one month of access to the service for new subscribers. This gamepad is a solid option for those who want to check out Luna, Amazon's cloud gaming service. Prime subscribers get access to a dedicated channel with a rotating selection of games at no extra cost. This month, for instance, you can check out Death Stranding Director's Cut, Hollow Knight and EA Sports FC 25.  8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard for $80 ($20 off) With its Retro Mechanical Keyboard, 8BitDo strikes a great balance between a nostalgic design and support for more modern features like wireless connectivity (both BT and 2.4GHz). There are several different versions to choose from, though the one inspired by the classic NES is the model I'd choose. The keyboard features an 87-key layout with PBT keycaps and Kailh Box switches, though because the PCB is hot swappable, you can always change them out for something else. Sony Inzone H9 Wireless Gaming Headset for $198 ($102 off) For anyone looking for a new pair of over-the-ear wireless gaming headphones to pair with a PS5, it's hard to do better than Sony's Inzone H9 headset. Not only does it have a similar design to the console, they are the only other headphones besides the official Pulse cans that support on-screen status notifications for volume, mic mute, game/chat balance and more. They also share a lot of the underlying tech used in Sony's iconic WH-1000XM line, so you'll get fantastic audio quality and active noise cancellation. But the best part is that at $198, you're looking at a serious discount of 34 percent, which is more than $100 off its regular retail price. Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB Solid State Drive for $209 ($21 off) Games are getting bigger every day, so if you need some extra storage for your Xbox Series S or X, you'd be silly not to pick up one of Seagate's 2TB Expansion Cards for just $209. That's enough room for a dozen or more digital titles (or like three versions of Call of Duty) and it's the biggest SSD storage module that slots into the back of the console without the need for a separate box. Amazon Basics UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector 800VA/450W for $65 ($10 off) I'm not here to nag, but if you have a desktop PC, you really ought to consider adding a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to your setup as they prevent power surges or momentary outages from knocking your system offline. Plus, this one has a beefy 450-watt battery backup and 12 outlets so you can connect all of your other PC gadgets to it. So if you're going to do the smart thing by adding some extra electrical protection to your home during Prime Day, you might as well save some money in the process. Best Prime Day deals on mobile gaming gear Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB) for $1,055 ($365 off) With Samsung's next Unpacked event expected to show off new foldables, it looks like some of the existing models are getting some serious discounts for Prime Day, including the Galaxy S25 Ultra. And at $1,055, this is the lowest price we've seen for Samsung's current flagship phone yet. For gamers, thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the S25 Ultra offers some of the best performance you can get in a phone right now, while its built-in vapor chamber should help prevent throttling. Its 6.9-inch AMOLED display is also one of the best mobile screens on the market today. Razer Kishi Ultra for $100 ($50 off) Razer doesn't normally run a ton of deals for Prime Day, but it seems this year the company is making an exception as there are discounts on everything from gamepads to headsets and more. That said, one of the standout deals is for the Kishi Ultra gaming controller. On top of just being a well-built gamepad add-on for phones and tablets, its larger dimension and USB-C port means it works with a huge range of devices — both Android and iOS. This even includes more niche devices like foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold series, which often don't fit inside other mobile gamepads due to their unique design. Backbone One mobile controller for Android and iPhone 15/16 for $70 ($30 off) If you like playing games on your phone but prefer real joysticks and buttons, the Backbone One is a great accessory. It's compatible with a ton of big-name titles like Call of Duty, the Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now. Though sadly because this isn't the PlayStation Edition, Android users can’t use this with the PS Remote Play app. Regardless, you still get solid physical controls along with a 3.5mm jack for pass-through audio. But the most important thing is that because this model features USB-C, it works with pretty much any recent Android phone and late-model Apple handsets like the iPhone 15 and 16. Best Prime Day deals on gaming monitors and TVs Sony 85-Inch Class 4K Ultra HD Bravia 3 LED TV for $1,098 ($500 off) There's no better way to upgrade your living room gaming setup than with a brand-new, big-ass TV. Granted, the Bravia 3 is one of Sony's entry-level models (fancier sets get higher numbers), but with a discounted price of $1,098 for a massive 85-inch panel, this deal represents one of the biggest screens you can get for the money. It also has Google TV built in, so you'll get a very simple and straightforward way to stream your favorite shows and movies from services like Netflix, HBO and more. But perhaps most importantly is that for PS5 owners, the Bravia 3 supports exclusive features when connected to a PS5, such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture mode. By the way, for a more in-depth look at the best TV discounts, check out our dedicated guide covering the best TV deals for Amazon Prime Day 2025. LG UltraGear 32-inch OLED Dual Mode gaming monitor for $1,000 ($400 off) LG's dual mode 32-inch UltraGear monitor is one of the best displays for PC gaming out right now and as part of Prime Day, Best Buy has it on sale for $400 off. You can set it to 4K at 240Hz for when you want a sharp, high-resolution view. Or you can switch it to full HD, which allows its refresh rate to jump all the way up to 480Hz, which is more than enough for even the most demanding competitive gamer. It also supports AMD FreeSync Pro and because it's based on an OLED panel, you get pure blacks and vibrant colors along. The one small downside is that it doesn't have the most impressive peak brightness. But considering everything else this monitor offers, getting one for $1,000 feels like a steal. Alienware AW2725DF 26.7-inch OLED gaming monitor for $600 ($300 off) For anyone who has been waiting for prices of OLED gaming monitors to drop, this may be your chance to pounce on a great deal. That's because at $600, Alienware's 26.7-inch OLED display strikes a good balance between price and performance with a 360Hz refresh rate, 2560 x 1440 resolution and support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. And of course, you get those lovely pure blacks and vivid colors that OLED panels have become known for. Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Series 57-inch 4K 240Hz 4K gaming monitor for $1,600 ($700 off) This 57-inch monitor isn't for people with limited space. But if you've got the room, at $1,600, this is the lowest we've ever seen the Neo G9 as this deal represents a whopping $700 savings compared to its regular list price. This thing features a solid 240Hz refresh rate along with support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, a 1000R curve and Quantum mini LED tech with 2,392 local dimming zones. For people who love ultra-wide displays, this should be at the top of your upgrade list during Amazon Prime Day. Acer Nitro 27-inch WQHD IPS gaming monitor for $170 ($120 off) Anyone looking for a solid and affordable 1440p gaming monitor during Prime Day should really check out this 27-inch IPS display from Acer. For just $170 (matching a record-low price), it features a relatively speedy 180Hz refresh rate along with support for AMD FreeSync Premium and a good color range that covers 95 percent of DCI-P3. The height-adjustable stand can also swivel and pivot, while thin bezels on top and on the sides will make sure it won't look dated in a few years. So while this thing isn't super fancy, it's simple and competent in the best ways. Best Prime Day deals on batteries and power packs UGREEN Magnetic Power Bank 10,000mAh fast charging battery pack for $33 ($2 off) The Switch 2 is a fantastic handheld, but its longevity could be better. So if you're planning to take it on a long trip, pick up UGREEN's 10,000mAH fast charging battery pack to help keep running when you're away from a plug. This power pack almost has enough juice to fully refill a Switch 2 twice, which can add between five and 12 hours of additional game time (depending on the title). It also has an output of 20 watts, which is as much as the Switch 2 can suck down at once, but it's still super pocketable measuring just four inches long and 0.7 inches thick. And if you need a convenient way to recharge your phone, the battery pack also comes with Qi wireless support.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-gaming-deals-on-video-games-hardware-and-more-to-get-before-the-sale-ends-144228893.html?src=rss View Source Article

6 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA instruments and aircraft are helping identify potential sources of critical minerals across vast swaths of California, Nevada, and other Western states. Pilots gear up to reach altitudes about twice as high as those of a cruising passenger jet.NASA NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey have been mapping the planets since Apollo. One team is searching closer to home for minerals critical to national security and the economy. If not for the Joshua trees, the tan hills of Cuprite, Nevada, would resemble Mars. Scalded and chemically altered by water from deep underground, the rocks here are earthly analogs for understanding ancient Martian geology. The hills are also rich with minerals. They’ve lured prospectors for more than 100 years and made Cuprite an ideal place to test NASA technology designed to map the minerals, craters, crusts, and ices of our solar system. Sensors that discovered lunar water, charted Saturn’s moons, even investigated ground zero in New York City were all tested and calibrated at Cuprite, said Robert Green, a senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. He’s honed instruments in Nevada for decades. One of Green’s latest projects is to find and map rocky surfaces in the American West that could contain minerals crucial to the nation’s economy and security. Currently, the U.S. is dependent on imports of 50 critical minerals, which include lithium and rare earth elements used in everything from rechargeable batteries to medicine. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are searching nationwide for domestic sources. NASA is contributing to this effort with high-altitude aircraft and sensors capable of detecting the molecular fingerprints of minerals across vast, treeless expanses in wavelengths of light not visible to human eyes. The hills of Cuprite, Nevada, appear pink and tan to the eye (top image) but they shine with mica, gypsum, and alunite among other types of minerals when imaged spectroscopically (lower image). NASA sensors used to study Earth and other rocky worlds have been tested there.USGS/Ray Kokaly The collaboration is called GEMx, the Geological Earth Mapping Experiment, and it’s likely the largest airborne spectroscopic survey in U.S. history. Since 2023, scientists working on GEMx have charted more than 190,000 square miles (500,000 square kilometers) of North American soil. Mapping Partnership Started During Apollo As NASA instruments fly in aircraft 60,000 feet (18,000 meters) overhead, Todd Hoefen, a geophysicist, and his colleagues from USGS work below. The samples of rock they test and collect in the field are crucial to ensuring that the airborne observations match reality on the ground and are not skewed by the intervening atmosphere. The GEMx mission marks the latest in a long history of partnerships between NASA and USGS. The two agencies have worked together to map rocky worlds — and keep astronauts and rovers safe — since the early days of the space race. For example, geologic maps of the Moon made in the early 1960s at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, helped Apollo mission planners select safe and scientifically promising sites for the six crewed landings that occurred from 1969 to 1972. Before stepping onto the lunar surface, NASA’s Moon-bound astronauts traveled to Flagstaff to practice fieldwork with USGS geologists. A version of those Apollo boot camps continues today with astronauts and scientists involved in NASA’s Artemis mission. Geophysicist Raymond Kokaly, who leads the GEMx campaign for USGS, is pictured here conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of rock in Cuprite, Nevada, in April 2019.USGS/Todd Hoefen Rainbows and Rocks To detect minerals and other compounds on the surfaces of rocky bodies across the solar system, including Earth, scientists use a technology pioneered by JPL in the 1980s called imaging spectroscopy. One of the original imaging spectrometers built by Robert Green and his team is central to the GEMx campaign in the Western U.S. About the size and weight of a minifridge and built to fly on planes, the instrument is called AVIRIS-Classic, short for Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer. Like all imaging spectrometers, it takes advantage of the fact that every molecule reflects and absorbs light in a unique pattern, like a fingerprint. Spectrometers detect these molecular fingerprints in the light bouncing off or emitted from a sample or a surface.   In the case of GEMx, that’s sunlight shimmering off different kinds of rocks.   Compared to a standard digital camera, which “sees” three color channels (red, green, and blue), imaging spectrometers can see more than 200 channels, including infrared wavelengths of light that are invisible to the human eye. NASA spectrometers have orbited or flown by every major rocky body in our solar system. They’ve helped scientists investigate methane lakes on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, and study Pluto’s thin atmosphere. One JPL-built spectrometer is currently en route to Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter, to help search for chemical ingredients necessary to support life. “One of the cool things about NASA is that we develop technology to look out at the solar system and beyond, but we also turn around and look back down,” said Ben Phillips, a longtime NASA program manager who led GEMx until he retired in 2025. The Newest Instrument More than 200 hours of GEMx flights are scheduled through fall 2025. Scientists will process and validate the data, with the first USGS mineral maps to follow. During these flights, an ER-2 research aircraft from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, will cruise over the Western U.S. at altitudes twice as high as a passenger jet flies. At such high altitudes, pilot Dean Neeley must wear a spacesuit similar to those used by astronauts. He flies solo in the cramped cockpit but will be accompanied by state-of-the-art NASA instruments. In the belly of the plane rides AVIRIS-Classic, which will be retiring soon after more than three decades in service. Carefully packed in the plane’s nose is its successor: AVIRIS-5, taking flight for the first time in 2025. Together, the two instruments provide 10 times the performance of the older spectrometer alone, but even by itself AVIRIS-5 marks a leap forward. It can sample areas ranging from about 30 feet (10 meters) to less than a foot (30 centimeters). “The newest generation of AVIRIS will more than live up to the original,” Green said. More About GEMx The GEMx research project will last four years and is funded by the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative. The initiative will capitalize on both the technology developed by NASA for spectroscopic imaging, as well as the agency’s expertise in analyzing the datasets and extracting critical mineral information from them. Data collected by GEMx is available here. News Media Contacts Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Elizabeth VlockNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov Written by Sally Younger 2025-086 Share Details Last Updated Jul 10, 2025 Related TermsEarth ScienceEarthJet Propulsion LaboratoryNASA Aircraft Explore More 3 min read NASA Aircraft, Sensor Technology, Aid in Texas Flood Recovery Efforts Article 2 days ago 2 min read Polar Tourists Give Positive Reviews to NASA Citizen Science in Antarctica Citizen science projects result in an overwhelmingly positive impact on the polar tourism experience. That’s… Article 2 days ago 4 min read NASA Mission Monitoring Air Quality from Space Extended  Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

7 min read NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Snaps Closest-Ever Images to Sun KEY POINTS NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has taken the closest ever images to the Sun, captured just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. The new close-up images show features in the solar wind, the constant stream of electrically charged subatomic particles released by the Sun that rage across the solar system at speeds exceeding 1 million miles an hour. These images, and other data, are helping scientists understand the mysteries of the solar wind, which is essential to understanding its effects at Earth. On its record-breaking pass by the Sun late last year, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe captured stunning new images from within the Sun’s atmosphere. These newly released images — taken closer to the Sun than we’ve ever been before — are helping scientists better understand the Sun’s influence across the solar system, including events that can affect Earth. “Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models. This new data will help us vastly improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system.” Parker Solar Probe started its closest approach to the Sun on Dec. 24, 2024, flying just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. As it skimmed through the Sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona, in the days around the perihelion, it collected data with an array of scientific instruments, including the Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe, or WISPR.  Parker Solar Probe has revolutionized our understanding of the solar wind thanks to the spacecraft’s many passes through the Sun’s outer atmosphere.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Joy Ng The new WISPR images reveal the corona and solar wind, a constant stream of electrically charged particles from the Sun that rage across the solar system. The solar wind expands throughout of the solar system with wide-ranging effects. Together with outbursts of material and magnetic currents from the Sun, it helps generate auroras, strip planetary atmospheres, and induce electric currents that can overwhelm power grids and affect communications at Earth. Understanding the impact of solar wind starts with understanding its origins at the Sun. The WISPR images give scientists a closer look at what happens to the solar wind shortly after it is released from the corona. The images show the important boundary where the Sun’s magnetic field direction switches from northward to southward, called the heliospheric current sheet. It also captures the collision of multiple coronal mass ejections, or CMEs — large outbursts of charged particles that are a key driver of space weather — for the first time in high resolution. “In these images, we’re seeing the CMEs basically piling up on top of one another,” said Angelos Vourlidas, the WISPR instrument scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, which designed, built, and operates the spacecraft in Laurel, Maryland. “We’re using this to figure out how the CMEs merge together, which can be important for space weather.” To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This video, made from images taken by Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument during its record-breaking flyby of the Sun on Dec. 25, 2024, shows the solar wind racing out from the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Naval Research Lab When CMEs collide, their trajectory can change, making it harder to predict where they’ll end up. Their merger can also accelerate charged particles and mix magnetic fields, which makes the CMEs’ effects potentially more dangerous to astronauts and satellites in space and technology on the ground. Parker Solar Probe’s close-up view helps scientists better prepare for such space weather effects at Earth and beyond. Zooming in on Solar Wind’s Origins The solar wind was first theorized by preeminent heliophysicist Eugene Parker in 1958. His theories about the solar wind, which were met with criticism at the time, revolutionized how we see our solar system. Prior to Parker Solar Probe’s launch in 2018, NASA and its international partners led missions like Mariner 2, Helios, Ulysses, Wind, and ACE that helped scientists understand the origins of the solar wind — but from a distance. Parker Solar Probe, named in honor of the late scientist, is filling in the gaps of our understanding much closer to the Sun. At Earth, the solar wind is mostly a consistent breeze, but Parker Solar Probe found it’s anything but at the Sun. When the spacecraft reached within 14.7 million miles from the Sun, it encountered zig-zagging magnetic fields — a feature known as switchbacks. Using Parker Solar Probe’s data, scientists discovered that these switchbacks, which came in clumps, were more common than expected. When Parker Solar Probe first crossed into the corona about 8 million miles from the Sun’s surface in 2021, it noticed the boundary of the corona was uneven and more complex than previously thought. As it got even closer, Parker Solar Probe helped scientists pinpoint the origin of switchbacks at patches on the visible surface of the Sun where magnetic funnels form. In 2024 scientists announced that the fast solar wind — one of two main classes of the solar wind — is in part powered by these switchbacks, adding to a 50-year-old mystery. However, it would take a closer view to understand the slow solar wind, which travels at just 220 miles per second, half the speed of the fast solar wind. “The big unknown has been: how is the solar wind generated, and how does it manage to escape the Sun’s immense gravitational pull?” said Nour Rawafi, the project scientist for Parker Solar Probe at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. “Understanding this continuous flow of particles, particularly the slow solar wind, is a major challenge, especially given the diversity in the properties of these streams — but with Parker Solar Probe, we’re closer than ever to uncovering their origins and how they evolve.” Understanding Slow Solar Wind The slow solar wind, which is twice as dense and more variable than fast solar wind, is important to study because its interplay with the fast solar wind can create moderately strong solar storm conditions at Earth sometimes rivaling those from CMEs. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This artist’s concept shows a representative state of Earth’s magnetic bubble immersed in the slow solar wind, which averages some 180 to 300 miles per second. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab Prior to Parker Solar Probe, distant observations suggested there are actually two varieties of slow solar wind, distinguished by the orientation or variability of their magnetic fields. One type of slow solar wind, called Alfvénic, has small-scale switchbacks. The second type, called non-Alfvénic, doesn’t show these variations in its magnetic field.  As it spiraled closer to the Sun, Parker Solar Probe confirmed there are indeed two types. Its close-up views are also helping scientists differentiate the origins of the two types, which scientists believe are unique. The non-Alfvénic wind may come off features called helmet streamers — large loops connecting active regions where some particles can heat up enough to escape — whereas Alfvénic wind might originate near coronal holes, or dark, cool regions in the corona.  In its current orbit, bringing the spacecraft just 3.8 million miles from the Sun, Parker Solar Probe will continue to gather additional data during its upcoming passes through the corona to help scientists confirm the slow solar wind’s origins. The next pass comes Sept. 15, 2025. “We don’t have a final consensus yet, but we have a whole lot of new intriguing data,” said Adam Szabo, Parker Solar Probe mission scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. By Mara Johnson-GrohNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Jul 10, 2025 Related Terms Heliophysics Goddard Space Flight Center Heliophysics Division Missions NASA Centers & Facilities NASA Directorates Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Science & Research Science Mission Directorate Solar Wind Space Weather Explore More 8 min read NASA’s Webb Scratches Beyond Surface of Cat’s Paw for 3rd Anniversary Article 7 hours ago 6 min read Smarter Searching: NASA AI Makes Science Data Easier to Find Article 1 day ago 2 min read Polar Tourists Give Positive Reviews to NASA Citizen Science in Antarctica Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

The TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) mission will help scientists understand an explosive process called magnetic reconnection and its effects in Earth’s atmosphere. Credit: University of Iowa/Andy Kale NASA will hold a media teleconference at 11 a.m. EDT on Thursday, July 17, to share information about the agency’s upcoming Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, or TRACERS, mission, which is targeted to launch no earlier than late July. The TRACERS mission is a pair of twin satellites that will study how Earth’s magnetic shield — the magnetosphere — protects our planet from the supersonic stream of material from the Sun called solar wind. As they fly pole to pole in a Sun-synchronous orbit, the two TRACERS spacecraft will measure how magnetic explosions send these solar wind particles zooming down into Earth’s atmosphere — and how these explosions shape the space weather that impacts our satellites, technology, and astronauts. Also launching on this flight will be three additional NASA-funded payloads. The Athena EPIC (Economical Payload Integration Cost) SmallSat, led by NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is designed to demonstrate an innovative, configurable way to put remote-sensing instruments into orbit faster and more affordably. The Polylingual Experimental Terminal technology demonstration, managed by the agency’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) program, will showcase new technology that empowers missions to roam between communications networks in space, like cell phones roam between providers on Earth. Finally, the Relativistic Electron Atmospheric Loss (REAL) CubeSat, led by Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, will use space as a laboratory to understand how high-energy particles within the bands of radiation that surround Earth are naturally scattered into the atmosphere, aiding the development of methods for removing these damaging particles to better protect satellites and the critical ground systems they support. Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website at: nasa.gov/live Participants include: Joe Westlake, division director, Heliophysics, NASA Headquarters Kory Priestley, principal investigator, Athena EPIC, NASA Langley Greg Heckler, deputy program manager for capability development, SCaN, NASA Headquarters David Miles, principal investigator for TRACERS, University of Iowa Robyn Millan, REAL principal investigator, Dartmouth College To participate in the media teleconference, media must RSVP no later than 10 a.m. on July 17 to Sarah Frazier at: sarah.frazier@nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.  The TRACERS mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This mission is led by David Miles at the University of Iowa with support from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. NASA’s Heliophysics Explorers Program Office at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the mission for the agency’s HeliophysicsDivision at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The University of Iowa, Southwest Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Berkeley, all lead instruments on TRACERS that will study changes in the Earth’s magnetic field and electric field. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages the Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract. To learn more about TRACERS, please visit: nasa.gov/tracers -end- Abbey Interrante / Karen FoxHeadquarters, Washington301-201-0124 / 202-358-1600abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov / karen.c.fox@nasa.gov Sarah FrazierGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland202-853-7191sarah.frazier@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 10, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsEarthHeliophysicsScience Mission DirectorateSolar WindTRACERS View Source Article

To celebrate its third year of revealing stunning scenes of the cosmos in infrared light, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has “clawed” back the thick, dusty layers of a section within the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334). NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope team released this image of the Cat’s Paw Nebula on July 10, 2025, in honor of the telescope’s third anniversary. Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera)  revealed never-before-seen structural details and features: Massive young stars carve away at nearby gas and dust, while their bright starlight produces a bright nebulous glow represented in blue. As a consequence of these massive stars’ lively behavior, the local star formation process will eventually come to a stop. Take a tour through this section of the Cat’s Paw Nebula. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI View Source Article

An artist’s concept design of NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle.Credit: NASA NASA has selected three instruments to travel to the Moon, with two planned for integration onto an LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) and one for a future orbital opportunity. The LTV is part of NASA’s efforts to explore the lunar surface as part of the Artemis campaign and is the first crew-driven vehicle to operate on the Moon in more than 50 years. Designed to hold up to two astronauts, as well as operate remotely without a crew, this surface vehicle will enable NASA to achieve more of its science and exploration goals over a wide swath of lunar terrain. “The Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle will transport humanity farther than ever before across the lunar frontier on an epic journey of scientific exploration and discovery,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By combining the best of human and robotic exploration, the science instruments selected for the LTV will make discoveries that inform us about Earth’s nearest neighbor as well as benefit the health and safety of our astronauts and spacecraft on the Moon.” The Artemis Infrared Reflectance and Emission Spectrometer (AIRES) will identify, quantify, and map lunar minerals and volatiles, which are materials that evaporate easily, like water, ammonia, or carbon dioxide. The instrument will capture spectral data overlaid on visible light images of both specific features of interest and broad panoramas to discover the distribution of minerals and volatiles across the Moon’s south polar region. The AIRES instrument team is led by Phil Christensen from Arizona State University in Tempe. The Lunar Microwave Active-Passive Spectrometer (L-MAPS) will help define what is below the Moon’s surface and search for possible locations of ice. Containing both a spectrometer and a ground-penetrating radar, the instrument suite will measure temperature, density, and subsurface structures to more than 131 feet (40 meters) below the surface. The L-MAPS instrument team is led by Matthew Siegler from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. When combined, the data from the two instruments will paint a picture of the components of the lunar surface and subsurface to support human exploration and will uncover clues to the history of rocky worlds in our solar system. The instruments also will help scientists characterize the Moon’s resources, including what the Moon is made of, potential locations of ice, and how the Moon changes over time. In addition to the instruments selected for integration onto the LTV, NASA also selected the Ultra-Compact Imaging Spectrometer for the Moon (UCIS-Moon) for a future orbital flight opportunity. The instrument will provide regional context to the discoveries made from the LTV. From above, UCIS-Moon will map the Moon’s geology and volatiles and measure how human activity affects those volatiles. The spectrometer also will help identify scientifically valuable areas for astronauts to collect lunar samples, while its wide-view images provide the overall context for where these samples will be collected. The UCIS-Moon instrument will provide the Moon’s highest spatial resolution data of surface lunar water, mineral makeup, and thermophysical properties. The UCIS-Moon instrument team is led by Abigail Fraeman from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Together, these three scientific instruments will make significant progress in answering key questions about what minerals and volatiles are present on and under the surface of the Moon,” said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. “With these instruments riding on the LTV and in orbit, we will be able to characterize the surface not only where astronauts explore, but also across the south polar region of the Moon, offering exciting opportunities for scientific discovery and exploration for years to come.” Leading up to these instrument selections, NASA has worked with all three lunar terrain vehicle vendors – Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab – to complete their preliminary design reviews. This review demonstrates that the initial design of each commercial lunar rover meets all of NASA’s system requirements and shows that the correct design options have been selected, interfaces have been identified, and verification methods have been described. NASA will evaluate the task order proposals received from each LTV vendor and make a selection decision on the demonstration mission by the end of 2025.  Through Artemis, NASA will address high priority science questions, focusing on those that are best accomplished by on-site human explorers on and around the Moon by using robotic surface and orbiting systems. The Artemis missions will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. To learn more about Artemis, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis -end- Karen Fox / Molly WasserHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 10, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemisEarth's MoonScience Mission Directorate View Source Article

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4593-4594: Three Layers and a Lot of Structure at Volcán Peña Blanca NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) to acquire this image showing a part of Volcán Peña Blanca from about 10 meters away (about 33 feet). It is already possible to see the different layers and make out that some of them are parallel, while others are at an angle. Curiosity acquired this image on July 6, 2025 — Sol 4591, or Martian day 4,591 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 10:13:13 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Written by Susanne P. Schwenzer, Professor of Planetary Mineralogy at The Open University, UK Earth planning date: Monday, July 7, 2025 A few planning sols ago, we spotted a small ridge in the landscape ahead of us. Ridges and structures that are prominently raised above the landscape are our main target along this part of Curiosity’s traverse. There are many hypotheses on how they formed, and water is one of the likely culprits involved. That is because water reacts with the original minerals, moves the compounds around and some precipitate as minerals in the pore spaces, which is called “cement” by sedimentologists, and generally known as one mechanism to make a rock harder. It’s not the only one, so the Curiosity science team is after all the details at this time to assess whether water indeed was responsible for the more resistant nature of the ridges. Spotting one that is so clearly raised prominently above the landscape — and in easy reach of the rover, both from the distance but also from the path that leads up to it — was therefore very exciting. In addition, the fact that we get a side view of the structure as well as a top view adds to the team’s ability to read the geologic record of this area. “Outcrops,” as we call those places, are one of the most important tools for any field geologist, including Curiosity and team! Therefore, the penultimate drive stopped about 10 meters away (about 33 feet) from the structure to get a good assessment of where exactly to direct the rover (see the blog post by my colleague Abby). You can see an example of the images Curiosity took with its Mast Camera above; if you want to see them all, they are on the raw images page (and by the time you go, there may be even more images that we took in today’s plan. With all the information from the last parking spot, the rover drivers parked Curiosity in perfect operating distance for all instruments. In direct view of the rover was a part of Volcán Peña Blanca that shows several units; this blogger counts at least three — but I am a mineralogist, not a sedimentologist! I am really looking forward to the chemical data we will get in this plan. My sedimentologist colleagues found the different angles of smaller layers in the three bigger layers especially interesting, and will look at the high-resolution images from the MAHLI instrument very closely. With all that in front of us, Curiosity has a very full plan. APXS will get two measurements, the target “Parinacota” is on the upper part of the outcrop and we can even clean it from the dust with the brush, aka DRT. MAHLI will get close-up images to see finer structures and maybe even individual grains. The second APXS target, called “Wila Willki,” is located in the middle part of the outcrop and will also be documented by MAHLI. The third activity of MAHLI will be a so-called dog’s-eye view of the outcrop. For this, the arm reaches very low down to align MAHLI to directly face the outcrop, to get a view of the structures and even a peek underneath some of the protruding ledges. The team is excitedly anticipating the arrival of those images. Stay tuned; you can also find them in the raw images section as soon as we have them! ChemCam is joining in with two LIBS targets — the target “Pichu Pichu” is on the upper part of the outcrop, and the target “Tacume” is on the middle part. After this much of close up looks, ChemCam is pointing the RMI to the mid-field to look at another of the raised features in more detail and into the far distance to see the upper contact of the boxwork unit with the next unit above it. Mastcam will first join the close up looks and take a large mosaic to document all the details of Volcán Peña Blanca, and to document the LIBS targets, before looking into the distance at two places where we see small troughs around exposed bedrock. Of course, there are also atmospheric observations in the plan; it’s aphelion cloud season and dust is always of interest. The latter is regularly monitored by atmosphere opacity experiments, and we keep searching for dust devils to understand where, how and why they form and how they move. Curiosity will be busy, and we are very much looking forward to understanding this interesting feature, which is one piece of the puzzle to understand this area we call the boxwork area. For more Curiosity blog posts, visit MSL Mission Updates Learn more about Curiosity’s science instruments Share Details Last Updated Jul 10, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 3 min read Continuing the Quest for Clays Article 2 days ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4589–4592: Setting up to explore Volcán Peña Blanca Article 3 days ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sol 4588: Ridges and troughs Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… Share Details Last Updated Jul 10, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 3 min read Continuing the Quest for Clays Article 2 days ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4589–4592: Setting up to explore Volcán Peña Blanca Article 3 days ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sol 4588: Ridges and troughs Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Hubble and Artificial Intelligence Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read Hubble Snaps Galaxy Cluster’s Portrait This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the galaxy cluster Abell 209. ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Postman, P. Kelly A massive, spacetime-warping cluster of galaxies is the setting of today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. The galaxy cluster in question is Abell 209, located 2.8 billion light-years away in the constellation Cetus (the Whale). This Hubble image of Abell 209 shows more than a hundred galaxies, but there’s more to this cluster than even Hubble’s discerning eye can see. Abell 209’s galaxies are separated by millions of light-years, and the seemingly empty space between the galaxies is filled with hot, diffuse gas that is visible only at X-ray wavelengths. An even more elusive occupant of this galaxy cluster is dark matter: a form of matter that does not interact with light. Dark matter does not absorb, reflect, or emit light, effectively making it invisible to us. Astronomers detect dark matter by its gravitational influence on normal matter. Astronomers surmise that the universe is comprised of 5% normal matter, 25% dark matter, and 70% dark energy. Hubble observations, like the ones used to create this image, can help astronomers answer fundamental questions about our universe, including mysteries surrounding dark matter and dark energy. These investigations leverage the immense mass of a galaxy cluster, which can bend the fabric of spacetime itself and create warped and magnified images of background galaxies and stars in a process called gravitational lensing. While this image lacks the dramatic rings that gravitational lensing can sometimes create, Abell 209 still shows subtle signs of lensing at work, in the form of streaky, slightly curved galaxies within the cluster’s golden glow. By measuring the distortion of these galaxies, astronomers can map the distribution of mass within the cluster, illuminating the underlying cloud of dark matter. This information, which Hubble’s fine resolution and sensitive instruments help to provide, is critical for testing theories of how our universe evolved. Text Credit: ESA/Hubble Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Share Details Last Updated Jul 11, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Galaxy clusters Goddard Space Flight Center Gravitational Lensing Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Gravitational Lenses Focusing in on Gravitational Lenses Shining a Light on Dark Matter View Source Article

The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission sit inside a Dragon training spacecraft at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. Pictured from left: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui (Credit: SpaceX). NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission is set to launch a four-person crew to the International Space Station later this summer. Some of the crew have volunteered to participate in a series of experiments to address health challenges astronauts may face on deep space missions during NASA’s Artemis campaign and future human expeditions to Mars. The research during Crew-11 includes simulated lunar landings, tactics to safeguard vision, and other human physiology studies led by NASA’s Human Research Program. Select crew members will participate in a series of simulated Moon landings, before, during, and after their flight. Using a handheld controller and multiple screens, the astronauts will fly through simulated scenarios created to resemble the lunar South Pole region that Artemis crews plan to visit. This experiment allows researchers to evaluate how different gravitational forces may disorient astronauts and affect their ability to pilot a spacecraft, like a lunar lander. “Even though many landing tasks are automated, astronauts must still know how to monitor the controls and know when to take over to ensure a safe landing,” said Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston coordinating the scientific investigation. “Our study assesses exactly how changes in gravity affect spatial awareness and piloting skills that are important for navigating these scenarios.” A ground control group completing the same tasks over a similar timeframe will help scientists better understand gravitational effects on human performance. The experiment’s results could inform the pilot training needed for future Artemis crews. “Experiencing weightlessness for months and then feeling greater levels of gravity on a planet like Mars, for example, may increase the risk of disorientation,” said Wood. “Our goal is to help astronauts adapt to any gravitational change, whether it’s to the Moon, a new planet, or landing back on Earth.” Other studies during the mission will explore possible ways to treat or prevent a group of eye and brain changes that can occur during long-duration space travel, called spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS).   Some researchers suspect the redistribution of bodily fluids in constant weightlessness may increase pressure in the head and contribute to SANS. One study will investigate fluid pressure on the brain while another will examine how the body processes B vitamins and whether supplements can affect how astronauts respond to bodily fluid shifts. Participating crew members will test whether a daily B vitamin supplement can eliminate or ease symptoms of SANS. Specific crew members also will wear thigh cuffs to keep bodily fluids from traveling headward. Crew members also will complete another set of experiments, called CIPHER (Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research), which measures how multiple systems within the human body change in space. The study includes vision assessments, MRI scans, and other medical exams to provide a complete overview of the whole body’s response to long-duration spaceflight. Several other studies involving human health and performance are also a part of Crew-11’s science portfolio. Crew members will contribute to a core set of measurements called Spaceflight Standard Measures, which collects physical data and biological samples from astronauts and stores them for other comparative studies. Participants will supply biological samples, such as blood and urine, for a study characterizing how spaceflight alters astronauts’ genetic makeup. In addition, volunteers will test different exercise regimens to help scientists explore what activities remain essential for long-duration journeys. After landing, participating crew members will complete surveys to track any discomfort, such as scrapes or bruises, acquired from re-entry. The data will help clarify whether mission length increases injury risks and could help NASA design landing systems on future spacecraft as NASA prepares to travel to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA’s Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, and aboard the International Space Station, the program investigates how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research drives NASA’s quest to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready. Explore More 2 min read NASA Announces Winners of 2025 Human Lander Challenge Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read NASA, Australia Team Up for Artemis II Lunar Laser Communications Test Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read NASA Engineers Simulate Lunar Lighting for Artemis III Moon Landing Article 3 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Living in Space Artemis Human Research Program Space Station Research and Technology View Source Article

2 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Here you see the X-59 scaled model inside the JAXA supersonic wind tunnel during critical tests related to sound predictions.JAXA Researchers from NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) recently tested a scale model of the X-59 experimental aircraft in a supersonic wind tunnel located in Chofu, Japan, to assess the noise audible underneath the aircraft.  The test was an important milestone for NASA’s one-of-a-kind X-59, which is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound without causing a loud sonic boom.   When the X-59 flies, sound underneath it – a result of its pressure signature – will be a critical factor for what people hear on the ground.  The X-59 is 99.7 feet long, with a wingspan of 29.7 feet. The JAXA wind tunnel, on the other hand, is just over 3 feet long by 3 feet wide.   So, researchers used a model scaled to just 1.62% of the actual aircraft – about 19 inches nose-to-tail. They exposed it to conditions mimicking the X-plane’s planned supersonic cruising speed of Mach 1.4, or approximately 925 miles per hour.  The series of tests performed at JAXA allowed NASA researchers to gather critical experimental data to compare to their predictions derived through Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling, which include how air will flow around the aircraft.   This marked the third round of wind tunnel tests for the X-59 model, following a previous test at JAXA and at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio.  The data will help researchers understand the noise level that will be created by the shock waves the X-59 produces at supersonic speeds.   The shock waves from traditional supersonic aircraft typically merge together, producing a loud sonic boom. The X-59’s unique design works to keep shock waves from merging, will result in a quieter sonic thump.  The X-59 was built in Palmdale, California at contractor Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and is undergoing final ground tests en route to its historic first flight this year.    NASA’s Quesst mission aims to help change the future of quiet supersonic travel using the X-59. The experimental aircraft allow the Quesst team to gather public feedback on acceptable sound levels for quiet supersonic flight.   Through Quesst’s development of the X-59, NASA will deliver design tools and technology for quiet supersonic airliners that will achieve the high speeds desired by commercial operators without creating disturbance to people on the ground.  Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 6 min read Meet Mineral Mappers Flying NASA Tech Out West Article 1 day ago 3 min read NASA Aircraft, Sensor Technology, Aid in Texas Flood Recovery Efforts Article 2 days ago 5 min read NASA Advances Pressure Sensitive Paint Research Capability Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans In Space Quesst Supersonic STEM Toolkit Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Jul 11, 2025 EditorLillian GipsonContactJim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov Related TermsAeronauticsAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateLow Boom Flight DemonstratorQuesst (X-59)Quesst: The VehicleSupersonic Flight View Source Article

The Axiom Mission 4 and Expedition 73 crews join together for a group portrait inside the International Space Station’s Harmony module. In the front row (from left) are Ax-4 crewmates Tibor Kapu, Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski with Expedition 73 crewmates Anne McClain and Takuya Onishi. In the rear are, Expedition 73 crewmates Alexey Zubritskiy, Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov, Jonny Kim, and Nichole Ayers.Credit: NASA NASA will provide live coverage of the undocking and departure of the Axiom Mission 4 private astronaut mission from the International Space Station. The four-member astronaut crew is scheduled to undock from the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT Monday, July 14, pending weather, to begin their return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California. Coverage of departure operations will begin with hatch closing at 4:30 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary, will have spent about two weeks in space at the conclusion of their mission. The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission. NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations): Monday, July 14 4:30 a.m. – Hatch closing coverage begins on NASA+. 4:55 a.m. – Crew enters spacecraft followed by hatch closing. 6:45 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Axiom Space, and SpaceX channels. 7:05 a.m. – Undocking NASA’s coverage ends approximately 30 minutes after undocking when space station joint operations with Axiom Space and SpaceX conclude. Axiom Space will resume coverage of Dragon’s re-entry and splashdown on the company’s website. A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration. The private mission also carried the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station. The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit provides the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions. Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space -end- Claire O’SheaHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov Anna SchneiderJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 11, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsInternational Space Station (ISS)Commercial CrewCommercial SpaceCommercial Space ProgramsHumans in SpaceISS ResearchJohnson Space CenterSpace Operations Mission Directorate View Source Article

XAI Grok 4 release livestream on Wednesday at 8pm PT. This is 49 hours from now. Grok 4 release livestream on Wednesday at 8pm PT @xAI — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2025 XAI Grok 4 will reportedly have top benchmark scores for Humanity Last Exam and other tests. View Source Article

Perplexity AI Comet is an advanced, AI-powered web browser built on the Chromium framework, engineered to integrate artificial intelligence at the core of the browsing experience. Comet natively embeds large language models LLMs and agentic automation into its runtime, enabling a fundamentally new way to interact with the web. Comet is designed to function not ... Read more View Source Article

Finally, we will get to see a test of the IVO quantum drive which is a propellentless drive. If it is successful in raising the orbit of the OTP-2 Rogue Space satellite (Norad tracking Satellite 63235), then it could open up access to interstellar travel and fast travel around the solar system. This is controversial ... Read more View Source Article

Nvidia became the world’s first $4 trillion company with a surge in share price in the morning. The shares have since eased off for a $3.97 trillion valuation. NVIDIA’s most recent quarterly stock guidance for the remainder of fiscal 2026 is as follows: For the second quarter of fiscal 2026 (ending July 2025), NVIDIA management ... Read more View Source Article

SpaceX’s operations at Starbase have faced significant challenges, primarily due to persistent rain and the explosion at Massie’s test site for the Ship 36 static fire. SpaceX has redesigned and installed a new fuel transfer tube. This should help prevent the explosion that happened with Ship 36. The redesigned fuel transfer tube for the Superheavy ... Read more View Source Article

On July 9, 2025, Nvidia became the first company valued at $4 trillion. When might it or another company become a $10 trillion company? In late 1999, Microsoft became the first to reach a $400 billion valuation. The first company to reach a $1 trillion valuation was PetroChina, which briefly surpassed the $1 trillion mark ... Read more View Source Article

CoreWeave is buying Core Scientific, Bitcoin miner, for $9 billion. It is an all-stock deal to speed up AI data center construction and deployment. • Core Scientific’s 1.3 GW power capacity over 11 U.S. sites • $10B in lease savings, $500M in annual cost cuts by 2027 HIVE estimates 10 MW of NVIDIA H100 GPUs ... Read more View Source Article

Tesla robotaxi is expanding to larger service in Austin this weekend. Tesla robotaxi is waiting for approval to expand to the SF Bay Area. It will likely be in August. Expanding to a larger service area in Austin this weekend — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 10, 2025 Waiting on regulatory approvals, but probably in a ... Read more View Source Article

The XAI Grok 4 livestream launch is delayed, but should start soon. Tune in for the live demo of Grok 4, the world’s most powerful AI assistant. XAI Grok 4 is better than PHD level for academic questions in everything. It may still lack common sense in very rare cases now. It has not invented ... Read more View Source Article

Cary, North Carolina, 10th July 2025, CyberNewsWire View Source Article

Theo-gg who has been critical of XAI in the past, confirms that XAi Grok 4 is the top model. However, Grok 4 is slow and is not the best at coding yet. It is also expensive because of the volume of tokens generated. Grok 4 excels in reasoning and knowledge tasks, performance and benchmarks. It ... Read more View Source Article

Being conscientious will serve kids in the long run. Here are some tips to help them learn that trait View Source Article

A hydrologist explains why Texas Hill Country is known as Flash Flood Alley and how its geography and geology can lead to heavy downpours and sudden, destructive floods View Source Article

An attosecond—or 0.000000000000000001 second—is no time at all for a person. That is not so for electrons, atoms and molecules, and laser-wielding scientists are revealing the action View Source Article

History tells us what happens when great nations attack science View Source Article

Forecasts and warnings largely worked during the recent flooding catastrophe in Texas. Those systems are expected to degrade as President Donald Trump’s cuts to the National Weather Service, satellites and other key services take hold View Source Article

Babies lacking in key gut bacteria are at greater risk of developing asthma, allergies or eczema View Source Article

The underwater world relies on sound signals—so what happens when a noisy reef falls silent? View Source Article

ChatGPT and Gemini AI write in different idioms, linguists find View Source Article

Japan’s new earthquake-detection network lengthens warning times, and researchers in Wales have harnessed nuclear blast detectors to gauge tsunami risks. But the U.S. lags in monitoring the massive Cascadia megathrust fault View Source Article

Texas has identified more than $50 billion in flood control needs, but lawmakers have devoted just $1.4 billion to address them View Source Article

A protest at a congressional office building highlighted future research findings that vast cuts to science will erase View Source Article

Autism has at least four subtypes, an analysis of more than 5,000 children’s genes, traits and developmental trajectories has shown View Source Article

If Americans don’t fight back against efforts to dismantle higher education, the U.S. will lose lifesaving medical research, innovation that spurs our economy and the ability to freely study science and society View Source Article

Tests in London and Singapore could reveal whether AI can improve the safety of air travel View Source Article

Molecules from the 20-million-year-old teeth of a rhino relative are among the oldest ever sequenced, opening tantalizing possibilities to scientists View Source Article

A new analysis warns that AI facilities could be forced to stop operating because of water shortages and blackouts View Source Article

Nanoplastics—particles smaller than a human hair—can pass through cell walls and enter the food web. New research suggest 27 million metric tons of nanoplastics are spread across just the top layer of the North Atlantic View Source Article

The selection of Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to temporarily lead NASA adds to the deep political uncertainties already facing the space agency View Source Article

Musicologists and neuroscientists have been trying to understand what turns speech into music. View Source Article

A new global overview of Mars suggests dust, rather than water, is the source of mysterious streaks there View Source Article

Words frequently used by ChatGPT, including “delve” and “meticulous,” are getting more common in spoken language, according to an analysis of more than 700,000 hours of videos and podcasts View Source Article

Today’s large language models are hardly related to the kinds of machine intelligence we see in science fiction, according to Martha Wells, author of the Murderbot Diaries series View Source Article

Alexander Clapp, author of new nonfiction book 'Waste Wars,' tracks the world-wide blackmarket trade of our garbage View Source Article

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has said she will hold a hearing on geoengineering as conspiracy theories have swirled around cloud seeding after the recent floods in Texas View Source Article

The ringed giant had previously risen in the early morning and predawn hours as a "morning star." View Source Article

We gave this entry-level DJI Mini 4K drone a fantastic five stars and now it's an even bigger bargain at 20% off for Prime Day. View Source Article

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The letter warns that the proposed FY2026 budget would halt dozens of missions, gut future programs and threaten U.S. leadership in space science. View Source Article

Astronomers have traced a mysterious blast of X-rays to a star that, like a cosmic action hero, just refused to die. View Source Article

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Scientists had assumed that the ice in space was purely amorphous, but new experiments show it can have a partly crystalline structure similar to ice on Earth. View Source Article

As the Axiom-4 mission approaches its two-week mark before returning to Earth, the private space mission crew discusses science and pierogis. View Source Article

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As Earth spins faster than it has in decades, atomic clocks are catching the difference, and shorter days are on the horizon. View Source Article

The scientific and cultural impact of 3I/ATLAS over the coming months and years will serve as an exemplar of what astronomy can learn and why it matters. View Source Article

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Trump abruptly announced the appointment of Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy as acting NASA Administrator as the U.S. Senate reviews the space agency's proposed budget. View Source Article

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In a combined image from the two space telescopes, two star clusters shine in the darkness of space. View Source Article

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Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have probed the dusty shells that surround dying stars called Wolf-Rayet stars. View Source Article

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He may be faster than a speeding bullet, but Superman has a long-standing problem with final acts. View Source Article

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The Senate appropriations committee initially voted in favor of a bill rejecting Trump's NASA budget cuts, but discussions are still ongoing. View Source Article

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is celebrating three years of transformational science with a striking new image of the Cat's Paw Nebula. View Source Article

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NASA and SpaceX are targeting July 31 for the launch of the four-astronaut Crew-11 mission, which will fly a mix of rookies and spaceflight veterans to the ISS. View Source Article

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3I/ATLAS isn't just fascinating because it is the third interstellar visitor found in the solar system; new research suggests it's also the oldest comet ever seen, at over 7 billion years old. View Source Article

President Donald Trump has tapped Transportation Secretary and former reality TV star Sean Duffy to lead NASA on an interim basis. Here's what we know about the man. View Source Article

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The United States Space Force is undertaking its largest training exercise ever, in order to demonstrate that it is "prepared to fight and win in space." View Source Article

The test encountered an anomaly. View Source Article

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Earth may be safe from an impact by the asteroid 2024 YR4, but it still has a chance of striking the moon. This lunar impact could pose a risk to space tech and astronauts. View Source Article

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire private astronaut who until recently was on track to lead NASA, is donating $15 million to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for its Space Camp programs. View Source Article

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It's the last day of Amazon Prime Day and some of these deals are ending tonight. Grab some new optics in time to see Saturn's rings! View Source Article

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The company’s strategy is to raise money via a fundraising round and separately hold a tender offer to allow employees to sell some of their shares to a select group of investors. View Source Article

Satellite built to track emissions fails just as New Zealand scientists about to take control and reap returns of NZ$29m government investmentFor scientist Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, the news that a methane-tracking satellite was lost in space last week left her feeling like the air had been sucked from her lungs.It happened just days before New Zealand was due to take control of the spacecraft, known as MethaneSat, which was designed to “name and shame” the worst methane polluters in the oil and gas industry. Continue reading... View Source Article

Scientists spot traces of 10,000 miles of rivers in area where many believed ‘there wasn’t any evidence for water’Thousands of miles of ancient riverbeds have been discovered in the heavily cratered southern highlands of Mars, suggesting the red planet was once a far wetter world than scientists thought.Researchers spotted geological traces of nearly 10,000 miles (16,000km) of ancient watercourses, believed to be more than 3bn years old, in high resolution images of the rugged landscape captured by Mars orbiters. Continue reading... View Source Article

Cuts further the push to slash federal government through early retirement, buyouts and deferred resignationsThe Trump administration is reportedly planning to cut at least 2,145 high-ranking Nasa employees with specialized skills or management responsibilities.According to documents obtained by Politico, most employees leaving are in senior-level government ranks, depriving the agency of decades of experience as part of a push to slash the size of the federal government through early retirement, buyouts and deferred resignations. Continue reading... View Source Article

Transportation secretary named as interim administrator of space agency as it faces crisis amid Trump’s budget cutsDonald Trump has appointed his transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, as interim administrator of Nasa, six weeks after withdrawing the nomination of the Elon Musk ally and billionaire Jared Isaacman for the permanent role.The president announced the appointment on Truth Social on Wednesday evening, praising Duffy’s work on transportation infrastructure and describing him as someone who would be “a fantastic leader of the ever more important space agency, even if only for a short period of time”. Continue reading... View Source Article

Apple’s M4 MacBook Air is still $150 off. Amazon has solid discounts on laptops that are still available during the final day of its four-day Prime Day sales event. One of the nice things about shopping during Prime Day, even if you don’t have the requisite Prime subscription, is that Best Buy and others often follow suit with their own competing deals. We found deals on models The Verge swears by — ones that should treat you well for years to come. A laptop purchase is extra tricky because it’s usually a multipurpose machine for a wide range of people with specific needs. Best MacBook dealsBest Windows laptop dealsBest gaming laptop dealsBest laptop / computer accessory deals Best MacBook deals Amazon is a great place to shop for MacBook deals, as it regularly offers discounts on MacBook Air and Pro models. The current $150 discounts on the 13-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air are pretty much a no-brainer for anyone currently in the market for Apple’s thin-and-light. They’re among the best laptops you can buy for just $849 and $1,049, respectively. The 13-inch was recently $50 cheaper, but the 15-inch is matching its all-time low. Apple MacBook Air 13 (2025, M4) The MacBook Air is by far the laptop The Verge recommends the most frequently. The latest generation isn’t revolutionary, but it packs a speedy M4 chip, more RAM, and an improved webcam for a lower starting price of $999. Read our review. Where to Buy: $999 $849 at Amazon $999 $849 at Best Buy $999 $849 at B&H PhotoApple MacBook Air 15 (2025, M4) The larger, 15-inch version of the M4 MacBook Air is much the same as its smaller counterpart. But it packs a bigger screen and better speakers into a compact package. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1199 $1049 at Amazon $1199 $1049 at Best Buy $1199 at Apple If you prefer an even better value on a slightly older MacBook Air, Best Buy is selling the 13-inch M2 model from 2022 for $699 ($100 off). In addition to the M2 chip, which remains good enough for most people, it offers 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Read our original review. 2020 MacBook Air with M1 (256GB) The 2020 MacBook Air has been discontinued but remains a great value. It comes outfitted with the company’s original M1 chip in one of three different colors (silver, space gray, and gold). Where to Buy: $699 $599 at WalmartApple MacBook Pro 14 (2024, M4) The entry-level MacBook Pro with M4 starts with 16GB of RAM — double that of its predecessor — and a 512GB SSD for the same starting price of $1,599. It also gets a third USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 port and comes in a new space black option. Where to Buy: $1599 $1427.5 at Amazon (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1599 $1429 at B&H Photo (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) The 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple’s mid-tier M4 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD is $2,232 ($267 off) at Amazon. Its M4 Pro has 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, so it’s suited for most creative applications like photo and video editing. And it still has excellent battery life to match all that power. Read our review. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2024, M4 Max) Apple’s flagship laptop has a 16-inch screen and starts with 36GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and an M4 Max chip with 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU. Read our review. Where to Buy: $3499 $3117 at Amazon $3499 $3149 at Best Buy Best Windows laptop deals 2024 Microsoft Surface Laptop (13.8-inch) The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop is the most affordable of Microsoft’s 2024 Copilot Plus models. The MacBook rival uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipsets — which are said to offer substantial performance and battery life improvements — and its keyboard is the first with a dedicated Copilot key. Where to Buy: $1599.99 $1109.99 at Amazon (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1599.99 $1199.99 at Best Buy (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1199.99 $899.99 at Amazon (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro is smaller, with a new design and updated keyboard. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Arm64 Snapdragon X Plus chip. Read our review. Where to Buy: $799.99 $699.99 at Microsoft Store $799.99 $684.99 at Best Buy The Acer Swift 16 AI is on sale for a very low $799.99 ($450 off) at Best Buy. It’s the 16-inch version of the Swift 14 AI I recently reviewed and mostly liked. But the best part of the bigger Swift 16 over the 14 is it maintains the plethora of ports and has a much higher-quality screen, with a 2880 x 1800 OLED panel. Its other key specs include an Intel Core 7 Ultra 256V (Lunar Lake) chip, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. This is quite the spec list for 800 bucks. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition Lenovo’s Lunar Lake-powered laptop features a sizable 15.3-inch IPS display with crisp 2880 x 1800 resolution, as well as loud speakers and a great keyboard. It’s got far from the best trackpad, but the Core Ultra 7 256V processor inside it is a pretty snappy performer for an everyday Windows machine. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1399.99 $1099.99 at Best Buy (32GB RAM)Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge Samsung’s first entry in the Copilot Plus PC world, running Windows on Arm with a Snapdragon X Elite processor. The Galaxy Book4 Edge comes in two sizes, the 14-inch and 16-inch, both of which feature vivid OLED touchscreen displays with 120Hz refresh rate and all-day battery life. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1349.99 $1049.99 at Best Buy (14-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1449.99 $1149.99 at Best Buy (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1749.99 $1399.99 at Best Buy (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) Best gaming laptop deals The Asus ROG Strix G16, a stripped-down version of the Strix Scar featured in our buying guide, is on sale at Amazon for $1,274.99 ($225 off). It has an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, Intel Raptor Lake Core i7 14650HX processor, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. If you prefer the ROG Strix G16 with a little more power, the model with an RTX 5070 Ti is $1,999.99 ($400 off) at Amazon, and with an even higher-end RTX 5080 it’s $2,399.99 ($500 off) at Amazon. There are also a couple of deals on lower-cost Asus TUF gaming laptops with last-gen graphics. The Asus TUF A14 with RTX 4050 graphics is $899.99 ($300 off) Amazon. It’s got an AMD Ryzen 7 AI CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD — all housed in a portable 14-inch chassis. The larger 16-inch Asus TUF F16 with RTX 4050 is $849.99 ($250 off) at Amazon. It’s configured with an Intel Core 5 210H (Raptor Lake) CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD. HP Victus 15 (2025, RTX 4050) The Victus 15 is a popular, budget-friendly gaming laptop that now comes with RTX 4050 graphics, more RAM, and an improved 144Hz screen. Where to Buy: $899.99 $649.99 at Best Buy (AMD) Best laptop / computer accessory deals Elgato Prompter A teleprompter is a luxury. They help you make it look effortless to look at your camera as you read from a script or a chat log. Elgato’s option includes a small screen and a mirror, the latter of which allows you to see what you need to look at without breaking eye contact with viewers. Where to Buy: $299.99 $199.99 at B&H Photo Razer’s Basilisk V3 Pro gaming mouse is currently on sale for around $90 (about $38 off) at Amazon. It’s been slightly cheaper before, but this is a good price for the RGB-laden gaming mouse with a speedy sensor, ample customization, and a tiltable, fast-scrolling wheel. Accessory-maker Nomad has an anniversary sale running now, and its 100W Slim Power Adapter is discounted to $55 ($14 off). It’s a very compact GaN charger with enough power to simultaneously charge a laptop like a MacBook Air and another device, like a phone or tablet, on its second USB-C port. Moft’s Laptop Sleeve for 15- to 16-inch sized notebooks is on sale at Amazon in a variety of colors for $55.99 ($14 off). There’s also one that fits 13- to 14-inch models for $47.99 ($12 off), though only in a few color options. The sturdy little laptop bag protects your computer and also folds up into an stand for better ergonomics while you’re working at your desk. If you need a cheap but effective laptop stand for your desk at home, the Besign LS03 is just $14.98 ($5 off) at Amazon. It’s simple for a no-frills, fixed-height model, but sturdy enough for something as big as a 16-inch MacBook Pro. And it easily disassembles to store away if you need to tidy up your desk space for other needs. The Huanuo Lap Desk in dark brown woodgrain is $27.99 (about $10 off) at Amazon. I use one of these pretty frequently when I work on my couch instead of at my desk, and I love it. It’s fake wood surface and memory foam base aren’t anything fancy, but it’s overall very affective at mitigating neck strain and making work-from-couch time much comfier. It also keeps toasty gaming laptops off your legs. The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless gaming mouse is down to $59.98 ($60 off) at Amazon in black, though you can also get it in white or a translucent “ghost” color for $66.49 ($53 off). It’s an ultra-light mouse with a skeletonized design that I personally own and use. It has a good sensor, tri-mode compatibility (wired, 2.4GHz, and Bluetooth), and bright, colorful RGB lighting — especially in the ghost version. SteelSeries’ expansive Arena 9 surround sound speaker system is selling for $434.99 ($245 off) at Amazon. The 5.1 speaker setup features a boom-y subwoofer, wireless satellite rear channels, and customizable RGB lighting. Read our initial impressions. Samsung’s speedy, 2TB 990 Pro SSD is selling for $149.99 ($60 off) at Amazon with a pre-installed heatsink. The NVMe drive is fast enough for a high-end PC build and also compatible with the PlayStation 5. If you don’t need quite as fast of an SSD, the 2TB Samsung 990 Evo Plus is a slightly cheaper $113.99 ($63 off) at Amazon. and the 1TB version is just $66.49 (about $39 off). A variety of Wacom drawing tablets are currently on sale at Amazon, including the Cintiq 16 with a 15.4-inch 1080p screen for $484.95 ($165 off) and the screenless Intuos Medium in a pistachio color for $84.95 ($15 off). The Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse is available for $94.99 ($25 off) at Amazon, which is one of the better prices we’ve seen since Logitech raised its pricing in the spring. The MX Masters are a popular go-to in the world of productivity mice, with two scroll wheels that are especially handy for navigating documents and spreadsheets. The Insta360 Link 2C webcam is available for $99.99 ($50 off) at Amazon. This is the more affordable model within Insta360’s webcam lineup, and while it doesn’t feature a gimbal to follow you around, it does offer 4K video and an f/1.8 aperture for low-light settings. If you want a cheaper webcam, the Logitech Brio 100 is on sale for just $24.99 (about $15 off) at Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon. It supports 1080p video, features a built-in sliding privacy cover, and should be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. Just be aware that its five-foot USB-A cable is built in, so there’s no swapping it for a different length or connector. I personally use a couple of these Estoria Adjustable Laptops Stands to hold up to five laptops / tablets / devices vertically, and it’s cheaper than ever in silver at $41.59 (about $10 off) at Amazon. I know not everyone has a bunch of laptops lying around for testing like I do, but the Estoria or similar stands are very handy for keeping your desk organized if you have a couple laptops (work and personal), a tablet, and more. It’s particularly great for laptops that work with an external monitor while closed — generally, most thin-and lights and not gaming laptops that need more airflow. Update, July 11th: Updated to reflect current pricing and availability, and to provide a link for readers to our coverage of Prime Day day four. Also added a deal on a 100W Nomad laptop charger. View Source Article

Between our rotation of everyday devices, keeping them all charged can feel like a constant juggling act. Thanks to Prime Day, though, finding deals on the right charging accessories can help tame the chaos. A great GaN wall charger, for example, can power multiple devices simultaneously and reduce desk clutter, while a versatile power bank allows you to quickly recharge your phone or laptop anywhere. Below, you’ll find a selection of power banks, wall warts, and charging stations at up to 55 percent off. Almost every brand we trust has something to offer, including Anker, Belkin, Ugreen, and many more. Whether you’re jetting off to a faraway destination, enjoying the outdoors with friends or family, or organizing your office, there’s something for everyone. This is the final day of Prime Day, so these discounts are only going to be around for a little while longer. Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station 8-in-1 This 8-in-1 charging station features a Qi2 certified charging pad for a phone, along with three AC outlets, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports. Where to Buy: $99.99 $49.99 at Amazon $99.99 $49.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2JLVWA6) Belkin 3-in-1 Qi2 Wireless Charging Station Belkin’s 3-in-1 charging station is Qi2-certified and can supply up to 15W of power to compatible phones. It also has a 5W charging puck and a pad for wireless earbuds. Where to Buy: $119.99 $81.69 at Amazon (black) $119.99 $81.69 at Amazon (white) Belkin BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank with Qi2 This 10,000mAh power bank’s built-in kickstand can prop up a smartphone while it charges, making it easy to watch movies or FaceTime without the battery draining. Where to Buy: $99.99 $71.24 at Amazon Anker 140W 2-in-1 USB-C to USB-C Cable Anker’s clever 2-in-1 USB-C cable can provide power to two devices simultaneously, so you don’t have to decide between charging your phone or laptop. Where to Buy: $25.99 $17.99 at Amazon (black) $25.99 $17.99 at Amazon (white) $25.99 $17.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2LSRNYD) Anker 727 Charging Station Anker’s slim power strip is about the size of a large iPhone, yet it offers six ports (two AC outlets, two USB-C, and two USB-A) and a maximum power output of 100W. Where to Buy: $49.99 $39.99 at Amazon Belkin BoostCharge Pro Wireless Car Charger with Qi2 Belkin’s Qi2 vent mount is perfect for long road trips. It provides fast charging of up to 15W, while the pad makes it easy to place a phone in portrait or landscape orientation. Where to Buy: $69.99 $49.62 at Amazon Belkin Multi-Outlet Extender Instantly turn a standard wall outlet into a charging hub with Belkin’s multi-outlet extender, which has two AC outlets and two USB-C ports. Where to Buy: $59.99 $39.99 at Amazon Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) Anker’s Prime 100W wall charger is ideal for travel, offering three ports (two USB-C and one USB-A) in a compact form factor. Where to Buy: $84.99 $59.99 at Amazon $84.99 $59.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2YSOPXF) Belkin MagSafe 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand Belkin’s minimal 2-in-1 charging station is perfect for a desk or nightstand, providing up to 15W of power to an iPhone. Plus, it sports an additional charging pad for wireless earbuds. Where to Buy: $99.99 $59.99 at Amazon (white) $99.99 $59.99 at Amazon (black) Ugreen 100W 20,000mAh Power Bank Ugreen’s portable power bank has a 20,000mAh battery and a maximum power output of 100W, making it possible to charge more robust devices like laptops. Where to Buy: $79.99 $50.34 at Amazon $79.99 $52.99 at Ugreen (with code UL25188) Ugreen 100W USB-C Cable (two-pack) These USB-C cables from Ugreen support 100W passthrough, making it possible to charge phones, tablets, and laptops more quickly. Where to Buy: $11.99 $7.89 at Amazon (3.3-foot) Anker 324 Charger (40W) This travel-ready 40W charger features foldable prongs and two USB-C ports, making it easy to charge a phone and a tablet at the same time. Where to Buy: $22.99 $15.99 at Amazon $22.99 $15.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2ZUMWKY) Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 With a sturdy handle, 1,500W of AC output, and six output ports, Jackery’s Explorer 1000 v2 is ideal for keeping your devices powered in the great outdoors. Where to Buy: $799 $399.99 at Amazon $799 $429 at Jackery Jackery Explorer 500 The Jackery Explorer 500 is small but mighty, delivering 500W of power in a package that features seven output ports and weighs just 13 pounds. Where to Buy: $499 $284 at Amazon $499 $299 at Jackery (at checkout) EcoFlow Delta 2 with 220W Solar Panel This kit comes with an EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station and a 220W solar panel — everything needed to power personal electronics and small appliances while off the grid. Where to Buy: $1299 $659 at Amazon Baseus Free2Pull Retractable USB-C Cable 100W Baseus’ tiny puck features a retractable USB-C cable, with support for 100W of throughput. In theory, that means no more tangled cables. Where to Buy: $16.99 $9.96 at Amazon (3.3-foot) $21.99 $15.19 at Amazon (6.6-foot) $16.99 at Baseus (3.3-foot) ESR Qi2 Magnetic Wireless Car Charger ESR’s Qi2 wireless car charger can be mounted in an AC vent or on the dash. Plus, it supports fast charging of up to 15W. Where to Buy: $39.99 $18.99 at Amazon Anker Nano Travel Adapter (5-in-1, 20W) Level up your travel game with Anker’s Nano Travel Adapter, which supports four plug types and can charge up to five devices at once. Where to Buy: $25.99 $19.99 at Amazon $25.99 $19.99 at Anker (with code WSPDV2FGMZRB) Anker 321 USB-A to Lightning Cable (3 ft 3-in-1) Eliminate clutter with Anker’s 3-in-1 cable, which features interchangeable connectors for micro USB, Lightning, and USB-C. Where to Buy: $19.99 $12.49 at Amazon (black) $19.99 $13.49 at Amazon (white) Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe Twelve South’s 3-in-1 charging stand offers full 15W MagSafe iPhone charging and can simultaneously top up a set of AirPods while fast-charging a compatible Apple Watch. The charger includes a power supply (with travel adapters) to deliver enough juice over its five-foot / 1.5m USB cable. Where to Buy: $149.99 $74.99 at Amazon $149.99 $74.99 at Twelve South Apple MagSafe Charger (2m) Apple’s updated magnetic charging puck is available in two sizes, 1m and 2m, and supports 15W MagSafe / Qi2 charging as well as 25W charging on the iPhone 16 only. Where to Buy: $49 $39.99 at Amazon $49 $39.99 at Best Buy $49 at Apple Anker 25,000mAh Laptop Power Bank Anker’s latest power bank sports three USB-C ports, plus one USB-A port. It tops out at 165W when charging two devices simultaneously, or 130W when charging three or four. Where to Buy: $109.99 $94.49 at Amazon Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip HS300 Kasa’s aptly titled Smart Plug Power Strip features six smart outlets with surge protection, each of which can be individually controlled via Amazon Alexa or Google Home. It also has three non-smart USB-A ports for powering phone chargers and other small devices. Where to Buy: $79.99 $39.99 at Amazon Amazon Smart Plug Amazon’s apt-titled Smart Plug doesn’t require a hub and lets you add Alexa functionality to any outlet, allowing you to control a range of devices with just your voice. Where to Buy: $24.99 $12.99 at Amazon $24.99 at Best Buy Sharge Retractable 65 The Sharge Retractable 65 dons a classy unique shape and appearance for a 65W travel charger. It’s petite, transparent, and features a built-in retractable USB-C cable, plus a USB-C port to simultaneously charge laptops, phones, and other devices. Where to Buy: $49.9 $29.99 at Amazon $49.9 $35.9 at Sharge Anker Nano Charger (30W) Anker’s tiny wall charger can supply up to 30W of power, which is perfect for quickly charging your phone and other small electronics. And with foldable prongs, it’s easy to travel with. Where to Buy: $19.99 $12.29 at Amazon $12.29 at Anker (with code WS24PXS38G) Update, July 11th: Updated to reflect current pricing and availability, and to provide a link for readers to our coverage of Prime Day day four. View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day is in its final day, following three days of fantastic deals on robot vacuums that make it easier than ever to clean without spending a lot of time or money. Whether you need a model with self-extending arms that pulls double duty by scrubbing floors and drying itself, or a basic, budget-friendly option for everyday tidying, this year’s deals offer something for every home and budget. Here, we’ve rounded up the best Prime Day discounts on robot vacuums from popular brands like Roborock, Dreame, Eufy, and more, so you can easily find the perfect one to fit your needs. To make sure everybody gets a chance at saving, we’ve included retailers outside of Amazon that are matching these discounts, meaning you don’t need to pay for a Prime membership to take advantage of many of these deals. Featured deals Best robot vacuum / mop hybrid: Dreame X40 Ultra The Dreame X40 features 12,000Pa of suction power and the unique ability to remove and reattach its own mop pads. The mops can also swing out and reach under low furniture, allowing it to clean spots most bots miss. Where to Buy: $1499.99 $699.99 at Amazon $1499.99 $799.99 at Dreame Best budget option: Tapo RV30 Max Plus Tapo’s RV30 Max Plus is a relatively inexpensive robot vacuum / mop hybrid with room-specific cleaning, carpet boost, smart navigation, and an optional auto-empty dock. Where to Buy: $299.99 $199.99 at Amazon $299.99 $209.99 at TP-Link (discount applied at checkout) A former runner-up: Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop does a swinging, scrubbing movement with its rear end when in “Matrix mode.” It also self-empties its own bin, although you need to manually fill and attach the mop reservoir. Where to Buy: $699.99 $369.99 at Amazon $699.99 $369.99 at Best Buy A newer option: Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20 Eufy’s all-in-one station empties, washes, dries, and refills the Omni C20 between cleanings. The vac also offers 7,000Pa of suction, a rolling brush, a side brush, and a pro-detangle comb to handle debris and unwanted pet hair. Where to Buy: $699.99 $379.99 at Amazon $699.99 $379.99 at Eufy (with code WS7DV2EUJHXX) The Roborock S8 Max Ultra is $799.99 ($800 off) at Amazon, which beats its previous best price to date. It’s very similar to the MaxV Ultra and offers dual rubber roller brushes, excellent AI-powered obstacle avoidance, and sonic mopping. However, it offers a lower 8,000Pa suction and lacks support for voice assistants. There’s no camera either, which is nice for privacy but not so nice when it comes to obstacle avoidance. The Roborock S8 Plus, one of our favorite budget-friendly robovac / mop hybrids, is on sale for $349.99 ($650 off) at Amazon, which is it lowest price yet. It comes with an auto-empty dock and features a powerful vibrating mop that scrubs floors and can lift itself to avoid getting low-pile rugs wet. The robovac’s dual rubber roller brushes and 6,000Pa suction also do a solid job of cleaning up both carpets and hard floors, while AI-assisted obstacle detection helps it navigate around everyday clutter. Tapo RV30 Max Plus Our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuum offers high-end features, including room-specific cleaning, a capable mop, carpet boost, and smart navigation. It also features an auto-empty dock. Where to Buy: $299.99 $199.99 at Amazon $299.99 $209.99 at TP-Link (code applied at checkout)Dreame X40 Ultra With a neat ability to remove and reattach its mop pads, the Dreame X40 solves the problem of vacuuming carpets (with 12,000Pa suction power) while also mopping hard floors. Its mops can also swing out and under low furniture, getting where most bots can’t reach. Where to Buy: $1499.99 $699.99 at Amazon (for Prime members) $1499.99 $799.99 at Dreame The Dreame L20 Ultra robovac / mop hybrid is selling for $539.98 ($460 off) at Amazon, which is nearly its lowest price to date. The auto-emptying vacuum isn’t as powerful as the X40 above and lacks self-extending arms for vacuuming, but it does have a self-extending mop that can reach into corners and refill its own water tank. The robovac is also capable of automatically detaching its mop pads when transitioning to carpet and, with 7,000Pa suction and AI-powered obstacle avoidance, it’s a great vacuum for sucking up dirt and debris, too. The Dreame L10s Ultra is down to $399.99 ($500 off) at Amazon, matching its all-time low price. The robovac / mop hybrid delivers somewhat strong suction of 5,300Pa and features dual oscillating mops that it can wash and dry with its base. It can empty its dustbin and refill its water tanks on its own, providing up to two months of nearly hands-free cleaning. Equipped with AI navigation that uses both a camera and lidar, the L10s Ultra also lets you access a live camera feed through its app — so it can also serve as a pet monitor. Narwal’s Freo Z Ultra is on sale for $849.99, down from $1,499.99, at Amazon. The robovac / mop hybrid’s equipped with dual cameras and two AI chips that work together in real time to recognize objects and adapt on the fly, whether that means steering clear of pet waste, deciding how close to get to furniture, or switching to mop-only mode when it detects a wet spill. Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20 Eufy’s all-in-one station empties, washes, dries, and refills the Omni C20 between cleanings. The vac also offers 7,000Pa of suction, a rolling brush, a side brush, and a pro-detangle comb to handle debris and unwanted pet hair. Where to Buy: $699.99 $379.99 at Amazon $699.99 $379.99 at Eufy (with code WS7DV2EUJHXX) The Eufy RoboVac 11S Max is a good bump-and-roll bot that is on sale at Amazon for just $139.99 ($110 off), which is one of its better prices to date. This basic robot vacuum may lack some of the advanced features of pricier models, but it nails the essentials with decent 2,000Pa suction power and a large 600ml dustbin. It operates quietly and doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi, so there’s no need to deal with a smartphone app. Instead, you can control it directly using the onboard button or the included remote, which also lets you set cleaning schedules for added convenience (and remotely steer it, in case it’s not getting the spots you want it to get). Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop mops very well — doing a swinging, scrubbing movement with its rear end when in “Matrix mode.” However, you have to manually fill and attach the mop reservoir and empty the bin when it mops, as it only self-empties in vacuum mode and can only avoid larger objects. Where to Buy: $699.99 $369.99 at Amazon $699.99 $369.99 at Best Buy $699.99 $369.99 at Shark The Shark Ion is on sale for $149.99 ($100 off) at Amazon, which is $30 shy of its best price to date. The excellent bump-and-roll bot is surprisingly effective, thanks to a hybrid bristle-and-plastic roller brush that resists tangles better than standard bristle brushes. It’s also simple to operate and easy to repair, with large wheels that help it navigate floor transitions with ease. Update, July 11th: Updated to reflect current pricing and availability, and to provide a link for readers to our coverage of Prime Day day four. 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⠀ We made it to the last day of Amazon’s extended Prime Day extravaganza. And, yeah, we’re a little exhausted, but after three days of lightning deals and all-time low prices, there are fewer than 24 hours to go until many of the discounts disappear. So, if you’ve been hesitant to jump on these laptop deals before heading back to school, now’s your time to act. Typically, Prime Day is your last opportunity to take advantage of bottom-dollar prices until Black Friday / Cyber Monday, so it may be a while before you see prices plummet on a gadget you’re interested in buying. In case you missed it, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are still $100 off — their best price to date — and you can save on smart home devices, robot vacuums, fitness trackers, and smartwatches. If you’re on a budget, we have roundups that highlight the best deals for $50 or less and even $25 or less. We also have recommendations for gadgets and desk accessories we at The Verge use in our day-to-day work. Really, there’s an overwhelming amount of Prime Day deals, so to make things easier to navigate, we’ve organized all of our favorites by category below. That will allow you to quickly find exactly what you’re looking for — or even uncover a deal on something you didn’t know you wanted. You have until Saturday, July 12th, at 3:00 AM ET (that’s Friday, July 11th, at 12:00 AM PT for you West Coast folks), so don’t miss out. Prime Day highlightsSmart home dealsVacuum dealsHeadphone and earbud dealsCharger and cable dealsSmartwatch and fitness tracker dealsSmartphone dealsMovies and TV show dealsDesktop and laptop dealsTablet and e-reader dealsTV and streaming dealsMonitor dealsSoundbar and Bluetooth speaker dealsVideo game dealsGaming accessory dealsPC add-on dealsBoard game dealsLego dealsVerge favorites and other miscellaneous deals Prime Day highlights It’s no Switch 2 deal, but Woot is selling the last-gen Switch OLED for the lowest price we’ve seen yet. The console with blue and red neon Joy-Con is $249.99 at Woot, while the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle that includes the game is $275.99 at the retailer, while supplies last. Note: these are international versions, which run just fine in the US, but they only have a 90-day Woot warranty instead of a 1-year manufacturer warranty. Apple’s 2020 MacBook Air with the M1 chip has no business being a good value still in 2025. The laptop’s design is the most outdated thing about it, but its processor, along with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage make it a good entry-level Mac, especially at Walmart’s discounted $599.99 price (was $649.99). A solid soundbar that can automatically rotate itself to fire sound upwards for Dolby Atmos content seems like it’d be expensive, but Vizio’s 5.1.2. Elevate SE system is actually just $299 at Amazon ($200 off). The GameSir G8 Plus is one versatile mobile gaming controller, and it’s down to its lowest price of $49.99 at Walmart (usually $79.99). This model can stretch to fit around phones and tablets as big as the iPad Mini. Alternatively, you can slot a Nintendo Switch into the grip, if you prefer its bulkier design to that of the Joy-Con. It can support the Switch 2 with a firmware update, but several folks on Reddit note that it touches the Joy-Con 2 pins as it squeezes to fit the console. Not sure how comfortable you are with that; it doesn’t seem to impact the usability of the console or its included controllers. It’s a good time to need new AirPods, because Apple’s AirPods Pro that come with a USB-C charging case are around $100 off for the first time at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Genki’s small M.2 2230-sized enclosure called the SavePoint is $39.99 when you clip the on-page coupon at Amazon. You can use it as a speedy USB-C SSD with any device, but it shines when connected to a Steam Deck because it has two USB-C ports (one for data, the other for power passthrough to keep the handheld charged). Here’s how to use it to run Windows on your Steam Deck. Hoto’s rechargeable screwdriver is a both a Verge-favorite and a reader-favorite, and it’s discounted for Prime Day. It’s $36.09 (originally $79.99) at Amazon for the 3.6V screwdriver, 25 steel bits, and a sleek carrying case to contain it all. There’s an on-page coupon to save an extra 10 percent, too. Smart home deals Amazon Echo Spot The newer Echo Spot is an excellent smart alarm clock with decent sound for its size and no camera. It features Amazon’s smart voice assistant for voice control and is worthy of a spot on your nightstand. Read our review. Where to Buy: $79.99 $44.99 at Amazon $79.99 at Best Buy $79.99 at TargetSwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher If you’ve ever wished you had a robot that could push a button for you, that’s precisely what the SwitchBot Bot does. It’s simple, smart, and works on anything with a button. Stick it on the device you want to turn on or off, and you’re set. Where to Buy: $29.99 $20.3 at Amazon $29.99 $20.99 at SwitchBot (with code SWPD33) For the first time since Black Friday, a three-pack of Google’s shiny Nest WiFi Pro routers — all of which support Wi-Fi 6E — are down to $289.99 at Amazon. This kit typically sells for around $372. Read our review. For $199.99, you can get a three-pack of TP-Link’s Deco XE75 routers at Amazon. Like Google’s Nest WiFi Pro, these tri-band routers support the 6GHz band. However, each XE75 sports a 2.5Gbps port (plus two other gigabit ethernet ports), while Google’s option tops out at 1Gbps and only has two gigabit ports per router. Amazon Echo Show 5 (third-gen) The newest Echo Show 5 is just as small as its predecessor but features updated mics and a speaker system that delivers double the bass and clearer sound quality. Where to Buy: $89.99 $59.99 at Amazon $89.99 at Best Buy $89.99 at Target TP-Link’s TP-WR1502X Wi-Fi 6 travel router is down to $34.99 ($15 off), its lowest price ever at Amazon. The portable router can run off a power bank and lets you create a private wireless network by connecting it to an Ethernet port in a hotel or conference room. You can also connect your phone with a USB-C cable and use its cellular connection. The router features a USB-A port for connecting an external hard drive, allowing anyone on your network to share files. If you’re looking for a high-end router that supports ludicrously fast wired connections, as well as great wireless connections, Eero’s Max 7 is one of the best. You can purchase a single router at Amazon right now for $419.99 (it had previously not sold for less than $449.99). Alternatively, you can grab a three-pack at Amazon for $1,189.99 (was $1,699.99). This model offers tri-band support and features two 10Gbps Ethernet ports, as well as two 2.5Gbps ports, on each router. Air quality is important, and it’s nice to have a reading that’s more local than what your phone gives you for your neighborhood. For a granular look at the air quality in your home, you can snag Amazon’s aptly titled Air Quality Monitor, which is currently matching its all-time low of $44.99 ($25 off) at Amazon for Prime Day. Read our review. Meross Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener Meross makes a handy add-on that can transform a variety of garage door models into smart doors that you can open remotely. It works with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. Where to Buy: $49.99 $39.99 at AmazonAmazon Smart Thermostat Developed in partnership with Resideo, the Amazon Smart Thermostat allows you to control the temperature of your home through Alexa voice controls and remotely via an app. Read our review. Where to Buy: $79.99 $51.99 at Amazon $79.99 at Best Buy The battery-powered Google Nest Doorbell is down to $119 ($60 off) at Amazon, matching its lowest price to date, in the color of your choice. There are certain omissions you’ll encounter with the battery model versus the pricier option. For example, it lacks 4K video and 24/7 capture. If those don’t bother you, this is a solid option, especially in the design department. Read our review. Prime members can snag Govee’s slick RGBIC floor lamp for a mere $59.99, which matches its previous low. This thin, futuristic lamp is ideal for corners, as it can splash colors onto your walls, syncing with your music, or with a color combo that sets the vibes in the room. The cost of the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium fluctuates nearly as much as the temperature each day, but it’s cheaper than ever during Prime Day. You can currently snag the smart thermostat, which includes a smart sensor and air quality monitor, for $204 (previously $249.99). Read our review. Google’s fourth-gen Nest Learning Thermostat is one of the best we’ve tested, and it’s marked down to $220 ($59 off) at Amazon. It comes with a temperature sensor you can place in a room that you want to monitor, and it’ll use that reading to decide whether to turn your system on or off. The thermostat learns your HVAC usage patterns over time, so it can automatically heat and cool your home based on your typical schedule. Read our review. The Nest Thermostat E is a pared down version of the fourth-gen model, with a monochrome screen, but without support for additional sensors or learning your heating/cooling routine. Still, it’s a solid smart thermostat that’s currently on sale for $85.49 ($43 off) at Amazon, its lowest price of the year. Read our review. Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro delivers high-quality video with adjustable, accurate radar-powered motion detection, 2,000 lumens of light, and a good digital zoom. It offers smart alerts for people or motion and works with Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and Ring’s excellent app. Where to Buy: $249.99 $159.99 at Amazon $249.99 at Best Buy $249.99 at The Home DepotRing Battery Doorbell Plus This is a great battery-powered buzzer with excellent video quality, a good head-to-toe view, and very speedy response times for a battery doorbell. It integrates well with Amazon Alexa and can record locally to a Ring Alarm Pro, but the battery only lasts about two months unless you turn on battery-saving features. Where to Buy: $149.99 $79.99 at Amazon $149.99 at Best Buy $149.99 at Target Blink built its Mini 2 camera to be a great, inexpensive indoor or outdoor camera. By default, it’s an indoor cam, with HD video, color night video, and two-way audio support. It’s a good deal on Amazon right now, too, where you can grab it for $19.99 ($20 off). If you need an outdoor cam, you can grab it with a weather-resistant power adapter for just $10 more (normally $49.98). Thanks to Prime Day, Amazon’s slick Echo Pop smart speaker is down to $21.99 (nearly 50 percent off). It’s available in four colors (black, grey, purple, and teal), and select designs of the Kids version — which comes with parental controls and six months of Amazon Kids Plus— are also discounted to $21.99. Amazon Echo Dot (fifth-gen) The fifth-gen Echo Dot touts a temperature sensor, better sound, and faster response time than the prior model. It can also act as an extender for your Eero Wi-Fi system. Read our review. Where to Buy: $49.99 $31.99 at Amazon $49.99 at Best Buy $49.99 at TargetAmazon Smart Plug Amazon’s apt-titled Smart Plug doesn’t require a hub and lets you add Alexa functionality to any outlet, allowing you to control a range of devices with just your voice. Where to Buy: $24.99 $12.99 at Amazon $24.99 at Best Buy TP-Link’s Kasa smart home brand makes several Matter-ready Wi-Fi plugs, and a two-pack of them is currently available for just $19.99 ($20 off) at Amazon. You can control the plugs from within the Kasa app, or by giving voice commands via Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, or Samsung SmartThings. If your smart home extends outside, TP-Link also has a two-outlet Tapo Matter outdoor smart plug, which has the same features as its indoor plugs and is on sale for $16.99 ($8 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The outlets are housed in an IP65 weather-resistant housing, and a pair of removable caps prevent water from getting in when nothing is connected. GE’s Cync Reveal HD Plus smart undercabinet light fixture is currently $30.37 ($10 off) at Amazon a 12-inch long light bar that can be screwed into the underside of a kitchen island or cabinet to provide illumination in hard-to-reach places. It supports Matter, and you can control it via your voice with Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and Apple HomeKit. Philips Hue Festavia string lights These smart lights have beautiful colors, a nice selection of festive scenes, and an easy-to-use app. They are super reliable when paired with a Hue Bridge and also work over Bluetooth. They come in two lengths, work with all the major smart home platforms, and are Matter-compatible. Where to Buy: $219.99 $153.99 at Amazon (65-foot) $359.99 $241.99 at Amazon (130-feet) Vacuum deals Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra With top-notch vacuuming performance, an easy-to-use app, and built-in voice control, the S8 MaxV Ultra is a superb vacuum and good mop which is why it’s our top pick overall. It features Roborock’s best obstacle avoidance, innovative features like dirt detection, and a hands-free dock that makes it an expensive but excellent choice. Where to Buy: $1799.99 $949.99 at Amazon $1799.99 $949.99 at Best Buy $1799.99 $949.99 at RoborockDreame X40 Ultra With a neat ability to remove and reattach its mop pads, the Dreame X40 solves the problem of vacuuming carpets (with 12,000Pa suction power) while also mopping hard floors. Its mops can also swing out and under low furniture, getting where most bots can’t reach. Where to Buy: $1499.99 $699.99 at Amazon (for Prime members) $1499.99 $799.99 at Dreame Eufy’s Omni C20 is on sale for $379.99 during Prime Day, which beats its previous low by $20. The budget robot vacuum features built-in mops, and its cleaning station can store debris from the vacuum, as well as wash and dry the mop components to prevent them from smelling after doing some dirty work. If you don’t need a robot vacuum that can sweep your baseboards or empty its own bin, the Eufy 11S Max is on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $139.99 ($140 off), which is one of its better prices to date. The entry-level robovac isn’t the smartest option available, but it’s at least aware enough not to bump into walls or tumble over stairs. The 11S Max offers good carpet and hard surface cleaning with relative quietness, too, and its 600ml bin is roomy enough to go through several cleanings before it needs to be dumped. Robot vacuums are overrated. Black & Decker’s rechargeable Furbuster — now on sale at Amazon and Chewy for $79.99, its lowest price of the year — is a great handheld alternative that’s well-suited for picking up fur, dirt, and other unwanted debris, especially when you tack on the extra-long crevice tool or the included motorized pet brush. Eufy X10 Pro Omni The X10 is a great robovac with excellent AI-powered obstacle detection, powerful oscillating mops, a user-friendly app, and good mapping capabilities. Where to Buy: $799.99 $499.99 at Amazon $799.99 $499.99 at Eufy (with code WS24T2351) $799.99 $519.99 at Best BuyTapo RV30 Max Plus Our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuum offers high-end features, including room-specific cleaning, a capable mop, carpet boost, and smart navigation. It also features an auto-empty dock. Where to Buy: $299.99 $199.99 at Amazon $299.99 $209.99 at TP-Link (code applied at checkout) Headphone and earbud deals Sonos Ace The Sonos Ace are the company’s first set of wireless headphones. They feature a premium, comfortable build and active noise cancellation, along with compatibility with Sonos Arc and other Sonos soundbars. Read our review. Where to Buy: $449 $299 at Amazon $449 $299 at Best Buy $449 $299 at SonosAirPods Pro (second-gen) with USB-C The second-gen AirPods Pro improve upon Apple’s original pair with much better noise cancellation, sound quality, and onboard volume controls. The latest refresh also ships with a USB-C charging case, as opposed to Lightning. Read our review. Where to Buy: $249.99 $149 at Amazon $249.99 $149 at Walmart $249.99 $149.99 at Best BuyBeats Powerbeats Pro 2 The latest pair of Beats earbuds are a no-brainer for athletes. They pack fantastic sound and thumping bass, along with active noise cancellation, IPX4 water resistance, and heart rate monitoring. Read our review. Where to Buy: $249 $179.95 at Amazon $249 $179.95 at Walmart $249 $179.99 at Best BuyBose QuietComfort Headphones Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones, which replace the QuietComfort 45, have adjustable noise cancellation and the ability to set custom modes. However, they lack immersive audio mode and the higher-quality Bluetooth found in the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Where to Buy: $359 $199.99 at Amazon $359 $229 at Best Buy $359.99 $229.99 at Target The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are a decent-sounding pair of earbuds with ANC, and they’re down to a new low $52.24 ($47 off) at Amazon. The entry-level earbuds offer reliable performance and satisfactory sound — especially at this price — though they lack wireless charging, multipoint support, and some of the newer frills found on Samsung’s flagship earbuds. That said, they also come with a pair of silicone “wings” to help them stay firmly planted in place, which some considered a hallmark of prior models. Read our review. If you’re an Apple user, there’s no better pair of starter buds than the open-style AirPods 4, which have fallen to a new low of $89 ($41 off) at Amazon and Walmart. The latest model sounds significantly better than the third-gen pair, particularly when it comes to voice calls. More importantly, they offer robust integration with the rest of the Apple ecosystem, letting you take advantage of audio sharing, automatic device switching, hands-free “Hey Siri” commands, Apple TV integration, and more. Read our review. Sony WH-1000XM6 Sony’s latest pair of flagship headphones offer improved comfort, better noise cancellation, and the ability to charge while in use. They even fold down for travel, which can’t be said about the last-gen XM5. Read our review. Where to Buy: $449.99 $428 at Amazon $449.99 $429.99 at Best Buy $449.99 $429.99 at SonySamsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro Samsung’s premium Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sport the same stem-based design and pinch gestures as the standard Galaxy Buds 3, only they deliver better sound, improved ANC, and an in-ear fit with silicone tips. Read our review. Where to Buy: $249.99 $166.24 at Amazon $249.99 $166.24 at Best Buy $249.99 $189.99 at Samsung Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 are on sale at Amazon for $160.54 ($69 off), which is their best price to date. They’re a pretty notable step up from the prior model — particularly if you use a Pixel phone — with a smaller build, an excellent transparency mode, and some of the best battery life you can get in a pair of noise-canceling earbuds. Read our review. Sony’s newer WH-1000XM6 are our No. 1 pick for the best ANC headphones, but the prior model remains an excellent alternative at $248 ($150 off), their current price on Amazon. The WH-1000XM5 still offer top-tier noise cancellation and superb sound, along with a helpful transparency mode, multipoint Bluetooth support, and other handy features. The only real downside, aside from the plasticky build, is the fact that they don’t fold down like the XM4 and this year’s XM6. Read our review. Sony WH-1000XM4 Sony’s last-last-gen ANC headphones still offer great sound, last up to 30 hours on a single charge, and provide a comfortable listening experience thanks to their plush ear pads. Read our review. Where to Buy: $349.99 $193 at Amazon $349.99 $193 at B&H Photo $349.99 $194.99 at Best BuyBeats Studio Buds Plus The Beats Studio Buds Plus offer better sound and noise cancellation than the original pair, and they now come in a unique translucent color option. Read our review. Where to Buy: $169.95 $89.95 at Amazon $169.95 $89.95 at Walmart $169.95 $89.99 at Best Buy Other than the Beats Studio Buds Plus above, there aren’t a ton of reputable pairs of wireless earbuds that rely on a see-through design. The newer WF-C710N do, however, and they’ve reached a new low price of $78 ($41 off) at Amazon for Prime Day. What’s more, the budget-minded earbuds also borrow some tricks from Sony’s pricier earbuds, including improved noise cancellation and battery life, an automatic pause feature, and touch buttons that allow you to control playback without whipping out your phone. Sony’s Float headphones are currently down to $78 ($52 off) at Amazon, which is significantly less than their previous low of $108. The Float represent Sony’s take on open-ear headphones, and while we haven’t had a chance to test them (yet), they seem to offer similar features to their like-minded rivals, including IPX4 water resistance, USB-C charging, and generous ear hooks that are designed to keep them firmly in place while you run. Nothing Ear (a) Nothing’s Ear (a) earbuds have the same general design as the company’s previous earbuds — but you can get these in a snazzy yellow. They include ANC, more than decent sound quality, and other features like multipoint for just under $100. Read our impressions. Where to Buy: $99 $69 at Amazon $99 $69 at NothingShokz OpenRun Pro 2 Shokz’ best bone conduction headphones yet, with more booming bass than its predecessor. Our reviewer Victoria Song praised their cozy fit as well as their USB-C charging (goodbye, proprietary charger!). Read our review. Where to Buy: $179.99 $124.99 at Best Buy $179.95 $124.95 at Amazon $179.95 $124.95 at Walmart The recently released Skullcandy Method 360 ANC are down to a new low of $75.99 ($50 off) at Amazon for Prime Day. They’re basically a pair of low-end Bose earbuds in disguise — hell, they even use licensed technology and audio tuning by Bose — which means they offer well-balanced sound, solid battery life, and a number of great features for the price. They also block noise more effectively than previous Skullcandy offerings and come in an array of fun colors, including a chic leopard print. The CMF Buds Pro 2 are available starting at $47 ($22 off) from Amazon and Nothing, matching their best price to date. The inexpensive buds come loaded with features, including active noise cancellation, ChatGPT integration, and up to 6.5 hours of continuous playback with ANC enabled. They also come with a case that features a customizable smart dial, allowing you to adjust the volume, control noise cancellation, and mute your mic during meetings. Charger and cable deals Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station 8-in-1 A Qi2 pad on the front and a party in the back, with three AC outlets and four USB ports. It can deliver up to 67W through a single USB-C port or divided between its two USB-C and two USB-A ports. Where to Buy: $99.99 $49.99 at Amazon $99.99 $49.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2JLVWA6)Anker Nano Travel Adapter (5-in-1, 20W) Anker’s jack-of-all-trades travel adapter packs enough ports to refill your devices during some downtime. It features one AC outlet, two USB-C ports (one tops out at 20W), and two USB-A ports. It’s not the fastest wall charger, but it’s a solid choice when you can find it at a discount. Where to Buy: $25.99 $19.99 at Amazon $25.99 at Amazon (white)Anker 25,000mAh Laptop Power Bank Anker’s latest power bank sports three USB-C ports, plus one USB-A port. It tops out at 165W when charging two devices simultaneously, or 130W when charging three or four. Where to Buy: $109.99 $94.49 at Amazon $109.99 $94.99 at Anker (with code WSPDV2LFUIUK) For a portable power bank that matches the design of Anker’s 20,000mAh 737 battery with its display but delivers a substantial amount of power (a combined 130W), there’s Ugreen’s Nexode model, which is currently on sale at Best Buy for just $54.14 ($35.85 off). The Baseus 10,000mAh Picogo is one of the most powerful tiny power banks we’ve seen. It supports 45W output through its built-in USB-C cable, and has an extra USB-C port, plus a USB-A port. You can snag one for $24.69, down from its original $39.99 price at Amazon. The Base One Max is Nomad’s premium charging hub, available for $104 ($45 off) at Nomad and Amazon. It’s primarily made from metal and glass, and has a 15-watt Qi2 magnetic charging pad, an Apple Watch charger, and a concave charging pad for earbuds. It doesn’t come with a power adapter, but Nomad’s 30-watt plug is on sale for $18 ($7 off). Baseus Free2Pull Retractable USB-C Cable 100W Baseus’ slick USB-C charger supports 100W passthrough and takes a puck-like form when not in use, with male connectors on either side that retract inward with a quick tug. Where to Buy: $16.99 $9.96 at Amazon (3.3-foot) $21.99 $15.19 at Amazon (6.6-foot) $16.99 at Baseus (3.3-foot)Anker 140W 2-in-1 USB-C to USB-C Cable Why settle for a flimsy USB-C cable that can only charge a single gadget when you can opt for a braided one designed to charge two at once? Anker’s two-headed cable supports charging speeds of up to 140W split between two gadgets. Where to Buy: $25.99 $17.99 at Amazon (black) $25.99 $17.99 at Amazon (white) $25.99 $17.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2LSRNYD) You can keep your iPhone and AirPods charged with Belkin’s MagSafe 2-in-1 wireless charging stand, which is down to $59.99 ($4o off) at Amazon, nearly matching its best price to date. While similar models from other brands are often cheaper, this one looks better than most, and it hasn’t sunk this low in price since mid-2023. Belkin’s option also includes a power adapter. The Baseus PrimeTrip VR2 Max has been one of the most popular products for Verge readers recently. The 4-in-1 car charger can put out a combined 163W of power and features two retractable USB-C cables, plus two USB-A ports. It’s tough not to love, especially at its Amazon price of $29.99 ($20 off). If all you need is a basic block charger, Anker’s 30W Nano Charger is now on sale at Amazon in a variety of fun colors starting at $12.29 (about $4 off) — a new low price. The collapsible, travel-friendly charger can deliver up to 30 watts of power via its single USB-C port, which makes it perfect for a variety of small electronics (including your phone). Sharge Retractable 65 The Sharge Retractable 65 dons a classy unique shape and appearance for a 65W travel charger. It’s petite, transparent, and features a built-in retractable USB-C cable, plus a USB-C port to simultaneously charge laptops, phones, and other devices. Where to Buy: $49.9 $29.99 at Amazon $49.9 $35.9 at ShargeTwelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe Twelve South’s 3-in-1 charging stand offers full 15W MagSafe iPhone charging and can simultaneously top up a set of AirPods while fast-charging a compatible Apple Watch. The charger includes a power supply (with travel adapters) to deliver enough juice over its five-foot / 1.5m USB cable. Where to Buy: $149.99 $74.99 at Amazon $149.99 $74.99 at Best Buy $149.99 $74.99 at Twelve SouthESR Qi2 Magnetic Wireless Car Charger A compact, flexible Qi2 charger for vent and dash mounting. Read our review. Where to Buy: $39.99 $18.99 at Amazon Smartwatch and fitness tracker deals Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS) The Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger, wide-angle OLED display with up to 30 percent more screen area. It’s thinner and lighter than its predecessors, yet it charges faster and features the same fitness and wellness features. Read our review. Where to Buy: $399 $279 at Amazon (42mm) $399 $279 at Walmart (42mm) $429 $309 at Amazon (46mm)Amazfit Active 2 The Amazfit Active 2 delivers outsized value for the price. It looks spiffy and has a wide array of health tracking features, plus built-in GPS and AI chatbots to provide extra context to your data. Read our review. Where to Buy: $99.99 $79.99 at Amazon $99.99 $79.99 at Amazfit $99.99 $84.99 at Walmart The entry-level Apple Watch Ultra 2 hasn’t sunk below $700 in a few months, but during Prime Day, you can snag it at Amazon and Best Buy for $649.99. This beats its previous low by $30. Read our review. Google Pixel Watch 3 Google’s new Pixel Watch 3 is bigger and brighter than its predecessor. It also features more advanced running capabilities, offline Google Maps functionality, and deeper integration with other Google devices. Read our review. Where to Buy: $349.99 $237.49 at Amazon (41mm, Wi-Fi) $349.99 $269.99 at Best Buy $399.99 $284.99 at Amazon (45mm, Wi-Fi) If $249 is still too expensive, don’t write off the Pixel Watch 2. The cellular version is on sale at Amazon for $179.99 ($120 off). Its battery life isn’t as good as the Pixel Watch 3, and it’s missing a few features, but it’s otherwise a solid alternative if you’re trying to save a little cash. Read our review. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is targeted at more outdoorsy folks with dual-frequency GPS, a new multisport activity, an emergency siren, and increased durability. Read our review. Where to Buy: $649.99 $324.99 at Amazon $649.99 at Best Buy $649.99 at Samsung If you have your eyes set on a Samsung smartwatch, it’s a good time to grab the Galaxy Watch 7, which is matching its previous low of $246.99 ($136 off) at Amazon in the 44mm configuration with LTE. Read our review. The non-LTE, 44mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Bespoke Edition is down to $189.99 ($140 off) at Amazon, which is a steep price drop compared to its previous low of $279.99. The Samsung Galaxy Ring is on sale at Amazon in multiple sizes for $299.99 ($100 off), which beats its previous low price by $50. It’s a solid, subscription-free first attempt at a smart ring from Samsung, with good hardware and long battery life. It’s Android-only, however, and it’s best paired with a Samsung phone. Read our review. The Garmin Lily 2 has returned to its all-time low of $199.99 ($50 off) at Amazon. While Garmin makes plenty of trackers for enthusiast fitness folks, the Lily 2 is a more pared-back experience for casual users. I don’t say that condescendingly; The Verge’s Victoria Song praised its limitations during a vacation. The Fitbit Ace is a cellular smartwatch for kids that’s currently on sale at Amazon for $123.45 (about $57 off), which is a new low price. You can use the Ace to track your kid’s location and communicate over calls and texts, but you’ll need an active Fitbit Ace Pass ($9.99 a month / $119 a year) to do so. Kids can also use it to play a variety of movement-based games, encouraging them to stay active. Read our hands-on. Fitbit Charge 6 The Fitbit Charge 6 features a haptic side button, an improved heart rate algorithm, turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps, and the ability to broadcast your heart rate on certain Bluetooth gym equipment. Read our review. Where to Buy: $159.95 $99.99 at Amazon $159.95 $109.95 at Best Buy $159.95 $109.95 at Google Oura Ring 4 The Oura Ring 4 is slimmer and more accurate than its predecessor, while adding new AI-powered tools and longer battery life. Read our review. Where to Buy: $349 $296.65 at Amazon $349 $297 at Best Buy $349 $296.65 at OuraFitbit Inspire 3 The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a minimalist fitness band that delivers notifications and tracks your activity on a bright OLED screen. It lacks built-in GPS, contactless payments, and digital assistants, but offers a range of other excellent health and fitness tracking features. Read our impressions. Where to Buy: $99.95 $74.95 at Amazon $99.95 $74.95 at Walmart $99.95 $79.95 at Best BuyGarmin Venu Sq 2 The Garmin Venu Sq 2 is a great replacement for a Fitbit smartwatch. Not only do they look similar, but the Venu Sq 2 has way more fitness features, long battery life, and no subscription. Where to Buy: $249.99 $149.99 at Amazon $249.99 $149.99 at Garmin Smartphone deals Google Pixel 9 Google’s Pixel 9 has a slightly larger 6.3-inch OLED display than its predecessor, along with a Tensor G4 processor, a bigger battery, 12GB of RAM, and a dual rear camera setup with a new 48-megapixel sensor for its ultrawide. Read our review. Where to Buy: $799 $549 at Amazon $799 $549 at Best Buy $799 $599 at Google The Pixel 9 Pro with 128GB of storage is down to $749 ($250 off) at Amazon, matching its lowest price to date. The 6.3-inch Android phone boasts a telephoto lens with up to 5x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom. The 256GB version is also on sale at Amazon for $100 more at $849. Read our review. The larger Pixel 9 Pro XL with a 6.8-inch screen and 128GB of storage is available for $749 (originally $1,099) at Amazon for Prime Day. Aside from its larger screen and bigger battery, its specs are identical to the smaller option. Read our review. Pixel 9 Pro Fold (256GB) The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a 6.3-inch outer screen and an eight-inch inner screen once it’s unfolded — both of which are larger than the original Pixel Fold. The new foldable also lies flat when opened, sports IPX8 weather resistance, and offers a thinner design than the last-gen model. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1799 $1384 at Amazon $1799 $1399 at Best Buy $1799 $1449 at GoogleOnePlus 13R The OnePlus 13R is a pared-down version of the company’s flagship phone, and it offers excellent battery life and a great screen for the price. Read our review. Where to Buy: $599 $499.99 at Amazon $599 $529.99 at OnePlusSamsung Galaxy S25 Edge The Galaxy S25 Edge offers a big screen without all the heft of a typical big phone. Battery life is just okay, and the phone lacks a telephoto camera, but otherwise, it’s a remarkable device. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1099.99 $784.99 at Amazon (256GB) $1219.99 $904.99 at Amazon (512GB)Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra The Galaxy S25 Ultra is still one of the best phones you can buy, even if its “Ultra”-ness is a little diminished. Two telephotos, a built-in stylus, and a big screen are the main attractions. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1299.99 $949.99 at Amazon (256GB) $1299.99 $949.99 at Best Buy (256GB) $1299.99 at Samsung(256GB) If you want a great all-around phone that doesn’t cost too much, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 with 128GB of storage is down to just $584.99 (originally $799) at Amazon. There are also discounts available on the 256GB version, which is currently selling for $644.99. This beats the previous low by about $40. Read our review. If you prefer bigger phones that won’t break the bank, the Galaxy S25 Plus is a good option that’s discounted during Prime Day. The 512GB version is down to $804.99 ($315 off), which is $50 less than its previous lowest price. Read our review. Samsung makes great cheap phones, in case you didn’t know. The Galaxy A36 5G — which features a 6.7-inch OLED screen, water resistance, and six years of software updates — is available with 128GB of storage at Amazon for $284.99 ($115 off), which is a nice lil’ discount that beats its previous low of $334. Samsung Galaxy A35 5G The Galaxy A35 5G comes with a good 6.6-inch OLED panel, a robust IP67 dust and water resistance rating, and a strong software update policy for its class. Where to Buy: $399.99 $299.99 at Amazon $399.99 $359.99 at Best Buy Another budget-friendly phone worth considering if you’re trying to spend as little as possible on an unlocked device is the 2024 Moto G Power 5G, which currently comes with 128GB of storage for $161.99 ($38 less than the previous low) at Amazon. Google Pixel Fold The Pixel Fold, Google’s first foray into the world of foldable phones, features an outer 5.8-inch display and a 7.6-inch tablet-like inner screen. Read our review. Where to Buy: $749.99 $599.99 at Amazon (256GB) $799.99 $639.99 at Amazon (512GB)2024 Moto Razr The standard Moto Razr features a 6.9-inch inner screen, accompanied by a larger 3.6-inch cover screen. Wired charging tops out at 30W, compared to the Razr Plus’ 45W, although it features 15W wireless charging, up from 5W on the previous model. Read our review. Where to Buy: $699.99 $499.99 at Amazon Movies and TV show deals You can get every Lord of the Rings film (both the theatrical cuts and extended versions) in this big Lord of the Rings 4K Blu-ray box set on sale at Amazon for $48.99 ($19 off). One of the best cartoons ever made is Batman: The Animated Series. It dominated TVs and store shelves in the ‘90s, and now you can own all 109 episodes (but not the great Mask of the Phantasm film) across 12 discs in this Batman: The Animated Series Blu-ray collection for just $29.99 (usually $50). Robert Egger’s revamped version of Nosferatu is available on 4K Blu-ray for $14.99 (about $24 off) at Amazon. The title is dripping with style, and it effectively brings together elements from the original 1922 film and Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel to great effect. Read our review. The Wild Robot on 4K Blu-ray is a steal at $13.99 over at Amazon. The gorgeously-animated film is a bit of a tear-jerker. An all-star cast voices the characters, including Pedro Pascal, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Matt Berry, Lupita Nyong’o, Ving Rhames, and more. The Wire is one of the few HBO gems from its cable-only era that’s still considered must-watch TV. Thankfully, you can — and should — pick up the complete series on Blu-ray while it’s down to $49.99 ($51 off) at Amazon, which is about $30 less than its usual price. Just note that this collection is in 16:9 aspect ratio, while the show initially aired in 4:3. BBC’s Orphan Black put the inimitable Tatiana Maslany on the map. She plays multiple roles with ease in this multi-season sci-fi show that’s about clones and cons. The Blu-ray set is available now at Amazon for $22.99 ($42 off), which marks its lowest price to date. Furiosa: Mad Max Saga is available on 4K Blu-ray at Amazon right now for $12.99 ($21 off). The prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road is no less explosive as it dives into Furiosa’s backstory. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Read our review. Parasite, the Best Picture winner at the 2020 Academy Awards, is now available for just $9.99 on 4K Blu-ray at Amazon. The Bong Joon Ho-directed film highlights economic class struggles in a two-hour whirlwind that delivers intimacy, humor, and terror in almost equal parts. Many 4K Blu-rays, CDs, LPs, Blu-rays, and DVDs are eligible for a buy two get one free deal at Amazon. The items eligible for this promotion can change each day (and even within the same day), so it’s smart to check back often. Desktop and laptop deals 2020 MacBook Air with M1 (256GB) The MacBook Air is Apple’s budget-friendly laptop from 2020. It comes outfitted with the company’s M1 chip, which offers terrific performance, even if it’s not as fast as Apple’s newer models. It also sports all-day battery life, Touch ID, and MagSafe charging. Read our review. Where to Buy: $649 $599 at Walmart If it’s a gorgeous 2-in-1 Windows laptop that you’re after, Samsung’s 16-inch Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 might tick a lot of boxes for you. It has a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate (with an S-Pen included). It also features an Intel Core 7 Ultra 256V processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Right now, it’s down to $1,399.99 at Amazon, which is $200 less than usual. LG’s compact 14-inch Gram with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD is going for $1,284.99 at Amazon — $215 less than its previous low. LG’s Gram laptops are known for being lightweight, yet they also feature long battery life and a fantastic keyboard / trackpad combo. For gamers, Asus has discounted select models from its 2025 ROG Strix G16 lineup for the first time — including an RTX 5060-equipped laptop, which currently runs $1,274.99 ($225 off) at Amazon. If you want something even more powerful, Amazon is also selling one with an RTX 5070 Ti for $1,999.99 (was $2,400). iMac with M4 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU) The latest version of Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer features an M4 chip and support for Apple Intelligence. Unlike its predecessor, the base model now offers 16GB RAM by default, along with a new 12-megapixel webcam. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1299 $1149 at Amazon $1299 $1149 at Best Buy $1299 at AppleMicrosoft Surface Pro 12-inch Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro is smaller, with a new design and updated keyboard. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Arm64 Snapdragon X Plus chip. Read our review. Where to Buy: $799.99 $699.99 at Microsoft Store $799.99 $684.99 at Best Buy $799 $699 at Walmart Tablet and e-reader deals 2024 iPad Mini The seventh-gen iPad Mini comes with Apple’s A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. It’s also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and offers faster Wi-Fi and USB-C speeds. Read our review. Where to Buy: $499 $379.99 at Amazon (128GB, Wi-Fi) $499 $379 at Best Buy (128GB, Wi-Fi) $599 $479 at Amazon (256GB, Wi-Fi)11-inch iPad Air M3 The new 11-inch iPad Air comes with Apple’s M3 chip and GPU upgrades. It’s available in dark gray, blue, purple, and a “starlight” cream shade. Read our review. Where to Buy: $599 $479.99 at Amazon (128GB, Wi-Fi) $699 $579.99 at Amazon (256GB, Wi-Fi) $899 $779.99 at Amazon (512GB, Wi-Fi) If you’d prefer the larger 13-inch iPad Air with the M3 chip, there are deals for you, too. The 256GB / Wi-Fi model is currently available at Amazon for $779.99 ($120 off), beating the previous lowest price by $20. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, which allows you to better balance fun with productivity, is now available at Amazon starting at $189.99 ($135 off) in its 64GB configuration. It boasts a 10.1-inch screen, expandable storage via microSD, and includes an S-Pen for drawing or taking notes. It originally sold for $329.99, but it’s sometimes available for around $210. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus with 64GB of storage is $139.99 (originally $219.99), beating its previous best price of $149. Despite its low price, the Tab A9 Plus retains a high-end look, and its 11-inch screen makes it a great option for watching movies and TV shows. Where to Buy: $219.99 $132.99 at AmazonGoogle Pixel Tablet Google’s 11-inch Pixel Tablet uses the same Tensor G2 chip found in the Pixel 7 lineup. It also features a crisp LCD display and a four-speaker sound array. Read our review. Where to Buy: $399 $279 at Best Buy (128GB, without dock) If you’re looking for an Android tablet that delivers high-end entertainment and gaming experiences, consider the Galaxy Tab S10 FE, which is available at Amazon with 128GB storage for a new low of $429.99 ($70 off). This 10.9-inch tablet boasts a 90Hz refresh rate screen, and its Exynos 1580 should be able to handle a large number of games. It also includes an S-Pen, along with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty. Notably, it’s IP68 rated, so it should be able to handle the elements like a champ. Amazon makes a bunch of different tablets, which are nearly all discounted right now. If you’re looking for an affordable 10-inch tablet for watching movies and TV shows on, the latest Fire HD 10 tablet is a great, cheap candidate. It’s on sale at Amazon right now with lockscreen ads and 32GB of storage starting at $69.99 (originally $139.99). Boox Palma 2 The Boox Palma 2 is a 6.3-inch smartphone-sized e-reader that’s highly portable. It also runs on Android and comes with the Google Play Store built-in, allowing you to download apps for other digital bookstores, newspapers, note-taking apps, and more. Read our review. Where to Buy: $299.99 $269.99 at Amazon (black) $299.99 $269.99 at Amazon (white)Kindle Kids (2024) Amazon’s Kindle Kids is identical to the standard Kindle — meaning it packs a 300ppi display and support for USB-C charging — but comes with a case, an extended two-year warranty, and six months of Amazon Kids Plus. Where to Buy: $129.99 $94.99 at Amazon $129.99 at Best Buy $129.99 at Target Amazon’s entry-level Kindle from 2024 is considerably better than bargain ebook readers used to be. It features longer battery life, a brighter screen, deeper contrast, and other gen-to-gen improvements. And thanks to Prime Day, you can snag it at Amazon in one of two colors with ads and three months of Kindle Unlimited for $84.99 ($25 off), which is the lowest price we’ve seen on the entry-level e-reader. Amazon’s latest Kindle Scribe has been available at Amazon with 16GB of storage starting at $259.99 ($140 off) since before Prime Day started, but it’s still a solid deal if you’re looking for a large e-reader that doubles as a smart notebook. Its previous low was $299.99, and it originally sold for $399.99. Read our review. Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is Amazon’s first e-reader with a color display. It also boasts 32GB of storage, waterproofing, and support for wireless charging. Read our review. Where to Buy: $279.99 $179.99 at Amazon $279.99 at Best Buy $279.99 at TargetKindle Paperwhite (2024) Amazon’s latest Paperwhite features a larger seven-inch display and noticeably faster performance. It also boasts longer battery life than the previous model, retains IPX8 waterproofing, and includes a USB-C port. Read our review. Where to Buy: $159.99 $124.99 at Amazon (with ads) $159.99 at Best Buy (with ads) $179.99 $144.99 at Amazon (without ads) TV and streaming deals Google TV Streamer (4K) Google’s excellent TV Streamer 4K is its best attempt at a streaming device yet, offering built-in ethernet along with smart home compatibility with Matter and Thread. Read our review. Where to Buy: $99.99 $84 at Amazon $99.99 $84 at Walmart $99.99 $84.99 at Best BuyAmazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) Amazon’s latest streaming stick is faster than its predecessor with Wi-Fi 6E and double the storage. It also now displays widgets and artwork when idle while continuing to offer Alexa integration. Read our review. Where to Buy: $59.99 $34.99 at Amazon $59.99 at Best Buy $59.99 at Target The most affordable 48-inch OLED TV we’ve seen during Prime Day isn’t available at Amazon — it’s at Walmart, where you can pick up LG’s B4 OLED for just $549.99 ($250 off). However, at Amazon, Sony’s 48-inch A90K is down to $998 ($400 off), beating its previous low by hundreds of dollars. Nebula’s Capsule 3 is a battery-powered 1080p projector that’s currently $539.99 ($210 off) at Amazon. It runs Google TV, so you can access popular streaming services without plugging in a separate device, and it has an HDMI port if you want to hook up a game console or a Blu-ray player. Its battery lasts up to two and a half hours depending on your brightness settings, and it can create a 120-inch screen. Its 300 lumen brightness means it’s susceptible to getting washed out by light pollution, but it’s a great choice for backyard movie nights. LG B4 series OLED TV LG’s B4 might be one of the cheapest OLED TVs available, but it still offers plenty of bang for your buck — including four HDMI 2.1 ports, speedy performance, and five years’ worth of webOS updates. Where to Buy: $799.99 $549.99 at Best Buy (48-inch) $1099.99 $899.99 at Best Buy (55-inch) $1099.99 $898 at Walmart (55-inch)TCL QM6K 4K QLED TV TCL’s Mini LED QLED TV is a great value, particularly for those who want a fast frame rate and a bright picture. It offers a 144Hz refresh rate, features two HDMI 2.1 ports, and supports Google TV’s robust software. Where to Buy: $598.99 $448 at Amazon (55-inch) Samsung’s 65-inch Frame Pro is down to $1,897.99 ($50 off) at Amazon, which is a relatively small discount given the TV’s previous low. However, it initially sold for around $2,199.99. The step-up model boasts an impressive Mini LED panel, along with a jump from 120Hz to 144Hz. The biggest upgrade, however, is arguably the wireless connect box, which wirelessly streams any and all HDMI video inputs straight to the TV. If you’re setting up a home theater, JMGO’s N1S Ultra is an excellent 4K projector that’s now available for an all-time low at Amazon and JMGO’s online storefront, where you can grab it for $1,499 ($1,000 off). The workhorse of a laser projector can create a 300-inch screen, and its 2,800-lumen bulb is bright enough to use in a room with some light pollution. It can also automatically adjust the picture to appear even, even if it’s pointed at your wall at a slight angle. Samsung The Frame TV (2024) Samsung’s art-inspired 4K TV uses an anti-glare matte QLED display, which can showcase artwork and photos with canvas-like quality when idle. Where to Buy: $997.99 $697.99 at Amazon (43-inch) $1997.99 $1197.96 at Amazon (65-inch) Looking for an affordable TV with Roku software to make it easy to access streaming apps? The company’s own 55-inch 4K smart TV is down to just $249.99 at Amazon right now. It’s never sold for less than $299.99 before, so these are some solid savings on a relatively budget-friendly set. Onn Google TV 4K Pro The newer Onn Google TV 4K Pro is a great streaming device that supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR. It also functions as a smart speaker, meaning you can use it to play music, dim the lights, or carry out a host of hands-free voice commands. Where to Buy: $49.88 $44.73 at WalmartiFFALCON QLED Mural TV iFFALCON’s slim-bezeled mural TV takes after Samsung’s Frame TV, but costs significantly less. The TCL sub-brand’s TV sports an art mode and several high-end features, including a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming. Where to Buy: $699.99 $559.99 at Amazon (55-inch) $999.99 $759.99 at Amazon (65-inch) $1399 $1119.99 at Amazon (75-inch) Monitor deals Alienware AW2725DF 1440p QD-OLED gaming monitor Alienware is a major player when it comes to OLED monitors. This 27-inch 360Hz model hits the sweet spot in terms of screen resolution, features, and — most importantly — price. Where to Buy: $899 $599.99 at Amazon Asus’ ZenScreen Portable USB Monitor (MB169CK) — which is down to an all-time low of $85.49 (about $35 off) at Amazon — makes it easy to create a dual-screen setup alongside your laptop, whether you’re traveling or simply short on space. The 16-inch HD display connects to your computer and draws power with a single USB-C cable. It also comes with a kickstand, allowing you to position it horizontally or vertically at a comfortable angle. Alienware 34-inch AW3423DWF curved OLED gaming monitor This ultrawide (21:9) QHD OLED gaming monitor has a 165Hz refresh rate, a fast response time, and a slick design. It’s tough to get more OLED for your money than with this model when it’s discounted. Where to Buy: $780 $549.99 at Amazon Soundbar and Bluetooth speaker deals Sonos Beam (second-gen) The Sonos Beam (second-gen) is a compact soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos and can stream music from a plethora of services. Read our review. Where to Buy: $499 $369 at Amazon $499 $369 at Best Buy $499 $369 at SonosVizio Elevate 5.1.2 sound system Vizio’s Elevate SE is a budget-friendly alternative to its high-end Elevate soundbar. It still features many of the same highlights, though, including booming sound quality and rotating speakers that provide the verticality required for Dolby Atmos content. Where to Buy: $499.99 $299 at AmazonLG S80TR 5.1.3 soundbar with wireless satellites and subwoofer Normally available between $700 and $800, this sound system’s price has plummeted during Prime Day 2025. The soundbar features forward- and upward-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos, and includes two wireless satellite rear speakers and a wireless subwoofer. Where to Buy: $750 $514.75 at Amazon One of the best-looking Bluetooth speakers around is the second-gen Bose SoundLink Flex, which is on sale for an all-time low of $99 ($50 off) at Amazon for Prime Day. It’s a long-lasting, rugged (IP67) option, in case you’re sifting through which you might buy for your future outdoor escapades. It can stand on its own, too, or you can sling it onto a strong carabiner using its built-in loop. UE Miniroll Ultimate Ears’ latest disc-shaped Bluetooth speaker is small and affordable, with a built-in strap for attaching it to your belongings. It also charges via USB-C and features an IP67 rating against dust and water, along with up to 12 hours of battery life. Where to Buy: $79.99 $47.49 at Amazon $79.99 $49.99 at Best Buy $79.99 $49.99 at Ultimate EarsJBL Go 3 The last-gen JBL Go 3 may not be quite as powerful as larger models in JBL’s current lineup, but it remains a great pool-ready Bluetooth speaker that can fit in your pocket. Where to Buy: $39.95 $27.95 at Amazon $39.95 $27.95 at JBL $39.95 $29.95 at WalmartMarshall Acton III If you’ve ever wanted a Bluetooth speaker that looks like a guitar amp, Marshall’s Acton III is one of the best. It’s got tactile switches and knobs out the wazoo, letting you fine-tune the bass and treble, along with the option to plug in a 3.5mm source or use Bluetooth for playback. Where to Buy: $299.99 $199.99 at AmazonWiiM Mini The WiiM Mini makes it easy to wirelessly stream music from your phone, a streaming service, or other local storage to existing speakers you already have. It supports AirPlay 2 and a variety of streaming services. Where to Buy: $125 $71.2 at Amazon Typically priced at $149, the more capable WiiM Pro streaming device has also received a discount at Amazon, where you can currently grab it for $119.20 (about $30 off). It has the same DAC as the aforementioned Mini above, but it sports a couple of features you won’t find on the cheaper version, including Chromecast Audio, ethernet support, and RCA audio inputs. Read our WiiM deep dive. Bose’s SoundLink Max has returned to its all-time low of around $299 ($100 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The powerful Bluetooth speaker offers robust, room-filling sound along with a 3.5-millimeter aux input for lossless listening. It’s rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, too, and offers up to 20 hours of battery life on a single charge, rendering it an excellent pick for any occasion. Read our review. Sonos has discounted the price of its Roam 2 smart speaker to $143 at Amazon (it typically runs between $140 and $180 when discounted). Like all Sonos speakers, it can be paired to your larger Sonos family of speakers via Wi-Fi, or you can use it as a standalone Bluetooth speaker indoors or outside. Sonos Era 100 Sonos’ Era 100 smart speaker is a replacement for the older Sonos One, utilizing two tweeters (left and right) and one larger woofer. In addition to Wi-Fi, the Era 100 also supports Bluetooth audio and line-in playback via an optional 3.5mm to USB-C adapter. Read our review. Where to Buy: $199 $179 at Amazon $199 $179 at Best Buy $199 $179 at WalmartJBL Authentics 300 The JBL Authentics 300 is one of only a few smart speakers on the market with simultaneous Google Assistant and Alexa support. The ’70s-style speaker is heavy, but it produces impressive, powerful sound, especially at louder volumes. Read our review. Where to Buy: $449.95 $284.95 at Amazon $449.95 $299.99 at Best Buy Sony’s SRS-XB100 is now around $33 (about $28 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, marking a new low price. Roughly the size of a Coke can, the tiny Bluetooth speaker delivers surprisingly clear sound with a good amount of bass. It’s also fairly rugged, with IP67 dust and water resistance, and doubles as a speakerphone, making it just as useful for calls as it is for playing your favorite tunes. Read our review. Video game deals Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, has been given a small but welcome price cut. Thanks to Prime Day, you can pick up the open-world game set in Feudal Japan for $47.49 (originally $69.99) at Amazon. Read our review. Final Fantasy I-VI Collection for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 is on sale at Amazon starting at $42.72 (about $32 off), which is an all-time low. The terrific compilation includes all of the 2D Final Fantasy games, which were initially released on the NES and SNES. These foundational games from the well-loved JRPG series remain worth playing for anyone who appreciates video game history. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, a beat-em-up that pays homage to the iconic arcade games of the ‘80s and ‘90s, is currently available for the Switch, PS4, and Xbox One starting at $22.99 ($12 off). Up to six people can play together at once, either locally or online. Star Wars Outlaws Star Wars Outlaws is an original open-world adventure set in the vast universe of the iconic film series. It stars Kay Vess, a protagonist looking to steal from criminal overlords to gain her freedom. A new expansion featuring Lando Calrissian recently launched, alongside an update that improves stealth and some of the game’s most glaring issues. Read our review. Where to Buy: $69.99 $28.49 at Amazon (PS5) $69.99 $28.5 at Amazon (Xbox Series X / S) $69.99 $49.99 at Best BuyThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Princess Zelda’s first solo adventure as a playable character tasks her with saving her people, including Link, who have been taken away through mysterious rifts. Read our review. Where to Buy: $59.99 $44.99 at Walmart $59.99 $51.99 at Amazon Bloober Team knocked it out of the park with its remake of Silent Hill 2 on the PS5. If you scoffed at its original $69.99 price tag, you can currently pick it up for $39.99 ($30 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. Read our review. There are few games out there with more heart and soul (and pure silliness) than Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The latest game in the long-running Yakuza-turned-Like a Dragon franchise is on sale for the PS5 for $39.99 ($20 off) at Best Buy and Amazon. One of the best-looking Switch 2 games is Splatoon 3, which recently got an update that makes the game run (and look) better on Nintendo’s new console. If you’ve always wanted to give this one a try, you can pick up a digital or physical copy for $39.99 ($20 off) at Best Buy or $49.50 at Walmart. Read about the Switch 2 update. Not enough people are still talking about Pikmin 4, the latest entry in Nintendo’s chill (yet often chaotic) exploration game. You navigate through environments, collect and command Pikmin with different elemental abilities and weaknesses, and try to save fellow space cadets from strange happenings. All the while, you’re trying to find Captain Olimar, the protagonist of the original Pikmin game. The Switch title is matching its all-time low of $39.99 ($20 off) right now at Best Buy. Read our review. Split Fiction Split Fiction is an excellent, cooperative sci-fi game in which two players must traverse completely different worlds simultaneously, while relying on new powers to help them progress through each stage. Read our review. Where to Buy: $49.99 $35 at Amazon $49.99 $39.99 at Best Buy $49.99 $39.99 at Target Gaming accessory deals Meta Quest 3S If you bought a Meta Quest 2, you’re a prime candidate for the Quest 3S. It’s a faster, more comfortable VR headset that runs the same chipset as the pricier Quest 3. While its screen resolution hasn’t improved, nearly everything else about the hardware has. Read our review. Where to Buy: $299 $249 at Amazon (128GB) $299 $249 at Walmart (128GB) $299.99 $249 at Best Buy (128GB) If you read our review of the Windows-flavored Lenovo Legion Go S, we made it clear that its high $729.99 price was one of its biggest flaws. It has other issues, such as the current state of gaming on a Windows handheld and its underpowered Ryzen Z2 Go processor, but the 32GB RAM / 1TB storage model is worth considering at its discounted price of $499.99 ($230 off) at Best Buy. That’s a huge discount. The microSD cards used in the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and the original Nintendo Switch are becoming more and more affordable. For instance, Samsung’s Sonic-emblazoned Pro Plus 512GB microSD card is on sale for $28.49 (about $15 off) at Amazon. If you’d prefer a 1TB version so you won’t have to upgrade any time soon, that’s down to $69.99 (this model has never been cheaper than $89.99). Nex Playground What if the dream of Microsoft’s Kinect lived on? It does in the Nex Playground, an all-in-one, motion-controlled console filled with kid-friendly games. Exhaust and entertain your little ones. You’re welcome. Where to Buy: $249 $189.05 at Amazon $249 $199 at Walmart $249 $199 at Best BuyLogitech G Pro X Superlight 2 The G Pro X Superlight 2 is Logitech’s lightest and most advanced mouse to date. It features a 32,000 DPI Hero 2 sensor and 4kHz polling rate, as well as support for USB-C charging and Logitech’s Powerplay mouse mat. Where to Buy: $179.99 $132.99 at AmazonSony InZone Buds Sony’s wireless gaming buds offer low latency, active noise cancellation, and support for both Bluetooth and USB-C. Where to Buy: $199.94 $158 at Amazon $199.99 $159.99 at Best Buy $199.99 $159.99 at Sony Amazon’s Luna Controller is on sale for $39.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, which matches its best price to date. Although it was built primarily for Amazon’s cloud-gaming service, the gamepad offers support for both Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity, rendering it compatible with Android phones, Apple products, Fire TV devices, and PCs. It also integrates with Alexa, allowing you to issue voice commands directly through the controller when paired with a Fire TV device. PC add-on deals Insta360 Link 2 The Insta360 Link 2 offers the same auto-swiveling design as its predecessor, but it’s smaller and offers a slate of new features, including group tracking and no-follow zones. Where to Buy: $199.99 $149.99 at Amazon $199.99 $150 at Best Buy $199.99 $150 at B&H PhotoElgato Stream Deck MK. 2 The MK.2 version of the standard Stream Deck comes with 15 programmable buttons, a swappable faceplate, and a detachable stand. Where to Buy: $149.99 $109.99 at Amazon $149.99 $119.99 at Best Buy Satechi’s Mac Mini M4 Stand and Hub makes Apple’s smallest computer even more capable, and it’s currently available from Amazon and Satechi for an all-time low of $79.99 ($40 off). The hub fits perfectly beneath the computer, outfitting it with three USB-A 3.2 ports, a USB-A 2.0 port, an SD card reader, and an NVMe SSD slot in exchange for occupying one Thunderbolt 3 port. Mount-It!’s Single Monitor Arm lets you move your display’s position to the perfect spot to avoid neck strain, and it’s $22.13 ($4 off), its lowest price ever, at Amazon. The arm allows you to adjust your monitor’s height within a 16-inch range, and rotate and swivel it 180 degrees. The arm needs to be clamped onto your desk, so make sure it doesn’t have a tapered edge or raised lip. If you like to record music at home, Focusrite’s fourth-gen Scarlett Solo is $119.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. The two-input interface features XLR and quarter-inch inputs, allowing you to record up to two tracks simultaneously. The interface connects to your computer and receives power via a single USB-C cable, so it’s also well suited for remote recording. It’s now easier than ever to plug your DSLR or mirrorless camera into your PC to use as a high-end webcam. Just grab Elgato’s Cam Link 4K, which is down to $79.99 ($20 off) at Amazon for Prime Day. The device converts the HDMI signal coming out of your camera into USB for your PC to process. Opal’s Tapole is an ultra-thin 4K webcam that clips onto the top of your laptop’s screen, and it performed better than the camera built into a MacBook Air when we tested it. The camera is attached to its USB-C cable, so you’ll never lose it, and clips on tightly enough that it won’t get detached if your laptop moves. The webcam is currently on sale for $99 ($30 off) at Amazon, its lowest price ever. Backing up your computer is important, and Samsung’s T7 is a portable SSD that’s smaller and faster than an external hard drive. The USB-C drive is compatible with Windows and MacOS, and can read and write data at around 1,000Mbps. The 1TB model is currently around $75.99 ($54 off) at Amazon, and Best Buy. You may not be able to take full advantage of a PCIe 5.0 SSD, but having extra speed for future upgrades isn’t a bad idea. If that’s appealing to you, the current Amazon deal on Samsung’s 9100 Pro 4TB M.2 SSD caught our eye. It’s available for $384.99, down from its typical price of $449.99. If you’d prefer something cheaper, you can grab a 2TB version for $189.99, which is $40 lower than the prior low. Samsung 990 Pro NVMe SSD (with heatsink) Samsung’s ultrafast 990 Pro is a PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD that can reach sequential read speeds of 7,450MB/s and write speeds of 6,900MB/s. It’s more than capable for high-end PC builds, and its preinstalled heatsink means it’s easily installable into a PlayStation 5. Its heatsink even has a bit of RGB lighting for some extra pop (if you’re able to see it). Where to Buy: $249.99 $149.99 at Amazon (2TB) $249.99 $149.99 at Best Buy (2TB) Have a Steam Deck, an Asus ROG Ally, or a similar handheld PC that can accept an M.2 2230-sized SSD? WD Black’s 1TB SN770M is discounted to $84.99 at Amazon, down slightly from its previous low of $89.99. Installation procedures vary in steps and complexity depending on the handheld you own. If you’re running a home server, OWC’s ThunderBay 4 is at an all-time low price of $319.99 ($80 off) at Amazon. The four-drive enclosure can hold 2.5- or 3.5-inch hard drives or SSDs, which you need to supply, with a maximum capacity of 80TB. You can transfer data to and from the drives at up to 1,529MB/s, and use its second Thunderbolt 4 port to daisy-chain another Thunderbolt device, like a multi-port hub, to your computer. One of Logitech’s best Switch 2-ready webcams just received a Prime Day discount. The Brio 500 1080p webcam is currently available at Amazon for $75.99 ($54 off), which is a new low price. Nuphy Air75 V2 mechanical keyboard Nuphy’s latest version of its Air mechanical keyboard is outstanding. This one omits a numpad but still includes arrow keys and a full row of function keys that double as media keys. It comes in black, gray, and white, with a few different switch options, and it’s both wired and wireless. It also supports both Windows and macOS. Where to Buy: $139.99 $107.96 at Amazon (with coupon)Keychron V1 The Keychron V1 is one of the best entry-level wired mechanical keyboards available. It has hot-swappable switches, full remappability with VIA, great build quality, RGB backlighting, and double-shot PBT keycaps for under $100. Where to Buy: $74.99 $59.49 at Amazon Board game deals Splendor A strategy card game in which players compete to build Renaissance Europe’s most lucrative and prestigious jewelry business. Where to Buy: $39.99 $23.99 at Amazon $31.99 $23.99 at TargetAsmodee Azul Board Game Azul is a game in which you arrange patterned tiles in order to create the most beautiful tapestry possible. Arranging tiles in a strategic sequence will help you build your score while limiting your opponents’ ability to grow theirs. Where to Buy: $39.99 $23.99 at Amazon The 6th Edition of Catan is currently on sale at Amazon for the first time ever, where you can grab it for $41.99 ($8 off). If you’ve never played before, Catan has you strategically collect and trade resources with fellow players while you figure out how to build out your civilization to take over the board. The latest edition has updated artwork to commemorate the game’s 13th anniversary. You can gauge how well you know your friends and family by playing Codenames, which is on sale at Amazon right now for $14.99 ($10 off), its best price of the year. You only get to say one word associated with multiple tiles on the board, and your teammates have to figure out which ones you’re talking about. If you’re too vague, your teammates may guess incorrectly, giving the other side an edge. Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player’s Handbook The latest Dungeons & Dragons Player‘s Handbook teaches you about 12 core classes, 48 subclasses, and helps you construct your story with 16 backgrounds and 75 feats. With a bit of help, you’ll be DMing your own original campaigns in no time. Where to Buy: $49.99 $39.95 at Amazon Happy Salmon is on sale for just $9.49 (about $4 off) at Amazon. It’s one of the best icebreakers at social gatherings, for both adults and parents alike, and it takes just minutes to learn and play this card game. Up to eight players can get in on the action, which gets you out of your seats and has you doing fun stuff like giving each other high-fives and “fish bumps.” Lego deals Lego Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer Lego’s brick-ified replica of an Imperial Star Destroyer is an excellent 1,555-piece throwback to Star Wars: A New Hope, one that comes with seven minifigs, plenty of interior detail, and a convenient handle for carrying it around the room. Where to Buy: $159.99 $111.99 at Amazon $159.99 at Lego $165.9 at WalmartLego Walt Disney Tribute Camera Lego’s tribute to Disney’s 100th year in the movie business is an 811-piece kit shaped like a vintage-style film camera. Minifigs depicting Disney’s early animated stars — including Mickey, Minnie, Bambi, Dumbo, and Walt Disney himself — are also included. Where to Buy: $99.99 $67.19 at Target The Lego Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica set is an impressive replica of the luxury sports car, complete with a moving V10 Engine, functional steering, and doors that open and close. The 806-piece kit is currently down to $34.99 ($15 off), an all-time low, at Amazon. Lego’s Boutique Hotel — a resort-themed, 3,066-piece kit — is down to $159.99 ($70 off) at Amazon, which is the best price we’ve seen. The kit was released to celebrate 15 years of Lego Modular Buildings and features many elements from prior kits, as well as five main sections and seven minifigs. Lego’s Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Train Set is a detailed recreation of an iconic setting from the series, and it’s on sale for $85.59 (about $44 off) at Amazon and Target. The Hogwarts Express can be rolled on and off the tracks, and characters can be positioned inside the train car or around the station. It’s not technically a Prime Day deal, but is the wannabe wizard in your family going to care? Probably not. Lego’s Animal Crossing Fly with Dodo Airlines set is one of the few Lego sets receiving a Prime Day discount at Amazon, where you can currently pick it up for an all-time low of $32.29 (about $6 off). The kid-friendly, 292-piece playset is a nice little homage to Animal Crossing New Horizons, especially if your kiddo or someone you know has a soft spot for planes… or extinct, flightless birds. Lego NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle – LRV Who doesn’t love space? Lego’s 1,913-piece version of the Apollo Lunar Lander includes brick-ified versions of sensors, tools, and a battery pack with heating and cooling elements. It also comes with a miniature plaque displaying statistics about NASA’s actual LRV, which serves as a nice complement to the completed kit. Where to Buy: $219.99 $153.99 at Amazon Verge favorites and other miscellaneous deals Apple AirTags Apple’s AirTags are unobtrusive, waterproof, and tap into the massive Find My network for out-of-range locating. Read our original review. Where to Buy: $99 $64.99 at Best Buy (four-pack)Furbo 360° Camera Furbo’s rotating 1080p gadget can fling treats on command and automatically track your pet as they roam around your home, allowing you to keep a closer eye on your pet via a mobile app when you’re away. Where to Buy: $99 $44 at Amazon (for dogs, subscription required) $99 $44 at Amazon (for cats, subscription required) $210 $129 at Amazon (for dogs, no subscription required) Thermacell’s E90 mosquito repeller is down to $31.81 (about $18 off) at Amazon right now, beating its previous low by $6 or so. It’s similar to the rechargeable E55 — a summer favorite of ours — only the upgraded model provides up to nine hours of continuous protection when used with the included repellent cartridge, as opposed to five. Needless to say, it’s a great pick for the dog days of summer. It’s not often enough that Elgato’s composite / S-Video-to-USB converter — which is perfect for making digital copies of your VHS tapes — goes on sale. But thanks to Prime Day, it’s down to $69.99 (originally $99.99) at Amazon. It’s still expensive, but the company’s simple software makes it stand out as a great option for people who aren’t particularly tech-savvy. The Insta360 X5 is a waterproof 360-degree action camera that can record 8K video at up to 30 frames per second, and it $519.99 ($30 off) on Amazon. It uses an AI chip to improve its low-light performance and apply noise reduction and other image processing. It can run up to three hours on a single charge. It’s an investment, but we tested it and were impressed. Read our review. Polaroid’s first-gen Now I-Type Instant Camera is down to an all-time low of $63.98 (about $16 off) at Amazon in refurbished condition as part of a limited-time lightning deal. The excellent shooter can capture double exposure shots and autofocus, so you always get a clear shot. The second-gen model, which features an improved autofocus system and USB-C charging, is also on sale for $76.49 ($43 off). Slice Auto-Retractable Box Cutter Slice’s retractable, finger-friendly ceramic blade is great for tearing through packing tape and cutting plastic wrapping. The comfy tool also features a sturdy, reinforced nylon handle and a hooked design that makes it easy to stow when not in use. Where to Buy: $28.04 $14.6 at Amazon $28.04 at SliceLifeStraw personal water filter LifeStraw’s basic filter removes unwanted viruses, bacteria, and microplastics as you drink, giving you a safe way to hydrate no matter where you are. Where to Buy: $17.97 $9.45 at Amazon $17.97 $9.95 at Walmart Looking to spruce up your workspace? Yamazaki’s Desk Organizer is available at Amazon for $30.60 (about $12 off), which is one of the better prices we’ve seen in recent months. The handsome, steel accessory is equipped with a small bin and an elevated wooden platform, ensuring your keys, wallet, and whatever else it is you need are always within reach. If you’re an avid concert goer who’d like to retain your hearing later in life — and who wouldn’t? — Loop’s ultra-comfortable Experience 2 earpugs are on sale at Amazon for an all-time low of $26.95 ($8 off). The stylish earplugs won’t reduce noise as effectively as a custom set; however, they do carry a noise reduction rating of 12dB, which is totally adequate for that occasional Turnstile set. ChomChom Roller Pet Hair Remover The ChomChom is a reusable roller that works great for removing unwanted pet hair from furniture, allowing you to skip lint rollers, vacuuming, and other cleaning tools in a pinch. Where to Buy: $27.99 $17.42 at Amazon (with code 7OFFPDCHOM)Bird Buddy Pro Bird Buddy’s charming, camera-equipped feeder identifies and snaps shots of each bird that stops by, supplementing its 5-megapixel stills with insightful facts via an app. Where to Buy: $329 $199 at Bird Buddy (non-solar) $311.25 $209 at Chewy (solar)HoverAir X1 drone The pocketable HoverAir X1 keeps things simple, with a 2.7K at 30fps max resolution and six preset flight modes for easy, hands-free shooting. It lacks GPS and obstacle avoidance, but it launches in seconds and is easy to use. Where to Buy: $349.99 $269.99 at Amazon $349 $269.99 at B&H Photo The reusable ChomChom cat and dog hair remover is on sale for $17.43 ($11 off) at Amazon, which is $2 shy of its all-time low price. The pet hair remover is easy to use and does a great job of scooping up pet hair from furniture well, which is why so many of us on The Verge staff are big fans. JisuLife’s folding USB fan, a mainstay of our gift guides, is on sale at Amazon in select colors starting at just $12.74 (about $13 off the MSRP). The fan’s rechargeable battery will keep you cool for hours, whether you’re holding it or propping it up on a table, and it features a built-in 2,000mAh power bank in case you need a quick way to juice your phone or another electronic device. Bissell Little Green portable carpet cleaner Look, a carpet cleaner is not a very Verge-y gadget. But we’ve all got carpets and / or upholstery to keep clean, right? Luckily, Bissell’s relatively compact cleaner does a great job of restoring fabrics to their original sheen with just a little elbow grease. Where to Buy: $123 $81.99 at AmazonNoco Boost Plus GB40 car battery jump starter This battery has the juice, so to speak, and quite a lot of it. Its main role is to be available to jumpstart a car battery (12V/1000A), but it has USB ports, too, making it handy for charging other devices you bring in the car. Where to Buy: $124.95 $79.96 at AmazonTwelve South AirFly Pro The Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth transmitter and receiver features an integrated 3.5mm cord and long-lasting battery life. It can also connect up to two sets of headphones, making it a great choice for listening to in-flight entertainment. Where to Buy: $54.99 $41.29 at Twelve South $54.99 $44.99 at Amazon Hatch Restore 2 was one of our favorite sleep gadgets, and now you can pick up the third-gen model at Amazon for an all-time low of $139.99 ($30 off). The Restore 3 is quite similar to the TikTok-famous model we reviewed in 2023 in that it still functions as a smart alarm clock / sunrise lamp, except the latest version features an updated design and adds several new buttons that make it easier to operate. Speaking of sleep devices, the Yogasleep Travel Mini Portable Sound Machine is now on sale at Amazon for $23.79 ($6 off), which is just $3 shy of its best price to date. The rechargeable, travel-ready device offers six noise profiles, from ambient nature sounds to serene pink noise, as well as a built-in night light for navigating your hotel or next Airbnb. Xreal One smart glasses The Xreal One aren’t the most affordable augmented-reality glasses available, but they are some of the best for displaying movies and games on the go. You can connect them via USB-C to your smartphone, tablet, or handheld gaming PC. Where to Buy: $499.99 $449.99 at Amazon $499.99 $449.99 at XrealTile Mate The latest Tile Mate helps you keep track of your personal belongings from up to 350 feet away, which is 100 feet wider than its predecessor’s range. It’s also platform-agnostic, and can send SOS alerts if you pay for the $14.99 monthly Life360 Gold subscription. Where to Buy: $24.99 $17.09 at Amazon $24.99 at Life360 $24.99 at TargetGrownsy Baby Nasal Aspirator The Grownsy snot sucker comes with three interchangeable soft tips for a good fit and provides three levels of suction. Your kid might still hate it, but at least one of you will have an easier time with it. Where to Buy: $49.99 $30.99 at Amazon One of our gift guide mainstays, the six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus, is discounted to $69.99 ($70 off) at Target right now, matching its lowest price to date. The stainless steel multicooker is an excellent set-it-and-forget-it device in many ways, as it allows you to steam, sauté, pressure cook, slow cook, and engage in a variety of simple culinary endeavors without having to pony up for a host of kitchen appliances. If you’re looking for a more “innovative” way to eat cereal, the CrunchCup is on sale at Amazon for an all-time low of $18.95 ($6 off). The absurd, two-cup contraption takes some getting used to, but once you get it down, it’s a handy way to consume breakfast on the go. Just pick your cereal wisely — not everything Kellogg’s makes is spout-friendly. Aura Carver Mat digital picture frame The Aura Carver is a lovely, 10.1-inch display that allows you to showcase photos uploaded via the web or a mobile app for Android and iOS. It’s easy to set up, crisp, and keeps unwanted pillarboxing to a minimum. Where to Buy: $179 $141 at Amazon $179 $141 at AuraGlocusent Neck Reading Light Glocuscent’s rechargeable book light hangs around your neck to illuminate whatever you’re reading, while offering adjustable brightness and warmth settings. Where to Buy: $21.99 $17.58 at Amazon Hoto makes some of the slickest electric tools around, but Fanttik’s are a close second. The E1 Max Precision Electric Screwdriver — available at Amazon for $39.39 ($36 off) with promo code 10E1MAXCD for Prime Day — is a great example of why that’s the case. It’s not going to get you a ton of torque, but it features an attractive design, a 350mAh rechargeable battery, and 50 magnetic steel bits that are ideal for tackling small electronics. You can grab a 24-ounce Owala FreeSip Water Bottle at Amazon in select colors starting at $25.49 ($4 off), which is the best price we’ve seen this year. The Verge favorite can keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours thanks to its vacuum-insulated design, and its unique lid allows you to drink either through a built-in straw or using a wide-mouth opening for bigger gulps. Energizer’s TacR-1000 LED Tactical Flashlight is on sale for $25.43 ($14 off) at Amazon. The rechargeable flashlight can cast a beam that reaches hundreds of feet away at its highest setting and features a strobe setting if you need to get someone’s attention in an emergency. If you forget to charge it, the flashlight can run on AA batteries. Breville Barista Express Breville’s Barista Express certainly isn’t the cheapest option out there, but it’s elegant, straightforward, and relatively easy to maintain. Where to Buy: $749.95 $549.95 at Amazon $749.95 $549.95 at Best Buy $749.95 $549.95 at Breville If you’re still gearing up for the summer grilling season, BioLite’s versatile FirePit Plus is currently available from Amazon for around $224.96 ($175 off), its best price of the year. The portable fire pit is an efficient little gadget thanks to its clever design and battery-powered fan, which helps keep smoke at bay regardless of your fuel source. Amazon is currently selling the Logitech Blue Yeti starting at $90.24 (about $50 off). Although newer microphones may be more visually and functionally appealing, the Yeti remains a classic plug-and-play USB option that reliably captures great audio. USB outlets are a seemingly small home upgrade that makes charging your devices more convenient. Leviton’s GUAC1-W is a dual-outlet receptacle with a USB-A and USB-C port built into it, and it’s on sale for $32.99 ($21 off) at Amazon. Charging devices without having to plug in a power adapter is especially helpful in the kitchen and other shared spaces. Fanttik X9 Pro Portable Tire Inflator Whether you primarily drive a car, motorcycle, or a bicycle, the one thing in common with all three modes of transport is the need for well-inflated tired. This rechargeable 150psi inflator might just save you from a flat (or from being dangerously close to one) when you least expect it. Where to Buy: $79.97 $49.89 at Amazon $79.97 $49.99 at FanttikCoway Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty air purifier Coway’s surprisingly efficient Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty is compact enough to fit in any corner of your home and offers a three-stage filtration system, including a true HEPA filter. Where to Buy: $239.99 $154.99 at Amazon (white) $239.99 $154.99 at Amazon (black) $239.99 $154.99 at CowayAeroPress Original Coffee Maker The AeroPress has made a name among enthusiasts for its great brewing ability and extreme portability. Its simple, hands-on operation can make your morning coffee ritual more fun and engaging than a traditional drip-style maker. Where to Buy: $39.95 $27.95 at Amazon $39.95 $27.95 at WalmartHoto 3.6V Electric Screwdriver Kit Hoto’s electric screwdriver is perfect for making small- to medium-sized repairs around the house. In addition to a USB-C port, the screwdriver comes with a magnetic case and 25 steel bits. Where to Buy: $59.99 $36.09 at Amazon $59.99 $53.99 at Hoto (with code PRIME) Update, July 11th: Added several more deals, including those for Google’s original Pixel Fold, the Fitbit Ace, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. View Source Article

Electric vehicles are at a crossroads. Sales are still going up, but many automakers are canceling or delaying new models, worried by recent policy moves that will make EVs more expensive to own. Every day seems to bring fresh news of a delayed EV or a timeline that's been pushed back, as automakers struggle to adapt to this newly volatile environment. President Donald Trump's tariffs aren't helping much, nor is the recent passage of his $3.4 trillion "big, beautiful" budget bill, which takes a sledgehammer to most EV incentive programs. And Trump's decision to reverse tougher emissions rules passed under former President Joe Biden is just … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

If you want to upgrade your Apple gear ahead of the back-to-school shopping season, there are some great Amazon Prime Day deals worth exploring, although they likely won’t last much longer since we’re on the final day of the sale. From tablets to smartwatches, many gadgets like the latest iPad Air are already matching their all-time low, giving you a solid chance to save. Even better, you don’t need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of the current deals, as retailers other than Amazon are offering the same discounts across the board. Below, we’ve compiled the best discounts across various categories to make your shopping experience easier. We’ve also included notes on historical pricing trends, allowing you to compare them with previous deals. The best earbud and headphone dealsThe best iPad dealsThe best MacBook and Mac dealsThe best Apple Watch dealsAirTags and other miscellaneous deals The best earbud and headphone deals Apple AirPods Pro (second-gen) with USB-C charging case The second-gen AirPods Pro improve upon Apple’s original pair with much better noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and onboard volume controls. The latest refresh also ships with a USB-C charging case, as opposed to Lightning. Read our review. Where to Buy: $249 $149 at Amazon $249 $149 at Walmart $249.99 $149.99 at Best Buy You can buy the latest AirPods Max at Amazon for $429.99 ($80 off), which is about $30 shy of their lowest price to date. The luxe over-ear headphones offer great sound with support for lossless audio, and their active noise cancellation comes close to matching top-tier alternatives from Sony and Bose. They also feature a remarkably natural-sounding transparency mode, deep integration with other Apple devices, and up to 20 hours of battery life with ANC turned on. Read our original review. Apple EarPods (USB-C) Apple’s wired earbuds are comfortable, offer great microphone quality for the price, and feature a built-in remote for controlling audio playback. Where to Buy: $19 $15.99 at Amazon $19 $15.99 at WalmartAirPods 4 Apple’s AirPods 4 are the latest update to its base-model wireless earbuds. The hard plastic buds should have improved audio quality and spatial audio with head tracking for the first time. Read our review. Where to Buy: $129 $89 at Amazon $129 $89 at Walmart $179 $119 at Amazon (with ANC) The AirPods 4 with ANC are currently on sale for $119 ($60 off) at Amazon and Walmart, which blows their previous best-ever price out of the water. Apple’s step-up earbuds are identical to the standard AirPods 4 but include active noise cancellation, though it’s not quite as effective as that of the latest AirPods Pro. They also offer a transparency mode, wireless charging, and a case with a built-in speaker that makes tracking easy via Apple’s Find My feature. Read our review. If you don’t need active noise cancellation, the Beats Solo 4 are also on sale for around $97.99 ($102 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and $99.99 at Target. The comfortable headphones build upon the prior model with better, bass-rich sound and support for spatial audio. They also now offer lossless audio via USB-C and an extended battery life of 50 hours. Read our review. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 The latest pair of Beats earbuds are a no-brainer for athletes. They pack fantastic sound and thumping bass, along with active noise cancellation, IPX4 water resistance, and heart rate monitoring. Read our review. Where to Buy: $249 $179.95 at Amazon $249 $179.95 at Walmart $249 $179.99 at Best Buy You can buy the Beats Studio Pro for around $169.95, down from $349.99, at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy. The over-ear headphones boast noticeably improved noise cancellation and sound over their predecessor, along with support for lossless audio over USB-C. And, like many other Beats headphones and earbuds, they offer native support for both iOS and Android software features. Read our review. The best iPad deals 11-inch iPad Air M3 The latest 11-inch iPad Air features Apple’s fast M3 chip with GPU upgrades like dynamic caching for smoother performance in demanding apps. It also supports the Apple Pencil Pro and the new Magic Keyboard, which features a larger build and a 14-key function row. Read our review. Where to Buy: $599 $479 at Amazon (128GB, Wi-Fi) $599 $579 at Amazon (256GB, Wi-Fi) $899 $779 at Amazon (512GB, Wi-Fi) For something bigger, you can save on the larger 13-inch version of the M3-powered iPad Air with 128GB of storage, which costs $679 (down from $799) at Amazon. It’s identical to the 11-inch model in terms of performance and features, just with a more spacious display and better speakers. Read our review. You can buy the latest iPad with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart starting at $279 ($70 off), which beats its best price by $20. The 11th-gen model is a pretty minor upgrade over the 2022 iPad with twice as much base storage and an A16 Bionic chip, which, while faster, doesn’t support the AI-based Apple Intelligence features. Read our review. 2024 iPad Mini The seventh-gen iPad Mini comes with Apple’s A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. It’s also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and offers faster Wi-Fi and USB-C speeds. Read our review. Where to Buy: $499 $379 at Amazon (128GB, Wi-Fi) $599 $479 at Amazon (256GB, Wi-Fi) $799 $679 at Amazon (512GB, Wi-Fi) The best MacBook and Mac deals 2020 MacBook Air with M1 (256GB) The 2020 MacBook Air has been discontinued but remains a great value. It comes outfitted with the company’s original M1 chip in one of three different colors (silver, space gray, and gold). Where to Buy: $699 $599 at Walmart The 13-inch M4-powered MacBook Air is available at Amazon and Best Buy with a 10-core CPU, eight-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage starting at just $849 ($150 off), which is $50 shy of its all-time low. The latest Air is faster than its predecessor thanks to the addition of Apple’s newer M4 chip, and now offers double the base RAM at 16GB. It also features a sharper 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam and supports two external displays with the lid open, making it even better for multitasking. Read our review. If you prefer the 15-inch MacBook Air, the entry-level configuration with the M4 chip, a 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage is down to its all-time low of $1,049 ($150 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The larger Air is identical to its smaller sibling, only it features a better six-speaker sound system and comes with the option of either a 35W Dual USB‑C Port Compact Power Adapter or a 70W USB‑C Power Adapter. iMac with M4 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU) The latest version of Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer features an M4 chip and support for Apple Intelligence. Unlike its predecessor, the base model now offers 16GB RAM by default, along with a new 12-megapixel webcam. Read our review. Where to Buy: $1299 $1149 at Amazon $1299 $1149 at Best Buy $1299 at Apple The best Apple Watch deals Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS) The Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger, wide-angle OLED display with up to 30 percent more screen area. It’s thinner and lighter than its predecessors, yet it charges faster and features the same fitness and wellness features. Read our review. Where to Buy: $399 $279 at Amazon (42mm) $399 $279 at Walmart (42mm) $429 $309 at Amazon (46mm) You can buy the latest 40mm, GPS-enabled Apple Watch SE at Amazon and Walmart for $169, which is $20 shy of its best price to date. Apple’s entry-level wearable is great for tracking the essentials, including your heart rate and sleep quality, and offers fall/crash detection, Apple Pay, and other conveniences. While it lacks the Series 10’s temperature sensor, EKG, and depth tracking, the SE still delivers excellent value if you don’t need advanced health features. It will also support the next iteration of watchOS, watchOS 26, when it arrives in the fall with its new wrist flick gesture and AI-powered “Workout Buddy.” Read our review. Apple Watch Ultra 2 The rugged Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in one size: 49mm. It offers the brightest display of any wearable in Apple’s lineup, along with better battery life and improved performance. It sports Apple’s new S9 SiP, too, allowing you to take advantage of Apple’s new double tap feature. Read our review. Where to Buy: $799 $649 at Best Buy $799 $649 at Amazon AirTags and other miscellaneous deals Apple AirTags Apple’s AirTags are unobtrusive, waterproof, and tap into the massive Find My network for out-of-range locating. Read our original review. Where to Buy: $99 $64.99 at Walmart (four-pack) The Apple Pencil Pro is down to $99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Target, which is $10 shy of its all-time low. Apple’s premium stylus packs in advanced creative features missing from the entry-level USB-C model, including pressure sensitivity and a “Barrel Roll” gyroscope, which lets you rotate the stylus as you draw to quickly adjust the angle of your digital pen or brush. It also comes with wireless charging, Find My support, and squeeze gestures that let you control smart home devices. That being said, it’s only compatible with the latest iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and M2 or M3 iPad Air models. The Apple Pencil (USB-C) is available at Amazon for just $59 ($20 off). That’s one of the best prices we’ve seen on the comfortable Apple stylus, which can magnetically attach to the side of most iPad models from within the past three years or so. It also offers tilt sensitivity, though it lacks the Apple Pencil Pro’s support for pressure sensitivity and wireless charging. Beats Pill (2024) The 2024 Beats Pill offers improved sound, USB-C, and native support for Find My and voice assistants on both iOS and Android. It also bests the previous model with double the battery life (24 hours) and IP67 water resistance. Read our review. Where to Buy: $149.95 $97.95 at Amazon $149.95 $97.95 at Walmart $149.99 $97.99 at TargetAnker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station 8-in-1 A Qi2 pad on the front and a party in the back, with three AC outlets and four USB ports. It can deliver up to 67W through a single USB-C port or divided between its two USB-C and two USB-A ports. Where to Buy: $99.99 $49.99 at Amazon $99.99 $49.99 at Anker (with code WS7DV2JLVWA6)Apple MagSafe Charger (2m) Apple’s updated magnetic charging puck is available in two sizes, 1m and 2m, and supports 15W MagSafe / Qi2 charging as well as 25W charging on the iPhone 16 only. Where to Buy: $49 $39.99 at Amazon $49 $39.99 at Best Buy $49 at Apple Anker’s MagGo Wireless Charging Station (Foldable 3-in-1) is available for an all-time low of around $76.99 (originally $110) at Amazon and directly from Anker (with code WS24EP9P3P0F). The Qi2-certified charger can deliver up to 15W of power to compatible iPhone models while simultaneously charging a pair of AirPods and an Apple Watch. Its foldable, lightweight design also makes it convenient for travel or keeping your nightstand clutter-free. You can buy the Anker MagGo Wireless Charger (Pad) at Amazon for $19.99 ($10 off), which matches the best-ever price on this accessory. Anker’s Qi2-certified charging pad can deliver up to 15W of power to MagSafe-compatible iPhones, including the newer iPhone 16 models. It also comes with a five-foot cable; however, you will still need to supply your own AC adapter unless you spring for the $23.99 $25.99 bundle. Belkin 3-in-1 Qi2 Wireless Charging Station Belkin’s 3-in-1 charging station is Qi2-certified and can supply up to 15W of power to compatible phones. It also has a 5W charging puck and a pad for wireless earbuds. Where to Buy: $119.99 $81.69 at Amazon (black) $119.99 $81.69 at Amazon (white) Update, July 11th: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability. View Source Article

Given the company’s history with controllers developing drift issues, the Switch Pro 2 gamepad might not be your best choice. | Image: iFixit iFixit has shared a full teardown video of the Switch 2 Pro controller and is not impressed by how difficult it is to access the $85 accessory’s internal components, including its rechargeable battery that will inevitably lose its ability to hold a charge over time. The online repair site goes so far as to call the Pro 2 a “piss-poor excuse for a controller” for several different reasons. Opening the controller requires you to first forcefully remove a faceplate held in place by adhesive tape before a single screw is visible. But you’ll need to extract several other parts and components, including the controller’s mainboard, before its battery is even accessible. As previously revealed, the Pro 2 is still using older potentiometer-based joysticks that are prone to developing drift over time. They do feature a modular design that will potentially make them easier to swap with third-party Hall effect or TMR replacements, but reassembling the controller after that DIY upgrade will require you to replace all the adhesive tape you destroyed during disassembly.  There are cheaper alternatives to the Switch 2 Pro controller that offer additional functionality, better performance, and more longevity with durable joysticks and batteries that are easy to replace. View Source Article

Every month, we like to ask our staff about their favorite stuff — whether it’s tech, kitchen tools, or camping gear. Their answers provide some interesting insights into what the folks here like to use when they’re at the job or enjoying some time off. Now that Amazon’s Prime Day is in its final day, this might be the last time for a while that deals from some of our recent “favorites” articles are available. We recommend checking them out in case you read about them in the past and thought, “Well, that sort of sounds good, but it’s a bit pricey,” or “that’s pretty cheap, but maybe I’ll wait until the price goes down even more.” Here are some of The Verge staff’s most-liked gear that’s now on sale during Prime Day. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 Where to Buy: $99.99 $66.49 at Amazon $99.99 $69.99 at Best Buy I try to bring a Bluetooth speaker everywhere with me when the weather’s good. A pool party, a park day, a golf outing, a hang on the back patio — it’s all better with music! There are obviously lots of good speakers out there, but for me, the UE Wonderboom 4 is the perfect one. It’s only $100, it’s small but loud enough to work just about anywhere, its battery lasts all day and then some, it’s waterproof, and it floats. (All the colors look nice, by the way, but… get the blue one.) There are fancier speakers with more features, and the $200 Megaboom does sound a lot better, but I keep a Wonderboom in my trunk, and it has made me the party hero more times than I can count. — David Pierce, editor-at-large Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller Where to Buy: $29.99 $17.68 at Walmart $34.99 $20.99 at Amazon $29.99 at Thermacell My biggest deterrent to spending some time outside are bugs, mosquitos specifically. I wish they’d bug off. They have me looking like I’m doing interpretive dancing to avoid being poked. Thankfully, a gadget that I got last year has made it so that I don’t need to be (as) protective of my exposed skin. Thermacell makes rechargeable and refillable mosquito repellers. I got the E series model, which creates a safe zone where you likely won’t be bitten. It lasts a little over five hours per charge, meaning I get more than one use out of it before needing to charge it again. Just be sure not to use it in an environment where there isn’t proper ventilation; Thermacell notes that its ingredients shouldn’t be a concern for people or pets, but I don’t want too much insecticide around my loved ones — or my food. — Cameron Faulkner, commerce editor Hoto 3.6V Electric Screwdriver Kit (Classic) Hoto’s electric screwdriver is perfect for making small- to medium-sized repairs around the house. In addition to a USB-C port, the screwdriver comes with a magnetic case and 25 steel bits. Where to Buy: $69.99 $39.99 at Amazon $59.99 $39.99 at Walmart I picked up Hoto’s electric screwdriver because my former boss at The Verge, Dan Seifert, would often pitch it around gift guide season. I’m glad I did, though, because it now sits alongside a handful of tools I use on an almost weekly basis. I wouldn’t suggest using it for real household projects that require some serious torque, but it’s incredibly handy for tightening the legs on my desk, assembling furniture, and making sure my bike seat isn’t going to come off mid-ride. It’s also equipped with a USB-C port for charging, a nifty LED light that lets you ditch the headlamp, and a case for housing the 25 steel bits. Oh, and it really does make for a great little gift. I guess Dan was right. — Brandon Widder, senior commerce editor Anker Nano Power Bank Where to Buy: $29.99 $19.99 at Amazon (USB-C) $36.43 $17.99 at Walmart (Lightning) I have a tendency to hold on to my phones as long as they work reasonably well, and although I must admit I’ve been tempted by the Pixel 9A, I will probably still be using my Pixel 6 for a bit longer. The only issue that I’m starting to hit is battery life — after over three years of use, it’s not unexpected that I sometimes hit the 20 percent mark toward the end of the day. So I recently realized that I’m going to have to start carrying around a portable charger. At first, I was going to go with the 20,000mAh Anker Zolo Power Bank, which had gotten a good number of recommendations. But it weighs over 11 ounces and when I dropped it into my bag, it felt like I had added a small brick. That’s why I traded it in for the less powerful but much lighter Anker Nano Power Bank, which plugs into my phone’s USB-C slot like a small add-on peripheral. The Nano weighs only 3.5 ounces and supplies 5,000mAh of battery power — enough to keep me going to the end of the day. And it comes in several pale colors (I chose Ice Lake Blue), which means I can see it more easily in the dark reaches of my bag. — Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor Hamilton Beach 3-in-one Egg Cooker Where to Buy: $20.99 at Hamilton Beach $20.95 $19.99 at Amazon My body composition has become about 70 percent egg in the blissful month since I bought this cooker. I never want to buy new countertop kitchen appliances, because almost every time I do, they end up dusty in the back of the cabinet, but I’m amazed by how useful this simple Hamilton Beach Egg Cooker is. I can prepare hard- or soft-boiled eggs to perfect consistency in minutes (with no cleanup!), and having it on hand has dramatically cut back on my bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich habit. So it’s good for my cholesterol and my bank account. — Kristen Radtke, creative director Hydro Flask Standard Mouth Water Bottle (18 oz) Where to Buy: $29.95 $23.96 at Amazon This is a sturdy stainless steel water bottle that keeps water cold as I sip it throughout my workday. What more could you ask for? I take it on trips, too, and while it’s got a few dents from some drops onto concrete, I don’t really care. If anything, the dents add some character and make it mine. — Jay Peters, news editor Instant Pot Duo Crisp Where to Buy: $169.99 $149.99 at Amazon For the past few years, the Instant Pot has been a staple in my kitchen. From making rice to slow-cooking stews and even frying up chicken, it can do just about anything. The best part is that the Instant Pot can cook most recipes in a fraction of the time it would take in the oven or on the stove. Rice, for example, takes just six minutes to cook (not counting the amount of time it takes to build pressure), and there’s no fussing with covering the pot or adjusting the heat. Sometimes, it’s just easier — and much less stressful — to let the Instant Pot take the wheel. — Emma Roth, news writer Braun MultiQuick 5 Vario Hand Blender Where to Buy: $69.95 $49.99 at Braun $69.95 $49.95 at Amazon How often do you blend things? Is it never? Maybe the reason is that taking out, assembling, and cleaning up after a normal blender is just way too much work. Do you know how many sauces I’ve thickened since getting an immersion blender? This thing is small, quick to set up, and you can mostly clean it with just a blast under the faucet. You’re going to blend so many things. — Jacob Kastrenakes, executive editor Gripstic bag sealer 12-pack Where to Buy: $23.95 $18.95 at Amazon $23.95 at Gripstic It’s kind of weird how much I like our Gripstics. Bag of chips open? Quick, grab a Gripstic. Kids vibing between two different cereals this week? A well-placed Gripstic will ensure they don’t get all squishy. Tiny package of chocolate chips you used for a recipe that is now kind of open in your cupboard for who knows how long? Just fold the top over, slide a Gripstic on it — the small blue one, thank you — and stop worrying so much. I don’t know about you or your family’s shopping and eating habits, but try as we might to shop on the outside walls of the grocery store, we inevitably come home with many products packaged in single-use plastic bags. That in and of itself is a frustration, only compounded by those same products going bad if they’re not stored properly. The Gripstics are a simple solution to this universal problem, and one that I’m certain has paid for itself many times over. — Christopher Grant, group publisher Solar Buddies sunscreen applicator Where to Buy: $11.98 at Solar Buddies $15.98 $12.78 at Amazon As a pasty redhead from a large ginger family, I relish every opportunity to nag about the importance of wearing sunscreen — especially when the summer heat is pounding and everyone starts getting their fleshy bits out. If you’re someone who avoids applying the stuff because it makes your hands feel gross, then allow me to remove that excuse for you: sunscreen applicators are a convenient and mess-free solution that can help you protect your skin without itching to wipe your greasy hands on clothes or sandy towels. They’re great for applying sunscreen to your kids, too. The Solar Buddies version I use has a big handle, spongy applicator, and a roller dispenser that ensures even small hands have a good grip and don’t look like they’ve dunked themselves in frosting. You just have to fill them with your sunscreen of choice, giving some added flexibility around the brand and SPF (but please, please consider sticking with a factor of 50 plus). Because the applicator screws tightly closed, it can also help prevent any explosions from occurring in your bag compared to the usual squeeze bottles. Nobody likes a sunscreen sandwich. — Jess Weatherbed, news writer Magpul DAKA Essential Wallet Where to Buy: $16.95 at Magpul $16.95 $13.56 at Amazon I spent the better part of a decade trying to find the perfect slim minimalist wallet for carrying a handful of credit cards, debit cards, and IDs, along with a small stash of cash. The winner, which I’ve been carrying every day for close to eight years now, is Magpul’s DAKA Essential Wallet. It’s made from a reinforced polymer fabric with welded seams that make it impressively durable. It’s also got an anti-slip texture that I find adds extra grip so I can easily extract it from even a tight pocket. I ended up buying three so I had backups when it eventually wore out, but am still using the original with minimal wear and tear. — Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter ToAuto DS90 Soldering Station Where to Buy: $59.99 $47.99 at ToAuto $54.99 $39.99 at Amazon $59.99 $46.99 at Walmart My ToAuto soldering station spent a few years gathering dust, but I finally pulled it out of the closet when I started experimenting with game console repairs. It may not be a Hakko or a Weller, but for $55, it gets the job done. The station is perfect for a beginner like me, as it heats up to 842 degrees Fahrenheit, comes with numerous interchangeable soldering tips, has steel wool for cleaning, and features a handy rack to hold a spool of solder. So far, it’s helped me do things like solder an HDMI port onto a PS4 and install new batteries on old Game Boy games. I expect it’s going to come in handy for many future repairs, too. — Emma Roth, news writer paleblue AA USB-C Rechargeable Batteries Where to Buy: $29.99 $22.49 at paleblue (4-pack) $29.99 $22.49 at Amazon (4-pack) I used to buy AA batteries in bulk to keep on hand for when my Xbox controller would die in the middle of a game. (And because I have two kids.) I’d resisted my friends’ suggestions to buy rechargeable batteries, thinking back to the old ones my parents used to have, with a big, bulky charging box that took forever. But then one night I came across these $30 paleblue USB-C rechargeable batteries. They’re great. Just plug them into a USB-C source using the included wire whenever you need to juice them up. They last long enough so that I’m not constantly swapping them out. And I can charge all four at once. I have the four-pack but there’s also an eight-pack and a 12-pack, which might be even more handy. — Todd Haselton, deputy editor Tile Slim Where to Buy: $29.99 $19.94 at Amazon $29.98 at Walmart My partner and I were coming back from dinner with a friend the other night, and as the bus roared away, he suddenly realized his wallet was no longer in his back pocket. We called the MTA the next day, and through some miracle, the wallet had been found, and we were able to drive over to the local bus depot and pick it up. But it occurred to me that if he had a tracker in his wallet, we might not have been as worried as to where it was. The next day, I ordered a Tile Slim for that wallet. I’ve actually been using Tile trackers for my own keys and wallet for a couple of years now (although they’ve thankfully only been needed to locate items misplaced in our home). So as nice as the folks at the MTA were — and they were really nice — hopefully, my partner’s new Tile Slim will ensure it’s our last visit there. — Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor Royal Kludge Foldable Mechanical Keyboard Where to Buy: $54.99 $43.99 at Royal Kludge (with discount code HOT20) $54.99 $43.99 at Amazon I can’t help but laugh every time I hear “Royal Kludge,” but this is truly the best folding Bluetooth keyboard I’ve used yet — because it’s the only multi-device keyboard I’ve tried that doesn’t fall off my lap! It’s also a mechanical keyboard with swappable keycaps, but that’s just the cherry on top. For me, the important bits are that it’s easy to type on, I can swap between multiple Bluetooth devices instead of re-pairing, I can plug it in with USB-C whenever Bluetooth won’t work, and it spans both my legs while folding vertically rather than horizontally, so it doesn’t just fall into the gap between my legs like so many rivals do. There really aren’t a lot of multi-device wired / wireless hybrid keyboards out there with USB-C ports. This one’s chunkier than the competition, but it’s a great deal. — Sean Hollister, senior editor Ynesoer automatic soap dispenser A hands-free soap dispenser with a built-in sensor. Where to Buy: $25.99 $18.5 at Amazon After realizing we’re not a family who likes to get their hands dirty while cooking (we leave that part to mixers and blenders), an automatic soap dispenser has become one of the most-used devices in our kitchen. We opted for a cheap $25 option from Amazon that lets you adjust how much foaming soap is dispensed and lasts for a couple of months between charges, but companies like Simplehuman sell pricier $80 versions wrapped in brushed metal or other fancy finishes that could better match your decor. We find we use less soap now that it’s always perfectly portioned out, and buying refills in bulk is much cheaper. There’s now one in every bathroom in our home. — Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter, news Gouevn soil moisture meter Gouevn’s cheap meter can quickly test the soil moisture for both indoor and outdoor plants. Where to Buy: $7.97 $6.76 at Amazon Fungus gnats love overwatered soil, so once you’ve gotten rid of them, you’ve got to be careful and diligent about your watering schedule. For that, I got myself a Gouevn soil moisture meter to teach myself how to properly water my plants. I’ve properly vanquished my fungus gnat issue, but with these two tools, I’m always prepared in case there’s ever another infestation. – Victoria Song, senior reviewer Microplane Premium Classic Series Lemon Zester A versatile kitchen tool that combines effortless grating and zesting. Where to Buy: $17.95 $14.85 at Amazon I never realized how much joy I could get from a grater until my partner and I picked up a Microplane last year. Whether I’m zesting lemons or creating big, pillowy clouds of grated parmesan for my pasta, the Microplane is an absolute pleasure to use. We still keep a big, blunt box grater around for the occasional vegetable, but the Microplane’s sharper blades are better for absolutely everything else. It’s not just us, either — we’ve since gifted this twice, to rave reviews. And if you know me in real life, then I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before a Microplane comes your way, too. — Dominic Preston, news editor Ravensburger Starter-Set GraviTrax An interactive track system allows you to design and build your own racetracks and experiment with gravity, magnetism, and kinetics. Where to Buy: $69.99 $48.99 at Amazon When screen time is over, there’s no building toy, not even Lego, that holds my kid’s attention better than GraviTrax. It lets you build complicated marble runs using myriad components, including ramps, risers, bridges, switches, and launchers — and that’s just the starter set. There are several expansions that add motorized components that can keep marbles rolling indefinitely if assembled correctly, and it’s one of those toys that adults will enjoy just as much as kids do. For younger kids, there’s also now a GraviTrax Junior line with simpler components and larger marbles. – Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter, news Anker 321 Power Strip This all-in-one 20W power cube boasts three AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and one USB-C port. Where to Buy: $25.99 $15.99 at Amazon Nobody wants to carry a power strip or an extension cord with them on their vacation. It’s probably unnecessary if you’re staying in relatively modern buildings and definitely unnecessary if you’re camping. But sometimes you want to stay in a charming historical hotel or a lovely cabin in the woods, and it’s only when you go to charge your devices at night that you realize that the only electrical socket in the bedroom is in the corner farthest away from the bed and there are already two lamps plugged into it. Older buildings especially suffer from what I can only describe as loose socket syndrome, where those very convenient modern boxy socket extenders with five different USB and USB-C charging ports simply cannot stay in place and fall right out of the wall because they’re too heavy. After one (totally pleasant) vacation where I had to charge my phone, watch, AirPods, and laptop in a weird corner of my room with the plug-in charging hub propped up on a strategically balanced mountain of books and sham pillows, I bought this Anker combination extension cord / power strip. It’s not a full power strip — just a cube with a few sockets along with USB-A and USB-C charging ports at the end of a five-foot cable. I’ve brought it on a few trips since then. It takes up extra space in my suitcase but each time has left me feeling vindicated about the purchase. The three prongs at the end of the cable are static, rather than folding flat for easy packing. This is key because the loose sockets of older buildings reject the beautiful convenience of folding prongs. There are more than enough sockets for one person, and with some finagling (and maybe an extra charging brick), it can accommodate two people’s devices. If you’re traveling overseas, don’t forget to purchase a different plug type. — Sarah Jeong, deputy features editor Epicka universal travel adapter Epicka’s universal travel adapter is an all-in-one adapter that includes four different plugs that cover over 150 countries. Where to Buy: $23.99 $19.54 at Amazon In my youth, I forgot to pack plug adapters for international trips one too many times. Buying them once you’ve landed in another country isn’t always easy, either. And if you’re like me, your relatives in rural Korea don’t always have more than one plug for your American devices — in which case, you’ll have to share with your six other cousins. Nope. Absolutely not. Which is why I never leave this country without a universal travel adapter. Basically, it’s six plug adapters in one. Depending on which one you get, it might come with USB ports so you can charge multiple devices in one outlet. Granted, it’s bulkier than buying one or two specialized adapter plugs, but if you’ve got a multi-continent itinerary, it’s a game-changer. What I like about this one from Epicka is that it comes with a spare fuse in case things go sideways with voltage. The only caveat is that, although it says “universal,” it’s technically only the four most common types of plugs. That’ll get you by in most countries, but it’s not a guarantee in places like Brazil, South Africa, or India. Even so, I’ll take this over price gouging at airport electronics shops or having to take time out of my schedule to visit a local hardware store. — Victoria Song, senior reviewer Kailh Deep-Sea Silent Pro Islet switches A fantastic silent linear mechanical switch for Cherry MX-compatible keyboards. Islets are smooth and quiet, with a long spring that gives them a top-heavy, almost tactile force curve. They’re 3-pin switches, so they work with most hot-swappable mechanical keyboards that take 3- or 5-pin switches. Where to Buy: $59.99 $56.99 at Amazon (90-piece) These are my current favorite switches. The Kailh Deep-Sea Silent Pro Islets are nearly identical to the fantastic switches in the HHKB Studio, just much less expensive. The Islets are silent linear switches, with an extra-long spring, so the actuation force curve is strongest right at the beginning and then smooth the rest of the way, giving them an almost Topre-like tactile sensation. (Pitchforks down; I said almost.) They’re an instant upgrade for any hot-swappable keyboard that takes Cherry MX-compatible switches, and I’ve been using them as my daily drivers for a while. There’s also a tactile version, which I don’t like as much. Sorry to the Kailh Whales. — Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor Ninja Fit single-serve blender Simple-to-use 700-watt blender that includes two 16-ounce cups and two spout lids. Where to Buy: $69 $59.99 at Amazon $69.99 $59.99 at Target My wife and I bought this small blender to make ourselves smoothies and protein shakes. It’s now used to make purees for our baby. C’est la vie. — Antonio G. Di Benedetto, reviewer Update, July 11th: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability. View Source Article

The Boox Palma 2 looks like a smartphone, and it even runs Android 13. But it’s meant to be used primarily as a pocket-friendly e-reader with an ePaper screen, one that’s much easier to hold in one hand than a Kindle or Kobo. Some of us at The Verge have a Palma, and you can see what all the fuss is about, too, for an all-time low of $269.99 ($30 off) at Amazon and Boox during Prime Day. Be mindful that Prime Day ends today, so time is running out to grab this deal. Boox Palma 2 Where to Buy: $299.99 $269.99 at Amazon (black) $299.99 $269.99 at Amazon (white) $299.99 $269.99 at Boox Verge editor-at-large David Pierce praised the Palma 2’s eight-day battery life, its compact size, and its ability to access to the Google Play Store in his November 2024 review. Its 6.13-inch monochromatic display is roughly the size as the current-gen iPhone’s screen, and it has the same pixels per inch as the larger, entry-level Kindle, so text will look very clear. If all you want is a petite device for reading books, the Palma 2 is a good choice, in part because you can download the Kindle app and read any titles you’ve bought on that platform. The Palma 2 can also open most popular document formats, including PDF, CBZ, EPUB, MOBI, TXT, and DOC. The Palma 2 has 128GB of storage, which is a lot for an e-reader, but it affords you plenty of space for downloading Android apps. It supports Bluetooth, so you can download Spotify and listen to music, or Audible for audiobooks. It has a 16-megapixel camera, too. One of the few improvements in the Palma 2 from the first-gen model is the fingerprint reader, letting you lock your content. There are plenty of e-readers out there, but the Palma 2’s pocket-friendly size means you may be more likely to grab it on the way out your door. This is the first time the Palma 2 has received a notable discount, and Prime Day is the perfect time to check out a piece of tech you might have been on the fence about. View Source Article

The BYD Seal. The Chinese EV-maker BYD says it will pay for any damage caused by its upgraded self-parking system, as reported earlier by Fast Company. A translated version of BYD’s announcement on Weibo says the company “will fully cover the safety and losses” of vehicles damaged by its God’s Eye self-parking system, which it claims has reached Level 4 autonomy. So far, only Mercedes-Benz has built a Level 4 parking system, allowing select vehicles to park without human intervention. But, this feature isn’t available everywhere just yet — Mercedes-Benz drivers can only use the technology inside the Stuttgart Airport’s parking garage. Other automakers offer parking assist features, but Tesla’s Elon Musk has been particularly vocal about making vehicles fully autonomous. Right now, Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems offer Level 2 autonomy, meaning drivers must be ready to take over if needed. Tesla also offers an Autopark feature, but, as pointed out by Fast Company, some drivers have reported that it can be inaccurate. BYD, which has surpassed Tesla in annual sales, says customers who damage their vehicle while using its self-parking feature don’t need to go through their insurance and can contact the company directly. “BYD’s move not only reflects its absolute confidence in the technology of the Eye of God, but also demonstrates its attitude of being responsible to consumers to protect the safety of users,” a machine-translated version of BYD’s Weibo post says.  Outside of self-parking, God’s Eye is a Level 2 system that comes in three different variants, with the most advanced — God’s Eye A — featuring three LiDar sensors and reserved for luxury vehicles. View Source Article

Disinformation around a “weather weapon” and cloud seeding is being widely promoted by everyone from anti-government extremists to GOP influencers—leading to real-world consequences. View Source Article

A giant gas planet comparable in size to Saturn exists around a small red dwarf star. The discovery is beyond the scope of conventional astronomy theory, and is making experts reconsider conventional notions of planet formation. View Source Article

The SJ-21 and SJ-25 satellites “merged” on July 2 and have remained together since then. View Source Article

A polo legend and a businessman joined forces to copy the player’s greatest horse. But with a single clone worth $800,000, some technologies are a breeding ground for betrayal. View Source Article

The findings of two recent studies give hope that the disease could one day be reversed in humans—but experts warn that this complex disease will likely need multiple complementary treatments. View Source Article

Patients and doctors are turning to AI for diagnoses and treatment recommendations, often with stellar results, but problems arise when experts and algorithms disagree. View Source Article

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is poised to discover billions of new astronomical objects, revolutionizing understanding of everything from the history of the solar system to the workings of dark energy. View Source Article

The versatile cannabis plant could, some scientists think, one day be useful for lunar and Martian colonists. For now, researchers will subject its seeds to radiation in orbit and see what happens. View Source Article

The Exploration Company lost contact with its Mission Possible vehicle a few minutes before touchdown in the ocean. View Source Article

Records of hundreds of emergency calls from ICE detention centers obtained by WIRED—including audio recordings—show a system inundated by life-threatening incidents, delayed treatment, and overcrowding. View Source Article

This research could represent the first documented case of paracetamol production from plastic waste using E. coli bacteria. View Source Article

What would it take to run a cable from the ISS to Earth? Depends how fast you want the Earth to rotate. View Source Article

Even America’s richest farmlands can’t outrun climate collapse. That’s everyone’s problem. View Source Article

A new proof illuminates the hidden patterns that emerge when addition becomes impossible. View Source Article

President Donald Trump’s budget would kill off tax credits for wind and solar, raising costs for new clean energy projects and blowing up valuable investment in those already in the pipeline. View Source Article

The World Health Organization has added the variant, known formally as XFG, to its monitoring list. A dry, irritated throat is among its main symptoms. View Source Article

Commuting to Concordia research station in Antarctica takes days—it’s more remote than the International Space Station. Here’s how to get there. View Source Article

RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory board could stop recommending some routine childhood immunizations, leaving insurers to decide whether to still cover them. For now, most are remaining tight-lipped. View Source Article

xAI’s gas turbines get official approval from Memphis, Tennessee, even as civil rights groups prepare to sue over alleged Clean Air Act violations. View Source Article

Nearly 12 million people could lose health care coverage if the bill gets passed and signed by Trump, while hospitals would be hit hard by Medicaid cuts. View Source Article

The Space Act, which would apply to local and foreign companies, aims to simplify procedures, protect assets in orbit, level the playing field, and help European companies expand into new markets. View Source Article

The Endangered Species Act has a major problem. An unlikely move could help save it. View Source Article

DOGE cut hundreds of jobs at the NWS, but experts who spoke to WIRED say the agency accurately predicted the state's weekend flood risk. View Source Article

An interaction between two proteins points to a molecular basis for memory. But how do memories last when the molecules that form them turn over within days, weeks, or months? View Source Article

The fishermen of Puerto Morelos complain of pirates who fish off-season with total impunity, while their small catches are contaminated by the abundant microplastics in the sea. View Source Article

Crude-oil-derived substances in the candy have been linked to health problems—and the regulations that have allowed their use in the US are now in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s crosshairs. View Source Article

Lei Jun, founder and chairman of Xiaomi Corp., the only tech company to have successfully diversified into carmaking, couldn’t resist. View Source Article

Apple Inc. supplier Lens Technology Co. has raised HK$4.8 billion ($607 million) after pricing its Hong Kong listing at the top of the marketed range, according to terms of the deal seen by Bloomberg News. View Source Article

The French consulting company Capgemini SE has agreed to buy IT outsourcing firm WNS Holdings Ltd. for $3.3 billion in cash in a push to expand its presence in artificial intelligence, a technology investors fear could undermine the group’s business. View Source Article

Apple Inc. appealed a €500 million ($580 million) fine from the European Union, calling the penalty “unprecedented” and the regulator’s required changes to its App Store as “unlawful.” View Source Article

Huawei Technologies Co.’s secretive AI research lab has pushed back against accusations it relied on rivals’ models to develop its own Pangu platform, taking the unusual step of rebutting claims about its artificial intelligence efforts. View Source Article

Welcome to Tech In Depth, our daily newsletter about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Austin Carr looks at the performance of Amazon’s shopping bot, Rufus. View Source Article

Michael Saylor’s Strategy registered an unrealized gain of $14.05 billion in the second quarter due to a rebound in Bitcoin’s price and a recent accounting change. View Source Article

CoreWeave Inc. is dropping $9 billion on the data-center operator Core Scientific Inc. in an effort to gain more direct control over the physical assets powering the artificial-intelligence boom. View Source Article

IonQ Inc. raised $1 billion in a sale of stock and warrants to an affiliate of Susquehanna International Group, in a deal priced at a 25% premium to the quantum computing company’s closing price on Thursday. View Source Article

Epic Games Inc. settled its antitrust case against Samsung Electronics Co. that alleged the company was conspiring with Alphabet Inc.’s Google to block rival app marketplaces through default settings on mobile devices sold by the electronics giant. View Source Article

Welcome to our latest roundup of indie game news and releases. It's a shorter edition than usual this week, but there are still a few interesting games here that are worth having on your radar.  Also, there's still plenty of time to pick up some bargains in the Steam Summer Sale. So if you're planning on bringing your Steam Deck (or ROG Ally or whathaveyou) to a cookout this July 4 weekend and have some change to spare, why not pick up a game or two and try it out? There are a bunch of quality options available for less than the cost of a cup of coffee. We've highlighted some of the juicier deals too. Technically, 8BitDo is an indie gaming company in that it's an independent enterprise that makes third-party gaming controllers. That's relevant, because I read a cool story this week in Endless Mode (a new gaming- and anime-focused publication from Paste Media). It's about how medical students are using tiny 8BitDo controllers to help them study with a flashcard program called Anki. And here's me thinking those controllers would be most useful for on-the-go Mario Kart World sessions with friends. New releases Atuel is one of the more interesting new(ish) games that popped up on my radar this week. After debuting on Itch.io back in 2022, this experimental project just landed on Steam and Google Play. It's a short, free experience that should take around half an hour to finish. Atuel is billed as a surrealist documentary about climate change "in which you explore beautiful, dreamlike landscapes inspired by the topography and wildlife of the Atuel River Valley in Argentina." Add an eye-catching trailer into the mix and I'm quite happy to spend 30 minutes checking this one out.  We probably shouldn't expect to see much more from the team behind this one — the crew at indie game co-op Matajuegos called it a day last year. However, the developers have been working on other projects, including their own games. Upcoming It’s been a decade since the debut of Turbo Kid, one of my favorite films of all time. It’s a low-budget love letter to Saturday morning cartoons with bucketloads of blood and heart. I love it so very deeply. A video game that serves as a quasi-sequel arrived on PC in 2024. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and it’s coming to Nintendo Switch soon. This is a Metroidvania (in other words, an action platformer) from Outerminds. It has wonderfully gruesome pixel art and a cracking soundtrack from Le Matos, the composers of the film’s score. I’d highly advise watching the Turbo Kid movie before playing this one. You have a few weeks to do so before the Switch release date of August 5. FMV games never really went away, and an upcoming one from Tales of Kendra: Zau developer Surgent Studios and Palworld creator Pocketpair's publishing arm caught my eye this week. Surgent founder Abubakar Salim is an actor himself, so it's perhaps not too much of a surprise that he'd want top-notch talent for his latest project. Dead Take stars two of the most highly regarded game actors around in the lead roles: Neil Newbon (Baldur’s Gate 3, Resident Evil Village) and Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33). In this game, you'll play an actor who is searching for a missing friend after a Hollywood party. You'll solve escape room-style puzzles and piece together videos you find along the way to find out what really happened. Sounds promising!This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-surrealist-documentary-about-climate-change-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110021975.html?src=rss View Source Article

You can now send your reMarkable notes and doodles straight to Slack. The companies have announced Slack integration for reMarkable tablets, letting you send whatever you want from the e-paper device straight to your workplace chat in one tap. "...we realized that when there’s friction between thinking and producing, you risk losing time, ideas, and momentum," reMarkable Chief Technology Officer Nico Cormie said in a statement. By linking the tablet with Slack, there's less friction between coming up with ideas and sharing them with your team, so you can more easily collaborate with others.  reMarkable is an e-paper tablet designed to work with a stylus. Simply put, it's a digital notebook, where you can sketch, write notes, draw, annotate documents and even read ebooks if you want to treat it more as an eReader like the Kindle. If you want to share your notes with Slack, you simply have to go to the menu on the left-hand corner of your device and choose "Send to Slack." When you do, it opens into a canvas in Slack containing an image of your file with AI-generated notes. If there's handwritten text in the image, the canvas will also include your notes that AI has converted to editable text.  To be able to use the Slack integration, you'll need to be subscribed to reMarkable Connect, which gives you access to unlimited cloud storage and sync for $3 a month. You'll also need to have a Slack account with a Pro, Business+ or an Enterprise Grid plan. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/slack-now-integrates-with-remarkables-e-paper-tablets-140015983.html?src=rss View Source Article

One of Tesla's fully autonomous robotaxis grazed a parked car after completing a ride recently in Austin, Texas. In a video recorded by YouTuber DirtyTesla, a self-driving Model Y is seen turning and accelerating into a Toyota, making light contact with its tire. As seen in the video, the Model Y already dropped off its passenger, but had trouble navigating out of the dark alleyway afterwards. Tesla's robotaxi service launched in Austin just two weeks ago with a small fleet. According to DirtyTesla, there were no serious injuries or damages and the robotaxi's safety monitor eventually swapped to the driver's seat and drove off. Although the sideswipe was minor, it's unclear what caused the Tesla to drive into the parked car instead of driving off normally after completing the ride. Outside this incident involving another car, other invited guests have shared their unexpected experiences with Tesla's robotaxi service. So far, we've seen the robotaxi service abruptly stop for emergency lights that aren't on the road and briefly drive on the wrong side of a double yellow line. It's important to note that Tesla's self-driving software relies mostly on cameras and artificial intelligence. That's unlike some of its competition, like Waymo, which uses a combination of cameras, lidar and radar for its robotaxi service. However, Waymo isn't without its own incidents, one of which led to a voluntary recall of its fleet in Phoenix, Arizona, following a collision with a telephone pole last year. More recently, Waymo issued another recall for its robotaxis, which were reportedly prone to hit roadway barriers that are harder to see.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/a-tesla-robotaxi-inexplicably-drove-into-a-parked-car-171004400.html?src=rss View Source Article

Xbox was well on its way to delivering a sci-fi stylized game with plenty of exciting movement mechanics before an abrupt change of heart. The upcoming third-person shooter RPG codenamed Blackbird from ZeniMax Online Studios, which developed The Elder Scrolls Online, has been "shelved indefinitely," according to an exclusive report from Bloomberg. The report added that Xbox execs were "blown away" by the game and had "nothing but complimentary words," according to Bloomberg's sources. The exciting new IP was expected to rival the Destiny franchise with its looter-shooter gameplay in an alien noir-themed world. The Bloomberg report revealed that a sci-fi setting would be paired with movement-based abilities like "double-jumping, air-dashing, a grappling hook and wall climbing." The project was reportedly gaining momentum recently and was set to be released in 2028, after the studio expanded its team to 300 people. Microsoft didn't provide comments to Bloomberg or any explicit reasoning why the Blackbird project was dropped. Not much was known about the game, but TrueAchievements uncovered a plot that revolves around players uncovering a notorious murder in a capital city called Exodus. Along with Blackbird, Microsoft canceled Everwild, a fantasy game from Rare that's been in development since 2014, and a reboot of the Perfect Dark first-person shooter.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-sci-fi-looter-shooter-blackbird-was-scrapped-even-after-leaving-execs-blown-away-191305493.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day can be a good time to upgrade your home theater setup thanks to all the tech deals we usually see. As was to be expected, Amazon has discounted nearly all of its own streaming devices, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which is on sale for only $35 right now. That's nearly a record-low price and it represents a 42-percent discount. While we still prefer Amazon's Fire TV Stick HD as a budget streaming option, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max could be worth the upgrade for you. Amazon's device supports 4K video, Dolby Atmos, HDR10+ and if you have a newer router, Wi-Fi 6E. It's the best option if you're committed to the dongle-lifestyle — the even-more-powerful Fire TV Cube needs a TV stand to rest on — and a surprisingly great choice if you're looking for a capable retro game console. Amazon's also added in several features to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max that take it beyond a basic streamer. The built-in Ambient Experience lets the dongle display art and widgets when you're not using your TV, not unlike Samsung's The Frame and The Frame Pro. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max can also stream games from Xbox Game Pass using the Xbox app or Amazon Luna. The only real reasons to not consider Amazon's platform is if you don't like using Alexa, which acts as the main voice interface for all Fire TVs, don't want to be pushed towards Amazon's services or your subscriptions are tangled up in another platform. You can buy subscriptions to a variety of streaming services and live channels through Amazon Prime Video, but if you've already done that on Apple TV+ for example, you might want to wait out your subscription before jumping ship.  This is just one of a few Fire TV deals you can snag for Prime Day. Others include the Fire TV Cube for $90 and the Fire TV Stick HD for $18. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-drops-to-35-for-prime-day-122512460.html?src=rss View Source Article

Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones are $115 off as part of the Prime Day festivities, which brings the price down to $285. This discount applies to multiple colorways. These headphones once topped our list of the best wireless headphones before being usurped by the XM6. They are still fantastic, despite being slightly outshined by the newer kid on the block. We praised the "supreme comfort" and "great sound" in our official review, along with the powerful ANC technology. The battery life is also incredible here. Users can expect around 30 hours per charge, which will more than handle a long train ride or flight. It's also lighter than the XM4, which adds to the overall comfort. There are touch controls on the outside panel of the right ear cup, with the ability to play, pause, skip tracks and adjust the volume. These cans also work with various voice assistants and there's an affiliated app that allows for even more customization. The headphones offer multipoint connectivity and there are a handful of integrated microphones for phone calls. The only downside here remains the price, which has been somewhat alleviated by this sale.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonys-wh-1000xm5-headphones-are-115-off-for-prime-day-123544069.html?src=rss View Source Article

Just a day after former White House advisor Elon Musk claimed on X that he's creating a new political party in the US, some deep-pocketed figures have offered support and potential interest. Replying to an X post that said the America Party would offer "independence from the two-party system," billionaire Mark Cuban and investment banker Anthony Scaramucci both replied to Musk, providing some possible next steps. After celebrating the America Party announcement post with emojis, Cuban said that he works with the Center for Competitive Democracy and could help get Musk's party on ballots. Scaramucci also responded on X, saying he would "like to meet to discuss." I work with @voterchoice . They will help you get on ballots. That is their mission. https://t.co/o4ERVGwQNH— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 5, 2025 Scaramucci previously served as the White House communications director in 2017 during Trump's first term before being dismissed 10 days in. The former Trump ally has since crossed to the other side of the political aisle and supported both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential campaigns. Similarly, Cuban previously supported Harris and was even tied to the Democratic candidate as a potential running mate. While there are still plenty of questions about Musk's proposed political party that comes after a hostile fallout with Trump, the Tesla CEO's post on X indicated that it would focus on taking over "two or three Senate seats and eight to 10 House districts." It's unclear if Musk has already filed the necessary paperwork to officially establish the America Party. The latest filings with the Federal Election Commission show several documents that reference Musk's new party, but the veracity of these is questionable, and they sit alongside a slew of apparent joke filings, including the "American Meme Party," "The Diddy Party" and "The DOGE Party."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/elon-musks-proposed-america-party-is-already-attracting-the-attention-of-the-ultra-rich-170030496.html?src=rss View Source Article

A petition to preserve video game access recently achieved an important milestone of one million signatures, but it has two more challenges to overcome before reaching the final level. The "Stop Killing Games" movement reached a million votes earlier this month, meaning the European Union will have to consider adopting legislation addressing this issue. However, the petition first has to deal with the threat of potentially fake signatures and the resistance from major game studios and publishers. The Stop Killing Games initiative, created by Ross Scott, aims to pass new laws to ensure that video games still run even when developer support ends. The petition was a direct response to when Ubisoft delisted The Crew from online stores, shut down the game's servers in 2024, and revoked licenses from players who bought the game. Scott and other critics felt Ubisoft's actions set a dangerous precedent for gamers who may lose access to their purchased games at a developer's whim. Even though there are enough signatures to move to the next step, Scott explained in a YouTube video that many of these may have been incorrectly filled out, while others could have been falsely submitted. The movement's founder said, "This is not a change.org petition, this is a government process," adding that "spoofing signatures on it is a crime." To ensure enough legitimate signatures are collected, Scott said that there needs to be at least 10 percent more to cover the potentially invalid ones. As of July 6, the petition has earned more than 1.2 million signatures. Beyond the signatures, a European advocacy group that includes major gaming studios and publishers like Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Nintendo released a statement opposing the movement. "Private servers are not always a viable alternative option for players as the protections we put in place to secure players’ data, remove illegal content, and combat unsafe community content would not exist and would leave rights holders liable," the statement read. "In addition, many titles are designed from the ground-up to be online-only; in effect, these proposals would curtail developer choice by making these video games prohibitively expensive to create." In a longer report, the Video Games Europe group said that this initiative would "raise the costs and risks of developing such games," create a "chilling effect on game design" and "act as a disincentive to making such games available in Europe." This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-stop-killing-games-initiative-has-hit-a-major-milestone-but-the-fights-just-begun-190431644.html?src=rss View Source Article

We've officially made it to the end of Playdate Season Two, and what a season it's been. Despite having half the number of titles as Season One, this latest round of weekly game releases has made a much stronger impression (on me, at least). If nothing else, it's just been cool to experience the new games in real time with other Playdate owners all at once, which the staggered rollout of the console didn't really allow for with the first season. In an email ahead of the final release, the team at Panic noted that Season Two has sold 12,000 units. It ends on a high note with Taria & Como and Black Hole Havoc, the former an emotional physics-based platformer and the latter an action-puzzle game about blasting black holes with black holes. While the weekly game drops may be over, we still have several weeks left of new Blippo+ content to help fill the void (not to mention the reruns, once it all wraps up). Taria & Como Popseed Studio Inc/JuVee Productions Taria & Como would surely resonate no matter when it were released, but at a time in the US when families are being forcibly separated and access to adequate healthcare for millions of people is under threat — an issue that comes on top of the many existing flaws of the system — it hits particularly hard. The pace of this puzzle platformer is relatively chill, but the journey it takes you on is really moving. You play as Taria, a girl whose parents have been kidnapped by the medtech company and apparent authoritarian overlord, Toxtum Inc. Taria uses a couple of mobility aids to get around, including a prosthetic leg that allows her to jump and a flying health robot, Kit, that has a tether so she can swing. But after a disaster one day, Taria wakes up in a Toxtum facility to find that her younger sister Como is gone, her prosthetic leg has been taken and replaced with one that cannot jump (the Toxtum-approved design), and her healthbot has been swapped with one that's programmed to do everything in its power to restrict her freedom. The subsequent adventure is Taria's quest to find her sister, no matter what it takes. There is a lot to love about this game, but there's one silly little thing at the beginning that needs a shoutout: an unexpected folder in Kit's files labeled "Ferrets." Inside that folder? Two pictures of ferrets wearing bonnets. As a longtime ferret owner, all I have to say is hell yeah. Anyway, the game. Taria & Como is a wonderful experience from start to finish. Each chapter is preceded by a beautifully illustrated crank-to-scroll comic that moves the story forward, and the game's unique mechanics overall made this a really compelling play for me. Since Taria can't jump post-disaster, most of the game is spent swinging (and arguing with the new, not-cool healthbot). Moving around this way requires some planning, as the platforms Taria can stand on are often separated by walls and other obstacles, and some surfaces aren't safe for landing. You use the crank to aim the bot at a grabbing point, and you can crank forward/backward to reel Taria in and out. Swinging left and right will give you momentum to launch yourself farther so you can cross bigger gaps, and you can kick off of walls. I had so much fun with this, and loved how the design of it all slowed me down and made me think a little harder. As you progress, you'll collect pieces from Como's diary as well as Tuxtum files and codes to hijack the healthbot in your favor. The means by which you access these files is one of my favorite parts of the game. There are kiosks scattered throughout the map and they all contain a single minigame, which features a turtle wearing a top hat. Crank to make the turtle dance — and crank really fast, so he can't keep up, and the whole thing will glitch out and bring you to the system files. I was perhaps too excited the first time I encountered that, and enjoyed it every time after that too. Over the course of her adventure, Taria runs into other people who have also been failed by the system: someone who can no longer take the medication they need because it isn't "company approved," someone whose has been waiting in vain to be reunited with their wheelchair, etc. All the while, the healthbot talks down to Taria with the most painfully infantilizing rhetoric. The commentary here is pretty blatant, and I can't say I didn't appreciate it as someone who has been burned by the healthcare system many times over my lifetime of trying to manage chronic illnesses. There were a few hiccups in my playthrough. The game seemed to lag a lot with every chapter change, briefly making me worry each time that it was going to crash. And my Playdate didn't always respond properly to certain actions, like when you want to just look around to survey Taria's environment. You need to dock the crank to do that, which in itself felt a little disruptive, and I often found myself just launching Taria into the unknown to find out what was down there the hard way instead. On several occasions when I did dock the crank, my Playdate didn't register that I'd done so, especially toward the end of the game, so I had to repeatedly dock and undock it until it eventually worked. These things ultimately didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the game, though. Taria & Como is definitely one of my favorites from this season. It's a beautiful story, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Black Hole Havoc Cosmic Bros Years of playing the Neopets game Faerie Bubbles has prepared me for this moment. The story behind Black Hole Havoc is pretty easy to glean from the title — black holes are popping up everywhere and threatening civilization, and you have to stop them. Thankfully, you and your pal are equipped with just the right equipment to generate black holes of your own, which you can fire from a cannon at the evil black holes to cancel them out. But they have to be the right size or they won't effectively vanquish their targets. You aim using the D-pad and pump with the crank (or A/B) to adjust the size of your own black holes before shooting them out. Hit a black hole with another of the wrong size and you'll take damage. Initially, it all seems fairly easy. You'll have aim assist for the first few levels, which provides a clear visual indicator of the path and size of your black holes. But after that, you're on your own to line everything up right (you can turn aim assist back on in the settings, if need be). The further you get, the more obstacles are thrown your way. The black holes start growing in numbers; space tourists show up and get in the way of everything; the ceiling starts collapsing, pushing the black holes down onto you; blocks of ice will send black holes bouncing back your way if you hit them; weird giant bugs. It all goes from chill to extremely unchill pretty fast. The Story Mode is great, with 80 levels and fun cutscenes (which are skippable if you're impatient, but they really are worth watching) to introduce the new areas you'll have to clear. That sounds like a lot of levels, but I was absolutely flying through them and was 40 levels deep before I knew what was happening. There have been a few games this season that I've found to be super addicting, but Black Hole Havoc kind of takes the cake for me in that category. It just ticks all the right boxes. There's also an Arcade Mode if you want to just jump right in and chase after higher and higher scores. From the art and animations to the music, developer Cosmic Bros really knocked it out of the park with this one. Not a bad way to finish a fantastic season.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playdate-season-2-review-taria--como-and-black-hole-havoc-210042109.html?src=rss View Source Article

We’ve long considered Apple’s iPads to be the best tablets on the market, but determining exactly which model you should buy isn’t always straightforward. Do you just want a big screen for streaming and web browsing? Do you want to use it like a pseudo-laptop? Do you care about Apple Intelligence at all? If you’re not sure, allow us to help. We’ve tested every Apple tablet available today and broken down the best iPads for different needs below.Editor’s note (7/7/25): Apple previewed iPadOS 26, its next major iPad software update, during its WWDC keynote. It looks to be a major overhaul, one that brings iPadOS closer to macOS than it’s ever been. New features include the ability to open more windows simultaneously and resize or tile them more freely, a Mac-style Menu bar, a dedicated Preview app, an upgraded Files app, an improved ability to export or download large files in the background and much more. It’ll also use the new “liquid glass” design language Apple is rolling out across all of its platforms.Importantly, Apple says these features will be available across its tablet lineup, from the iPad Pro to the entry-level iPad. (You can find a full list of compatible devices at the bottom of Apple’s press release.) A greater level of feature parity could make the base iPad a more enticing value in particular, though we’ll need to see how well all of this works when iPadOS 26 exits its developer beta period. For now, we’re keeping our current recommendations in place, but we’ll reevaluate once we spend more time with the new update. Table of contents The best iPads for 2025 How we test the best iPads iPad FAQs Recent updates The best iPads for 2025 How we test the best iPads The top edge of the iPad mini. Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Much like we do for our guide to the best tablets overall, we spend several days with each iPad to see how they feel and perform with different tasks: watching videos, web browsing, playing both casual and graphically intense games, editing 4K photos and video, running multiple apps side-by-side, making FaceTime calls and the like. To better measure performance specifically, we use benchmarking tests like Geekbench 6, 3DMark and GFXBench Metal, plus we measure how long it takes for each tablet to boot up and open various apps. We also check how well each tablet holds up long-term, whether it’s with a review unit provided by Apple or an iPad model that’s owned by a member of the Engadget staff. To help compare the color performance and brightness of the displays, we play the same videos on different iPads, side-by-side, at equal brightness levels. We use each tablet in direct sunlight outdoors to see how well they hold up to glare, and we play a handful of the same musical tracks to evaluate speaker performance. For battery life, we keep track of how long each tablet generally lasts before it needs a recharge, but we also play a 1080p movie on a loop at roughly 70 percent brightness with power-sapping background processes off. We also test each device with an Apple Pencil and note how responsive the stylus feels. Finally, we carefully pore over spec sheets and software updates to keep track of which features are available on certain iPads but not others. iPad FAQs The iPad (A16) on top of an 13-inch iPad Air. Jeff Dunn for Engadget How long do iPads typically last? If history is any indication, expect Apple to update your iPad to the latest version of iPadOS for at least five years, if not longer. The current iPadOS 18 update, for example, is available on iPad Pro models dating back to 2018 and other iPads dating back to 2019. How long your iPad’s hardware will last depends on which model you buy and how well you maintain it. (If you’re particularly clumsy, consider an iPad case.) A more powerful iPad Pro will feel fast for a longer time than an entry-level iPad, but each model should remain at least serviceable until Apple stops updating it, at minimum. What’s the difference between the iPad and the iPad Air? Compared to the 11th-gen iPad, the iPad Air runs on a stronger M3 chip (instead of the A16 Bionic) and has 2GB more RAM (8GB total). Both come with 128GB of storage by default. The Air is also available in two sizes, 11 and 13 inches, whereas the 11th-gen iPad doesn't offer the larger screen option. The M-series SoC gives the Air better long-term performance, plus access to certain iPadOS features such as Apple Intelligence and Stage Manager. Its display supports a wider P3 color gamut, has an antireflective coating and is fully laminated. The latter means there’s no “air gap” between the display and the glass covering it, so it feels more like you’re directly touching what’s on screen instead of interacting with an image below the glass. The Air also works with the newer Pencil Pro stylus and more comfortable Magic Keyboards, and its USB-C port supports faster data transfer speeds. It technically supports faster Wi-Fi 6E, too, while the lower-cost iPad uses Wi-Fi 6.   Starting at $349, the 11th-gen iPad is $250 less expensive than the iPad Air. It has a similarly elegant design with flat edges, thin bezels, USB-C port, and a Touch ID reader. Battery life is rated at the same 10 hours, and both devices have their front-facing camera on their long edge, which is a more natural position for video calls. The cheaper iPad works with the first-gen and USB-C Apple Pencils – which are more convoluted to charge – and a unique keyboard accessory called the Magic Keyboard Folio. How do I take a screenshot on an iPad? As we note in our screenshot how-to guide, you can take a screenshot on your iPad by pressing the top button and either volume button at the same time. If you have an older iPad with a Home button, simultaneously press the top button and the Home button instead. Recent updates June 2025: We’ve made a few minor edits to reflect the announcement of Apple’s latest iPadOS update, which we detail above. May 2025: We’ve lightly edited this guide to ensure all details and links are still correct. We’re also keeping an eye on how the Trump administration’s tariff policy affects the pricing and stock of the iPad lineup (and every other tech category). All of our picks are still available at normal prices today, but we’ll update this guide if that changes. March 2025: We've reviewed the iPad (A16) and named it our new budget pick, removing the discontinued 10th-gen iPad in the process.  March 2025: The recently-launched iPad Air M3 has replaced its predecessor as our top overall recommendation. We’ve also made a note regarding the new iPad (A16), which we plan to test in the near future and expect to become our new budget pick. We’ve made a handful of edits elsewhere in the guide to reflect Apple’s latest hardware. January 2025: We’ve lightly edited this guide for clarity. Our recommendations remain the same. October 2024: We've updated our guide to include the new iPad mini 7. June 2024: We’ve touched up this guide to reflect some of the new iPadOS features Apple announced at WWDC, though our picks remain the same. Nathan Ingraham contributed to this report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html?src=rss View Source Article

Streaming services keep raising prices. At this point, if you subscribe to all the major services out there, you're basically paying the same price as cable — those antiquated local monopolies that streaming was supposed to save us from. But streaming still has one big advantage over the old ways: no contracts. That means you can grab a good streaming deal and then cancel without penalty. Our advice is to sign up for a service when you see a good streaming deal (or the latest season of, say, Doctor Who, Severance, Andor and/or The Last of Us). Then, when the deal ends or you've binged whatever it is you want to watch, cancel as needed. But streaming deals don't come around all that often and, when they do, it's easy to miss them thanks to...everything. So we're keeping eyes out for the best streaming deals out there and we update this guide often — so check it out the next time you have a hankering to watch something new. Best streaming deals True streaming deals can be hard to come by. Most often, they’ll pop up during the Black Friday shopping period. On occasion, we’ll see them sparingly throughout the year and they usually take the form of a discounted monthly or annual rate for a limited period of time. Also, true streaming deals are typically on the ad-supported versions of a service, but once in a while you’ll find a unicorn of a deal on a tier that has ad-free viewing. If you’re able to wait for a deal before subscribing to a streaming service, we recommend doing so. You’ll save money upfront and in the long run, and you also have the option to cancel your subscription before the price goes back up to the normal rate. Maybe you find you like the service so much that you’re fine paying full price for it — that’s the ideal situation. But if you’re not compelled to keep that app on rotation in your smart TV, most streaming services make it easy for you to cancel at any time. With that said, these are the best streaming deals you can snag right now. Audible Premium Plus (3 months) for $3 ($42 off): New subscribers can get three months of Audible for only $3, which represents a $42 discount. The Premium Plus tier gives you one book credit per month to use on any audiobook the service has, and you can stream any of the included titles for free on top of that. Audible also has members-only sales and discounts that you'll be able to take advantage of, too. The deal runs through July 31. Spotify Premium Individual (one month) for $0 ($12 off): This is our favorite music streaming service for podcasts and social features. Right now, users who have not signed up for Spotify's Premium service before are eligible to get one month for free. The Premium Individual plan lets you listen ad-free and skip songs at will. You can also organize your listening queue and download content for offline listening. Just be aware, your subscription will auto-renew at the end of the trial period. So if you don't want to be on the hook for the $12 monthly fee, set a reminder to cancel and go back to the free version. Sling Orange for $23/month for the first month (50 percent off): New customers can get Sling Orange or Sling Blue for half off the usual price for the first month, bringing the final prices to $23/month and $25.50/month, respectively. Orange is likely best for sports fans, with eight exclusive sports and family channels, while Blue includes 19 exclusive news and entertainment channels. You can get both Orange and Blue access also for half off for one month, or $33 total. YouTube TV (two months) for $120 ($46 off): You can get two months of our favorite live TV streaming service for $60 per month which works out to $46 less than paying the full $83 each month. And right now, the service is free for the first 21 days. That should give you a decent chunk of time to see if the service is right for you. The discount and trial are only open to new subscribers to YouTube TV’s base plan, which includes access to over 100 channels, unlimited DVR space and six household accounts with the ability to stream on three devices at once. The deal ends July 31. Fubo Pro for $65/month for the first month ($20 off): Fubo has introductory discounts on most of its packages, and the Pro package is the least expensive plan currently listed. It offers access to 224 channels, unlimited cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams. It even includes regional sports content from the NHL, MLB and NBA. Sling TV + MLB.TV for $30 off: New subscribers can get $30 off their first month of Sling TV when they sign up and add MLB.TV to their package. The offer applies to Sling Orange, Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Blue, and MLB.TV gives you access to MLB Network along with access to all out-of-market games during the regular season. This offer runs through May 31. Max student discount — subscribe for $5/month (50 percent off): Max offers their ad-supported tier to students for half off the usual rate. You’ll just have to verify that you’re a student through Unidays, and make note that this offer is only good for up to 12 months of service. Hulu student discount — subscribe for $2/month (75 percent off): Those with a valid student ID can get Hulu’s ad-supported tier for 75 percent off the typical rate. They’ll keep the same sale price for as long as they’re a student as well. Spotify student discount — Premium + Hulu with ads for $6/month (72 percent off): Spotify’s student offer continues to be one of the best around, giving you access to the Premium tier of the music streamer and Hulu’s ad-supported plan for only $6 monthly. Purchased separately, you’d pay $22 per month for both of the services. Plus, the first month is free when you sign up. NBA League Pass student discount — one year for $120 (40 percent off): Students can get one year of League Pass for only $10 per month, which includes access to NBA TV and the ability to watch classic and archive games on-demand. On the NBA League Pass website, look for the student discount banner at the top and follow the instructions to verify your student status. Peacock first responders discount — one year for $48 (50 percent off): Medical professionals and first responders can save 50 percent each year of Peacock. The deal requires annual verification and is open to those who work for either private or public institutions. Peacock has some great stuff to watch, including Poker Face and Killing It and more. Streaming bundle discounts There’s more consolidation happening now than ever before in the streaming space, and that means there are more streaming bundle options. These bundles offer you access to more content with one subscription price, but those prices are typically higher than paying for a single service by itself (obviously). It may be tempting to just get the bundle, but if only one of those services in the bundle speaks to you, you’ll spend less overall by just paying for the single service. Speaking of a deep love for a single streaming service: if all of your favorite shows are on Peacock or the latest releases on Max consistently bring you joy, consider paying for one year upfront. Subscribing with an annual plan usually saves you money in the long term over paying on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, not all streaming services (looking at you, Netflix) have an annual subscription option. Here are some of the best streaming bundles you can get right now. Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle with ads for $17/month: Ad-supported Max is included here, along with full, ad-supported access to Disney+ and Hulu. You’ll save 43 percent with this bundle, as opposed to paying for all three services individually. Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium for $20/month: Disney and Hulu offer a few different bundles, which you can view in the drop-down lists under Choose Your Plan. This bundle removes the ads from both Disney+ and Hulu (with the exception of select live and linear content) and allows you to download content for offline viewing. You’ll save 42 percent with this bundle, as opposed to paying for both ad-free tiers individually. Paramount+ with Showtime for $13/month or $120/year: This includes everything in Paramount+’s Essential plan, except the ads, and also provides access to Showtime content, live CBS streams and download features. Sling TV + Max starting at $53/month: Sling TV and Max have partnered on a discount that gives new subscribers 50 percent off their first month of Sling TV, plus $5 off monthly when you subscribe to the Sling TV + Max bundle. The standard price for the Sling Blue + Max duo is roughly $58/month, so you'll get a monthly discount of $5 off that. In addition, for the first month only, you'll get half off the price of the bundle. The promotion also applies to the Sling Orange & Blue + Max package, which has a standard price of $73/month. Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $96/month: This streaming bundle amalgamation is a bit confusing but it does offer a lot: you get live TV streaming via Hulu’s service plus access to the following VOD services: Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+. Out of those three, only ESPN+ will have ads. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic for $17/month: You get full access to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ content with this package, albeit with ads across the board. This bundle price is 46 percent off the total price of all three separate subscriptions. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium for $27/month: Similarly to the Duo bundles, the Premium version of the Trio removes ads from most content in Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, and you can download content for offline viewing. This price represents a 43-percent savings when compared to paying for all three ad-free tiers separately. Read more streaming coverage The best live TV streaming services to cut cable The best streaming services: Netflix, Hulu, Max and more The best streaming devices Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/best-streaming-service-deals-133028980.html?src=rss View Source Article

For many, summer means it's time to grill outdoors. But cooking inside does at least mean you’re likely to deal with fewer bugs. It also makes it easier to try out new kitchen equipment, such as a Ninja air fryer that’s on sale ahead of Prime Day. The Ninja Foodi Dual-Zone 10-quart air fryer is $50 off and down to $180. This is not a record low price for this model. However, it’s still a good price for this time of year, some five months away from Black Friday. The DZ401 is one of our favorite air fryers. In fact, it's our pick for the best dual-zone air fryer. It heats up quickly and runs quietly, but the real selling point here is the dual-basket setup. If you cook a lot or make meals for several people on a regular basis, the Ninja Foodi DZ401 could be a game changer. It's possible to use the two baskets to prepare entirely different foods at the same time with distinct cooking modes — you can't do that on a grill. You can also prepare food in both baskets in the same way with the Match Cook feature.  A very useful feature called Smart Finish can adjust cooking times automatically so that the food in both baskets (perhaps you have a protein in one and vegetables in the other) will be ready at the same time. That should help you avoid waiting for one basket to be down while the other gets cold. On the downside, this is a machine that will take up a considerable proportion of counter space, so it won't be ideal for small kitchens. If you can make room for it, though, the Ninja Foodi DZ401 could be a valuable addition to your setup.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-50-off-one-of-our-favorite-ninja-air-fryers-131214723.html?src=rss View Source Article

Finding the best wireless earbuds can make a huge difference in how you experience music, podcasts, calls and even daily commutes. Whether you're tuning out distractions on the train or taking work calls on the go, today’s wireless earbuds pack impressive audio quality and convenience into tiny, pocket-friendly forms. Many now offer excellent noise cancellation, smart ambient noise modes for staying aware of your surroundings and reliable noise isolation to help keep you focused — all without the hassle of wires.There’s a wide range of options available, from budget-friendly picks to premium models with advanced features like multi-device pairing, wireless charging cases and multiple mics for crystal-clear calls. No matter your price point, there’s a pair out there that can deliver great sound, comfort and functionality to match your needs. Table of contents Best wireless earbuds of 2025 What to look for in the best wireless earbuds How we test wireless earbuds Other wireless earbuds we tested Wireless earbuds FAQs Best wireless earbuds of 2025 What to look for in the best wireless earbuds When it comes to shopping for earphones, the first thing to consider is design or wear style. Do you prefer a semi-open fit like AirPods or do you want something that completely closes off your ears? If you’re shopping for earbuds with active noise cancellation, you'll want the latter, but a case can be made for the former if you want to wear them all day or frequent places where you need to be tuned in to the ambient sounds. The overall shape of earbuds can determine whether you get a comfortable fit, so can the size and weight, so you’ll want to consider all that before deciding. And remember: audio companies aren’t perfect, so despite lots of research, the earbud shape they decided on may not fit you well. Don’t be afraid to return ill-fitting earbuds for something that’s more comfortable. As wireless earbuds have become the norm, they’re now more reliable for basic things like consistent Bluetooth connectivity. Companies are still in a race to pack as much as they can into increasingly smaller designs. This typically means a longer list of features on the more premium sets of earbuds with basic functionality on the cheapest models. Carefully consider what you can’t live without when selecting your next earbuds, and make sure key items like automatic pausing and multipoint connectivity are on the spec sheet. You’ll also want to investigate the volume and touch controls as you’ll often have to sacrifice access to something else to make that adjustment via on-board taps or swipes. Some earbuds even offer app settings to tweak the audio profiles or firmware updates to improve performance over time. For those in the Apple ecosystem, features like auto-pairing with devices, especially with AirPods Pro 2, can be an added advantage, while Android users may want to look for models that offer similar cross-device functionality. When it comes to battery life, the average set of earbuds lasts about five hours on a single charge. You can find sets that last longer, but this is likely enough to get you through a work day if you’re docking the buds during lunch or the occasional meeting. You’ll want to check on how many extra charges are available via the case and if it supports wireless charging. Companies will also make lofty claims about call quality on wireless earbuds. Despite lots of promises, the reality is most earbuds still leave you sounding like you’re on speakerphone. There are some sets that deliver, but don’t get your hopes up unless reviews confirm the claims. Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible. This is especially true if you're an audiophile. We understand this isn’t easy when most of us do a lot of shopping online, but trying on a set of earbuds and listening to them for a few minutes can save you from an expensive case of buyer's remorse. If a store doesn’t allow a quick demo, most retailers have return policies that will let you take earbuds back you don’t like. Of course, you have to be willing to temporarily part with funds in order to do this. We also recommend paying attention to things like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio and other immersive formats. Not all earbuds support them, so you’ll want to make sure a perspective pair does if that sort of thing excites you, especially if you plan to use them for playback of high-quality audio. How we test wireless earbuds The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. We prefer to do this over a one- to two-week period, but sometimes embargoes don’t allow it. During this time, we listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for earbuds is typically less than a full day, we drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent). To judge audio quality, we listen to a range of genres, noting any differences in the sound profile across the styles. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To assess call quality, we’ll record audio samples with the earbuds’ microphones as well as have third parties call us. When it comes to features, we do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as we work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds we’re testing are an updated version of a previous model, we’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older buds. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of earbuds that we review. Other wireless Bluetooth earbuds we tested Sony WF-C710N The WF-C710N is a set of compact and comfy earbuds that offer several of Sony’s best features. While the ANC performance is above average for this price ($120), sound quality isn’t as good as the company’s slightly more expensive options. Battery life fell below stated figures and call performance isn’t good enough to use these buds for work. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 The newest version of the Powerbeats Pro have an improved, comfortable design, balanced bass and new H2 chips and a heart rate sensor inside. But heart rate support is currently limited on iOS, and there's a possibility those capabilities make it onto the next AirPods Pro models. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 The Galaxy Buds 3 combine ANC with an open-type design, which renders the noise-blocking abilities of the earbuds mostly useless. Still, there’s great low-end tone with ample bass when a track demands it. There are also lots of handy features, most of which require a Samsung phone. But at this price, there are better options from Google, Beats and Sony Sennheiser Momentum Sport I really like the overall shape of the Momentum Sport earbuds. They’re more comfortable than the Momentum True Wireless 4 and fit in my ears better. What’s more, the body temperature and heart rate sensors work well, sending those stats to a variety of apps. However, that sport-tracking feature works best with Polar’s app and devices, so there’s that consideration. Also, the audio quality and ANC performance isn’t as good as the MTW4, and these earbuds are pricey. Beats Solo Buds There’s a lot to like about the Solo Buds for $80. For me, the primary perk is they’re very comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to some thoughtful design considerations. You only get the basics here in terms of features and, as expected, the overall sound quality isn’t as good as the pricier models in the Beats lineup. You will get 18 hours of battery life though, since the company nixed the battery in the case and beefed up the listening time in the buds themselves. Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Bose created something very unique for this set of earbuds that allows you to stay in-tune with the world while listening to audio content. The clip-on design is very comfortable, but sound quality suffers due to the open-type fit, especially when it comes to bass and spatial audio. Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 These stick buds have a compact design that’s comfortable to wear and the warm sound profile is great at times. However, overall audio performance is inconsistent and there’s no automatic pausing. Master & Dynamic MW09 Retooled audio, better ambient sound mode and reliable multipoint Bluetooth are the best things the MW09 has to offer. They’re expensive though, and you can find better ANC performance elsewhere. Wireless earbud FAQs What is considered good battery life for true wireless earbuds? Most wireless earbuds will last five hours on a single charge, at the least. You can find some pairs that have even better battery life, lasting between six and eight hours before they need more juice. All of the best wireless earbuds come with a charging case, which will provide additional hours of battery life — but you'll have to return each bud to the case in order to charge them up. Is sound quality better on headphones or earbuds? Comparing sound quality on earbuds and headphones is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. There are a lot of variables to consider and the differences in components make a direct comparison difficult. Personally, I prefer the audio quality from over-ear headphones, but I can tell you the sound from earbuds like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 is also outstanding. Which wireless earbuds have the longest battery life? With new models coming out all the time, tracking the hours of battery life for each this can be difficult to keep tabs on. The longest-lasting earbuds we’ve reviewed are Audio-Technica’s ATH-CKS5TW. The company states they last 15 hours, but the app was still showing 40 percent at that mark during our tests. The only downside is these earbuds debuted in 2019 and both technology and features have improved since. In terms of current models, Master & Dynamic’s MW08 offers 12 hours of use on a charge with ANC off (10 with ANC on) and JBL has multiple options with 10-hour batteries. What wireless earbuds are waterproof? There are plenty of options these days when it comes to increased water resistance. To determine the level of protection, you’ll want to look for an IP (ingress protection) rating. The first number indicates intrusion protection from things like dust. The second number is the level of moisture protection and you’ll want to make sure that figure is 7 or higher. At this water-resistance rating, earbuds can withstand full immersion for up to 30 minutes in depths up to one meter (3.28 feet). If either of the IP numbers is an X, that means it doesn’t have any special protection. For example, a pair of wireless earbuds that are IPX7 wouldn’t be built to avoid dust intrusion, but they would be ok if you dropped them in shallow water. Which earbuds stay in ears the best? A secure fit can vary wildly from person to person. All of our ears are different, so audio companies are designing their products to fit the most people they can with a single shape. This is why AirPods will easily fall out for some but stay put for others. Design touches like wing tips or fins typically come on fitness models and those elements can help keep things in place. You’ll likely just have to try earbuds on, and if they don’t fit well return them. What wireless earbuds work with PS5? PlayStation 5 doesn’t support Bluetooth audio without an adapter or dongle. Even Sony’s own gaming headsets come with a transmitter that connects to the console. There are universal options that allow you to use any headphones, headset or earbuds with a PS5. Once you have one, plug it into a USB port on the console and pair your earbuds with it. Recent updates May 2025: Updated to ensure top picks and buying advice remain accurate. March 2025: Updated the top pick for the best sounding wireless earbuds - runner up. January 2025: Updated the top pick for best sounding wireless earbuds. July 2024: Updated our list to include the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-wireless-earbuds-120058222.html?src=rss View Source Article

ByteDance is said to be building a new, US-only version of the TikTok app that it will release on September 5. According to The Information, the company is moving ahead with this plan to comply with legislation requiring it to sell its TikTok business in the US or face a nationwide ban. The report suggests that folks in the US will have to switch to the new app (dubbed "M2") in order to keep using TikTok. It's said that ByteDance will remove the existing TikTok app (which the company internally calls "M") from US app stores when the new one debuts. It's believed that the current version of the app will stop working in the US next March, though that timeline may shift. This is the latest development in a long-running saga over the future of TikTok in the US. A law that former President Joe Biden signed last year gave ByteDance a deadline of January 19 to sell its US TikTok business or face a ban in the country. President Donald Trump took office on January 20 and swiftly paused enforcement of the law — he has delayed it twice more since then. As things stand, the ban is set to take effect on September 17. In late June, Trump said there was a buyer in place for TikTok's US operations. He claimed that a "group of very wealthy people" is set to buy the app and that the identity of the collective would become clear in "about two weeks" — so around June 13. Trump added that the deal would likely need approval from the Chinese government since ByteDance is based in China, but said on Friday that he was "not confident" of getting it rubber stamped. On Monday, a Chinese government spokesperson dodged a question related to Trump's claims.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/us-tiktok-users-may-soon-have-to-switch-to-a-new-version-of-the-app-110013943.html?src=rss View Source Article

Apple doesn’t want to fork over half a billion euros to the EU. The tech giant is officially appealing a €500 million ($587 million) fine brought by the European Commission in April, 9To5Mac reports. The Commission fined both Apple and Meta earlier this year for violating the Digital Markets Act through anti-competitive activities. In Apple's case, the Commission found that the company stopped developers from providing customers with information about sales and offers outside of the App Store. The large fine for anti-steering policies reflected the "gravity and duration" of Apple's practices. In contrast, Meta received a €200 million ($235 million) fine.  Shockingly, Apple doesn't agree with its steep punishment. "Today we filed our appeal because we believe the European Commission’s decision — and their unprecedented fine — go far beyond what the law requires," a statement from Apple to 9To5Mac reads. "As our appeal will show, the EC is mandating how we run our store and forcing business terms which are confusing for developers and bad for users. We implemented this to avoid punitive daily fines and will share the facts with the Court."  The European Commission started its investigations into Apple and Meta in March 2024. Their subsequent fines were the first levied under the DMA. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-appeals-the-eus-anti-steering-fine-120015154.html?src=rss View Source Article

As a college student today, you'll need certain tech to get your work done — key among the bunch being a solid laptop for college. But there are other gadgets that can make your academic life easier, and in some cases, more fun. If you're looking to stay organized, produce better work and enjoy your down time on and off campus, picking up a few important devices before you start the next semester can make all the difference. We've collected some of the must-have gadgets for college that we've tested here, and we wouldn't be surprised if all of them stuck with you long after your four-year university run is over. Best tech for college students This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/12-must-have-gadgets-for-college-students-in-2025-120044577.html?src=rss View Source Article

Here's a sweet Prime Day deal on one of our favorite streaming devices. You can get the Google TV Streamer for $84. (It typically retails for $100.) That's nearly an all-time low for the wedge-shaped gizmo. The Google TV Streamer is Engadget's pick for the best all-in-one streaming device. It has a top-notch interface that makes it easy to organize your content. That holds even if your series and movies come from different sources. Its upgraded processor and RAM make it quick and easy to switch between apps and load media. It supports 4K streaming. Its remote has an intuitive button placement and a programmable key. The device supports smart home controls via Matter and Thread. In our review, Engadget's Amy Skorheim was impressed. "The Google TV Streamer is responsive and quick, packing the best streaming interface out there with smart home features that are useful and properly integrated," she wrote. One of our only nitpicks was that it costs so much more than its Chromecast predecessor. Today's deal helps to ease that concern. Google also didn't bundle an HDMI cable with it. So, if you snag this deal, make sure you have an extra one on-hand.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-tv-streamer-4k-drops-to-84-for-prime-day-121026008.html?src=rss View Source Article

We're just one sleep away from Amazon Prime Day but it might as well have started with all the amazing deals available now. Take, for instance, Apple accessories like the AirTag. Currently, you can get a four-pack of Apple AirTags for $67, down from $99. The 31 percent discount brings the set to just $2 more than its record-low price. A single AirTag is typically $29, so you're getting four of them for not much more than a pair costs. Though, if you really want just one, a single AirTag is also on sale, down to $23 from $29 — a 21 percent discount.  Apple AirTags are our pick for best bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. They're quieter than some other options, but work well within the Find My network. You can also pick up one of the many great Apple AirTag accessories out there to make up for the lack of a key hole. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-airtag-deals-include-a-four-pack-of-the-bluetooth-trackers-for-68-123500475.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day deals are in full swing now and we're seeing record-low prices on a lot of our favorite gadgets. That even applies to some Apple devices, which do see regular discounts but it's not often they see all-time lows. Right now, the USB-C AirPods Max headphones are on sale for $450, which is $100 off their usual price and the best discount we've seen. They previously dropped this low during the Black Friday shopping season last year, and currently the discount applies to all colorways. Apple finally refreshed the AirPods Max with a USB-C charging port and new colorways last fall. Earlier this year, the company updated the headphones with some new features, but only for the USB-C model. That version of the AirPods Max now supports lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio, though only in wired mode. That update and the switch to USB-C charging are the only major changes Apple has made to the AirPods Max, which still otherwise use hardware from 2020. Even so, the headphones deliver high-quality audio with good active noise cancellation. We gave the original version of the headphones a score of 84 in our review back in 2020. At the time, the lack of high-res music streaming was one of our main misgivings, but that has since been resolved. Another major negative for us was the price, though this offer mitigates that issue.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-usb-c-airpods-max-are-cheaper-than-ever-in-this-prime-day-deal-144105836.html?src=rss View Source Article

It’s Amazon Prime Day again, except this time it’s a four-day affair, the longest Prime Day ever. There are an overwhelming number of deals and discounts to sift through, but this steep sale on Apple AirPods Pro 2 is one of the best out there. For Prime Day, these wireless, noise-canceling headphones are selling for $160. This is only $6 higher than its record low price, and at a regular price of $249, you’re looking at 36 percent off. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 were our overall pick for best wireless earbuds for iPhone, as well as our pick for best overall AirPods. In our hands-on review, we were impressed with the Active Noise Cancelling, as well as the transparency mode for when you’re trying to hear the outside world. We found that the audio quality on the 2nd generation of AirPods Pro was an improvement over the first, thanks to a new amplifier, driver and transducer. We also liked that you could seamlessly switch between Apple devices while using them. We do wish the battery life was a bit better, as they offer just six hours of listening per charge with an additional 30 hours provided by the case. In looking at the design of these AirPods, we wouldn’t be mad at a bit of an update. I guess if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it? After all, the design of an AirPod is almost instantly recognizable, so perhaps Apple wants to keep it that way. Far and away our biggest gripe is the price of the Apple AirPods Pro. $249 is a hefty price to pay for a set of earbuds, so we’re grateful that sales like Amazon Prime Day provide a great opportunity to snag a pair for far less.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-drop-to-160-for-prime-day-135116386.html?src=rss View Source Article

The newest Roku Ultra streaming device is on sale for $69 as part of the Amazon Prime Day festivities. That's over 30 percent off and a record-low price, as it usually costs $100. The Roku Ultra made our list of the best streaming devices. It can play content in 4K, which is always nice, and supports HDR10/10+ streaming. There's a USB port for personal files and the device allows for voice control via Alexa, Google Home and Roku Smart Home. It also ships with a newly-designed remote that we found to be extremely useful. It features an always-on microphone, which makes it easy to find when lost beneath a couch cushion. There's also a backlight for controlling stuff in the dark. It recharges via USB-C, so there's no need to hoard batteries. During our time with this device, we were impressed with the image quality and the speed. It even automatically recommended that we change settings on the TV to take advantage of 4K content, which is not something every streaming player does. The only downside is that the UI is better at organizing free content than paid streaming apps. This means it's incredibly easy to search free content providers like Tubi and the brand’s own Roku Channel, but slightly clunkier to find stuff on, say, Disney+.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-latest-roku-ultra-drops-to-69-for-prime-day-152652572.html?src=rss View Source Article

Thanks to new reporting from WinFuture's Roland Quandt, we have a slew of presumptive details and specs for the next generation of Samsung's foldable phones. Reportedly lifted from official Samsung promotional materials, Quandt is reporting that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be the thinnest iteration yet, measuring just 8.9mm when folded and 4.2mm unfolded. He also claims it will be the lightest Z Fold so far, weighing just 216g. Details reported by Quandy on the battery size, storage options and camera for the Z Flip 7 and Flip 7 FE line up confirmed much of what we are expecting Samsung to announce. Among the more interesting morsels of information is Quandt's claim that the Flip 7 will feature a 4.1-inch cover screen, which is a fairly substantial bump from the 3.4-inch cover screen on the Flip 6. The Flip 7 is also reported to be 70 percent thinner than its predecessor while carrying a larger battery. Not included in the leaks was any information about the Galaxy Z Fold Ultra that Samsung teased back in June. In a press release alluding to the new device, Samsung waxed poetic about AI integration into Galaxy hardware. With just a couple of days to go, it seems we'll have to wait until the event to learn more. Engadget will be liveblogging the Galaxy Unpacked event, which starts at 10AM ET on July 9.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold-7-will-reportedly-be-the-thinnest-one-yet-154330045.html?src=rss View Source Article

Picking up a new MacBook can be pricey, so we always like sharing when a great model is having a steep sale. Prime Day deals have brought a high-end configuration of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M3 down to $1,249 — or a whopping $450 off its regular price. This model includes 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage and typically costs $1,699. The M3 MacBook Air was our top budget pick for MacBooks, and we were impressed with its fast performance thanks to the M3 chip, as well as its sturdy and sleek design. We also enjoyed the six-speaker array on the 15-inch model, as well as the 3K Liquid Retina display. Thanks to these features and more, it earned a score of 90 in our hands-on review. Our only real gripe was that the charging and USB-C ports are all on one side of the MacBook Air, which can make arranging peripherals a touch cluttered. It can also make charging just a little more complicated if you have to drape a charging cable around the laptop to reach the port on the other side.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-450-off-apples-15-inch-m3-macbook-air-154537557.html?src=rss View Source Article

Just a month after his explosive fallout with Donald Trump, Elon Musk is floating the idea of forming his own political party. In a poll on X, 1.24 million of his followers voted, with 65.4 percent saying they would like to see such a thing happen. The America Party would offer “independence” from a political system Musk says is too focused on “waste & graft.” Like so many things Musk says, it’s not worth paying too much attention to unless he puts his money where his mouth is. But, also like so many things Musk says, it’s likely the idea of an “America Party” will wither away as quickly as it was conceived. Naturally, where Musk’s putative America Party stands on the big issues will be a key focus for some voters. So far, the billionaire has outlined the party would [CITATION NEEDED], [TO BE DECIDED] and [RON SWANSON MEME]. It’s likely Musk would, as he did at the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE), swing the hammer at whatever remains of the government. To justify such destruction, Musk would likely say he is interested in reducing the US’ debt burden and curbing inflation. It has already drawn interest from a number of wealthy high profile figures who see some value in having a billionaire in control of a political party. If all the talk about shrinking the government sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the position of both the Libertarian Party and the crap your 12 year-old nephew says after spending too much time on Reddit and YouTube. It will likely contain the same lapses in logic you find whenever you listen to anyone in that sphere for too long. For example, demanding the US reduce the effective tax rate to zero while still, somehow, funding lavish R&D projects to maintain the country’s technological lead. As of now, this party’s goal presumably is not to get Musk into the White House. He was born in South Africa and is consequently ineligible to run for high office unless he can get two thirds of the House and Senate to amend the Constitution. Consequently, the America Party may have Musk as its figurehead, but people will actually be voting for his patsy electoral proxy. But, while I’m sure there are hundreds of credulous citizens willing to take on the role of Elon’s Puppet (I’m sure the DOGE staff list alone would do), it might be a harder sell to the voters en masse. Not to mention the US has a structural disclination toward anything but the two-party system, where third party candidates are treated with disdain. At best, third parties act as spoilers for the Democratic and Republican nominees, like Ralph Nader’s run in 2000. You might argue that we’re living in a different world now, where a tech-friendly, and tech-savvy figure would do differently. That’s because you, like pretty much everyone else, have forgotten about Andrew Yang’s hang-on-let-me-Google-it Forward Party. And that’s before we get to the biggest issue of them all, which is the near-mortal wounding of Musk’s own reputation. In the last decade, Musk’s mainstream brand has gone from well-respected innovator (regardless of if that was justified or not) to erratic manchild. He may own a vast bully pulpit in the form of Twitter / X, but that may only endear him to the sorts of people who would pay for Verification and buy Cybertrucks, but nobody else. Is that broad enough of a coalition to overcome the entrenched advantages the big two parties have in American society? It’s a significant challenge since Musk has alienated a large portion of those well-heeled EV-buying progressive types in his customer base. They may have been volunteer evangelists for the technology and, by extension, his car company, but they aren’t too thrilled about the chaos DOGE has wrought, or anything else Musk has done. Meanwhile, his recent spat with Dear Leader, too, has likely rendered him persona non grata with many Republicans. Ironic, really, given that there’s actually plenty of energy in the US for a real alternative political party — in 2023 Gallup found 63 percent of Americans were in favor of one. But while some pollsters believe Musk’s brand would carry a third party, his actual record in politics does not. Earlier this year, Musk got directly involved in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, spending $25 million to support Republican-affiliated candidate Brad Schmiel. Musk also offered voters “gifts” of $1 million and wore a Cheesehead Hat at a campaign rally. But it was Schmiel’s opponent, the Democratic-backed Susan Crawford, who won with 55.02 percent of the vote. It’s likely undecided voters might also wonder if Musk’s negotiating savvy is good enough for a seat at the top table. After all, Musk successfully backed Trump’s election, but may have done so with the hope of preserving many of Tesla’s carve-outs. Given the so-called Big Beautiful Bill will swiftly do away with all of the EV tax credits that helped make Teslas attractive, it’s not as if Musk succeeded. In fact, given the backlash against Musk has seen Tesla deliveries fall by nearly 60,000 cars compared to the same period last year, perhaps he’s the last person who voters would want representing them on the international stage. So, a political party founded by someone with an erratic track record in business whose personal brand has fallen quite sharply in recent years and who is mired in controversies. Unfortunately, it turns out the American electorate loves an unstable weirdo who sucks at business! Voters can take heart, though, by remembering that Musk’s words so rarely turn into action.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/im-not-losing-sleep-over-elon-musks-political-ambitions-160116542.html?src=rss View Source Article

Arkane Studios founder Raphael Colantonio had some harsh words for Game Pass in a thread on X, calling it an "unstainable model" that's "damaging the industry." He also said that Microsoft's ability to throw "infinite money" at the platform will eventually wane because "reality has to hit." Colantonio continued by saying Microsoft will "kill everyone else, or give up" and that gamers only like the service because "the offer is too good to be true." He also wrote that these same players will turn on the platform when "they realize the effects on the games," alluding that the Netflix-style approach allows for underwhelming titles. Why is no-one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass)— Raphael Colantonio (@rafcolantonio) July 5, 2025 His remarks follow last week's major layoffs, in which Microsoft let go of over 9,000 people. Many of the impacted employees were involved with the company's gaming divisions and first-party developers. Halo Studios lost people, as did the Candy Crush maker King. Some studios were shuttered and a bunch of games were cancelled. It sucked. However, the general consensus is that Microsoft's continued investment in AI played a role in these layoffs, and not the existence of Game Pass. Colantonio says that AI's involvement "might be a BS excuse." While there's no evidence that the subscription-based catalog service contributed to the job cuts, there is some data that suggests Game Pass hurts the sales numbers of titles under its umbrella. This makes a certain amount of sense. AAA games are $70 and Game Pass is $10 to $20 per month. Anecdotally, I picked up a subscription to play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle instead of buying the game directly from Bethesda. Arkane Studios is the firm behind games like Deathloop, Dishonored and Prey. The company's currently working on a game based on Marvel's resident vampire hunter Blade.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/arkane-founder-calls-game-pass-an-unsustainable-model-thats-wrecking-the-industry-175819929.html?src=rss View Source Article

This week, I chat with Sam Chapman, Engadget’s new security reporter who’s been reviewing VPNs and related products. He dives into what led him to security, the VPNs he likes the most and his thoughts on potential cyberattacks. Additionally, we discuss Microsoft’s latest news around the Windows 10 Extended Security Update, and Devindra explains why M3GAN 2.0 absolutely rules. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Credits  Host: Devindra HardawarGuests: Sam ChapmanProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/engadget-podcast-reviewing-our-favorite-vpns-and-m3gan-20-190657030.html?src=rss View Source Article

As humanity prepares to return to the lunar surface, Aaisha Ali is behind the scenes ensuring mission readiness for astronauts set to orbit the Moon during Artemis II.  Ali is the Artemis ground control flight lead at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. She makes sure her team has the resources needed for the next giant leap to the Moon and beyond.  Aaisha Ali on console in the International Space Station Flight Control Room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA/Robert Markowitz My passion has always been science. I started by exploring the ocean, and now I get to help explore the stars. Aaisha Ali Artemis Ground Control Flight Lead Ali received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston before beginning a career as a marine biologist. Her curiosity about science and communication eventually led her from studying marine life to sharing NASA’s mission with the public. With a robust skill set that includes public relations, media relations, and strategic communications, she went on to work at Space Center Houston and later at Johnson on the protocol and digital imagery teams. Today, Ali leads the ground control team supporting Artemis II, ensuring that systems, simulations, and procedures are ready for the mission. Her role includes developing flight rules, finalizing operations plans and leading training sessions – known as “network sims” – that prepare her team to respond quickly and effectively.  “Because I’ve had a multifaceted career path, it has given me a different outlook,” she said. “Diversity of mindsets helps us approach problems. Sometimes a different angle is exactly what we need.”  Aaisha Ali, right, with her two siblings. Her perspective was also shaped by visits to her grandmother in the Caribbean as a child. “She lived in the tropical forest in a small village in Trinidad,” Ali said. “I was fortunate enough to spend summers on the island and experience a different way of life, which has helped me grow into the person I am today.”   Communication, she explained, is just as critical as technical expertise. “When we report to the flight director, we are the experts in our system. But we have to be clear and concise. You don’t get a lot of time on the flight loop to explain.”  That clarity, humility, and sense of teamwork are values Ali says have shaped her journey.  Aaisha Ali participates in a public affairs event at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston in 2005. We don’t do it by ourselves. Everyone — from our engineers to custodial staff to cafeteria workers — plays a role in getting us to the Moon. NASA is for the world. And it takes all of us. Aaisha ali Artemis Ground Control Flight Lead Looking ahead, Ali is especially passionate about inspiring the Artemis Generation — those who will one day explore the Moon and Mars. She often shares advice with her nieces and nephews, including one determined nephew who has dreamed of becoming an astronaut since age 7.  “Do what you love, and NASA will find a place for you,” she said. “NASA is a big place. If you love the law, we have lawyers. If you love art, science, or technology, there’s a place for you. Passion is what we’re looking for.”  Aaisha Ali at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. In her free time, Ali enjoys photography and connecting with nature by camping and visiting national parks. She also loves planning trips to Walt Disney World, meeting new people, experiencing different cultures, and learning new things.  Even as her days are packed with simulations and mission prep, Ali knows landing astronauts on the lunar surface for Artemis III is not far behind.  “There’s a lot of uphill left to climb,” she said. “But we’re ready.”  Explore More 4 min read Going the Distance: Lisa Pace Leads Exploration Development Integration at Johnson Article 1 week ago 5 min read Heather Cowardin Safeguards the Future of Space Exploration   Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read I Am Artemis: Patrick Junen Article 2 weeks ago View Source Article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Hubble and Artificial Intelligence Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 3 min read NASA’s Hubble and Webb Telescopes Reveal Two Faces of a Star Cluster Duo A vast network of stars, gas, and dust is strung among a duo of star clusters in this combined image from NASA’s Hubble and Webb space telescopes. Open clusters NGC 460 and NGC 456 reside in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way. This highly detailed 527 megapixel mosaic consists of 12 overlapping observations and includes both visible and infrared wavelengths. To view some of its incredible detail, download the 40.1 MB file and zoom in. NASA, ESA, and C. Lindberg (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Download this image A riotous expanse of gas, dust, and stars stake out the dazzling territory of a duo of star clusters in this combined image from NASA’s Hubble and Webb space telescopes. Open clusters NGC 460 and NGC 456 reside in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way. Open clusters consist of anywhere from a few dozen to a few thousand young stars loosely bound together by gravity. These particular clusters are part of an extensive complex of star clusters and nebulae that are likely linked to one another. As clouds of gas collapse, stars are born. These young, hot stars expel intense stellar winds that shape the nebulae around them, carving out the clouds and triggering other collapses, which in turn give rise to more stars. In these images, Hubble’s view captures the glowing, ionized gas as stellar radiation blows “bubbles” in the clouds of gas and dust (blue), while Webb’s infrared vision highlights the clumps and delicate filamentary structures of dust (red). In Hubble images, dust is often seen silhouetted against and blocking light, but in Webb’s view, the dust – warmed by starlight – shines with its own infrared glow. This mixture of gas and dust between the universe’s stars is known as the interstellar medium. Hubble (ACS) Webb (NIRCAM) This Hubble image shows a duo of open clusters, NGC 460 and NGC 456. The nebulae’s glowing gas, ionized by the radiation of nearby stars, is distinct in Hubble’s view. NASA, ESA, and C. Lindberg (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) In Webb’s infrared view of open clusters NGC 460 and NGC 456, dusty areas are visible as bright structures glowing red. Many background galaxies are visible, their infrared light passing through the region’s obscuring clouds of gas and dust. NASA, ESA, and C. Lindberg (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Hubble (ACS)Webb (NIRCAM) This Hubble image shows a duo of open clusters, NGC 460 and NGC 456. The nebulae’s glowing gas, ionized by the radiation of nearby stars, is distinct in Hubble’s view. NASA, ESA, and C. Lindberg (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) In Webb’s infrared view of open clusters NGC 460 and NGC 456, dusty areas are visible as bright structures glowing red. Many background galaxies are visible, their infrared light passing through the region’s obscuring clouds of gas and dust. NASA, ESA, and C. Lindberg (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Hubble (ACS) Webb (NIRCAM) Hubble and Webb view a duo of open star clusters CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details Slide to switch between Hubble and Web images. Hubble’s view captures visible light and some infrared wavelengths, while Webb’s view is exclusively infrared. The nebulae’s glowing gas, ionized by the radiation of nearby stars, is distinct in Hubble’s view. Dusty areas that appear dark in the Hubble image are visible as bright structures in the Webb image, and more background galaxies are visible since infrared light from fainter and farther galaxies can pass through the obscuring clouds of gas and dust. Downloads Hubble JPEG (47 MB) Webb JPEG (35 MB) The nodules visible in these images are scenes of active star formation, with stars ranging from just one to 10 million years old. In contrast, our Sun is 4.5 billion years old. The region that holds these clusters, known as the N83-84-85 complex, is home to multiple, rare O-type stars, hot and extremely massive stars that burn hydrogen like our Sun. Astronomers estimate there are only around 20,000 O-type stars among the approximately 400 billion stars in the Milky Way. Clouds of ionized gas dominate open cluster NGC 460 in the Hubble image (left), while tendrils of dust are on display in the Webb image (right). Together, the two images provide a more comprehensive look at the region. NASA, ESA, and C. Lindberg (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) The Hubble image of NGC 456 (left) shows a puffy, bluish cloud of ionized gas, while the Webb image (right) displays the same cluster’s cavern-like outline of dust. NASA, ESA, and C. Lindberg (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) The Small Magellanic Cloud is of great interest to researchers because it is less enriched in metals than the Milky Way. Astronomers call all elements heavier than hydrogen and helium – that is, with more than two protons in the atom’s nucleus – “metals.”  This state mimics conditions in the early universe, so the Small Magellanic Cloud provides a relatively nearby laboratory to explore theories about star formation and the interstellar medium at early stages of cosmic history. With these observations of NGC 460 and NGC 456, researchers intend to study how gas flows in the region converge or divide; refine the collision history between the Small Magellanic Cloud and its fellow dwarf galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud; examine how bursts of star formation occur in such gravitational interactions between galaxies; and better understand the interstellar medium. Explore More Hubble’s Star Clusters Exploring the Birth of Stars Hubble’s Nebulae Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire AndreoliNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDclaire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 07, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Open Clusters Star Clusters Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble’s Cosmic Adventure Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge Hubble’s 35th Anniversary View Source Article

Gigawatts of energy are needed to power millions of GPUs to train larger AI. XAI is getting 2 gigawatts of power years faster than any other AI company. Elon has confirmed that xAI has bought a power plant and is shipping it from overseas because they can’t get a new one in time here in ... Read more View Source Article

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As James Gunn's Superman (2025) races into cinemas faster than a speeding bullet, we look at the planet that could have hosted his home world and why he might be older than he looks. View Source Article

The brilliant planet will move across the invisible line between the pair and appear 3 degrees away from the star AldebaranThis week, Venus will pass through the so-called Golden Gate of the Ecliptic. Although the name has risen to prominence with science popularisers in recent decades, its exact origin is unknown.It references two star clusters in the constellation Taurus, the Bull. The Hydes and the Pleiades lie on either side of the ecliptic, which is the plane of the solar system. As such, the sun, the moon and the planets all follow this line in their passage through the sky. The constellations the ecliptic passes through are known as the zodiacal constellations, referred to in popular culture as the signs of the zodiac. Continue reading... View Source Article

Microsoft has finally crossed an important milestone for Windows 11, months ahead of Windows 10’s end of support cutoff date. Stat Counter, spotted by Windows Central, now lists Windows 11 as the most used desktop operating system nearly four years after its release, with 52 percent of the market, compared to 44.59 percent for Windows 10. Windows 11 became the most popular OS for PC gaming in September, but overall adoption had still been lagging behind Windows 10 until now. Leaked data in October 2023 also revealed Windows 11 was used by more than 400 million devices at the time, a slower adoption pace than Windows 10 — which took just a year to reach 400 million devices compared to Windows 11’s two year period. Part of the slow adoption is down to Windows 11’s hardware requirements. While Microsoft offered a free upgrade to Windows 10 users, millions of machines have been left behind due to stricter CPU and security requirements. Microsoft has been trying to convince the owners of these machines to upgrade their hardware in order to get Windows 11, sometimes with a full-screen prompt. Windows 10 is due to reach end of support on October 14th, and Microsoft recently revealed it would give away a free year of extra security updates to consumers if they were willing to enable Windows Backup and sync their Documents folder to OneDrive. If you don’t want to do this, you’ll have to pay $30 for a year of updates, or redeem 1,000 Microsoft Reward points. View Source Article

Destiny: Rising, the mobile-exclusive sci-fi RPG shooter set in Bungie’s Destiny universe, will be released for iOS and Android on August 28th. The launch date was announced by Chinese developer NetEase Games alongside the release of a new gameplay trailer that shows off some of the missions, strikes, PvP battles, and PvE features that players can expect to encounter. The game was announced in October last year, spawning from the $100 million Bungie investment that NetEase (the developer behind Marvel Rivals and Diablo Immortal) made in  2018. NetEase says that Destiny: Rising is “set in an alternate timeline before the events of the original game,” allowing players who are new to the franchise to jump in without needing to experience previous Destiny titles.  Players can choose to take on the role of a “fully customisable” Lightbearer named Wolf, or play as established Destiny characters like Ikora Rey and Iron Lord Jolder. Game features include single, co-op, and competitive multiplayer modes, customisable Primary and Power Weapons, the ability to share weapons across character arsenals, and a new weapon type and “Mythic” rarity gear tier. The Destiny: Rising release date announcement follows a limited-access playtest that was launched in November, with preorders for the game now available on Google Play and the App Store. NetEase is also holding a pre-launch event that allows players to register to receive special in-game bonuses, with more rewards being unlocked when registration milestones are crossed. View Source Article

Samsung announces several updates to its SmartThings platform. Ahead of Galaxy Unpacked this week, Samsung announced several new features coming to its smart home platform, SmartThings, including the ability to create routines using natural language. That means you’ll be able to simply tell SmartThings what you want your smart home to do, and it’ll take care of all the complicated details for you. Samsung also announced updates to its Apple Watch app, a new dark mode for the SmartThings app on iOS, and more features coming to SmartThings Find, its location-tracking service. One of the barriers to home automation is how complicated and time-consuming it can be to set up automations, especially if you want to do anything even slightly advanced. SmartThings’ latest update is designed to address this with a feature called Routine Creation Assistant. According to Samsung, this lets you type a phrase describing what you want your home to do in the SmartThings app — like “turn off all the lights whenever I leave the house” — and it will set it up without you needing to configure each device or setting. SmartThings is one of the more powerful home automation platforms, so this should make it easier to tap into its features.  You’ll be able to just tell SmartThings what you want to do, and it’ll take care of all the complicated details for you This type of AI-powered automation tool is also available in Google Home, through its Gemini integration, and is part of Amazon’s new Alexa Plus. All three platforms claim that the features are powered by large language models and are designed to make it easier to use your smart home, which could potentially spur broader adoption of home automation. While Google and Amazon’s natural language routine features are still in beta / early access phases, Samsung’s Routine Creation Assistant is apparently available now to users in South Korea and the US, on both Android and iOS. Another update to SmartThings’ routines is the option to schedule multiple timed steps using a Delay Actions feature. For example, Samsung says, “Users can now create a ‘Good Morning’ routine that turns on bedroom lights at 7:00 a.m., starts the coffee maker 15 minutes later, and opens curtains while playing music after 30 minutes all within a single routine.” This is available now in the SmartThings app. A new Confirm to Run Actions feature lets you add an extra step to a routine in the form of a notification confirming that you want to run it. This is designed to prevent a routine from triggering when you might not want it to. According to Samsung, “This helps avoid accidental actions in shared households, such as a security mode that is set to activate upon exit, but another family member is still at home.” The SmartThings app on Apple Watch is getting a new widget that should make controlling devices faster, as well as an update that lets you switch between locations and control individual devices on your watch. Smart home controls on your wrist can make it faster to do things like unlock a door or turn on the lights while you’re moving around your home, eliminating the need to pull out your phone. Samsung also announced that its Virtual Home feature is live for all users. This lets you play with a smart home even if you don’t have one, so you can see how SmartThings’ capabilities could work in your own home or explore how a routine could be improved by adding new devices without having to buy them first. Virtual Home is accessible now in the SmartThings app. Samsung’s Calm Onboarding program now includes the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds The SmartThings Find service is getting an upgrade, with a new link-sharing option that’s designed to make it easier to rope your friends and family into helping you find lost items. You can now share the location of a Galaxy SmartTag with any internet-connected device just by sending a link. Samsung says the link can only be created by a Galaxy phone but can be viewed on any device, including iPhones. Finally, Samsung is making it simpler to set up devices in more countries. The company says its Calm Onboarding program is expanding from 14 to 58 countries, and it now includes the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds. If you buy a compatible device directly from Samsung, Calm Onboarding allows SmartThings to “automatically detect, register, and connect the product to the app.” Along with the watch and buds, Samsung says the process works with 2025 Samsung appliances, 2024 TVs, air conditioners, air purifiers, vacuum cleaners, ovens, and Family Hub refrigerators. You need to opt in to the feature by enabling “Add My Device Automatically” in the SmartThings app. Some of these updates are live now, with others coming soon to the SmartThings app on Android and iOS. The Verge has reached out to Samsung to clarify timings but has not heard back yet. View Source Article

It’s summertime, which means it’s time for our annual grilling episode. In past years, we’ve talked to the leaders of Big Green Egg, Traeger, and Blackstone, and it’s always fascinating how those companies have the same kinds of problems and ideas as any of the tech companies we have on the show.  In fact, it’s funny — in what can only be described as a perfectly Decoder situation, I really wanted to have Blackstone CEO Roger Dahle back on the show this year because his griddle company is such a success that he’s in the process of buying Weber, the biggest name in the space. But he’s stuck in antitrust review so he couldn’t come on the show. Grilling episodes, man — they’re the best. Anyhow, all that means is that I finally had the opportunity to talk to SharkNinja CEO Mark Barrocas. We’ve wanted to have SharkNinja on the show for years now, mostly because it has the best name of any company that we’ve ever had on Decoder. The name perfectly describes the company’s structure: there’s Shark, and there’s Ninja. And, just in time for our grilling episode, the Ninja division of Mark’s business launched its first grill, the FlexFlame, earlier this year.  Listen to Decoder, a show hosted by The Verge’s Nilay Patel about big ideas — and other problems. Subscribe here! But, as you’ll hear Mark and I really get into, SharkNinja is really a product design company more than anything else. It has what you could only describe as a relentless approach to product development — SharkNinja launches 25 new products a year, across dozens of categories, in countries around the world. So, while we do spend a lot of time talking about the decision to launch the FlexFlame and what the business of grilling looks like for SharkNinja, you’ll also hear Mark and I talk a lot about the company’s broader philosophy around product development across all of its different categories.  A lot of that philosophy, which was developed in the late 2000s for markets like vacuum cleaners and blenders, is now being applied to everything from slushy machines and pizza ovens to LED face masks. You’ll hear Mark explain that SharkNinja has a product engineering and design team of more than 1,300 people globally, dedicated to figuring out new twists on household staples. It’s also remarkable how many of the products are built around fan technology, which comes up a few times in this conversation. In fact, a key component of the FlexFlame grill is a fan that lets it do a lot of different things. But the grill industry, as you might know, is a fiercely competitive market with a lot of brand loyalty, and product features alone might not be enough. I can’t tell you how many furious reader comments and emails we received when the CEO of Big Green Egg took a shot at Weber on last year’s grill episode. People love their grills, and they will fiercely defend them. So I really wanted to ask Mark how his style of product development worked in the context of gas grills — and whether he’s envisioning Ninja’s outdoor grilling products as premium devices you keep for a long time or as ones that might rust and get replaced after a few years as you would an iPhone.  Mark and I also spent a good deal of time at the end talking about marketing. SharkNinja spends more than $700 million a year on advertising, a great deal of which now goes to product placement and content creators on Instagram and TikTok. You’ll hear Mark recount his time selling products on television infomercials in the 2000s and how that’s now evolved into having his appliances become viral sensations online.  Mark has a lot of thoughts about the state of the creator economy, which is already in the process of getting totally upended by cheap and limitless AI video, and whether he sees it teetering on the edge of a crash that could transform how he markets and sells his most popular products.  This episode is a real ride — Mark’s infomercials background really comes through at times, and I think you can tell that I found myself just trying to hang on throughout this one. Okay: SharkNinja CEO Mark Barrocas. Here we go. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.  Mark Barrocas, you’re the CEO of SharkNinja. Welcome to Decoder. Thanks so much for having me. I am really excited to talk to you. I’m fascinated by SharkNinja as a company. It’s been around for a long time, but you’re having a bit of a renaissance lately. On top of that, this is our annual summer grill episode, and you guys just launched a new line of grills. So it’s perfect timing. Couldn’t be happier about it. Great, really happy to be here. Let’s talk about SharkNinja as a company to set the stage a bit. I think a lot of people know Shark, and a lot of people know Ninja. You’ve started marketing the main company a little bit more recently. Tell me about this company. Why have the two brands? How is it structured? How do you think about SharkNinja as a company? As you said, the business behind these two great brands is SharkNinja. People know the Shark brand. We built Shark into an over $3 billion [a year] global business. We have the Ninja brand, which is over a $3 billion [a year] global business. Now, we’re actively marketing the SharkNinja business behind these two great brands, and trying to explain to consumers that we’re problem solvers. That’s what our business is all about. We find problems that others don’t see, and we solve problems that others can’t.  We can get more into how we do that and why that’s unique to SharkNinja. We’re in 37 product categories. We sell in 27 countries around the world to everyone, from a high school kid doing a TikTok or an Instagram video about our products all the way up to a 60-year-old guy who’s focused on outdoor grilling or smoking. So, we’ve got a big demographic base and big socioeconomic group of consumers. The idea that you’re going to market the central company, SharkNinja, as problem solvers comes up. There are lots of big household brands that exist in that space. OXO is very famous for this In the kitchen, where everything is somewhat uniquely designed, a little bit different. It’s  not a direct competitor to you, but the marketing there feels familiar. This is going to be the highest bit of design product that you can get. There are lots of others that play the same game. Is that what you’re thinking about? Do you want people to think of you as a design company or is it something else? No. We want people to think of us as a consumer problem-solving company. You can focus on consumer products and look at it through a technology lens. You can say, “Hey, I have this core technology, and I’m going to take it and  apply it to two or three or four different categories of products that might be applicable.”  Our core technology is consumer problem-solving. We’ve got a big team of ethnographic, consumer insights researchers. We’re mining consumer data, online reviews, social media content, and comments. We’re in hundreds of consumer homes around the world every year. We’re in restaurants. We’re in commercial environments looking at how people clean or cook there.  We’re trying to find either a problem that a consumer has that they may not even know that they have — and we can talk about examples of that — or we’re trying to find things that the consumer is doing outside of the home that they’re not doing inside of the home. Ultimately, I think those two different things become the germs of innovation and ideas that we then have our 1,300 engineers around the globe focus on. And you say, “Well, hold on, vacuum cleaners have been around for 100 years. Hasn’t every problem been solved?”  I’ll give you a great anecdote. We went into 100 consumer homes, and we watched consumers vacuum. During the cleaning session, about eight or 10 of those turned over the vacuum, took a knife or a scissor, sliced the hair off the brush roll, pulled the hair off, threw it in the garbage, and finished their cleaning session. At the end of the cleaning session, we said to them, “Is there anything you do to change your vacuum cleaner?” They said, “No, it works great.” We said, “Well, hold on a minute. How about that time when you turned it over and you nearly cut your hand and you sliced it?” They started apologizing for the product. They started saying, “Well, I have two daughters with long hair. I have three dogs.”  A consumer works around the problems of the product. Well, for us, that becomes an idea. So, we go back to our engineers, and we say, “Can we develop a vacuum brush roll that doesn’t wrap hair?” Eighteen months later, we came out with Shark’s Self-cleaning Brushroll, and it became the number one selling vacuum cleaner in the United States.  That’s just a little example. We do that in category after category after category, which is why we’re not limited to two or three or four categories. We’re in 37 different product categories in and outside the home. There’s a lot there that I want to unpack. You’re talking about a lot of upfront investment in product development. Many of your competitors don’t do that. They really do take core technology and reapply it in different categories. Many of your competitors are based in China. They’re selling on Amazon, and they’re selling clones of your products. They don’t have to front that investment, and they can keep their costs low. How do you think about that dynamic? What you’re describing requires you to constantly front the cost of innovation that will almost certainly get copied at higher rates across the board. SharkNinja has two main competitive advantages. One is disruptive consumer innovation. We spend 7 percent of our sales on R&D and innovation in an industry where competitors spend 1 percent of sales or less on innovation. We bring 25 new, ground-up products to market a year. I’m not talking about a new product as a new color or button. These are ground-up, brand new products across so many different product categories.  We enter into at least two new product categories that we’ve never been in before every year. Before last year, we were never in the skincare business. We were never in the outdoor cooler business. Last year, we went into four new product categories. We made an LED, infrared, cryo face mask, which was our first FDA-approved medical device. We launched a slushy machine that went viral on social media. We made our first outdoor pizza oven. You can’t think of more diverse categories. The common stream through all of those is that they all solve a consumer problem. I think this is a great time for the Decoder questions. Usually, we talk about some controversy at the top, but you’re describing something that’s so interesting that I think the structure will actually help explain a lot. How is SharkNinja structured? How many people do you have, and how is it organized? We’ve got nearly 4,000 people around the globe. From a structure standpoint, we have an executive management team that is half homegrown, with  people who have been with me for 17 years. That’s rounded out with other folks who have joined the organization and have been able to bring scale or global experience into their areas, like product development, engineering, sales, and marketing.  Those folks have been with me a long time. We’ve really helped build the SharkNinja secret sauce together. We’ve rounded that out with great talent from other great companies and with other great experiences to build a really strong management team. How is that organized? Do you have a Shark division and a Ninja division? Is it all one company? How’s that expressed? From a functional standpoint, the administrative roles are all corporate SharkNinja. There’s a corporate CEO, a corporate general counsel, a corporate COO, and a corporate people and culture leader. When you start to get into the individual teams, we break it up. There’s Shark Home, which involves cleaning, home environment products, fans, and air purifiers. We have Shark Beauty business, which is haircare and skincare. Then we have the Ninja business, which is everything that we do within Ninja. So, that’s how we break down the business. There are two brands, but inside of those two brands is Shark Home, Shark Beauty, and Ninja. If I look at that broadly and I just look at your competitive set, Shark and Dyson have always been back and forth. There’s been some lawsuits, some patent disputes. Some of those have settled over time. There’s a lot there.  To your point, Dyson invented fan technology and it tried to express it across a number of different products that led them into beauty. It got into hairdryers, then expanded into the rest of the beauty products, and it’s done well. How are you thinking about Shark? You started with your core technology, you ended up at beauty, and now you’re going to do the rest of it? If I go back 17 years, we were a small business. We were a $150 million [a year] business. I’d love to say that there was a grand plan of how to become a $6 billion global business without acquiring a dollar of revenue.  Could you tell me? That would be great. To be honest with you, we just wanted to make great products that consumers loved. If I go back to 2008, what we realized was that the consumer was getting more and more power in terms of being educated before they made a purchase.  In 2008, there was a thing called Consumer Reports. You opened up Consumer Reports and it told you the eight vacuum cleaners to buy. If your vacuum cleaner wasn’t listed in there, you were going to have a really hard time gaining awareness. What my partner and I at the time realized was that consumer online reviews would be the great equalizer. You hear that today and say, “Well, what great equalizer is that?” Well, back then, people often bought from one brand or based on an expert recommendation. What started to happen was consumers started going online and started writing honest reviews about their experiences with products.  Soon, consumers weren’t going to open up Consumer Reports before they would go out and make a purchase. They were going to go online and look at 10 million of their closest friends to figure out which vacuum cleaner or blender to buy. And they were going to get honest opinions. That is one of the major drivers of our business. If I go back 15 years, we built our business one five-star review at a time. So, if you had a great experience with a Shark vacuum, you say, “Hey, I might try Shark’s air purifiers that just came out,” or, “They got into haircare? I might try their haircare products.” It’s interesting. What we look at is what gives us the right to be in the category. The right to be in the category is not because you have a brand that you can just put your name on because you see a sales opportunity. What are we bringing to the consumer that they can’t get anywhere else? What’s an unmet need that the consumer has? We set a very high bar on that within the company. There have been categories that we worked on for 10 years and never brought a product to market because, ultimately, we came to the conclusion that the consumer and world don’t need us. So, being anchored on this beacon and asking what gives us the right to be in the category has led us very methodically to the next opportunity and the next opportunity and the next opportunity. What’s one that you’ve been rejecting for 10 years? I loved the power tools business. I think the Shark brand can translate into power tools. We used to think of ourselves as in the home. We’re making a lot of products now for outside the home. I thought power tools were a great opportunity. We’ve tried it three, four… Ultimately, we got to the place and said, “You know what? We’re not bringing anything that’s game-changing or solving a massive problem that somebody else isn’t solving.” And we decided to go back to the drawing board. I will tell you also that there are categories that we tried for eight years, and we eventually cracked the code. An example of that is the carpet extraction and stain cleaner category. We became the number one selling vacuum brand in the United States in 2014. Ever since, retailers and consumers would say, “Why aren’t you getting into the carpet cleaning business? That seems so logical from a brand extension standpoint.” The honest answer was that we never came up with something that was great.  We finally cracked the code on that about two and a half years ago with a product called the Shark CarpetXpert. It cleans carpets better than anything else on the market. It’s much more lightweight, much easier to use. It does it with an attachment called the Stainstriker. In a short period of time, we gained over 20 percent market share in that category. This shows us that just because we might bang our head against the wall a couple of times doesn’t mean we won’t eventually crack the code. We may figure it out. When we do figure it out, the innovation really connects with the other competitive mode of the business, which is creating viral demand for our products. We spend 11 percent of sales on advertising in an industry that spends very little on advertising. So, you’ve got a disruptive product that solves a consumer problem, and you’re able to go out and talk about it on things like social media, experiential events, and TV. When those things come together and you get it right, it really connects with the consumer. Not just in the United States but globally. That’s a really fascinating piece of the SharkNinja story, and I think it tells a bigger story about the advertising market, particularly on the internet, than anyone really is giving credit to you. But I want to stay in corporate structure for one more second. So you’ve got Shark Home, Shark Beauty, and Ninja. Ninja feels like kitchen products? Kitchen and outdoor. We do outdoor cooking, we do outdoor coolers. Yeah, kitchen and outdoors. At the company, you’ve got 1,300 engineers. Are they split between divisions? Do you have central engineering? Do they compete for resources? How does that work? We have 1,300 engineers today around the globe. They’re based in Boston, London, and Asia. There are certain functions within the company, like electrical engineering, that might go across different categories because they’re subject matter experts. But it’s not just the number of engineers that we have. It’s the competency of those engineers. We’ve got mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, mechatronics, app IoT, and software engineers.  I think you’d be really surprised if you went inside one of our products. There’s an enormous amount of technology in a product that retails for $199. If I went back seven or eight years, most of it would be mechanical engineering. Today, the software team and the electronics team, together with mechanical engineering, have allowed us to bring so much more functionality to the product, allowing the consumer to have so much versatility with it than they ever were able to before. So, when the Ninja team says they’ve got an idea for a gas grill and they need a bunch of software engineers to work on the app to run the FlexFlame system, and those same engineers are being pulled towards the next project, how do you divvy up those resources? It’s a challenge, But here’s what’s super exciting about it. If you’re an engineer and you work at a company that has one product category that you sell, eventually after three or five years, you get to the point where you say, “Look, I’ve gotten tired. If I want to go to another opportunity or I want to work on something else, I have to find a job in another company.” At SharkNinja, you can find your next job within SharkNinja. You’ve been working on vacuum cleaners for three years. You want to try something different? How about air fryers? How about outdoor cooking? How about fans? How about robots? How about hairdryers or skincare? I think the cross pollination of engineers is so powerful for us. Our ability to  to put out an intercompany message that says, “Does anyone have experience in LED lights? Does anyone have experience in airflow technology?” To be able to see the number of experts we have internally is incredible. If you’re a company, you might have to go outside and find a whole lot of subject matter experts. We have a whole lot of subject matter experts inside that are red teaming each other’s products. The joke I’m always making on Decoder is that if you tell me your company’s structure, I can tell you 80 percent of its problems. You’re describing two big divisions, both of which are growing and aggressively launching new products. There are some subdivisions on the inside. I’m guessing if the Ninja team steals a bunch of LED lighting engineers from the Shark team, they’re not going to be happy about that. That’s you. You’ve got to mediate that dynamic. How do you mediate those resources? How do you allocate them? I think a lot of it comes down to the needs of the product. We really don’t look at it rigidly by if it’s a Shark product or Ninja product. We start with a product pipeline of ideas, which might have 65 ideas that we start with. Over time, we whittle that down. We might put something into a prototype, get it into a consumer’s home. We thought it was a great idea, but the consumer says they’re not interested so we throw it away.  We might just put something on packaging. We might not even put it into a prototype. We might show them a box front and say, “Hey, does this get you excited?” We might look at something and say, “It’s great, but it’s too expensive and we don’t think it’s commercially viable.” Maybe it’s too early for the consumer. Maybe there’s a problem, but the consumer doesn’t even know yet that it’s a problem.  I’ll give you an example. They just mandated composting in New York City. It’s very interesting. A New York apartment is going to have to sit there with their food scraps, putting them into this little plastic bin and this little bag. They’re going to have to wait seven days. What do you think happens to that bag on day four or five? It doesn’t smell great. So, we had some young engineers that were super passionate about solving that problem. The challenge with it though is that it’s not in enough municipalities. The consumer hasn’t engaged with it enough to realize what the problems are. So it may be something incredible but it’s two years too early. So, we’ll put that in the parking lot, and we’ll say, “Let’s revisit that when it comes to the next product innovation cycle.” We really do look at it at the product level and not at the brand or company level. I think that’s what helps us assess how to divvy up resources.  The other thing I would say is that we use a tremendous amount of outside experts. This is a company where it does not have to be invented here. We are looking for the best and brightest people to help us solve consumer problems. In any given month, we could be working with as many as 50 outside subject-matter experts. They could be on things as little as gear systems or troubleshooting a particular heater that we might have.  That’s something that I don’t want to underestimate because at a lot of engineering companies, engineers feel like, “Hold on, you hired me to solve it, so I have to solve it.” We’re sitting here saying, “At the end of the day, we want the consumer to open up the box and enjoy the product.” The consumer doesn’t care whether you made 100 percent of the product internally or whether you brought in five subject matter experts to help. We do a really incredible job of getting the best and brightest people to help us solve these problems. That really comes down to how you think about investing in the core technologies. I’ll just stick with Shark and the vacuum cleaners, blow dryers, and air purifiers. At the core of that technology are high-efficiency small motors. They can move a lot of air. You can express that in multiple kinds of products. That’s a very competitive segment. That’s the patent lawsuits. It’s deeply competitive.  You can go buy that core technology. Once you’ve developed it, the goal is to ramp it over time and take margin out of all that upfront cost. But you’re launching into so many new categories. You’re going out to buy lots and lots of new core technologies from 50 different subject matter experts. How do you think about managing those life cycles? Where do you think about spending the money on new technologies that will last for a long time and let you take margin out and where do you think the technology is mature, and what you need to do is actually expand the category? It’s interesting. I’ll go back to the example that you gave on vacuum cleaners because I think that’s a good one. We have patented a no-loss suction vacuum technology, so the consumer can pick up whatever they want and won’t lose any appreciable level of suction over the life of the product. But as you start identifying the next consumer problem, you start having to then build evolutionary or add-on technologies.  I want to give you some examples that I think you might find interesting. We had great no-loss suction technology when we developed our first vacuum cleaner, which was called the Shark Navigator, We cleaned carpets better than our competition, and we did it at a fraction of the price. Those were the core things. In 2009, we found that the American consumer was really interested in cleaning carpets. That was the proxy of a great vacuum cleaner.  In 2010, we said, “Okay, what’s the next problem for us to solve?” We went into consumers’ homes, we watched them vacuum. In the homes that had stairs or multi-level homes, they would plug the vacuum in, pull the hose out, and clean the first three steps of the stairs. They would then unplug the vacuum, walk upstairs, plug it in, and clean the top three steps. The middle three steps would never get clean because the hose was never  able to reach that far. So, we looked at that and we said, “Why is the vacuum tethered to this base on the ground? What if you could lift it away, walk around with the vacuum cleaner, and have 30 feet of travel with the cord?” That product was called the Shark Navigator Lift-Away. It’s still the number-one selling vacuum cleaner in the United States. We solved the problem by having vacuums that not only cleaned on the floor but cleaned above the floor as well. Now you might say, “Okay, hasn’t everything been developed?” Well, three years later, we want to know what’s the next problem. The next problem is cleaning under furniture. You don’t want to move the furniture. How do you clean under a bed? Imagine what under a bed looks like when you haven’t cleaned it for two years. So we developed something called Powered Lift-Away. You took the canister off the vacuum, and we had power that went down through the hose and to the nozzle. You could now take your nozzle, just like a canister vacuum, and go anywhere, under furniture or under beds. That became the number-one selling vacuum cleaner in the United States when it came out.  So you say again, “Well, has everything been invented?” A few years later, we said, “Wow, we do a great job at cleaning carpets, but we aren’t doing as great a job cleaning hard floors.” With carpets, you need a really aggressive brushroll to clean. On floors, you need to be able to pick up the fine dust. So we looked at that and realized they were in conflict with one another. What if we developed a vacuum cleaner that had two brushrolls: an aggressive brushroll that cleaned your carpets and a fluffier brushroll that could pick up the fine dust on your hard floors? That technology was called Shark DuoClean. Today, that’s still our best-selling vacuum cleaner.  So, finding the next problem and the next problem will lead you into new technology and new evolution. By the way, all of these things that I just mentioned to you are patents. They’re all things that only SharkNinja does at this point. But we’re constantly on this quest to find the next problem, and then that leads us into our innovation pipeline. I’m going to push back on you just a little bit. I know the Decoder listeners quite well. I know what they’re saying to you in their cars as they listen. The vacuum cleaner market is pretty mature. It is ferociously competitive. There are products from LG, Samsung, Dyson, you name it that do all of these things and more in different ways. I hear what you’re saying. You see the problems and you innovate for the customers that you see and the problems they have.  But the market is competitive. How often do you spend thinking about where the market is going, where the competitors are getting ahead of you, and how to leapfrog them? Nearly every day. This is what we do. We’re consumer problem solvers. We’re trying every day. Look, we had zero market share in the vacuum industry in 2008. Today, SharkNinja has over 40 percent market share in the upright vacuum cleaner market in the United States, which is the largest portion of the vacuum cleaner market in the US. We became number one in 2014, and we’ve never given that up. Why? Because we’re continuing to innovate and innovate.  We’re driving up the average sell price. You could buy a Shark vacuum for $129, or you could buy a Shark vacuum for $499. We are bringing the opening-price consumer up into our brand. We don’t have something for the $79 consumer, but I think the consumer looks at performance, value, quality, and innovation. You’ve got to bring all four of those things together for the consumer. I think you might have innovation, but the consumer needs all of this and value is a huge component of it. The opening-price consumer can step up to a $129 Shark vacuum. The high-priced Sephora, Ulta consumer can buy a $499 vacuum. There is no brand that cuts across such a broad price range and such a broad feature range.  The other thing that I think we do a really effective job of is being the vacuum for you when you move into your college dorm room. We want to be the first vacuum for you when you get your first apartment, when you get your first house, when you have your family, when you get your first pets, and when you wind up as an empty nester. I don’t think there is a brand out there selling corded vacuums, cordless vacuums, robot vacuums, hand vacuums, or shop vacuums that is doing such an effective and compelling job of innovating and innovating while also having extraordinary value and great quality. One of the things I think about a lot here is how companies grow. You’re describing people buying lots of vacuums over time. A long time ago, I had the former CEO of Sonos Patrick Spence on the show, and I said, “Is your whole plan that people will just get bigger and bigger houses and you’ll sell one more speaker every time?” Is that the plan in the vacuum business? People are just going to buy new vacuums at a steady clip? I think the more macro question is how do we grow and how do we think about growth? We think about growth with this three-pillar growth strategy. One is gaining share in our existing categories. We enter categories, and within three to four years, Shark or Ninja becomes the number one or number two market leader in that category. There’s still lots of white space within our existing categories. We’re in an industry with an available [total addressable market] of $120 billion. Last year, we were a $5.5 billion business. So, we’re less than 5 percent of the overall market.  Number two is expansion into new product categories. Many companies say they can expand into new categories, but either the retailer or the consumer doesn’t let them. They don’t see them in those categories. I think we’ve been really effective at taking the Shark and Ninja brands into many different places. Then, third is international expansion. This year, over 40 percent of our business is going to come from outside the US. So, when you think about us compared to brands that are able to scale globally, we launch 25 new products a year and we sell20 out of those 25 products n every market. The same product. We look at the consumer from a product innovation standpoint across this matrix. How does the American consumer think about a product? How does a European consumer think about the product? How does an Asian consumer think about the product? I think that’s an important point to note. We’re not just innovating for one type of consumer, we’re innovating for a global consumer. I’m going to ask you the other Decoder question, and then I want to talk about expansion, particularly into grilling. This is our grilling episode. We spent too much time on vacuums.  Here’s the other Decoder question. How do you make decisions? You’ve laid out a lot of frameworks here. It’s clear you’ve thought about this a lot. What’s your framework for making decisions? We have something, and you can go to our website and see it.  We’re very focused on culture. Culture is our competitive advantage, it really is. We have 5,000 patents. We have great brand names. We have incredible innovation. What has enabled us to grow at a compounded annual rate of 21 percent a year for the last 17 years is the way we think. I’d invite you to go onto our website and look at a document called “Outrageously Extraordinary.” The idea is that we have this inextricable desire to be the absolute best we can be. That comes with this inherent fear of failure. How do we get rid of the fear of failure because you tend to play it safe when you’re worried about failing. So, for us, we set what we call these “unimaginably high bars” in a game worth playing. You will seldom see a meeting at SharkNinja where you say, “let’s go after this,” and everyone in the room walks out and says, “I think we can do that.” Most people are going to walk out of the room saying, “How the hell are we going to do that?” We’ve just set a bar that seems absolutely impossible. So, we think that courageous leaders set an unimaginably high bar in a game worth playing. Even if you fall short of that, you will still do something extraordinary. If I set out to have number one market share going from zero, and that’s our goal and we wind up being number two. But hey, we started from zero. So we’ve got to set a very high bar to start.  The second is this idea of leading with a relentless desire to know more. Answers in business are not surface level. People want an easy answer to a tough question. The answers lie deep, deep in the business with trying to understand the root cause of the problem. What is the mousetrap that you’ll create that will besustainable, that can’t be disintermediated by a Chinese factory that’ll come in and sell a low-cost product on a platform? So how do we have this desire to know more, or know more than anyone else that is competing against us? We want to be explorers, not tour guides.  Most of what we’re doing, is in uncharted territories. My expertise ran out eight years ago. I’m running on fumes when it comes to expertise at this point. Every day, we’re exploring new territory. We’re pivoting quickly. We’re getting smarter every day. We use the phrase “we reserve the right to get smarter” at the company. We make a decision, new information comes in, and we decide tomorrow that we’re going to change the decision. I think one of the things that many companies, or many leaders, get stuck in is saying, “I made a decision, so I just have to go in that direction.” We want to constantly be on the lookout for if the decision we made was stupid. I stood up in front of our town hall at  a corporate meeting a number of months ago, and there were some questions about changes that we had made last year. I said to the organization, “I made a change because previously I was being stupid and I’ve decided now to be un-stupid.”  What was the change? The concept of un-stupid went viral around the company. People felt empowered to say, “I want to be un-stupid today. We’re going down this path. It doesn’t seem like we’re going to be successful. Let’s pivot and change.” SharkNinja’s not curing cancer. We’re trying to delight consumers. We’re trying to positively impact people’s lives.  So, the change that you mentioned is how we were investing dollars in the company. We have to stay focused and invest dollars in areas of growth: growth when it comes to product development, growth when it comes to geographic expansion, growth when it comes to marketing and building awareness for our brands. I think we got too scattered and went after too many shiny objects. There are lots of great initiatives for a company to go work on, but you also need focus. You need to make sure there are certain things that are sacred in a company, and that’s what requires the investment. Everything else might have to wait in line. You just can’t do everything at once. So, we had to pull back on some of those things, and we had to make some tough decisions about where we were going to invest and where we were going to hold for a little while, and then relook at it going into the next year. This is a perfect tee up for your decision to invest in grills, but I have to know, what did you pull back from? Was there anything specific? I think we went after a lot of technology projects. We were implementing Oracle at our company. We were re-platforming our e-commerce site. We’ve got this great partnership with Salesforce, and we’re launching a new e-commerce site in September. There were certain things that were just really mission-critical. There were other things that were really just nice-to-haves. They were not going to make or break our business, they were not going to create a competitive advantage. So, we had to decide what are the most important things and what it isn’t the right time for. All right. Let’s put all this into practice and talk about grills. I love talking about grills. Can you tell? I’m eager to do it. Great. This is one of my favorite episodes of the year, to talk about the grill industry. You’ve laid out a lot of frameworks here. You’ve said, “We should have to deserve to be in the market. We need something better.” You’ve laid out not wanting to get away from the core areas of growth. The grill market is ferociously competitive and extremely well-served with lots of innovative companies.  It feels to me like the people who are really into grilling like having different kinds of things as opposed to just one thing. I see it in backyards all over my town. If you got one, you’ll soon have two. It’s also been disrupted. One of our very first grill company guests was Roger Dahle, who founded the grill company Blackstone. He’s in the middle of buying Weber. He actually couldn’t be on this year because of antitrust. He has to go through FTC review to buy Weber. That’s a big disruption. He bought the market leader. Why enter this market? Where’s the differentiation? How do you think you can get to number one? I think you have to go back to the fact that Ninja is the kitchen market leader. We built up a lot of brand equity in air fryers, ovens, cookware, blenders, coffee makers, and all kinds of things in the kitchen. So, three years ago, we decided that it was time for us to go outdoors, and we did it by developing a product called the Ninja Woodfire Grill, which is a grill, a smoker, and an air fryer. It was all electric and it sat on your tabletop. We felt like there was a really unserved need. I’ll give you examples. People who live in apartments can’t have propane, but they can have electric outside — campers, RVs, boats, and things like that, along with tailgates, and you can just plug it in. We found that people who owned a grill weren’t going to invest in another smoker. So, we found that people would be interested in buying something that was small and could fit on a tabletop next to their outdoor grill, or vice versa. If they owned a smoker, now they could own a grill. We saw this in the vacuum cleaner business. You have an upright vacuum, a cordless vacuum, a robot vacuum, a hand vacuum. So, we went into the market, and in a very short period of time, we took big market share. We’re the number-one selling electric outdoor grill right now. We sell a number of different versions of it. We then went into outdoor ovens. So, we’ve got a really great– Wait, can I just ask something? Sorry, you’re just in my wheelhouse. Having the number-one selling electric outdoor grill feels like a small part of a huge category. It is. But you have to understand that you have to enter in a place where the consumer accepts you, and then you have to figure out what’s next. So, we go into tabletop grills and then expand from that into tabletop ovens. Now, we’ve got this outdoor oven that allows you to cook up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, roast, and make pizza in it. That becomes a nice business for us globally.  Then, we decide where to go next. We’re doing great in tabletop, but now, as you said, there’s this big $5 billion market around large format, outdoor cooking products. So, we look at it, put ourselves in the shoes of the consumer, and ask, “What’s the empathy of the consumer?” The consumer goes to the Home Depot parking lot on Memorial Day weekend and tell one of the orange aprons that they want to buy a grill. The person says to them, “Well, do you want a grill, or do you want a smoker? Do you want a pizza oven, or do you want a roaster or a griddle?” That becomes the first problem for the consumer. “I’ve got to make a choice.” Maybe there’s multiple grills outside in your neighborhood, but this person is saying you have one to choose from. “What do I do? Do I want a griddle? Do I want a grill? Do I want a pizza oven? Do I want a smoker?” So, we started with that and thought it felt like a really credible problem for somebody to solve. It took us two years, but we developed the world’s first grill that’s powered by propane, electric, and a cyclonic fan. That’s three things. There are incredible patents and technology in this product.  Now, if you have those three things, what can you do? You can have incredible temperature control. Once I have incredible temperature control and I can move and circulate the air inside, I can grill, smoke, have a fully functional pizza oven, griddle, and roast. We called it the Ninja FlexFlame, and it’s the world’s first product that can do all of those things under one hood.  So, we envisioned a world where the consumer can now go to the Home Depot parking lot, ask that same question to the orange apron, and that person will respond, “Well, sir or ma’am, you could either have a grill or a smoker, or Ninja’s got something that does it all.” And not just something that does it all and does it so-so. It grills like an incredibly professional $1,000-plus griller, smokes as well as a $1,000 smoker, makes Neapolitan pizza in a few minutes, griddles, roasts, and has incredibly even cooking performance.  We came out with that product a couple of months ago. You can go online and look at it. It’s a 4.6-star rated product. It’s doing great. We launched it with an ad campaign with David Beckham. We think this opens up a whole new global opportunity for us. You said cyclonic fan. There’s that fan again. This feels like core technology for you guys. Is it related to the Shark fans? Well, sure. We understand airflow, we understand motors, and we understand electronics. Think about your grill 10 years ago. You put a bunch of charcoal into a pot, you lit it up, and it had some flame and it grilled for you. This product’s got a cyclonic fan. It’s got amazing amounts of electronics in it for precision temperature control. It has wood fire pellets that allow you to smoke. It has electrical power and it has propane power. What would a team of 1,300 engineers be thinking about if they wanted to build the most amazing product outdoors? I believe most consumers aren’t in a position to be able to have four different products on their outdoor patio.  So we came out with this product, and we launched it at $999. We think this product offers breakthrough innovation, market-leading performance, great quality, and an extraordinary value for what it delivers. I apologize, but I’ve had a lot of grill company CEOs on the show. I’m telling you, it’s one of my favorite episodes of the year because all of the grill industry’s problems are the problems that every other company has, but we don’t think about that industry in the same way.  So, I would broadly describe the business models of your competitors in the grill industry as breaking down into two camps. There’s Big Green Egg, which wants to sell you a very expensive product that will last for a lifetime and that you will pass on for generations. They’re owned by a family foundation, and they’re not chasing profits in that way. It’s totally fascinating. There’s some high-end grill companies that also think the same way. Then there’s everyone else, and they say, “We’re going to put a hunk of metal outside. In three years, it’s going to rust out, and you’re going to buy a new one.”   But being able to do everything at $999 combined with, “Oh, boy, my hunk of metal rusted out and it’s going away” is not a winning proposition. So, how do you think about that cycle, because those are basically the two camps. Are you trying to last forever, or are you trying to get replaced on a cadence outside? Look, there’s obviously a replacement cycle for the product, but our business is about innovating and putting our products into retirement before their usable life ends. It’s no different than what Apple does. If you have an iPhone 14, you don’t really need the iPhone 16 when it comes out. Your iPhone 14 is just fine. But there’s some technology. It’s got three cameras. It’s got some other things in it. That’s  SharkNinja’s model. If I relied on a replacement cycle, someone would buy a product and they’d come back four years later to buy the next product. I want the consumer to get excited about what we do and say, “Wow.”  Air fryers are a great example. We came out with our first air fryer, which had four quarts of capacity and did an amazing job air frying your food. We immediately got feedback from consumers that they wanted larger capacity. So, we developed five-quart, six-quart, and seven-quart air fryers. We then found out from consumers that they were batch cooking. They were making the chicken tenders and french fries for their kids and putting in the salmon and asparagus for themselves.  We said, “What if we could develop an air fryer that could cook two things at the same time in two independent baskets?” And that became the number-one selling air fryer on the market. We then, shortly after that, found out that consumers loved that concept, but it took up too much counter space for some consumers. So we took that side-by-side air fryer, stacked the baskets on top of each other, and made the world’s first stackable air fryer.  Now, we found that consumers go home, prep their lunch, and take it to the office, or they meal prep their food for the whole week. What if we could develop an air fryer that fits in the palm of your hand? That’s a product called the Ninja Crispi. Now  there are consumers who are bringing these healthy glass cooking vessels to work. They bring their air fryer pod. Instead of putting their food into a microwave that’s going to make it all soggy and mushy for lunch, they’re actually air frying their food at their desks and eating it for lunch. They’re meal prepping in the beginning of the week, and then they’re just putting their Ninja Crispi on top of it. So, if you look at the file on our direct-to-consumer business, you have consumers seven years ago that bought a four-quart air fryer and then bought a dual zone air fryer two years later. Then, they came back two years later and bought a Ninja Crispi. That’s how we think about the business. I can tell you that two or three years from now, we’re going to come out with some innovation that’s going to be even better, even more exciting than what we developed with the Ninja FlexFlame, and it will allow the consumer to make a decision. Maybe they’ll give that product to a neighbor or their child, whatever it might be, because Ninja or Shark has come out with the next great innovation. I’m compelled to point out that the core mechanical component of an air fryer is a fan. Just saying it! It pops up over and over again in this conversation. You’ve got a lot of fan technology. It’s wild to see how disparately it can be expressed.  You’ve mentioned software a couple of times. It’s in the FlexFlame, it’s in a lot of the other products. One of the running themes on the show is that once you start investing in software, that just becomes an exponentially increasing cost. The servers have to stay up, the apps have to be updated. Apple’s going to keep releasing new phones and change the design language of iOS on a whim whenever it wants to. Is that all in-house for you? Do you contract that out? Because one of the biggest complaints I see with smart grills and smart appliances is, “Well, I bought this expensive thing, the app broke, and now my grill is useless.” It’s a great question. I would say that about 75 percent of it is in-house, and about 25 percent of it is out-of-house. This is an industry and a market that is changing so quickly. Having an app that is standalone on your phone, like Waze or Uber, is very different from having an app that is connected to some sort of hardware device. It’s a whole different situation. We’re the first to admit that we need to bring lots of great minds around this. So, a portion of that is absolutely outsourced, as we look at testing, validation, and development ideas. But we do have a great internal core team working on that. It works on that with our robot products and our outdoor cooking products.  The concept of an app on a product is very interesting. I remember going to trade shows six years ago where every single booth just commented,  “We have an app.” I remember going down once into one of our engineering labs, and there was a blender there. A person handed me their iPhone and said, “Here, use the blender.” I went on the iPhone and I pressed go for the blender to start. I said, “Well, our blenders just have one button. Unless the app can put my bananas, my strawberries, and my protein powder into it while I’m in bed, why do I need an app on this particular product? I can just fill everything up and push a button. We have a technology called BlendSense with sensors that know when the blending is stopping. With apps, the really important thing to understand is when the app is a vanity exercise versus when it’s bringing true value to the consumer and unlocking something in the product that they wouldn’t be able to do if the app didn’t exist. I think that’s the case with robots. There’s a case to be made with outdoor cooking. But as you said, it is very complex putting an app together with some sort of hardware and making sure that all of those pieces connect for every house, every router, every consumer that’s using it. So, we’ve got to work with both in-house and out-of-house people to help us do that. How do you think about that cost? There’s the consumer experience of, “I bought a grill five years ago, they never updated the app. Some of my features went away because iOS changed.” That’s one side of the experience. From the company perspective, what I hear so often is, “Well, there’s no recurring revenue model for this product that supports ongoing development of this app.”  You brought up Uber. Uber’s business is that app, and it spends a lot of money developing that app. Do you have that kind of model in place where you can say, “Okay, here’s the ongoing support cost of the FlexFlame Grill that will make sure we deliver updates to the app?” Something interesting for you to know is that we update our robot app nearly every single month, and that goes out to all of the devices out there. It could be a product that somebody bought five years ago. There’s constant, constant updates as we’re looking at data from the apps, getting testing feedback, getting return information, or getting customer service questions. We could be adding bug fixes or we could be adding new feature functionality. But you’re not charging subscription revenue? No, no. So that’s just cost. So how do you think about that cost versus the margin of the product at the onetime sale? We look at it as all about positively impacting the consumer. I need the consumer to have a great experience so that they come back and when we go into the next category, they say, “I had a great experience with this Shark or Ninja product, I’m willing to try them in the next category.” You brought up other outdoor cooking companies and other companies. You have to understand that most companies have a business model where they want to sell you a product, and then they want to sell you another product four years later when it comes to the replacement cycle. I want to sell you two products a year. I want to sell you a cordless blender. I want to sell you an espresso machine. I want to sell you an LED infrared face mask. If you have a bad experience with one of our products, I’m going to lose that whole recurring revenue stream from you as the consumer.  I’ve been doing this for 17 years. I want to do this for another 20 years. Over that period of time, there will be a finite number of consumers. And every day, as a business, you’re either gaining loyal consumers or you’re losing frustrated consumers. So when you say, “Well, what’s the ROI on that?” What’s the ROI on happiness? The ROI on happiness for SharkNinja is infinite. That’s how we’ve built our business. It’s not even a question as to whether we’ll go and do it. The answer is we have to do it. We have to make sure that our consumers are happy. This conversation is really interesting, and there are two themes. One is that fans are everywhere, and the other one is how much you’re willing to talk about costs, things that cost money against growth. You’re constantly expanding. You’re launching 25 new products a year. It feels like you see growth as the engine that justifies whatever costs come about. Do you see an end to that growth? Hopefully not. I’m just asking because at some point. You’re going to run into a category problem, where you’re Apple and you have to make a car. Look, I’ve been told that now for 15 years. “Mark, you have a $500 million business. Could it get any bigger? Now you have a $700 million business. Can it get any bigger?” If you’ve worked at a company that’s growing 1 percent or declining 2 percent, it’s tough. Inflation is going up 3 or 4 percent. There’s not much money at that point to invest, innovate, reinvent yourself, and all of those things. Part of what we’re trying to do is disrupt ourselves. We were known as Shark, the steam mop company, 17 years ago. Then, we were Shark, the vacuum company. Now, if you speak to a college-aged person, they think we’re Shark, the beauty company. We’re constantly reinventing ourselves.   So, what growth allows you to do is invest, but investing alone is not enough. It’s not enough just to have money to invest. It’s about how willing you are disrupt yourself. Are you willing to take your old business model, rip it up, throw it away, and start new again? Are you willing to pivot quickly? Are you willing to say, “I’m going down a path that likely won’t work or that someone else is going to catch up to me?”  We go into these categories… I’ll invite you after we’re done with this, and it does apply to your air model. We have a product called the Shark TurboBlade. It is an indoor fan with 350 million impressions on social media right now. It is going viral on social media. When you look at that, you say to yourself, “Well, Mark, it’s a fan.” No, it solves an incredible consumer problem that the consumer didn’t even know that they had. It also creates a category of one. We’re not in the fan business, we’re in the TurboBlade business. We’re in the comfort business. So again, growth is the pathway. But it’s the mindset and the culture that allows you to be able to say, “I’m willing to rip it all up and start over again.” We’ve got to create a definable competitive advantage. There’s something really interesting, and honestly refreshing about the idea that you essentially see infinite new categories that will allow you to invest in some of the costs. I see a lot of your competitors saying, “Actually, to preserve our margins, we have to stop investing in a bunch of stuff because Chinese companies are coming or Amazon is available.” Amazon at this point is ChatGPT for products. You type something in, and 5,000 suppliers will show up to sell you variations of the same product.  The other piece of this, which I think is really interesting — and I want to make sure we spend some time on it here at the end — is how you think about marketing and about the brand. The brand is getting more upscale. We have a Shark vacuum from 1,000 years ago. I know that the plastics you’re using now are much higher quality than the one we have. You’re moving up, and a lot of how you’re moving up is marketing on social media. Adweek had a story reporting that you’re spending $700 million a year on advertising. That’s 11 percent of your sales, and all that is going to creators and product placement. As we’re speaking, the whole ad industry is at the Cannes Film Festival in France right now talking about the future of the ads. I look at your spend and I think, “Oh, this is the meteorite. This is going to hit the earth, and everything’s going to change.” You’re at the bleeding edge of it. Why make that bet? How do you think that is going, and where do you think it goes from here? Let’s go back 16 years. At that time, 100 percent of our ad spend was on what were called long-form infomercials, which were 30-minute infomercials. My partner would go on TV and run demonstrations. He and I would develop demo ideas to do. Why? Because we didn’t have any money at the time, and so we went on TV. A certain amount of the sales came to us directly and paid for the advertising expense. But a large portion of the sales went and got sold at retail outlets.  So, every company has to find their white space. So let’s start with that. People would say to me, “Well, you’re on infomercials.” Okay, but that was our way of expressing to the consumer what was unique or different about our products and the problems that we were solving, and it helped build our brands. I want to go back to the point about the online reviews in 2008. When I was a kid growing up in New York in the ’80s, there was the Sims Store, which would say, “The educated consumer is our best customer.” Well, in 1985, there were not many educated consumers. If you had a problem with a product, you returned it to the store, and you told your mom, dad, or friend that you wouldn’t buy this product. There was no forum where you could get the information out.  So, when online reviews started, that became a great selling vehicle and a great referral vehicle for us. It evolved as you got into 2014 and 2015 on Facebook. You’d have these big Facebook group chats with 30,000 or 40,000 people exchanging recipes and ideas. Then, right before COVID and during COVID, it really started evolving into social media with Instagram and TikTok. Today, it’s so much more than that. The platform we are going to have the highest increase on this year will likely be Reddit. We’re spending more on Pinterest. We’re spending more on YouTube.  There are now these ways for consumers and creators to express themselves, and for others to be able to get information about the product. So, if you go back a number of years and you were advertising, you created one message. You created one ad, you ran that one ad at nine o’clock at night on NBC, and the only people that saw it were the people who were watching NBC at nine o’clock at night. Go look at the comments section on some of our new products. “When is this product coming to Portugal? When’s the product coming to Norway?” Wed did a really interesting exercise. We went and mapped how buyers consume social media all around the world. You’d be interested to know that they’re not just consuming it in English in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia. They’re predominantly consuming it in English in the Netherlands, Poland, the Nordics, and the Middle East. So, one of the things that’s really driven the global expansion of our business is that there’s already pent-up demand for our products even before we even bring them into a market.  I’ll give you an interesting example. We were launching our Ninja Slushi in Norway. Social media got wind that one of the major retailers was going to have a Ninja Slushi product. The temperature outside was 5 degrees Fahrenheit. There were 400 people lined up outside of the store to buy a Ninja Slushi. That all came from this social media awareness that has no borders and just permeates all around the world. One of the things I think about a lot with the creator economy is that there’s the organic demand, which you’re describing. People see things. The content can travel anywhere with little regard for borders. Then, there’s your spend. You are spending on creators and influencers. That is a huge part of the market. It is a growing part of the market. There’s a ton of excitement there. There’s a ton of money there.  I see a supply and demand problem in the influencer economy. I think the creator-branded content economy is headed towards a crash just because of supply and demand. There’s an infinite supply of creators every day, and more creators are coming onto these platforms. There’s AI, which I want to talk about for one second here, that’s creating more and more content. There’s only so many people with only so many minutes. You can see the supply is just going to outstrip demand over time. Are you seeing your rates that you’re paying influencers go up or down in response to this? So I look at it a little bit differently. I think the crash that’s going to happen will be a big shakeout for those who are not creating compelling content. If you’re able to build super compelling content, you become very valuable to brands and to market with. I think there are a lot of people out there who are nailing it on their content, and they’re not investing in themselves, not evolving, and not continuously getting better. You as a creator might be able to do something for a brand, and you’ll say, “Hey, I did this post.” But I think you really need to be looking at the lifetime value you could be doing with this brand, not that one post. What if I was working with a company that was coming out with 25 new products a year, and they called me up every year to work with them on five of their products? I wouldn’t be thinking anymore about the short-term impact of getting through that one post and moving on to something else. I think that is what will to evolve and change over the course of the next year or two years as the metrics and the data become much faster, much more transparent.  I think we already have dashboards in the company where we can immediately look at a person, scorecard them, and be able to say, “These are creators we don’t want to work with anymore. These are creators we want to work with tremendously moving forward.” I don’t think that was something that was looked at as closely or managed as effectively since there was this big swoop up. I think you will see that change considerably over the next 18 months. You will find that the best creators really rise to the top, and there’s a real bifurcation of the market. When you look at those scorecards and dashboards, what are the metrics that you’re measuring to figure out who’s worth working with and who’s worth dropping? We’re looking at engagement metrics. We’re not just looking at views. We’re looking at likes, shares, and comments, and we’re looking at the types of comments. Are they commenting about something that you did that got them excited about the product, or are they commenting about something that maybe you wore in the spot?  So, there are tools and metrics now that have allowed us to get so much more educated. If I go back even 24 months ago, you’d get excited about a post that had 500,000 views. That 500,000 views is not the answer anymore. It’s now about drilling down and really understanding if a cohort of people engaged with that content. Did they get excited about that product? What did they do once they saw it? Did they just scroll to the next one, or did it elicit some type of reaction or feedback? I think that the world is getting much more educated and intelligent about that. I want to read you this quote from Mark Zuckerberg, because what you’re describing is a trend I see everywhere, which is that this industry is professionalizing. There’s going to be some winners and there’s going to be some losers. It’s really interesting to me that your background is in infomercials because I see all of these social platforms turning into marketing channels.  You’re describing the individual creator as something like a new generation ad agency or a marketing firm. They’re independent marketing agencies, they partner with you for a long duration, and they think of you as a client and they’re trying to deliver results to you. You could see how that would play out, but for AI. The platforms see that money, they see your $700 million, and they want it for themselves.  I say this as explicitly as I’m saying it because I have Zuckerberg here. He said this on stage at various conferences. He said it to my friend Ben Thompson, who recently interviewed him. I’m just going to read you the quote: “In general, we’re going to get to a point where you’re a business, you come to us, you tell us what your objective is, you connect your bank account. You don’t need any creative, you don’t need any targeting demographics, you don’t need any measurement, except to be able to read the results we spit out… I think it is a redefinition of the category of advertising.”  So he’s saying, “You, Mark, are going to show up, and you’re going to say, ‘I just need to sell some grills.’” Meta is going to AI generate some advertising, put it in their feeds, and deliver you sales. How do you feel about that? I think the professionalizing piece is spot on. The multi-year journey that we go on to develop a product and the insights that we get by having the product in 1,000 consumer homes, and all of this feedback that we get prior to launching the product that informs our creative and really allows us to hone the messaging and the testing. I think there’s a model out there where people say, “You know what? Forget all that. Just put out 10,000 pieces of content and see what hits. For the ones that hit, amplify, and for the ones that don’t hit, go away.” I still believe that with what we do, with the knowledge that we gain and the testing that we do, there is a need for great content, a real understanding of the product, and a real understanding of how the product is going to delight the consumer in their home. I think there’s a role — I call it fishing with a big net and throwing the net out there — but I also think that it is not going to be as overly simple as the way it’s described. I think that’s the other pressure on rates, though. I can feel that coming, that the platforms will find a way to take money out of the rates that the creators are getting paid. Like Instagram, for example. Today, creators make no money from Instagram. Their money is almost entirely from brand sponsorships and other integrated marketing. I think Meta will some of that money over time. How do you feel about the rates you’re paying to your best creators now, and do you think they’re going to go up or do you think they’re going to go down? It goes back to your supply and demand conversation and the metrics piece. I think the people who are doing amazing, compelling content will probably be more valuable, and they’re probably going to be worth more. Conversely, I think there’s going to be a whole group of people you were overpaying for, and you’re going to realize you were overpaying. You’re either going to have to negotiate those prices down or decide it’s not a fit. It’s no different than the way you look at TV networks. There are TV networks that deliver you the viewership you want at a certain price, and there are TV networks that don’t deliver it. Again, I think this is great for the industry. I think this is great for content creators. People have said to me, “Mark, what happens if TikTok gets banned?” The content creator community is here to stay. They will find other platforms. They will go to other places. They will find ways to express their creativity and what they’re doing. They’re providing great insight to people.  I’ve got to tell you something, When I go to a city, one of the first things I do is I go on TikTok and look for the best food places in that city. There’s amazing amounts of content and information that is so useful. I think in the end, this is going to be great for the content creator community, but it is going to be a situation where those who are doing great work are going to get paid more, and those who aren’t are going to have to reinvent themselves. Can I ask you an existential question? I know why it’s great for businesses that are trying to sell things. I can see that pretty clearly. I know why it’s great for the creators. They’re making a lot of money with essentially infomercials. I don’t know if it’s great for the people who consume media to open all the different apps on their phone, which are taking more and more time, and be awash in a sea of paid sponsored marketing messages.  Ultimately, these platforms are just becoming marketing channels. That is the money that drives the entire content ecosystem on every single one of these platforms. How do you think about that? You are a consumer of media as well. How do you experience that? We want to be relevant wherever the consumer is engaging and consuming content. We want to be relevant wherever the consumer is choosing to shop. I think it is the error of any consumer products company to not go where the consumer is going. I think if you head off to a different place where the consumer is not, and you just hope that the consumer would go there — No, I understand the company’s needs and why you’re there. I’m asking about you as a consumer of media, when you open TikTok or Instagram and it’s all marketing messages. Look, as a consumer, I’m consuming content in lots of different ways. I have my Apple News feed that I open up in the morning. I have my Bloomberg subscription that I open up in the morning. I’ve got options. I don’t have to open up Instagram. I don’t have to open up TikTok. I can open it up for the purposeful things I want to open it up for. But there are lots of other ways I can get information. I think it’s really up to the consumer to make that decision.  I’ll give you a great example. We just put the SharkNinja brand on Brad Pitt’s race car in F1: The Movie. We never thought about investing in Formula 1 or movies in the past, but we were just at the premiere, and SharkNinja had incredible placement. So social media is one place. The point is how are we a part of culture? Culture could be experiential events. Culture could be movies, TV shows, or outdoors.  I’m fascinated by what LVMH has done on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. Their store’s under construction, and they cover the entire store in a Louis Vuitton suitcase. You’ve got people on every corner snapping content in front of it. So again, I think it’s about being relevant where the consumer chooses to ingest content. We got to add a Verge subscription to your list of subscriptions. It’s very important to me that we throw that in there.  You’ve given me so much time, this has been great. Last question. You’ve got all these new products every year. As you look out over the next 12 months, what’s the one that we should all be looking out for? Wow. You’re going to get me in trouble if I tell you. That’s the idea. You get in trouble right at the end. I’m really excited about our beauty business and the roadmap we have coming out in hair and skin. I have two twenty-something-year-old daughters. That’s just a category I have a lot of passion for. My wife is a beauty enthusiast. So I’m really excited about what we’re doing in beauty.  On the Ninja side, I’m really excited about what we’re doing in the kitchen to bring things to consumers that make their homes and lives better. I think what we’re doing with the Luxe Café is incredible. The consumer can get drip coffee, iced coffee, and espresso, and can froth hot milk, cold milk, dairy milk, and non-dairy milk. I think we’re doing that in coffee. I think we’re doing that in slushies. I think we’re doing that in ice cream. I think we’re doing that in cooking. I’m just so excited. The roadmap of ideas we have in Ninja is really fulfilling this mission of positively impacting people’s lives every day and in every home around the world. Mark, this has been great. We’re going to have to get you back. There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t get to talk about that I really want to talk to you about. So we’ll have you come back soon, maybe before the next grill comes out. Look forward to it. Maybe fan season. I’m telling you, once you start seeing fans, they’re everywhere. Great. Thanks so much. Questions or comments about this episode? Hit us up at decoder@theverge.com. We really do read every email! View Source Article

A climate change activist was arrested after spray-painting Apple’s 5th Avenue store as part of a protest against Big Tech’s “climate hypocrisy.” Protestors from the Extinction Rebellion environmental group staged a demonstration at the New York City storefront on Sunday, and one individual spray-painted “Boycott” beneath the Apple logo on the building’s entrance, along with “Tim + Trump = Toxic.” In a press release posted after the demonstration, Extinction Rebellion called attention to the appearance of Big Tech CEOs at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, including Apple’s Tim Cook, Google’s Sundar Pichai, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Extinction Rebellion pointed out that the executives “once claimed to be big supporters of the Paris Agreement” but are now “backing an administration that’s gutting environmental rules and funneling billions of dollars to fossil fuels.” View Link A pair of Extinction Rebellion activists also stood inside the Apple store to call out the company’s relationship with the “tyrant” Trump administration. “Apple claims to support climate action. Apple claims to be good for the environment, and they continue to support climate denial, and ICE raids on your community,” one of the protesters shouted. “Tim Cook lies and people die.” The protestors followed up with a chant: “Dump Trump, Apple!” Extinction Rebellion, which has staged protests in New York City in the past, brought up the electricity demand that’s expected with the growth of AI in the tech industry, too. Last month, Google’s annual sustainability report revealed that its carbon emissions grew 11 percent last year to 11.5 million tons of pollution, and energy usage rose at its data centers. Microsoft is similarly moving further from its climate goals as it invests more in AI, which is estimated to consume more power than Bitcoin by the end of this year. “In 2023, Tim Cook called combatting climate change one of the most urgent priorities of our time,” Miles Grant, an Extinction Rebellion spokesperson, said in the press release. “Fast forward to 2025, and he’s donating to Trump—the man leading the charge to roll back all climate progress. They’ve betrayed their customers and the planet at the most critical moment in human history.”  Apple didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment. View Source Article

Hoping to recapture the popularity of the Barbie movie that grossed over $1.44 billion worldwide, toy maker Mattel has announced that Wicked’s Jon M. Chu will direct its upcoming live-action Hot Wheels movie, with Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, whose credits include Creed II and They Cloned Tyrone, writing the script. The film was first announced over three years ago with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot also producing, but there are still no plot details aside from it being a “high-octane action film” that will feature “some of the world’s hottest and sleekest vehicles.” With Apple’s F1 having taken in over $290 million at the box office in just 10 days, there’s potentially a renewed interest from audiences for movies featuring fast cars — or at least full-sized ones. Chu is best known for his directorial work on films that include Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights, and Wicked, which received 10 Oscar nominations and has grossed over $750 million ahead of the sequel hitting theaters on November 21st. “Jon’s ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring Hot Wheels to life. His films are visual spectacles—true eye candy—but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames,” says Robbie Brenner, President of Mattel Studios, in a press release from the toy maker today. Following the success of Barbie, Mattel announced several other film projects based on its most popular toy lines, in addition to Hot Wheels. These include movies based on Polly Pocket, the Masters of the Universe, the Magic 8 Ball, the card game Uno, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, and the American Girl Doll. View Source Article

A bigger, more powerful Switch means bigger, more intensive games that take more time and money to make. But as development costs skyrocket across the industry, Nintendo seems to have a plan to keep things in control as it transitions into the Switch 2 era. In response to a question during a recent shareholders meeting about the increased costs of making games for its new console, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa admitted that “recent game software development has become larger in scale and longer in duration, resulting in higher development costs. The game business has always been a high-risk business, and we recognize that rising development costs are increasing that risk.” However, he said that Nintendo’s development teams are “currently devising various ways to maintain our traditional approach to creating games amidst the increasing scale and length of development. We believe it is important to make the necessary investments for more efficient development.” “The game business has always been a high-risk business.” The early lineup of first-party Switch 2 games has already shown Nintendo being more ambitious with its franchises on the enhanced hardware. Mario Kart World introduced an open-world structure to the long-running racing series, while the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza adds an impressive destructive element to a more traditional 3D platforming experience. This has come with increased costs for consumers; World sells for $79.99, $10 more than most Nintendo games, while the Switch 2 itself is $449.99, a $100 jump over the Switch OLED. (In response to a question about these prices making it harder to reach younger audiences, Furukawa said that “we are closely monitoring to what degree the price of the system might become a barrier.”) Of course, Nintendo is not alone, and the increased scale of game development has been disastrous for many of its competitors. Just last week Microsoft’s gaming division was hit hard by layoffs and game cancellations, while high-profile games like Black Panther and Concord were both shut down alongside their development studios. Nintendo has been one of the rare exceptions in the floundering game industry, but keeping that up will become increasingly challenging as games get bigger. Then again, Furukawa offered one concrete way of combatting this: more smaller games. ”We also believe it is possible to develop game software with shorter development periods that still offer consumers a sense of novelty,“ Furukawa said. ”We see this as one potential solution to the concern aboutrising development costs and software prices, and we will explore it from various angles within thecompany.“ View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day kicks off tomorrow, July 8th, but you don’t have to wait until then to pick up Apple’s latest pair of AirPods at a discount. Right now, the AirPods 4 are available for around $99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, while the AirPods 4 with noise cancellation are going for around $149 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. That’s within $10 of the lowest price we’ve seen on the ANC model and matches the lowest price to date on the base pair. AirPods 4 Where to Buy: $129 $99 at Amazon $129 $99 at Walmart $179 $148.99 at Amazon (with ANC) Both versions of Apple’s current-gen earbuds feature shorter stems and larger buds than previous models, allowing them to accommodate a broader range of ear shapes. The open-style earbuds use a hard plastic body that doesn’t create a tight seal inside your ear, which means they sacrifice some bass response compared to gummy-tipped earbuds. Hardshell earbuds won’t create pressure in your ear, though, which can feel uncomfortable after listening to music for a few hours. Overall, the fourth-gen AirPods sound better than previous models due to a custom amplifier and new acoustic architecture. Audio quality is somewhat subjective and largely depends on how the music was recorded, mixed, and mastered; however, former Verge staffer Chris Welch noted in his review that he was pleased with the sound of Apple’s latest pair of wireless earbuds. If you’re upgrading from an older pair, you’ll notice a difference. The AirPods 4 run on Apple’s H2 chip, which is required for Voice Isolation, a feature that reduces background noise and amplifies the volume of your voice during calls. If you’re using an iPhone, you can say “Hey Siri” to evoke Apple’s smart assistant to place calls, hear and return messages, and play music. You can also locate the earbuds using the Find My app on Apple devices if they’re misplaced.  The entry-level model can last up to five hours on a single charge and can be fully charged five times using the included USB-C charging case (the ANC model also offers wireless charging). Both pairs of earbuds are also IP54-rated for dust, sweat, and water resistance, ensuring you can wear them safely during workouts. Needless to say, the AirPods 4 are excellent earbuds at their current price, whether you opt for the model with active noise cancellation or not. Three more deals worth your time Amazon’s latest Kindle Scribe is currently on sale at Amazon with 16GB of storage starting at $259.99 ($140 off), an all-time low. The 10.2-inch e-reader can last for weeks between charges, features a backlit display for reading in the dark, and supports Bluetooth for playing Audible audiobooks. The Scribe also doubles as a digital notebook and comes with a stylus that lets you mark up books and documents. You can create notebooks with handwritten notes, which you can then send to yourself or others via email. The Scribe’s more recent AI tools can summarize longer notebooks, too, or convert your handwriting into a more legible script or typed text. The Garmin Venu Sq 2 is down to an all-time low of $149.99 ($100 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Verge reviewer Victoria Song called it the best fitness watch for casual users, and a good choice if you’re moving away from a Fitbit. It features a 40mm OLED screen, a battery that can last up to 11 days, and doesn’t require a subscription unless you want AI insights. The smartwatch can track your steps, sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen level, hydration, respiratory rate, menstrual cycles, and other health metrics to help you track trends. A built-in free training program, called Garmin Coach, can even help you work up to a 5K, a 10K, or a marathon. You can get Samsung’s Q-Series HW-QS700F soundbar for $497.99 ($200 off) at Amazon, which is its second-best price to date. The 45.67-inch soundbar features five drivers: three are directed upward and two forward, along with a built-in 6-inch subwoofer, enabling it to produce Dolby Atmos surround sound. It comes with a 9.8-inch wireless subwoofer for even more bass, and it’s compatible with Q-Symphony, a feature that connects the HW-QS700F to speakers in a compatible Samsung TV to create a larger audio system. A built-in mic allows you to calibrate the soundbar based on the size and shape of your room, and a sensor will detect whether it’s lying flat or mounted on a wall to ensure the audio sounds correct. View Source Article

Last September, after successfully suing Google for running an illegal app store monopoly, Epic Games sued Samsung, too - alleging the phonemaker of illegally conspiring with Google to undermine third-party app stores. An "Auto Blocker" feature on Samsung Android phones, which was turned on by default, automatically kept users from installing apps from stores that haven't been authorized by Samsung, such as Epic's mobile store. Now, two days before Samsung is due to announce new phones at its Samsung Unpacked event, Epic has dropped all its claims against Samsung, saying it's reached a settlement. Epic isn't providing any details, though. … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

People hold signs as they gather in a protest outside a Tesla dealership in Lisbon against Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on March 9th, 2025. | Photo: AFP via Getty Images Tesla used to be the envy of the auto world, with sky-high valuations, a relentless focus on tech, and a CEO that commanded unprecedented loyalty from his customers. Now the company's reputation is in shambles, its financial future looks increasingly grim, and its costly bets on AI and robotics are unlikely to pay off anytime soon. Weirdly, CEO Elon Musk has only just "woken up" to the mounting crisis on his doorstep. That's according to an unnamed "former Tesla executive," who told the Financial Times that Musk has only just now come to terms with the damage his political activities are creating for Tesla. The passage of President Donald … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

XAI Grok is being integrated with Tesla cars. Premium connectivity is needed. This will launch in a week or so. Green is working with a testbench. The integration happened with a Tesla software update. This will run on all 2025.20 firmware software systems. I decided may be I need to be a bit less lazy ... Read more View Source Article

AI did better than human doctors on known case diagnosis. However, doctors were handicapped by not being able to use Google and other references and all of the cases did have diseases. Most actual cases have healthy patients. The results? 📊 Accuracy: Doctors: 20% (ouch) Standard AI: 30-79% MAI-DxO: 80-85.5% 💰 Cost per case: Doctors: ... Read more View Source Article

Tesla had 384,122 deliveries which was above the 365,000 whisper number for deliveries. 2025 2Q Tesla Production & Deliveries ==================== Production Deliveries Q1. 362,615 336,681 Q2. 410,244 384,122 The range of estimates had significant worries that deliveries would be at the Q1 level or worse. Global car sales are soft. Tesla sold a combined 10,394 ... Read more View Source Article

Looks like there are new Grok 4 model versions (0702) – grok-4-0702 and grok-4-code-0702. Rumor that xAI will release two versions. ➝ GROK 4 & GROK 4 code Various reports and rumors of Grok 4 capabilities: • Massive 131,000-token context window • Built-in function calling for real-world tasks • Advanced reasoning with structured, reliable outputs ... Read more View Source Article

The City of Austin is reporting robotaxi traffic incidents with daily updates. Waymo has about ten times the number of vehicles and double the driving area as Tesla in Austin. Waymo has been operating since March and Tesla since June 22. Waymo has 12 incidents in June and July and Tesla has had 1 incident. ... Read more View Source Article

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Tesla has started executing on Robotaxi but a lot more must happen to enable a big share price run. There are two key things that must happen. There needs to be the massive expansion to at least 20,000 vehicles offering robotaxi in multiple cities. There needs to be a surge in car sales either from ... Read more View Source Article

XAI Grok 4 Benchmarks are showing it is the leading model. Humanity Last Exam at 35 and 45 for reasoning is a big improvement from about 21 for other top models. If these leaked Grok 4 benchmarks are correct, 95 AIME, 88 GPQA, 75 SWE-bench, then XAI has the most powerful model on the market. ... Read more View Source Article

Tesla and Waymo are battling head to head for the future of Robotaxi in Austin Texas. Tesla has been operating for two weeks. How do they compare on safety? What will happen over the next few months in terms of expansion in service area and vehicles? View Source Article

A rule-breaking, colorful silicone that could conduct electricity. Previously only thought to be insulating, a shift in the angle between silicon and oxygen atoms creates a highway for an electrical charge. On a molecular level, silicones are made up of a backbone of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms (Si—O—Si) with organic (carbon-based) groups attached to ... Read more View Source Article

Inserting a nanometer-thin spacer in ExUC-OLEDs improves energy transfer, enhances blue light emission 77-fold, paving way for lightweight, low-voltage, and more flexible OLEDs . The effect of spacer insertion depends on the dipole moment. Therefore, it is possible to extend the material selection tolerance for ExUC-OLEDs using appropriate spacer materials. ExUC-OLEDs can be driven at ... Read more View Source Article

Skywatching Skywatching Home What’s Up Meteor Showers Eclipses Daily Moon Guide More Tips & Guides Skywatching FAQ Night Sky Network A.M./P.M. Planet Watching, Plus the Eagle Constellation Mars shines in the evening, and is joined briefly by Mercury. Jupiter joins Venus as the month goes on. And all month, look for Aquila the eagle. Skywatching Highlights All Month – Planet Visibility: Venus: Shines brightly in the east each morning during the couple of hours before sunrise, with the Pleiades and bright stars Aldebaran and Capella. Mars: Sits in the west, about 20 degrees above the horizon as twilight fades. Sets a couple of hours after dark. Jupiter: Starts to become visible low in the east in the hour before sunrise after mid-month. You’ll notice it rises a bit higher each day through August, quickly approaching closer to Venus each morning. Mercury: Visible very low in the west (10 degrees or lower) the first week or so in July. Find it for a short time before it sets, beginning 30-45 minutes after sunset. Saturn: Rises around midnight and climbs to a point high in the south as dawn approaches. Daily Highlights: July 1 – 7 – Mercury is relatively bright and easy to spot without a telescope, beginning about 30-45 minutes after sunset for the first week or so of July. You will need an unobstructed view toward the horizon, and note that it sets within an hour after the Sun. July 21 & 22 – Moon, Venus, & Jupiter – Look toward the east this morning to find a lovely scene, with the crescent Moon and Venus, plus several bright stars. And if you have a clear view toward the horizon, Jupiter is there too, low in the sky. July 28 – Moon & Mars – The crescent Moon appears right next to Mars this evening after sunset. All month – Constellation: Aquila – The Eagle constellation, Aquila, appears in the eastern part of the sky during the first half of the night. Its brightest star, Altair, is the southernmost star in the Summer Triangle, which is an easy-to-locate star pattern in Northern Hemisphere summer skies. Transcript What’s Up for July? Mars shines in the evening sky, sixty years after its first close-up, Venus brightens your mornings, and the eagle soars overhead. First up, Mercury is visible for a brief time following sunset for the first week of July. Look for it very low in the west 30 to 45 minutes after sundown. It sets within the hour after that, so be on the ball if you want to catch it! Mars is visible for the first hour or two after it gets dark. You’ll find it sinking lower in the sky each day and looking a bit dimmer over the course of the month, as our two planets’ orbits carry them farther apart. The crescent Moon appears right next to Mars on the 28th. Sky chart showing Mercury and Mars in the western sky following sunset in early July. NASA/JPL-Caltech July is the 60th anniversary of the first successful flyby of Mars, by NASA’s Mariner 4 spacecraft in 1965. Mariner 4 sent back the first photos of another planet from deep space, along with the discovery that the Red Planet has only a very thin, cold atmosphere. Next, Saturn is rising late in the evening, and by dawn it’s high overhead to the south. Looking to the morning sky, Venus shines brightly all month. You’ll find it in the east during the couple of hours before sunrise, with the Pleiades and bright stars Aldebaran and Capella. And as the month goes on, Jupiter makes its morning sky debut, rising in the hour before sunrise and appearing a little higher each day. Sky chart showing Venus in the morning sky in July. NASA/JPL-Caltech By the end of the month, early risers will have the two brightest planets there greeting them each morning. They’re headed for a super-close meetup in mid-August, and the pair will be a fixture of the a.m. sky through late this year. Look for them together with the crescent moon on the 21st and 22nd. Aquila, The Eagle From July and into August, is a great time to observe the constellation Aquila, the eagle. Sky chart showing the shape and orientation of the constellation Aquila in the July evening sky. Aquila’s brightest star, Altair, is part of the Summer Triangle star pattern. NASA/JPL-Caltech This time of year, it soars high into the sky in the first half of the night. Aquila represents the mythical eagle that was a powerful servant and messenger of the Greek god Zeus. The eagle carried his lightning bolts and was a symbol of his power as king of the gods. To find Aquila in the sky, start by locating its brightest star, Altair. It’s one the three bright stars in the Summer Triangle, which is super easy to pick out during summer months in the Northern Hemisphere. Altair is the second brightest of the three, and sits at the southernmost corner of the triangle. The other stars in Aquila aren’t as bright as Altair, which can make observing the constellation challenging if you live in an area with a lot of light pollution. It’s easier, though, if you know how the eagle is oriented on the sky. Imagine it’s flying toward the north with its wings spread wide, its right wing pointed toward Vega. If you can find Altair, and Aquila’s next brightest star, you can usually trace out the rest of the spread-eagle shape from there. ​​The second half of July is the best time of the month to observe Aquila, as the Moon doesn’t rise until later then, making it easier to pick out the constellation’s fainter stars. Observing the constellation Aquila makes for a worthy challenge in the July night sky. And once you’re familiar with its shape, it’s hard not to see the mythical eagle soaring overhead among the summertime stars. Here are the phases of the Moon for July. The phases of the Moon for July 2025. NASA/JPL-Caltech You can stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov. I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month. Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

5 min read How NASA’s SPHEREx Mission Will Share Its All-Sky Map With the World  NASA’s SPHEREx mission will map the entire sky in 102 different wavelengths, or colors, of infrared light. This image of the Vela Molecular Ridge was captured by SPHEREx and is part of the mission’s first ever public data release. The yellow patch on the right side of the image is a cloud of interstellar gas and dust that glows in some infrared colors due to radiation from nearby stars. NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s newest astrophysics space telescope launched in March on a mission to create an all-sky map of the universe. Now settled into low-Earth orbit, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) has begun delivering its sky survey data to a public archive on a weekly basis, allowing anyone to use the data to probe the secrets of the cosmos. “Because we’re looking at everything in the whole sky, almost every area of astronomy can be addressed by SPHEREx data,” said Rachel Akeson, the lead for the SPHEREx Science Data Center at IPAC. IPAC is a science and data center for astrophysics and planetary science at Caltech in Pasadena, California. Almost every area of astronomy can be addressed by SPHEREx data. Rachel Akeson SPHEREx Science Data Center Lead Other missions, like NASA’s now-retired WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), have also mapped the entire sky. SPHEREx builds on this legacy by observing in 102 infrared wavelengths, compared to WISE’s four wavelength bands. By putting the many wavelength bands of SPHEREx data together, scientists can identify the signatures of specific molecules with a technique known as spectroscopy. The mission’s science team will use this method to study the distribution of frozen water and organic molecules — the “building blocks of life” — in the Milky Way. This animation shows how NASA’s SPHEREx observatory will map the entire sky — a process it will complete four times over its two-year mission. The telescope will observe every point in the sky in 102 different infrared wavelengths, more than any other all-sky survey. SPHEREx’s openly available data will enable a wide variety of astronomical studies. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech The SPHEREx science team will also use the mission’s data to study the physics that drove the universe’s expansion following the big bang, and to measure the amount of light emitted by all the galaxies in the universe over time. Releasing SPHEREx data in a public archive encourages far more astronomical studies than the team could do on their own. “By making the data public, we enable the whole astronomy community to use SPHEREx data to work on all these other areas of science,” Akeson said. NASA is committed to the sharing of scientific data, promoting transparency and efficiency in scientific research. In line with this commitment, data from SPHEREx appears in the public archive within 60 days after the telescope collects each observation. The short delay allows the SPHEREx team to process the raw data to remove or flag artifacts, account for detector effects, and align the images to the correct astronomical coordinates. The team publishes the procedures they used to process the data alongside the actual data products. “We want enough information in those files that people can do their own research,” Akeson said. One of the early test images captured by NASA’s SPHEREx mission in April 2025. This image shows a section of sky in one infrared wavelength, or color, that is invisible to the human eye but is represented here in a visible color. This particular wavelength (3.29 microns) reveals a cloud of dust made of a molecule similar to soot or smoke. NASA/JPL-Caltech This image from NASA’s SPHEREx shows the same region of space in a different infrared wavelength (0.98 microns), once again represented by a color that is visible to the human eye. The dust cloud has vanished because the molecules that make up the dust — polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — do not radiate light in this color. NASA/JPL-Caltech During its two-year prime mission, SPHEREx will survey the entire sky twice a year, creating four all-sky maps. After the mission reaches the one-year mark, the team plans to release a map of the whole sky at all 102 wavelengths. In addition to the science enabled by SPHEREx itself, the telescope unlocks an even greater range of astronomical studies when paired with other missions. Data from SPHEREx can be used to identify interesting targets for further study by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, refine exoplanet parameters collected from NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), and study the properties of dark matter and dark energy along with ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) Euclid mission and NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The SPHEREx mission’s all-sky survey will complement data from other NASA space telescopes. SPHEREx is illustrated second from the right. The other telescope illustrations are, from left to right: the Hubble Space Telescope, the retired Spitzer Space Telescope, the retired WISE/NEOWISE mission, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. NASA/JPL-Caltech The IPAC archive that hosts SPHEREx data, IRSA (NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive), also hosts pointed observations and all-sky maps at a variety of wavelengths from previous missions. The large amount of data available through IRSA gives users a comprehensive view of the astronomical objects they want to study. “SPHEREx is part of the entire legacy of NASA space surveys,” said IRSA Science Lead Vandana Desai. “People are going to use the data in all kinds of ways that we can’t imagine.” NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer leads open science efforts for the agency. Public sharing of scientific data, tools, research, and software maximizes the impact of NASA’s science missions. To learn more about NASA’s commitment to transparency and reproducibility of scientific research, visit science.nasa.gov/open-science. To get more stories about the impact of NASA’s science data delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the NASA Open Science newsletter. By Lauren LeeseWeb Content Strategist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer  More About SPHEREx The SPHEREx mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the agency’s Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado, built the telescope and the spacecraft bus. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data will be conducted by a team of scientists located at 10 institutions in the U.S., two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan. Caltech in Pasadena managed and integrated the instrument. The mission’s principal investigator is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment. Data will be processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech. The SPHEREx dataset will be publicly available at the NASA-IPAC Infrared Science Archive. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. To learn more about SPHEREx, visit: https://nasa.gov/SPHEREx Media Contacts Calla CofieldJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-808-2469calla.e.cofield@jpl.nasa.gov Amanda AdamsOffice of the Chief Science Data Officer256-683-6661amanda.m.adams@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 02, 2025 Related Terms Open Science Astrophysics Galaxies Jet Propulsion Laboratory SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe and Ices Explorer) The Search for Life The Universe Explore More 3 min read Discovery Alert: Flaring Star, Toasted Planet Article 6 hours ago 11 min read 3 Years of Science: 10 Cosmic Surprises from NASA’s Webb Telescope Article 7 hours ago 7 min read A New Alloy is Enabling Ultra-Stable Structures Needed for Exoplanet Discovery Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

Credit: NASA NASA has awarded a contract to MacLean Engineering & Applied Technologies, LLC of Houston to provide simulation and advanced software services to the agency. The Simulation and Advanced Software Services II (SASS II) contract includes services from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2030, with a maximum potential value not to exceed $150 million. The contract is a single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quality contract with the capability to issue cost-plus-fixed-fee task orders and firm-fixed-price task orders. Under the five-year SASS II contract, the awardee is tasked to provide simulation and software services for space-based vehicle models and robotic manipulator systems; human biomechanical representations for analysis and development of countermeasures devices; guidance, navigation, and control of space-based vehicles for all flight phases; and space-based vehicle on-board computer systems simulations of flight software systems. Responsibilities also include astronomical object surface interaction simulation of space-based vehicles, graphics support for simulation visualization and engineering analysis, and ground-based and onboarding systems to support human-in-the-loop training. Major subcontractors include Tietronix Software Inc. in Houston and VEDO Systems, LLC, in League City, Texas. For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/ -end- Tiernan DoyleHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov Chelsey BallarteJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111Chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 02, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsTechnologyJohnson Space Center View Source Article

The four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station train inside a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in Hawthorne, California. From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui.Credit: SpaceX NASA and its partners will discuss the upcoming crew rotation to the International Space Station during a pair of news conferences on Thursday, July 10, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.First is an overview news conference at 12 p.m. EDT with mission leadership discussing final launch and mission preparations on the agency’s YouTube channel. Next, crew will participate in a news conference at 2 p.m. on NASA’s YouTube channel, followed by individual astronaut interviews at 3 p.m. This is the final media opportunity with Crew-11 before they travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch.The Crew-11 mission, targeted to launch in late July/early August, will carry NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov to the orbiting laboratory. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A.United States-based media seeking to attend in person must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, July 7, at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. Any media interested in participating in the news conferences by phone must contact the Johnson newsroom by 9:45 a.m. the day of the event. Media seeking virtual interviews with the crew must submit requests to the Johnson newsroom by 5 p.m. on Monday, July 7.Briefing participants are as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):12 p.m.: Mission Overview News Conference Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Bill Spetch, operations integration manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate representative Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX Mayumi Matsuura, vice president and director general, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA 2 p.m.: Crew News Conference Zena Cardman, Crew-11 commander, NASA Mike Fincke, Crew-11 pilot, NASA Kimiya Yui, Crew-11 mission specialist, JAXA Oleg Platonov, Crew-11 mission specialist, Roscosmos 3 p.m.: Crew Individual Interview Opportunities Crew-11 members available for a limited number of interviews Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017, Cardman will conduct her first spaceflight. The Williamsburg, Virginia, native holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the time of selection, she was pursuing a doctorate in geosciences. Cardman’s geobiology and geochemical cycling research focused on subsurface environments, from caves to deep sea sediments. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and lunar surface exploration planning. Follow @zenanaut on X and @zenanaut on Instagram.This will be Fincke’s fourth trip to the space station, having logged 382 days in space and nine spacewalks during Expedition 9 in 2004, Expedition 18 in 2008, and STS-134 in 2011, the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour. Throughout the past decade, Fincke has applied his expertise to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, advancing the development and testing of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Boeing Starliner spacecraft toward operational certification. The Emsworth, Pennsylvania, native is a graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and holds bachelors’ degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, in both aeronautics and astronautics, as well as Earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences. He also has a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University in California. Fincke is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with more than 2,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft. Follow @AstroIronMike on X and Instagram.With 142 days in space, this will be Yui’s second trip to the space station. After his selection as a JAXA astronaut in 2009, Yui flew as a flight engineer for Expedition 44/45 and became the first Japanese astronaut to capture JAXA’s H-II Transfer Vehicle using the station’s robotic arm. In addition to constructing a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, he conducted a total of 21 experiments for JAXA. In November 2016, Yui was assigned as chief of the JAXA Astronaut Group. He graduated from the School of Science and Engineering at the National Defense Academy of Japan in 1992. He later joined the Air Self-Defense Force at the Japan Defense Agency (currently the Ministry of Defense). In 2008, Yui joined the Air Staff Office at the Ministry of Defense as a lieutenant colonel. Follow @astro_kimiya on X.The Crew-11 mission also will be Platonov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, Platonov earned a degree in engineering from Krasnodar Air Force Academy in aircraft operations and air traffic management. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in state and municipal management in 2016 from the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2021, he has experience in piloting aircraft, zero gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival. For more information about the mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end- Claire O’Shea / Joshua FinchHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov Sandra Jones / Joseph ZakrzewskiJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / Joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 02, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsHumans in SpaceISS ResearchOpportunities For International Participants to Get Involved View Source Article

This artist’s concept animation shows the orbital dynamics of KOI-134 system which, in 2025, a paper revealed to have two planets: KOI-134 b and KOI-134 c. NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Miller (Caltech/IPAC) The Planets KOI-134 b and KOI-134 c  This artist’s concept shows the KOI-134 system which, in 2025, a paper revealed to have two planets: KOI-134 b and KOI-134 c. NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Miller (Caltech/IPAC) The Discovery A new investigation into old Kepler data has revealed that a planetary system once thought to house zero planets actually has two planets which orbit their star in a unique style, like an old-fashioned merry-go-round.  Key Facts The KOI-134 system contains two planets which orbit their star in a peculiar fashion on two different orbital planes, with one planet exhibiting significant variation in transit times. This is the first-discovered system of its kind.  Details  Over a decade ago, scientists used NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope to observe the KOI-134 system and thought that it might have a planet orbiting, but they deemed this planet candidate to be a false positive, because its transits (or passes in front of its star) were not lining up as expected. These transits were so abnormal that the planet was actually weeded out through an automated system as a false positive before it could be analyzed further.  However, NASA’s commitment to openly sharing scientific data means that researchers can constantly revisit old observations to make new discoveries. In this new study, researchers re-analyzed this Kepler data on KOI-134 and confirmed that not only is the “false positive” actually a real planet, but the system has two planets and some really interesting orbital dynamics!  First, the “false positive” planet, named KOI-134 b, was confirmed to be a warm Jupiter (or a warm planet of a similar size to Jupiter). Through this analysis, researchers uncovered that the reason this planet eluded confirmation previously is because it experiences what are called transit timing variations (TTVs), or small differences in a planet’s transit across its star that can make its transit “early” or “late” because the planet is being pushed or pulled by the gravity from another planet which was also revealed in this study. Researchers estimate that KOI-134 b transits across its star as much as 20 hours “late” or “early,” which is a significant variation. In fact, it was so significant that it’s the reason why the planet wasn’t confirmed in initial observations.  As these TTVs are caused by the gravitational interaction with another planet, this discovery also revealed a planetary sibling: KOI-134 c. Through studying this system in simulations that include these TTVs, the team found that KOI-134 c is a planet slightly smaller than Saturn and closer to its star than KOI-134 b.  This artist’s concept shows the KOI-134 system which, in 2025, a paper revealed to have two planets: KOI-134 b and KOI-134 c. NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Miller (Caltech/IPAC) KOI-134 c previously eluded observation because it orbits on a tilted orbital plane, a different plane from KOI-134 b, and this tilted orbit prevents the planet from transiting its star. The two orbital planes of these planets are about 15 degrees different from one another, also known as a mutual inclination of 15 degrees, which is significant. Due to the gravitational push and pull between these two planets, their orbital planes also tilt back and forth.  Another interesting feature of this planetary system is something called resonance. These two planets have a 2 to 1 resonance, meaning within the same time that one planet completes one orbit, the other completes two orbits. In this case, KOI-134 b has an orbital period (the time it takes a planet to complete one orbit) of about 67 days, which is twice the orbital period of KOI-134 c, which orbits every 33-34 days.  Between the separate orbital planes tilting back and forth, the TTVs, and the resonance, the two planets orbit their star in a pattern that resembles two wooden ponies bobbing up and down as they circle around on an old-fashioned merry go round.  Fun Facts While this system started as a false positive with Kepler, this re-analysis of the data reveals a vibrant system with two planets. In fact, this is the first-ever discovered compact, multiplanetary system that isn’t flat, has such a significant TTV, and experiences orbital planes tilting back and forth.  Also, most planetary systems do not have high mutual inclinations between close planet pairs. In addition to being a rarity, mutual inclinations like this are also not often measured because of challenges within the observation process. So, having measurements like this of a significant mutual inclination in a system, as well as measurements of resonance and TTVs, provides a clear picture of dynamics within a planetary system which we are not always able to see.  The Discoverers A team of scientists led by Emma Nabbie of the University of Southern Queensland published a paper on June 27 on their discovery, “A high mutual inclination system around KOI-134 revealed by transit timing variations,” in the journal “Nature Astronomy.” The observations described in this paper and used in simulations in this paper were made by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope and the paper included collaboration and contributions from institutions including the University of Geneva, University of La Laguna, Purple Mountain Observatory, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Southern Queensland, and NASA’s retired Kepler Space Telescope. View Source Article

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS The United States flag adorns an aluminum plate mounted at the base of the mast, or “head,” of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover. This image of the plate was taken on June 28, 2025 (the 1,548th day, or sol, of the mission), by the WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering) camera on the end of the rover’s robotic arm. WATSON, part of an instrument called SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals), was built by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) in San Diego and is operated jointly by MSSS and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. JPL, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. Learn more about Perseverance’s latest science. View Source Article

5 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Swept Wing Flow Test model, known as SWiFT, with pressure sensitive paint applied, sports a pink glow under ultraviolet lights while tested during 2023 in a NASA wind tunnel at Langley Research Center in Virginia.NASA / Dave Bowman Many of us grew up using paint-by-number sets to create beautiful color pictures. For years now, NASA engineers studying aircraft and rocket designs in wind tunnels have flipped that childhood pastime, using computers to generate images from “numbers-by-paint” – pressure sensitive paint (PSP), that is. Now, advances in the use of high-speed cameras, supercomputers, and even more sensitive PSP have made this numbers-by-paint process 10,000 times faster while creating engineering visuals with 1,000 times higher resolution. So, what’s the big difference exactly between the “old” capability in use at NASA for more than a decade and the “new?” “The key is found by adding a single word in front of PSP, namely ‘unsteady’ pressure sensitive paint, or uPSP,” said E. Lara Lash, an aerospace engineer from NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. With PSP, NASA researchers study the large-scale effects of relatively smooth air flowing over the wings and body of aircraft. Now with uPSP, they are able to see in finer detail what happens when more turbulent air is present – faster and better than ever before. In some cases with the new capability, researchers can get their hands on the wind tunnel data they’re looking for within 20 minutes. That’s quick enough to allow engineers to adjust their testing in real time. Usually, researchers record wind tunnel data and then take it back to their labs to decipher days or weeks later. If they find they need more data, it can take additional weeks or even months to wait in line for another turn in the wind tunnel. “The result of these improvements provides a data product that is immediately useful to aerodynamic engineers, structural engineers, or engineers from other disciplines,” Lash said. Robert Pearce, NASA’s associate administrator for aeronautics, who recently saw a demonstration of uPSP-generated data displayed at Ames, hailed the new tool as a national asset that will be available to researchers all over the country. “It’s a unique NASA innovation that isn’t offered anywhere else,” Pearce said. “It will help us maintain NASA’s world leadership in wind tunnel capabilities.” A technician sprays unsteady pressure sensitive paint onto the surface of a small model of the Space Launch System in preparation for testing in a NASA wind tunnel.NASA / Dave Bowman How it Works With both PSP and uPSP, a unique paint is applied to scale models of aircraft or rockets, which are mounted in wind tunnels equipped with specific types of lights and cameras. When illuminated during tests, the paint’s color brightness changes depending on the levels of pressure the model experiences as currents of air rush by. Darker shades mean higher pressure; lighter shades mean lower pressure. Cameras capture the brightness intensity and a supercomputer turns that information into a set of numbers representing pressure values, which are made available to engineers to study and glean what truths they can about the vehicle design’s structural integrity. “Aerodynamic forces can vibrate different parts of the vehicle to different degrees,” Lash said. “Vibrations could damage what the vehicle is carrying or can even lead to the vehicle tearing itself apart. The data we get through this process can help us prevent that.” Traditionally, pressure readings are taken using sensors connected to little plastic tubes strung through a model’s interior and poking up through small holes in key places, such as along the surface of a wing or the fuselage.  Each point provides a single pressure reading. Engineers must use mathematical models to estimate the pressure values between the individual sensors. With PSP, there is no need to estimate the numbers. Because the paint covers the entire model, its brightness as seen by the cameras reveals the pressure values over the whole surface. A four-percent scale model of the Space Launch System rocket is tested in 2017 using unsteady Pressure Sensitive Paint inside the 11-foot by 11-foot Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California.NASA / Dominic Hart Making it Better The introduction, testing, and availability of uPSP is the result of a successful five-year-long effort, begun in 2019, in which researchers challenged themselves to significantly improve the PSP’s capability with its associated cameras and computers. The NASA team’s desire was to develop and demonstrate a better process of acquiring, processing, and visualizing data using a properly equipped wind tunnel and supercomputer, then make the tool available at NASA wind tunnels across the country. The focus during a capability challenge was on NASA’s Unitary Plan Facility’s 11-foot transonic wind tunnel, which the team connected to the nearby NASA Advanced Supercomputing Facility, both located at Ames. Inside the wind tunnel, a scale model of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket served as the primary test subject during the challenge period. Now that the agency has completed its Artemis I uncrewed lunar flight test mission, researchers can match the flight-recorded data with the wind tunnel data to see how well reality and predictions compare. With the capability challenge officially completed at the end of 2024, the uPSP team is planning to deploy it to other wind tunnels and engage with potential users with interests in aeronautics or spaceflight. “This is a NASA capability that we have, not only for use within the agency, but one that we can offer industry, academia, and other government agencies to come in and do research using these new tools,” Lash said. NASA’s Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities portfolio office, an organization managed under the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, oversaw the development of the uPSP capability. Watch this uPSP Video About the AuthorJim BankeManaging Editor/Senior WriterJim Banke is a veteran aviation and aerospace communicator with more than 40 years of experience as a writer, producer, consultant, and project manager based at Cape Canaveral, Florida. He is part of NASA Aeronautics' Strategic Communications Team and is Managing Editor for the Aeronautics topic on the NASA website. Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 4 min read NASA Mission Monitoring Air Quality from Space Extended  Article 1 day ago 6 min read By Air and by Sea: Validating NASA’s PACE Ocean Color Instrument Article 1 week ago 3 min read NASA Intern Took Career from Car Engines to Cockpits Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Artemis Aeronautics STEM Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Jul 03, 2025 EditorJim BankeContactJim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov Related TermsAeronauticsAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateAerosciences Evaluation Test CapabilitiesAmes Research CenterFlight InnovationGlenn Research CenterLangley Research CenterTransformational Tools Technologies View Source Article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Hubble and Artificial Intelligence Explore the Night Sky Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read Hubble Observations Give “Missing” Globular Cluster Time to Shine This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features a dense and dazzling array of blazing stars that form globular cluster ESO 591-12. NASA, ESA, and D. Massari (INAF — Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Download this image A previously unexplored globular cluster glitters with multicolored stars in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope image. Globular clusters like this one, called ESO 591-12 or Palomar 8, are spherical collections of tens of thousands to millions of stars tightly bound together by gravity. Globular clusters generally form early in the galaxies’ histories in regions rich in gas and dust. Since the stars form from the same cloud of gas as it collapses, they typically hover around the same age. Strewn across this image of ESO 591-12 are a number of red and blue stars. The colors indicate their temperatures; red stars are cooler, while the blue stars are hotter. Hubble captured the data used to create this image of ESO 591-12 as part of a study intended to resolve individual stars of the entire globular cluster system of the Milky Way. Hubble revolutionized the study of globular clusters since earthbound telescopes are unable to distinguish individual stars in the compact clusters. The study is part of the Hubble Missing Globular Clusters Survey, which targets 34 confirmed Milky Way globular clusters that Hubble has yet to observe. The program aims to provide complete observations of ages and distances for all of the Milky Way’s globular clusters and investigate fundamental properties of still-unexplored clusters in the galactic bulge or halo. The observations will provide key information on the early stages of our galaxy, when globular clusters formed. Explore More Hubble’s Star Clusters Exploring the Birth of Stars Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire AndreoliNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDclaire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jul 03, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies, Stars, & Black Holes Globular Clusters Goddard Space Flight Center Star Clusters Stars Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble’s Cosmic Adventure Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge Hubble’s 35th Anniversary View Source Article

4 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Since launching in 2023, NASA’s Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution mission, or TEMPO, has been measuring the quality of the air we breathe from 22,000 miles above the ground. June 19 marked the successful completion of TEMPO’s 20-month-long initial prime mission, and based on the quality of measurements to date, the mission has been extended through at least September 2026. The TEMPO mission is NASA’s first to use a spectrometer to gather hourly air quality data continuously over North America during daytime hours. It can see details down to just a few square miles, a significant advancement over previous satellites. “NASA satellites have a long history of missions lasting well beyond the primary mission timeline. While TEMPO has completed its primary mission, the life for TEMPO is far from over,” said Laura Judd, research physical scientist and TEMPO science team member at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “It is a big jump going from once-daily images prior to this mission to hourly data. We are continually learning how to use this data to interpret how emissions change over time and how to track anomalous events, such as smoggy days in cities or the transport of wildfire smoke.”  To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 videoBy measuring nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde (HCHO), TEMPO can derive the presence of near-surface ozone. On Aug. 2, 2024 over Houston, TEMPO observed exceptionally high ozone levels in the area. On the left, NO2 builds up in the atmosphere over the city and over the Houston Ship Channel. On the right, formaldehyde levels are seen reaching a peak in the early afternoon. Formaldehyde is largely formed through the oxidation of hydrocarbons, an ingredient of ozone production, such as those that can be emitted by petrochemical facilities found in the Houston Ship Channel. Trent Schindler/NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio When air quality is altered by smog, wildfire smoke, dust, or emissions from vehicle traffic and power plants, TEMPO detects the trace gases that come with those effects. These include nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and formaldehyde in the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere. “A major breakthrough during the primary mission has been the successful test of data delivery in under three hours with the help of NASA’s Satellite Needs Working Group. This information empowers decision-makers and first responders to issue timely air quality warnings and help the public reduce outdoor exposure during times of higher pollution,” said Hazem Mahmoud, lead data scientist at NASA’s Atmospheric Science Data Center located at Langley Research Center. …the substantial demand for TEMPO's data underscores its critical role… hazem mahmoud NASA Data Scientist TEMPO data is archived and distributed freely through the Atmospheric Science Data Center. “The TEMPO mission has set a groundbreaking record as the first mission to surpass two petabytes, or 2 million gigabytes, of data downloads within a single year,” said Mahmoud. “With over 800 unique users, the substantial demand for TEMPO’s data underscores its critical role and the immense value it provides to the scientific community and beyond.” Air quality forecasters, atmospheric scientists, and health researchers make up the bulk of the data users so far. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 videoOn April 14, strong winds triggered the formation of a huge dust storm in the U.S. central plains and fueled the ignition of grassland fires in Oklahoma. On the left, the NO2 plumes originating from the grassland fires are tracked hour-by-hour by TEMPO. Smoke can be discerned from dust as a source since dust is not a source of NO2. The animation on the right shows the ultraviolet (UV) aerosol index, which indicates particulates in the atmosphere that absorb UV light, such as dust and smoke. Trent Schindler/NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio The TEMPO mission is a collaboration between NASA and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, whose Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian oversees daily operations of the TEMPO instrument and produces data products through its Instrument Operations Center. Datasets from TEMPO will be expanded through collaborations with partner agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is deriving aerosol products that can distinguish between smoke and dust particles and offer insights into their altitude and concentration. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 videoOn May 5, TEMPO measured NO2 emissions over the Twin Cities in the center of Minnesota during morning rush hour. The NO2 increases seen mid-day through the early evening hours are illustrated by the red and black shaded areas at the Red River Valley along the North Dakota state line. These levels are driven by emissions from the soils in agriculturally rich areas. Agricultural soil emissions are influenced by environmental factors like temperature and moisture as well as fertilizer application. Small fires and enhancements from mining activities can also be seen popping up across the region through the afternoon.Trent Schindler/NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio “These datasets are being used to inform the public of rush-hour pollution, air quality alerts, and the movement of smoke from forest fires,” said Xiong Liu, TEMPO’s principal investigator at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian. “The library will soon grow with the important addition of aerosol products. Users will be able to use these expanded TEMPO products for air quality monitoring, improving forecast models, deriving pollutant amounts in emissions and many other science applications.” The TEMPO mission detects and highlights movement of smoke originating from fires burning in Manitoba on June 2. Seen in purple hues are observations made by TEMPO in the ultraviolet spectrum compared to Advanced Baseline Imagers (ABIs) on NOAA’s GOES-R series of weather satellites that do not have the needed spectral coverage. The NOAA GOES-R data paired with NASA’s TEMPO data enhance state and local agencies’ ability to provide near-real-time smoke and dust impacts in local air quality forecasts.NOAA/NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and Research “The TEMPO data validation has truly been a community effort with over 20 agencies at the federal and international level, as well as a community of over 200 scientists at research and academic institutions,” Judd added. “I look forward to seeing how TEMPO data will help close knowledge gaps about the timing, sources, and evolution of air pollution from this unprecedented space-based view.” An agency review will take place in the fall to assess TEMPO’s achievements and extended mission goals and identify lessons learned that can be applied to future missions. The TEMPO mission is part of NASA’s Earth Venture Instrument program, which includes small, targeted science investigations designed to complement NASA’s larger research missions. The instrument also forms part of a virtual constellation of air quality monitors for the Northern Hemisphere which includes South Korea’s Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer and ESA’s (European Space Agency) Sentinel-4 satellite. TEMPO was built by BAE Systems Inc., Space & Mission Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace). It flies onboard the Intelsat 40e satellite built by Maxar Technologies. The TEMPO Instrument Operations Center and the Science Data Processing Center are operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge. For more information about the TEMPO instrument and mission, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tempo/ About the AuthorCharles G. HatfieldScience Public Affairs Officer, NASA Langley Research Center Share Details Last Updated Jul 03, 2025 LocationNASA Langley Research Center Related TermsTropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO)EarthEarth ScienceEarth Science DivisionGeneralLangley Research CenterMissionsScience Mission Directorate Explore More 2 min read Hubble Observations Give “Missing” Globular Cluster Time to Shine A previously unexplored globular cluster glitters with multicolored stars in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope… Article 1 day ago 5 min read NASA Advances Pressure Sensitive Paint Research Capability Article 1 day ago 5 min read How NASA’s SPHEREx Mission Will Share Its All-Sky Map With the World  NASA’s newest astrophysics space telescope launched in March on a mission to create an all-sky… Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View Source Article

Former Johnson Director Jefferson Howell July 3, 2025 Jefferson Davis Howell, Jr., former director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, died July 2, in Bee Cave, Texas. He was 85 years old. Howell was a champion of the construction of the International Space Station, working on a deadline to complete the orbiting lab by 2004. He oversaw four space shuttle crews delivering equipment and hardware to reach that goal. He also served as director during a pivotal moment for the agency: the loss of STS-107 and the crew of space shuttle Columbia. He made it his personal responsibility to meet with the families, look after them, and attend memorial services, all while keeping the families informed of the accident investigation as it unfolded. “Gen. Howell led NASA Johnson through one of the most difficult chapters in our history, following the loss of Columbia and her crew,” said acting associate administrator Vanessa Wyche. “He brought strength and steady direction, guiding the workforce with clarity and compassion. He cared deeply for the people behind the mission and shared his leadership skills generously with the team. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and all who knew and loved him.” At the time of his selection as director, he was serving as senior vice president with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) as the program manager for the safety, reliability, and quality assurance contract at Johnson. Following the accident, he made it his mission to improve the relationship between the civil servant and contractor workforce. He left his position and the agency, in October 2005, shortly after the Return-to-Flight mission of STS-114. “General Howell stepped into leadership at Johnson during a pivotal time, as the International Space Station was just beginning to take shape. He led and supported NASA’s successes not only in space but here on the ground — helping to strengthen the center’s culture and offering guidance through both triumph and tragedy,” said Steve Koerner, Johnson Space Center’s acting director. “On behalf of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, we offer our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of working alongside him. The impact of his legacy will continue to shape Johnson for decades to come.” The Victoria, Texas, native was a retired lieutenant general in the U.S. Marine Corps with a decorated military career prior to his service at NASA. He flew more than 300 combat missions in Vietnam and Thailand. Howell is survived by his wife Janel and two children. A tree dedication will be held at NASA Johnson’s memorial grove in the coming year. -end- Chelsey Ballarte Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov View Source Article

President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" has squeaked through the Senate in time for this weekend's pyrotechnic celebrations. The bill festively shoots down a long list of environmental protection measures of all shapes and sizes, with the red glare of those rockets looking set to burn all current federal EV rebates in particular. While the exact timing is still in flux, as things stand the $7,500 federal rebate for electric vehicles would expire not in 2032 as originally specified, but as soon as the end of September. It's an abrupt, ignominious end to a series of incentives that, in some form or another, dates back to the George W. Bush administration. This change doesn't just cover new consumer vehicles, like the Kia EV9 or Volkswagen ID.Buzz. It also eliminates the $4,000 federal credit on used EVs, and even stands to kill rebates for commercial vehicles of the sort that inspired a whole new and weird generation of electric vans like those from Rivian and Arrival (RIP). All those initiatives were meant to drive down the environmental impact of a transport industry that, combined, makes up 29 percent of total US greenhouse gas emissions. While that unfortunate environmental impact might not be immediately felt, for anyone considering buying an EV, some pain in the wallet is coming much sooner. But it could have been worse. A proposed annual EV tax Earlier versions of the bill imposed a $250 annual fee for EV owners, and a still-spiteful $100 for hybrid owners. That fee would go into effect regardless of when you bought your wheels, so even if you were doing the electric thing before it was cool, you'd have been stuck with a substantial annual premium. That fee was to be directed to the Highway Trust Fund, ostensibly ensuring that EV owners are paying their fair share for federal transportation infrastructure maintenance. The bulk of that funding comes from an 18.4 cents per-gallon tax on gasoline, which imprecisely ensures that drivers are paying roughly their fair share for highway use. This supposed attempt at EV equivalence, however, was structured in a wildly disproportionate way. The average American drives 11,318 miles per year, according to the Department of Energy, which works out to just under $100 annually in taxes on gasoline. That's less than half the proposed annual fee for EVs. Yes, electric cars and their heavy batteries do indeed wear out roads more quickly, but not to that degree. That felt more than a little unfair, but lawmakers faced an even bigger roadblock: They literally couldn't make such a fee structure work. "There is no mechanism today for the federal government to collect an annual fee," Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno told Politico. Regardless of the reasoning, for now at least, this fee is no longer part of the bill. The industry impact American EV sales haven't exactly been following the hockey stick growth that most industry experts had formerly been projecting. Still, it has been steadily trending upward. American EV sales in the first quarter of this year were up 10 percent, according to Cox Automotive, and that's despite Tesla's precipitous slide of late. Considering the average cost of a new car in the US is $48,799, and the average cost of a new EV is $57,734, that $7,500 federal EV tax credit clearly makes a substantial difference in bridging that gap. Assuming the Big Bill passes, that bridge will be demolished in just a few months time. While it's impossible to say how much the American EV market's growth has been driven by those incentives, we can look at the impact such cuts have had in other markets. Germany's Climate and Transformation Fund paid out €10 billion between 2016 and 2023, chipping in towards the purchase of 2.1 million EVs. EV sales declined in Germany by 16.4 percent through the first half of 2024 after that program ended. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Europe, EV sales continued to grow by nearly 10 percent. It's looking like it was only a temporary setback, though. In the first five months of this year, German EV registrations are up more than 40 percent. That, again, is despite Tesla's particularly steep decline there. Brands and chargers As to which manufacturers will be most impacted, it stands to reason that buyers looking for with lower-priced EV offerings — cars from brands like Hyundai, Kia and Nissan — will take this change the hardest; buyers of premium brands — like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche — will be a little less dissuaded. Regardless, it should come as no surprise that not a single vehicle manufacturer is found in the list of endorsements for the "Big Beautiful Bill." You will, however, find a who's who of players in the petrochemical world, like the American Petroleum Institute, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Coterra. The bill won't just kill incentives for EV buyers or leasers. America's charging infrastructure is also set to take a hit thanks to the repeal of the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. This covered up to 30 percent of the cost of EV charger installation, encouraging more businesses to put more chargers in more places. Deleting that credit certainly won't help the stubbornly slow buildout of America's charging infrastructure. Silver lining Critics of the American federal credit program have long said that it was too frequently used by wealthy buyers to chip a little off the cost of their next luxury EV. That, at least, is being addressed in one of the bill's other transportation-related changes, something that could actually be a positive for many Americans. The bill includes a new tax deduction that could help modern shoppers saddled with debt after a car purchase. If passed, the bill would allow buyers with car or motorcycle loans to claim up to $10,000 in interest per year on their taxes. This applies to vehicles regardless of propulsion type, meaning EVs and hybrids qualify, but there are plenty of other criteria, including that the vehicle must be for personal use, cannot have a salvage title, and must have undergone final assembly in the United States. Beyond that, to claim the full deduction, individuals must have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $150,000 if filing as an individual, or $250,000 for a married couple filing jointly. What now? If you're a shopper who's been on the fence about buying an EV, it's safe to say that now would be a very good time to pull the trigger. And I do mean now. The federal rebate may carry through September, but extra dealer incentives will be drying up quicker than crocodile tears. If, on the other hand, you're a manufacturer of EVs, chances are there's not a lot you can do right now. The auto industry was not designed to react to the whims of our current presidential administration and the gasoline-loving special interests that fuel it. Hopefully, the success of your business wasn't tied to the continued existence of federal incentives — or, indeed, a lack of import tariffs. Going forward, American EV offerings will need to be one of two things: Priced on par with the internal combustion competition, or so fundamentally compelling that they're worth the extra cost. If your vehicles don't meet that criteria, come October you might have a problem.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-is-bad-for-american-evs-but-it-could-have-been-worse-210155196.html?src=rss View Source Article

It's nearly the end of the road for Warcraft Rumble. Blizzard has announced that it will no longer be developing new content for the free-to-play mobile strategy game, and instead focus on "regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes." The change comes as the rest of Microsoft's business is in upheaval: The company is laying off as many as 9,000 employees across its global workforce.  Blizzard's statement doesn't get into the details of what motivated the decision, but is clear that Warcraft Rumble hasn't been living up to expectations. The game "struggled to find its footing" relative to Blizzard's ambitions, prompting the studio to explore different options to improve it over the last few years. "Some of that work showed signs of progress, but ultimately wasn’t enough to put the game on a path to sustainability," Blizzard writes. Warcraft Rumble was announced in 2019 as Warcraft Arclight Rumble. Much like Hearthstone, the game was a high-profile attempt to translate a popular Blizzard franchise into something that works on smartphones and tablets. Warcraft Rumble plays like a more flexible version of Clash Royale, where miniaturized armies face off in PVP or singe-player challenges, and the biggest strategic choices are when and where characters are placed.  Aftermath reports that winding down Warcraft Rumble is a direct result of the wider Microsoft layoffs effecting Blizzard. While some of the team who created new content for Rumble will be given new roles at the studio, others will be let go, according to a staff email sent by Blizzard president Johanna Fairies that Aftermath viewed. Blizzard's public statement doesn't acknowledge these layoffs beyond a mention that the studio is "focused on supporting [its] teammates," which is telling in context. While Warcraft Rumble will live on for now in a diminished state, some future Xbox games have been outright cancelled as a result of Microsoft's restructuring, including Everwild and Perfect Dark. The bigger damage is the loss of talent. Gregg Mayles, the lead designer on Donkey Kong Country and creative director of Sea of Thieves, is leaving Rare, according to Video Game Chronicle. ZeniMax Online Studios shared on X that director Matt Firor is also making an exit following the cancellation of the studio's next MMO.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-is-giving-up-on-its-warcraft-mobile-game-amid-layoffs-215021940.html?src=rss View Source Article

Last week, it was rumored that Microsoft was getting ready for a major round of layoffs within the Xbox team. Bloomberg is now reporting that employees in the company’s gaming division were informed of job cuts Wednesday morning. The PC giant has been on a cost-cutting mission lately, announcing it would let go of 3 percent of its global workforce earlier this summer, and announcing a further 9,000 job cuts on Wednesday. According to Bloomberg, Microsoft’s Stockholm-based King division, famous for Candy Crush, is laying off 10 percent of its staff, representing roughly 200 jobs. While some other European gaming offices are also cutting, US units are reportedly being informed later Wednesday. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, sent an email to all Microsoft Gaming employees regarding the layoffs, which was obtained by Windows Central and confirmed as authentic by Microsoft. In it, Spencer said, "I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger. The success we're seeing currently is based on tough decisions we've made previously. We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities." Here's Phil Spencer's full note to staff: Today we are sharing decisions that will impact colleagues across our organization. To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness. Out of respect for those impacted today, the specifics of today’s notifications and any organizational shifts will be shared by your team leaders in the coming days. I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger. The success we're seeing currently is based on tough decisions we've made previously. We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities. We will protect what is thriving and concentrate effort on areas with the greatest potential, while delivering on the expectations the company has for our business. This focused approach means we can deliver exceptional games and experiences for players for generations to come. Prioritizing our opportunities is essential, but that does not lessen the significance of this moment. Simply put, we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted. These decisions are not a reflection of the talent, creativity, and dedication of the people involved. Our momentum is not accidental—it is the result of years of dedicated effort from our teams. HR is working directly with impacted employees to provide severance plan benefits (aligned with local laws), including pay, healthcare coverage, and job placement resources to support their transition. Employees whose roles were eliminated are encouraged to explore open positions across Microsoft Gaming, where their applications will be given priority review. Thank you to everyone who has shaped our culture, our products, and our community. We will move forward with deep appreciation and respect for all who have contributed to this journey. As part of today's layoffs, several games, including Rare's Everwild, have been cancelled and The Initiative, the Xbox studio which was producing the Perfect Dark reboot, has been shut down. The news was broken to the team by Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, who said Microsoft "did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment." Here's Matt Booty's full note to staff: Following Phil’s note, I want to share more about the changes to the Studios business units. We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio. As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment. Our overall portfolio strategy is unchanged: build games that excite our players, continue to grow our biggest franchises, and create new stories, worlds, and characters. We have more than 40 projects in active development, continued momentum on titles shipping this fall, and a strong slate headed into 2026. For those directly affected, we are working closely with HR and studio leadership to provide support, including severance, career transition assistance, and where possible, opportunities to explore roles on other teams. To everyone across our studios: thank you. Your creativity and resilience continue to define who we are. I believe in the strength of our teams and the direction we're taking on the path ahead. Last year, Microsoft slashed almost 2,000 jobs from its gaming division, affecting employees across Xbox and Activision Blizzard. In the same year, it also shuttered a trio of ZeniMax game development teams after having acquired the video game holding company in 2021. This will be the fourth round of cuts at Xbox in the last 18 months. These layoffs come against the backdrop of Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October 2023. The gaming industry has had a rocky couple of years, with an estimated 11 percent of game developers losing their jobs in 2024. Microsoft’s profits have been on a steady upward trajectory, with the company reporting over $25 billion in net income in its last quarterly report. When asked for comment, a Microsoft spokesperson told Engadget that the company "[continues] to implement organizational and workforce changes that are necessary to position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace.” Update, July 2, 6:45PM ET: This story has been updated multiple times since publishing to include confirmation of the particulars of the layoffs, the cancellation of several games, the shuttering of The Initiative, and an infuriatingly vague comment from a Microsoft spokesperson.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-gaming-division-suffers-further-layoffs-142430386.html?src=rss View Source Article

At least five employees at Halo Studios have been fired as part of company-wide layoffs at Microsoft on Wednesday, according to a developer with knowledge of the situation. An estimated 200 to 300 people remain at the studio. Employees across Microsoft's Xbox division received an email from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer Wednesday morning addressing "organizational shifts" hitting the team over the coming days. Halo Studios employees who were laid off received an additional invite to a meeting with organization leaders, and two (very long) hours later, the Teams call began. Amid discussions of severance packages, the reasons provided for the firings aligned with Spencer's memo — to "increase agility and effectiveness." "I'm personally super pissed that Phil's email to us bragged about how this was the most profitable year ever for Xbox in the same breath as pulling the lever" on the layoffs, the developer told Engadget. "I wasn't sure what part of that I was supposed to be proud about." Halo Studios is currently working on multiple games, including the next mainline Halo installment, and it's the steward of Halo: Infinite, which is quietly spinning down its content cadence. The mood at the studio is tense, especially when it comes to one project that was recently in crisis, according to the developer. "I don't think anybody is really happy about the quality of the product right now," they said. "There's been a lot of tension and pep talks trying to rally folks to ship." The studio recently teased that it would reveal what it's been working on at this year's Halo World Championship in October. Halo Studios was rocked by layoffs in 2023, back when it was still called 343 Industries, and that culling mostly affected people on the campaign and narrative teams, including Halo veteran Joe Staten. (This is also the reason Halo: Infinite hasn't had a continuing storyline since that time period). Today, Halo Studios employs a blend of full-time employees and contractors, with junior producers and quality assurance roles generally contracted out.  343 Industries came under fire from fans for the launch state of Halo: Infinite, and over the years several ex-employees have spoken out about the studio's reliance on contractors, who typically work with the company for a maximum of 18 months.  The employee I spoke with said that, since 2023, there's been a general shift toward working with contracted studios — rather than individual contractors — in the United States and Europe to speed up Halo production. This mirrors the way other major FPS franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield are developed.  "Xbox in general feels years behind the curve in game development, and it leads to a lot of wasted time and effort," the employee said. At the same time, multiple departing team members have spoken warmly about their time at Halo Studios and the people they worked with. The layoffs at Microsoft on July 2 affected 9,000 employees globally, including 830 in Washington, where Halo Studios is based. The Xbox division endured significant firings, game cancellations and studio closures. A Microsoft spokesperson said the Xbox team did not absorb the majority of the layoffs, but given its relatively small size in the organization, that framing may not accurately reflect the impact.  Under the Xbox banner, Rare's Everwild and The Initiative's Perfect Dark reboot were cancelled, and The Initiative was fully shut down. Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10 Studios reportedly lost a "vast majority" of its employees, and Rare, ZeniMax Online Studios, King, Raven, Sledgehammer Games and Halo Studios have all reportedly been affected. ZeniMax president Matt Firor is out after 18 years leading the studio, and it's being reported that veteran Rare designer Gregg Mayles is also gone after decades with his team. And to top it all off, Blizzard is sunsetting Warcraft Rumble. Microsoft has increasingly focused on AI, a shift that's propelled its stock price to new highs. At Meta's Llamacon in April, CEO Satya Nadella said that as much as 30 percent of the company's code is now written by AI. Activision in February admitted to using AI in Black Ops 6. It's unclear how much AI has to do with this latest round of layoffs, but use of Copilot is "no longer optional" within Microsoft.  The developer I spoke with said, "They're trying their damndest to replace as many jobs as they can with AI agents." News about specific Xbox teams popped up throughout the day as employees shared their experiences on social media and spoke with various publications. Microsoft laid off 1,900 Xbox employees in January 2024 and 650 more in September, and last year it closed Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games and Tango Gameworks (the latter of which was acquired by Krafton). Microsoft reported a net revenue of $25.8 billion in the first three months of 2025, with an eight percent yearly increase in revenue from Xbox content and services. Microsoft told Engadget that the layoffs will affect less than four percent of the company's global workforce. A statement from a Microsoft spokesperson reads as follows: "We continue to implement organizational and workforce changes that are necessary to position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace." Have a tip for Jessica? You can reach her by email, Bluesky or send a message to @jesscon.96 to chat confidentially on Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/even-before-the-xbox-layoffs-there-was-tension-at-halo-studios-002031995.html?src=rss View Source Article

The newest wireless earbuds from Apple, Sony, Bose and other big-name brands may get the most attention, but these days you don’t have to spend triple digits to find a decent alternative. If you’re looking to upgrade without spending more than $100, we’ve spent hours researching the bargain bin and testing top contenders over the past couple of years. Here are the best cheap wireless earbuds we’ve tested. Table of contents Best budget wireless earbuds for 2025 Other budget wireless earbuds we tested Best cheap wireless earbuds: FAQs Recent updates Best budget wireless earbuds for 2025 Other budget wireless earbuds we tested The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Note: This is a selection of noteworthy earbuds we’ve put through their paces, not a comprehensive list of everything we’ve ever tried. Skullcandy Method 360 ANC The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC is often available for $100, and at that price it’s worth considering over our picks above. These earphones have an extremely V-shaped sound signature with thunderous bass and noticeably clearer highs than the Soundcore Space A40, along with decent ANC and a bulky yet comfortable design that takes after Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. They technically have a list price of $130, however, which puts them over the $100 limit we have for picks in this guide. Their enormous case and lack of wireless charging don’t help either. You can read our review for a full breakdown. Beats Solo Buds The $80 Beats Solo Buds are comfortable and long-lasting, with an impressive 18 hours of battery life. But they sound a bit flat and are severely lacking in features. There’s no ANC, wear detection or official water-resistance rating, and the included case can’t wirelessly charge the earbuds on its own. You can read our full review for more details. JLab Go Pop ANC The $30 JLab Go Pop ANC is worth a look if you just want a competent pair of wireless earphones for as little money as possible. It’s the cheapest set we’ve tested with active noise cancellation and transparency mode, though neither feature is all that effective. Like the Go Sport+, it also relies on a short USB-C cable tethered to its case to charge. But it actually sounds OK for the price: not particularly wide or detailed, but not harsh either, with decent energy and bass punch. The tiny earpieces fit snugly and isolate a good chunk of background noise passively. They’re also IP55-rated, while the case is similarly compact. There’s no auto-pausing, but you can connect to two devices at once, the touch controls work well and JLab’s app makes it easy to adjust settings. Battery life is alright at six to seven hours, too, though this is another one that’ll get wrecked by the wind if you take a call outside. The JLab Go Pop+ is another option here. It gives up the ANC, IP55 rating and multipoint connectivity, but it costs $5 less and has longer battery life. EarFun Air Pro 4 We liked what we heard from the EarFun Air Pro 4 for about a day or so — then one earbud broke, apparently deciding that it would only play at an extremely low volume from that point on. We’ve seen a few users report the same issue, while others have noted problems with crackling sounds coming out of single earpieces. This pair has received heaps of praise from other outlets, and we generally liked its predecessor, so it may well work for you. But we can’t recommend something that died before we could finish testing it. The Beats Solo Buds. Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget EarFun Free Pro 3 The EarFun Free Pro 3 are totally solid, but the Space A40 gets you superior ANC, longer battery life and a more comfortable design for a lower price these days. EarFun Air 2 Along those lines, the EarFun Air 2 are a good alternative to EarFun’s Free 2S if you’re partial an AirPods-style stem design, but they cost $10 more and aren’t significantly better. Baseus Bowie MA10 The Baseus Bowie MA10 are saddled with a ginormous charging case, a sloppy app and bulky earpieces that we found uncomfortable to wear over time. Baseus Eli Sport 1 The Baseus Eli Sport 1 have a fully open design that wraps around the ear and rests outside of your ear canal entirely. That’s nice for staying alert to the outside world, but it’s less so for getting the most detail out of your music. This is another pair with an oversized case, too. OnePlus Buds 3 The OnePlus Buds 3 have an excited sound and a stylish design in the same vein as the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, and their mic is a bit clearer for phone calls. They fall short of Anker’s pair when it comes to noise cancellation and battery life, however. Skullcandy Dime 3 The Skullcandy Dime 3 deliver a surprisingly neutral sound profile for their dirt-cheap price, so they’re worth considering over the JLab Go Pop ANC if you see them in the $25 range. Like that pair, they can also connect to two devices simultaneously. But their overall battery life is a bit shorter, their call quality is poor and their physical controls are both unintuitive and uncomfortable, since they lead you to push the buds deeper into your ear canals. Skullcandy Smokin' Buds The Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds are another ultra-budget option with a sick name, bro, but they sound harsher in the treble than the JLab Go Pop ANC and offer worse battery life through their charging case. This pair does use tap-based controls, but they can be finicky, and they still aren’t the most straightforward things to operate. Best cheap wireless earbuds: FAQs The JLab Go Pop ANC (left) and EarFun Air Pro 4. Jeff Dunn for Engadget What are the biggest differences between cheaper earbuds and more premium models? A higher price does not guarantee higher quality. We'd take a pair like the Anker Soundcore Space A40 over many alternatives priced well over $100. Broadly speaking, though, the pricier components used by the best wireless earbuds let them put out a more detailed and versatile sound, more powerful active noise cancellation and a more complete list of features like multipoint connectivity, faster pairing, wear detection or wireless charging. They generally feel less flimsy in the hand, and their companion software tends to be less buggy. Battery life may be longer as well. But you have to look at these things on a case-by-case basis: Some earbuds justify their cost, others very much do not.  Can you improve the sound of cheap wireless earbuds? Evaluating audio quality is always subjective to some extent — what I find "bloated," you may consider "fun" or "lively." In general, if a set of earbuds is tuned poorly or built with cheap materials, you can't magically fix that. However, most new pairs allow you to adjust their EQ curve through software, so you can sculpt the frequency ranges in a way that better suits your tastes, at least somewhat. Also, remember that fit is king: If your in-ear headphones aren't sealed tight enough, they'll inevitably sound less detailed, with weaker bass response and worse isolation from outside noise. Consider trying different ear tips in that case. Can cheap earbuds sound as good as AirPods? A few can, sure! I'd take the top-end AirPods Pro 2 over any of the top picks in this guide, but they are far from unassailable. Meanwhile, the AirPods 4's unsealed design prevents them from pumping out truly deep bass, and I find them to sound a bit veiled in the treble. (They're still a level above the open-back Amazon Echo Buds, though.) The big appeal with AirPods is how tightly they integrate with other Apple devices: You open them with an iPhone and they just work. No other earbuds can replicate that, cheap or otherwise, because Apple uses proprietary tech that prevents competitors from offering the same features. Again, price and advertising budget has little to do with how good a set of earbuds is. (This is a silly question, but we know some casual buyers will inevitably ask it.) Recent updates June 2025: We’ve ensured our picks are still accurate and added testing notes on Skullcandy’s Method 360 ANC. April 2025: The JLab Go Sport+ replaces the older JLab Go Air Sport as our “best for workouts” pick. We’ve also added testing notes on the EarFun Air Pro 4 and JLab Go Pop ANC, removing our blurbs for their predecessors along the way. December 2024: We’ve lightly edited this guide for clarity and moved the aging JLab Go Air Pop and EarFun Air Pro 3 from honorable mentions to our “others we tested” section. September 2024: We’ve added notes on a handful of other budget wireless earbuds that we’ve tested but fall short of our top picks, which remain unchanged.  June 2024: We’ve checked this guide to ensure that all of our picks are still in stock. Accordingly, we’ve removed the Nothing Ear Stick as an honorable mention, as it no longer appears to be available — though it remains a decent option if you do see it and want an unsealed alternative to the Amazon Echo Buds. We’re also still in the process of testing several other sub-$100 Bluetooth earbuds for a future update.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-budget-wireless-earbuds-130028735.html?src=rss View Source Article

A good fast charger can make a world of difference when you're low on battery and short on time. With more devices — from smartphones to laptops — supporting quick-charging tech, having an accessory that can deliver serious power in minutes is almost essential. Many newer phones no longer come with charging bricks in the box, so picking up a reliable fast charger will be essential for most people. Whether you're at home, at work or on the move, the right charger can help keep your gear topped up without wasting time.Today’s fast chargers come in all shapes and sizes. You’ll find compact wall plugs perfect for travel, multi-port hubs for charging several devices at once and GaN (gallium nitride) chargers that offer powerful performance in a smaller footprint. Some support multiple charging standards like USB Power Delivery (PD) and Qualcomm Quick Charge, making them great for everything from iPhones to Android phones, tablets and even some laptops. In this guide, we’ll help you find the best fast chargers for your setup, so you can spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time getting things done. Best fast chargers for 2025 What to consider before buying a fast charger Before you start looking at specific chargers, it's critical to determine three things: how many devices do you need to charge, how much power do they require and whether or not you're planning on traveling with any of them. The reason for the first question is simple. If you only need to charge a single device, like an iPhone or Android phone, it's cheaper and usually more space-efficient to get a lower-wattage phone charger with one port instead of two or three. Next, it's critical to figure out how much electricity your gadgets need because it doesn't make sense to buy a power brick that pushes out more juice than your device can actually use. This may sound a bit tricky, but most major manufacturers will list a product's max charging speeds in its tech specs, which is typically denoted by a specific wattage (15W, for example) or a quick-charge rating. Unfortunately, very powerful or large laptops like gaming notebooks can suck a ton of juice (more than 140 watts), which means they may rely on more traditional power adapters with barrel plugs. This may result in them not being compatible with universal chargers. Some of these PCs may also support charging over USB-C, so even if a specific adapter can't deliver its full power draw, it can still send over some energy — but it will do so at a slower rate compared to the laptop's included charger. To get the best performance, using a fast charging cable, such as a USB-C cable, can make a big difference in maintaining consistent power delivery. For frequent travelers, size and weight are often important considerations, because the bigger and heavier a charger is, the more annoying it will be to lug around. You'll also want to think about other factors like support for international plugs, which can be a big help to anyone who regularly visits other countries. If you’re already traveling with power banks or a charging station, choosing a compact GaN charger can help streamline your gear. Finally, you'll want to figure out if your smartphone uses a proprietary charging standard or if it's compatible with the USB Power Delivery spec (USB PD). For example, the OnePlus 13's included SuperVOOC power adapter can send up to 100 watts to the phone. However, if you use a generic USB-PD charger, speeds top out at 45 watts. That’s still pretty quick, but not nearly as fast as OnePlus' brick — and the same applies to devices with super fast charging support. Also, make sure your charging cable and connector are up to spec, as lower-quality accessories can bottleneck your charging speeds. What is GaN? When looking for chargers, you may notice that some are marked as GaN, which stands for gallium nitride. This is an important distinction because, when compared to older adapters that use silicon switches, GaN-based devices support increased power efficiency and output, allowing manufacturers to create more compact bricks that run cooler and support higher wattages. Depending on the specific power output, GaN adapters can be 30 to 50 percent smaller and lighter than silicon-based alternatives. That might not sound like much, but when they’re sitting in a bag alongside a laptop and a half dozen other accessories you might have, cutting down on excess bulk and weight goes a long way.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-fast-chargers-140011033.html?src=rss View Source Article

It's hot out there, so this might be the perfect time to stay in and binge some TV. Paramount+ is offering one heck of a deal right now for budding couch potatoes, with two months available for just $2. That breaks down to just $1 per month. This is not just any old discount. It applies to both the ad-supported Essential plan and the ad-free Premium subscription. This saves new users $14 for Essential and a whopping $24 for Premium over two months. I suggest going with Premium because ads suck and you can always downgrade or cancel later once the regular price kicks in. Paramount+ is a decent service and made our list of the best streaming platforms. It started as a home for all things Star Trek, but that particular bonus is shrinking all of the time. It was recently announced that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will end after a truncated season five, leaving just the forthcoming Starfleet Academy. The third season of Strange New Worlds premieres on July 17.  It also hosts original programming like the Sonic-adjacent Knuckles TV show and the dad-friendly Tulsa King. Paramount owns CBS, so subscribers can also access much of that network's programming. This includes stuff like The Amazing Race, Blue Bloods and several CSI entries. This offer will be available until July 13. There's just one caveat. Subscriptions will auto-renew if you forget to cancel. Set a reminder to kick in at the end of the second month. Check out our coverage of the best streaming deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-two-months-of-paramount-for-only-2-right-now-114314871.html?src=rss View Source Article

OpenAI has condemned online brokerage firm Robinhood's sale of "OpenAI tokens," saying they will not give consumers stock in the company. "We did not partner with Robinhood, were not involved in this, and do not endorse it," the company said in a post on X, adding that the tokens are not equity and that it did not give approval for any transfer.   The statement addresses a recent move by Robinhood to provide European investors access to what it calls a limited stock token on OpenAI and SpaceX. "These tokens give retail investors indirect exposure to private markets, opening up access, and are enabled by Robinhood’s ownership stake in a special purpose vehicle," Robinhood said in its own X missive.  So what is a special purpose vehicle (SPV)? Robinhood is suggesting that it owns private shares in OpenAI that it keeps in a separate company, the SPV, to isolate risk. So it's offering investors a chance to buy tokens (shares basically) in that private SPV and thus indirectly gain access to OpenAI's private shares that aren't available to retail investors.  "They aren’t technically 'equity'... [but]the tokens effectively give retail investors exposure to these private assets," Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev wrote in a post on X. "Our giveaway plants a seed for something much bigger and since our announcement we’ve been hearing from many private companies that are eager to join us in the tokenization revolution." Such SPVs are fairly common as TechCruch points out, but OpenAI still isn't happy with Robinhood's tokens. If you're an eligible investor thinking of jumping in, keep in mind that SPVs can be overpriced compared to the underlying private stock. In addition OpenAI has an outrageous valuation compared to its earnings and has yet to show how it will achieve its sky-high $125 billion revenue forecast by 2029. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-disavows-online-broker-robinhoods-sale-of-openai-tokens-120033084.html?src=rss View Source Article

Samsung has announced that its next Galaxy Unpacked event will be taking place on July 9 at 10AM ET. This is the third major Unpacked event of the year, following launches of the Galaxy S25 series in January and, more recently, a virtual unveiling of the Galaxy S25 Edge. This time, if previous years are any indication, the company should be showing off new foldables and wearables. A lot of it may be business as usual, but the company has hinted that some possibly exciting new additions are in the works. Engadget will be liveblogging the event that day, so make sure to come back here for our coverage. We'll also continue to update this roundup of what we expect to see next week with the latest reports and rumors. Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold Ultra Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6Sam Rutherford for Engadget Based on the usual annual cadence, this summer Unpacked 2025 will most likely introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. One recent leak claimed that Gemini Live will be a core part of the foldables' presentation, and considering AI is the buzzword for every tech presentation these days, it would be strange if Unpacked didn't follow suit. AI features got a positive reception from both our Fold 6 and Flip 6 reviewers, although they fell more under the umbrella of parlor tricks than valuable assets. Android Headlines is back with renders of what it claims show the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The foldable sports a slimmer profile than the prior model and the navy blue chassis is certainly pretty. It also indicates that both the cover display and inner display are reportedly bigger in this design, up to 6.5 inches and 8.2 inches, respectively. The publication also showed purported images of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 that also pointed to increased screen real estate. There may be a third player in the foldables lineup for this Unpacked. A teaser from Samsung last month pointed toward a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra that will come with Galaxy AI. There are no specs in the blog post, but the company insists that this will have "industry-leading hardware, cutting-edge performance and seamless AI integration optimized for the foldable format." This doesn't appear to be the tri-fold design we've heard rumblings about, but that would be a fun reveal if Samsung does pull that off as a surprise announcement. Galaxy Watch 8 Samsung Galaxy Watch 7Amy Skorheim for Engadget On the wearables front, the only thing we're really anticipating is news about the Galaxy Watch 8. But the anticipation is pretty mild. This smartwatch collection from Samsung hasn't really pushed the envelope for several years; the Galaxy Watch 7 was the third iteration where our reviewers felt the new model offered only incremental improvements over the previous generation. So either this Unpacked will be yet another round of small gains on the specs or Samsung will surprise us with some substantial upgrades. Improved battery life would be a big plus. Galaxy S25 FE For the past few weeks, Samsung fans have been speculating that a new smartphone announcement could be on the way soon. Although the company's standard mobile hardware is usually unveiled at the start of the year, we've seen some credible rumors that a new Galaxy S25 FE is in the works. If Samsung is looking to release a new version to that line in the fall, it would make sense to announce and open pre-orders at the summer Unpacked. The Galaxy S24 FE had some solid specs but was a little pricey to be a true budget model, especially with an underwhelming set of AI features. So far, the leaks about the S25 FE also point toward continued underwhelm, with claims that its cameras won't be seeing much in the way of upgrades, although it may be getting a boost to performance and battery if rumors that it will use the Exynos 2400 processor turn out to be true. Update, July 3 2025, 8:00AM ET: This story has been updated to include confirmed dates for the Unpacked event.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/what-to-expect-at-samsung-galaxy-unpacked-next-week-150001011.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day is back again with a flurry of heavy-hitting sales. There are great deals to be had on small home appliances like the Dyson V15 Detect Plus. Dyson vacuums are not exactly known for being the most affordable. Advanced designs and brand name recognition make these household gadgets a premium product. That's why we're always excited when the best ones receive great sales. The Dyson V15 Detect was our best overall pick for a cordless vacuum in 2025, and it's getting a huge markdown for Amazon Prime Day. Normally retailing for $750, this powerful cordless model will be on sale to Prime members for just $570, which is only $20 more than its all-time-low price. We loved the Dyson V15 Detect, and the Plus model on sale during Prime Day is the same vacuum with more accessories. The suction power on the V15 Detect Plus is really impressive, especially for a cordless vacuum. For anyone with pets, good suction should be a strong consideration when selecting a vacuum, and we were thoroughly impressed with the pet hair this model picked up in our tests from both hardwood and carpet. The Fluffy Optic hard surface cleaning head comes with a laser that illuminates the ground in front of you as you vacuum. It does a frighteningly good job of highlighting just how much dust, hair and other debris have collected on your hardwood or tile floors that you might not have seen. For a shocking look at just how much stuff is on your floors, try vacuuming with the lights off. The V15 Detect Plus gets its namesake from a handy LCD display screen on the main body of the vacuum that tells you exactly how many particles across different size ranges the vacuum has detected since you started cleaning. In practice, this doesn't add anything to the functionality of the device, but it sheds a light on just how much stuff you've picked up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-dyson-cordless-vacuum-is-180-off-for-prime-day-121534297.html?src=rss View Source Article

Uber drivers in British Columbia, Canada have joined a union and are now seeking the first collective deal for ride-share drivers in the country, according to Bloomberg. Drivers from Greater Victoria, in particular, have joined UFCW 1518, the province's largest private sector union, which currently represents over 28,000 workers across multiple sectors. "The organizing victory represents a new chapter for app-based workers, demonstrating that all workers deserve a voice in their working conditions, regardless of how technology shapes their workplace," UFCW 1518 said in a statement.  The company told Bloomberg that the bargaining unit was certified after enough drivers in Victoria signed union cards. It was made possible by a change of labor laws in the province last year that allowed app workers to unionize. Drivers in the city have been organizing for months to influence their working conditions and have a say in future changes to the ride-sharing platform. Specifically, they're seeking greater transparency around trip rates and earnings, improved health and safety protections, as well as fair processes when it comes to account deactivations. Uber told Bloomberg that it will now meet with the union to hash out the terms of the collective agreement.  In 2024, a group in Quebec formed the first union for Amazon warehouse workers in Canada. That group of workers accused Amazon of blocking its organizing efforts, though it eventually succeeded in getting the company to come to the negotiation table. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/uber-drivers-in-british-columbia-canada-have-unionized-122434476.html?src=rss View Source Article

Ring's indoor camera that has a motorized base to give you a 360-degree view is cheaper than ever in a Prime Day deal. The Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam normally goes for $80, but it's dropped to just $40 for the Amazon savings event. That's even lower than the previous all-time low price of $50 that we've seen during other sales. The Pan-Tilt camera comes in five colors: Black, Blush, Charcoal, Starlight and White. Ring introduced the Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam in 2024. It can spin a full 360 degrees on its base, and tilts up and down with a tilt range of 169 degrees. That makes it especially helpful for keeping tabs on pets and other goings-on in the home. It offers live views in addition to 24/7 recording, and supports two-way talk for when you want to check-in with a family member. The Pan-Tilt Cam also offers HD color video day and night. The camera has a physical shutter as well, for when you want to be sure it's not watching. Sliding this will cover the camera, and Ring says it'll also disable the audio and video feeds. Setup should be easy with the Ring app, but if you aren't already in the Ring ecosystem, you'll need a subscription to use this camera. Ring offers three subscription options at $4.99, $9.99 and $19.99 per month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ring-pan-tilt-indoor-cam-drops-to-40-for-prime-day-123513479.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day deals are already surfacing on Amazon ahead of the July 8-11 shopping event, and unsurprisingly, a discount on Audible is among them. We've seen similar offers pop up in the past, but considering Audible is one of the top audiobook streaming services out there, it's worth highlighting again. New Audible subscribers can get three months of access to the Premium Plus plan for $3. That's a total of $42 off for the whole three-month period. This is one of the best streaming deals around right now. The offer runs through July 31, which is actually a few weeks after Prime Day 2025 ends. Just keep in mind that if you don't cancel your Audible membership before the promotional period ends, it will automatically renew at the standard $15-per-month price. Through the Audible Premium Plus plan, you'll receive one credit each month. You can use this to claim any audiobook you like on the platform, whether it's a bestseller, new release or something else you've been meaning to get to. You'll retain access to audiobooks you claim with credits even after your subscription expires. So, you're effectively getting three audiobooks for your permanent collection for three bucks. Audible members will be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts and sales too. They also get access to thousands of audiobooks, Audible Originals and podcasts as long as their subscription remains active.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deal-get-three-months-of-audible-for-only-3-143734364.html?src=rss View Source Article

EA's next Battlefield game is supposedly arriving sometime in spring 2026, but its development is reportedly fraught with issues, leading some of its developers to worry that certain parts of the game won't be well-received. According to a lengthy Ars Technica piece about the game's development troubles and problems facing AAA titles' development as a whole, EA had lofty goals for the next Battlefield (codenamed Glacier) to the point that team members working on the project think they're near unrealistic.  The publisher's executives apparently believed that Glacier could match the popularity of Call of Duty and Fortnite and set a 100 million player target over a certain period of time. An employee told Ars that the franchise has never achieved those numbers before, with Battlefield 2042 getting only up to 22 million players within that same period. The first Battlefield, which was the most successful in the franchise so far, only got to "maybe 30 million plus" within that timeframe.  One of the reasons why Fortnite has over 100 million active users is because it's free-to-play. In CoD's case, well, aside from having free-to-play titles, it's also the biggest gaming franchise and has a lengthy history, so it's no surprise that it already has a solid fanbase who would play its latest releases. Players had to pay for previous Battlefield games up front, but executives thought that if EA made Glacier free-to-play like its competitors, it could achieve the same numbers. And that is why the publisher promised a free-to-play Battle Royale mode with a six-hour single player campaign for the upcoming game.  Ridgeline, the external studio working on the single player mode, however, shuttered in 2024 after working on the project for two years. The studio reportedly found EA's objectives unachievable, since it was expected to reach milestones in the same rate as more established studios when it didn't have the same resources. Now, three other EA studios (Criterion, DICE and Motive) are working on the single-player mode. But since they had to start from scratch, single player is the only Glacier game mode remaining that has yet to reach alpha status.  Due to the wider scope of the next title in the franchise and the issues it has faced, it has become the most expensive Battlefield to date. It had a budget of $400 million back in 2023, but the current projections are now apparently "well north" of that. Whether the next Battlefield launches on time remains to be seen. Ars' sources said that if it does ship as intended, they expect some features and content to be cut from the final product. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/eas-next-battlefield-game-may-be-in-trouble-and-over-budget-130046636.html?src=rss View Source Article

The developer beta for iOS 26 has been out for a few weeks, and as always,tech sleuths are uncovering features and details that weren't explained during WWDC. Among the latest discoveries stirring up conversation online is a safety and privacy feature for FaceTime that blurs your feed when it detects you in a state of undress. Should FaceTime detect nudity, it will display a message reading "Audio and video are paused because you may be showing something sensitive. If you feel uncomfortable, you should end the call." Originally discovered by X user @iDeviceHelpus, the feature is off by default and can be enabled in FaceTime settings under "Sensitive Content Warning." The feature reads, "Detect nude photos and videos before they are viewed on your device, and receive guidance to help make a safe choice. Apple does not have access to the photos or videos."It seems the feature is intended for child accounts, though it can currently be enabled in the beta for adults as well. The Apple support page for the company's "Communication Safety" features reads, "Communication Safety uses on-device machine learning to analyze photo and video attachments and determine if a photo or video appears to contain nudity. Because the photos and videos are analyzed on your child's device, Apple doesn't receive an indication that nudity was detected and doesn't get access to the photos or videos as a result." Features in beta come and go, as testing and feedback are partly the point of the beta system, so this may or may not see broader adoption. The public beta for iOS 26 is slated for July.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-26-can-freeze-your-facetime-video-if-it-detects-nudity-135329941.html?src=rss View Source Article

Everyone’s been hit with a bitingly pass-agg "?" text after waiting just a bit too long to reply. And you might soon get similar (though likely more upbeat) treatment from AI chatbots you’ve previously engaged with on Meta platforms like Instagram or WhatApp. A new report from Business Insider claims that the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company is trialling a proactive feature in customizable chatbots created using its no-code AI Studio software, that will enable them to send unprompted follow-up messages based on previous conversations. Known internally to data labeling firm Alignerr as "Project Omni", the training project will "provide value for users and ultimately help to improve re-engagement and user retention," according to guidelines in the documents BI claims to have seen. Meta advertises AI studio as a platform where "anyone can create an AI character based on their interests" and encourages creators to view the bots as an AI extension of themselves. You can customize a chatbot’s appearance, choose the content it’s trained on and decide which Meta-owned application you want it to appear in, all without "any technical expertise." According to the BI report, Alignerr’s Project Omni guidelines use the example of a film-focused AI bot it calls "The Maestro of Movie Magic" that might send a user message such as: "I hope you're having a harmonious day! I wanted to check in and see if you've discovered any new favorite soundtracks or composers recently. Or perhaps you'd like some recommendations for your next movie night? Let me know, and I'll be happy to help!" As BI notes, there is a business incentive for Meta to keep people engaged with its chatbots. Prolonged engagement is vital for increasing revenue, and this year Meta expects to bring in $2 billion to $3 billion from its generative AI products alone. By 2035, the company estimates that figure could be as high as $1.4 trillion. Those kinds of forecasts will only be possible if its AI tools are being used consistently, so a friendly reminder from a chatbot every now and then feels like an obvious move. The proactive messages are currently still just a test feature. And while it definitely feels like remembering conversations and initiating new ones without invitation is approaching a user consent gray area, a Meta spokesperson told BI that the AI will only send a follow-up message if a user has first initiated the conversation, and it won’t send another message if the first one is ignored. Responses must also be consistent with the AI’s personality and the nature of the previous conversation, maintaining a positive tone while staying away from controversial or sensitive topics unless the user themself has mentioned them. Last month, Meta started warning its users not to share intimate details in Meta AI’s public feed after it emerged that a large number of users appeared to be doing so unwittingly.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-is-reportedly-training-its-ai-chatbots-to-send-unprompted-messages-143229039.html?src=rss View Source Article

I really wanted to love season two of HBO’s The Last of Us. For the most part, I did — but it was also impossible to ignore the online masses saying that showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann had lost the thread in season two. Some of that comes from creative choices the pair made in adapting the first half of the PlayStation game The Last of Us Part II to TV; it’s a story with a sprawling plot that asks a lot of the player and, as it turns out, even more of a passive audience. The season two cliffhanger ending and tease of what’s to come in season three just didn’t land for a lot of people, and (spoiler alert) there are a lot of questions from viewers as to whether the show can survive the loss of Pedro Pascal’s Joel. It feels like fans of the games are mad at the changes the TV show has made, while people who haven’t played the game aren’t vibing with the story as presented in season two. As such, I haven’t put up a full-throated defense of season two when, say, a colleague tells me it’s a bummer that the show is now “mid.” Even though there are plenty of toxic “fans” who trash the cast and seem to hate the show telling stories with gay characters, I can admit there are also legitimate issues with season two. But despite that admission making its way into my Last of Us-loving heart, I was still shocked at the news that Druckmann, co-creator of both the game and the show, was leaving the project for season three. Shortly after Druckmann’s announcement, Co-writer on The Last of Us Part II and season two of the show Halley Gross also said she was leaving, which means that the two most prominent people who worked on the games are now gone. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Neil Druckmann (@druckmann) How this will affect season three obviously will be the big question over the work leading up to season three, which will probably arrive sometime in early 2027. The simultaneous departure of both Druckmann and Gross reeks of HBO deciding that the tepid reception to season two meant a change was needed. In a statement that lacked all of the passion Druckmann has shown for the show thus far, he said he was transitioning his “complete focus” to Naughty Dog and future games, including Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. We’ll probably never know if Druckmann left on his own or was forced out, but the part of me that loves Naughty Dog’s games is finding solace in that new focus even as HBO’s The Last of Us is thrown into turmoil. Druckmann will probably be far more useful to Sony as a whole working on new games than dabbling in the TV industry. That’s in large part because yesterday also reminded us just how chaotic the game industry is. In the biggest news of the day, a series of wide-ranging layoffs at Microsoft impacted numerous Xbox studios, the latest bad news for an industry that has frankly been devastated by instability in recent years. With that background in mind, Druckmann’s renewed focus on Naughty Dog makes a lot of sense. The TV industry is not hurting in the least for prestige content. Showrunner Craig Mazin already has the plot points he needs to cover in season three of The Last of Us, so Druckmann’s input will probably be missed less than it would have been when the project got started back in 2021. But PlayStation, on the other hand, needs a boost, and having a creative leader like Druckmann helping to make Intergalactic and whatever else Naughty Dog has up its sleeve is something the company could really use. It’s no secret that the first-party PlayStation studios continue to make exceptional games — but the pace during the PS5 generation has slowed significantly. For the first few years of the PS5’s life, most big exclusives like God of War Ragnarök and Horizon Forbidden West came to both the PS4 and PS5. That slowly changed, with titles like Astro Bot and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 being built exclusively for the PS5. But the cadence of these releases has slowed significantly; this year's releases include Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (likely a timed exclusive) and Ghost of Yotei but five years into this generation it's undoubtedly been a slow burn. That trend is particularly acute for Naughty Dog. After releasing Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End in 2016 and following that quickly with the standalone expansion Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in 2017, Naughty Dog has released one (1) original game since: The Last of Us Part II. Other than that, we’ve gotten… remakes and remasters of both franchises, perhaps not coincidentally to draw in people who found The Last of Us via the HBO show. Between his duties as Naughty Dog’s studio head and his TV work, it’s fair to wonder how much time Druckmann has spent on actual games in recent years. It's also entirely possible he's spread too thin now, even without co-running the TV show — it's probably past time for some new creative visionaries to take the lead at Naughty Dog given Druckmann's role as chief executive. If he’s truly the main director and writer for Intergalactic as he said in his statement, it’s good news for the PlayStation brand that he’s back on that gig full-time. It’s just a bit over six months since Intergalactic was first announced, so we have no real idea where the game is in its development cycle. But it sounds like the game has been in development since 2020, and Naughty Dog has said it learned a lesson from announcing The Last of Us Part II so long before it actually launched. Hopefully we’re looking at a 2026 or 2027 release rather than much beyond that. Meanwhile, Druckmann’s departure from HBO’s The Last of Us might be a bit of a canary in the coal mine for Sony’s broader PlayStation ambitions and a refocus on just making games. Games industry expert Joost Van Dreunen wrote in 2023 that the success of the show’s first season was “the culmination of Sony’s gradual transition to becoming a media company.” That’s something the company itself has talked up in the years since — the idea of becoming platform-less, with franchises existing on the PlayStation, on the movie screen and on the smaller TV screen in your home. Take its CES 2025 presentation, for example; Sony talked up multiple gaming adaptations besides The Last of Us like the Horizon franchise and Ghost of Tsushima. "While [Sony] continues to sell hardware at scale, its strategic emphasis is shifting toward high-margin digital services and franchise expansion," Van Dreunen wrote last month. "Titles like The Last of Us have crossed into television with critical success, and Sony has invested heavily in anime distribution (via Crunchyroll) and film adaptations of its game IP. It positions PlayStation less as a closed hardware ecosystem and more as the foundation for a vertically integrated content engine. Rather than chasing distribution breadth like Microsoft, Sony is doubling down on cultural depth, using its exclusive IP to build multi-format engagement loops." I don’t think a less-than-stellar second season of The Last of Us will cause Sony to abandon this strategy. (Sony is also too big of a ship to completely turn away from this plan very quickly.) But the repositioning of Druckmann as the lead of a successful and influential video game studio rather than a multi-medium creative visionary reinforces the fact that if they’re going to have hits on a variety of different platforms, new, ambitious and hopefully good games like Intergalactic are a necessity. At this point, HBO’s The Last of Us is going to keep on rolling, with or without Druckmann — there were a lot of loud complaints, but also still plenty of viewers and positive reviews. But Naughty Dog is past due for another big game that pushes the genre in a new direction. It’s the right time for Druckmann to come home.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-needs-neil-druckmann-more-than-hbo-does-154951145.html?src=rss View Source Article

Shark robot vacuums are on sale for Prime Day and there are some good deals to be had. For instance, the AI Ultra is on sale for just $280. This is 50 percent off, as the regular price is $550. This model topped our list of the best robot vacuums, so it's the real deal. The AI Ultra boasts fantastic suction power and the bagless self-emptying base is incredibly handy. There's a simple mobile app that lets users control the vacuum when not at home. This app also displays home maps made by the vacuum that can be edited to create "no-go" zones. The battery life is decent, at 120 minutes per charge. Like most modern robovacs, it'll head back to the power outlet on its own. During use, we found that the vacuum did a pretty good job at avoiding obstacles and managed to sidestep the many cat toys strewn across the floor. The only caveat worth mentioning is that this particular model includes a debris canister that needs to be manually emptied every 30 days. There's a version with a larger canister that's also on sale. It's down to $298 from $600, which is also a discount of around 50 percent. Many other Shark products are also on sale right now. This includes other robovacs, but also standard upright designs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/shark-robot-vacuums-are-up-to-50-percent-off-for-prime-day-170023667.html?src=rss View Source Article

Microsoft was rocked by more than 9,000 job cuts this week. A significant number have come from its gaming division, resulting in the closure of multiple game studios and the cancellation of numerous in-development projects at Xbox and its contracted studios. We’ve already learned that Microsoft has closed the studio that was developing the much-anticipated Perfect Dark reboot, and Rare’s Everwild has also been sunsetted. And now Romero Games — the studio headed up by Doom creator and veteran developer John Romero — is another major casualty of the sweeping cuts. The news was initially confirmed in a statement signed by Brenda Romero and posted on X. "Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios," it said. "This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control." It went on to say that the studio was powerless to change the outcome, and that the decision was not reflective of the quality of work its team has produced. Ireland-based Romero Games is not owned by Microsoft, but it appears the company’s financial support was crucial to keeping the studio alive — a fact that wasn’t publicly known until the shutdown occurred. IGN is now reporting that the entire Romero Games workforce has been let go, and many Romero Games employees confirm on Linkedin that they no longer have jobs. According to the company website, Romero Games was founded by John and Brenda Romero in 2014, and had more than 100 developers on its staff. Its most recent release was 2023’s Sigil II, the unofficial sixth episode in the Doom series, which John Romero co-created in 1993 with id Software, the studio he also co-founded. The upcoming game was described by Romero Games as an "all-new FPS with an original, new IP working with a major publisher."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-was-funding-romero-games-new-game-but-layoffs-have-left-the-project-in-crisis-172234905.html?src=rss View Source Article

Helldivers 2, the third-person co-op shooter developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, is finally coming to Xbox on August 26. The sequel to the 2015 top-down shooter was released for PlayStation 5 and Windows in early 2024 and supports cross-platform play. After launch, Helldivers 2 was a huge success, selling over 15 million copies and reaching 450,000 concurrent players on Steam, the highest number ever among PlayStation games released for the PC. In fact, there were so many players online that Sony briefly attempted to mandate PlayStation Network account linking, which set off a wave of negative reviews from frustrated gamers. The policy was eventually reversed. In the announcement of the game's Xbox launch, Game Director Mikael Eriksson said, “we know gamers have been asking for this for some time and we are so excited to bring more Helldivers into our game. We have so much more in store for the future months and years – and the more players we have the more stories we can tell! The fight for Super Earth has only just begun.” This is a rare instance of a Sony-published game coming to Xbox systems, following the MLB: The Show series. Time will tell if this is just another rare exception, or the start of a new trend by Sony allowing their games to reach more players. Players can pre-order digital copies of both the standard edition and the Super Citizen Edition for Helldivers 2 now. It's unclear if a physical copy of the game will be released. Correction, July 3, 2025, 2:02PM ET: This story originally stated that Helldivers 2 was a first-party PlayStation game. While it was published by Sony Interactive, the company doesn't own Arrowhead.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/helldivers-2-is-coming-to-xbox-on-august-26-172937757.html?src=rss View Source Article

Microsoft isn't the only gaming company talking about layoffs this week. MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) notified around 300 employees that they risk losing their jobs. However, the drama doesn't end there. The studio has reportedly blamed saboteurs for its woes… again. BARB workers posted on LinkedIn this week about receiving "risk of redundancy" emails. (That followed confirmation last month that the company formally began a layoff process.) Unfortunately, layoffs are par for the course these days. As for the rest of BARB's story? That's where things get weird. IGN reported that BARB founder Leslie Benzies addressed staff in a video call this week. (He's a former Rockstar North president and GTA producer.) Benzies is said to have blamed BARB's and MindsEye's problems on internal and external saboteurs. That echoes comments made by co-CEO Mark Gerhard ahead of MindsEye's launch. He claimed pre-release negative feedback was "100 percent" financed by someone. Who did Gerhard blame? Well, he didn't say outright. But he seemed to hint that Rockstar was involved. "Doesn't take much to guess who," he said. (Benzies departed the GTA developer on rocky terms, legal disputes in tow.) BARB / IOI In yesterday's call, Benzies also reportedly vowed to relaunch MindsEye. That's a tough trick to pull off. Just look at the industry's few success stories. Final Fantasy XIV is part of an established franchise that has been a gaming household name for decades. And then you have titles like No Man's Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 that were gradually updated. They both arrived with considerably more interest from the gaming world than MindsEye. The latter's appeal largely came from Benzies' involvement. Will that even carry much weight after all the drama surrounding the launch? That isn't to say MindsEye couldn't improve dramatically and find a following. The single-player action-adventure game has a noticeable GTA influence, which will appeal to many. Criticism was aimed at its bugs (fixable), well-worn storyline (greedy humans and robot armies) and gameplay (drive, shoot, repeat). But it also has impressive cinematics and a tight linear arc. A tighter, bug-free version could scratch an itch for fans of Cyberpunk and Watch Dogs. MindsEye is also published by IO Interactive, which worked on Hitman: World of Assassination for years after launch. If BARB can hustle to regain players' trust, perhaps it could at least live to fight another day. Still, MindsEye's list of ingredients doesn't exactly scream "gamers will come back." And with around 300 fewer employees working on it, that's an even taller order.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mindseye-dev-warns-staff-about-layoffs-amid-talk-of-saboteurs-and-relaunch-183934780.html?src=rss View Source Article

EA's beleaguered online shooter Anthem is shutting down for good on January 12, 2026. The game will be removed from the company's storefront ahead of that on August 15. It'll be available for download after that date so long as it's already in your library. Some aspects of the game have already begun winding down. Players can no longer purchase premium in-game currency as of today, though they can still use existing balances to buy stuff. Anthem is a game that can only be played online, so once the servers shut down in January it will be bricked. The game launched in 2019 to poor reviews that called out the reliance on grinding and an overall lack of polish. This wasn't helped by a number of bugs that plagued early builds. Developer BioWare promised fixes, but those took a while to get implemented. By then, the damage to the brand was too severe. BioWare ceased active development of Anthem in 2021, which was followed by the game's director leaving the company. In other words, we all kind of knew this shutdown was coming. EA says that no layoffs occurred at the company as a result of this decision. However, that's likely because BioWare has already been through several steep staffing cuts. EA laid off 50 BioWare employees in 2023. This was followed by even more layoffs after Dragon Age: The Veilguard underperformed. BioWare currently has an operating staff of less than 100 people. The company is currently focused on the development of Mass Effect 5.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/anthem-is-officially-shutting-down-on-january-12-185236926.html?src=rss View Source Article

Liquid Glass is a huge new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple) Get ready because Apple iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is headed your way this fall with some cool new features you'll want to try. What's most exciting? The fresh home and lock screen redesign we've been waiting to see for years. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the new look and feel will extend across all of Apple's upcoming operating systems. The overhaul was one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple's software suite, all of which were showcased during the company's WWDC keynote on June 9.  After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you've been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it's in the Photos app). Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point "in the coming year," so you shouldn't expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year. If you're a developer, you can check out the iOS 26 beta 2 now; the public beta is coming this month. With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like newly discovered FaceTime feature that'll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.   What is iOS 26? While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they're all designated "26" to reflect the year ahead. (Meanwhile, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.) It's official, we're moving to iOS 26. (Apple) What is Liquid Glass design? Let's be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone's home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens' new facelift is refreshing. So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a "new translucent material" since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They're designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget's own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it's somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft's translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago. That said, as of the newly released iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won't be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive. Here's a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop. What are the new and notable features of iOS 26? iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile: Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks. Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation. Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you're eating at or whose car you're taking on a road trip. Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven't received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you're lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder. Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that's on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online. Photos tabs are back: For anyone who's still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you'll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don't have to scroll to infinity to find what you're looking for. FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.  Apple's Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple) Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26? A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won't be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update. iPhone SE (second generation or later) iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone 12 iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 13 iPhone 13 mini iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 16e iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.  When will the iOS 26 beta be available? The iOS 26 public beta will become available this month (July) via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you're not already a member, you'll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It's free. Once you're in and the beta is available, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta. A word of caution: Don't sign up with your main iPhone unless you're OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn't finalized. When will the final version of iOS 26 be released? iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced. If you're more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here's everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework. Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta. Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.  Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-ios-26-all-the-latest-features-for-iphones-new-operating-system-including-facetime-updates-135749454.html?src=rss View Source Article

At the start of last year, Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini told The Verge the company was "very focused on testing" generative AI tools for subtitling and captioning speech to text. The comment came just months after the streamer temporarily took down the debut episode of one of its newest shows, The Yuzuki Family's Four Sons, after people complained about poor subtitles.  Much of the translation was nonsensical, with missing punctuation in many sentences. At the time, some fans speculated the company had used AI to translate the episode. Earlier this week, fresh accusations of AI use came up when an episode of new anime showed evidence ChatGPT was used to write the subtitles. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget On July 1, Bluesky user Pixel spotted an issue with the German subtitles for Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show, one of the new series Crunchyroll is streaming this anime season. Beyond a general sloppiness, one line began with the words "ChatGPT said..." during a pivotal scene in the show's debut episode. Engadget was able to independently verify the episode contains the AI-generated translation. If you're curious, the English subtitles aren't much better, as seen in the screenshots above and below. "We were made aware that AI-generated subtitles were employed by a third-party vendor, which is in violation of our agreement," a Crunchyroll spokesperson told Engadget. "We are investigating the matter and are working to rectify the error." People were understandably upset about the subtitles. Crunchyroll subscriptions start at $8 per month, and since its acquisition by Sony, service has been the dominant player in the anime streaming market outside of Japan. "This is not acceptable. How can we be expected to pay for a service that clearly doesn't care about the quality of its products?" wrote Pixel in their original post. As of the writing of this article, their post has been quoted more than 300 times and reposted by thousands of other people. Many fans say they're turning to torrented fansubs, calling the official AI-generated translations "unwatchable." People on Reddit have expressed similar frustrations. Crunchyroll Ironically, when Purini revealed Crunchyroll was testing generative AI tools for subtitles, he said part of the motivation was to prevent piracy. He reasoned the tech would allow the company to start streaming new, translated anime episodes as close to their original Japanese release as possible, adding the lag between official releases was sometimes what pushed fans to torrent shows.        Update 3:58PM ET: Added comment from Crunchyroll.   Have a tip for Igor? You can reach him by email, on Bluesky or send a message to @Kodachrome.72 to chat confidentially on Signal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/crunchyroll-blames-third-party-vendor-for-ai-subtitle-mess-145621606.html?src=rss View Source Article

E Ink, the company behind the highly readable displays you'll find in ereaders the world over, has created a new touchscreen trackpad for some reason. And rather than act as an extension of your laptop's screen, E Ink thinks it should be a dedicated home for AI interactions. The new touchscreen trackpad appears to use a color E Ink display, not unlike what you'll find on the Kobo Libra Colour or the Kindle Colorsoft, and is supposed to offer the normal swiping, tapping, dragging and clicking functionality of a normal trackpad. When you're not using it like that, E Ink imagines the trackpad offering "second-screen capabilities," like quick access to "frequently used shortcuts and system notifications and GenAI contents like text/image summaries, gaming tactics, or custom AI tasks." E Ink says it leveraged several different Intel technologies to prototype its AI tools, and it specifically designed the trackpad so it's useable even if your laptop is off. Unfortunately, that doesn't make the idea of cramming a touchscreen into a laptop trackpad any less whack. E Ink Using an E Ink display is novel, sure, but plenty of attempts have been made to turn the seemingly untapped resource of the trackpad into another place for content, and none of them have caught on. ASUS in particular has taken multiple bites at the apple with its ScreenPad feature, which it first introduced on the ZenBook Pro 15. The ScreenPad could be an extension of your main display, but it also ran simple apps and widgets. E Ink believes one of the advantages of its trackpad is that it'll consume less power than those previous versions, but was anyone worried about a laptop's trackpad affecting its battery life before they also had to be screens? Putting a display in a trackpad isn't going to be the reason anyone upgrades to a premium laptop. Beyond that, it's just not intuitive. You have to both learn to look down to see what's on the trackpad and learn not to cover it, something hands naturally do while using a laptop.  If you're not dissuaded, E Ink hasn't actually shared when its trackpad will be available. Given the use of the Intel tech, though, odds are good it shows up in an expensive "AI PC" at some point in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/neither-ai-nor-e-ink-can-make-touchscreen-trackpads-a-good-idea-202505733.html?src=rss View Source Article

We still think getting a live TV streaming service is a better deal than paying for cable — but the gulf between the two options is narrowing. Now that many of the major providers go for more than $80 per month, it’s not the amazing deal it once was. Still, live TV streaming plans have no contract, offer relatively simpler pricing and need no special equipment beyond your smart TV and an internet connection.After testing all the major players, we found YouTube TV to be the most well-rounded. But other services have their advantages, too, and there are plenty of free services as well. Here are the best live TV streaming services we tested, along with our advice on how to stream and what to look for.Editor’s Note: Mergers, restructuring and buyouts continue to change the landscape of the streaming world, which sometimes affects pricing and the options available to viewers. Recently Disney completed its acquisition of Hulu, purchasing the remaining portion of the service from Comcast. There have been no announcements of any changes to Hulu + Live TV as a result yet, which is one of our recommended services, but we’ll update this guide if that changes. Also of note is the recent splitting of Warner Bros. Discovery (owners of HBO, CNN and more) into two entities; one that will hold the movie, TV and game studios, and another that will control the company’s cable channels. When this move changes viewers’ streaming options, we’ll likewise update this guide. Table of contents Best live TV streaming services for 2025 Best free live TV streaming services for 2025 What to look for in a live TV streaming service How we tested Live TV Streaming FAQs Recent updates Best live TV streaming services for 2025 Back to top Best free live TV streaming services for 2025 There are plenty of ways to get free TV these days. To start, many standard streaming apps have added live components to their lineups. You’re paying for the service, so it’s not technically “free,” but you can get a dose of live TV without spending more than necessary. Peacock includes some regional NBC stations, and notably access to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Paramount+ subscribers can watch on-air CBS programming. The standard Hulu app has a live ABC news channel and Max now includes a live CNN outlet with its service, along with cable-like linear channels. The smart TV operating system (OS) you use likely provides free live content too: Amazon’s Fire TV interface has a live tab and Roku’s built-in Roku Channel includes hundreds of live channels at no extra cost. The same goes for Samsung TV Plus, which added a trove of K-dramas to its free live and on-demand lineup in 2024. The PBS app offers local live streams of its channels — even NASA has a free streaming service with live coverage.  But for a full suite of live TV networks, and don’t want to sign up for any paid service, there are a number of free ad-supported TV services that have live TV. Even cable company DirecTV has joined the crowd with MyFree, and Fubo Free lets customers with a lapsed subscription keep watching some content. Here's the best of the live TV streaming services we tried: Back to top What to look for in a live TV streaming service How to stream live TV Streaming live TV is a lot like using Netflix. You get access through apps on your phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device and the signal arrives over the internet. A faster and more stable connection tends to give you a better experience. Most live TV apps require you to sign up and pay via a web browser. After that, you can activate the app on all of your devices. Monthly Price When I started testing these cord-cutting alternatives, I was struck by the price difference between live TV and a standard video streaming app. Where the latter cost between $5 and $20 per month, most live TV services hit the $80 mark and can go higher than $200 with additional perks, channel packages and premium extras. The higher starting price is mostly due to the cost of providing multiple networks — particularly sports and local stations. And, in the past year or so, every service except Sling has raised base plan prices. Local channels Only two of the services I tried don’t include full local channel coverage for subscribers and one of those makes no effort to carry sports at all. That would be Philo and, as you might guess, it’s the cheapest. The next most affordable option, Sling, only carries three local stations — and only in larger markets — but it still manages to include some of the top sports channels. When you sign up with any provider that handles local TV, you’ll enter your zip code, ensuring you get your area’s broadcast affiliates for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Of course, you can also get those stations for free. Nearly all modern television sets support a radio frequency (RF) connection, also known as the coaxial port, which means if you buy an HD antenna, you’ll receive locally broadcast stations like ABC, CBS, PBS, FOX and NBC. And since the signal is digital, reception is much improved over the staticky rabbit-ears era. But local channel access is another area where traditional streaming services, like Netflix, are bleeding into broadcast territory. For example, you can watch your local NBC station with a Peacock subscription and you can tune into your area’s CBS station through your Paramount+ subscription. Netflix is even getting into the mix with a recently announced deal with one of France’s broadcast companies, TF1. The streaming service will now air TF1's live TV channels and on-demand content inside the Netflix app. No word if the concept will expand to other regions, but it’s an interesting move to anyone interested in the future of streaming. Live sports coverage One reality that spun my head was the sheer number and iterations of sports networks in existence. Trying to figure out which network will carry the match-up you want to see can be tricky. I found that Google makes it a little easier for sports fans by listing out upcoming games (just swap in NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and so on in the search bar). When you click an event, the “TV & streaming” button will tell you which network is covering it. That just leaves figuring out if your chosen service carries the RSNs (regional sports networks) you want. Unfortunately, even with add-ons and extra packages, some providers simply don’t have certain channels in their lineups. It would take a lawyer to understand the ins and outs of streaming rights negotiations, and networks leave and return to live TV carriers all the time. That said, most major sporting events in the US are covered by ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, USA and local affiliates. I should also point out that traditional streaming services have started adding live sports to their lineups. Peacock carries live Premier League matches, Sunday Night Football games and aired the 2024 Olympic Games from Paris. Thursday Night Football as well as NBA and WNBA games are on Amazon Prime and Christmas Day Football aired on Netflix. Max (formerly HBO Max) now airs select, regular season games from the NHL, MLB, NCAA and NBA with a $10-per-month add-on. You can watch MLS games with an add-on through the Apple TV app, and Apple TV+ includes some MLB games. Roku users can watch the just-added free sports channel and those who subscribe to Paramount Plus can see many of the matches aired on CBS Sports, including live NFL games. This year, even the Super Bowl was live-streamed for free on Tubi. While all of these alternatives may not cover as much ground as live TV streamers, they could end up being cheaper avenues to the sports you want. And if sports is all you’re after, there are sports-only plans that are a touch cheaper, too. The promised sports streaming service from ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. called Venu was cancelled early this year. But in May, ESPN confirmed it will launch its own streaming service that will include all ESPN channels, though a start date hasn’t been confirmed. DirecTV recently announced a $70-per-month, sports-only streaming package called MySports and Comcast now has a sports and news bundle for the same price (as long as you're an Xfinity customer with auto-pay, otherwise it's more expensive). Traditional cable networks Dozens of linear programming networks were once only available with cable TV, like Bravo, BET, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Lifetime, SYFY and MTV. If you only subscribe to, say, Netflix or Apple TV+, you won’t have access to those. But as with sports, standard streamers are starting to incorporate this content into their offerings. After the Warner Bros. merger, Max incorporated some content from HGTV, Discovery and TLC. Peacock has Bravo and Hallmark shows, and Paramount+ has material from Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central. Other channels like AMC+ have stand-alone apps. The Discovery+ app gives you 15 channels ad-free for $9 per month (or with ads for $5 monthly). And a service called Frndly TV starts at a mere $7 per month and streams A&E, Lifetime, Game Show Network, Outdoor Channel and about 35 others. Of course, most live TV streaming options will deliver more sizable lists of cable networks, but just note that you may already be paying for some of them — and if all you need is a certain channel, you could get it cheaper by subscribing directly. On-demand streaming Most live TV subscriptions include access to a selection of video-on-demand (VOD) content, like you would get with a traditional streaming service. Much of this content is made up of the movies and TV series that have recently aired on your subscribed networks. This typically doesn’t cover live events and news programming, but I was able to watch specific episodes of ongoing shows like Top Chef or BET’s Diarra from Detroit. Just search the on-demand library for the program, pick an episode and hit play. Partnerships, like Hulu’s relationship with Disney, and add-ons, such as bundling Max with your YouTube TV subscription or Starz with your Sling plan, will let you watch even larger libraries of on-demand content. But again, if VOD is all you’re after, paying for those networks directly instead of through a live TV plan will be far cheaper. Digital video recordings (DVR) limits Every option I tried offers some cloud DVR storage without needing a separate physical device. You’ll either get unlimited storage for recordings that expires after nine months or a year, or you’ll get a set number of hours (between 50 and 1,000) that you can keep indefinitely. Typically, all you need to do is designate what ongoing TV series you want to record and the DVR component will do all the hard work of saving subsequent episodes for you to watch later. You can do the same thing with sports events. Aside from being able to watch whenever it’s most convenient, you can also fast-forward through commercials in recorded content. In contrast, you can’t skip them on live TV or VOD. Simultaneous streams and profiles per account Each plan gives you a certain number of simultaneous streams, aka how many screens can play content at the same time. And while most providers will let you travel with your subscription, there are usually location restrictions that require you to sign in from your home IP address periodically. Stream allowances range from one at a time to unlimited screens (or as many as your ISP’s bandwidth can handle). Some plans require add-ons to get more screens. Most services also let you set up a few profiles so I was able to give different people in my family the ability to build their own watch histories and libraries, set their favorite channels and get individual recommendations. Picture-in-picture mode and multiview Picture-in-picture (PiP) usually refers to shrinking a video window on a mobile device or computer browser so you can watch it while using other apps. Sling, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Philo, DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV all have PiP modes on computers and mobile devices. Another feature, multiview, lets you view multiple live sports games at once on your TV screen. YouTube TV and FuboTV are the only live TV streamers that let you do this. With YouTube TV, you can select up to four views from a few preset selection of streams. FuboTV offers the same feature, but only if you're using an Apple TV or Roku streaming device. 4K live streams Right now, just FuboTV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream offer 4K live streams — but with caveats. YouTube TV requires a $20-per-month add-on, after which you’ll only be able to watch certain live content in 4K. DirecTV Stream has three channels that show live 4K content — one with shows and original series, and two with occasional sporting events. You don’t have to pay extra for these but you do need to have either DirecTV’s Gemini receiver, or a device from Fire TV, Apple TV or Roku. You’ll need those same streaming devices to watch the select 4K programming on Sling as well. FuboTV shows certain live events in 4K but access is limited to the Elite and Premier packages, not the base-level Pro plan. Of course, watching any 4K content also requires equipment that can handle it: a 4K smart TV or 4K streaming device paired with a cord and screen that can handle 4K resolution. Tiers, packages and add-ons Comparing price-to-offering ratios is a task for a spreadsheet. I… made three. The base plans range from $28 to $85 per month. From there, you can add packages, which are usually groups of live TV channels bundled by themes like news, sports, entertainment or international content. Premium VOD extras like Max, AMC+ and Starz are also available. Add-ons cost an extra $5 to $20 each per month and simply show up in the guide where you find the rest of your live TV. This is where streaming can quickly get expensive, pushing an $80 subscription to $200 monthly, depending on what you choose. How to stream live TV for free I also downloaded and tried out a few apps that offer free ad-supported TV (FAST) including Freevee, Tubi, PlutoTV and Sling Freestream. These let you drop in and watch a more limited selection of live networks at zero cost. Most don’t even require an email address, let alone a credit card. And if you have a Roku device, an Amazon Fire TV or Stick, a Samsung TV, a Chromecast device or a Google TV, you already have access to hundreds of live channels via the Roku Channel, the live tab in Fire TV, through the Samsung TV Plus app or through Google TV. Back to top How we tested When I begin testing for a guide, I research the most popular and well-reviewed players in the category and narrow down which are worth trying. For the paid plans, just six services dominate so I tried them all. There are considerably more free live TV contenders so I tested the four most popular. After getting accounts set up using my laptop, I downloaded the apps on a Samsung smart TV running the latest version of Tizen OS. I counted the local stations and regional sports coverage, and noted how many of the top cable networks were available. I then weighed the prices, base packages and available add-ons. I then looked at how the programming was organized in each app’s UI and judged how easy everything was to navigate, from the top navigation to the settings. To test the search function, I searched for the same few TV shows on BET, Food Network, HGTV and Comedy Central, since all six providers carry those channels. I noted how helpful the searches were and how quickly they got me to season 6, episode 13 of Home Town. I used DVR to record entire series and single movies and watched VOD shows, making sure to test the pause and scan functions. On each service with sports, I searched for the same four upcoming NHL, NBA, MLS and NCAA basketball matches and used the record option to save the games and play them back a day or two later. Finally, I noted any extra perks or irritating quirks. All live TV streaming services we’ve tested: Philo Sling YouTube TV Hulu + Live TV DirecTV Stream FuboTV Freevee Tubi PlutoTV Sling Freestream Plex Back to top Live TV Streaming FAQs What is live streaming? Streaming simply refers to video content that is delivered to your screen over the internet. Live streaming can be split into two categories: linear programming and simultaneous transmission. That first one is similar to what you get with cable or broadcast TV, with channels that play a constant flow of movies and shows (sort of what TV looked like before Netflix). Simultaneous streaming lets you watch live events (like a basketball game) or a program (like the evening news) as they happen. What is the difference between streaming and live streaming? Standard streaming, the most popular example being Netflix, lets you pick what you want to watch from a menu of choices. It’s also referred to as “video on demand.” Live streaming refers to sports and news events that you can stream as they happen in real time. It also refers to channels that show a continuous, linear flow of programming. What streaming service is best for live TV? FuboTV does the best job of letting you organize live channels to help you find just what you want to watch. The interface is uncluttered and when you search for something, the UI clearly tells you whether something is live now or on-demand. YouTube TV also does a good job making that info clear. Both have just over 100 live channels on offer. What is the most cost effective TV streaming service? Free TV streaming services like PlutoTV, Plex, Tubi and FreeVee show plenty of ad-supported TV shows and movies without charging you anything. Of course, they won’t have the same channels or content that more premium subscriptions have. Ultimately it depends on what you want to watch and finding the service that can supply that to you in the most streamlined form so you’re not paying for stuff you don’t need. Is it cheaper to have cable or streaming? A basic cable package used to be more expensive than the base-level live TV streaming service. But now that nearly all major providers have raised their prices to over $75 per month, that’s no longer the case. And with add-ons and other premiums, you can easily pay over $200 a month for either cable or a live TV streaming service. What streaming service has all the TV channels? No service that we tested had every available channel. Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream carry the the highest number of the top rated channels, according to Neilsen. Hulu’s service also gets you Disney+ fare, which you can’t get elsewhere. FuboTV has the most sports channels and YouTube TV gives you the widest selection of add-ons. What is the most popular live TV streaming platform? YouTube TV has the most paying customers. According to 2024's letter from the CEO, the service has over eight million subscribers. Disney’s 2024 third quarter earnings put the Hulu + Live TV viewer count at 4.6 million. Sling’s customer count dipped from two million to about 1.9 million in 2024 and FuboTV grew its subscriber list to 1.6 million. How safe are free streaming services and websites? You may have heard certain sites that provide free content can be dangerous, leading to stolen info and/or exposing you to malware. That’s likely in reference to certain peer-to-peer (P2P) networks and file-sharing sites that let people download free movies and series — which can come bundled with malicious code. But if you’re talking about the free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services listed here, from providers like PlutoTV, Tubi and Freevee, they are just as safe as any other streaming service. Since you sometimes don’t even have to provide your email address or credit card info, they can even be more anonymous than apps that require login credentials. Back to top Recent updates January 31, 2025: Added information about which streaming service would live-stream the Super Bowl, including Tubi’s free option. Updated Fubo’s pricing. Added details about DirectTV Stream’s sports-only package and Comcast’s sports and news bundle. January 16, 2025: Included higher prices for Sling’s Orange and Blue plans. Noted the demise of the never-launched Venu sports streaming service and mentioned the inclusion of DirecTV’s new sports package. December 31, 2024: Noted increased pricing for YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV and DirecTV. Updated information for 4K streaming capabilities and requirements for multiple services. Reported on the upcoming shut down of Amazon’s Freevee service and the addition of DirecTV’s free service. August 6, 2024: Updated with the addition of Plex as a free live TV streaming recommendation and mentioned the additional free channels Philo is now including with the free version of its service. Added pricing information for ESPN's new sports-only streaming service, Venu.  June 12, 2024: Updated with more information about 4K live streaming, picture-in-picture and multiview modes, as well as video on-demand options. We expanded our recommendations around free live TV streaming services and added a FAQ query about the safety of free streaming services and clarified the difference between standard and live streaming. More traditional streaming services have added live and sports components, so we revised that section accordingly. Back to topThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/best-live-tv-streaming-service-133000410.html?src=rss View Source Article

More than six months after TikTok was briefly banned, we still don't know exactly what its fate in the US will be. But we do have new insight into the legal wrangling that has allowed Apple, Google and other platforms to continue to support the app. If you remember, TikTok was only "banned" for a matter of hours shortly before President Donald Trump took office in January and delayed enforcement of the law. The app's service was promptly restored January 19, 2025, but the app didn't return to Apple and Google's app stores until February 13. Reporting at the time suggested the companies had lingering concerns about potential liability for running afoul of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. Back in February, Axios and others reported that the Justice Department had given "assurances" to tech platforms that they wouldn't be penalized for violating the law. Now, we know exactly what Attorney General Pam Bondi told the companied as letters sent to Apple, Google, Amazon, Oracle and other firms have been made public. The letters were disclosed in a Freedom of Information Act Request made by Tony Tan, a software engineer and Google shareholder suing the search giant for not complying with the TikTok ban. In a letter dated January 30, 2025, Bondi tells Apple and Google that "the President has determined that an abrupt shutdown of the TikTok platform would interfere with the execution of the President's constitutional duties to take care of the national security and foreign affairs of the United States." It goes on to state that Apple and Google "may continue to provide services to TikTok … without incurring any legal liability." A followup later dated April 5, 2025 (the day after Trump gave TikTok another 75-day reprieve), Bondi told the companies that "the Department of Justice is also irrevocably relinquishing any claims the United States might have had against" them "for the conduct proscribed in the Act during the Covered Period and Extended Covered Period, with respect to TikTok and the larger family of ByteDance Ltd. and TikTok, Inc. applications covered under the Act." The letters can be read in full below. The law has now been paused three times since Trump took office. Earlier this week, he said that details about TikTok's new ownership could be made public in "about two weeks."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/here-are-the-letters-that-let-apple-and-google-ignore-the-tiktok-ban-220630588.html?src=rss View Source Article

Apple devices tend to be fairly high-quality — the company's gear currently occupies the top spots in several of our buying guides, from laptops and tablets to smartphones and smartwatches. Which means that gear usually doesn't come cheap. We keep a running list of the best Apple deals out there. This week, things are looking slower than usual, deals-wise and that's likely because Amazon's Prime Day is just around the corner. If history is any indicator, many more Apple deals will pop up closer to when that sale starts (at Amazon and other retailers matching the prices). Currently Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target are hosting some discounts. Just note that Apple's own online store, with the exception of refurbished, doesn't offer many discounts. (Though for iPhones, going direct is actually the best route to take.) Best iPad deals iPad Pro (M4, 11-inch) for $900 ($100 off): The most powerful iPad is the iPad Pro, and it’s the one to get if you’re even toying with the idea of using your new slab as a laptop replacement. Both the 11- and 13-inch models have gorgeous displays, thinner and lighter designs, a repositioned front camera and the excessively powerful M4 chip inside. iPad mini (7th gen) for $399 ($100 off): This is the iPad to get if you prefer small tablets, akin to ereaders. The latest mini is equipped with an A17 Pro chipset, an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display and Apple Intelligence. We consider it to be the best small tablet, period, and we appreciate its Apple Pencil Pro support, 128GB of storage on the base model and compact design. Also at Target. Apple iPad Air (M3, 11-inch) for $549 ($50 off): The only major difference between the latest iPad Air and the previous generation is the addition of the faster M3 chip. We awarded the new slab an 89 in our review, appreciating the fact that the M3 chip was about 16 percent faster in benchmark tests than the M2. This is the iPad to get if you want a reasonable amount of productivity out of an iPad that's more affordable than the Pro models. Best Apple AirPods deals AirPods Pro 2 for $199 ($50 off): These are the best wireless earbuds for Apple users, period. The latest models have improved ANC and transparency mode, along with good battery life, spatial audio and hands-free Siri. They also have MagSafe charging support and work with Apple’s "clinically validated” hearing test. Best MacBook and Mac deals Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 24GB RAM) for $1,249 at Amazon ($450 off): The last-gen M3 MacBook Air has officially been discontinued, but it remains a superb laptop while the last bits of stock remain available. We gave this 15-inch model a score of 90 in our review — outside of its slower chip (which is still plenty fast for everyday use), marginally improved camera and inability to power two external displays with the lid open, it's virtually identical to the newer version. This deal applies to the model with the larger 24GB of internal memory is on sale.  Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M4) for $1,049 at Amazon ($150 off): The 15-inch MacBook Air is nearly identical to the smaller version but features more robust speakers and a more spacious trackpad alongside its roomier display. Also at B&H. MacBook Air (M3, 15-inch) for $999 at B&H ($300 off): The last-gen M3 MacBook Air has officially been discontinued, but it remains a superb laptop while the last bits of stock remain available. We gave this 15-inch model a score of 90 in in our review — outside of its slower chip (which is still plenty fast for everyday use), marginally improved camera and inability to power two external displays with the lid open, it's virtually identical to the newer version.   Best Apple accessories deals Apple Pencil (USB-C) for $69 at Amazon ($10 off): This more affordable Apple Pencil doesn’t support pressure sensitivity, but it still makes for a useful stylus for the basics. If you’re a casual note-taker and can live without wireless charging, you’ll save a few bucks by picking this one up. Also at Best Buy, Walmart and Target. Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $75 at Amazon ($25 off): We think most iPhone owners will appreciate how easy it is to keep track of things like wallets, keys or handbags with a set of AirTags. These Bluetooth trackers monitor the location of your belongings so you can check in on them using the Find My app. Those with newer iPhones can also use UWB technology to get turn-by-turn directions to find their stuff when the AirTag is within close range. Also at Walmart. Read more Apple coverage: The best AirPods The best Apple Watches The best MacBooks The best iPhones The best iPads Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/best-apple-deals-150020110.html?src=rss View Source Article

Apple has just three smartwatches in its current lineup. We think the flagship Apple Watch Series 10 is the best for most people, but athletes and outdoor enthusiasts might be happier with the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The budget model, the Apple Watch SE, offers a surprising array of features for the price. All three are excellent companions for your iPhone and all do a great job of tracking health and fitness stats. This guide to the best Apple Watch breaks down the differences in sensors, case design and more to help you decide which model makes the most sense for you. Table of contents Best Apple Watch in 2025 What to look for in an Apple Watch How we tested Apple Watches Apple Watch comparison chart Best Apple Watch in 2025 What to look for in an Apple Watch Like all Apple products, Apple Watches will only work with other devices from the brand's ecosystem. You won't be able to pair any Apple Watch to your Android phone. Note that you can pair other wearables (like a Garmin tracker or a Fitbit band) with your iPhone. There are some more features that are specific to Apple Watches and that set each of the three models apart from one another.  Chips and sensors The new Apple Watch Series 10 has an S10 SiP (system in a package) chip with a four-core Neural Engine. The Ultra 2 was updated last September with Apple’s S9 SiP. Both chips allow for on-device processing of Siri requests as well as dictation, translation, automatic workout detection and the Double Tap gesture that lets you answer calls or stop an alarm by tapping your thumb and forefinger together twice. It also enables faster machine learning performance for interpreting sensor data, speech recognition and performing other “thinking” tasks. The Apple Watch SE still relies on the S8 SiP, which was also used in the Series 8 and the original Ultra. Both the Series 10 and Ultra 2 can measure certain vital signs like heart rate, and both have an ECG app. Temperature sensors can help track ovulation, while underwater temperature sensors may come in handy while swimming and snorkeling. Both also support fall-detection and crash-detection as a safety feature. All three models have a compass and altimeter. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has an onboard SOS siren, as well as dive features like a depth gauge. Water features were added to the Apple Watch Series 10, but with a shallower depth rating (just six meters, as compared to 40 meters on the Ultra). The Ultra includes blood oxygen sensors, but a patent dispute has forced Apple to disable that health feature on new models sold in the US and the hardware isn’t present in the new flagship model. All three models support near field communication (NFC), the chip that enables Apple Pay. Once you set it up using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, you can pay for stuff at any store that accepts Apple Pay, even if you don't have your phone with you. Displays and case sizes The wide-angle OLED display on the Apple Watch 10 lets you see the always-on display from more angles. The Ultra 2 also has an always-on display, but you’ll have to lift your wrist to tell time or read notifications on the SE. The SE can reach a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits, the Series 10 can get as bright as 2,000 and the Ultra 2 hits 3,000 nits. Both higher-end screens can dim to a single nit, making them less distracting in the dark. The Apple Watch Series 10 came with a new finish and case material — a glossy anodized jet black finish on the aluminum model and the option for a titanium case. The Ultra 2 also got a new finish, satin black, that utilizes a PVD (physical vapor deposition) process to apply the color. As for case sizes, the SE is available in 40 or 44mm. The Series 10 increased in size from the prior generation and now has a choice of a 42 or 46mm case. The Ultra 2 comes in just one size measuring 49mm. You also get the opportunity to pick the length and style for watch bands. The SE and Series 10 come in small/medium or medium/large and the Ultra 2 gives you the choice of small, medium or large. The Series 10 (left) and Series 9 (right). Cherlynn Low for Engadget Battery life Since it’s the largest wearable, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 sports the biggest battery and can last for a claimed 36 hours on a charge. That number jumps up to 72 hours if you turn on low power mode. Both the Apple Watch 10 and the SE are rated by Apple to go for 18 hours before they need a visit to the charger, and longer when using battery saver mode. That means if you want to use either of those models regularly for sleep tracking, you may need to recharge them a bit before bed.  Fitness and wellness features Believe it or not, all three Apple Watches have similar fitness tracker chops. The Activity app uses three “rings” to keep tabs on how much you’re moving in a day: The Move ring tracks your active calories; the Exercise ring monitors the minutes you’ve spent walking, running, doing yoga and so on; and the Stand ring tells you how many hours in a day you’ve stood up and moved around for at least one minute. Different internal sensors detect those activities, for example the accelerometer senses when you’re moving versus sitting still, and the optical heart rate sensor judges how hard you're working out and how many calories you’ve burned. You can set your goals for each ring and you’ll earn badges and animations when you hit them. The Workout app lets you start and track an exercise session. The sensors can even auto-detect when you’re working out, tapping your wrist to suggest you track the activity. Apple Watches will integrate with Apple’s Fitness+ subscription, displaying real time heart rate and calorie burn data on your iPhone, iPad or even Apple TV 4K as you take a class. Fitness+ also includes audio-guided walks and runs with just your watch and Bluetooth earbuds. All three models support the Activity and Workout apps for free. The Fitness+ app also works with all Apple Watches, but costs $10 per month. New features enabled with watchOS 11 include Training Load that gauges your body’s response to workouts over time, which could help athletes better prepare for events like marathons. Users can also now skip a day (or more) from fitness tracking metrics when they need to rest or aren’t feeling up to the challenge of closing their rings. The new OS also supports offline maps, which could prove useful when hiking far from cellular coverage. Upcoming features of the next operating system (watchOS 26) will include an AI Workout Buddy to coach you through your next run via your connected Airpods. Siri You can get the weather, start a workout, identify a song and dictate a text just by asking Siri. All Apple Watch models support the Raise to Speak feature that bypasses the need to say “Hey Siri” and will instead listen for your request when you lift your wrist near your mouth. Both the Series 10 and the Ultra 2 utilize onboard processing of Siri requests. That means executing simple requests like starting workouts and timers are quicker, as they won’t need to access external networks. However, requests like sending texts or getting weather forecasts still need to communicate with Wi-Fi or cellular, so you’ll need to have your phone nearby if you have a GPS-only model. Carbon neutral options The Apple Watch Series 9 with the aluminum case was the company's first carbon neutral product. Apple defines its carbon neutral products as those that use "100 percent clean electricity for manufacturing and product use, 30 percent recycled or renewable material by weight and 50 percent of shipping without the use of air transportation." Combined, Apple says those changes reduced the emissions by around 75 percent, and the company will use credits so make up for the remaining emissions. Currently, the Apple Watch Series 10 in either aluminum or titanium with the sport loop band, braided solo loop or Milanese loop, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with the trail loop or alpine loop bands are designated as carbon neutral products.  Price There’s a $550 difference between the cheapest and most expensive Apple Watches. For $250 (and often on sale for less), you can get the 40mm Apple Watch SE with GPS-only connectivity; adding cellular connectivity ups the price by $50. The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 for the 42mm, non-cellular model in aluminum and goes as high as $749 for the 46mm titanium case (which is only available with GPS and cellular). The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has just one price: $799 for a titanium 49mm case with both GPS and cellular power — though if you want the titanium Apple Watch Band, the price goes up. For any model you pick, you'll probably also want a few Apple Watch accessories, so you may want to factor that into your purchasing decision.  How we tested Apple Watches Engadget has been reviewing Apple Watches since the first one came out in 2015. Since then, we’ve tested every subsequent model Apple has released, including the Ultra and SE models, spending at least a few days or even a couple weeks with one strapped to our wrists. During that time, we run, hit the gym, go on hikes and wear it while sleeping, all the while gauging how it tracks various metrics, integrates with the iPhone and performs every other trick Apple claims its smartwatches can do. Since we also review smartwatches from other companies, such as Samsung and Google, our editors can compare Apple Watches not just to previous generations, but also to other wearables on the market. Our buying guides and recommendations rely on first-hand testing by Engadget staff.  Apple Watch comparison chart Product Apple Watch Series 10 Apple Watch Ultra 2 Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) Release date September 2024 September 2023 September 2022 Case sizes 42mm or 46mm 49mm 40mm or 44mm Case material Aluminum or titanium Titanium Aluminum Display LTPO3 OLED Always-On LTPO2 OLED Always-On LTPO OLED Max brightness 2,000 nits 3,000 nits 1,000 nits Chip S10 SiP S9 SiP S8 SiP Max battery life 18 h./36 h. low power 36 h./72 h. low power 18 h. Water resistance 50 m. 100 m. 50 m. Featured sensors ECG, electrical heart rate, optical heart rate, water temp, altimeter, compass, gyroscope, sleep tracking, sleep apnea, wrist temp ECG, electrical heart rate, optical heart rate, water temp, expanded-range altimeter, compass, gyroscope, sleep tracking, sleep apnea, wrist temp ECG, optical heart rate, altimeter, compass, gyroscope, sleep tracking This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/best-apple-watch-160005462.html?src=rss View Source Article

Choosing the best VR headset for you is the first step into some of the most immersive gaming, entertainment and virtual work experiences available today. Whether you’re exploring new worlds, working out in virtual gyms or collaborating in 3D environments, a great headset can make all the difference. The latest models offer high-resolution displays, improved FOV (field of view) and ergonomic head strap designs that keep things comfortable during extended sessions. Many also support Bluetooth for connecting external accessories like controllers or earbuds.As the tech has matured, you’ll now find headsets that balance performance with portability, and some even offer a wider field of view to enhance your sense of presence in virtual spaces. From beginner-friendly options to high-end devices built for enthusiasts, there's a VR headset out there for every type of user — and this guide will help you find the one that fits your needs best. Table of contents Best VR headsets for 2025 How we test VR headsets Other VR headsets we've tested VR headset FAQs Recent updates Best VR headsets for 2025 How we test VR headsets I tend to judge candidates for the best VR headset on a few basic criteria: Ergonomics, immersion and controls. It's not that hard to shove a mobile display into a plastic headset and strap some cheap elastic headbands onto it. But it takes real design skill to craft something that's well balanced, includes a supportive headstrap, and doesn't feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes. My test for ergonomics is fairly simple: How long can I wear a headset until I start to feel discomfort? For the most ergonomic devices, like the Quest 3, that could easily be an hour or two. But heavier PC hardware often feels cumbersome after just 15 minutes — you won’t find those kinds of devices in our list of the best VR headsets. Immersion, meanwhile, comes from having high resolution screens with fast refresh rates, like a 120Hz refresh rate, so everything looks sharp and smooth. Field of view is also a major element, as it describes how well VR screens can cover what you see. A narrow FOV makes it feel like you're peering through a pair of binoculars, which limits your sense of “presence.” The best VR headsets aim for a wider field of view, helping virtual environments feel more natural and fully surround you. A wide field of view, on the other hand, can make it seem like you’re actually flying over the globe in Google Earth. We look at a few popular video games, like Superhot, Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, on every headset to judge how immersed we feel and how enjoyable the gaming experience is overall. The best controllers fit naturally in your hands and offer accurate tracking. The industry has basically adopted the design of Meta’s excellent touch controllers, but we're also seeing intriguing leaps forward like Valve's finger tracking gamepads. We judge controllers based on how easy they are to hold, how they hold up to sweaty gameplay sessions and how easily headsets can track their position in space. However, it’s important to look at a virtual reality headset’s specs as a whole. Depending on what you’re looking for in yourVR headset, you’ll want to consider factors like your PC’s CPU and graphics card if you plan to use the headset to play the best VR games. You might not need a super powerful PC, but you should check the minimum requirements for the headset you’re looking to purchase. If you’re not looking to invest in a VR headset solely for gaming, features like head tracking allow you to explore your environment just by simply moving your head in the simulator. This often results in a more immersive and realistic experience. Other VR headsets we’ve tested HTC Vive Focus Vision The Vive Focus Vision is a sleek premium standalone VR headset that can also deliver solid PC VR. But it’s also running aging hardware, it’s riddled with software issues and it’s expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3. Meta Quest Pro As great as the Meta Quest 3 is, the Quest 2 is still a very good entry-level VR headset, and it’s worth considering if it’s on sale below its current $250 list price. The Meta Quest Pro, on the the hand, is an expensive boondoggle best ignored. HTC Vive Pro 2 Outside of Meta’s hardware, the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains a fantastic PC headset, but it’s far more expensive than the Valve Index, which is more comfortable and offers better audio. VR headset FAQs How do VR headsets work? At the most basic level, a VR headset is simply a high quality screen that you’re holding up to your face. For a wired headset, the actual work of rendering a game is done on either a PC or game console. For completely wireless devices, like the Meta Quest 3, that work is handled right on the headset. They rely on either external sensors, or sensors built into the headsets, to map your physical space. While you can use a traditional gamepad or keyboard and mouse in VR, they typically use motion tracking controllers to immerse you in their 3D environments. What VR headset is best for full body tracking? While we’re still waiting for a truly great haptic VR bodysuit to arrive, you can still achieve accurate body tracking with most Steam VR-compatible PC headsets. The Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 both rely on room-tracking sensors that can map your body more effectively than the built-in sensors on competitors. You can also add HTC Vive Trackers to wrist and leg straps, as well as belts, for even better coverage. The Meta Quest 3 doesn’t have any easy body tracking solutions, but you can add Vive trackers when it’s plugged into your PC to mimic a Steam VR headset. Only a few experiences, like VRChat, take advantage of full body tracking at the moment. Currently there aren’t any body tracking solutions for the PlayStation VR and VR2, but we’re intrigued by the company’s Mocopi body trackers, which were really announced in Japan. What VR headsets are better than Oculus? Oculus is the previous name for Meta’s VR hardware. Currently, Meta only supports the Quest 3, Quest 3S and Quest Pro, all of which are wireless headsets. As we explain above, PC VR headsets can generally achieve better quality virtual reality, since they rely on more powerful graphics hardware. What VR headsets work with Xbox? Currently, Microsoft’s Xbox consoles don’t support any VR headsets. Recent updates April 2025: Updated to include review scores for our top picks, where applicable. November 2024: Added the HTC Vive Focus Vision to the "others we tested" section. October 2024: Updated our "best cheap VR headset" top pick to be the Meta Quest 3S.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/best-vr-headsets-140012529.html?src=rss View Source Article

The so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” has passed with plenty of nasty treats for the US technology and manufacturing industries. As well as swinging the sword at basic environmental protection measures, the bill sticks its thumb in the eye of the EV industry. Tim Stevens takes you on a tour of the most salient changes, like the imminent end of the EV tax credit. Joining that on the bonfire is the used EV incentive, as well as the rebates for the purchase of commercial EVs. Similarly, for all of this administration’s talk of bringing manufacturing back to the US, the bill is a middle finger for domestic solar companies. The US is the only credible manufacturing rival to China in solar panels, but the bill cuts these businesses off at the knees. I spoke to people inside the US solar industry who know that, despite whatever tariffs are implemented, this bill opens the door to a flood of cheap, Chinese-made solar panels to usurp their US rivals. An earlier version of the bill also contained moves that could only be described as weirdly vindictive. It previously proposed an annual EV tax of $250 (and $100 for hybrid owners) as well as a general levy on all wind and solar projects. Why? A cynic might suggest it was due to the bill being drafted to benefit fossil fuel companies at the expense of literally everyone else. Anyway, hopefully you can enjoy the holiday and won’t need to spend it panic-buying an EV and US-made solar panels. Although that’s not actually a bad way to spend a long weekend. — Dan Cooper Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The news you might have missed Here are the letters that let Apple and Google ignore the TikTok banAG Pam Bondi offered a written guarantee they would incur no legal liability. Xbox was funding Romero Games' new game, but layoffs have left the project in crisisTurns out Microsoft was backing John Romero’s new studio. Uber drivers in British Columbia, Canada have unionizedThis will be interesting. Get two months of Paramount+ for only $2 right now Catch up on all that new Star Trek. Paramount+ You can snag two months of Paramount+ for just $2, allowing you to take advantage of the new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The deal applies to both the Essential and Premium plan, so you can easily have a little run of ad-free Star Trek as a treat. And, if you don’t like the idea of binging Strange New Worlds, you can always watch Star Trek: Lower Decks instead. Continue Reading. Microsoft gaming division suffers further layoffs Even before the Xbox layoffs, there was 'tension' at Halo Studios Halo Studios Microsoft has announced it will cut 9,000 jobs from its global workforce, with much of that focus on its gaming division. Engadget's Jessica Conditt got the inside scoop from employees at Halo Studios, who reveal all is not well at what should be one of Microsoft’s crown jewels. Sadly, the company was already gutted back in 2023, and the lukewarm reception of its work since then is a sign of how badly things are going. Continue Reading. Crunchyroll's lazy AI subtitles have anime fans furious Friends don’t let friends subtitle shows with ChatGPT. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget Translating a work of art is a delicate task requiring nuanced knowledge of both the culture and the languages you’re translating from and to. Unless you’re Anime-favoring streaming service Crunchyroll, which just dumped subtitle files into ChatGPT and hoped for the best. As well as a general sloppiness, Engadget’s Igor Bonifacic found instances of lines beginning with “ChatGPT said:” at the start of a line. Crunchyroll said the subtitles were the result of the unauthorized action of a "third-party vendor," and it is working to rectify the error right now. Continue Reading. PlayStation needs Neil Druckmann more than HBO does Our take on the ‘Last of Us’ changes Neil Druckmann, head of Naughty Dog and co-creator of The Last of US and its TV adaptation, is stepping down from the HBO series. He said he’s shifting his focus back to video games full time to work on the studio’s next big title, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The Last of Us Part II co-writer Halley Gross is also stepping down at the same time, and that got our staff TLoU superfan Nathan Ingraham’s antennae twitching. He feels the video game industry, currently suffering body blow after body blow, needs Druckmann (and Gross) far more than the TV world does. Continue Reading. Nothing Phone 3 hands-on: A tiny, playful dot-matrix screen in the company's most expensive phone yet It’s another quirky gimmick on the back cover. Mat Smith for Engadget Nothing has launched its third-generation flagship, the $799 Nothing Phone 3, complete with a new eye-catching gimmick. Whereas previous models had the Glyph Interface, a series of flashing lights on the rear cover, the 3 gets a tiny dot-matrix display called the Glyph Matrix. Wanna find out if it’s going to be worth your cash? Check out Mat Smith’s detailed hands-on. Continue Reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111523433.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day 2025 will be here in a few days, but the sales are already starting to trickle in. Some of our favorite tech, including the TP-Link Deco AXE5400 WI-Fi mesh router system and the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max have already dropped in price. Now, a bunch more Amazon devices have been discounted, too. One of the best deals is on the Echo Spot smart alarm clock, which you can pick up for only $45. That's 44 percent off its usual price and a new record-low for the gadget. The deal is available on each of the color options: Black, Glacier White and Ocean Blue, and is currently only available for Prime members. Amazon launched the new Echo Spot in 2024, five years after it canned an initial iteration. It's not too different than its predecessor, though its front is split between a screen and a speaker. Amazon also got rid of its camera, which made some people uncomfortable for a bedside table device. Of course, it offers Alexa integration so you can use the voice assistant for everything from getting the time to playing music. That includes controlling smart home devices as well, and you can even pick up the Echo Spot bundled with an Amazon Basics smart light bulb for an extra $5. Elsewhere in the Amazon devices ecosystem, more smart speakers have received discounts. The Echo Dot is 36 percent off and down to $32, while the Echo Pop is 45 percent off and down to $22 for Prime members only. Neither of those are record-low prices, but they are the best discounts we've seen in 2025 so far. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-amazons-echo-spot-while-its-on-sale-for-45-for-prime-day-133212152.html?src=rss View Source Article

The latest Amazon Kindle Scribe ereader is on sale for just $260 as part of the upcoming Prime Day festivities. This is a record-low price and a discount of $140. The sale applies to the 16GB model, which is enough storage for thousands of books and notes. The Kindle Scribe is Amazon's answer to devices like the reMarkable E ink tablet. It's both a standard ereader and a tablet for taking notes, as it ships with a pen for scribbling. This makes it handy for writing down thoughts or for mindlessly drawing pizza slices. Users can jot notes over books, but not every title supports this feature. The Scribe made our list of the best E Ink tablets for a number of reasons. We appreciated the low latency when writing. In most cases, users won't notice any latency at all. The latest software update also brings in new brush types, which now include a fountain pen, a marker and a pencil. This device makes it easy to create multiple notebooks for different purposes. There are even some AI tools for summarization and the like. Of course, it's also a standard ereader. I have a Scribe and, to be honest, I use it primarily for reading. The giant 10.2-inch screen is just so luxe and offers a superior reading experience to standard-sized Kindles. It's a bit heavier and cumbersome to hold for long periods, but that tradeoff is worth it to me. The only major downside here is the price. It's tough to recommend a $400 ereader, even with all of the handwriting bells and whistles. However, this sale certainly takes the edge off a bit.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-latest-kindle-scribe-is-140-off-in-this-prime-day-deal-131544290.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon Prime Day doesn’t officially begin until next week, but we’re already seeing deals on some of our recommended Apple gear. Right now, Amazon has discounts on AirPods, iPads and even a couple of MacBooks, too. So if your old AirPods are due for an upgrade or you’re ready to pass down your current iPad to your nephew and get yourself a new one, this is a good time to shop. While we don’t know whether these deals will get better once the sale officially starts, some of the discounts are already the best prices we’ve seen so far this year. Editor's note: Apple Watches aren't currently on this list. Current sale prices on the wearables are higher than they've been over the past few weeks, so we're waiting to list them here until the discounts improve. We'll update this guide once the savings are the same or higher than in the recent past.   Best Prime Day iPad deals Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M4) for $899 ($100 off): We named the iPad Pro the best tablet money can buy. The screen is one of the best we’ve seen and Apple somehow managed to make the Pro model lighter than Air models. If you plan on handling heavy productivity — video rendering and editing, machine learning apps and the like, this is the way to go. Apple iPad Pro (13-inch, M4) for $1,099 ($200 off): The larger iPad pro is the ultimate laptop replacer. The M4 chip is faster than many computers out there but the thin and light design makes it super portable. The battery life will last through a whole day of work and more (we clocked over 10 hours of use in our review) and the screen is brilliant. Our only real complaint is the price, and this Prime Day helps at least a little. Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off): Apple’s smallest iPad earned an 83 review score from us when it came out late last year. Despite its compact size, it’s still a fully-featured iPad, with support for accessories and a laminated, anti-reflective screen. It’s not a laptop-replacer, but rather the perfect couch companion, handling games, video, web browsing and email triage. Best Prime Day MacBook deals MacBook Air (M4, 15-inch) for $1,049 ($150 off): If you want a little more screen real estate, go for the 15-inch Air. Devindra found the screen more immersive than the smaller model, and only slightly less portable. The slightly larger battery gave it a few more minutes of life. Whichever size you go for, the MacBook Air will be able to handle all but the most demanding rendering tasks without breaking a sweat. MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 24GB RAM) for $1,249 ($450 off): This higher-specced version of the M3 MacBook Air from last year has a 15-inch screen and a little extra internal memory. We gave the 15-inch model a score of 90 in our review when it came out in early 2024. Outside of its older M3 chip (which is still plenty fast for everyday use), marginally improved camera and inability to power two external displays with the lid open, this MacBook is virtually identical to the M4 version. Best Prime Day AirPod deals AirPods Max (USB-C) for $480 ($69 off): Apple’s only over-ear headphones are due for an update. The company outfitted the AirPods Max with a USB-C port late last year, but the internals haven’t had an overhaul since 2020. Still, we named them the best (and only) over-earn AirPods. They are comfortable and relatively lightweight, have a balanced sound and the noise cancellation is solid. Best Prime Day deals on Apple accessories Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off): Apple announced the Pro version of its pencil at the same time as the iPad Pro with the M4 chip. It adds haptic feedback, squeeze gestures and roll capabilities to the usual stylus tricks. It works with the newest iPad Pro, Air and Mini models.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-early-prime-day-apple-deals-on-macbooks-airpods-ipads-and-more-150005125.html?src=rss View Source Article

Robot vacuums can be a big help around the house by automating a regular chore, but they can be pretty expensive. That’s why it’s a wise decision to wait for a shopping event like Amazon Prime Day to buy one, when you can usually save hundreds off the sticker price. Amazon Prime Day 2025 is nearly here, and it has already brought excellent deals to many of our top picks for the best robot vacuums available today. The devices range from entry-level to midrange to high-end dirt suckers, and iRobot, Shark, Eufy and others are represented among the deals. There are even some solid cordless vacuums on sale as well as part of the Prime Day deals. Here are the best Prime Day vacuum deals we could find that you can snag right now. Best Prime Day robot vacuum deals Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum for $150 (46 percent off): A favorite budget robot vacuum of ours, the 11S Max has a slim profile that allows it to easily get other some furniture that other robovacs can't reach. It does a good job of sucking up dirt and debris, and even though it doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity, it comes with a remote control that gives you most of the functions an app would have. iRobot Roomba 104 Combo robot vacuum and mop for $250 (44 percent off): This combo machine will vacuum and mop on its own, plus it comes with an auto-empty base as well. That means it will automatically empty the dry debris it collects into the base after every cleaning job. Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum for $280 (49 percent off): A version of our favorite robot vacuum, this Shark machine has strong suction power and won't choke at the first sight of pet hair or big dust bunnies. Its self-emptying base is bagless as well, which means you won't have to buy propriety bags to refill it with over time. This auto-empty base has a 30-day capacity, but you can spend a bit more if you want a model with a 60-day capacity. Roborock Q7 M5+ for $280 (35 percent off): This robovac has 10,000Pa suction power, LiDAR navigation, an anti-tangle brush design and Wi-Fi connectivity. It also comes with a self-cleaning base that can hold up to seven weeks of debris before it needs to be emptied. Eufy E20 3-in-1 robot vacuum for $400 (38 percent off): One of Eufy's latest machines and a top pick of ours for the best robot vacuums, the E20 can putter around your home automatically, sucking up dirt and debris in its path. But then it can quickly transform into a cordless or handheld vacuum, allowing you to clean hard-to-reach spots manually. iRobot Roomba Plus 405 for $400 (50 percent off): This newer Roomba model comes with a dock that both empties and refills its mopping reservoir and cleans its mop pad in between uses. In addition to mopping, this machine vacuums and supports smart mapping so you can better target where it should clean on a per-job basis. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro robot vacuum and mop for $800 (33 percent off): This Shark machine is one of our favorites in part because it truly lives up to its name. Thanks to its self-emptying dock that handles vacuumed debris along with clean and dirty mopping water, you really don't have to touch the thing for at least 30 days in between cleanings. We found it to be a solid autonomous dirt sucker, and its mopping capabilities are quite good to match. Best Prime Day vacuum deals Levoit LVAC-300 cordless vacuum for $250 ($100 off): One of Levoit's newest cordless stick vacuums, the LVAC-300 has HEPA filtration, strong suction and an easily maneuverable design. Its single-button start makes it super easy to use, and you can choose from three power modes: Eco, Mid and Turbo. You'll get a maximum of 60 minutes of battery life, and it comes with a few attachments for cleaning furniture, car interiors and more. Tineco Pure One Station Furfree cordless vacuum for $299 (25 percent off): This cordless vacuum has its own self-emptying base, and it comes with attachments to groom your pets. It has solid suction power and the built-in iLoop smart sensor automatically adjust suction power depending on the messes in its path. Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum for $300 (36 percent off): This Dyson stick vacuum has 40 minutes of runtime, a lightweight design and two power modes to choose from. It comes with four attachments, including the Motorbar cleaner head that works on all floor types, and it can easily convert to a more compact handheld vacuum to take out to your car when it needs a cleaning. Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty cordless vacuum for $430 (28 percent off): Shark's cordless vacuums are just as good as their robot vacuums, and you can usually find them on sale for less than other major brands. This one has great suction power and a relatively lightweight design, but the fact that it comes with a self-emptying base makes it an ultra-convenient choice. Dyson V15 Detect Plus for $570 ($180 off): You can't get much better than a Dyson if you're on the market for a cordless stick vacuum, and the V15 Detect delivers. It's our current top pick for the best cordless vacuum overall thanks to its excellent suction power, lightweight design, good battery life and the included Fluffy Optic cleaning head that uses a laser to show you where all the debris is while you're using it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-prime-day-robot-vacuum-deals-for-2025-140049056.html?src=rss View Source Article

Samsung has reportedly pushed back the completion of its semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas, because it has no customers. According to Nikkei Asia, the company is in no hurry to install equipment in the facility due to lack of clients and even though the facility is over 90 percent done. The factory was supposed to come online in 2024, but the company has since pushed back its opening date to sometime in 2026 to upgrade its foundry process. Samsung's fab was only supposed to be able to manufacture 4-nanometer chipsets, but the company adjusted its plans to give it the capability to manufacture more advanced 2-nanometer chips to be able to compete with rivals like TSMC. Still, the problem persisted.  If you'll recall, the plant in Taylor is part of Samsung's planned $44 billion investment in Texas. When the Biden administration announced that it was giving Samsung up to $6.4 billion in grants as part of the CHIPS Act funding, the company said that the money was going to be spent finishing up the campus in Taylor. But the facility's development has been troubled for quite a while now. Last year, Reuters reported that Samsung had delayed the deliveries of advanced-chipmaking equipment from ASML to its Taylor facility, since it had yet to sign up any major customer for the plant.  When Samsung cut jobs around the world last year, some jobs from its Texas operations were reportedly also cut due to production delays. And it's not just the company's employees who were affected by the delays: Samsung's suppliers, some of which are small companies, are also impacted and have had to look for other customers while the facility's completion is on hold. While Samsung has assured Nikkei Asia that it's still planning to open the fab in 2026, analysts previously called that into question seeing as it has yet to land volume clients. In fact, South Korean publication The Elec claimed in April that Samsung is now targeting a February 2027 opening date instead of sometime in 2026. The publication said that in addition to the lack of customers, Samsung's contractors had also pulled out of the project and its on-site workforce is now a fourth of its original size. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/samsungs-texas-chip-plant-is-reportedly-delayed-due-to-lack-of-customers-140034619.html?src=rss View Source Article

As has been the case for many years now, Fire TV devices are among the almost-guaranteed sales to be included in Amazon Prime Day. On of the best deals in this category right now is the Fire TV Stick HD, which is down to an all-time-low price of $18. We recently added this dongle to our best streaming devices guide as our top budget pick. It simply gets the job done without too much fuss or extra money spent. It's easy to set up, gives you access to all of the major streaming platforms and streams content in 1080p. It also comes with an updated remote control, which is the same remote that comes with Fire TVs. It allows for voice control, so you can simply ask it to look for something to watch and let Alexa do the rest. It can also control the power and volume on the TV, which is something previous Fire Stick remotes couldn't do. The one caveat is right there in the name. This is a stick that supports HD content and cannot stream in 4K. That could be a dealbreaker for some, though the price is most certainly right. If you absolutely must have that 4K magic on your set, consider the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Amazon's most powerful streaming dongle. It's on sale now as well for only $35. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-the-fire-tv-stick-hd-for-only-18-150502169.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day 2025 will be here in a few days, but you can already shop great tech deals on Amazon before the July 8-11 event. Case in point: the Apple Watch Series 10, which is $100 off at the moment and down to $299. That's the lowest price it's been so far since it came out last September. We're only seeing this sale price on one colorway at the moment, but it's worth checking back to see if the particular configuration you want drops back down over the coming days. It’s hard to believe that the Apple Watch is already ten years old. It seems like only yesterday that we got our hands on the first generation, and now the Apple Watch Series 10 is counting the days until the next generation is announced. Whether you’re looking to upgrade from an older Apple Watch or this is your first time buying an Apple smartwatch (though keep in mind an iPhone is required to use an Apple Watch), this sale is a great opportunity to pick one up at a fantastic value. The tenth generation of the Apple Watch represents a powerhouse of computing on your wrist. In our hands-on review, we loved the comprehensive health and fitness tracking capabilities on the watch, which has been a strong niche for Apple. We were sad to see the blood oxygen app removed following a patent dispute, but features like fall detection and sleep apnea tracking are still intact. It’s also the thinnest Apple Watch yet, feeling more like a slim accessory than a bulky gadget. We gave the Apple Watch 10 a score of 90 out of 100, and it remains our top pick for best smartwatch. If you're looking to send less, consider the Apple Watch SE. You can grab one for only $169 right now, or 32 percent off its usual price. It doesn't have all the bells, whistles and extra sensors that the Series 10 does, but you'll still get the core Apple Watch experience with excellent activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, smart alerts and more. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-10-is-on-sale-for-100-off-for-prime-day-152348579.html?src=rss View Source Article

Now that we know Amazon Prime Day will be coming up soon on July 8-11, it’s time to start thinking about what you may want to snag at a discount during the sale. If you pay the $139 annual fee for Prime, sale events like these are a great time to stock up on essentials and cross things off your wishlist while you can save some money. Most discounts will be exclusively available to Prime subscribers, but there are always a few that anyone shopping on Amazon can grab. Similarly, there are always early deals in the days and weeks leading up to Prime Day, and this year is no different. Here, we’ve collected the best Prime Day deals you can shop for right now and we’ll keep updating this post as we get close to Prime Day proper. Prime Day deals under $50 Audible Premium Plus (three months) for $3 ($42 off): New subscribers can get three months of Audible for only $3, which represents a $42 discount. The Premium Plus tier gives you one book credit per month to use on any audiobook the service has, and you can stream any of the included titles for free on top of that. Audible also has members-only sales and discounts that you'll be able to take advantage of, too. The deal runs through July 31. Samsung SmartTag 2 for $18.50 (38 percent off): Samsung users looking to keep track of their stuff need look no further than the SmartTag 2. One of our top picks for the best Bluetooth trackers, this accessory easily attaches to keys, bags and other items and uses Samsung's large finding network to show you their last known location. Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $25 (15 percent off): Jisulife makes handheld fans we've recommended in past gift guides and this is one of its newer models. It can be held, folded so it sits flat on a table or worn around your neck for a cool breeze wherever you're going. It has an easy-to-read display in its center that will show you the fan speed level or current battery life, and its 5,000 mAh battery can last up to 19.5 hours on a single charge when you're running the fan on its lowest setting. Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18 (49 percent off): Our favorite budget streaming stick, the Fire TV Stick HD is an easy, dirt-cheap way to upgrade an aging TV set. It supports HD video and its revamped remote can control the power and volume of your TV, so you don't have to keep track of two controllers. Leebein Electric Spin Scrubber for $40 (43 percent off): This was my favorite thing I bought last year because it makes the must-detested chore of cleaning my shower less of a pain. It's an electric spin scrubber that comes with multiple cleaning heads so you can use it on your countertops, sinks, tubs and showers and more. It also has an adjustable arm so you can reach tough spots in hard-to-reach places, and it convenient recharges via USB-C. Amazon Echo Spot for $45 (44 percent off): Amazon revived the Spot smart alarm clock last year, which features a half-circle shaped display that shows the time, weather and other information like song titles when you're using the speaker to play music. It has a compact design that will make it easy to fit on a desk or a nightstand, and as with any Alexa smart speaker, you can use it to control IoT devices like smart lights, locks and more. Blink Outdoor 4 (one camera system) for $45 (55 percent off): These security cameras are some of our favorites, and you can start building a system for your home with this pack that includes one Outdoor 4 camera and one Sync Module 2. These Blink cameras record 1080p video, support two-way talk and deliver speedy and accurate motion alerts to your phone. You don't need a subscription to save footage either; just use a thumb drive with the Sync Module 2 to save clips locally. Prime Day Apple deals AirPods Max (USB-C) for $480 ($70 off): If you’re looking for over-ear headphones with all of the conveniences of in-ear AirPods, the AirPods Max are one of your only options (with the others being Beats devices). The latest models have the same design as the originals, but now charge up via USB-C instead of Lightning. AirPods Pro 2 for $199 (20 percent off): The AirPods Pro 2 remain Apple’s best set of wireless earbuds, as they offer the full set of Apple-focused features, strong ANC, onboard volume controls, a comfy in-ear design and a warm sound profile that most should find agreeable. They can even work as a hearing aid. Their six-hour battery life still isn’t the best, though, and you should only get them if you’re all-in on Apple hardware. But if that’s the case, we consider them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone owners. Apple Watch Series 10 for $299 ($100 off): We consider Apple’s flagship wearable to be the best smartwatch you can buy, period. It's a mostly iterative update, with faster charging, a slightly slimmer design and a marginally larger display than the prior Series 9. That said, it's still a comprehensive fitness tracker, and no other smartwatch can integrate as neatly with iPhones and other Apple devices. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M4) for $849 (15 percent off): Apple continues to iterate on its most affordable laptop, and the M4 is the best Air yet. We consider this to be the best laptop for most people, thanks to its excellent performance, thing-and-light design, comfortable keyboard and trackpad and excellent battery life. Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $75 ($24 off): AirTags are famous for their ability to keep track of anything you attach them to. We named them the best Bluetooth trackers for iPhone users in our guide thanks to the AirTags’ almost spooky ability to locate items in the world at large. If you just need a single tag, that’s on sale too. Prime Day laptop deals Microsoft Surface Laptop (13.8-inch, Snapdragon X Plus) for $880 (27 percent off): In addition to running on a Snapdragon X Plus processor, this 2024 Surface Laptop has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It's a Copilot+ PC that also has a 13.8-inch touchscreen, and it should last up to 20 hours on a single charge. Google Pixelbook Go (13-inch, Intel Core M3) for $315 (51 percent off): The Pixelbook Go is a bit old at this point, but if you're a Chrome OS lover and want a Google-made laptop, this is a solid option. It includes an Intel Core M3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a 12-hour battery life. Prime Day smartphone deals Moto G Play (2024) for $130 (13 percent off): This budget-friendly smartphone packs a lot of value into its 6.5-inch frame. Its LCD screen is surprisingly sharp with a 90Hz refresh rate, its design is IP52-rated for water- and dust-resistance and it comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (the latter of which you can expand with a microSD card if you wish). Prime Day tech deals Ninja Dual-Zone air fryer (10 quart) for $180 ($50 off): This model is one of our favorite air fryers thanks to its dual-zone cooking system, which allows you to prepare two separate foods at different temperatures and settings. There's even a Match Cook feature that ensures both foods will be done at the same time, regardless of their cooking settings. Levoit Core 400S air purifier for $183 ($37 off): Our top pick for the best air purifier, Levoit's Core 400S reliably improved air quality in our testing, plus it has easy to use onboard controls and replaceable filters that are not too expensive. We also found it to not be offensively loud, even on its highest setting. TP-Link Deco XE75 Wi-Fi 6E mesh system for $250 (29 percent off with code DECOXE75): Our top pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system, this Deco XE75 three-pack is easy to set up and provides excellent performance with no-frills. The Deco mobile app lets you check speeds for each node, and you can see all of the devices on your network at any time. iRobot Roomba Vacuum and Mop Combo for $140 (49 percent off): A version of one of our top favorite robot vacuums, this budget-friendly machine comes with a water reservoir that allows it to mop hard floors. It connects via Wi-Fi to the iRobot app as well, which lets you set cleaning schedules and further control the machine. Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum for $150 (46 percent off): A favorite budget robot vacuum of ours, the 11S Max has a slim profile that allows it to easily get other some furniture that other robovacs can't reach. It does a good job of sucking up dirt and debris, and even though it doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity, it comes with a remote control that gives you most of the functions an app would have. Dyson V15 Detect Plus for $570 ($180 off): You can't get much better than a Dyson if you're on the market for a cordless stick vacuum, and the V15 Detect delivers. It's our current top pick for the best cordless vacuum overall thanks to its excellent suction power, lightweight design, good battery life and the included Fluffy Optic cleaning head that uses a laser to show you where all the debris is while you're using it. Ring Doorbell Battery + Indoor Cam 2 for $70 (50 percent off): If you're looking to build out a security system in your home, this bundle is a good place to start, giving you a video doorbell and an indoor security camera. You'll be able to see both live feeds in the Ring app, and they can send you motion alerts and let you speak to people on the other end of the camera when you're not at home. Amazon Fire TV soundbar for $85 (29 percent off, Prime exclusive): Amazon's soundbar supports Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X, and it measures just 24-inches long so it should be able to fit into even the most cramped TV setups. It also supports Bluetooth audio, so you can play music from it when you're not using it with your TV. Amazon Fire TV Cube for $90 ($50 off): Amazon's most powerful streaming device, the Fire TV Cube can play 4K video with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, plus it supports Wi-Fi 6E and has a built-in Ethernet port for those who want a hardwired connection. Kindle Scribe for $260 ($140 off): The Scribe is one of the best E-Ink tablets you can buy at the moment, and certainly the top pick if you want a writable table that also excels as an ereader. It provides a great reading and writing experience, thanks in part to its ability to access the entire Kindle ebook library, and it has handy Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox integration. Amazon 55-inch Omni mini-LED Fire smart TV for $700 ($120 off): A top-of-the-line model in the Fire TV family, this set has a 4K QLED mini-LED display with 1,400 nits of peak brightness and "intelligence picture" technology that adapts the screen to your room's lighting conditions. It also has a 144Hz refresh rate and support for AMD FreeSync. What is Prime Day? Prime Day is Amazon's members-only shopping event, which means you’ll have to be a Prime subscriber on Prime Day to take advantage of most of the savings. Amazon still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial closer to July and participate in the event. When is Prime Day 2025? Amazon Prime Day 2025 will be back this year on July 8 through July 11. How often is Prime Day? Amazon Prime Day typically comes around annually in July. In the last few years, Amazon has also had its "Big Deal Days" in October, which is effectively a second Prime Day and the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. How does Prime Day work? Prime subscribers can go to Amazon's site on Prime Day to see all of the exclusive deals they have access to. Prime subscribers do not have to do anything additional to get Prime Day sales: the discounts you see on product pages will show up in your cart automatically. If you're not a Prime subscriber and you go to Amazon to shop on Prime Day, you'll likely see tons of items on sale but only "with Prime;" those discounts will not be available to those who are not active Prime subscribers. Is Prime Day only for Prime members? Technically yes, but even if you do not pay for a Prime membership, you should still check out Amazon on Prime Day. While most Prime Day deals will be exclusively available to subscribers, there are always a handful of sales available to all shoppers. Amazon distinguishes between them very clearly: you'll see "Prime exclusive" on product pages near the deal pricing on the discounts that are only available to paying members. Separately, it’s very likely that other retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy will have their own competing Prime Day sales during that time frame, too. So if you're not keen on shopping at Amazon at all, it's worth checking out other retailers during the week of Prime Day to see if they are matching Prime Day deal prices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-prime-day-2025-the-best-early-deals-live-before-the-sale-plus-everything-else-you-need-to-know-120028014.html?src=rss View Source Article

Blink sales are pretty reliable during Amazon Prime Day, and this year is no different. The security camera company owned by the retail giant has discounted a number of its devices, and one of the best deals is on two-packs of the Blink Mini 2 camera. You can grab a duo for only $35, which is a record low. Blink released this version of the wired security camera last year. It has a built-in LED spotlight, color night vision capabilities and a low-light sensor. It'll record video in 1080p and it has a live view in the Blink mobile app that lets you check in on your home whenever you want. You're also getting a wider field of view with this updated model. Being an Amazon product, it's no surprise that it works with Alexa. The camera has two-way audio, so you can chat with your pooch while you're out. It also supports person detection, but you'll need a subscription for that. (They start at $3 per month or $30 per year for one device.) Although it's primarily an indoor camera, you can also use the Blink Mini 2 outdoors. However, that requires a $10 weather-resistant power adapter. The camera is available in black and white. Both colors are available for the $35 deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-two-blink-mini-2-security-cameras-for-only-35-in-this-prime-day-deal-201819623.html?src=rss View Source Article

You don’t have to spend a ton to snag discounts from Amazon’s latest sale, even now in the lead up to Prime Day 2025. This is our list of the best Prime Day deals on tech that costs less than $50. Of course, it’ll help if you’re a Prime member to access the most savings, but a few deals are for non-members too. We found discounts on Echo smart speakers, Anker charging gear, JBL portable speakers, smart plugs, microSD cards, USB-C cables and a whole lot more — all for less than $50 a pop. And these deals are pulled from brands and products we recommend based on our testing and buying advice. Here are the best Prime Day tech deals for under $50 that are available right now. Best Prime Day tech deals under $25 Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18 ($17 off with Prime): We name this the best budget streaming stick on our list of the best streaming devices. It's easy to set up and so you can access all of the major streaming platforms. Just note that it only streams content at 1080p, not 4K and the UI is more ad-heavy than competing streamers. Apple AirTag for $23 ($6 off): Here’s our pick for a Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. These little discs have the most accurate finding ability of any fob we tested, thanks to Apple’s vast Find My network that taps into all nearby iPhones to track down your missing stuff. They could be louder and hole would be nice, but nothing beats its accuracy. Samsung Fit Plus 56GB flash drive for $23 ($12 off): We named this the best thumbstick drive in our guide to the best SSDs. It has a sleek design, five-year warranty and has a USB 3.1 connection. There’s even a small attachment point for a keychain so you can take your extra storage drive with you when you go. Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Repeller for $25 ($10 off): The mosquitos aren’t going anywhere. Even places that didn’t used to have these evil bloodsuckers are now overrun. If you would like some reprieve from the bites, this is the repeller we recommend in our guide to outdoor tech. TP-Link AC1200 WiFi extender for $20 ($10 off): If you’ve got some dead spots in your home’s internet coverage and aren’t quite ready for a mesh setup, a Wi-Fi extender can help. This is our favorite budget option in our guide to these plug-in devices thanks to its easy setup and user-friendly app. Amazon Echo Pop for $22 ($18 off with Prime): The smallest (and cheapest) Echo speaker is ideal for small apartments or rooms. The half-sphere design comes in purple and teal in addition to the standard black and white colorways. It's gone as low as $18 in past Prime Day sales.  Anker Nano USB-C charger block for $16 ($4 off): Remember when tiny bricks like this all maxed out at a dinky five-watts? This tiny but mighty cube is the best cheap fast charger in our guide to fast chargers and it outputs a generous 30 watts, plus the prongs fold down to make it even more teensy. Soundcore Select 4 Go Bluetooth speaker for $22 ($13 off with Prime): One of the newest additions to our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers is this ‘lil guy from Soundcore (Anker). We found it had decent sound quality and was loud enough to fill a standard-sized living room. It's gone as low at $20 in the past.  Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off with Prime): This plug and an Alexa Echo device makes a perfect smart home starter kit (and a number of Echos are on sale for Prime Day, too). Snap this into your outlet and Alexa should automatically detect it (if not, a few taps in the Alexa app should get things connected). Then you can use it to control any lamp, fan or other simple device you plug into it — just by asking the assistant. Blink Mini 2 security camera for $20 ($20 off with Prime): Our pick for the best budget security camera is now even more budget friendly. We appreciated this diminutive camera’s ease of setup and excellent integration with Alexa devices, like Echo speakers and displays. It requires a subscription for person detection and cloud storage, and the image quality wasn’t the best of the bunch. Best Prime Day tech deals under $35 Amazon Echo Dot for $32 ($18 off with Prime): Amazon seems to wait for Prime Day sales to give its smart speakers hefty discounts. We see minor sales throughout the year, but not quite this steep (though it's gone as low as $23 in past sales). So if you want to bring Alexa’s peppy helpfulness into your home, this is a good time to do so. The Dot is our favorite smart speaker under $50. Amazon Echo Dot Kids with Alexa for $32 ($28 off with Prime): The kids version of Amazon's smart speaker is the same hardware but with a kid-themed cover (owl or dragon) and it comes with a free year-long subscription to Amazon Kids+ with audiobooks, games and educational Alexa skills.   Blink Video Doorbell for $30 ($30 off with Prime): If you already use Alexa in your home and want a compatible video doorbell, you may want to check out this deal. Note that you’ll need a Blink subscription and a Blink Sync Module to store clips and to access other features. You can wire it to your existing doorbell wires or use it wirelessly with two AA batteries that can last up to two years. Best Prime Day tech deals under $50 HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $36 ($14 off): In our guide to gaming headsets, we ultimately recommend getting an external mic along with a good pair of wired headphones for chatting. But if you really want a two-in-one, the Cloud Stinger 2 is our pick for a budget gaming headset. Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for $40 ($30 off): Some prefer a wired connection when playing games. Razer’s Basilisk V3 is our top budget pick for a wired mouse in our gaming mouse guide. It’s comfortable, well-built, accurate and a good value — particularly with a Prime Day discount. Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off with Prime): The Spot speaker was resurrected last year with a slightly different design than it first had. Now the display is a half-circle on the round face of the clock and it can show you the weather, time and song title. The speaker itself brings you all Alexa can do, like setting timers, adding stuff to your grocery lists and answering questions about the weather. Leebin Electric Spin Scrubber for $40 (43 percent off): This was Deputy Editor Valentina Palladino's favorite thing she bought last year because it makes the must-detested chore of cleaning her shower less of a pain. It's an electric spin scrubber that comes with multiple cleaning heads so you can use it on your countertops, sinks, tubs and showers and more. It also has an adjustable arm so you can reach tough spots in hard-to-reach places, and it convenient recharges via USB-C. Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation for $45 ($95 off with Prime): These buds are a bit old at this point, as they came out in 2021, but the 68 percent discount could be compelling. In our review, we said the buds were much improved over the last generation. They're more comfortable and have a better sound quality. Plus the Alexa integration makes them a decent pick for those who've gone all-in on Amazon's ecosystem.  Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam for $40 ($40 off with Prime): This indoor security camera can spin 360 degrees and has a tilt range of 169 degrees so you can keep tabs on pets and other happenings at home. It'll let you drop in for a live view from your phone, and supports two-way talk for telling your pup to get off the couch. UGreen Revodok Pro 109 USB-C Hub for $39 ($16 off): The top pick in our guide to the best USB-C hubs has a good array of ports, including an HDMI 2.0 connection that supports 4K monitors at 60Hz, plus three USB-A ports, Ethernet and one USB-C (plus another for delivering 90W of power to your device. The hub has gone as low as $30 in prior sales. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-prime-day-deals-under-50-we-could-find-includes-gear-from-blink-anker-amazon-echo-and-more-160028478.html?src=rss View Source Article

Less than a month after Capcom’s surprise announcement of the next Resident Evil game, another new entry has been confirmed. But before Resi fans get too wild with excitement, this one is a mobile spin-off for iOS and Android called Resident Evil Survival Unit. It’s a strategy game that somehow fits into the broader universe, even if it’s not clear how at this point. We don’t have a lot of concrete information at the moment, with the game set to be fully revealed in a showcase scheduled July 10 at 6pm ET, but we do know that it’s being co-developed by Aniplex Inc and Korean developer Joycity. The latter is currently working on another strategy game called Disney Realm Breakers, with access to various Disney IP including Toy Story and The Incredibles. Joycity is also the studio behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War, a free-to-play real-time strategy game that has an average rating of 4.4 from 210 thousand reviews on the Google Play Store. Strategy is clearly the studio’s favored genre, then, and in its announcement message for Resident Evil Survival Unit it promises the game "expands the global fanbase of Resident Evil to mobile, allowing players to enjoy the world of the series with a new approach that is different from the existing series." It was also confirmed in a press release that the mobile game is being developed in close collaboration to "ensure authenticity and quality." Resident Evil Requiem (the official name for what is technically Resident Evil 9) was announced back in June at SGF 25, and centers on a new character called Grace Ashcroft. For the first time in the series’ history, both first-person and third-person gameplay perspectives will be an option from launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/resident-evil-is-getting-a-new-mobile-spin-off-game-160044931.html?src=rss View Source Article

Amazon’s July sale is a good opportunity for Prime members to save on products from every department — but this list is all about the best Prime Day deals on kitchen tech. We have quite a few food-enthusiasts on staff at Engadget, and most of us have tried out at least a few cooking gadgets, all in the name of eating, er, journalistic discovery. Right now, many of the kitchen gadgets and accessories we recommend are already on sale — some at the best prices we’ve seen yet this year. So if you’re in the market for a new Instant Pot, a Breville oven, an Anova sous vide machine or a Ninja air fryer, check out our list of the best Prime Day deals on kitchen tech below. Prime Day air fryer deals Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro for $320 ($80 off): This is the premium pick in our air fryer guide — but really, it does far more than just air fry. As our reviewer noted, its massive cubic-foot-capacity and numerous cook modes make this more like an auxiliary oven. (It can even cook an entire 14-pound turkey.) It went on sale for $300 during last year's Black Friday sales.  Ninja Foodie Dual Zone Air Fryer (10 QT) for $180 ($70 off): This is the air fryer to pick if you’ve ever wished you could air fry two different things at the same time. We named it the best dual-zone air fryer you can get — it even has a feature that makes sure the two different foods are ready at the same time. Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer (4QT) for $65 ($65 off with Prime): Here’s a smaller version of the Instant air fryer we named best overall. It has a four-quart capacity, which is perfect for one person and small kitchens. And, like its larger sibling, pre-heats quickly. Ninja Air Fryer (4 QT) for $80 ($50 off): The budget pick from our air fryer guide isn’t currently on sale, but this four-quart Ninja fryer has twice the capacity and is nearly the same price. It can also roast and dehydrate in addition to air frying and reheating. Prime Day Instant Pot and rice cooker deals Cuckoo Twin Pressure Rice Cooker for $190 ($70 off with Prime): This is the best premium rice cooker in our guide to those machines. We like how quickly it cooks all types of rice to perfection (we tested it with long-grain white basmati, brown and sushi-grade white rice). Just keep in mind that it can be a little difficult to clean and the manual isn’t the most user-friendly. Prime Day kitchen tech deals Breville Joule Turbo Sous Vide Machine for $200 ($50 off): The premium pick in our guide to sous vice machines has a powerful 1,100-watt heater that cuts down on cooking times. It also uses your phone as the controller (just don’t get it if you’re hoping for on-device buttons). Anova Sous Vide Cooker 3.0 for $150 (35 percent off): Our top pick for a sous vide machine delivers 1,100 watts of power and a flow rate of eight liters per minute which will get your water up to the right temperature faster. It also has intuitive digital touch controls and Wi-Fi connectivity. Ooni Volt 12 Electric Indoor Pizza Oven for $630 ($269 off): This is our pick for the best indoor pizza oven — but it can be used outdoors as well thanks to its weather-resistant design. It has front-mounted controls that let you individually control the upper and lower heating elements and it can get up to 850 degrees Fahrenheit in as little as 20 minutes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-kitchen-deals-on-air-fryers-instant-pots-and-sous-vide-machines-180019690.html?src=rss View Source Article

Dutch company Fairphone continues to lead the charge on consumer- and planet-friendly electronics, proving that a great phone doesn't have to be impossible to repair or environmentally unsustainable. The Fairphone 6 has just been released, coming two years after the last generation of the phone built to last. The folks over at iFixit wasted no time in conducting a teardown of this new entry to see how it stacks up against previous generations. The Fairphone 6 scored a perfect 10 out of 10, like every generation of Fairphone bar the very first. Fairphones are modular, and have been designed with easy repair in mind, but there is one change from the previous generations that makes things harder. Whereas the last few Fairphones have used hard batteries that could be flipped out with your fingernail, the new handset packs a soft-pouch cell that’s thinner than its predecessors. That’s slimmed the phone down, but it does mean the battery is now held in place with five screws. It’s the same with every other component on the handset, since none of the components are held in with glue. The lack of adhesives does account for the phone’s IP 55 rating, which is lower than the rest of the industry. But given you can’t exactly get Samsung to send you a video guide telling you how to open your phone with nothing more than a T5 Torx screwdriver, so there’s give and take. iFixit is quick to point out that the Fairphone 6 isn’t a bleeding-edge smartphone, nor is it intended to be. It’s designed from the ground up to be as sustainable and repair-friendly as possible, and this means some trade-offs compared with flagship devices. The Fairphone 6’s use of USB 2.0, a less pixel-dense screen, and only 8GB of RAM are all necessary design choices when built with longer life cycles in mind. Nevertheless, this almost certainly won’t affect the day-to-day use of the handset for most consumers, and owning a device you can truly repair yourself just might be worth it. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/fairphone-6-lands-a-perfect-10-for-repairability-190001687.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day 2025 begins soon on July 8, but members can already save on a bunch of tech available on Amazon's site. One such early deal is on the Roomba Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, which is down to $140 for Prime members right now. That's nearly half off its usual price and a far cry from its standard $275 cost. We ranked iRobot's Roomba Robot Vacuum as our overall favorite budget option, but this Prime Day deal features a version that can both vacuum and mop. With the Prime Day price drop, the vacuum and mop combo is cheaper than the vacuum-only model, but it does double the work. The combo Roomba can even be set to only vacuum if you prefer to mop yourself, but you'd be missing out on the four-stage cleaning system that vacuums and mops in the same pass. Since it's a Roomba, it's a straightforward setup process that takes a few minutes before you can set it and forget it. The robot vacuum can navigate through your house or apartment, avoiding furniture and stairs, thanks to onboard sensors. Once it drains through its battery, which can last up to 120 hours, the Roomba knows to return to its charging dock to recharge itself. You can even customize this combo Roomba with three levels of both suction power for vacuuming and water levels for mopping. For more control, you can program it to spot clean a single spot in your home or schedule cleaning times through the companion iRobot Home app. A number of other iRobot machines are on sale for Prime Day as well. That includes the Roomba 104 with auto-empty dock for 44 percent off, down to $250, and the premium Roomba j9+ for 36 percent off, down to $579.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deal-pick-up-this-roomba-combo-robot-vacuum-and-mop-while-its-nearly-50-percent-off-141013222.html?src=rss View Source Article

If your laptop simply isn’t cutting it anymore, Amazon Prime Day 2025 might have arrived just in time. As has been the case for the past few years, laptop deals are abundant this Prime Day — even now in the lead-up to the event, bringing discounts to MacBooks, Windows laptops, Chromebooks and more. But we wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t know how to figure out if that laptop you’re eyeing actually has a good discount for Prime Day, or if the deal is stale. That’s where Engadget can help. We’ve poured over the Prime Day laptop deals available this year to pick out the best ones you can get across all kinds of computers. If you’re super picky about the specs you want in a new laptop, we always recommend going straight to the manufacturer so you can configure the machine exactly to your needs. But if you’re willing to work with premade models, Prime Day deals could help you save some cash on your next laptop. Prime Day laptop deals: MacBooks Apple’s latest laptops are the MacBook Air M4 and the MacBook Pro M4, but the M3-powered machines are still available and great values when you can get them at steep discounts. But for the most future-proof options, we recommend going with the M4 MacBooks. Amazon actually has decent MacBook deals throughout the year, most of the time on the base configurations of any given model. In a welcomed update, Apple recently made all base models of the MacBook Air M4 have 16GB of RAM by default (which is the same as you’ll find on the base-level Pros). MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,049 ($150 off) MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,249 (26 percent off) MacBook Pro (14-inch, M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,429 (11 percent off) Prime Day laptop deals: Chromebooks Most Chromebooks start off pretty affordable, so that just means you can get them for even less during an event like Prime Day. If you’re a Chrome OS lover, it’s also a decent time to check out sales on premium Chromebooks, which can usually cost $500 or more. In general, we recommend looking for at least 4 to 8GB of RAM and at least 128GB of SDD storage in a Chromebook that you plan on using as your daily driver. Google Pixelbook Go (13-inch, Intel Core M3) for $315 (51 percent off) HP Chromebook Plus x360 (14-inch, Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 128GB UFS) for $329 (45 percent off) Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (14-inch, Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) for $320 (20 percent off) Prime day laptop deals: Windows laptops You’ve got a lot of variety to choose from when it comes to Windows laptops, and that can be a blessing or a curse. We recommend looking for a laptop from a reputable brand (i.e. Microsoft, Dell, Acer, Lenovo and others like them), and one that can handle daily work or play pressures. That means at least 8GB of RAM and 245GB of SSD storage, plus the latest Intel or AMD CPUs. If you’re looking for a new gaming laptop, you’ll need a bit more power and a dedicated graphics card to boot. Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 (Windows 11, Copilot+, 15.6-inch, Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,000 (26 percent off) Microsoft Surface laptop (Windows 11, Copilot+, 13.8-inch, Snapdragon X Plus) for $880 (27 percent off) Lenovo V15 G2 laptop (Windows 11 Pro, 15.6-inch, Intel Celeron N4500, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $429 (28 percent off) Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1 (Windows 11, Copilot+, 13-inch, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $900 (25 percent off) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-laptop-deals-on-macbooks-chromebooks-windows-11-machines-and-more-130057131.html?src=rss View Source Article

Despite it having upward of 61,000 reviews on Steam, Hades II isn’t actually out yet. The sequel to Supergiant Games’ hugely successful roguelite dungeon crawler has been in early access on PC for over a year, and even the early builds were extremely polished and content-rich for what is still a work-in-progress game. But we (and Switch owners) have been waiting patiently for that 1.0 release date, and it looks like it might be just around the corner, with Supergiant confirming that the latest Unseen Update patch is likely to be the final one ahead of the full launch. The third major early access update arrived on June 17, and was focused primarily on combat tweaks, as well as adding a new Vow of Rivals that not only made Guardian encounters tougher, but forced players to switch up their strategies for each bout. The latest patch is mainly a host of minor adjustments to existing items and abilities, as well as some balancing on the aforementioned Vow of Rivals Encounters. No more new story content or areas are due to be added ahead of the v.10 launch, with Supergiant confirming back in June that the game’s true ending is being held back for the full release. If you’re a console player or just wanted to hold out until the game is finished, it’s probably safe to start getting excited. That said, PlayStation and Xbox owners are going to have to wait a little longer, because while we still don’t know Hades II’s release date, we do know that the game is launching on PC and both the Switch and Switch 2 initially, mirroring the release roadmap of its predecessor. The developer has already assured fans that both Nintendo consoles can run the game at a smooth 60 fps, with the Switch 2 version benefiting from the console’s larger 1080p display in handheld mode.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/supergiants-latest-hades-ii-patch-is-likely-its-last-before-launch-190005440.html?src=rss View Source Article

Prime Day 2025 is coming soon on July 8-11, but you don't have to wait to grab good tech deals — and that goes for everyone, not just Prime members. Early deals have already started popping up on Amazon, and one of the best at the moment is on an Engadget-approved air purifier. The Levoit Core 400S air purifier is on sale for $183, which is $37 off its usual price and not too far off of the lowest price we've seen. It's part of a larger sale on all kinds of Levoit devices including other air purifiers, cordless vacuums and more. The Levoit Core 400S is our current pick for the best air purifier overall. Sure, it might not have the prettiest design of all the options we have tested and the companion app might have a little too much going on. But the Core 400S does its job and does it well. This smart air purifier is slated to clean the atmosphere in spaces of up to 1,733 square feet in as little as one hour. The Core 400S has a cylindrical shape with vents at the top and a touch display that shows air quality readings. You'll be able to get a sense of the current air quality in your space at a glance with a color-changing ring that will light up in blue, green, orange or red. The 360-degree filtration system is said to be capable of capturing over 99.9 percent of pollutants as small as 0.3 microns, such as dust, pet dander and pollen. There is an auto mode that should suffice for maintaining air quality, but the Core 400S is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls too. The fan isn't too loud, even when it's operating at maximum speed — the volume topped out at 62dB in our testing. Meanwhile, at $50 each, the air filter replacements aren't too expensive compared with those from many of Levoit's competitors. You can also find other Levoit Prime Day deals on Amazon right now that include more air purifiers, cordless vacuums and more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-our-favorite-air-purifier-while-its-37-off-for-prime-day-143224711.html?src=rss View Source Article

It's been a rough week at Microsoft. Following the news that 9,000 people are being laid off at the company, one Xbox executive offered some questionable words of advice for people on their way out: Find solace in Microsoft Copilot. As reported by Aftermath, Matt Turnbull, an executive producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing who clearly did not lose his job recently, took to LinkedIn to let folks know, "You're not alone and you don't have to go it alone." In the same breath as acknowledging that AI evokes "strong feelings in people," Turnbull suggested that LLMs like ChatGPT and Copilot could "help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss."  Turnbull went on to provide specific AI prompts that he recommended for recently laid-off people, including, "Write a warm intro message for reaching out to someone at [studio name] about a job posting." He explained how an LLM could aid overwhelmed developers in planning their careers and punching up their resumés, and also help with "emotional clarity and confidence." The post was circulated on Bluesky by Necrosoft Games director and Insert Credit host Brandon Sheffield, where it received a predictably negative reaction. According to Video Games Chronicle, LinkedIn users were similarly unimpressed. Turnbull deleted the post a few hours later. Here's the full text from the LinkedIn post: These are really challenging times, and if you're navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you're not alone and you don't have to go it alone. I know these types of tools engender strong feelings in people, but I'd be remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances. I've been experimenting with ways to use LLM Al tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss. Here are some prompt ideas and use cases that might help if you're feeling overwhelmed: Career Planning Prompts:"Act as a career coach. I've been laid off from a [role] in the game industry. Help me build a 30-day plan to regroup, research new roles, and start applying without burning out.""What kinds of game industry jobs could I pivot to with experience in [Production/Narrative/LiveOps/etc.]?" Resume & Linkedin Help"Here's my current resume. Give me three tailored versions: one for AAA, one for platform/publishing roles, and one for startup/small studio leadership.""Rewrite this resume bullet to highlight impact and metrics.""Draft a new LinkedIn 'About Me' section that focuses on my leadership style, shipped titles, and vision for game development." Networking & Outreach"Draft a friendly message I can send to old coworkers letting them know I'm exploring new opportunities.""Write a warm intro message for reaching out to someone at [studio name] about a job posting." Emotional Clarity & Confidence"I'm struggling with imposter syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I'm good at?" No Al tool is a replacement for your voice or your lived experience. But at a time when mental energy is scarce, these tools can help get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity. If this helps, feel free to share with others in your network. Stay kind, stay smart, stay connected. Turnbull's post, however earnest, comes at a time when Microsoft is seemingly all-in on both AI and layoffs. The 9,000 job losses this week add to over 6,000 announced in May. Microsoft President Brad Smith began 2025 by committing to spend around $80 billion on AI infrastructure through the year, and CEO Satya Nadella recently shared that a large portion of his company's code is now authored by AI.  Just last week, Business Insider reported on another executive telling employees that using Copilot is "no longer optional" in an internal memo. One developer at Halo Studios, which was affected by the layoffs, told Engadget's Jessica Conditt that they felt Xbox leadership was looking to "replace as many jobs as they can with AI agents."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/how-ai-can-help-you-navigate-layoffs-according-to-one-executive-producer-at-xbox-210008717.html?src=rss View Source Article

The Amazon Smart Plug is on sale for just $13 as part of the latest Prime Day event. This is 48 percent off and a record-low, as the typical price is $25. It just might be time to stock up. The Smart Plug is pretty handy. It plugs into any standard outlet and integrates with Alexa. This means that it provides voice control to many common household items like lamps and coffee makers. It made our list of the best smart plugs and this is especially true for those already tied into Amazon's ecosystem. It's extremely easy to set up and use, particularly for folks who have some experience with the Alexa app. It doesn't require a smart home hub, as the app itself handles adjustments. The compact design also ensures there's room for another plug in a standard two-outlet fixture. The plug will automatically reconnect to Alexa after a power or Wi-Fi outage. We came away impressed with some of the features here. The app allows users to create routines, and we got a small thrill by saying "Alexa, goodnight" and watching everything power down for the evening. The major drawback here is the app's lack of sharing capabilities. The app doesn't let other people in the home access smart home devices, though they should be able to turn stuff on and off with their voice. However, they won't be able to make routines or adjust settings. It's also not the cheapest smart plug on the market, but this sale handles that for now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-the-amazon-smart-plug-for-only-13-230012394.html?src=rss View Source Article

Malaysian semiconductor designer SkyeChip Bhd. is “close” to an initial public offering after posting consecutive years of revenue and profit growth, said Chief Executive Officer Fong Swee Kiang. View Source Article

President Donald Trump’s administration has lifted recent export license requirements for chip design software sales in China, as Washington and Beijing implement a trade deal for both countries to ease some restrictions on critical technologies. View Source Article

Just before Citigroup Inc.’s tech chief faced his first global town hall meeting, he got some pointed advice from his teenager: Make sure the technology works. View Source Article

Welcome to Tech In Depth, our daily newsletter about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Kurt Wagner reports on some changes to Meta’s Threads and whether it’s enough for the social network to gain cultural relevance. View Source Article

Lawyers are advising content creators that weighing in on political topics can come with serious risks  View Source Article

Thoma Bravo has struck a $2 billion deal to acquire restaurant software maker Olo Inc. in a sign that private equity firms are still able to find bargains in hot equity markets. View Source Article

AstraZeneca Plc is discussing a partnership deal with Summit Therapeutics Inc. in which it could pay as much as $15 billion over time to license a lung-cancer drug, according to people familiar with the matter. View Source Article

CoreWeave Inc. said it has received the market’s first artificial intelligence server system based on the newest, high-end Nvidia Corp. chip, a sign of its rising stature in the competitive AI cloud-computing space. View Source Article

Venture capital dealmaking in Latin America has hit the slowest pace in almost seven years, in part due to global economic uncertainty and a pullback from US investors in the region. View Source Article

Russia is regularly switching off mobile internet connections in large swaths of the country for security reasons, in a sign of the Kremlin’s growing ability to control popular access to technology. View Source Article

Ambiq Micro Inc., a maker of ultra-low power semiconductors, has filed for an initial public offering as tech companies try to address the power consumption challenges posed by artificial intelligence computing. View Source Article

Christian Klein, the chief executive officer of Europe’s most valuable company, said that Europe doesn’t require a flurry of more data centers to compete in artificial intelligence, rejecting a narrative pushed by Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang on a trip to the continent last month. View Source Article

When Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev met Seth Harrison 15 years ago, he was looking to invest some of his fortune in the life sciences sector, and the seasoned American venture capitalist seemed like the right partner. View Source Article

Merit Street Media, the television startup founded by celebrity psychologist Phil McGraw, laid off all but six of its employees the day it filed bankruptcy, saying it can’t make any new content after being forced out of business by its broadcasting partner. View Source Article

Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow discuss OpenAI's deal with Oracle as they search for more compute capacity. Plus, a look at President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill as it nears a successful House vote. And the White House lifts some chip design software curbs on China. (Source: Bloomberg) View Source Article

Blackbird, a new game from ZeniMax Online Studios, impressed Xbox boss Phil Spencer earlier this year View Source Article

Harvard University staff advised international students to be cautious about social media posts and warned some groups against arriving at Boston’s Logan International Airport. View Source Article

Daniel Gross, the former chief executive officer and co-founder of artificial intelligence startup Safe Superintelligence Inc., is joining Meta Platforms Inc.’s new superintelligence lab focused on AI. View Source Article

A new AI buzzword is picking up speed in Silicon Valley. View Source Article

A peer-beating Asian equity fund is turning its sights on Samsung Electronics Co. amid a rally in Korean equities. View Source Article

The US has lifted its export ban on American-made jet engine parts and technology to China, according to a person familiar with the matter. View Source Article

Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing Co. and Seven & i Holdings Co. will show how Japan’s consumer sector is faring as Asia’s earnings season kicks off. View Source Article

From brain rot to induced psychosis, the psychological cost of generative AI is growing and flying under the radar. View Source Article

SK Telecom Co. is waiving cancellation fees for customers who want to leave its network after South Korean authorities said the carrier should scrap the penalties following a major data breach. View Source Article

Rebecca Lawrence is more focused on securing new funding and dealing with the aftermath of a cyberattack than stressing about literacy and AI. View Source Article

China’s record buildout of renewables may help networks overcome weather-driven demand spikes, according to the research arm of the country’s biggest grid operator. View Source Article

Louis Vuitton Korea suffered a cyberattack that compromised some customer data, the second time in recent months that hackers have targeted the world’s largest luxury group. View Source Article

Welcome to Tech In Depth, our daily newsletter about the business of tech from Bloomberg’s journalists around the world. Today, Ellen Huet reports on a musical that puts a new spin on the myth of the Silicon Valley startup founder. View Source Article

Alphabet Inc.’s Google will propose highlighting search results from other companies’ shopping and travel platforms at the top of its page in an attempt to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act and fend off fines, people familiar the matter said. View Source Article

President Donald Trump’s administration plans to restrict shipments of AI chips from the likes of Nvidia Corp. to Malaysia and Thailand, part of an effort to crack down on suspected semiconductor smuggling into China. View Source Article

Welcome to Edition 7.46 of the Rocket Report! As I write this, the date is May 29. From a meteorological standpoint, "spring" ends in fewer than three days. Summer lasts from June 1 through August 31. Consider this a public service announcement for launch companies targeting "spring" and "summer" launches for various missions. As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar. Xodiac rocket makes its final flight. Originally built by Masten Space Systems, the suborbital Xodiac rocket had flown 175 successful missions before a flight from Mojave, California, on Wednesday. But now, it will fly no more. "While the vehicle remained within its planned flight envelope, it detected an anomalous condition and commanded a flight termination," said Astrobotic, which acquired Masten a couple of years ago. "This resulted in a rapid descent and caused a loss of the vehicle upon impact with its launch pad." View Source Article

I did not expect to feature NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers in the Tuesday Telescope so soon, but a recent photo she shared is just sublime. (In case you missed it, we wrote about her photo of lightning from space about a month ago.) This week Ayers has a time-lapse sequence she captured from the Cupola as the International Space Station soared near Central and South America. "Soooooo much going on in this picture," Ayers wrote on the social media site X. "You can see Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, with South America off in the distance." View Source Article

This week an in-space propulsion company, Impulse Space, announced that it had raised a significant amount of money, $300 million. This follows a fundraising round just last year in which the Southern California-based company raised $150 million. This is one of the largest capital raises in space in a while, especially for a non-launch company. To understand why Impulse was able to raise so much additional money so quickly, Ars caught up with founder Tom Mueller and the company's chief executive, Eric Romo. They explained that demand for Impulse's efficient in-space vehicles is high, and since early missions have worked well, the company wants to seize the moment to scale up its operations. "We had been operating relatively conservatively, in how many people we were allowing ourselves to hire and capital expenditures," Romo said. "This will allow us to release a little bit of that conservatism and lean into some stuff like electric propulsion and potentially other vehicles that are going to allow us to grow long-term." View Source Article

In a revealing interview published by the All-In Podcast on Wednesday, the private astronaut nominated to lead NASA, Jared Isaacman, spoke at length on what he thought about the nomination process, how he would have led NASA, and the factors that led to the abrupt rescission of his nomination by President Trump. "I got a call Friday, of last week, that the president has decided to go in a different direction," Isaacman said. "It was a real bummer." It was a real bummer for most of the space community, myself included. To be clear, I am biased. I have gotten to know Isaacman over the last five years rather well, talking with him about his passion for spaceflight, what is working, and what is not. What I have discovered in Isaacman is a person who cares deeply about the future of US spaceflight and wants to make a meaningful contribution to its advancement. To see him done wrong like this, well, it's a very sordid affair. View Source Article

A remarkable schoolyard brawl erupted online Thursday between President Donald Trump and his former "First Buddy" Elon Musk during which the pair traded insults and barbs. The war of words reached a crescendo during the afternoon when Trump threatened Musk's federal contracts. "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!" Trump wrote on his social media network, Truth Social, at 2:37 pm ET. Anyone with a reasonable grasp of reality understood that the "bromance" between the president of the United States and the most wealthy person in the world was going to blow up at some point, but even so, the online brouhaha that has played out Thursday is spectacular—at one point Musk suggested that Trump was in the Epstein files, for goodness' sake. View Source Article

Negotiations over the US federal budget for fiscal year 2026 are in the beginning stages, but when it comes to space, the fault lines are already solidifying in the Senate. The Trump White House released its budget request last Friday, and this included detailed information about its plans for NASA. On Thursday, just days later, the US Senate shot back with its own budget priorities for the space agency. The US budget process is complicated and somewhat broken in recent years, as Congress has failed to pass a budget on time. So, we are probably at least several months away from seeing a final fiscal year 2026 budget from Congress. But we got our first glimpse of the Senate's thinking when the chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released his "legislative directives" for NASA on Thursday. View Source Article

Look, no one said building a large harvester to roam around the Moon and sift through hundreds of tons of regolith to retrieve small amounts of helium-3 would be easy. And that's to say nothing of the enormous challenge of processing and then launching any of this material from the lunar surface before finally landing it safely on Earth. If we're being completely honest, doing all of this commercially is a pretty darn difficult row to hoe. Many commercial space experts dismiss it outright. So that's why it's gratifying to see that a company that is proposing to do this, Interlune, is taking some modest steps toward this goal. Moreover, recent changes in the tides of space policy may also put some wind in the sails of Interlune and its considerable ambitions. View Source Article

A few weeks ago, the chief executive of Blue Origin, Dave Limp, convened an all-hands meeting for the more than 12,000 employees at the company. Among the most critical items he discussed was the launch rate for the New Glenn rocket and how the company would fall significantly short of its goal for this year. Before 2025 began, Limp had set expectations alongside Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos: New Glenn would launch eight times this year. However, since the rocket's mostly successful debut in January, five months have passed. At one point the company targeted "late spring" for the second launch of the rocket. However, on Monday, Limp acknowledged on social media that the rocket's next flight will now no longer take place until at least August 15. Although he did not say so, this may well be the only other New Glenn launch this year. View Source Article

Our discussion with Reuters' Joey Roulette and WaPo's Christian Davenport. Click here for transcript. Recently, during the first Ars Live event of this year, two noted space journalists joined Ars space editor Eric Berger for a discussion of NASA's future in the age of the second Trump administration. During the hour-long discussion, Christian Davenport of The Washington Post and Joey Roulette of Reuters covered a range of issues, from uncertainty at the space agency to the likelihood of NASA sponsoring a humans-to-Mars mission any time soon. This is an especially frenetic time in space policy. In the days since this video was recorded, President Trump canceled the longstanding nomination of private astronaut Jared Isaacman to become NASA administrator—at the time we recorded the video, Senate approval was assured, and a vote was imminent. Then Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk had a serious falling out, with the two trading nasty words on social media and culminating in Musk threatening to end Dragon spacecraft missions before pulling back. View Source Article

Bridgit Mendler was not in Hollywood anymore. Instead, she found herself in rural North Dakota, where the stars sparkled overhead rather than on the silver screen. And she was freezing. When her team tumbled out of their rental cars after midnight, temperatures had already plummeted into the 40s. Howling winds carried their breath away before it could fog the air. So it was with no small sense of urgency that the group scrambled to assemble a jury-rigged antenna to talk to a spacecraft that would soon come whizzing over the horizon. A few hours later, the rosy light of dawn shone on the faces of a typically scrappy space startup: mostly male, mostly disheveled. Then there was Mendler, the former Disney star and pop music sensation—and she was running the whole show. View Source Article

Nearly two weeks have passed since Jared Isaacman received a fateful, brief phone call from two officials in President Trump's Office of Personnel Management. In those few seconds, the trajectory of his life over the next three and a half years changed dramatically. The president, the callers said, wanted to go in a different direction for NASA's administrator. At the time, Isaacman was within days of a final vote on the floor of the US Senate and assured of bipartisan support. He had run the gauntlet of six months of vetting, interviews, and a committee hearing. He expected to be sworn in within a week. And then, it was all gone. "I was very disappointed, especially because it was so close to confirmation and I think we had a good plan to implement," Isaacman told Ars on Wednesday. View Source Article

Welcome to Edition 7.49 of the Rocket Report! You may have noticed we are a little late with the report this week, and that is due to the Juneteenth holiday celebrated in the United States on Thursday. But that hasn't stopped a torrent of big news this week, from exploding Starships to significant reuse milestones being reached in Asia. As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar. Honda stamps passport to the skies with a hopper. An experimental reusable rocket developed by the research and development arm of Honda Motor Company flew to an altitude of nearly 900 feet (275 meters) Tuesday, then landed with pinpoint precision at the carmaker's test facility in northern Japan, Ars reports. Honda's hopper is the first prototype rocket outside of the United States and China to complete a flight of this kind, demonstrating vertical takeoff and vertical landing technology that could underpin the development of a reusable launch vehicle. View Source Article

After a decade of construction, a large new reflecting telescope publicly released its first images on Monday, and they are nothing short of spectacular. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's primary mirror is 8.4 meters in diameter, which makes it one of the largest optical telescopes in the world. However, the real secret sauce of the telescope is its camera—the automobile-sized Legacy Survey of Space and Time camera—which has a resolution of 3,200 megapixels. Which is rather a lot. The observatory is on a remote 2,682-meter-high (8,799 ft) mountain in northern Chile, a region of the planet with some of the best atmospheric "seeing" conditions. View Source Article

A European company that seeks to develop orbital spacecraft for cargo, and eventually humans, took a step forward this week with a test flight that saw its "Mission Possible" vehicle power up and fly successfully in orbit before making a controlled reentry into Earth's atmosphere. However, after encountering an "issue," the Exploration Company lost contact with its spacecraft a few minutes before touchdown in the ocean. In an update on LinkedIn Tuesday morning, the company characterized the test flight as a partial success—and a partial failure. View Source Article

A little less than four years from now, a killer asteroid will narrowly fly past planet Earth. This will be a celestial event visible around the world—for a few weeks, Apophis will shine among the brightest objects in the night sky. The near miss by the large Apophis asteroid in April 2029 offers NASA a golden—and exceedingly rare—opportunity to observe such an object like this up close. Critically, the interaction between Apophis and Earth's gravitational pull will offer scientists an unprecedented chance to study the interior of an asteroid. This is fascinating for planetary science, but it also has serious implications for planetary defense. In the future, were such an asteroid on course to strike Earth, an effective plan to deflect it would depend on knowing what the interior looks like. View Source Article

Blue Origin is making steady progress toward the second launch of its New Glenn rocket, which could occur sometime this fall. The company already ignited the second stage of this rocket, in a pre-launch test, in April. And two sources say the first stage for this launch is in the final stages of preparation at the company's facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Publicly, the company has said this second launch will take place no earlier than August 15. This is now off the table. One source told Ars that a mid- to late-September launch date was "realistic," but another person said late October or November was more likely. View Source Article

In the 1800s, astronomers were mystified by the discovery of stars that displayed highly unusual emission lines. It was only after 1868, when scientists discovered the element helium, that astronomers were able to explain the broad emission bands due to the presence of helium in these stars. Over time, these stars became known as Wolf-Rayet stars (Charles Wolf was a French astronomer, and helium was first detected by the French scientist Georges Rayet and others), and astronomers came to understand that they were the central stars within planetary nebulae, and continually ejecting gas at high velocity. This gives Wolf-Rayet stars a distinctive appearance in the night sky. And this week, Chris McGrew has shared a photo of WR 134—a variable Wolf-Rayet star about 6,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Cygnus—which he captured from a dark sky location in southwestern New Mexico. View Source Article

In another sign that the Trump White House is aggressively moving to slash NASA’s science programs, dozens of mission leaders have been asked to prepare "closeout" plans by the end of next week. The new directive came from NASA's senior leadership on Monday, which is acting on behalf of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Copies of these memos, which appear to vary a little by department, were reviewed by Ars. The detailed closeout plans called for must be prepared by as soon as July 9 for some missions, which has left principal investigators scrambling due to the tight deadline and the July 4 holiday weekend. Projects should prepare their plans assuming closeout direction is given on October 1, 2025, one of the NASA memos states. Missions in operations—that is to say, spacecraft whizzing around the Solar System conducting science right now—should "assume closeout is complete within 3 months." View Source Article

There is a growing buzz in the astronomy community about a new object with a hyperbolic trajectory that is moving toward the inner Solar System. Early on Wednesday, the European Space Agency confirmed that the object, tentatively known as A11pl3Z, did indeed have interstellar origins. "Astronomers may have just discovered the third interstellar object passing through the Solar System!" the agency's Operations account shared on Bluesky. "ESA’s Planetary Defenders are observing the object, provisionally known as #A11pl3Z, right now using telescopes around the world." View Source Article

Welcome to Edition 8.01 of the Rocket Report! Today's edition will be a little shorter than normal because, for one day only, we celebrate fake rockets—fireworks—rather than the real thing. For our American readers, we hope you have a splendid Fourth of July holiday weekend. For our non-American readers, you may be wondering what the heck is happening in our country right now. Alas, making sense of <waves hands> all this is beyond the scope of this humble little newsletter. As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar. Will Orbex ever launch an orbital rocket? Orbex, a launch services company based in the United Kingdom, has announced the postponement of its first orbital launch to 2026 due to infrastructure limitations and other issues, Orbital Today reports. At the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, Orbex chief executive Miguel Bello Mora announced that the company is now targeting next year for the liftoff of its Prime rocket from SaxaVord in Scotland. He said the delay is partly due to the limited launch infrastructure at SaxaVord and a "bottleneck" in site operations. View Source Article

Inspired by superconductivity, a strange new theory that seeks to explain dark matter might explain dark energy, too View Source Article

Nuclear policy specialist David Albright explains how his organization is monitoring for damage to nuclear sites following U.S. and Israeli strikes View Source Article

When extreme heat arrives, here are science-based tips to keep your home cool, from the most efficient way to use air conditioning to strategic uses of fans View Source Article

New research highlights the risks and occasional rewards of parental perfectionism View Source Article

The bird flu was long known to poultry farmers. Here’s why the dairy industry was caught off guard by its jump to cattle. View Source Article

These graphics will guide you through science-based vaccine guidelines for children and adults View Source Article

Answering the question of when consciousness emerges is deeply tied to the mystery of what it actually is and how it can be measured View Source Article

Claims that an asteroid or comet airburst destroyed the biblical Sodom captured the public’s imagination. Its retraction shows that scientific conclusions aren’t decided by majority rule in the public square View Source Article

Scientists are just beginning to document sexual synesthesia, a phenomenon that can bring consciousness-altering washes of color and fantastical scenes at the moment of orgasm View Source Article

Employees at the National Science Foundation say they’ve been blindsided by a plan for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to take over their offices View Source Article

The kids are out of school, and some of the pressures may be off. Here’s how you can further connect with them to make next year a little easier View Source Article

Researchers and expert seafarers teamed up to re-create an ocean journey from more than 30,000 years ago View Source Article

Thimerosal, which contains an organic compound of mercury, has mostly been phased out as a preservative for vaccines. Here’s how we know it is safe and why we still use it in some vaccines given to adults View Source Article

Later this year a tiny rover will carry out an unusual lunar task View Source Article

A rapidly warming Arctic is driving long-lasting summer extremes, such as this month’s sweltering temperatures, new research suggests View Source Article

Recent observations have revealed carbon monoxide venting from the largest comet ever seen, providing clues about its origins in the mysterious depths of the outer solar system View Source Article

Vaccines are safe, but they could always be safer—here’s what would make a difference View Source Article

Scientists warn against reading too much into a small experiment about ChatGPT and brain activity that is receiving a lot of buzz View Source Article

This San Antonio, Tex., lab takes biosecurity seriously. Suit up with its scientists and go behind the scenes of the science of vaccine creation. View Source Article

Close stellar encounters could change the structure of our planetary system, potentially dooming Earth or other worlds to oblivion View Source Article

Surprising new work bucks 50 years of assumptions about the trade-offs between computation space and time View Source Article

Often framed as a boon for personal wellness, meditation helps us connect with and support others, too View Source Article

A certain species of sea slug steals chloroplasts from algae and houses its contraband in special organelles that it can raid for food in times of need View Source Article

Microwave satellite data are key to capturing major changes in a hurricane’s strength, such as when a storm undergoes rapid intensification. But a main source of those data is being abruptly shut off View Source Article

Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, sued the nonprofit Greenpeace over alleged conspiracy—the host of Drilled explains why View Source Article

Audible sound can affect gene activity in mouse cells, boosting the attachment of muscle precursors to surrounding tissue and decreasing fat accumulation View Source Article

In 2008 scientists reported that rocks in Canada were the world’s oldest. New data appear to confirm this contested claim View Source Article

During the summer, kids can forget some of what they learned during the school year. They recover quickly, but here are some tips to stem the slide View Source Article

Astronomers have never had this much data available this quickly before View Source Article

New images from the European Space Agency’s Biomass mission show how the satellite uses advanced radar to map flows of carbon through our planet’s most precious and remote ecosystems View Source Article

To achieve its ambitious plans for missions to the moon and beyond, Russia needs other spacefaring nations as partners. But the war in Ukraine is making that help increasingly hard to find View Source Article

GLP-1 drugs currently being tested in China target complications associated with obesity such as heart disease, fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes View Source Article

Links to the U.S.’s most comprehensive climate reports—the National Climate Assessments—disappeared from the Internet on Monday, along with the official government website that houses them View Source Article

Here's a collection of exclusive book recommendations, from slithering snakes to a river's impact, for your summer reading lists, curated by Scientific American View Source Article

AI can allow engineers to focus on artistry over technical details for drone shows View Source Article

Dolphins seem to “feel” their way across the sea with narrow, sweeping beams of sonar View Source Article

Launching in 2028, China’s Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission could bring Red Planet rocks back to Earth as early as 2031—years ahead of competing U.S.-European efforts View Source Article

This planet triggers flares on its star—spelling its ultimate doom View Source Article

AI could be used to comb through electronic health records and warn vulnerable people about dangerous heat waves View Source Article

Canceled grants and slashed budgets are disproportionately affecting junior health researchers, dealing a major blow to the future of science and society in the U.S. View Source Article

Breakthroughs from two rival experiments, Germany’s Wendelstein 7-X and the Joint European Torus, suggest the elusive dream of controlled nuclear fusion may be within reach View Source Article

Four research firms project that the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act will raise greenhouse gas emissions and likely put U.S. and global climate goals out of reach View Source Article

All eyes are on Comet 3I/ATLAS as astronomers worldwide chase the exotic ice ball through our solar system View Source Article

Evidence shows that Medicaid improves people’s health and is particularly vital for babies, older people in need of long-term care and people in rural communities View Source Article

Forty years after the first effort to extract mummy DNA, researchers have finally generated a full genome sequence from an ancient Egyptian, who lived when the earliest pyramids were built View Source Article

Adult brains grow new neurons, and scientists have finally pinpointed where they come from View Source Article

The future is bright—too bright—for life as we know it once the sun transforms into a red giant star View Source Article

When tested on their own and in mice, these bacterial strains from the human microbiome show promise in accumulating PFAS View Source Article

The June heat dome contributed to the deaths of at least three people. They have died as federal regulators have weighed whether to finalize the nation’s first heat protection rule for workers View Source Article

Climate change left its signature on the atmosphere early in the industrial revolution, reveals a thought experiment investigation View Source Article

"Its occurrence is like finding a tropical seed in Arctic ice – indicating either an unexpected local environment or long-distance transport in the early solar system." View Source Article

A new quantum recipe for black holes could be the first step toward a theory of "quantum gravity", the "holy grail" of physics. View Source Article

A distant cluster of galaxies is wrapped in a vast halo of high-energy particles that could be the work of supermassive black holes or a cosmic particle accelerator. View Source Article

The Mars rover captured images of low ridges called boxwork patterns, which appear like spiderwebs from space. View Source Article

American companies launched 21 commercial space missions in June 2025, which was a new record for a single month, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. View Source Article

The Australian company Gilmour Space has delayed the launch of its Eris-1 rocket yet again, pushing back indefinitely from the previously planned July 2 date. View Source Article

The phenomenon is created by the shifting play of light and shadow over the lunar surface. View Source Article

Cosmic archeologists have used the James Webb Space Telescope to excavate ancient disk galaxies that tell the story of how the Milky Way and other modern galaxies evolved. View Source Article

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the MTG-S1 weather satellite for EUMETSAT today (July 1), then came back down to Earth for a landing on a ship at sea. View Source Article

Astronomers have discovered the first evidence of a white dwarf wiped out by a double-detonation supernova, also providing space-lovers with stunning eye-candy. View Source Article

Auroras may be visible from Alaska to New York as an incoming solar storm could spark geomagnetic storm conditions overnight. View Source Article

SpaceX launched 27 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit today (July 2), on the 500th Falcon 9 rocket launch in the company's history. View Source Article

Our Red Planet explorers may encounter a peculiar threat. View Source Article

Space.com sat down recently with retired NASA astronaut Terry Virts to talk about space, politics and his run in Texas for a seat in the U.S. Senate. View Source Article

Some planets take the expression "you're your own worst enemy" to the extreme — triggering stellar flares from their own parent stars by being too clingy. View Source Article

As the sun grew hotter, so did Mars, prompting much of its atmospheric carbon dioxide to rain out and ultimately get locked up in rocks. View Source Article

MethaneSAT, the first satellite made by an environmental nonprofit organization, was designed to monitor some of the world's largest industrial contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. Now, without power, the spacecraft's mission has abruptly ended. View Source Article

A plume of molten rock deep beneath eastern Africa is pulsing upward in rhythmic surges, slowly splitting the continent and potentially marking the birth of a new ocean, a new study reports. View Source Article

The space telescope spied three young stars in the nebula. View Source Article

"…are we potentially the last generation that will see the night's sky in its entirety?" View Source Article

The rocky world will be visible for a brief window after sunset. View Source Article

Earth is at its farthest point from the sun on July 3. So why are temperatures so high across the U.S.? View Source Article

3I/ATLAS is the third-ever interstellar object discovered. View Source Article

These are our picks of the best space tech deals you can get ahead of Fourth of July and Amazon Prime Day with offers on telescopes, star projectors and more. View Source Article

A Russian Progress cargo spacecraft launched toward the International Space Station this afternoon (July 3), hauling several tons of cargo to the orbiting lab. View Source Article

The Zefiro-9 was hoisted in preparation for the Vega-C flight VV27. View Source Article

Save $200 on the best telescope for viewing the planets — the Celestron NexStar 8SE has a huge discount this Prime Day View Source Article

With the aid of citizen scientists, astronomers have discovered an erupting cataclysmic variable star in a rarely seen evolutionary stage. View Source Article

Both novas will eventually become too dim to see, even under the darkest skies. So catch them while you can! View Source Article

The International Space Station and China's Tiangong Space Station will be visible for early risers. Here's how to make a dual sighting. View Source Article

Private lunar landing: How Blue Ghost measured the moon's electric and magnetic fields View Source Article

These are the best Fujifilm cameras from beginner to professional grade, with some models potentially falling in price on Amazon Prime Day from July 8 to 11. View Source Article

Spica is a binary star system that orbits over 250 light-years from Earth within the Milky Way. View Source Article

Want to make the most of your Fujifilm camera? We've rounded up the best Fujifilm lenses, now with expected savings on Amazon Prime Day this July 8. View Source Article

With Superman on its way, we take a look at director James Gunn's incredible slate of sci-fi movies to date. View Source Article

Very massive stars are cosmic "rock stars" that live fast, die young and leave black holes in their place. During this transformation, they may vomit out more stellar material than we knew. View Source Article

If you want to become a Jedi, a Sith, or a bounty hunter without muchhassle, check out the best Star Wars costumes you can buy right now. View Source Article

If you're looking for early Amazon Prime Day model rocket deals, then getting 20% off this Estes two-in-one set could be what you're looking for. View Source Article

NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim and Anne McClain marked Independence Day with a few heartfelt words for their compatriots here on Earth. View Source Article

The Expedition 73 and Axiom Mission 4 crews spent their first of two weeks together conducting science aboard the International Space Station. View Source Article

Find the best Canon cameras from beginner to professional grade, for any and every budget and photographic style. View Source Article

Both stations are hubs of scientific research. View Source Article

Get the best Canon lenses for your Canon camera and there are savings on the horizon with Amazon Prime Day running from July 8 to 11. View Source Article

It's another step on the road to one day discovering what dark matter could be. View Source Article

Mineral-rich layers of clay suggest that ancient life could be possible on the Red Planet View Source Article

Ahead of the Amazon Prime Day sales, here are some of the best July 4 camera deals available right now. View Source Article

Paramount Plus is now just 99 cents a month for two months, meaning you can stream season three of Strange New Worlds without breaking the bank. View Source Article

Uranus will also be on show, if you fancy a more challenging target. View Source Article

The total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026, will offer some fabulous travel options. Here are some adventures to consider. View Source Article

The "One Big Beautiful Bill," now enacted, directs that space shuttle Discovery be removed from the Smithsonian and placed on display at Space Center Houston by January 2027. View Source Article

Airtel has tied up with SpaceX to launch Starlink in India. View Source Article

Reliance Jio has partnered with SpaceX to offer Starlink to its customers in India just hours after Airtel's partnership. View Source Article

SpaceX successfully launched four people into space on Friday, beginning a mission that will give the International Space Station enough crew members to allow astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to return to Earth after their nine-month stay. The mission, known as Crew-10, will see SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft dock with the International Space Station (ISS) […] View Source Article

Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have returned to Earth after a nine-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS) — a trip that lasted far longer than originally planned thanks to leaks and thruster problems on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they used to get there. Williams and Wilmore splashed down in the Gulf […] View Source Article

Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX has allowed Chinese investors to buy stakes as long as the funds are routed through the Cayman Islands or other offshore hubs, according to reporting from ProPublica.  SpaceX is a defense contractor for the Pentagon, one that handles sensitive work like building a classified spy satellite network. Investment from China […] View Source Article

The business of moving goods in the United States is dominated by trucks, which handle about two-thirds of the 20.2 billion tons of freight that’s transported annually. Parallel Systems founder and CEO, Matt Soule, wants to change that by putting a modern autonomous and electric twist on the centuries-old railroad system.  The Los Angeles-based company […] View Source Article

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is getting its own official company town. Residents of an area around SpaceX’s Starbase launch site in southern Texas voted overwhelmingly on Saturday to incorporate as a city — also named Starbase. According to results posted online by the Cameron County Elections Department, there were 212 votes in favor and only six […] View Source Article

SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, is directly benefiting from the Trump administration’s tariff trade war, according to leaked State Department memos obtained by the Washington Post.   The memos show the U.S. pushing countries to adopt Starlink. Some show that countries believe that doing so could help lubricate their U.S. trade and tariff negotiations. One memo […] View Source Article

Elon Musk’s Starlink has received anticipated state approval in India, opening the door to enter the world’s second-biggest internet market after China — over three years after SpaceX’s previous attempt to launch its satellite-based broadband in the country eventually failed. On Wednesday, India’s Department of Telecommunications gave its nod to Starlink to start working toward its […] View Source Article

Tech billionaires are no longer satisfied with sprawling corporate campuses or virtual town squares. Now they want to start their own cities in the physical world. Most recently, Starbase, Texas, has been incorporated and is now the official hometown to just under 300 SpaceX employees. These communities centered around one industry or company aren’t new. […] View Source Article

Since Donald Trump took office, more than three dozen employees, allies, and investors of Musk, Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, and Palmer Luckey have taken roles at federal agencies, helping direct billions in contracts to their companies.  View Source Article

Meet the DOGE staffers and senior advisers in Elon Musk's inner circle, and how they got there. View Source Article

The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared SpaceX to perform the ninth test flight of its Starship rocket system, following back-to-back explosions earlier this year. The agency said Thursday it is “expanding the size of hazard areas both in the U.S. and other countries” for the flight based on an updated safety analysis provided by SpaceX. […] View Source Article

SpaceX’s Starship successfully separated from its Super Heavy rocket booster and reached orbit Tuesday evening, but later began spinning and made an uncontrolled reentry into the Indian Ocean. SpaceX had cleared the surrounding airspace where Starship was coming down, according to the company. The ninth test flight provided a mix of successes and failures for […] View Source Article

Elon Musk’s interview with CBS Sunday Morning seemed to get off to an awkward start, as reporter David Pogue asked the SpaceX CEO about his thoughts on his ally Donald Trump’s policies. View Source Article

It's the latest in a string of setbacks for the mega-rocket, which SpaceX hopes to use to build Starlink and one day go to Mars. View Source Article

Bezos allegedly sees an opening for his space company, Blue Origin, now that Musk has been diminished in the eyes of the president. View Source Article

A crane collapsed at SpaceX’s South Texas rocket facility this week, and the company’s newly formed city won’t say if anyone was hurt. On June 23, a crane being used to clean up debris from the most recent SpaceX rocket explosion collapsed at the company’s launch complex. Footage of the accident was captured by Lab […] View Source Article

The $10 billion addition to the Artemis architecture, which includes funding for additional Space Launch System rockets and an orbiting station around the moon called Gateway, is a rebuke to critics who wished to see alternative technologies used instead. View Source Article

Previous lawsuits against SpaceX have alleged similar stories of bias against female employees and a hostile work environment that enabled gender-based harassment. View Source Article

Groundbreaking observations map chaotic patchwork of magnetic activity, said to be key to understanding how sun’s field flipsThe sun’s uncharted south pole has been revealed for the first time in striking images beamed back from the Solar Orbiter spacecraft.The joint European Space Agency (ESA) and Nasa mission swooped below the planetary plane and, for the first time, captured the sun’s mysterious polar regions. The groundbreaking observations also mapped a chaotic patchwork of magnetic activity at the sun’s pole that scientists say is key to understanding how the sun’s field flips roughly every 11 years. Continue reading... View Source Article

Chartered spaceflight for India, Poland and Hungary’s first astronauts in decades delayed indefinitelyA chartered spaceflight for India, Poland and Hungary’s first astronauts in decades has been delayed indefinitely because of leak concerns at the International Space Station.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) said on Thursday that it had postponed the Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS to monitor the cabin pressure on the Russian side of the orbiting lab before accepting visitors. Officials stressed that the seven astronauts currently at the space station were safe and that other operations up there would not be affected. Continue reading... View Source Article

Ride was the first US woman in space – but a National Geographic documentary looks at how she was forced to hide her queerness to succeedA week before Sally – a documentary about the first American woman to fly into space – landed at the Sundance film festival in January, Nasa employees received emails informing them how Donald Trump’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) rollbacks would take effect.Contracts and offices associated with DEI programs were to be terminated. Staff were given Orwellian instruction to inform the government of any attempt to disguise inclusion efforts in “coded or imprecise language”. In the weeks to follow, Nasa would take back its promise to send the first woman and person of color to the moon’s surface. Meanwhile, employees are reported to be hiding their rainbow flags and any other expressions of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, allegedly because they were instructed to do so though Nasa denies those claims. Continue reading... View Source Article

Celestial objects will be separated by less than a degree and the colour difference between them will be strikingLook into the western sky this week to see an eye-catching conjunction between Mars and Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation of Leo, the lion. The chart shows the view from London at 2300 BST on 16 June 2025.The pair of celestial objects will be separated by less than a degree, less than twice the apparent diameter of the full moon. This means that as well as being an easy spot with the naked eye, they are close enough to fit into the same field of view when viewed through binoculars. Although they will move further apart as the week continues. Continue reading... View Source Article

Television documentary producer and director who collaborated with Brian Cox on Wonders of the Solar SystemThe television producer and director Michael Lachmann, who has died aged 54 in a mountaineering accident in the French Alps, helped to turn the former pop musician and particle physics professor Brian Cox into a TV presenter known for bringing science documentaries into a new age. Lachmann also took the pig farmer Jimmy Doherty around the world to explore the pros and cons of GM foods, and made thought-provoking programmes on great scientists and the space race.His skill in popularising science without dumbing down included placing Cox inside a derelict Rio de Janeiro jail for a sequence in the 2011 BBC Two series Wonders of the Universe. Cox sprayed chemical element symbols on the walls, and Lachmann had the building dramatically blown up. The four-part series attempted to answer the question: “What are we and where do we come from?” In Stardust, the episode directed by Lachmann, he and Cox travelled not only to Brazil, but also to Kathmandu and Chile, to reveal the origins of humans in distant stars. Continue reading... View Source Article

Starship 36 was preparing for 10th test flight from Texas when it underwent ‘catastrophic failure’ while on standOne of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starships has exploded during a routine test in Texas, authorities said, in the latest setback to the billionaire’s dream of turning humanity into an interplanetary species.The Starship 36 underwent “catastrophic failure and exploded” at the Starbase launch facility shortly after 11pm on Wednesday (0400 GMT Thursday), a Facebook post by the Cameron County authorities said. Continue reading... View Source Article

One of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets exploded during a routine test in Texas. The Starship 36 suffered 'catastrophic failure and exploded' at the Starbase launch facility according to the Cameron County authorities. Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, is central to Musk’s long-term vision of colonising Mars. This is the latest setback, with SpaceX betting that its 'fail fast, learn fast' ethos will eventually pay off Continue reading... View Source Article

The Golden Record – launched in 1977 on the Voyager space probes – contained everything from Chuck Berry to Chinese dialects and the sound of humpback whales. But what would we put on it today?It’s almost 50 years since one of the strangest records ever made was launched – not into the pop charts but into the farthest reaches of outer space. Known as the Golden Record, this 12-inch, gold-plated copper disc was an album compiled by astronomer Carl Sagan featuring everything from classical music and spoken-word greetings to the sounds of nature and a blast of Chuck Berry’s Jonny B Goode. Humans could enjoy it, of course, but they weren’t the target audience. Rather, a copy was placed on Voyager 1 and 2, the two space probes launched in 1977, in the hope that they would one day be discovered and listened to by an alien life form.The Golden Record came with various diagrammatic instructions on how to play it correctly. But as to what aliens might make of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto, the sounds of humpback whales and a greeting in the Chinese dialects Wu, we will never know. Both Voyager probes are still intact, currently hurtling through the Kuiper belt in interstellar space, but we are likely to lose contact with them in around a decade’s time. This means we will miss the Golden Record’s first realistic chance of being discovered – when it’s expected to pass within 1.6 light years of the star Gliese 445 in 40,000 years’ time. Continue reading... View Source Article

Watching the night sky, the time it takes for light from these celestial objects to reach Earth is vastly differentFollowing last week’s conjunction between Regulus and Mars, the moon now gets in on the act. This meeting of a star, a planet and a moon takes place on 29 June. The chart shows the view looking west from London at 22:15 BST that day.Red planet Mars has moved on from its close pass of blue-white star Regulus, giving enough space for a waxing crescent moon to slip in between them. The moon will be 4.7 days old, and heading towards its first quarter (half-moon) phase. Just over 22% of its visible surface will be illuminated. Continue reading... View Source Article

Stunning pictures from Vera C Rubin observatory in Chile released at start of 10-year survey of cosmosSpectacular views of distant galaxies, giant dust clouds and hurtling asteroids have been revealed in the first images captured by a groundbreaking telescope that is embarking on a 10-year survey of the cosmos.The stunning pictures from the $810m (£595m) Vera C Rubin observatory in Chile mark the start of what astronomers believe will be a gamechanging period of discovery as the telescope sets about compiling the best view yet of the universe in action. Continue reading... View Source Article

Researchers say satellites may be at risk and impact could create a spectacular meteor shower in the skies If a giant asteroid smashes into the moon in 2032 it could send lunar debris hurtling towards Earth, researchers have said, posing a risk to satellites but also creating a rare and spectacularly vivid meteor shower visible in the skies.Asteroid 2024 YR4 triggered a planetary defence response earlier this year after telescope observations revealed the “city killer” had a 3% chance of colliding with Earth. Continue reading... View Source Article

Ever since Pluto was demoted from planet to dwarf planet in 2006, astronomers have been wondering whether Neptune really is the most distant planet from the sun. Now, a new telescope could uncover what lies in the farthest reaches of the solar system. The Vera C Rubin Observatory released its first images this week, and soon the world’s most powerful digital camera will be pointing across the whole of the night sky. Scientists are hopeful that if planet nine exists, the telescope will find it within its first year of operation. Ian Sample is joined by Dr Scott Sheppard, an astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, to find out how Pluto lost its planetary status, why scientists think there could be another super-Earth, and why planet nine has been so hard to findClips: BBC, NBC, CBCFirst images of distant galaxies captured by ‘ultimate’ telescope Continue reading... View Source Article

Countries send their first astronauts in decades into space on Axiom Mission 4, along with US commanderA US commercial mission carrying crew from India, Poland and Hungary blasted off to the International Space Station on Wednesday, taking astronauts from these countries to space for the first time in decades.Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, launched from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2.31am local time with a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule riding atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Continue reading... View Source Article

TWA 7b is 110 light years away and by far the smallest-mass planet to be observed by direct imageryThe James Webb space telescope has captured unprecedented direct images of a planet beyond our own solar system, in its first exoplanet discovery.The observations reveal a planet, which has been called TWA 7b, carving its way through a disc of glowing dust and rocky debris in orbit around a star 110 light years from Earth. Continue reading... View Source Article

With close encounters due in 2029 and 2032, space scientists are getting to grips with an existential threatIt is a scenario beloved of Hollywood: a huge asteroid, several miles wide, is on a collision course with Earth. Scientists check and recheck their calculations but there is no mistake – civilisation is facing a cataclysmic end unless the space rock can be deflected.It may sound like science fiction, but it is a threat that is being taken seriously by scientists. Continue reading... View Source Article

The brightest star in the constellation Virgo, Spica appears as a single object but is in fact a binary starThis week, the bright star Spica greets the passing moon. The chart shows the view looking south-west from London at 22.15 BST on 3 July 2025.At 8.3 days old, and with 60% of its visible surface illuminated, the moon will be just past its first quarter (half moon) phase and into its waxing gibbous phase, on the way to becoming full next week. Continue reading... View Source Article

Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy is trying to find a photo of Annie Walker, who died in 1940, to give her star billingFor more than a century, astronomers assumed she had simply “computed” complex calculations for the Victorian men who had exclusive use of Cambridge Observatory telescopes.But researchers now say that Annie Walker – a Victorian woman who began working at the observatory in 1879, when she was only 15 – actually observed thousands of stars herself. Continue reading... View Source Article

Scientists have warned loss of data access to Noaa and Nasa experts could set hurricane forecasting ‘back decades’The Trump administration on Monday announced a delay of one month to a plan to cut forecasters out of an atmospheric satellite data collection program that is seen as crucial for hurricane forecasting.There has been alarm among scientists about the plan to cut access to the data after it emerged last week in a public notice sent by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). Continue reading... View Source Article

Chef with 10 Michelin stars has designed meals for Sophie Adenot’s trip to International Space Station next yearWhen the French astronaut Sophie Adenot travels to the International Space Station (ISS) next year, she will be heading for the stars – not quite in celestial but certainly in gastronomic terms.Adenot will dine on not just freeze-dried space food staples but also French classics such as lobster bisque, foie gras and onion soup prepared specially for her by a chef with 10 Michelin stars, the European Space Agency (Esa) announced on Wednesday. Continue reading... View Source Article

Astronomer says object could be further evidence that ‘interstellar wanderers’ are common in galaxyIt isn’t a bird, it isn’t a plane and it certainly isn’t Superman – but it does appear to be a visitor from beyond our solar system, according to astronomers who have discovered a new object hurtling through our cosmic neighbourhood.The object, originally called A11pl3Z and now known as 3I/Atlas, was first reported by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (Atlas) survey telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile, on Tuesday. Continue reading... View Source Article

The new Fairphone 6 is smaller and more modular than older models in the series, but it’s just as repairable. The phone picked up a perfect score in iFixit’s teardown test, despite no longer offering tool-free battery replacements. It helps that the only tool you do need — throughout the phone — is a T5 Torx screwdriver, and only seven screws sit between you and a battery swap. Fairphone itself has shown you can get from shutdown to reboot with a new cell in just two minutes, so it’s still a simple swap. The company says that the screws are required for the slimmer soft-pouch battery. The only glue throughout is found on the phone’s mainboard, which is just about the only repair Fairphone doesn’t recommend you make yourself: almost everything else, from the USB-C port to the individual camera sensors, can be replaced with minimal effort. Replacement parts will be available from Fairphone and iFixit, and the phone’s replaceable backplate also enables a line of swappable accessories similar to those found on the CMF Phone Pro 2. iFixit also rated the phone highly for its IP55 rating — not the best around, but impressive for a phone sealed with screws rather than glue — and for the company’s longterm support. Fairphone is guaranteeing seven years of Android OS updates and eight years of security patches, with a five-year warranty and a loyalty program that rewards you for hanging onto your phone and repairing it. Despite the high score, iFixit acknowledges that you do compromise on specs by opting for the Fairphone 6. Its dual rear camera is fairly basic, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7S Gen 3 chipset is no powerhouse. Even the USB port is limited to sluggish USB 2.0, though the 6.3-inch 10-120Hz LTPO OLED display is more impressive. This isn’t the first Fairphone to fare so well. Every model since the Fairphone 2 has received a 10/10 in iFixit’s teardown tests, a score that no other phone has ever managed. The Fairphone 6 is available now in Europe for €599 (around $705), from Fairphone and other retailers. It costs considerably more in the US, at $899, where it’s only available from Murena and ships running /e/OS, Murena’s privacy-focused and de-Googled take on Android. It’s available to preorder now, and ships in August. View Source Article

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been given the thinner, sleeker glow-up we expected, if leaked hands-on photos are any indication. The trio of images posted by leaker @Jukanlosreve seemingly show what the next-gen Galaxy foldable will look like in the real world from a few different angles. The new photographs mostly line up with what we’ve seen in previous renders, including the larger, slimmer chassis that’s reported to be around 4.5mm thick when open. That’s slimmer than its 5.6mm Galaxy Z Fold 6 predecessor and allows it to better compete against some of the slimmest foldables on the market from rivals like Google and Oppo. We won’t know its official measurements until the launch event next week, but given the SIM tray appears to occupy all available vertical space, it looks very skinny indeed. The speakers and microphone are also visible along the bottom edge of the device. The redesigned camera array on the rear is distinct from that featured on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, replacing the chunky black rings around the camera lenses with slim silver ones. It contrasts nicely with the striking blue color option, which might be the “Blue Shadow” colorway mentioned in previous leaks. We also have some new Galaxy Z Fold 7 specs courtesy of an EU smartphone label revealed by MysteryLupin, which lists the device as having the same battery life as its predecessor, that’s expected to last for up to 40 hours and 28 minutes on a single charge. The phone reportedly has an IP48 rating, which means it can be submerged under water for short periods of time, but it’s still susceptible to fine dust particles (like many foldables). We’re expecting to find out more at Samsung’s Unpacked event on July 9th, where the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is expected to be launched alongside the latest Z Flip 7. A new trifold Galaxy phone may also be unveiled at the event, bolstering Samsung’s lineup of foldable devices. View Source Article

I walked into Blackdot's tattoo studio in Austin's east side on a sweltering May afternoon. After shaking my sweat-soaked hand, founder and CEO Joel Pennington led me up into an office building and opened the door to a small, three-room space. Critics have unflatteringly compared the studio to a sterile hospital room - a comparison not entirely without merit. In a corner room, the machine I had come here to see loomed: a humming, fridge-sized device reminiscent of an old X-ray unit. Blackdot calls it the world's first "automatic tattooing device." The space was filled with signs of the path traveled so far. Pennington handed me several slab … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Once upon a time in America, there was a tyrant. And Congress rejected him totally. The tyrant, of course, was King George III, the target of the Declaration of Independence. We take it for granted now, but the Declaration was an enormous political innovation - in it, the country that became the United States of America laid claim to certain "unalienable" rights, rights that took precedence over any king or crown. To protect those rights, our Founders declared that the People were allowed to "alter" or "abolish" the government - in this case, British rule over the American colonies. The idea that 'the People' have 'unalienable rights' b … Read the full story at The Verge. View Source Article

Bluetooth trackers come in all shapes and sizes. | Illustration: Cath Virginia / The Verge Editor’s note: Amazon Prime Day kicks off on July 8th; however, if you want to get a head start on your online shopping, we’ve rounded up the best early Prime Day deals you can already get. Some people rarely lose things. Wallets are always exactly where they’re supposed to be, keys never go missing, and remotes never slip between the couch cushions. And then there’s the rest of us — the folks who can’t ever seem to find the thing that was right there a few seconds ago. For us, there are Bluetooth trackers. Bluetooth trackers have been around for a long time, and they all generally work the same way. You stick the tracker onto an object, pair it with your phone, and then, when you lose said object, you can go into an app and ring the tracker. But these days, Bluetooth trackers can do a lot more. Some have ultra-wideband chips that enable precision tracking, so you can find exactly where in a room your item is. Increasingly, trackers also tap into large networks — like Apple’s and Google’s — making it easier to locate lost items outside the home. Many will notify you if they detect you’ve left the device behind or come with QR codes that link to your contact information so people can easily return lost devices. These features are incredibly handy but also have the potential for misuse. Take AirTags. When Apple launched the trackers, it hadn’t anticipated they’d be used to track people or stolen items — but that’s exactly what happened. It’s since beefed up its anti-stalking features, and companies like Tile have also followed suit. Apple and Google have launched a standard that enables unwanted tracking alerts across both Android and iOS devices — and major players like Tile, Samsung, and Chipolo are on board. But until this standard is up and running, it pays to be aware of each tracker’s current approach when you’re deciding the best option for you. As a consummate Loser of Things, I’ve tested my fair share of Bluetooth trackers on wallets, keys, and luggage. Here’s what I’d recommend if you, too, have a hard time finding things. The best tracker for iPhone usersThe best Bluetooth tracker for Android usersThe best AirTag and Tile alternativeThe best AirTag alternatives for walletsOther Bluetooth trackers to considerWhat’s coming next The best tracker for iPhone users Apple AirTag Apple’s AirTags can help you find your lost items with their ultra wideband technology. You’ll get the best compatibility with an iPhone, though Apple released an Android app that can detect an AirTag’s location and notify you if one seems to be following you. Where to Buy: $29 $22.99 at Amazon $29 $22.99 at Walmart $29 $22.99 at Best Buy When Apple launched AirTags in 2021, it really did shake up the category. That’s because AirTags are equipped with Apple’s Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip and tap into Apple’s vast Find My network. That’s a potent combo. And even though you can now get third-party accessories that work with the Find My network — including the Pebblebee trackers featured later in this guide — AirTags are still the best, thanks to UWB. Basically, UWB enables precision tracking while Find My compatibility expands range far, far beyond Bluetooth’s limitations. With precision tracking, all you have to do is open the Find My app, tap “Find,” and you should see an arrow pointing you in the exact direction you need to go to find your item. Using the Find My network also means that so long as there’s an Apple device nearby, a lost AirTag can ping its location to Apple’s iCloud servers without notifying the owners of those other devices. And there are over a billion Apple products out there. That accuracy is super convenient. My keys fell out of my pocket while running once, and I didn’t notice until my phone pinged me to say my keys were no longer with me. While I wasn’t able to use the precision tracking outdoors, I could see the last reported location in the Find My app. Twenty minutes had already passed, but I still was able to find my keys. I haven’t had that degree of success with any other item tracker. However, this accuracy is a double-edged sword. In 2022, I ran a test to see whether I could track a friend and my spouse (with their consent) in real time. And I could, to a disturbing degree. While Apple’s unwanted tracking prevention measures worked, there were also inherent flaws. (You can read about our testing in full here.) However, Apple has since improved unwanted tracking alerts by shortening the time before you’re notified an unknown AirTag is in your vicinity, making chimes louder, and creating a separate app that lets Android users scan for unknown AirTags. Apple also now informs users during setup that unwanted tracking is a crime and that AirTags are “intended solely to track items that belong to you.” Apple has also added more ways to share AirTag locations with trusted people. iOS 17 introduced AirTag sharing, which means shared items won’t trigger unwanted tracking alerts. As of iOS 18.2, you can also share the location of a lost AirTag with other people via a temporary link. So if an airline loses your luggage, you can send them a link that shows them an interactive map of your item’s last known location. (Apple is partnering with more than 15 airlines for this particular use case.) The only thing I really don’t like about AirTags is they aren’t truly $29. They’re $29 plus the cost of whatever accessory is needed to attach them to the item you want to track. For example, you’ll need a holder to attach it to your keys or luggage. Thankfully, there’s a robust third-party accessory market, so you don’t have to pay Apple’s prices if you don’t want to. The fact that you can easily replace the battery with a regular CR2032 coin cell battery helps take the sting out, too. I just did it for two of my AirTags, and it was much, much cheaper than having to buy two new ones. Read our original AirTags review. The best Bluetooth tracker for Android users Tile Pro The Tile Pro is the company’s loudest Bluetooth tracker and has the widest range at 400 feet. It also has a user-replaceable battery, unlike other Tiles. Where to Buy: $34.99 at Amazon $34.99 at Best Buy $34.99 at Target More and more trackers now support both Google’s and Apple’s Find My networks, but Tile’s trackers — especially the $34.99 Tile Pro — are still our top recommendation for Android users or mixed iOS / Android households. Functionally, the platform-agnostic trackers can do just about anything an AirTag can. Like AirTags, Tile devices can tap into a larger network — in this case, the Tile Network and Amazon Sidewalk — to help you find your devices outside of your phone’s Bluetooth range. While this network isn’t as expansive as Apple’s or Google’s, Amazon Sidewalk’s coverage has improved significantly. In our April 2025 testing of Google’s Find Hub-compatible trackers — including the Chipolo Pop, Pebblebee Clip Universal, and the Moto Tag — we found that Tile still did better at tracking items outside the home. Unfortunately, Tile still can’t do true real-time tracking, and it still doesn’t offer a tracker with UWB, so it lacks the AirTag’s precision tracking. The company announced one back in 2021, but we’re still waiting, partly because Apple is effectively blocking UWB compatibility for third parties in iOS and because Tile’s priorities shifted once it was acquired by Life360. A note about Google’s Find Hub network In 2024, Google finally launched its Find My Device network, which was recently renamed Find Hub. It works similarly to Apple’s Find My network: you’ll be able to share trackers with family members, and there are also unwanted tracking alerts. Initially, the network lagged behind Apple’s, but it’s starting to catch up. After several weeks of testing Find Hub-compatible trackers — specifically the Chipolo Pop, Pebblebee Clip Universal, and Moto Tag — in April 2025, we found the network’s improved significantly over the past year, more so in busy areas. Still, it’s clear Google prioritized privacy over precision. That balance may shift, though. In May 2025, Google added UWB support for more accurate tracking with Motorola’s Moto Tag and, eventually, other compatible phones and trackers. Google also plans to roll out satellite connectivity later later in 2025, with the ability to share tracker locations with airline staff arriving in early 2026. That said, Life360’s acquisition has brought some meaningful upgrades. Pressing a Tile button three times now sends an SOS alert to emergency contacts through Life360. You can also add others to your Circle so they can view and ring nearby Tiles on a shared Life360 map. More recently, Tile trackers have become fully integrated into Life360, letting users manage their trackers directly within the Life360 app. This merger unlocked a few premium features for free, including push alerts for forgotten items and two-day location history. Still, most of the good stuff — like 30-day location history, unlimited sharing with friends and family, free replacements for damaged Tiles, and up to $100 reimbursement for lost items — sits behind a $29.99/year subscription. Fortunately, Tile offers new members a one-year free trial, and one subscription covers all your devices. You also still get a lot of core functionality without paying: you can find your Tile via Bluetooth, view its last known location on a map, ring your phone from the Tile, and share access with one other person for free. Tile also stands out for its versatility. While AirTags come in a single puck-like design, Tile offers four distinct form factors to suit different needs. The card-shaped Tile Slim ($29.99), for example, is the best option if you’re constantly losing your wallet. The square Tile Mate ($24.99) comes with a hole so you can stick it on a key ring or carabiner, and is probably the most versatile. The $24.99 Tile Sticker, meanwhile, is a small disc that comes with a sticky backing so you can put it on remotes, pet collars, and anything else you can stick it on. The best Tile will depend on what you’re looking to track. My personal favorite, however, is the $34.99 Tile Pro, which is shaped like a key fob, is larger than the Mate, and can also be attached to other items. Of the four, it has the longest Bluetooth range at 500 feet and the loudest ring. It’s also the only one that has a replaceable one-year CR2032 battery.  Last but not least, Tile may actually be better than AirTags for tracking stolen items. The company rolled out an anti-theft feature in 2023, which renders Tile devices invisible to unwanted tracking detection in the event someone steals your item. Just know that to use it, Tile requires you to submit a government ID for verification, agree to Tile working with law enforcement without a subpoena, and consent to a $1 million fine if you misuse this feature. For anti-stalking measures, Tile also has a “Scan and Secure” feature, which allows you to use the Tile app to scan for unknown Tile devices in your vicinity. While better than nothing, it’s a flawed measure, as it requires the potential victim to proactively scan their surroundings.  The best AirTag and Tile alternative Pebblebee Clip Universal The Pebblebee Clip Universal supports Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, but also has a 500-foot Bluetooth range, LEDs that flash to help you locate it, and a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 12 months on a single charge. Where to Buy: $34.99 $27.99 at Pebblebee (with code FREEDOMTOFIND20) $34.99 at Amazon $34.99 at Best Buy If you’re looking for an AirTag or Tile alternative, the Pebblebee Clip Universal is an excellent choice. It’s one of a growing number of trackers that support both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, a major improvement over its predecessor. This makes setup seamless for both iOS and Android users, while also enabling more accurate and reliable tracking than Pebblebee’s own network could provide. The thing I like best about the Pebblebee Clip Universal is its rechargeable battery. A single charge lasts up to one year, up from six months — though you may get longer than that depending on your usage. It has a USB-C port, too, so you don’t have to sweat it if you lose the charger it comes with. You love to see it. The Pebblebee Clip Universal also has an LED strip at the bottom that lights up when you ring the tracker. That’s helped me spot my car keys more quickly when they’ve fallen under the car seat or other dark areas. The ringtone is also quite loud, and the 500-foot Bluetooth range is actually about 100 feet more than the Tile Pro, our pick for Android users. And while larger than an AirTag, the Pebblebee Clip Universal also comes with a snap-on key ring so you don’t have to buy another accessory to attach it. It’s also IPX6-rated for water resistance. Clip Universal owners can still use Pebblebee’s app to set voice tags and ask Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to help find their device. You can also use the “Find Phone” feature, which lets you double-tap to ring your phone. That said, Clip Universal owners can’t use the Pebblebee app for tracking, and so only last-gen Clip owners can take advantage of the Pebblebee app’s extensive customizable geofencing features. That means, for instance, Clip Universal owners can no longer set up custom areas on a map and be notified whenever a device enters or leaves the area. They also can’t use the app to designate safe zones, which was useful to avoid unnecessary “left behind” notifications in familiar places like home or work. The latter can be done in Apple’s Find My app, though Google’s Find Hub doesn’t yet have an equivalent feature. The best AirTag alternatives for wallets Pebblebee Card Universal The Pebblebee Card has a rechargeable battery that lasts for up to 18 months. It supports Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub, but you can also use the Pebblebee app for voice tagging. Where to Buy: $34.99 $27.99 at Pebblebee (with code FREEDOMTOFIND20) $34.99 at Amazon $34.99 at Best Buy You could be like my spouse, who stuffs an AirTag in their bifold wallet and then makes a surprised Pikachu face every time it falls out. Or, you could opt for a Find My-compatible alternative specifically designed for wallets, like the $34.99 Pebblebee Card Universal. It plays nice with both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, giving you cross-platform flexibility and the benefits of each — all with a super loud ringtone. It doesn’t come with precision tracking because it lacks UWB, but it makes up for it with those loud ringtones. As part of the Find My network, it also supports unwanted tracking alerts. The Pebblebee Card Universal also stands out because of its rechargeable battery, which lasts up to 18 months on a single charge. Like the Pebblebee Clip Universal, it works with the Pebblebee app to support voice tagging and even has a button you can press to locate your phone. Other Bluetooth trackers to consider The $16.88 $29.99 Eufy Security SmartTrack Card is another good option designed for wallets. It comes with a little clip attachment so it doesn’t have to be stuffed in your wallet; you could clip it onto a laptop case, for example. This also has the same benefits when used with the Find My network as the Pebblebee Card Universal. On the back, there’s also a QR code — similar to the ones Tile uses — that helps good samaritans return your item to you. Like the Pebblebee Card Universal, you can share it with multiple people if you set it up via the Eufy Security app. The bummer here is it doesn’t work with Android, lacks UWB and a replaceable battery, and isn’t rechargeable like its successor, Eufy’s $29.99 34.99 SmartTrack Card E30. That said, though, the built-in battery should purportedly last you three years. The $29 $35 Chipolo Card Spot or $24 $35 Card Point is also a good option for wallets if you want something a bit simpler, though it lacks the QR code, and its battery only lasts two years. If you do opt for Chipolo, double-check that the specific tracker you’re buying works on the network you want to use. For example, the Chipolo Card and Chipolo Card Spot can both be used with iPhones, but the Chipolo Card only works with the Chipolo app, while the Card Spot only works with Find My. The Chipolo Card Point is for Android users and works with Google’s Find Hub network. Read my full Chipolo Card Spot review. If you’re a Samsung Galaxy phone user, the $29.99 Samsung SmartTag2 gets you UWB tracking and can tap into the Galaxy Find network, which operates similarly to Apple’s Find My network. It’s a great AirTag alternative but isn’t our overall pick for Android because it’s limited to Samsung Galaxy users. But for Samsung users, the latest SmartTag2 includes an improved Compass View, longer battery life, and a better app experience. It’s also got a newer oblong design with a larger key ring than the original SmartTag. What’s coming next Motorola’s $29 Moto Tag is the first tracker on Google’s Find Hub network to offer UWB for locating lost items, which is functionality Google recently enabled via a firmware update. Even more conveniently, it’s compatible with Apple’s Find My network, too, and is designed to fit in accessories made for AirTags. The Moto Tag also carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance and comes with a replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery that should last up to a year. Like Pebblebee’s trackers, it can ring your phone if you’ve misplaced it. As a bonus, it doubles as a remote shutter for Motorola phone cameras. Chipolo has announced the Chipolo Pop, a $29 Bluetooth tracker offered in six bright colors. It works with either Apple’s Find My or Google’s Find Hub networks — though only one at a time — and boasts a 300-foot Bluetooth range, exceeding that of the company’s other trackers. The tracker also offers a more robust IP55 rating for water and dust resistance and includes a user-replaceable battery that can last up to a year. I’m still in the early stages of testing, but so far I’m a fan. Compared to the Tile Pro and Apple’s AirTag, the Chipolo Pop is both louder and lighter, with a built-in hole that makes it easy to attach to a keyring — no extra accessories required. Setup through Apple’s Find My was also quick and seamless. I haven’t tested it with Google’s Find Hub just yet, but I’ll update once I do. ~ Sheena Vasani, Commerce Writer Update, July 3rd: Added details about the latest Tile and Pebblebee trackers as well as Google Find Hub network updates. Also added “what’s coming next” and “other Bluetooth trackers to consider” sections and updated pricing and availability information. Sheena Vasani also contributed to this guide. View Source Article

The Ploopy Knob controller can double as a desktop fidget toy. | Image: Ploopy Ploopy has announced another desktop accessory called the Ploopy Knob that can function like a control dial for adjusting volume, scrolling documents, or scrubbing through media on a computer. The Canadian company isn’t exactly a household name like Logitech, but Ploopy’s open-source peripherals offer a lot of customizability, and like its mouse and trackballs, you can customize the look of the Knob by 3D-printing your own hardware. The Ploopy Knob is available now through the company’s website for $49.99 CAD (around $37). Unlike many of the company’s other products, which can be purchased as cheaper DIY kits you build yourself, the Knob is only available as a fully assembled product with software preinstalled that works right out of the box. However, since it’s open-source, you can download all the design files and software on Ploopy’s GitHub page if you want to source the parts and build your own from scratch. Powered by a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, the Ploopy Knob uses a position sensor with a 12-bit resolution and a polling rate of over 1kHz to track its rotational movements. The company says the Knob supports high-resolution pixel-by-pixel scrolling on Windows and Linux, but warns that the experience may not be as smooth on Apple computers. “macOS does smoothing for input devices automatically. This interferes with the code that runs on the Knob, meaning that pixel-by-pixel high-resolution scrolling doesn’t work on macOS. It still functions as a scrolling device, but the scrolling is in discrete steps.” As with the company’s other peripherals, the Ploopy Knob uses the open-source QMK firmware, which runs entirely on the device so you don’t need to install additional software on your computer. View Source Article

The sweeping layoffs announced by Microsoft this week have been especially hard on its gaming studios, but one Xbox executive has a solution to “help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss”: seek advice from AI chatbots. In a now-deleted LinkedIn post captured by Aftermath, Xbox Game Studios’ Matt Turnbull said that he would be “remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances.” The circumstances here being a slew of game cancellations, services being shuttered, studio closures, and job cuts across key Xbox divisions as Microsoft lays off as many as 9,100 employees across the company.  Turnbull acknowledged that people have some “strong feelings” about AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, but suggested that anybody who’s feeling “overwhelmed” could use them to get advice about creating resumes, career planning, and applying for new roles. “These are really challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you’re not alone and you don’t have to go it alone,” Turnbull said. “No AI tool is a replacement for your voice or your lived experience. But at a time when mental energy is scarce, these tools can help get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity.” Microsoft has loudly embraced AI, having announced plans in January to invest $80 billion into AI infrastructure prior to this latest wave of job cuts. That environment might have made Turnbull think his recommendations were reasonable. More broadly, however, generative AI is viewed by some creatives as a threat to creative industries like gaming, which has already struggled with growing layoffs and studio closures over the last few years. It’s unclear why Turnbull deleted his LinkedIn post, but if the comments on this repost made to Bluesky are any indication, creatives probably didn’t take too kindly to his suggestions. You can read the full text of the deleted post below: “These are really challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you’re not alone and you don’t have to go it alone. I know these types of tools engender strong feelings in people, but I’d be remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances. I’ve been experimenting with ways to use LLM AI tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss. Here are some prompt ideas and use cases that might help if you’re feeling overwhelmed: Career Planning Prompts: “Act as a career coach. I’ve been laid off from a [role] in the game industry. Help me build a 30-day plan to regroup, research new roles, and start applying without burning out.” “What kinds of game industry jobs could I pivot to with experience in [Production/Narrative/LiveOps/etc.]?” Resume & Linkedin Help “Here’s my current resume. Give me three tailored versions: one for AAA, one for platform/publishing roles, and one for startup/small studio leadership.” “Rewrite this resume bullet to highlight impact and metrics.” “Draft a new LinkedIn ‘About Me’ section that focuses on my leadership style, shipped titles, and vision for game development.” Networking & Outreach “Draft a friendly message I can send to old coworkers letting them know I’m exploring new opportunities.” “Write a warm intro message for reaching out to someone at [studio name] about a job posting.” Emotional Clarity & Confidence “I’m struggling with imposter syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I’m good at?” No Al tool is a replacement for your voice or your lived experience. But at a time when mental energy is scarce, these tools can help get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity. If this helps, feel free to share with others in your network. Stay kind, stay smart, stay connected.” View Source Article

Editor’s note: Amazon Prime Day kicks off on July 8th; however, if you want to get a head start on your online shopping, we’ve rounded up the best early Prime Day deals you can already get. It’s hard to buy a bad pair of wireless earbuds these days, and with constant discounts and deals wherever you look, now is as good of a time as any to splurge on the pair you’ve been eyeing. The market has come a long way since the early era of true wireless earbuds when we had to deal with mediocre sound quality and unreliable performance, all for the sake of ditching cables. Things are much different now. After several product generations of learned lessons, companies like Sony, Apple, Samsung, and others are releasing their most impressive earbuds to date.  You can get phenomenal noise cancellation and sound quality in the premium tier of earbuds if you’re willing to spend big. But those aren’t always the most important criteria for everyone: maybe you’re looking for the perfect fitness earbuds or for a set that works just as well for Zoom calls as for playing your favorite playlists and podcasts. Tech companies are increasingly making their earbuds work best with their own products through exclusive features and functionality, so that’s another thing to consider as you shop around. If you want a perk like head-tracking spatial audio, you’ll need to use AirPods with an iPhone, Samsung buds with a Samsung phone, and so on. Featured in this article Best overall: Sony WF-1000XM5 Sony’s flagship wireless earbuds offer the company’s best noise cancellation, powerful and lively sound, and a comfortable fit. Where to Buy: $299.99 $248 at Amazon $299.99 $249 at Best Buy $299.99 $249.99 at Target Best noise-canceling: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds With dynamic, rich sound and the best ANC available, the QC Ultra Earbuds are a terrific pick if you want to listen to your music in peace. Where to Buy: $299 at Amazon $299 at Walmart $299 at Best Buy The best overall wireless earbudsThe best budget earbuds under $100The best noise-canceling earbudsThe best earbuds for sports and working outThe best earbuds for iPhone ownersThe best earbuds for Samsung Galaxy phone ownersThe best earbuds for Google Pixel phone ownersThe best earbuds if you own both Apple and Android devicesThe best earbuds for sound qualityThe best earbuds for voice calls on iPhoneThe best earbuds for voice calls on Android The best overall wireless earbuds Sony WF-1000XM5 Sony’s flagship wireless earbuds offer the company’s best noise cancellation, powerful and lively sound, and a comfortable fit. Score: 8ProsConsSmaller, more comfortable designUpgrades to ANC and sound qualityMuch clearer voice call performanceGlossy texture can make them harder to remove from caseSony’s bonus features aren’t as seamless as those of its competitorsPotential battery longevity concerns Where to Buy: $299.99 $248 at Amazon $299.99 $249 at Best Buy $299.99 $249.99 at Target Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 8 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IPX4 / Bluetooth codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC / Multipoint: Yes / Works best with: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Foam (XS, S, M, L) Just like their predecessors, Sony’s WF-1000XM5 earbuds have again topped our recommendations for the overall best noise-canceling earbuds. Thanks to their larger drivers, the audio quality is more detailed and dynamic than before while still retaining the warmth and clarity that made the WF-1000XM4 so enjoyable. Sony has also further improved its ANC and is nearing the same territory as Bose’s QC Earbuds II. These earbuds do a terrific job of eliminating background noise. Battery life can stretch to eight hours of continuous listening with noise cancellation turned on. Some people found the XM4 to be bulky and uncomfortable, so this time around, Sony has managed to shrink the XM5 by 25 percent. Like before, the company includes foam-style tips that expand in your ears to create an excellent seal — and now there’s a fourth (extra small) set of tips in the box. On Android phones, the 1000XM5 support Sony’s LDAC codec for higher-quality music playback. And they’re capable of dynamic head tracking spatial audio through supported video apps like Netflix. But even if you’re not using LDAC (or have an iPhone), these are up there with the very best audio-focused premium earbuds — including Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 4, only with substantially better noise cancellation. They’re also capable of multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, so you can pair them with two devices at the same time. It’s worth noting that there were many reports of battery issues with the 1000XM4 over time as those earbuds aged, but Sony claims to have rectified that problem with the new model by tweaking the charging algorithm. Read our full WF-1000XM5 review. The best budget earbuds under $100 Nothing Ear (a) Nothing’s Ear (a) earbuds have the same stylish, semi-transparent design as the company’s other earbuds — but these come in a snazzy yellow. They combine decent ANC, enjoyable sound, and other features like multipoint for under $100. ProsConsStandout color and designVery compact carrying caseGreat performer for the priceLimited retail availabilityPlastic case can show scuffs Where to Buy: $99 $69 at Nothing $99 $89 at Amazon Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 5.5 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IP54 / Bluetooth codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC / Multipoint: No / Works best with: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L) When looking at Nothing’s Ear (a) earbuds, it’s easy to focus all your attention on the catchy yellow color or their fun, super compact carrying case. But at their $99.99 price, the company’s entry-level earbuds provide a ton of features, including active noise cancellation, a low-latency mode for gaming, multipoint Bluetooth pairing, and a decent IP54 dust and water resistance rating.  And the sound quality you get outperforms my usual expectations for this price point. They’re not quite on par with Nothing’s higher-end Ears, but you do get expressive, very enjoyable audio — and you can customize the EQ further in Nothing’s mobile app. Read my full Nothing Ear (a) impressions. The best noise-canceling earbuds Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Score: 8ProsConsMost powerful ANC you’ll find in earbudsLively, rich soundStabilizer fins are easier to applyImmersive Audio drains batteryWireless charging requires $49 case Where to Buy: $299 at Amazon $299 at Walmart $299 at Best Buy Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 6 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IPX4 / Bluetooth codecs: AAC, SBC, aptX Adaptive / Multipoint: Yes / Works best with: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L) Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are the most powerful noise-canceling earbuds on the market. Of all our top picks, they do the best job of offering peace and quiet from the cacophony of daily life, putting you in a private bubble with your music playlists or favorite podcasts. The QC Ultra Earbuds are extremely similar to 2022’s QC Earbuds II in terms of design, fit, and sound. Audio quality is rich and dynamic, delivering more bass thump than, say, Apple’s AirPods Pro. And by switching to a two-piece ear tip / stabilizer fitting process, Bose’s latest flagship buds should fit a wider range of ears more comfortably. The Ultra also introduce a new Immersive Audio mode, which is Bose’s take on spatial audio. That being said, it’s worth noting that Bose recently announced an updated version of the QC Ultra Earbuds, which, with the help of AI, supposedly offer improved call quality and enhanced adaptive ANC to help curb sudden spikes in noise. They’ll also retail for the same price as the current model and come with a wireless charging case when they launch later this summer, preventing you from having to pay extra for what has essentially become a table stakes feature at this point. Read our full QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review. The best earbuds for sports and working out Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Score: 8ProsConsHuzzah! Wireless charging!Adds ANC, transparency modes, spatial audioSlimmer ear hook, smaller caseAdds heart rateGreat soundNo price hikeCase is still a chonkerHeart rate is not that useful for iOS users Where to Buy: $249 at Amazon $249 at Walmart $249.99 at Best Buy Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 8 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IPX4 / Bluetooth codecs: AAC, SBC / Multipoint: No / Works best with: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (XS, S, M, L, XL) After a long wait, Beats finally introduced the Powerbeats Pro 2 in early 2025. They carry forward the signature ear hook design of past Powerbeats earbuds, but improve upon the original Powerbeats Pro in several key ways. Beats added active noise cancellation and a natural-sounding transparency mode to the Pro 2; the first-generation pair lacked both. The earbuds themselves are lighter, too, and the charging case is noticeably smaller. The Powerbeats Pro 2 also feature heart rate monitoring thanks to built-in sensors on each earbud. You might already have a fitness tracker, chest strap, or smartwatch for this purpose, but if not, you can use these with compatible apps like Nike Run Club, Runna, Ladder, Slopes, Open, Peloton, and YaoYao. The downside is that they can’t simultaneously play music and broadcast heart rate to gym equipment when paired to an iOS device, rendering the Pro 2 a better heart rate monitoring alternative for Android users than iPhone users. The Powerbeats Pro 2 remain rated IPX4 for water resistance. While that’s not as robust as some other fitness-focused buds, it should be sufficient to survive sweat and outdoor runs in various conditions. The earbuds still offer easy-to-use physical buttons and a dedicated volume rocker, so it’s easy to control them in the middle of a workout. If you’re an iPhone owner, the Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds include Apple-only features like dynamic head tracking for spatial audio, auto device switching, Find My integration, and more. For Android users, Beats has an app that packs in a smaller subset of these functions.  Read our full Powerbeats Pro 2 review. The best earbuds for iPhone owners Apple AirPods Pro (second-gen) with USB-C charging case Score: 8ProsConsMuch better noise cancellationImproved sound quality and clarityUnrivaled hearing health featuresUnchanged designSound is better but not top tier Where to Buy: $249 $199 at Amazon $249 $199 at Walmart $249.99 at Best Buy Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 6 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IPX4 / Bluetooth codecs: AAC, SBC / Multipoint: No / Works best with: iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (XS, S, M, L) For those invested in Apple’s ecosystem, the second-gen AirPods Pro bring an appealing mix of top-notch noise cancellation and refined sound compared to the original pair. As always, they also include numerous features (spatial audio, audio sharing, automatic syncing across iCloud devices, etc.) that make them an ideal companion to the company’s other devices. They’re also the only AirPods that come with different sizes of ear tips for a customizable fit — including an extra small option. The AirPods Pro have a compact case that supports wireless charging. Setting them up is as simple as holding the open case near your iPhone. The earbuds are lightweight and fit snugly in most ears. Their force sensor pinch controls are easy to get down, and with the second-gen model, Apple added swipe-based volume controls. The AirPods Pro have traditionally ranked among the best wireless earbuds when it comes to voice call quality, and the second-gen earbuds don’t disappoint. Their ANC is improved over the original model and is now right up there with Sony, and their transparency mode has gained the ability to quickly damper sudden, loud noises that might happen around you. Where the AirPods Pro stand out is with their Apple-only features like head tracking for spatial audio, automatic device switching, extensive Find My support, and so on. The charging case now features a built-in speaker and a U1 chip for pinpoint location tracking, and the latest AirPods Pro have better sound and noise canceling capabilities than the original model. Plus, they retain their deep integration with Apple’s hardware ecosystem. In the fall, Apple also rolled out an impressive set of hearing health features for the second-gen AirPods Pro. They’re now able to serve as clinical-grade hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss and protect your hearing in loud environments; you can even take a hearing test to assess your own level of hearing loss. Read our original AirPods Pro (second-gen) review. The best earbuds for Samsung Galaxy phone owners Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung’s best-sounding wireless earbuds yet. They have a stemmed design similar to the AirPods Pro, but even if their design is a little bland, the Buds 3 Pro make up for it with great call quality, useful voice commands, and more. Score: 8ProsConsTerrific sound qualityCrisp, natural transparency / passthrough modeVoice commands are simple and so usefulGood voice callsUninspired designMidtier noise cancellation performanceNo true multipoint Where to Buy: $249.99 at Amazon $249.99 at Best Buy $249.99 at Samsung Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 6 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IP57 / Bluetooth codecs: Samsung seamless, AAC, SBC / Multipoint: No / Works best with: Android, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L) Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro ditch the company’s more discreet designs of the past for a stemmed style that’s similar to AirPods and any number of other wireless earbuds. Boring? Maybe, but thanks to that change, I’ve found them to be more comfortable and provide better stability than the Buds 2 Pro. The sound quality is even better than before — and it was already excellent. These are right up there with Sennheiser and Technics from an audio fidelity standpoint. The Buds 3 Pro are also a standout performer when it comes to call quality. And my favorite thing about these earbuds are the hands-free voice commands that don’t require you to say any specific wake phrase beforehand. You can just say “volume up” and / or “next song,” and it happens. But they’re not perfect: the Buds 3 Pro lack multipoint connectivity, so they can’t connect to two devices at the same time. Just like Apple, Samsung prefers to automatically hop between products within its own walled garden ecosystem. Some people might consider this a dealbreaker, but I’ve still enjoyed the earbuds plenty without it. Read our full Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review. The best earbuds for Google Pixel phone owners Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Score: 9ProsConsSmaller and lighter design is supremely comfortableMore powerful noise cancellationCrystal-clear transparency modeVery pleasant and detailed sound qualityANC can’t quite match BoseGoogle still refuses to add higher-quality Bluetooth codecs, limiting overall fidelityGemini Live feels more feeble than futuristic Where to Buy: $229 $206.14 at Amazon $229 $213.99 at Best Buy $229 at Google Store Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 8 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IP54 / Bluetooth codecs: AAC, SBC / Multipoint: Yes / Works best with: Android, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (XS, S, M, L) With the Pixel Buds Pro 2, Google has addressed most of the downsides of the original pair. They’re far smaller and lighter than the chunky first-gen Pixel Buds Pro. And there’s a small nub on the buds to help lock them in place even during intensive activities like running or exercise. Google’s active noise cancellation still isn’t on the same tier as Bose, but the transparency mode on the Buds Pro 2 is among the very best you’ll find. It offers a crisp, natural passthrough for the outside world when needed. Multipoint support is included, and Google’s latest earbuds eke out impressive battery life that surpasses most competitors. Got a Pixel phone? With the Pixel Buds Pro 2, you can have lengthy conversations with Google’s Gemini AI while your phone stays in your pocket. Features like head-tracking spatial audio and Clear Calling are also exclusive to those within the Pixel ecosystem. If that’s you, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are a big step up from the previous buds in a much smaller package. Read our full Pixel Buds Pro 2 review. The best earbuds if you own both Apple and Android devices Beats Studio Buds Plus Score: 8ProsConsBetter sound, ANC, and battery life than Studio BudsStandout translucent case optionImproved voice call performanceANC and transparency fall short of second-gen AirPods ProDoesn’t offer all Apple ecosystem tricksNo wireless charging or in-ear detection Where to Buy: $169.95 at Amazon $169.95 at Walmart $169.99 at Best Buy Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 6 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IPX4 / Bluetooth codecs: AAC, SBC / Multipoint: No / Works best with: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (XS, S, M, L) Beats’ Studio Buds Plus are an upgraded, better-performing revision of the Studio Buds released in 2021. This time, the company has made the noise cancellation more powerful while also improving the quality of the transparency mode and extending battery life. If you’re going for style points, it doesn’t get much cooler than the translucent color option. These earbuds are very tiny and rank up with the best in terms of overall comfort. What’s interesting about the Studio Buds Plus is that they use a proprietary chip that allows them to support native software features on both iOS and Android. Plenty of earbuds offer companion apps on each platform, but in the case of the Beats, they work with both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device. You also get simple one-tap pairing, no matter which operating system you’re using. The drawback to this dual-ecosystem life is that Apple customers don’t get all the usual bells and whistles that come with AirPods or even the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2; you lose out on audio sharing, head tracking spatial audio, and other tricks. Wireless charging and an ear detection sensor (for auto-pause when a bud is removed) are also MIA, which stings a bit considering the price. Read our full Beats Studio Buds Plus review. The best earbuds for sound quality Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 Score: 8ProsConsFantastic sound qualityImproved day-to-day reliabilityAuracast-enabledToo pricey for someNoise cancellation does the job, but isn’t anything specialLong-term durability remains to be seen Where to Buy: $299.95 $259.95 at Amazon $299.95 $279.95 at B&H Photo $299.95 $279.95 at Sennheiser Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 7.5 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IP54 / Bluetooth codecs: AptX Adaptive, AptX, AAC, SBC / Multipoint: Yes / Works best with: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (XS, S, M, L) Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless earbuds have always sounded fantastic; that’s never been the issue. But previous models in the series have been tainted a bit by bugs, unsteady performance, and battery reliability problems. The fourth-gen pair finally gets that part right while continuing to offer tremendous, detailed sound quality that stands above nearly all competitors. They’re a joy to listen to. The active noise cancellation can’t compete with the likes of Apple, Sony, and Bose, but if you care more about lush, intricate sound, the MTW4 won’t disappoint in the slightest. These earbuds come with optional wing tips to help keep them securely locked in your ears. That could prove helpful for running or when hitting the gym. Sennheiser allows for plenty of EQ customization using its mobile app, and the Momentum True Wireless 4 support a range of Bluetooth codecs, including AAC, SBC, AptX, and AptX Adaptive. Sennheiser has also promised that they’re LE Audio and Auracast-ready for when those features become more widespread. Read our full Momentum True Wireless 4 review. The best earbuds for voice calls on iPhone Apple AirPods 4 Score: 7ProsConsUpgraded sound qualityVoice isolation can noticeably improve call clarityDeep Apple ecosystem integrationNo wireless chargingNo built-in speaker on the caseNo proper multipoint Where to Buy: $129.99 $119 at Amazon $129 $119 at Walmart $129.99 at Best Buy Noise cancellation: Optional / Battery life: 5 hours / Water resistance: IP54 / Bluetooth codecs: AAC, SBC / Multipoint: No / Works best with: iOS, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: None Apple’s AirPods 4 come in two different versions, with a higher-priced option that includes active noise cancellation and wireless charging. But sound quality is identical on both sets, and equally as important in this case is that the same can be said of voice call clarity. On the AirPods 4, there’s a new “voice isolation” feature — enabled by default — that uses machine learning both on the earbuds and your iPhone to eliminate distracting background noise on your end so that you come through clearly to whoever you’re speaking with. Overall call quality is excellent with the AirPods 4. And beyond that, compared to the third-gen model, you can expect upgraded audio quality (with richer bass), new ways of interacting with Siri through head movements, and yes… there’s a USB-C connector on the included charging case, as opposed to a Lightning port. The AirPods still have a one-size-fits-most hard plastic form factor, so I recommend trying them before committing to a purchase. However, Apple says it used more than 50 million data points to further refine the contours and overall stability of its latest earbuds. So, if previous models worked well for you, these seem like a safe bet. The only question is whether you feel like spending a little more to gain ANC, a transparency mode, wireless charging, and a built-in speaker for Find My location tracking. Read our full AirPods 4 review. The best earbuds for voice calls on Android Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro Score: 8ProsConsTerrific sound qualityCrisp, natural transparency / passthrough modeVoice commands are simple and so usefulGood voice callsUninspired designMidtier noise cancellation performanceNo true multipoint Where to Buy: $249.99 at Amazon $249.99 at Best Buy $249.99 at Samsung Noise cancellation: Yes / Battery life: 6 hours (ANC on) / Water resistance: IP57 / Bluetooth codecs: Samsung seamless, AAC, SBC / Multipoint: No / Works best with: Android, Windows, macOS / Ear tips: Silicone (S, M, L) Sony’s unconventional LinkBuds were our longtime pick for the clearest voice calls on Android, but we haven’t had the chance to review their successors. For now, the aforementioned Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are an easy-to-recommend choice. The built-in “voice pickup unit” detects the movement of your mouth to help isolate your voice from background noise and keep conversations clear. The Buds 3 Pro have proven dependable for me during video chats on Google Meet, and people have been able to hear me without issue, even when I’m answering a quick call on the street. Read our full Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review. Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge except where specified Update, July 3rd: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability and flag Bose’s forthcoming model, the second-gen QC Ultra Earbuds. Brandon Widder also contributed to this post. View Source Article

In May, we learned that the development of a sequel to the Cyberpunk 2077 game is moving forward at CD Projekt Red, and today, at the Anime Expo 2025 event, it officially announced a new season of the anime spinoff for Netflix. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will have “…an entirely new story, fresh characters, and a raw, realistic take on the most dangerous city of the dark future. The new season will be directed by Kai Ikarashi, who also directed episode six in the first season, “Girl on Fire.” There’s no word yet on when Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will premiere, but they did show off this new poster artwork. A trailer will be shown later tonight during a panel at 8:30PM PT for the animation studio, Trigger. Showrunner and writer Bartosz Sztybor said during Friday’s panel that for season one, “I just wanted to make the whole world sad… when people are sad, I’m a bit happy,” and that this new 10-episode season will be “…of course, sadder, but it will be also darker, more bloody, and more raw.” A brief summary of the follow-up series tells fans what to expect following the end of David’s story in season one: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 presents a new standalone 10-episode story from the world of Cyberpunk 2077— a raw chronicle of redemption and revenge. In a city that thrives in the spotlight of violence, one question remains: when the world is blinded by spectacle, what extremes do you have to go to make your story matter? View Link View Source Article

The Apple Watch Series 10 isn’t a vast departure from the prior model, but the iterative changes are welcome nonetheless. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Editor’s note: Amazon Prime Day kicks off on July 8th; however, if you want to get a head start on your online shopping, we’ve rounded up the best early Prime Day deals you can already get. In September, Apple launched its latest smartwatch, introducing the Apple Watch Series 10 alongside a black rendition of the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Each wearable has its own pros and cons, as does the second-gen Apple Watch SE, but the introduction of Apple’s newest wearables also means there are now more Apple Watch models on the market than ever before — and a lot more deals to be had.   The best Apple Watch Series 10 dealsThe best Apple Watch SE dealsThe best Apple Watch Ultra 2 dealsA note on the more premium models But with all of those options, which one should you pick? Generally speaking, you want to buy the newest watch you can afford so that it continues to receive software updates from Apple. The latest update, watchOS 11, launched in September on the Series 6 and newer models, ultimately leaving those still using an older Series 4 or 5 behind. Fortunately, the next iteration of watchOS will continue to support the same devices when it arrives in the fall, even if Apple is revamping its naming convention in a bid to standardize its operating system names. All that being said, picking up a watch from the latest (or a recent) generation ensures you’re getting a smartwatch with an updated design, a robust number of features, and plenty of sensors. Now, let’s get to the deals. The best Apple Watch Series 10 deals Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) Where to Buy: $399 $299 at Amazon $399 $299 at Walmart $399 at Best BuyApple Watch Series 10 (46mm, GPS) Where to Buy: $429 $359 at Amazon $429 $359 at Walmart $429 at Best Buy The Apple Watch Series 10 represents the latest wearable in Apple’s flagship Series lineup. It features the new S10 SiP chip, faster charging, and a wide-angle OLED display that’s brighter, larger, and easier to read than that of previous models. It weighs half as much as the Ultra, too, and is about 30 percent thinner despite its new 42mm and 46mm sizing. Other upgrades include an added depth and water temperature sensor, as well as a new FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection feature, the latter of which is also available on the last-gen Series 9 and Ultra 2. While the improvements are welcome, the Series 10 isn’t a vast departure from the prior model, the Series 9. That said, it’s currently on sale at Amazon and Walmart right now in the 42mm sizing with GPS starting at $299 ($100 off), matching its best price to date. The 46mm variant, meanwhile, is on sale at Amazon and Walmart starting at $359 ($70 off) — which is the third-best price we’ve seen on the larger configuration — while the LTE models can be had at Amazon and Walmart starting at around $476 ($23 off). Read our Apple Watch Series 10 review. The best Apple Watch SE deals 2022 Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) Where to Buy: $249 $169 at Amazon $249 $189 at Walmart $249 at Best Buy2022 Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS) Where to Buy: $279 $199.99 at Amazon $279 $219 at Walmart $279 at Best Buy The Apple Watch SE received a refresh in late 2022. It has the same chipset as the Series 8, which is great, but with fewer sensors, no always-on display, and a slightly outdated design compared to the Series 8, 9, and 10. Those omissions might take this out of the running for some people, but it still may be exactly what you’re after. Best of all, it starts at $249 for the 40mm Wi-Fi / GPS model, which is $30 less than the previous generation’s baseline cost. Opting for cellular connectivity increases the starting price to $299 for the 40mm size (the 44mm size adds $20 to each configuration). Right now, the best deal on the latest SE can be found at Amazon, where you can pick up the 40mm model with GPS starting at $169 ($80 off). The 44mm / GPS configuration, meanwhile, is available at Amazon starting at $199.99 (also $80 off). If you want the LTE configuration, the 40mm model is on sale at Amazon and Walmart starting at $239 ($60 off), which is about $40 shy of the best price we’ve seen on the entry-level LTE configuration. Read our Apple Watch SE (second-gen) review. The best Apple Watch Ultra 2 deals Apple Watch Ultra 2 Where to Buy: $799 $741.89 at Amazon (with Trail Loop) $799 $741.89 at Amazon (with Ocean Band) $799 $755.45 at Amazon (with Alpine Loop) The latest Apple Watch Ultra launched at $799 in September with GPS and LTE support, much like the original model. The ultra-capable smartwatch has the most features, sensors, and ruggedness of any Apple Watch model available thus far, along with a display that’s 50 percent brighter than the first Ultra. The 49mm smartwatch also packs Apple’s S9 SiP and second-gen ultra wideband chips, just like the Apple Watch Series 9, while maintaining long-lasting battery life, precise GPS tracking, and a bevy of diving-friendly sensors. In recent months, we saw the Apple Watch Ultra 2 dip to as low as $642 ($157 off) in select configurations. Currently, however, it’s only on sale at Amazon with a Trail Loop or an Ocean Band starting at $741.89 (about $59 off), or with an Alpine Loop starting at $755.45 (about $44 off). You can also pick it up at Best Buy and Target in various configurations, though only for its full retail price of $799. Read our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review. A note on the more premium models While all of the Apple Watch models and colorways covered here are encased in aluminum (except the Ultra 2, which has a titanium build), Apple does make a more premium range built out of stainless steel and titanium. These offerings are functionally and aesthetically similar to their aluminum counterparts, with slightly refined colors and finishings — polished for the stainless steel and brushed for the titanium. However, they start at much steeper prices of $699 and above. They, too, can often be found on sale, but they’re never discounted as low as the standard base models, so we don’t include them here. 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