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May 17, 2024
PC gamers have almost too many options when it comes to titles to play, which is a great problem to have. With decades of games to choose from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), the options are endless. You also get the perks of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance — if you've got the coin for it when you're building your perfect kit or picking up a high-powered gaming laptop. The whole idea of what a gaming PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose; here are the best PC games you can play right now.
Best PC games to play right now
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May 16, 2024
OpenAI and Reddit announced a partnership on Thursday that will allow OpenAI to surface Reddit discussions in ChatGPT and for Reddit to bring AI-powered features to its users. The partnership will "enable OpenAI's tools to better understand and showcase Reddit content, especially on recent topics," both companies said in a joint statement. As part of the agreement, OpenAI will also become an advertising partner on Reddit, which means that it will run ads on the platform.
The deal is similar to the one that Reddit signed with Google in February, and which is reportedly worth $60 million. A Reddit spokesperson declined to disclose the terms of the OpenAI deal to Engadget and OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment.
OpenAI has been increasingly striking partnerships with publishers to get data to continue training its AI models. In the last few weeks alone, the company has signed deals with the Financial Times and Dotdash Meredith. Last year, it also partnered with German publisher Axel Springer to train its models on news from Politico and Business Insider in the US and Bild and Die Welt in Germany.
Under the
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May 16, 2024
Grand Theft Auto VI's return to Vice City is officially scheduled for fall 2025. On Thursday, parent company Take-Two Interactive wrote in its Q4 2024 earnings report that it's narrowed GTA 6's previously announced 2025 window to autumn of next year.
"Our outlook reflects a narrowing of Rockstar Games' previously established window of Calendar 2025 to Fall of Calendar 2025 for Grand Theft Auto VI," Take-Two Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick wrote in the earnings report. "We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase."
The sixth mainline installment in the open-world series will be set in Leonida (Rockstar's Florida equivalent), focused mostly on Vice City (Miami). The game appears to have a contemporary setting, as opposed to the charming '80s cheese from 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. You can catch a glimpse of protagonists Jason and Lucia in the trailer below.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/grand-theft-auto-6-will-arrive-in-fall-2025-205513138.html?src=rss
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May 16, 2024
On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that could provide at least some accountability for Ticketmaster and other live event vendors. NBC News reports the TICKET Act (not to be confused with the Senate's separate bill with the same try-hard acronym) would mandate that ticket sellers list upfront the total cost of admission — including all fees — to buyers.
In addition to the full pricing breakdown, the bill would require sellers to indicate whether the tickets are currently in their possession. It would also ban deceptive websites from secondary vendors and force sellers to refund tickets to canceled events. The bill doesn't appear to address price gouging or extravagant fees.
It now moves to the Senate, which is floating two separate event-reform bills: the other TICKET Act and a bipartisan
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May 16, 2024
The rise and fall of MoviePass is one of those stories just begging for the documentary treatment and, well, HBO has got you covered. The platform just set a premiere date of May 29 for MoviePass, MovieCrash, a documentary helmed by filmmaker Muta'Ali and produced by none other than Mark Wahlberg.
The film chronicles the "meteoric rise and stranger-than-fiction implosion" of the movie ticket subscription platform, which originally set the world on fire when it first launched back in 2011. However, it wasn't long before the company realized that the "all you can eat" approach that works so well with gyms and other membership clubs is a weird fit for movie theaters, particularly at the service's low price point. In just eight years, the company went from the fastest growing subscription service since Spotify to total bankruptcy.
As the trailer shows, the documentary will feature interviews with many of the major players involved in the various stages of MoviePass. This includes original co-founder Stacy Spikes and former CEO Mitch Lowe. There will also be plenty of interviews with journalists who covered the service, F
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May 16, 2024
If you can't tell by now, just about every tech company is eager to pray at the altar of AI, for better or worse. Google's recent I/O developer conference was dominated by AI features, like its seemingly life-like Project Astra assistant. Just before that, OpenAI debuted GPT 4o, a free and conversational AI model that's disturbingly flirty. Next up is Microsoft Build 2024, the company's developer conference that's kicking off next week in Seattle.
Normally, Build is a fairly straightforward celebration of Microsoft's devotion to productivity, with a dash of on-stage coding to excite the developer crowd. But this year, the company is gearing up to make some more huge AI moves, following its debut of the ChatGPT-powered Bing Chat in early 2023. Take that together with rumors around new Surface hardware, and Build 2024 could potentially be one of the most important events Microsoft has ever held.
But prior to Build, Microsoft is hosting a showcase for new Surfaces and AI in Windows 11 on May 20.
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May 16, 2024
Sony used to be a fairly major player in the smartphone space, but its offerings never quite made a splash in the US. Despite that, the company has been pumping out yearly refreshes of its Xperia line of smartphones and the just-announced Xperia 1 VI looks like the perfect device for both amateur and professional photographers. Sony, after all, is no slouch when it comes to cameras.
The sixth-generation of the company's flagship smartphone is filled with so many camera-centric features that it could actually lure people away from rival iPhone and Pixel devices. There's a true optical zoom, AI-assisted autofocus and a telephoto camera for snapping macro shots.
This breaks down to three cameras on the back, in the form of a 24mm main c
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May 16, 2024
It's been a long time coming but we finally know when College Football 25, EA Sports' revival of the long-dormant football sim series, will hit consoles. The game will land on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on July 19, living up to EA's promise that it would arrive sometime this summer.
Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter are the cover stars. College Football 25 will include thousands of current athletes and feature 134 schools in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
More details about the game will be revealed in the coming weeks. However, like its NFL-centric sibling Madden, College Football 25 will include EA's money-vacuuming Ultimate Team mode. Ultimate Team, which has long been a staple of the EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA) and NHL games too, sees players earn or buy packs of random players to add to their custom roster.
Pre-orders for College Football 25 are now open. EA is selling an MVP bundle of College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25 that includes the deluxe edition of each game and three days of early access to each.
As it happens, the rele
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May 16, 2024
YouTube said it would comply with an order blocking access to videos of Hong Kong's protest anthem inside the region, according to The Guardian. The platform's decision comes after an appeals court banned the protest song "Glory to Hong Kong," which the largely China-controlled government (predictably) framed as a national security threat.
Alphabet, YouTube and Google's parent company, followed its familiar playbook of legally complying with court orders undermining human rights while issuing statements puffing up its advocacy for them. "We are disappointed by the Court's decision but are complying with its removal order," YouTube's statement to The Guardian said. "We'll continue to consider our options for an appeal, to promote access to information."
Alphabet reportedly told the outlet the block would take effect immediately inside the region. It added that it shares the concerns of human rights groups that it could deal a blow to online freedoms.
YouTube reportedly said links to the videos will eventually no longer be visible in Google Search inside Hong Kong. I tried using a Hong Kong-based VPN server while in the US, and the videos were still viewable on Thursday morning. However, The Guardian said attempts to v
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May 16, 2024
The web version of Threads could soon be much more useful. Meta is starting to test custom Tweetdeck-like feeds that will allow users to track multiple topics, searches and accounts in a single view.
People who are part of the test can set up to "pinned columns" that will track updates around specific topics, tags, accounts or search terms. Users can also opt to have these columns automatically refresh with new content. For now, Threads will support up to 100 different columns, though a Meta spokesperson said that number may change as the test progresses.
Based on screenshots shared by Mark Zuckerberg, the new Threads columns look a lot like Tweetdeck, the desktop app long favored by Twitter's power users. The app is now called X Pro and only available to X's paid subscribers.
The test is the latest sign Meta is looking to make Threads a more reliable source for real-time information. The company has also added a "recent" tab and
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May 16, 2024
Activision just announced that it's working on a brand-new IP, with a mission "to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy that resonates far beyond games." To help steward this mysterious franchise into the world, the company has opened up a new internal studio called Elsewhere Entertainment.
The team is headquartered in Warsaw, which is where CD Projekt Red cooks up The Witcher and Cyberpunk games, with assistance from a smaller US-based group. The company hasn't given one ounce of detail regarding the IP itself, just saying that Elsewhere is "dedicated to establishing an environment that inspires bold and diverse ideas" and that it has "full access to Activision's resources and tools."
The developer has suggested the final release will be a "next-gen" experience, but didn't say whether that meant today's next-gen or whatever consoles are coming down the pike in the next few years. This will likely be a story-driven game, as Activision has hired up folks who worked on The Last of Us, the Uncharted franchise, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3. If you have a decent resume and a hankering to work on a new IP, here's a likely-related job posting.
A new studio means new hires, which is great news for an industry plagued by layoffs. As a matter of fact, the formation of Elsewhere comes just over one week after Activision's parent company
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May 16, 2024
When it comes to cooking meat — especially on the grill — it's critical to make sure that you're getting it to the correct temperature. One easy way to do that is to use a smart meat thermometer and, as luck would have it, one of our favorite models is on sale just ahead of Memorial Day weekend. The Meater Plus thermometer has dropped to $70, which is its lowest price ever. It typically costs $100. You can buy it at the sale price at Amazon or from Meater directly.
We've included a newer model, the Meater 2 Plus, in our latest guide to the best grilling gear as it offers some upgrades, including improved temperature accuracy and a waterproof design to support deep fry and sous vide usage. But the original Meater Plus is still plenty capable.
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May 16, 2024
Google has updated some of its accessibility apps to add capabilities that will make them easier to use for people who need them. It has rolled out a new version of the Lookout app, which can read text and even lengthy documents out loud for people with low vision or blindness. The app can also read food labels, recognize currency and can tell users what it sees through the camera and in an image. Its latest version comes with a new "Find" mode that allows users to choose from seven item categories, including seating, tables, vehicles, utensils and bathrooms.
When users choose a category, the app will be able to recognize objects associated with them as the user moves their camera around a room. It will then tell them the direction or distance to the object, making it easier for users to interact with their surroundings. Google has also launched an in-app capture button, so they can take photos and quickly get AI-generated descriptions.
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May 16, 2024
8BitDo makes some of our most beloved third-party game controllers. They work with just about everything and they're well-built. Right now, you can scoop up a bundle with an 8BitDo Ultimate Controller and a charging dock for $56 via Amazon. That's almost a record-low price and the cheapest we've seen this particular controller combo since earlier this year.
We called this controller the "last gamepad" most people will "need to buy for Switch and PC." There's no stick drift, thanks to the use of magnets and "hall effect" sensors instead of traditional potentiometers. This gamepad should stick around for the long haul. We also loved the Bluetooth functionality, especially when using the controller with portable devices like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
There's a neat little mobile app for customization, which can adjust the sensitivity of the joysticks, triggers and haptic vibrations. Of course
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May 16, 2024
When a good deal hits your eye like a big pizza pie, it may be a great day. Maybe more so than usual in this case if you're in the market for a pizza oven, as some Solo Stove bundles have been discounted ahead of Memorial Day. The company is running a site-wide sale with up to 30 percent off everything, including the Pi Ultimate bundle that includes an oven with support for both gas and wood sources. That has dropped by $280 to $600.
Meanwhile, a bundle with the Pi model that supports wood burning only is $270 off. That means it can be yours for $480. On the downside, both models are showing estimated shipping dates of June 3 at the time of writing, so likely you won't get your oven in time for Memorial Day weekend, sadly.
That said, snapping one up will prepare you for a summer of delicious pies. The Solo Stove Pi is one of our top picks for the best multifuel outdoor pizza oven, behind the more expensive Ooni Karu 16.
The Pi has an open-front design and it's made out of stainless steel. It can reach tempera
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May 16, 2024
Samsung launched its Music Frame speaker last month, and now it finally has its first Amazon sale running. A $23 coupon brings the device down to $375 from $398 — already $2 off its standard $400 retail price. All you need to do is apply the coupon at checkout, and you can get the Music Frame for a discount (though the deal is limited to one device per purchase).
Samsung first announced its Music Frame back in January at CES 2024 after years of success with its Frame TVs. The wireless speaker has two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-range drivers inside. It uses Samsung's SpaceFit to calibrate based on your room and is compatible with Dolby Atmos audio. Unlike other smart speakers (or Samsung's Frame TVs), the Music Frame actually requires a physical picture put inside it. It might seem
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May 16, 2024
Immersion blenders (or hand blenders) might not be absolutely essential in every good kitchen arsenal. But they can unlock faster and easier ways of making soups, smoothies, sauces and more. Plus, they're smaller than their countertop brethren, which often makes them a better choice for RVs, boats or apartments where space is a premium. Finally, because cleaning them is usually as simple as running them in a bowl of hot soapy water, there's less hassle, too. To help you figure out which immersion blender is right for you, we've put together a list of our favorite models across a variety of needs and use cases.
Which device is right for you?
Before you even think about buying a new kitchen appliance, it's important to figure out how you're going to use it and where it fits in with any gadgets you already own. In an ideal world, everyone would have a dedicated food processor, countertop blender and a stand mixer. But the reality is that many people don't have the room or the budget.
While handheld blenders and traditional, full-size blenders have a lot of overlap, there are strengths and weaknesses to both. For example, if you're looking to make smoothies every day, a countertop blender might be a better choice. The bigger pitchers make it easier to blend drinks for multiple people at once, while larger motors will make short work of ice and frozen fruit. Additionally, more expensive options like those from Vitamix, All-Clad, Ninja or Robocoupe can even cook soup during the blending process using the heat generated from the blender's motor, which isn't something you can do with an immersion model. I'd even go so far as to say that if you have the space for it and don't already own one, a regular blender is probably the best option for most people.
That said, immersion blenders are often less expensive and, thanks to a wide variety of accessories offered
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May 16, 2024
There was a time when streamers wooed potential customers with the promise of an ad-free experience. In recent years, however, companies such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney and more have hiked up their prices and made an ad-supported tier the most affordable option. Now, Netflix is taking the next step towards becoming a de-facto ad tech company by moving its development in-house, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Netflix announced the shift during its upfront preview, in which the company also shared that its $7 per month ad-supported tier has 40 million monthly active users. The ad-supported plan is reportedly getting 40 percent of new signups, with it having 15 million users just six months ago, in November.
The streaming company has relied heavily on Microsoft to reach this success, partnering with the tech giant in 2022 on advertising and sales. But, the training wheels are coming off with Netflix's choice to move things in house, a choice that "will allow us to power the ads plan with the same level of excellence that's made Netflix the leader in streaming technology today," Netflix ads chief Amy Reinhard said. Microsoft will also no longer be Netflix's s
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May 16, 2024
Intel has launched a new software application called Thunderbolt Share that will make controlling two or more PCs a more seamless experience. It will allow you to sync files between PCs through its interface, or see multiple computers' folders so you can drag and drop and specific documents, images and other file types. That makes collaborations easy if you're transferring particularly hefty files, say raw photos or unedited videos, between you and a colleague. You can also use the app to transfer data from an old PC to a new one, so you don't have to use an external drive to facilitate the move.
When it comes to screen sharing, Intel says the software can retain the resolution of the source PC without compression, so long as the maximum specs only reach Full HD at up to 60 frames per second. The mouse cursor and keyboard also remain smooth and responsive between PCs, thanks to the Thunderbolt technology's high bandwidth and low latency.
The company says it's licensing Thunderbo
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May 16, 2024
Meta is back in hot water for its methods (or lack thereof) for protecting children. The European Commission has launched formal proceedings to determine whether the owner of Facebook and Instagram has violated the Digital Services Act (DSA) by contributing to children's social media addiction and not ensuring they have high levels of safety and privacy.
The Commission's investigation will specifically examine whether Meta is properly assessing and acting against risks brought on by its platforms' interfaces. It's concerned about how their designs could "exploit the weaknesses and inexperience of minors and cause addictive behavior, and/or reinforce so-called 'rabbit hole' effect. Such an assessment is required to counter potential risks for the exercise of the fundamental right to the physical and mental well-being of children as well as to the respect of their rights."
The proceedings will also explore whether Meta takes necessary steps to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content, has effective age-verification tools and minors have straightforward, strong privacy tools, such as default settings.
The DSA sets standards for very large online platforms and search engines (those with 45 million or more monthly users in the EU) like Meta. Obligations for designated companies include transparency about advertising and content moderation decisions, sharing their data with the Commission and looking into risks their systems pose related to areas such as gender-based violence, mental health and protection of minors.
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May 16, 2024
Meta's Oversight Board has accepted its first case involving a post on Threads and it will allow the group to weigh in on the debate over the role of political content on Threads. The board, which started taking appeals from Threads users earlier this year, announced its first case involving Meta's newest app.
The case stems from a post by a Japanese user who was replying to a screenshot of a news article about Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and allegations of tax evasion. The reply, according to the board, included "several hashtags using the phrase ‘drop dead.'" Meta's content moderators removed the post, citing the company's rules against inciting violence. But after the user appealed to the Oversight Board and had the case accepted, Meta reversed course, saying that the post didn't violate its rules after all.
All that may sound like a fairly typical case for the board, which regularly reviews Meta's content moderation decisions and pushes the social media company to change its policies. But it's the first time the group will apply that same process to Threads. And the board has suggested it will use the case to weigh in on the company's controversial decision to stop showing political content in its algorithmic recommendations on Threads and Instagram.
"The Board selected thi case to examine Meta's content moderation policies and enforcement practices on political content on Threads," the Oversight Board wrote in a statement. "This is particularly important, in the context of Meta's decision not to proactively recommend political content on Threads."
As usual, it will likely be several mon
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May 16, 2024
Eight TikTok creators are suing the US government in an effort to block a law requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to sell the service or face a US-wide ban. The lawsuit claims the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment rights of the creators who depend on the platform.
TikTok has already filed its own lawsuit against the government, but according to The Washington Post, the company is "covering" the legal fees for this separate suit too. ByteDance has money.
But will it work? Maybe? A group of TikTok creators sued Montana over an attempted statewide ban last year. And that ban never happened.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
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May 16, 2024
Soon, AT&T subscribers will have the option to ensure that they have access to cell service even in typical dead zones, like deep inside national parks or far-flung rural locations. The mobile carrier has been working with AST SpaceMobile since 2018 under a Memorandum of Understanding, helping the latter test two-way audio calls, texts and video calls via satellites in space using ordinary smartphones. Now, the companies have entered a definitive commercial agreement, which means AT&T is getting close to offering subscribers the capability to transform their regular phones into legit satellite devices.
Phones need to be close enough to cell towers to be able to get any sort of service. That's why people aren't usually able to call their families, or even text them, when they're in a forest or in the mountains. AT&T's satellite-to-phone service will use satellites as cell towers, and since they're placed in orbit, they're able to provide connectivity even in remote areas.
The companies have reached an agreement just in time for a rocket launch this summer that will ferry five commercial AST satellites to space. Those satellites will enable AT&T to roll out its service and are just the first ones in the company's planned constellation. Unfortunately, AT&T has yet to reveal a specific rollout date for the service, and it's also unclear if it will charge extra for the capability.
Last year, AT&T wrote the FCC to raise concerns about a similar satellite-to-phone technology T-Mobile and SpaceX's Starlink are working on. The two companies
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May 16, 2024
A portable charger can feel like a lifeline when you can't find an outlet. We've been testing batteries and updating this guide for more than a year. In that time, I've seen the ways power banks come in handy, from the critical (keeping my phone alive as I rode public transit in an unfamiliar city) to the slothful (recharging a tablet so I can keep doing the crossword without leaving the couch). So far, we've tested more than two dozen banks to determine which are worthy and as of now, these are the best power banks you can buy.
What to look for in a portable battery pack
Battery type
Nearly every rechargeable power bank you can buy (and most portable devices) contain a lithium-ion battery. These beat other current battery types in terms of size-to-charge capacity, and have even increased in energy density by eight fold in the past 14 years. They also don't suffer from a memory effect (where battery life deteriorates due to partial charges).
One drawback you may have heard is the possibility of lithium ion batteries catching fire. To limit the danger, battery packs require internal mechanisms to limit things like voltage and pressure. While you should still make sure a battery isn't exposed to unnecessary stress like excessive heat, damage from drops or operating in freezing weather, battery packs are considered safe enough to bring on an airplane. According to the
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May 16, 2024
We're still waiting for the perfect hybrid PC that can work as well as a tablet as it does as a laptop. As we enter 2024, it seems like many companies have also given up on that ideal — but Microsoft, Apple and Samsung still have some options to consider. And we're still seeing OS tweaks to make iOS and Android more usable for larger displays. If you're on the hunt for your next computer and are dead-set on it being a 2-in-1, we've collected our current top picks here plus all of the things you should know before making a purchase.
Factors to consider before buying a 2-in-1 laptop
When you're shopping for a 2-in-1, there are some basic criteria to keep in mind. First, look at the spec sheet to see how heavy the tablet is (alone, and with the keyboard). Most modern hybrids weigh less than 2 pounds. If the overall weight of the tablet and its keyboard come close to 3 pounds, you may be better off getting an ultraportable laptop.
Also, while some 2-in-1s offer built-in LTE or 5G connectivity, not everyone will want to pay the premium for it. An integrated cellular radio makes checking emails or replying to messages on the go far more convenient. But it also often costs more, and that's not counting what you'll pay for data. And, as for 5G — you can hold off on it unless you live within range of a mmWave beacon. Coverage is still spotty and existing nationwide networks use the slower sub-6 technology that's barely faster than LTE. For now, tethering a PC to your phone is still the best way to get online.
These machines still have their limits, of course. Since they're smaller than proper laptops, they tend to have less-powerful processors. Keyboards are often less sturdy, with condensed layouts and shallower travel. Plus, they're almost always ta
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May 16, 2024
Fujifilm has unveiled the X-T50 APS-C mirrorless camera, a long-awaited follow-up to the consumer-friendly X-T30 and X-T30 II. The new model retains key features from the past model, including the light weight and generous manual controls. At the same time, it adds a higher-resolution 40.2-megapixel sensor, 6.2K 30p video and other features from the X-T5 and other recent models. However, it also has a much higher price than the X-T30 and unusual new dial that may prove controversial.
The X-T50 looks similar to the X-T30 II, with a relatively slim and light 438 gram (15.45 ounce) body, just a bit heavier than before. However, in place of the shooting mode dial on the previous model, Fujifilm introduced a dedicated film simulation dial with eight preset modes (Acros, Nostalgic Negative, Classic Neg and others), three custom slots for other built-in simulations and a custom slot for user-designed simulations.
The company likely believes that sales of the X100 V and VI took off due to the popularity of film simulations with the TikTok and influencer set. However, users may find that it's more of a hassle to change shooting modes (burst, single-shot etc.) than before.
Fujifilm
One key feature missing from the X-T30 was in-body stabilization, but with the X-T50, Fujif
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May 16, 2024
Fujifilm's successor to the GFX 100S, its 2021 medium format camera with terrific performance but slow speeds, is the aptly named GFX 100S II. The new model is $1,000 cheaper, smaller, lighter and has (shocker) AI features to improve its autofocus, one of our gripes with its predecessor.
The Fujifilm GFX 100S II uses a 102MP high-speed sensor and the X-Processor 5 processing engine. The company says its medium format sensor is about 1.7 times larger than a 35mm full-frame sensor. Its body weighs around 883g (including the battery and memory card), making it the lightest in the lineup.
The camera has "enhanced" in-body image stabilization, allowing for a maximum of eight-stop, five-axis performance. This could boost its image quality when using longer exposure times.
Fujifilm says it improved the sensor's pixel layout design, enabling a standard sensitivity of ISO80. "When the sensor sensitivity is set at ISO80, the camera can capture images at greater dynamic range and lower noise than with the previous model" when shooting in 16-bit RAW mode, the company wrote in a press release. This should lead to better low-light performance, autofocus accuracy and overall image quality.
The camera's sensor has an improved micro-lens design, increasing light use efficiency at its edges. Fujifilm says this gives it better image quality and autofocus accuracy around the edges than its predecessor.
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May 16, 2024
PPSSPP, an app that's capable of emulating PSP games, has joined the growing number of retro game emulators on the iOS App Store. The program has been around for almost 12 years, but prior to this, you could only install it on your device through workarounds. "Thanks to Apple for relaxing their policies, allowing retro games console emulators on the store," its developer Henrik Rydgård wrote in his announcement. If you'll recall, Apple updated its developer guidelines in early April, and since then, the company has approved an app that can emulate Game Boy and DS games and another that can play PS1 titles.
Rydgård's app is free to download, but as he told
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May 15, 2024
Threads is inching closer to becoming an actually useful source for real-time news and updates. The app is finally rolling out the ability to search posts in order of recency, after testing the feature last month.
"In an effort to make it easier to find timely, relevant content on Threads, we're introducing a Recent tab for your searches," Instagram's Adam Mosseri wrote in an update. "Search results here are still evaluated for quality, but you can now see them in chronological order."
The change has been a long requested one from users hoping Meta's app will one day be a source of breaking news and real-time information the way that Twitter historically functioned. Being able to search for topics and keywords and find the most recent results is key to finding up-to-date details and commentary about breaking news, sports and anything else happening in real time.
On the other hand, Meta has also made it clear that it would prefer "news" to not be what Threads is known for. Mosseri has said he doesn't want to "encourage" hard news on Threads and the company actively
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May 15, 2024
Just over three years ago, Ubisoft announced The Division Heartland, a free-to-play entry in its survival-action shooter series. At the time, it suggested that Heartland would arrive later in 2021 or in 2022, but that never happened. In fact, Heartland isn't coming out at all.
In its quarterly earnings report, Ubisoft said it ended development of the game, which Red Storm Entertainment, a studio that author Tom Clancy co-founded, was working on. Ubisoft is shifting resources to what it calls "bigger opportunities," including other aspects of the Clancyverse in XDefiant and the Rainbow Six series.
Ubisoft canceled a number of games over the last couple of years to try and streamline its pipeline and reduce costs. It noted that it had
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May 15, 2024
Google I/O isn't the only tech-adjacent event this week. Uber just held its annual GO-GET event and announced a whole bunch of new features coming to the rideshare platform/taxi app/whatever you wanna call it. Much of this news concerns shuttles and expanded ride sharing options, specifically a new option called Uber Shuttle.
This lets users reserve up to five seats up to seven days in advance for transportation to and from major events like concerts and basketball games, though it's also available for trips to the airport. The company brags that this feature is particularly budget-friendly, noting that each rider will pay "a fraction of the price of an UberX." The company promises that these rides will not be impacted by surge pricing. It's also worth noting that these shuttles are only for events listed in the app, which is kind of a bummer.
Uber has partnered with Live Nation to bring these shuttles to certain venues throughout the summer, including Miami's Hard Rock Stadium and Charlotte's PNC Pavilion. These Uber Shuttles won't be your typical Nissan Sentra or Toyota Camry. They are actual shuttles that hold anywhere from 14 to 55 occupants. The company says each driver will be commercially licensed to operate a large transport vehicle.
Rideshare companies have been trying to crack the "rebranded bus" for a while now. Uber tried something in 2015, called Uber Hop, which was meant to group more riders together who are on a similar route. It didn't last, but Uber Pool shared rides were a thing for years until the pandemic. This time
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May 15, 2024
At the end of I/O, Google's annual developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that the company had said "AI" 121 times. That, essentially, was the crux of Google's two-hour keynote — stuffing AI into every Google app and service used by more than two billion people around the world. Here are all the major updates from Google's big event, along with some additional announcements that came after the keynote.
Gemini 1.5 Flash and updates to Gemini 1.5 Pro
Google
Google announced a brand new AI model called Gemini 1.5 Flash, which it says is optimised for speed and efficiency. Flash sits between Gemini 1.5 Pro and Gemini 1.5 Nano, which its the company's smallest model that runs locally on device. Google said that it created Flash because developers wanted a lighter and less expensive model than Gemini Pro to build AI-powered apps and services while keeping some of the things like a long context window of one million tokens that differentiates Gemini Pro from competing models. Later this year, Google will double Gemini's context window to two million tokens, which means that it will be able to process two hours of video, 22 hours of audio, more than 60,000 lines of code or more than 1.4 million words at the same time.
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May 15, 2024
The Shark AI robot vacuum and mop combo unit has dropped to a record low of $230 at Amazon. This is a massive discount of 52 percent, which knocks nearly $250 off the price. It does look to be one of those deals that ends when the stock runs out, so you might want to act quickly instead of popping it on your wishlist.
This is a version of our very favorite robot vacuum. The only difference between this robovac and the one that took the top spot is that this edition doesn't come with a self-emptying base. That model, however, is also
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May 15, 2024
Google has unveiled Wear OS 5 at its I/O developer conference today, giving us a glimpse of new features and other improvements coming with the platform. The company isn't quite ready to roll out the final version of the wearable OS, but its developer preview already features enhanced battery life. As an example, Google said Wear OS 5 will consume 20 percent less power than Wear OS 4 if the user runs a marathon. Wear OS 4 already brought battery life improvements to smartwatches that support it, but it could still be a lot better at managing a device's power. Google also provided developers with a new guide on how to conserve power and battery, so that they can create more efficient apps.
In addition, Google has launched new features in Watch Face Format, allowing developers to make more types of watch faces that show different kinds of information. It has enabled the creation of apps that can show current weather information at a glance with this update, including the temperature and chances of rain. The company is also adding support for new complication types. They include "goal progress," which suits data wherein the user has a target but can exceed it, and "weighted elements," which can be used to represent discrete subsets of data.
Wear OS 5 could give rise to new apps and new functionalities in old apps, as well. Google's Health Connect API for the platfor
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May 15, 2024
A group of TikTok creators have joined the legal fight to keep the app from being banned in the United States. Eight creators have sued the US government in an effort to block a law requiring TikTok's parent company ByteDance to sell the service.
The lawsuit claims that the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment rights of the creators who depend on the platform. "They have found their voices, amassed significant audiences, made new friends, and encountered new and different ways of thinking—all because of TikTok's novel way of hosting, curating, and disseminating speech," it states. "The Act's ban of TikTok threatens to deprive them, and the rest of the country, of this distinctive means of expression and communication."
The lawsuit comes one week after TikTok filed its own lawsuit against the government. According to
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May 15, 2024
Google is opening up its Home platform to third-party developers through new APIs. As such, any app will eventually be able to tap into the more than 600 million devices that are connected to Home, even if they're not necessarily smart home-oriented apps. Google suggests, for instance, that a food delivery app might be able to switch on the outdoor lights before the courier shows up with dinner.
The APIs build on the foundation of Matter and Google says it created them with privacy and security at the forefront. For one thing, developers who tap into the APIs will need to pass certification before rolling out their app. In addition, apps won't be able to access someone's smart home devices without a user's explicit consent.
Developers are already starting to integrate the APIs, which include one focused on automation. Eve, for instance, will let you set up your smart blinds to lower automatically when the temperature dips at night. A workout app might switch on a fan for you before you start working up a sweat.
Google is taking things a little slow with the APIs, as there's a waitlist and it's working with select partners. It plans to open up access to the APIs on a rolling basis, and the first apps using them will hit the Play Store and App Store this fall.
Meanwhile, Google is turning TVs into smart home hubs. Starting later this year, you'll be able to control smart home devices via Chromecast with Google TV and certain models with Google TV running Android 14 or higher, as well as some LG TVs.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-l
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May 15, 2024
Xbox is expanding its accessibility footprint with the Proteus Controller, a modular gamepad created by nascent peripheral company Byowave as part of the Designed for Xbox program. The Proteus Controller is a group of palm-sized cubes that can be connected to each other in a wide variety of configurations, with interchangeable faceplates that include standard controller buttons, analog sticks and a directional pad. This means players can set up the Proteus Controller to be used in individualized ways: in one hand, flat on a desktop, as part of a traditional gamepad with palm grips, connected to a joystick, and other setups.
The Proteus Controller is available for pre-order now at a discounted price of $255. It's expected to ship in the fall. The full kit includes two power cubes, two analogue cubes (with Hall effect sensors), one half cube and two spacers, plus the swappable peripherals. There's a D-pad, left trigger, right trigger, two single-button options, an XYAB diamond, a mini analog stick and the Xbox home grouping. It also comes with left and right handles to create a traditional gamepad, and socket and plug covers featuring Byowave's cute blue beastie. A USB-C charging cable and Bluetooth dongle are included in the package.
Byowave is selling the Proteus Controller in tiers, and it has just 150 available at the $255 VIP Price. After that, it'll have 500 kits available at $268 (Early Bird), and then 1,000 kits available at $284 (Pre-Order). The standard price of the Proteus Controller will be $300.
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May 15, 2024
Assassin's Creed Shadows will be available globally on November 15. The latest iteration of the historical murder sim will be playable on a bunch of devices, including PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via the Ubisoft Store and the Epic Games Store. It'll also be available for Apple silicon Mac computers right at launch, which is something of a rarity, and on cloud gaming platforms like Amazon Luna and Ubisoft .
If the name sounds unfamiliar, the game used to be called Assassin's Creed Codename Red and it's been in development since at least 2022. It's set in feudal Japan and the developer promises "a very different type of Assassin's Creed game." Ubisoft Quebec is leading work on the project, suggesting it could resemble something like the expansive Assassin's Creed Odyssey more than the streamlined Assassin's Creed Mirage.
It's hard to make out any major gameplay changes from the trailer, as it's primarily cinematics. The vibes seem pretty cool though. Also, 16th-century Japan is one heck of a great setting. Here's hoping Ubisoft nails it. The game features two playable characters, a samurai and a shinobi assassin. Each has unique playstyles, with the assassin Naoe favoring stealth and the samurai Yasuke preferring brute force.
Assassin's Creed Shadows will also be playable a bit e
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May 15, 2024
Google just announced at an update coming to Android for Cars that should make paying attention to the road just a tiny bit harder. The automobile-based OS is getting new apps, screen casting and more, which were revealed at Google I/O 2024.
First up, select car models are getting a suite of new entertainment apps, like Max and Peacock, for keeping passengers busy during road trips. The company hasn't announced which makes and models are getting this particular update, and there are dozens upon dozens of major car models that use this platform. Still, more entertainment options are never a bad thing.
To that end, Android Auto is getting Angry Birds, for those who want another game to fool around with while stuck in traffic. The once-iconic bird-flinging simulator is likely the best known gaming IP on the platform, as Android Auto's other games include stuff like Pin the UFO and Zoo Boom.
Cars with Android Automotive OS are getting Google Cast as part of a forthcoming update, which will let users stream content from phones and tablets. Rivian models will be the first to get this particular feature, with more manufacturers to come.
Google's also rolling out new developer tools to make it easier for folks to create new apps and experiences for Android Auto. There's even a new program that should make it much easier to convert pre-existing mobile apps into car-ready experiences.
Android Auto is becoming the de facto standard when it comes to car-based operating systems. Google also used the event to announce that there are now over 200 million cars on the road compatible with the OS. Recent updates to the platform allow users to
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May 15, 2024
After shirking tradition and devoting its entire Google I/O keynote to showcase how it's stuffing AI into everything imaginable, the company has reserved day two to catch up on the one-time star of the show, Android. Alongside the arrival of the second Android 15 beta on Wednesday, Google is unveiling previously unannounced security features in its 2024 mobile software, including AI-powered theft detection, Google Play fraud protection and more.
Theft Detection Lock is a new Android 15 feature that will use AI (there it is again) to predict phone thefts and lock things up accordingly. Google says its algorithms can detect motions associated with theft, like those associated with grabbing the phone and bolting, biking or driving away. If an Android 15 handset pinpoints one of these situations, the phone's screen will quickly lock, making it much harder for the phone snatcher to access your data.
A fallback Remote Lock feature lets you quickly lock your handset if someone manages to take it without triggering Theft Detection Lock. With Remote Lock, you can (you guessed it) remotely lock the phone's screen from any device with only your phone number and the completion of a "quick security challenge." This is designed to avoid situations where someone gets their phone taken (or loses it) but doesn't know their Google account password to access Find My Device.
Along similar lines, Offline Device Lock automatically locks your phone's screen — requiring authentication to unlock — when it's
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May 15, 2024
Microsoft just released a new update for Xbox Cloud Gaming that finally brings mouse and keyboard support, after teasing the feature for years. The tool is currently in beta release and works with both the Edge and Chrome web browsers. It looks pretty simple to use. Just select a game that supports a mouse and keyboard and have at it.
You can also instantly switch between a mouse/keyboard combination to a standard controller by pressing the Xbox button on the controller or pressing a key on the keyboard. The company says it'll be rolling out badges later in the month to alert users which games support mouse and keyboard inputs.
For now, there's support for 26 games. These include blockbusters like ARK Survival Evolved, Halo Infinite and, of course, Fortnite. Smaller games like High on Life and Pentiment can also be controlled via mouse and keyboard. Check the above link for the full list.
Microsoft hasn't said what took it so long to get this going. The feature was originally presumed to launch back in June of 2022, but we didn't get a progress update until two months ago. No matter the reason, KBM setups are practically a requirement for first-person shooters and, well, better late than never.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-cloud-gaming-finally-supports-keyboard-and-mouse-inputs-on-web-browsers-165215925.html?src=rss
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May 15, 2024
Another classic Tamagotchi is getting the reboot treatment. Bandai announced this week that it's bringing back the Tamagotchi Connection to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the toy's release. Tamagotchi Connection, which first came out in 2004, was a pivotal entry to the virtual pet family, introducing more modern capabilities like infrared pairing so two devices could link up. There were several versions over the course of the subsequent decade, but v3 brought the beloved shell design the Connection family has become known for: the recognizable Tamagotchi egg, but with a faux antenna attached. This is the style Bandai is resurrecting.
Pre-orders are now open for the English-language Tamagotchi Connection in six colors: Bubbles (light blue), Ice Cream (pink), Rainbow Sky, the multicolored Clear Retro, and Blue and Pink Graffiti. They're $30 each, or you can get the two Graffiti shells
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May 15, 2024
After dipping its toes into live sports with golf and tennis exhibitions, Netflix is taking a major step forward on that front. The company has locked in a deal with the NFL to air a Christmas Day doubleheader, marking the first time that it will broadcast games from the league. Netflix will stream at least one holiday game in 2025 and 2026 as well. These games won't be blacked out in competing teams' home markets.
Reports last week suggested Netflix was in play for Christmas Day NFL games, and that was seemingly why the league postponed the reveal of its 2024 schedule until today (when Netflix is trying to win over advertisers at its upfront presentation). To that end, it's not yet clear which NFL teams will be the first to square off live on Netflix around the world, though we'll find out when the league releases the schedule at 8PM ET.
Of course, Netflix isn't the first streaming service to broadcast NFL games. Prime Video has been showing them for years, while YouTube is the
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May 15, 2024
Google I/O isn't the only tech-adjacent event this week. Uber just held its annual GO-GET event and announced a whole bunch of new features coming to the rideshare platform/taxi app/whatever you wanna call it. Much of this news concerns shuttles and expanded ride sharing options, as Uber states in its promotional materials that "we cultivate the magic of human interaction." Ah, yes. The magic of avoiding eye contact with a stranger sitting next to you in an Uber Pool. It truly is special.
Anyways, the big news here is something called Uber Shuttle. This lets users reserve up to five seats up to seven days in advance for transportation to and from major events like concerts and basketball games, though it's also available for trips to the airport. The company brags that this feature is particularly budget-friendly, noting that each rider will pay "a fraction of the price of an UberX." The company promises that these rides will not be impacted by surge pricing. We'll see about that. It's also worth noting that these shuttles are only for events listed in the app, which is kind of a bummer.
Uber has partnered with Live Nation to bring these shuttles to certain venues throughout the summer, including Miami's Hard Rock Stadium and Charlotte's PNC Pavilion. These Uber Shuttles won't be your typical Nissan Sentra or Toyota Camry. They are actual shuttles that hold anywhere from 14 to 55 occupants. The company says each driver will be commercially licensed to operate a large transport vehicle.
Rideshare companies hav
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May 15, 2024
Anyone who wants to keep an eye on their perimeter or see nighttime trash panda action may want to check out this deal on Amazon. Currently, bundles of the Blink Outdoor 4 cameras are on sale, with the deepest discount going to a five-pack set. At full price, it costs $400. With the discount, it's $200 instead. That matches the Prime member-only price we saw earlier this year, but this time, even those who don't pay for Amazon's program can get the offer. Other bundles and Blink devices are on sale too as part of
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May 15, 2024
This week, streaming services are joining linear networks in revealing some of the projects they've got coming up in an attempt to win over advertisers. After Prime Video stepped up to the plate on Tuesday, it was Warner Bros. Discovery's turn at bat on Wednesday. The company surprised many by dropping a teaser trailer for Dune: Prophecy, a six-episode Dune prequel series that's coming to Max this fall.
The spinoff is set 10,000 years before the events of the Dune movies. It follows two Harkonnen sisters who tackle a threat to humanity while setting up the sisterhood that will eventually become the Bene Gesserit. Dune: Prophecy is based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.
The series stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May and the always-great Mark Strong. The trailer makes the show look suitably large in scope, though you'll need to wait a few more months for it to arrive.
In the meantime, you'll soon be able to watch Dune: Part Two on Max (though we recommend catching this butt-kicking epic on a giant screen if it's still showing in a theater near you). The sequel is coming to the streaming service next week, on May 21.
In addition, it might be too early for a trailer for
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May 15, 2024
AI's capabilities are growing at tremendous speeds, and while that apparently warrants a ton of the United States' money for development, it doesn't seem to translate to a very obvious action: regulation. A bipartisan group of four senators, led by majority leader Chuck Schumer, have announced a legislative plan for AI that includes putting $32 billion towards research and development. But, it passes off the responsibility of devising regulatory measures around areas such as job eliminations, discrimination and copyright infringement to Senate committees.
"It's very hard to do regulations because AI is changing too quickly," Schumer said in an interview published by The New York Times. Yet, in March, the European Parliament approved wide-ranging legislation for regulating AI that manages the obligations of AI applications based on what risks and effects they could bring. The European Union said it hopes to "protect fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability from high-risk AI, while boosting innovation and establishing Europe as a leader in the field."
Schumer seems to disagree with finding that balance, instead stating in the interview that investment into AI research and development "is sort of the American way — we are more entrepreneurial."
For absolutely no reason at all and clearly not to hypothesize on reasons he avoided regulations, if you didn't know, one of Schumer's daughters works as a senior policy manager for Amazon, and the ot
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May 15, 2024
After years of rumors, Canon has confirmed that a flagship EOS R1 camera is in the works for its EOS line. The full-frame mirrorless camera is slated to arrive later this year and, while Canon hasn't revealed all the details just yet, it teased just enough to whet your appetite. There's no indication as to how much the EOS R1 will cost just yet either, but you may need to dig deep into your wallet this one.
The company says that the professional-grade camera will have an RF mount and offer improved video and still performance compared with the EOS R3. It will boast an upgraded image processing system that combines a fresh CMOS sensor, a new image processor called Digic Accelerator and the existing Digic X processor.
Canon says the system will be able to process a large volume of data at high speed and deliver advancements in auto focus and other areas. The company claims it's been able to combine the capabilities of the image processing system with its deep-learning tech to achieve "high-speed and high-accuracy subject recognition."
This powers a feature called Action Priority, which can, for instance, detect a player carrying a certain action in a sports game (like shooting a ball) and identify them as the main subject for a shot. The system would be able to instantly shift the auto focus frame in that person's direction to help make sure the photographer doesn't miss out on capturing key moments from a game.
Canon claims the EOS R1 can track athletes during sporting events even if they're momentarily out of line of sight. The focus on sports in the ini
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May 15, 2024
Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day this week, Apple is issuing its typical annual set of announcements around its assistive features. Many of these are useful for people with disabilities, but also have broader applications as well. For instance, Personal Voice, which was released last year, helps preserve someone's speaking voice. It can be helpful to those who are at risk of losing their voice or have other reasons for wanting to retain their own vocal signature for loved ones in their absence. Today, Apple is bringing eye-tracking support to recent models of iPhones and iPads, as well as customizable vocal shortcuts, music haptics, vehicle motion cues and more.
Built-in eye-tracking for iPhones and iPads
The most intriguing feature of the set is the ability to use the front-facing camera on iPhones or iPads (at least those with the A12 chip or later) to navigate the software without additional hardware or accessories. With this enabled, people can look at their screen to move through elements like apps and menus, then linger on an item to select it.
That pause to select is something Apple calls Dwell Control, which has already been
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May 15, 2024
This might come as a shock to you but the things people put on social media aren't always truthful — really blew your mind there, right? Due to this, it can be challenging for people to know what's real without context or expertise in a specific area. That's part of why many platforms use a fact-checking team to keep an eye (often more so look like they're keeping an eye) on what's getting shared. Now, Threads is getting its own fact-checking program, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram and de-facto person in charge at Threads, announced. He first shared the company's plans to do so in December.
Mosseri stated that Threads "recently" made it so that Meta's third-party fact-checkers could review and rate any inaccurate content on the platform. Before the shift, Meta was having fact-checks conducted on Facebook and Instagram and then matching "near-identical false content" that users shared on Threads. However, there's no indication of exactly when the program started or if it's global.
Then there's the matter of seeing how effective it really can be. Facebook and Instagram already had these dedicated fact-checkers, yet misinformation has run rampant across the platforms. Ahead of the 2024 Presidential election — and as ongoing elections and conf
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May 15, 2024
At last year's Google I/O developer conference, the company introduced Project Gameface, a hands-free gaming "mouse" that allows users to control a computer's cursor with movements of their head and facial gestures. This year, Google has announced that it has open-sourced more code for Project Gameface, allowing developers to build Android applications that can use the technology.
The tool relies on the phone's front camera to track facial expressions and head movements, which can be used to control a virtual cursor. A user could smile to "select" items onscreen, for instance, or raise their left eyebrow to go back to the home screen on an Android phone. In addition, users can set thresholds or gesture sizes for each expression, so that they can control how prominent their expressions should be to trigger a specific mouse action.
The company developed Project Gameface with gaming streamer Lance Carr, who has muscular dystrophy that weakens his muscles. Carr used a head-tracking mouse to game before a fire destroyed his home, along with his expensive equipment. The early version of Project Gameface was focused on gaming and uses a webcam to detect facial expressions, though Google had known from the start that it had a lot of other potential uses.
For the tool's Android launch, Google teamed up with an Indian organization called Incluzza that supports people with disabilities. The partnership gave the company the chance to learn how Project Gameface can help people with disabilities further their studies, communicate with friends and family more easily and find jobs online. Google has released the project's open source code
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May 15, 2024
You can sink a lot of money into your kitchen without even realizing it. There's no doubt that some of the best kitchen gadgets are on the pricey side, but there are plenty of budget-friendly tools that can make your time meal prepping, cooking for a party and reheating leftovers much easier. All the recommendations on this list are either products I use currently, or more affordable versions of something I decided to splurge on after years of food prep. You may not consider every single item an essential for your kitchen, but all of them can save you time when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-cheap-kitchen-gadgets-130049897.html?src=rss
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May 15, 2024
Google boss, Sundar Pichai, wrapped up the company's I/O developer conference by noting its almost-two-hour presentation had mentioned AI 121 times. It was everywhere.
Google's newest AI model, Gemini 1.5 Flash, is built for speed and efficiency. The company said it created Flash because developers wanted a lighter, less expensive model than Gemini Pro to build AI-powered apps and services.
Google says it'll double Gemini's context window to two million tokens, enough to process two hours of video, 22 hours of audio, more than 60,000 lines of code or 1.4 million-plus words at the same time.
But the bigger news is how the company is sewing AI into all the things you're already using. With search, it'll be able to answer your complex questions (a la Copilot in Bing), but for now, you'll have to sign up to the company's Search Labs to try that out. AI-generated answers will also appear alongside typical search results, just in case the AI knows better.
Google Photos was already pretty smart at searching for specific images or videos, but with AI, Google is taking things to the next level. If you're a Google One subscriber in the US, you will be able to ask Google Photos a complex question, like show me the best photo from each national park I've visited. You can also ask Google Photos to generate captions for you.
And, if you have an Android, Gemini is integrating directly into the device. Gemini will know the app, image or video you're running, and you'll be able to pull it up as an overlay and ask it context-specific questions, like how to change settings or maybe even who's displayed on screen.
While these were the bigger beats, there was an awful lot to chew over. Check out all the headlines
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May 15, 2024
One of the best things about the Android ecosystem is the availability of truly affordable phones for as little as $150. By comparison, the cheapest iPhone is based on a dated design and starts at $429. However, picking the right cheap Android phone can be a bit tricky, as reducing the price of a phone can sometimes result in too many trade-offs. So to give you a hand, we tested a bunch of the most popular options and put together a list of the best budget Android phones you can buy.
How low should you go?
We tend to define a budget phone as costing between $150 and $350. Any lower and the device runs the risk of suffering from too many compromises, and above that, you cross over to pricier midrange handsets (if you're open to spending more, we shouted out a couple of our favorites at the very end of this guide).
But for those with a little wiggle room, there are some things to consider. For example, a child may be better off with a cheaper device, especially if it's intended mainly for emergencies or texting parents (and not social media). On the higher end of this price spectrum, sub-$350 phones have come a long way thanks to improved performance, better cameras and nicer displays. This makes them a viable alternative to premium flagships, even if you have the freedom to spend more.
What to look for in a budget Android phone
When it comes to cheap phones, you get what you pay for. Most smartphones in this pric
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May 15, 2024
A tablet can make a great addition to your tech toolkit. It can replace an e-reader, serve as a more portable laptop replacement or simply be a shared device for watching movies or checking social media at home. However, with four different families of iPad, a plethora of Android options and Windows-based alternatives like the Surface Pro, it can be difficult to figure out which will serve you best. We at Engadget have tested and reviewed dozens of tablets over the years, and we continue to try out the latest models asa they hit the market. Below, we've solidified our current top picks, plus all of the information you should know before picking up the best tablet for you.
Which OS is right for me?
Before you even start looking at specific devices, consider how your new tablet will fit in with the gadgets you already own, and how you plan to use it. For example, if everyone in your house uses Macs and iPhones, it probably doesn't make a lot of sense to buy an Android tablet, even if you've been tempted by the massive 14.6-inch screen on the new Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. This goes double for anyone with an extensive library of purchased videos and music that might be harder to access after switching platforms.
Another consideration is the kind of work you'll be doing. That's because while most modern tablets are adept at browsing websites or playing games, some operating systems like iPadOS and Windows 11 are better designed to support multitasking and productivity than Android or even Chrome
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May 15, 2024
Ilya Sutskever has announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he's leaving OpenAI almost a decade after he co-founded the company. He's confident that OpenAI "will build [artificial general intelligence] that is both safe and beneficial" under the leadership of CEO Sam Altman, President Greg Brockman and CTO Mira Murati, he continued. In his own post about Sutskever's departure, Altman called him "one of the greatest minds of our generation" and credited him for his work with the company. Jakub Pachocki, OpenAI's previous Director of Research who headed the development of GPT-4 and OpenAI Five, has taken Sutskever's role as Chief Scientist.
— Ilya Sutskever (@ilyasut) May 14, 2024
While Sutskever and Altman praised each other in their farewell messages, the two were embroiled in the company's biggest scandal last year. In November, OpenAI's board of directors suddenly
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May 14, 2024
At I/O 2024, Google's teaser for Project Astra gave us a glimpse at where AI assistants are going in the future. It's a multi-modal feature that combines the smarts of Gemini with the kind of image recognition abilities you get in Google Lens, as well as powerful natural language responses. However, while the promo video was slick, after getting to try it out in person, it's clear there's a long way to go before something like Astra lands on your phone. So here are three takeaways from our first experience with Google's next-gen AI.
Sam's take:
Currently, most people interact with digital assistants using their voice, so right away Astra's multi-modality (i.e. using sight and sound in addition to text/speech) to communicate with an AI is relatively novel. In theory, it allows computer-based entities to work and behave more like a real assistant or agent - which was one of Google's big buzzwords for the show - instead of something more robotic that simply responds to spoken commands.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
In our demo, we had the option of asking Astra to tell a story based on some objects we placed in front of camera, after which it told us a lovely tale about a dinosaur and its trusty baguette trying to escape an ominous red light. It was fun and the tale was cute, and the AI worked about as well as you would expect. But at the sam
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May 14, 2024
We just wrapped up coverage on Google's I/O 2024 keynote, and we're just so tired of hearing about AI. In this bonus episode, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into the biggest I/O news: Google's intriguing Project Astra AI assistant; new models for creating video and images; and some improvements to Gemini AI. While some of the announcements seem potentially useful, it's still tough to tell if the move towards AI will actually help consumers, or if Google is just fighting to stay ahead of OpenAI.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!
Subscribe!
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May 14, 2024
Editor's note (5/14/24): The main Google I/O keynote has ended, but the Google I/O Developer Keynote is now underway. Watch it below.
It's that time of year again. Google's annual I/O keynote is upon us. This event is likely to be packed with updates and announcements. We'll be covering all of the news as it happens and you can stream the full event below. The keynote starts at 1PM ET on May 14 and streams are available via YouTube and the company's hub page.
In terms of what to expect, the rumor mill has been working overtime. There are multiple reports that the event will largely focus on the Android 15 mobile operating system, which seems like a given since I/O is primarily an event for developers and the beta version is already out in the wild.
So let's talk about the Android 15 beta and what to expect from th
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May 14, 2024
The increasingly discriminatory X (Twitter) now considers the term "cisgender" a slur. Owner Elon Musk posted last June, to the delight of his bigoted brigade of blue-check sycophants, that "‘cis' or ‘cisgender' are considered slurs on this platform." On Tuesday, X made good on the regressive provocateur's stance and reportedly began posting an official warning that the LGBTQ-inclusive terms could result in a ban from the platform. Not that you'd miss much.
TechCrunch reported on Tuesday that trying to publish a post using the terms "cisgender" or "cis" in the X mobile app will pop up a full-screen warning reading, "This post contains language that may be considered a slur by X and could be used in a harmful manner in violation of our rules." It then gives you the choice of continuing to publish the post or conforming to the backward views of the worst of us and deleting it.
Of course, neither form of the term cisgender is a slur.
As the historically marginalized transgender community finally began finding at least a sliver of widespread and long overdue social acceptance in the 21st cen
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May 14, 2024
At the end of I/O, Google's annual developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that the company had said "AI" 121 times. That, essentially, was the crux of Google's two-hour keynote — stuffing AI into every Google app and service used by more than two billion people around the world. Here are all the major updates that Google announced at the event.
Gemini 1.5 Flash and updates to Gemini 1.5 Pro
Google
Google announced a brand new AI model called Gemini 1.5 Flash, which it says is optimised for speed and efficiency. Flash sits between Gemini 1.5 Pro and Gemini 1.5 Nano, which its the company's smallest model that runs locally on device. Google said that it created Flash because developers wanted a lighter and less expensive model than Gemini Pro to build AI-powered apps and services while keeping some of the things like a long context window of one million tokens that differentiates Gemini Pro from competing models. Later this year, Google will double Gemini's context window to two million tokens, which means that it will be able to process two hours of video, 22 hours of audio, more than 60,000 lines of code or more than 1.4 million words at the same time.
Project Astra
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May 14, 2024
You might have an idea of which smartphone you want to buy next. But there are more options than ever before that are solid — plenty of companies are making stellar handsets nowadays, at similar prices, all with comparable feature sets. That said, the choice isn't always cut-and-dry. If you know you want an iPhone, your decision-making process is a bit easier. If you're an Android person, you have even more options to choose from and more questions to answer before you spend any money. At Engadget, we review phones regularly and have tested dozens over the years; so far for 2024, our top picks remain the same as they were last year, with Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and Google's Pixel 8 handsets sitting at the top of the list. Whether you've had your eye on them, one of Samsung's new Galaxy S24 phones or another device, we're here to help you decide which is the best phone to buy this year.
Android or iOS?
When you're searching for the best smartphone, it becomes clear that each OS has its pros and cons. Apple's tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, you're effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages aren't available on other platforms.
As for Android, there's a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones don't enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, there's no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how you
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May 14, 2024
Animal Well is one of the hottest games around. It quickly shot to the top of Steam's top-seller chart after it was released to glowing reviews last Thursday.
While most players complete the main story in four to six hours, it hasn't taken long for speedrunners to figure out how to blaze through solo developer Billy Basso's eerie labyrinth. YouTubers are already posting runs of under five minutes and the any% record (i.e. the best recorded time without any restrictions) is being smashed over and over.
Within a couple of hours of Hubert0987 claiming the world record with a 4:44 run on Thursday, The DemonSlayer6669 appeared to snag bragging rights with one that was 18 seconds faster and perhaps the first recorded sub-4:30 time. (Don't watch the video just yet if you haven't beaten the game and would like to avoid spoilers.)
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May 14, 2024
As Google starts to make its latest video-generation tools available, the company says it has a plan to ensure transparency around the origins of its increasingly realistic AI-generated clips. All video made by the company's new Veo model in the VideoFX app will have digital watermarks thanks to Google's SynthID system. Furthermore, SynthID will be able to watermark AI-generated text that comes from Gemini.
SynthID is Google's digital watermarking system that started rolling out to AI-generated images last year. The tech embeds imperceptible watermarks into AI-made content so that AI detection tools can recognize that the content was generated by AI. Considering that Veo, the company's latest video generation model previewed onstage at I/O, can create longer and higher-res clips than what was previously possible, tracking the source of such content will be increasingly important.
As generative AI models advance, more companies have turned to watermarking amid fears that AI could fuel a new wave of misinformation. Watermarking systems would give platf
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May 14, 2024
Google is adding Gemini-powered AI automation to more tasks in Workspace. In its Tuesday Google I/O keynote, the company said its advanced Gemini 1.5 Pro will soon be available in the Workspace side panel as "the connective tissue across multiple applications with AI-powered workflows," as AI grows more intelligent, learns more about you and automates more of your workflow.
Gemini's job in Workspace is to save you the time and effort of digging through files, emails and other data from multiple apps. "Workspace in the Gemini era will continue to unlock new ways of getting things done," Google Workspace VP Aparna Pappu said at the event.
The refreshed Workspace side panel, coming first to Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive, will let you chat with Gemini about your content. Its longer context window (essentially, its memory) allows it to organize, understand and contextualize your data from different apps without leaving the one you're in. This includes things like comparing receipt attachments, summarizing (and answering back-and-forth questions about) long email threads, or highlighting key points from meeting recordings.
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May 14, 2024
Google's Gemini AI systems can do a lot, judging by today's I/O keynote. That includes the option to set up a virtual teammate with its own Workspace account. You can configure the teammate to carry out specific tasks, such as to monitor and track projects, organize information, provide context, pinpoint trends after analyzing data and to play a role in team collaboration.
In Google Chat, the teammate can join all relevant rooms and you can ask it questions based on all the conversation histories, Gmail threads and anything else it has access to. It can tell team members whether their projects are approved or if there might be an issue based on conflicting messages.
It seems like the virtual teammate was just a tech demo for now, however. Aparna Pappu, vice president and GM of Workspace, said Google has "a lot of work to do to figure out how to bring these agentive experiences, like virtual teammates, into Workspace." That includes finding ways to let third parties make their own versions.
While it doesn't seem like this virtual teammate will be available soon, it could eventually prove to be a serious timesaver — as long as you trust it to get everything right first time around.
Catch up on all the news from Google I/O 2024 right here!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-gemini-can-power-a-virtual-ai-teammate-with-its-own-workspace-account-182809274.html?src=rss
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May 14, 2024
Google just announced forthcoming scam detection tools coming to Android phones later this year, which is a good thing as these scammers keep getting better and better at parting people from their money. The toolset, revealed at Google I/O 2024, is still in the testing stages but uses AI to suss out fraudsters in the middle of a conversation.
You read that right. The AI will be constantly on the hunt for conversation patterns commonly associated with scams. Once detected, you'll receive a real-time alert on the phone, putting to bed any worries that the person on the other end is actually heading over to deliver a court summons or whatever.
Google gives the example of a "bank representative" asking for personal information, like PINs and passwords. These are uncommon bank requests, so the AI would flag them and issue an alert. Everything happens on the device, so it stays private. This feature isn't coming to Android 15 right away and the company says it'll share more details later in the year. We do know that people will have to opt-in to use the tool.
Google made a big move with Android 15, bringing its Gemini chatbot to actual devices instead of requiring a connection to the cloud. In addition to this scam detection tech, the addition of onboard AI will allow for many more features, like contextual awareness when using apps.
Catch up on all the news from Google I/O 2024 right
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May 14, 2024
While Google and OpenAI have been racing to win the AI crown over the past year, we've seemingly reverted away from the idea of speaking to virtual assistants. Generative AI products have typically launched with text-only inputs, and only later add the ability to search images and basic voice commands. At Google I/O today, the company showed off Gemini Live, a new mobile experience for natural conversations with its AI.
Google offered up a few potential use cases; You could have a conversation with Gemini Live to help prepare for a job interview, where it could potentially ask you relevant questions around the positions. It could also give you public speaking tips if you want to research a speech. What makes Gemini Live unique is that you'll be able to speak at your own pace, or even interrupt its responses if you'd like. Ideally, it should be more like having a conversation with a person, instead of just voicing smart assistant commands or generative AI queries.
At I/O, Google also showed off Project Astra, a next-generation virtual assistant that takes the concept of Gemini Live even further. Astra is able to view your camera feed and answer questions in real-time. It's unclear how long that'll take to arrive, but Google says some of Astra's live video features will come to Gemini Live later this year. Gemini Live will be available for Gemini Advanced subscribers in the next few months.
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May 14, 2024
The Google I/O event is here, and the company is announcing lots of great updates for your Android device. As we heard earlier, Gemini Nano is getting multimodal support, meaning your Android will still process text but with a better understanding of other factors like sights, sounds and spoken language. Now Google has shared that the new tool is also coming to it's TalkBack feature.
TalkBack is an existing tool that reads aloud a description of an image, whether it's one you captured or from the internet. Gemini Nano's multimodal support should provide a more detailed understanding of the image. According to Google, TalkBack users encounter about 90 images each day that don't have a label. Gemini Nano should be able to provide missing information, such as what an item of clothing looks like or the details of a new photo sent by a friend.
Gemini Nano works directly on a person's device, meaning it should still function properly without any network connection. While we don't yet have an exact date for when it will arrive, Google says TalkBack will get Gemini Nano's updated features later this year.
Catch up on all the news from Google I/O 2024 right here!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-gemini-nano-brings-better-image-description-smarts-to-its-talkback-vision-tool-180759598.html?src=rss
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May 14, 2024
Google just announced some nifty improvements to its Gemini AI chatbot for Android devices as part of the company's I/O 2024 event. The AI is now part of the Android operating system, allowing it to integrate in a more comprehensive way.
The coolest new feature wouldn't be possible without that integration with the underlying OS. Gemini is now much better at understanding context as you control apps on the smartphone. What does this mean exactly? Once the tool officially launches as part of Android 15, you'll be able to bring up a Gemini overlay that rests on top of the app you're using. This will allow for context-specific actions and queries.
Google gives the example of quickly dropping generated images into Gmail and Google Messages, though you may want to steer clear of historical images for now. The company also teased a feature called "Ask This Video" that lets users pose questions about a particular YouTube video, which the chatbot should be able to answer. Google says this should work with "billions" of videos. There's a similar tool coming for PDFs.
Google
It's easy to see where this tech is going. Once Gemini
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May 14, 2024
Google has introduced another capability for its Circle to Search feature at the company's annual I/O developer conference, and it's something that could help students better understand potentially difficult class topics. The feature will now be able to show them step-by-step instructions for a "range of physics and math word problems." They just have to activate the feature by long-pressing the home button or navigation bar and then circling the problem that's got them stumped, though some math problems will require users to be signed up for Google's experimental Search Labs feature.
The company says Circle to Search's new capability was made possible by its new family of AI models called LearnLM that was specifically created and fine-tuned for learning. It's also planning to make adjustments to this particular capability and to roll out an upgraded version later this year that could solve even more complex problems "involving symbolic formulas, diagrams, graphs and more." Google launched Circle to Search earlier this year at a Samsung Unpacked event, because the feature was initially available on Galaxy 24, as well as on Pixel 8 devices. It's now also out for the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S22, Z Fold, Z Flip, Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 devices, and it'll likely make its way to more hardware in the future.
In addition to the new Circle to Search capability, Google has also revealed that devices that can support the Gemini for Android chatbot assistant will now be able to bring it up as an overlay on top o
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May 14, 2024
As part of its push toward adding generative AI to search, Google has introduced a new twist: video. Gemini will let you upload video that demonstrates an issue you're trying to resolve, then scour user forums and other areas of the internet to find a solution.
As an example, Google's Rose Yao talked onstage at I/O 2024 about a used turntable she bought and how she couldn't get the needle to sit on the record. Yao uploaded a video showing the issue, then Gemini quickly found an explainer describing how to balance the arm on that particular make and model.
Google
"Search is so much more than just words in a text box. Often the questions you have are about the things you see around you, including objects in motion," Google wrote. "Searching with video saves you the time and trouble of finding the right words to describe this issue, and you'll get an AI Overview with steps and resources to troubleshoot."
If the video alone doesn't make it clear what you're trying to figure out, you can add text or draw arrows that point to the issue in question.
OpenAI just introduced ChatGPT 4o with the ability to interpret live video in real time, then describe a scene or even sing a song about it. Google, however, is taking a different tack with video by focusing on its Search product for now. Searching with video is coming t
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May 14, 2024
Google is shaking up Search. On Tuesday, the company announced big new AI-powered changes to the world's dominant search engine at I/O, Google's annual conference for developers. With the new features, Google is positioning Search as more than a way to simply find websites. Instead, the company wants people to use its search engine to directly get answers and help them with planning events and brainstorming ideas.
"[With] generative AI, Search can do more than you ever imagined," wrote Liz Reid, vice president and head of Google Search, in a blog post. "So you can ask whatever's on your mind or whatever you need to get done — from researching to planning to brainstorming — and Google will take care of the legwork."
Google's changes to Search, the primary way that the company makes money, are a response to the explosion of generative AI ever since OpenAI's ChatGPT released at the end of 2022. Since then, a handful of AI-powered apps and services including ChatGPT, Anthropic, Perplexity, and Microsoft's Bing, which is powered by OpenAI's GPT-4, have challenged Google's flagship service by directly providing answers to questions instead of simply presenting people a list of links. This is the gap that Google is racing to bridge with its new features in Search.
Starting today, Google will show complete AI-generated answers in response to most search queries at the top of the results page in the US. Google first unveiled the feature a year ago at Google I/O in 2023, but so far, anyone who wanted to use the feature had to sign up for it as part of the company's
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May 14, 2024
It's all AI all the time at Google I/O! Today, Google announced its new AI media creation engines: Veo, which can produce "high-quality" 1080p videos; and Imagen 3, its latest text-to-image framework. Neither sound particularly revolutionary, but they're a way for Google to keep up the fight against OpenAI's Sora video model and Dall-E 3, a tool that has practically become synonymous with AI-generated images.
Google claims Veo has "an advanced understanding of natural language and visual semantics" to create whatever video you have in mind. The AI generated videos can last "beyond a minute." Veo is also capable of understanding cinematic and visual techniques, like the concept of a timelapse. But really, that should be table stakes for an AI video generation model, right?
To prove that Veo isn't out to steal artist's jobs, Google has also partnered with Donald Glover and Gilga, his creative studio, to show off the model's capabilities. In a very brief promotional video, we see Glover and crew using text to create video of a convertible arriving at a European home, and a sailboat gliding through the ocean. According to Google, Veo can simulate real-world physics better than its previous models, and it's also improved how it renders high-definition footage.
"Everybody's going to become a director, and everybody should be a director," Glover says in the video,
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May 14, 2024
In a video demonstrating the prowess of its new Project Astra app, the person demonstrating asked Gemini "do you remember where you saw my glasses?" The AI impressively responded "Yes, I do. Your glasses were on a desk near a red apple," despite said object not actually being in view when the question was asked. But these weren't your bog-standard visual aid. These glasses had a camera onboard and some sort of visual interface!
The tester picked up their glasses and put them on, and proceeded to ask the AI more questions about things they were looking at. Clearly, there is a camera on the device that's helping it take in the surroundings, and we were shown some sort of interface where a waveform moved to indicate it was listening. Onscreen captions appeared to reflect the answer that was being read aloud to the wearer, as well. So if we're keeping track, that's at least a microphone and speaker onboard too, along with some kind of processor and battery to power the whole thing.
We only caught a brief glimpse of the wearable, but from the sneaky seconds it was in view, a few things were evident. The glasses had a simple black frame and didn't look at all like Google Glass. They didn't appear very bulky, either.
In all likelihood, Google is not ready to actually launch a pair of glasses at I/O. It breezed right past the wearable's appearance and barely mentioned them, only to say that Project Astra and the company's vision of "universal agents" could come to devices like our phones or glasses. We don't know much else at the moment, but if you've been mourning Google Glass or the company's other failed wearable products, this might instill some hope yet.
Catch up on all the news from Google I/O 2024 right here!
This article originally
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May 14, 2024
When Google first showcased its Duplex voice assistant technology at its developer conference in 2018, it was both impressive and concerning. Today, at I/O 2024, the company may be bringing up those same reactions again, this time by showing off another application of its AI smarts with something called Project Astra.
The company couldn't even wait till its keynote today to tease Project Astra, posting a video to its social media of a camera-based AI app yesterday. At its keynote today, though, Google's DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis shared that his team has "always wanted to develop universal AI agents that can be helpful in everyday life." Project Astra is the result of progress on that front.
What is Project Astra?
According to a video that Google showed during a media briefing yesterday, Project Astra appeared to be an app which has a viewfinder as its main interface. A person holding up a phone pointed its camera at various parts of an office and verbally said "Tell me when you see something that makes sound." When a speaker next to a monitor came into view, Gemini responded "I see a speaker, which makes sound."
The person behind the phone stopped and drew an onscreen arrow to the top circle on the speaker and said, "What is that part of the speaker called?" Gemini promptly responded "That is the tweeter. It produces high-frequency sounds."
Then, in the video that Google said was recorded in a single take, the tester moved o
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May 14, 2024
Google announced updates to its Gemini family of AI models at I/O, the company's annual conference for developers, on Tuesday. It's rolling out a new model called Gemini 1.5 Flash, which it says is optimized for speed and efficiency.
"[Gemini] 1.5 Flash excels at summarization, chat applications, image and video captioning, data extraction from long documents and tables, and more," wrote Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, in a blog post. Hassabis added that Google created Gemini 1.5 Flash because developers needed a model that was lighter and less expensive than the Pro version, which Google announced in February. Gemini 1.5 Pro is more efficient and powerful than the company's original Gemini model announced late last year.
Gemini 1.5 Flash sits between Gemini 1.5 Pro and Gemini 1.5 Nano, Google's smallest model that runs locally on devices. Despite being lighter weight then Gemini Pro, however, it is just as powerful. Google said that this was achieved through a process called "distillation", where the most essential knowledge and skills from Gemini 1.5 Pro were transferred to the smaller model. This means that Gemini 1.5 Flash will get the same multimodal capabilities of Pro, as well as its long context window - the amount of data that an AI model can ingest at once - of one million tokens. This, according to Google, means that Gemini 1.5 Flash will be capable of analyzing a 1,500-page document or a codebase with more than 30,000 lines at once.
Gemini 1.5 Flash (or any of these models) aren't really
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May 14, 2024
Editor's note (5/14/24): The Google I/O keynote is live. See below for the stream, and toggle over to the Engadget Google I/O liveblog for real-time coverage.
It's that time of year again. Google's annual I/O keynote is upon us. This event is likely to be packed with updates and announcements. We'll be covering all of the news as it happens and you can stream the full event below. The keynote starts at 1PM ET on May 14 and streams are available via YouTube and the company's hub page.
In terms of what to expect, the rumor mill has been working overtime. There are multiple reports that the event will largely focus on the Android 15 mobile operating system, which seems like a given since I/O is primarily an event for developers and the beta version is already out in the wild.
So let's talk about the Android 15 beta and what to expect from the full release. The beta includes an updated Privacy Sandbox feature, partial screen sharing to record a certain app or window instead of the whole screen and system-level app archivi
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May 14, 2024
Google is inserting more of its Gemini AI into many of its product and the next target in its sights is Photos. At its I/O developer conference today, the company's CEO Sundar Pichai announced a feature called Ask Photos, which is designed to help you find specific images in your gallery by talking to Gemini.
Ask Photos will show up as a new tab at the bottom of your Google Photos app. It'll start rolling out to One subscribers first, starting in US English over the upcoming months. When you tap over to that panel, you'll see the Gemini star icon and a welcome message above a bar that prompts you to "search or ask about Photos."
According to Google, you can ask things like "show me the best photo from each national park I've visited," which not only draws upon GPS information but also requires the AI to exercise some judgement in determining what is "best." The company's VP for Photos Shimrit Ben-Yair told Engadget that you'll be able to provide feedback to the AI and let it know which pictures you preferred instead. "Learning is key," Ben-Yair said.
You can also ask Photos to find your top photos from a recent vacation and generate a caption to describe them so you can more quickly share them to social media. Again, if you didn't like what Gemini suggested, you can also make tweaks later on.
For now, you'll have to type your query to Ask Photos — voice input isn't yet supported. And as the feature rolls out, those who opt in to use it will see their existing search feature get "upgraded" to Ask. However, Google said that "key search functionality, like quick access to your face groups or the map view, won't be lost."
The company explained that there are three parts to the Ask Photos process: "Understanding your question," "crafting a response" and "ensuring safety and remembering corrections." Though safety is only mentioned in the final stage, it should be baked in the entire time. The co
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May 14, 2024
Dead by Daylight fans can check out the Dungeons and Dragons chapter starting today, but Behaviour Interactive teased another high-profile crossover during an anniversary showcase on Tuesday. A Castlevania chapter is on the way to DbD. There aren't any details yet about what that will include, but you just might get to play as Alucard or Simon Belmont in the fog. Behaviour plans to divulge more info about the Castlevania tie-up, which will arrive later this year, in August.
As for the Dungeons and Dragons chapter, which brings a dark fantasy element to DbD for the first time, Behaviour spilled the beans on that during the stream. PC players will be able to try out the chapter on the public test build today before it goes live for everyone on June 3.
Behaviour Interactive
The new killer is Vecna (the D&D version rather than the Stranger Things baddie) and stalwart video game actor and Critical Role mastermind Matt Mercer is voicing the character. The latest survivor is actually two identities in one. It's a bard character that you can opt to play as an elf female or human male, bringing a slight element of D&D-style character creation to DbD.
The chapter will also include a new map, which (surprise, s
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May 14, 2024
Apple's M1 iPad Air has dropped to a new low price of $399, just as the latest model prepares to hit store shelves. This sale is from Amazon and it doesn't include every color, though both blue and purple are covered by this steep discount. The other colors are also on sale, but the deals aren't quite as spicy. Amazon's sale is for the base 64GB model.
This device tops our list of the best iPads, though that's likely to change once the new models enter the chat. No matter what happens with our list in the future, however, this is still a powerful and hig
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May 14, 2024
Microsoft has unveiled the next round of Xbox Game Pass arrivals. The marquee attraction is Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, which launches as a day-one Game Pass title on May 21. But the second May batch also includes Humanity (one of the best PlayStation games from last year), hockey sim EA Sports NHL 24, magical first-person shooter Immortals of Aveum, the heartfelt classic Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and more.
First up is Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, the 2013 puzzle-adventure game that returns to Game Pass today after several years off the platform. Engadget's review from yesteryear described the game as "an essential treasure" that makes up for its bland and redundant title with a unique control scheme (a thumbstick for each bro), beautiful visuals (although dated today), clever puzzles and a touching story that weaves together nicely with its action. The game is available for Game Pass members today (Tuesday) for console, PC and cloud players.
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May 14, 2024
Amazon's Prime Video is riding a high after the success of Fallout and it has more video game-related projects lined up. The streaming service has ordered a Tomb Raider series with Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag fame set as writer and executive producer. The show was rumored to be happening as far back as January 2023 and now it's official.
"If I could tell my teenage self this was happening I think she'd explode. Tomb Raider has been a huge part of my life and I feel incredibly privileged to be bringing it to television with such passionate collaborators," Waller-Bridge said in a statement. "Lara Croft means a lot to me, as she does to many, and I can't wait to go on this adventure. Bats ‘n all."
Few other details about the "epic, globetrotting" project have been revealed (it's not yet known who's playing Lara Croft, for one thing), though it stems from a deal between Amazon MGM Studios and Crystal Dynamics to develop shows and movies based on Tomb Raider. There's no release window for the series as yet, but Amazon says it will premiere in more than 240 countries and territories. The company's games di
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May 14, 2024
Figuring out the best iPad for you can seem confusing from afar. With the latest refresh to Apple's tablet lineup, the company now sells three 11-inch tablets and two 13-inch ones, each with key differences in pricing, specs and accessory support. The iPad mini is getting long in the tooth, but still hanging around as well. If you're looking to buy a new iPad, we've tested the latest models and broken down which ones might work best.
Editor's note (5/14/24): After reviewing Apple's newest crop of iPads, we've overhauled our guide with new recommendations. The iPad Air M2 is now our top pick, while the
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May 14, 2024
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is on sale via Amazon for just $34, which is a savings of 32 percent and one of the best prices we've seen all year. As the name suggests, this is a streaming stick that provides 4K visuals and ships with a voice remote that works with Siri, Alexa and Hey Google. Of course, this remote also has buttons.
The stick easily made our list of the best streaming devices, for a great many reasons. We were impressed by the sheer amount of free and live content available via Roku's ecosystem. There's a diverse array of free linear channels and video-on-demand (VOD) services here, with thousands of series and films to choose from. Not having to pony up for yet another subscription is always nice.
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K can also access all of those paid subscription services, from Disney to Peacock and beyond. The interface is uncluttered and easy to navig
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May 14, 2024
Amazon's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was both extremely successful and extremely divisive in the LOTR fan community. (Separate question, has any recent adaptation or new content in a beloved franchise not been divisive? Thoughts for another time.) Lots of people whined about how Amazon should just trash the first season and start over, but clearly that was never going to happen. What is happening is that season two of The Rings of Power has its first trailer and an August 29 release date.
I'm a pretty big Lord of the Rings fan and found season one enjoyable if not essential, but I like the looks of how things are ratcheting up here for season two. We get plenty of teases of epic battles and creepy creatures as Sauron reveals himself and begins to tighten the noose on all of Middle-earth; there are also looks at him in his "fair" form as he forges the titular Rings of Power with Celebrimbor.
Amazon says the first three episodes will arrive on August 29, with subsequent entries following every week. Like the first season, this one will consist of eight episodes total.
This announcement comes less than a week after Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would release a
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May 14, 2024
Your experience while taking a flight comes down to many random factors, including who sits next to you. Your seatmate has plenty of ways to bother you — you've lived them, we don't need to remind you how — but now there's a whole new option. Meta has announced a new feature called Travel Mode for its Quest 2 and 3 headsets that lets people use the devices while on a plane.
Meta claims it has "specially tuned" its algorithms, so the experience remains stable, even if you direct it out the window. Users can try Travel Mode out for themselves by visiting the experimental features section in settings. They can quickly turn the feature on and off in quick settings and should also get a prompt to activate it while flying on some airlines — though Meta doesn't specify which ones.
In general, if someone is traveling on a flight with Wi-Fi, then they can access entertainment like movies, games, and messages, but, as Meta's photo indicates, it definitely
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May 14, 2024
As if it wasn't already clear enough that streaming is basically just cable by another name at this point (though it's arguably less expensive for now), many of the top services are banding together to create bundles. A package combining Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV is expected to debut later this month. This StreamSaver bundle will be available to Comcast customers, according to CEO Brian Roberts.
While Roberts didn't reveal how much the package will cost or what tiers of each service it will include, he said StreamSaver will offer them "at a vastly reduced price to anything available today." According to Variety, he told attendees at MoffettNathanson's Media, Internet and Communications Conference that the aim was to "add value to consumers" and take dollars away from competing streaming services.
The StreamSaver announcement comes a few days after it emerged that a bundle of Disney , Hulu and Max is coming this summer. A super-sized sports bundle featuring ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox services is also slated to arrive later this year, though critics such as FuboTV have
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May 14, 2024
The United States is taking additional measures to quash China's influence on its economy. The White House has announced a tremendous increase in tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports, including semiconductors, steel, aluminum and EVs. The latter's tariff is set to increase fourfold, from 25 percent to 100 percent—a move that the White House claims "will protect American manufacturers." The announcement further reported that China's EV exports grew 70 percent between 2022 and 2023.
Other tariff increases, such as the jumps from 25 percent to 50 percent for semiconductors and solar cells, are also significant. Then there are batteries, which are getting a tariff raise from 7.5 percent to 25 percent. Medical products are also a part of this hike, with tariffs on needles and syringes increasing from zero percent to 50 percent.
The Biden administration stresses that American companies need a real shot at competing against Chinese imports. "China's unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are threatening American businesses and workers. China is also flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports," the White House stated in a release. Biden's decision builds on tariffs implemented by his predecessor and current election opponent, Don
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May 14, 2024
In recent years, outdoor pizza ovens have become popular options for upping your culinary game at home. Whether it's on the deck, patio, porch or anywhere else in your backyard, these products are more versatile and easily stored than a permanently installed setup. All the options I've selected in this guide are portable, though you might need some help lugging a few of them around due to their size and weight. These pizza ovens are versatile options for aspiring pie pushers with limited space or those who want to take their skills on the road as needed. And if the great indoors is your domain, I've got a candidate on this list for you too. But before you make a purchase, here are a few things you'll want to consider ahead of time.
What to look for in a pizza oven
When shopping for a home pizza oven, you'll first want to consider what types of pies you plan to make. Most portable outdoor pizza ovens from the likes of Ooni, Solo Stove and others use wood and are primarily designed for the high-heat cooking required for light and airy Neapolitan-style pizzas. We're talking high temperatures up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. These units can certainly cook different styles at cooler temperatures, but the learning curve is easiest when you're running them wide open with a full load of wood.
You'll also want to consider alternate fuel types. If you purchase a propane or natural gas burner, you can adjust temperatures easily by turning a knob. For this reason, I recommend you spend the extra $100 or so on that accessory. This dual-fuel option makes your pizza oven a lot more versatile and gives you the option to still have a freshly fired pie when you don't feel like messing with wood or charcoal. If you only want to cook with gas, there are models available tha
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May 14, 2024
Apple's new iPad Pro is one of the most divisive (and thinnest) devices the company has made in years. Sure, it's an undeniable feat of engineering and thinner than an iPod nano. Apple squeezed a new M4 chip and "tandem" OLED panel into its latest flagship tablet.
The new OLED enables more brightness and improved HDR performance compared to the old iPad Pro—standard screen brightness is up to 1,000 nits, compared to 600 nits for the last model. It's so powerful and so beautiful. But this cutting-edge tech makes it more expensive than ever, putting it out of reach of most and pitting it against flagship laptops, price-wise.
As Nathan Ingraham explains in his review, the iPad Pro lineup has always been about showing off just how good an Apple tablet can be, but this one truly is without compromise. For the rest of us, there's the new iPad Air.
Later today, Google I/O's big keynote will reveal the company's latest AI ambitions. We'll be reporting live, later today.
— Mat Smith
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May 14, 2024
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SEI) has announced a new leadership structure that puts two people in charge of different parts of its business. Hideaki Nishino, who is currently serving as the SVP for the Platform Experience Group, will become the CEO of SIE's Platform Business Group starting on June 1. On the same day, Hermen Hulst will take on the role of CEO for SIE's Studio Business Group after serving as SVP and Head of PlayStation Studios.
The two executives are stepping into their roles after Jim Ryan decided to leave his seat as SEI's CEO in March. When he announced his departure, he said he was finding it "increasingly difficult" to juggle his home life in the UK and his job that's located in the US. Ryan helped establish the company's presence in Europe and oversaw the launch of the PlayStation 5 in the midst of the pandemic. Both Nishino and Hulst will report to interim CEO Hiroki Totoki, who will take a step back and continue his role as Chairman of SIE as as well as President, COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation.
Nishino cu
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May 14, 2024
There's one clear perk that Android has over iOS and that's variety when it comes to the phones you have to choose from. Apple has made the iPhone is the only game in town for iOS, but with Google's operating system, there are dozens of choices out there from manufacturers like Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and others. But that also means it can be difficult to decide which device is best for you when it comes time to upgrade, or if you want to switch from iPhone to Android in the new year. If you're looking for a new phone and don't know where to start, we've got you covered with a selection of the best Android phones for every budget.
What to look for in a new Android phone
Performance
When it comes to picking our favorite Android phones, the main things we look for are pretty straightforward: good performance (both compute and AI), a nice display, solid design, sharp cameras, long battery life and a significant commitment to ongoing software support. For performance, not only do we look at benchmarks and other metrics, but we also evaluate phones based on responsiveness. Regardless of whether you're reading, text messaging, scrolling through social media or playing a game, no one wants a gadget that feels sluggish.
Display
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
When it comes to displays, we generally prefer OLED panels that can produce rich, saturated colors with at least 600 nits of brightness
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May 14, 2024
test-setcion
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/technology/computing/test-setcion-061926526.html?src=rss
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May 14, 2024
Lawmakers from opposites sides of the aisle are looking to sunset Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, because it has "outlived its usefulness." House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and ranking member Frank Pallone, Jr. have released a bipartisan draft legislation introducing their proposed bill, which is seeking to render the provision ineffective after December 31, 2025. In the op-ed piece the lawmakers wrote for The Wall Street Journal, they admitted that Section 230 "helped shepherd the internet from the 'you've got mail' era into today's global nexus of communication and commerce." However, they said that big tech companies are now exploiting the same law to "shield them from any responsibility or accountability as their platforms inflict immense harm on Americans, especially children."
They added that the
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May 13, 2024
It's a new direction for Dyson: a floor cleaner without mention of suction, cyclone technology or any of its usual vacuum vocabulary. The Wash G1 is the company's debut hard-floor cleaner, and it swaps suction for high-speed rollers, water and nylon bristles. It'll go on sale later this year for $700/ £600, which is expensive but still cheaper than Dyson's top-of-the-line Gen 5 vacuum. I got to test out the Wash G1 at Dyson's HQ, a few hours west of London in the UK.
The product was born from the increased presence of hard floors in our lives. Dyson says there are fewer and fewer carpeted rooms in homes around the world. However, hard-floor cleaning (industrial processes aside) has remained a pretty manual process, usually involving mops (or Swiffer cloths, you monster) that leave smears and streaks. Typical mopping also leads to wiping diluted dirt and stains around your floors after the first dunk.
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget
Dyson's method keeps the fresh and dirty water separate as you clean, with dual microfiber rollers that apply the water, mechanically removing stains and dirt. The company dabbled with this on its V15 Detect Submarine, which had a dedicated cleaning head with (much smaller) water compartments built in. The Wash G1 pulls dirty liquid up into its own container, capturing any physical debris into a slim tray with a mesh filter.
The rollers rotate in opposite directions, which helps lift stains and dirt. While testing it, the rollers also gave the cleaner a floaty sensatio
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May 13, 2024
The expensive and gorgeous iPad Pro M4 is a complicated device that's hard to outright recommend — does it make sense to spend well over $1,000 for a tablet with the inherent limitations of iPadOS compared to a Mac or Windows PC? The iPad Air, however, is much easier to evaluate. Since its 2020 redesign, the Air has had nearly the same form factor as the Pro, with some corners cut to differentiate the two. But the Air is also a clear upgrade over the base iPad, appealing to someone like me who appreciates its excellent screen, superior chip, improved multitasking capabilities and a better accessories experience.
It's pretty easy to sum up what's new about the iPad Air this year. It has a faster M2 chip compared to the old M1, it works with a new Apple Pencil Pro, the front camera has moved to the landscape edge and it starts with 128GB of storage (double the prior model) at the same $599 price. These are all expected updates given that it's been two years since the last iPad Air. But w
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May 13, 2024
It hasn't even been released yet, but Apple's new iPad Pro is probably one of the most divisive devices the company has made in years. On the one hand, it's an undeniable feat of engineering. Apple squeezed a new M4 chip and "tandem" OLED panel into a tablet that's somehow thinner and lighter than the one it replaces. And the prior iPad Pro was no slouch either, garnering loads of praise for its combo of power and portability since it was first introduced in 2018.
On the other hand, this tech comes at a cost: the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999, while the 13-inch model costs $1,299. That's $200 more than before, and that's without a $299 or $349 Magic Keyboard and a $129 Pencil Pro. (The unit I'm testing is a 13-inch system with 1TB of storage and 5G, which costs $2,099) The iPad Pro has always felt like Apple flexing its muscles, showing off an absurdly powerful and portable vision of tablet computing that's overkill for almost everyone, and that's more true than ever. Furious debate has ensued over the value of an iPad Pro and why in the world anyone would buy one instead o
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May 13, 2024
It's no secret that Meta is eager to prove itself as an AI company, and it might be eyeing a new hardware project to help it get there. The company is in the early stages of "exploring" designs for AI-enabled headphones, according to a new report in The Information.
The company is reportedly calling it "Camerabuds," because the headphones or earbuds (the company is considering both designs) would have two outward-facing cameras that would be able to detect the wearer's surroundings and power real-time AI features. In that way, it sounds a but like what the company has done with the multimodal AI features in its smart glasses.
For now, it's unclear if such a project would actually move forward and Meta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly "seen several possible designs for the device" but hasn't been "satisfied" with any so far. Internally there are also engineering concerns, like issues around battery life and heat, as well as the myriad of privacy issues that come with camera-enabled wearables. People with long hair could also pose a potential challenge as their locks would block the cameras' view.
As The Information points out, Meta has a somewhat mixed track r
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May 13, 2024
It's almost that time again, folks: we're about to find out about some of Google's big ideas for the year ahead at its I/O developer conference. Most of the big news will come from the opening keynote on May 14, which will almost certainly give us more info on Android 15 as well as a whole bunch of AI updates.
There will surely be some surprises, though we'll more than likely need to wait until the fall to get the full lowdown on the company's latest flagship hardware.
As always, the rumor mill has been churning away with a number of reports highlighting what Google is likely to discuss at I/O. To that end, here's what to expect from the Google I/O 2024 keynote:
Android 15
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
I/O is a developer conference first and foremost. This is always where Google gives third-party devs the full lowdown on the next major Android version so they can start working on apps for it or modify their existing products.
The first Android 15 betas are already out in the wild. Among the features are an updated Privacy Sandbox, partial screen sharing (so you can record or share a certain app window inste
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