Archive for June 2023

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Accessories (8)

• This nifty fan-made Game Boy camera is the size of a cartridge

  The official Game Boy Camera is a treat for fans of lo-fi photography, but it's also on the larger side, protruding from the retro console like a giant, creepy eyeball. That's why engineer and mega-fan Christopher Graves made his own version, the Game Boy Mini Camera, as originally reported via Gizmodo. This thing is tiny, as Graves managed to shrink everything down to the size of a Game Boy cartridge, with no protrusion necessary.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Razer’s new gaming mouse can seamlessly flip between five profiles

  Razer just launched a new premium gaming mouse, the Cobra Pro, that's packed with buttons and customization options, all wrapped in an eye-pleasing symmetrical design. There's seven buttons at the top of the device, two on the side and one on the bottom, adding up to ten. As is traditional with modern mice, each button is fully customizable. However, Razer takes this customization to the next level.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Razer's first in-ear monitor is built for gamers and streamers

  Razer has introduced its first in-ear monitor, and it's built for gamers and streamers who want quality listening for hours on end.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Sky UK releases a motion-tracking webcam for TV watch parties

  UK broadcaster Sky has unveiled a Facebook webcam device called Sky Live designed to add features like watch parties with friends.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Qualcomm’s new chip could reduce lag for connected audio devices

  Qualcomm expanded its S3 Gen 2 Sound platform today with an eye on gamers. The new chip, designed for dongles and adapters, can deliver sub-20ms latency while supplying an additional backchannel for voice chat.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Samsung’s 49-inch curved OLED gaming display is $2,200

  Samsung has been going all-in with curved monitors lately, and its newest entry is the Odyssey OLED G9. This 1800R curved display is enormous, at 49", and boasts a 32:9 aspect ratio. The company first announced the monitor at this year's CES, but now it's finally available for preorders and Samsung is offering a $250 gift card to lure in customers.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Logitech retires the Blue microphone brand

  Logitech has has killed off the Blue microphone brand, and will now sell the products under the Logitech G gaming brand.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Orange Amps offers analog warmth with its first line of Bluetooth speakers

  UK-based Orange Amps has just launched a duo of Bluetooth speakers called the Box and Box-L. The first is a battery-powered portable model, while the latter is a wired option.

  By Jon Turi Read More

AI (23)

• AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton isn't convinced good AI will triumph over bad AI

  'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton isn't convinced good technology will prevail over the evil kind.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Congress is reportedly limiting staff use of AI models like ChatGPT

  The House of Representatives is limiting use of ChatGPT and other AI models, according to an internal memo.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• NASA is creating a ChatGPT-like assistant for astronauts

  NASA is developing a system that will allow astronauts to perform maneuvers, conduct experiments and more using a natural-language ChatGPT-like interface.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Natural Language Programming AIs are taking the drudgery out of coding

  Here's how the AI chatbots of tomorrow are shaping the field computer programming today.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• US lawyers fined $5,000 after including fake case citations generated by ChatGPT

  A judge said they had "abandoned their responsibilities" in not checking for inaccuracies.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• US calls upon volunteer experts to help address generative AI risks

  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is launching a public working group for AI technologies that can generate content, including text, images, videos, music and code.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• The next version of Stable Diffusion won’t produce spaghetti hands

  The next version of the prompt-based AI image generator, Stable Diffusion, will produce more photorealistic images and be better at making hands. SDXL 0.9, a follow-up to Stable Diffusion XL, "produces massively improved image and composition detail over its predecessor" according to Stability AI. The announcement appeared in a since-deleted blog post and was reported by Bloomberg.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Otter’s AI chatbot pays attention during meetings so you don’t have to

  Otter.ai just announced Otter Chat, an AI chatbot specifically designed for work meetings. This "collaborative AI intelligence" acts as a help center for anyone participating in the meeting, transcribing meeting data and winnowing it down into an actual conversation. This allows it to accurately answer questions about the meeting that just transpired, send followup emails and even write related blog posts.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Dropbox’s new tools reimagine the cloud service as your AI sidekick

  Dropbox announced two new products today that (not quite shockingly) shift the company's focus to AI. Dropbox AI scans your documents, providing summaries and answers, while the more ambitious Dropbox Dash serves as a unified search bar for your life.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• AI-generated music won’t win a Grammy anytime soon

  It looks like Fake Drake won't be taking home a Grammy. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said this week that although the organization will consider music with limited AI-generated voices or instrumentation for award recognition, it will only honor songs written and performed "mostly by a human."

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• President Biden meets with AI tech leaders in San Francisco

  President Biden met with leaders in AI and related fields on Tuesday to discuss the potential benefits and dangers generative AI technology offers.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Lawmakers seek 'blue-ribbon commission' to study impacts of AI tools

  Lawmakers want a two-year "blue-ribbon commission" to study AI before even trying to regulate the technology.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Opera's generative AI-infused browser is ready for the masses

  Opera's generative AI-infused browser is out of early access. Opera One features an integrated AI called Aria that blends GPT with live information from the web.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Streamlabs gets an AI-powered podcast editor

  Logitech has rolled out new AI-powered tools for its Streamlabs platform that could make editing podcasts go much, much faster.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• EU officials pass draft law to regulate AI and ban facial recognition systems

  Lawmakers from the European Union have taken a big step towards regulating the use of artificial intelligence systems in the region by passing a draft law known as the AI Act.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Senate bill would hold AI companies liable for harmful content

  A Senate bill would prevent AI companies from using Section 230 to avoid liability for content.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• OpenAI reportedly warned Microsoft about rushing GPT-4 integration into Bing

  OpenAI warned Microsoft early this year about rushing the integration of GPT-4 into Bing without further training, according to The Wall Street Journal. Although Microsoft forged ahead anyway, the alert proved prescient as early users noticed "unhinged" behavior in the Bing AI tool. (The most memorable examples included arguing, plotting ways to break out of its restrictions and trying to convince a New York Times tech columnist to leave his marriage and elope with Bing instead.) In addition, the new report details "conflict and confusion" behind the curtains of the companies' convenient but potentially fragile alliance.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Paul McCartney is using AI to create a final song for The Beatles

  Paul McCartney is using AI to turn a John Lennon demo into one last song for The Beatles.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google, OpenAI will share AI models with the UK government

  The UK says AI leaders like Google and OpenAI will share AI models to help with research and safety.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The DeSantis campaign used AI-generated images to attack Trump

  The 2024 US Presidential race is heating up, and the candidates along with their supporters have a new weapon at their disposal: Artificial intelligence tools, which can easily generate realistic images and voices.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• WordPress' Jetpack AI will write your blog posts for you

  Wordpress is getting an AI writing assistant of its own called Jetpack AI, and it's built into the content management system's editor.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• CNET's new guidelines for AI journalism met with union pushback

  The storied tech publication is promising to disclose when artificial intelligence generates a portion of a story's text, but that's about it.

  By Avery Ellis Read More

• NVIDIA's Neuralangelo is an AI model that can generate 3D objects from 2D videos

  NVIDIA has introduced a new AI model called Neuralangelo that can create 3D replicas of objects from 2D videos, whether they're classic sculptures or run-of-the-mill trucks and buildings.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

Amazon (11)

• Amazon will use small businesses to help deliver packages in the US

  Amazon will use bodegas and other small businesses to deliver your packages in the US.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• FTC sues Amazon for allegedly tricking customers into Prime subscriptions

  The FTC has sued Amazon for allegedly fooling customers into Prime subscriptions and making it difficult to cancel.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Morning After: Amazon Prime Day kicks off July 11th

  The biggest news stories this morning: AI-generated music won't win a Grammy anytime soon, Amazon Prime Day kicks off July 11th this year, Apple's expanded self-repair program covers the iPhone 14 and newer MacBooks.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Amazon Prime Day 2023 kicks off July 11th this year

  Amazon Prime Day 2023 will be on July 11th and 12th. The two-day shopping event will bring exclusive discounts for Prime members on everything from Fire TV devices to Echo smart speakers.

  By Valentina Palladino Read More

• US Senate is the latest to look into Amazon's warehouse safety practices

  A US Senate committee is investigating Amazon's warehouse safety practices. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy today, initiating the probe. Sanders urged Jassy to address health and safety issues at the company's warehouses and requested additional information about its response to various safety issues.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• The Morning After: Get ready for Amazon Prime Day 2023

  Prime Day is coming, don't let it catch you unprepared.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Amazon’s ‘Hey Disney!’ experience comes to most Echo devices

  Amazon and Disney have partnered to create a new interactive experience that combines Alexa's voice assistant features with Disney's robust stable of characters. The appropriately-named "Hey Disney!" is available on any Echo device and represents the very first time Amazon has allowed an assistant other than Alexa on its various speakers and tablets.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Amazon is reportedly planning an ad-supported tier for Prime Video

  Amazon is reportedly looking to include an ad-supported tier for its Prime Video streaming service. The company is also in talks to include more ad-supported options for its Prime Video Channels service.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Amazon Fire Kids tablets are up to 50 percent off right now

  The Fire 7 Kids is down to $60.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• The Morning After: Amazon reportedly exploring free cell phone service for Prime subscribers

  The biggest news stories this morning: Amazon reportedly explores free cell phone service for Prime subscribers, Scientists claim first successful transmission of space-based solar power to Earth, Even the cheapest Tesla Model 3 now qualifies for the full $7,500 tax credit.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Amazon is reportedly trying to offer Prime subscribers free cell phone service

  Amazon might be planning to offer Prime subscribers a pretty significant perk: free cell phone service. According to Bloomberg, the company is talking with multiple US-based carriers about offering cheap — around $10 a month — or even free phone service to Prime customers.

  By Nathan Ingraham Read More

Apple (38)

• Apple's Beats Studio Pro could include head-tracking spatial audio

  Beats' rumored Studio Pro headphones may have head-tracking spatial audio previously reserved for AirPods.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple has posted the entire first episode of ‘Silo’ on Twitter

  Apple is borrowing a marketing tactic from Twitter pirates. The company made the unusual move of uploading the entire first episode of its series Silo to the social platform, allowing anyone there to watch the opening installment for free. The gambit follows Twitter's move to allow longer video uploads for subscribers. The free episode may be worth checking out: Engadget found the Apple TV+ original series to be "simply transcendent sci-fi TV."

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Apple’s Vision Pro headset may not come with a top strap in the box

  Apple is reportedly considering selling the Vision's Pro top strap as an optional accessory rather than including it in the box.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Apple Podcasts update makes it easier to find content in your favorite genres

  Apple has updated its Podcasts app on iOS, iPadOS and macOS with features that make it easier to find content in your favorite genres.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Apple's union-busting practices violated employee rights at NYC store, judge rules

  The company has been told to 'cease and desist' from interfering with staff actions.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Apple's expanded self-repair program covers the iPhone 14 and newer MacBooks

  Apple has widened its Self Service Repair program to the iPhone 14 range as well as newer MacBook Air and Pro models.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Engadget Podcast: Apple WWDC 2023 wrap-up

  After tons of typing and running around Apple's campus, we're ready to wrap up WWDC 2023.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Where was all the AI at WWDC?

  AI is in all of Apple's newest products, even if the company's executives didn't explicitly say so.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Apple’s developer betas are now free to download and install

  Apple has updated its developer program to allow users to install the developer beta without needing to pay the annual $99 fee.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Apple bought the AR company behind the lenses in Nintendo’s ‘Mario Kart’ ride

  Apple has reportedly bought AR startup Mira. The Los Angeles-based company made the lens tech in the AR headsets for Super Nintendo World's Mario Kart ride and has contracts with the US Air Force and Navy. You may also remember the Mira Prism, the company's smartphone-based AR headset that Engadget tried in 2017. Of course, Apple finally revealed its long-rumored AR headset, the Vision Pro, at its WWDC 2023 keynote on Monday.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Apple's iOS 17 developer beta is available for free

  Apple has inadvertently made the iOS 17 developer beta to the public, although you probably shouldn't install it.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple's iOS 17 expands protection against unsolicited nudes

  Apple is stepping up its protections against unsolicited nudes in iOS 17, including warnings for sensitive content.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Morning After: Apple reveals its mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro

  The biggest news stories this morning: Apple finally announces the 15-inch MacBook Air for $1,299, Apple reveals its $3,499 Vision Pro mixed reality headset, Reddit communities are 'going dark' to protest changes that would hurt third-party apps.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Watch Apple’s WWDC 2023 keynote in 23 minutes

  Apple's WWDC 2023 keynote marked the debut of the company's long-awaited mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro. The headset runs a new operating system called visionOS and starts at $3,499 when it launches next year.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• WWDC 2023: Vision Pro, iOS 17 and everything else Apple announced

  Apple introduced a massive amount of new devices and software at WWDC 2023 — the Vision Pro headset is just the beginning.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple Vision Pro first look: A glimpse at the spatial computing future

  Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset is here, and we've finally had a chance to see it in person.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Apple's Optic ID will let you log in to the Vision Pro headset with your eyes

  Apple's Vision Pro headset will use your eyes to sign you into apps and make Apple Pay purchases.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple WWDC 2023: Apple Vision Pro, iOS 17, macOS, iPad OS, the 15-inch MacBook Air, Mac Pro and more

  Join us as we bring you the news out of Apple's WWDC 2023 as it happens!

  By Cherlynn Low Read More

• Apple details visionOS, the software that powers the Vision Pro headset

  Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset will run on visionOS, company executives announced following the bombshell reveal of its long-rumored wearable at WWDC 2023.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Safari gets major privacy updates and the ability to put web apps in your dock

  Enhanced Private Browsing makes it harder to track and identify you on the web.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Apple previews new accessibility features, including a way to clone your voice

  Apple added Live Speech and Personal Voice for people who are unable to speak, have trouble speaking or may lose their voice over time.

  By Katie Malone Read More

• Apple reveals its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, starting at $3,499

  After years of rumors and speculation, today at its annual developer conference Apple finally announced its long-awaited AR/VR headset: the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro.

  By Sam Rutherford Read More

• Apple announces kid-friendly features to reduce eye strain

  Apple gave a look at features targeted at reducing eye strain for kids during its annual WWDC on Monday.

  By Katie Malone Read More

• FaceTime is coming to Apple TV

  Apple took to the stage at WWDC today to announce that video-calling service FaceTime is finally coming to Apple TV hardware for the first time, thanks to a robust tvOS update. This seems to be a full-featured version of the company's proprietary live-streaming app that takes full advantage of the recently-released Continuity Camera feature.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• AirPods Adaptive Audio tunes ANC and transparency based on your environment

  Although Apple didn't upgrade AirPods hardware today, it announced new audio features in iOS 17 that will enhance the company's earphones nonetheless. The standout feature is Adaptive Audio for the second-gen AirPods Pro. The feature will tune your device's active noise cancelation (ANC) and transparency mode levels based on your environment. It "dynamically blends Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation together based on the conditions of a user's environment to deliver the best experience in the moment." Apple adds that Adaptive Audio "will seamlessly tailor the noise control experience while users move between environments and interactions that are constantly changing throughout the day."

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• macOS Sonoma brings widgets to the desktop

  Apple WWDC 2023: The latest update to macOS is called Sonoma and it's all about productivity and widget management.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Apple’s new ‘Journal’ app will help you kickstart a daily diary habit

  Apple WWDC 2023: Apple showed off a new Journal app that will be rolling out later this year.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Apple refreshes the Mac Pro with its new M2 Ultra chip

  Apple's premier desktop gets some new guts, but retains its lofty pricetag.

  By Avery Ellis Read More

• Apple's iOS 17 adds Live Voicemail, StandBy and a Journal app

  The company has announced iOS 17, which reworks core apps and even turns your iPhone into a smart display.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple’s upgraded Mac Studio includes the M2 Max or M2 Ultra chip

  Apple unveiled the second-generation Mac Studio at its WWDC 2023 keynote. The pro-tier workstation runs on the new M2 Max or M2 Ultra chip and starts at $1,999. The new Mac Studio is still akin to a "Mac mini Pro," positioned as a larger and significantly more powerful version of Apple's budget desktop. But the updated variant now has the M2 Max's or M2 Ultra's extra horsepower to excel even more at demanding tasks like 8K video-editing, 3D modeling or music production.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Apple announces M2 Ultra chip with double the CPU and GPU cores

  Apple unveiled the M2 Ultra, which is literally two M2 Max chips stuck together.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• Apple finally announces the 15-inch MacBook Air for $1,299

  Apple's long-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air is finally a reality. As expected, the new laptop is extremely similar to the redesigned 13-inch version that Apple announced at WWDC one year ago — just a bit bigger.

  By Nathan Ingraham Read More

• Apple WWDC 2023 keynote: Watch it here at 1PM ET

  Apple is expected to reveal a mixed-reality headset during its WWDC keynote. In addition, the company will likely provide updates on its iPhone, Mac, iPad and Watch operating systems. We could get a peek at new Macs too.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Apple WWDC 2023: What to expect, from iOS 17 to new MacBooks

  Apple's WWDC 2023 begins June 5th — here's what to expect, including a mixed reality headset.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple needs to prove why its mixed reality headset matters

  Will Apple's rumored mixed reality headset set the company up for failure, or for a future where smart glasses are everywhere?

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Engadget Podcast: Apple WWDC 2023 preview

  We explore why Apple may want to dive into mixed reality.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• The Morning After: What to expect from Apple’s WWDC 2023

  The biggest news stories this morning: What to expect from Apple's WWDC 2023, Riot threatens to cancel a 'League of Legends' esports season after a player revolt, Range Rover's next luxury add-on is a car seat that vibrates to music.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Apple is reportedly testing high-end Macs powered by its new M2 chips

  Apple is expected to launch a collection of new products at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in a few days, and two of them might be new Mac desktop computers.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

Apps (17)

• TikTok-owner ByteDance debuts Ripple music creation app

  ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, has debuted a new app designed to make it easier for creators to compose and edit music they could use for their content.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Venmo now supports tap to pay on Android phones

  Venmo and Zettle now use tap to pay on Android phones in the US.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• DuckDuckGo's privacy-focused browser is now available for Windows

  Available on Mac in open beta since late last year, DuckDuckGo is launching a Windows version of its browser in beta today. It includes features such as Duck Player and email protection.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Figma is now free for all US school students

  Educators can sign up for access through Figma's website.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Chrome on iOS can now show maps and create calendar items without switching apps

  Google Chrome on iOS now lets you handle some Maps, Calendar and Translate tasks without leaving the app.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Vimeo's new AI-powered editing tools are designed for beginners

  Vimeo is one of the latest companies to launch AI-powered tools of its own, and as you'd expect, they're geared towards making it easier for creators to edit their videos.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• WhatsApp can now automatically silence unknown callers

  With a new update, WhatsApp wants to make spam calls less annoying and let users select the optimal privacy settings.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Capture One's photo-editing app arrives on iPhone

  Capture One has brought its popular, eponymous photography app to the iPhone. It enables users to automatically apply edits to shots as their camera sends them to the phone.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Grubhub lays off 15 percent of its employees

  Grubhub has announced that it will be laying off 15 percent of its corporate workforce today. It's unclear if the company will be offering any sort of compensation or severance pay.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Spotify is testing an 'offline mix' that downloads recently played songs

  Spotify is testing a feature called "Your Offline Mix" that will "save a mix of your recently played songs.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Third-party Reddit app Apollo will shut down on June 30th

  Reddit's controversial decision to charge for API access has led the creator of Apollo to shut down the third-party app. 'Apollo will close down on June 30th,' Christian Selig wrote. 'Reddit's recent decisions and actions have unfortunately made it impossible for Apollo to continue.'

  By Kris Holt Read More

• ChatGPT for iOS gets support for Siri and Shortcuts

  It also added iPad support and a drag and drop feature.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Passkey support for 1Password arrives in beta today

  1Password's passkey feature rolls out to users in beta starting today. It lets you add passkey-compatible logins to your 1Password account, and will automatically log you in after biometric authentication.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Ubisoft's Rocksmith+ guitar-learning app is finally coming to iOS and Android on June 9th

  Ubisoft is bringing its guitar-learning app to mobile devices later this week. Rocksmith+ will be available on iOS and Android on June 9th, nine months after the service landed on PC.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Reddit communities are 'going dark' to protest changes that would hurt third-party apps

  Some of the biggest Reddit communities are going private to protest API pricing that could threaten third-party apps.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Arturia's FX Collection 4 adds a Leslie rotary speaker emulator

  Arturia has released its latest audio effects collection, and the highlight is a Leslie speaker emulator used by the likes of George Harrison.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Roger Federer can now guide you on Waze in three languages

  Roger Federer is the first celebrity voice on Waze to give directions in no less than three languages (French, German and English).

  By Steve Dent Read More

Big Tech (8)

• The UK will ramp up its investigation into Adobe's $20 billion Figma acquisition

  The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) plans to perform an in-depth probe into Adobe's acquisition of Figma, the agency announced today (via The Wall Street Journal). Citing concerns about "a substantial lessening of competition" for screen design software, it plans to move into a "phase two" investigation. However, it's giving the companies five business days to "offer legally binding proposals" to address the concerns; if their response doesn't satisfy the CMA, the probe will begin. Adobe announced its plans last year to buy its smaller rival for $20 billion.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• The Morning After: Zuckerberg v. Musk, the cage fight?

  The biggest news stories this morning: Zuck v. Musk is apparently the cage fight everyone wants to see, Sony plans to keep making smartphones for at least a few more years, E3 2024 and 2025 aren't canceled (yet).

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Get ready for a Zuck vs Musk cage fight

  Elon Musk said he's ready for a cage fight if Mark Zuckerberg is. To which the latter responded: "Send me location."

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Sony Bravia TV owners can soon take Zoom calls from the couch

  Sony Bravia TVs will be the first hardware to support the upcoming Zoom for TV app on Google Play. Although remote work has dwindled as corporations beckon their underlings back to the office, those still enjoying work-from-home or hybrid arrangements could soon attend virtual meetings from their living room couches. It follows Apple's WWDC 2023 announcement that FaceTime is coming to Apple TV (via mounted iPhones) later this year.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Twitter is getting evicted from its Colorado office over unpaid rent

  A judge just evicted the company from its Boulder, Colorado office after three months of unpaid rent, totaling over $75,000, as originally reported by TechCrunch. This all started after the landlord took the company to court, according to the Denver Business Journal. The judge sided with the landlord and has given Twitter 49 days to vacate, so the end of July.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• The Morning After: OpenAI and Microsoft aren’t happy

  Plus, Toyota claims its next EV battery will have a range over 600 miles, the latest in the Reddit saga and one last hurrah for The Beatles.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Apple’s pitch for the Vision Pro couldn’t be more different than the Meta Quest

  The strategy for the Apple Vision Pro is very different than for its Meta Quest rival.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• SEC sues Coinbase over alleged violations of securities laws

  The SEC has taken aim at another major cryptocurrency company. It has accused Coinbase of violating securities laws.

  By Kris Holt Read More

Buying Guides (44)

• The best passive bookshelf speakers for most people

  Here are the best passive bookshelf speakers you can buy, as chosen by Engadget editors.

  By Terrence O'Brien Read More

• The Steam Deck is up to $130 off during the Steam Summer Sale

  The Steam Deck got a discount during the Steam Summer Sale, along with thousands of games. You can save on the likes of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Persona 5 Royal, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and much, much more.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• A self-emptying Shark robot vacuum is half off right now

  Shark makes some of the best robot vacuums around and you can currently save quite a bit on a self-emptying model. The device is 50 percent off as it has dropped to $300 at Amazon.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Google's Nest Learning Thermostat is $70 off right now

  The lower price is available with a discount code.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Amazon's latest Echo Buds fall to a new all-time low of $35 in early Prime Day deal

  You can grab Amazon's third-generation Echo Buds for $35 right now if you're a Prime member.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Amazon's Fire HD 10 tablet is 50 percent off in early Prime Day sale

  Amazon's latest Fire HD 10 tablet (2021) is a solid entertainment device and already a great value at $150, but you can now grab one at one of the lowest prices we've seen.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro are back on sale for $200

  Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are back on sale for $200, or $50 off their usual price.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Google Pixel 7a bundle with Pixel Buds A-Series is $100 off at Amazon

  Amazon is selling the Pixel 7a with free Pixel Buds.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Solo Stove fire pits and accessories are up to 50 percent off for July 4th

  Fire pit industry leader Solo Stove just announced a major sale on its line of products to celebrate Independence Day. The sale covers the popular Bonfire 2.0, the Yukon 2.0, the Ranger 2.0 and a whole bunch of bundles and standalone accessories, with deals up to 50 percent off. The sale begins today and ends on July 9th.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Amazon is selling two Echo Show 5 Kids smart displays for the price of one

  Right now you can buy two Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids for the price of one.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• Apple's 10.2-inch iPad drops back to a record low of $250

  Apple's base iPad is now available for just $250 at Amazon.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Get a Ring Video Doorbell with an Echo Pop for $40 as an early Prime Day deal

  Amazon just revealed a deeply-discounted bundle that includes a Ring Video Doorbell and an Echo Pop speaker for just $40, though this deal is exclusive to Prime members. All told, that's $65 off the regular price, as the Ring Video Doorbell typically costs $65 and the Echo Pop usually comes in at $40.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Amazon sale drops the Kindle Paperwhite, Echo Dot and Fire tablets for kids to all-time lows

  You can get your kid a new e-reader or tablet at a discount from Amazon right now if you're looking to stoke their love of reading or just simply want to get them a new toy.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Anker's charging accessories are up to 44 percent off in Amazon sale

  You can grab a power bank, a power strip and other charging accessories you may need at a discount right now from Anker's ongoing sale at Amazon.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Amazon's Echo Dot is down to $28, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

  This week, we found deals on a bunch of Amazon products including Kindles and Echo speakers, as well as discounts on Apple, Dell, Beats and more.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• Sonos’ 25 percent off Father's Day sale ends this weekend

  Sonos has knocked up to 25 percent off its speakers, soundbars and sets for Father's Day. The sale ends on June 18th.

  By Valentina Palladino Read More

• Sony's excellent WH-1000XM5 headphones are $50 off

  Sony has discounted a number of wireless headphones and earbuds, including a few models we've recommended in past reviews and buying guides.

  By Jeff Dunn Read More

• Apple's new 15.3-inch MacBook Air is already $100 off

  It received a score of 96 in our recent review.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• NordPass password manager premium plans are up to 53 percent off

  NordPass is running a sale on personal and family premium plans. Upgrade, and NordPass will warn you about weak and old passwords, and scour the web for data leaks.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Dell XPS 15 and 17 laptops are up to $800 off

  A Dell XPS 15 with a NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU is available for $1,099. A 17-inch model with similar specs is $1,449.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Amazon's Echo Dot comes with a smart plug for less than the speaker on its own

  Amazon is bundling an Echo Dot with a smart plug for $28, or less than the price of the speaker by itself.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Shark's self-emptying robot vacuum with a 30-day capacity base is 45 percent off

  The Shark AV2501S model, which comes with a base that has a 30-day capacity, is currently 45 percent off at Amazon.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Crucial SSDs are up to 48 percent off right now

  Crucial makes some of the most reliable SSDs on the market, and they're on sale right now.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Amazon's Echo Studio smart speaker is $40 off right now

  Amazon's Echo Studio usually sells for $200 and rarely goes on sale, but you can get the supersize Alexa hub right now in Charcoal or Glacier for $160.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Amazon's Kindle falls back to $80 in e-reader sale

  Its Paperwhite and Kids editions are also discounted.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• A PS5 bundle hits a new low, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

  This week's best tech deals include a PS5 and God of War Ragnarok bundle for $500, a wide-ranging sale on Sonos speakers and Apple's M2 MacBook Air for $999.

  By Jeff Dunn Read More

• Amazon's Echo Show 8 is 42 percent off right now

  It's down from $130 to $75.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Nest WiFi Pro routers are down to record low prices in a Google smart home sale

  A few of Google's Nest mesh WiFi routers are down to their lowest price ever as part of a larger Nest smart home sale at both Amazon and the Google store.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• Fitbit's Inspire 3 fitness tracker is 20 percent off right now

  Two of our favorite Fitbit fitness trackers are currently on sale. The Inspire 3 has dropped by $20 to $80, while the Charge 5 is $30 off at $120.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Apple's new 15-inch MacBook Air is already $49 off at Amazon

  Amazon is already taking $50 the new MacBook Air -- which Apple just announced on Monday and won't ship until next week.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• Samsung's Galaxy S23 series is on sale for as low as $700 right now

  All three phones in the Galaxy S23 series are getting discounts that match or go below their lowest prices yet.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• Samsung's 1TB 980 Pro SSD falls to a new all-time low

  Its heatsink counterpart is also on sale.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Amazon's Blink security cameras and bundles are up to 49 percent off

  Amazon's Blink doorbells and cameras are an inexpensive way to get into smart home security, and now it's running a sale that makes them significantly cheaper.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air M2 drops to a record low of $999

  Apple's announcement of a new MacBook Air is the likely inspiration for this all-time-low price on last year's model -- which is still our favorite laptop overall.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• The Apple Watch SE is back on sale for $219

  If you're looking to buy a new smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE remains one of the better values on the market, and right now its 40mm model is back on sale for $219 at Amazon and Best Buy.

  By Jeff Dunn Read More

• How to order the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air

  Here's how to order the new 15-inch Apple MacBook Air, and how you can get your hands on the other hardware announced at WWDC 2023.

  By Valentina Palladino Read More

• Apple’s third-gen AirPods have dropped back down to $149

  The latest AirPods are back on sale for $149. You can also save on the the second-gen AirPods and the most recent AirPods Pro.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• The God of War: Ragnarok PlayStation 5 bundle is cheaper than ever

  If you're ready to pull the trigger on a PS5 and want the popular title God of War: Ragnarok as well, Amazon has them on sale in a bundle at a new all-time low.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Google's Pixel 7 falls to $499 and comes with a $100 Amazon gift card

  Google's Pixel 7 is still one of the best value smartphones available and now you can grab one at the lowest prices we've ever seen.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Sonos speakers are up to 25 percent off, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

  Most Memorial Day sales might be over, but this week was still pretty good for deals on tech brands like Google, Apple, Samsung, Xbox and JBL.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E router packs are up to 17 percent off on Amazon

  A three-pack of Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E routers costs $340 and will provide connectivity across an area of up to 6,600 square feet.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Sonos speakers and soundbars are up to 25 percent off in rare sale

  Sonos is holding a rare sale on recent speakers and soundbars, with the Arc dropping to $719.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The 4K Chromecast with Google TV is cheaper than ever at Amazon

  There's no better way to make a dumb TV smart than Chromecast with Google TV, given the breadth of options, up to 4K HDR output and relative affordability.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Apple's AirTag 4-pack is just $80 right now

  Each AirTag is $8 less than its retail price.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

Computing (1)

• Intel drops ‘i’ processor branding after 15 years, introduces ‘Ultra’ for higher-end chips

  Intel says it will be dropping the "i" from its processor branding after more than a decade. Instead, the company says it will be using "Core 3/5/7/9" instead. Intel will be introducing "Ultra" branding as well to denote its higher end processors.

  By Peter Cao Read More

Cybersecurity (8)

• Clop ransomware gang obtained personal data of 45,000 New York City students in MOVEit hack

  The New York City Department of Education has become the latest organization to disclose it had private data stolen as part of the far-reaching MOVEit file transfer software hack.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Hitting the Books: How hackers turned cybercrime into a commercial service

  In "Fancy Bear Goes Phishing", Yale Law professor Dr. Scott J Shapiro traces the internet's illicit history through five of the biggest attacks on digital infrastructure ever recorded.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Twitter hacker and crypto scammer sentenced to five years in prison

  In May, Joseph James O'Conner plead guilty to a host of cyber crimes, including carrying out a SIM-swapping attack that targeted a TikTok account with millions of followers.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Over 100 artists boycott venues that employ face-scanning tech

  Over 100 music artists, including Tom Morello and Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine, have banded together to announce they are boycotting concert venues that use facial recognition technology. The artists cite a number of concerns, including privacy infringement and increased discrimination.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• House and Senate bills aim to protect journalists' data from government surveillance

  House and Senate bills would bar the government from taking journalists' data in a bid to reveal sources.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Reddit hackers demand $4.5 million and API changes in threat to leak 80GB of data

  Ransomware gang BlackCat is likely behind a February attack on the company.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Spotify has been fined $5.4 million for violating GDPR data rules

  A Swedish regulator has fined Spotify SEK 58 million ($5.4 million) after determining that the company had violated the European Union's data protection rules. The issue concerns how Spotify handles users' right to access their personal data.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• DOJ charges Russian nationals with laundering bitcoin in 2011 Mt. Gox hack

  The US Department of Justice announced today that it charged two Russian nationals for crimes related to the 2011 hacking of Mt. Gox, the now-defunct crypto exchange that was one of the world's largest at the time. Alexey Bilyuchenko and Aleksandr Verner are accused in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) of laundering about 647,000 bitcoins connected to the heist. In addition, Bilyuchenko faces separate charges in the Northern District of California (NDCA) related to running the infamous Russian crypto exchange BTC-e.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

Entertainment (1)

• Live Nation and Ticketmaster to start showing hidden ticket costs

  Ticketmaster and Live Nation are pledging to give US consumers the actual price of a ticket before they make a purchase, and not the fairyland price they use to lure in customers. President Biden is expected to officially announce the move during a meeting with live entertainment industry leaders later this afternoon.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

EVs and Transportation (39)

• Joby Aviation's first production air taxi cleared for flight tests

  Joby Aviation has been cleared by the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) to start flight tests on its first production prototype air taxi.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Electrify America's charging network will support Tesla's NACS connector by 2025

  Volkwagen's charging network, Electrify America, has pledged to adopt the extremely popular North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector by 2025. This will massively improve access to the NACS connector, which was created by Tesla and originally called the Tesla charging connector.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Polestar will join Volvo in switching to Tesla's EV charging standard

  Polestar, like Volvo, will use Tesla's NACS port on future EVs.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• North America’s first hydrogen-powered train debuts in Canada

  This summer, North America's first hydrogen-powered train began traveling across the Canadian countryside. The French passenger train is a short-term demonstration, running through the end of September, that aims to spark adoption in Canada and the US. "I think the most important thing that's going to come out of it is people's awareness and comfort with the technology," Robert Stasko, executive director of Ontario's Hydrogen Business Council, told CBC News.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Kia EV9 first drive: Adding a third row to the EV market

  We had a chance to take the Korean-spec EV9 for a first drive in Korea and while the suspension was a bit softer than what we're used to in the United States and there's a good chance that the acceleration will be tweaked to deliver more zip, it delivered the electric vehicle experience we expect from the automaker.

  By Roberto Baldwin Read More

• Volvo is the latest automaker to adopt Tesla's EV charging standard in North America

  Volvo is the first European car maker to adopt Tesla's EV charging standard, but only in North America.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The SAE is creating a standardized version of Tesla's EV charging plug

  Tesla's North American Charging Standard is one step closer to becoming the de-facto electric vehicle charging system in the US.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Lordstown Motors sues Foxconn and declares bankruptcy

  The car manufacturer previously declared a $171.1 million loss for 2023's first quarter.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Lucid will power Aston Martin's future EVs

  Aston Martin plans to build "ultra-luxury high-performance" EVs using Lucid's electric motors, batteries and other technology.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Ford secures $9.2 billion loan from US Department of Energy to build EV battery factories

  It's the biggest loan yet from the US Department of Energy's Loan Program Office.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Pocono Raceway’s ‘jet drier’ credited with keeping I-95’s reopening on time

  A rainy weekend threatened to delay the reopening of a collapsed section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. But officials called in reinforcements: a giant jet dryer from a nearby race track, according to BillyPenn. The dryer is expected to ensure the highway opens this weekend as promised by PA Governor Josh Shapiro.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Texas says state-funded EV charging stations need to include Tesla’s NACS connector

  Texas says it will require electric vehicle charging stations in the state to have a connector for Tesla's standard. The news comes as automakers such as Ford, GM and Rivian shift to adopting the North American Charging Standard.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Cruise launches an Android app for its self-driving taxis

  Cruise has finally launched an Android app for ridehailing, giving potential customers in San Francisco the option to call one of its robotaxis even if they're not iPhone users.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Domino's can now deliver pizza almost anywhere using GPS pins

  Domino's Pizza now delivers just about anywhere you can place a GPS pin.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Rivian owners will be able to use Tesla Superchargers starting in 2024

  Rivian will offer R1T and R1S owners an adapter to connect their EVs to Supercharger stations as soon as spring of next year. Rivian will also adopt North American Charging Standard charge ports as standard in R1 vehicles starting in 2025, as well as in the R2 platform.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Cadillac teases the electric Escalade IQ ahead of an August 9th reveal

  One month after Cadillac announced the Escalade IQ, here's your first peek at the all-electric SUV. The brand has teased the upcoming EV and said it will formally reveal the vehicle on August 9th.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• The US is now the second-largest EV market behind China

  The US has leapt ahead to become the second-largest EV market in the world.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Mercedes tries putting ChatGPT in your car

  Mercedes-Benz is putting ChatGPT on the road. The automaker is using Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service to bring the viral natural-language model to its in-car voice assistant. It will initially be available in a three-month beta program for US customers in select vehicles, but Mercedes says it will consider a broader and more permanent rollout in the future.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• VW’s next Tiguan PHEV can drive 62 miles in electric-only mode

  The next VW Tiguan will have a plug-in hybrid model that drives for up to 62 miles in electric-only mode.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Uber will start showing video ads in its apps this week

  Users in the US will start seeing video ads in Uber, Uber Eats and Drizly this week. The ads are muted by default in the apps, but will run for as long as 90 seconds.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• GM and Samsung SDI are building a $3 billion EV battery cell plant in Indiana

  General Motors and Samsung SDI have chosen Indiana for their joint EV battery plant. The state's governor, Eric Holcomb, announced today that the companies will build the $3 billion facility in St. Joseph County, scheduled to open in 2026. The factory, designed to help GM meet rising EV demand, is expected to bring 1,700 new manufacturing jobs to the Hoosier State.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• The more powerful 2024 Polestar 2 starts at $49,900

  The 2024 Polestar 2 will start at $49,900 with more power, a longer range and faster charging.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Toyota claims its future EVs will have a range over 600 miles

  The company also continues to push hydrogen fuel cars.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Toyota unveils a hydrogen race car concept built for Le Mans 24 Hours

  Toyota has introduced a hydrogen race car concept designed for Le Mans 24 Hours.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Porsche's Mission X concept offers a glimpse at its electric super car future

  The Mission X is supposed to be an electric hypercar with a design that takes inspiration from the automaker's old models, including the 959, the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Mercedes becomes the first automaker to sell Level 3 self-driving vehicles in California

  Mercedes-Benz is the first automaker to get permission from California regulators to sell or lease vehicles with Level 3 self driving tech.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• GM EV owners will gain access to Tesla Superchargers in 2024

  General Motors EVs will adopt the NACS standard in 2025

  By Sean Buckley Read More

• Uber is expanding availability of shared rides and other 'green' services

  Uber is expanding existing services and introducing new features meant to help it achieve its goal of becoming a zero-emission platform by 2040.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Ace Championship is more than just a Formula E feeder series

  Ace Championship founder and CEO Dilbagh Gill explains how the all-electric series will give anyone a fair shot at being a driver, engineer or another part of a race team.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• Volvo officially unveils the EX30, its compact electric SUV

  It's set to be Volvo's most economical and environmental EV yet.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Chinese startup says its new EV battery doesn’t lose range in the cold

  The Chinese startup Greater Bay Technology claims its latest EV battery can charge at normal speeds even in cold temperatures. Huang Xiangdong, co-founder and chairman, says the company's new Phoenix cell uses superconducting materials and thermal management to heat from -4F to 77F in only five minutes, allowing the battery to charge "within six minutes in all weather conditions," according to Bloomberg.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Acura ZDX EV gets Android Auto and built-in Google apps

  Acura is preparing to launch its first fully electric vehicle, the 2024 ZDX, and just announced integration with a full suite of Google products, including Android Auto. These features will be available on all ZDK trims and bring tools like Google Assistant and Google Maps to the vehicle, offering a "personalized and more streamlined" experience.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Even the cheapest Tesla Model 3 now qualifies for the full $7,500 tax credit

  If you're buying a Tesla Model 3 in the US, you can now get the maximum possible federal tax credit of $7,500 no matter what make you're getting.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• VW unveils the larger ID.Buzz electric van headed to North America

  VW has unveiled the version of the ID.Buzz headed to North America, and it offers more than extra seats.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Lordstown's EV pickup has a worryingly short 174 miles of EPA range

  The EPA has rated Lordstown's Endurance electric pickup truck for just 174 miles of range, or well below Ford and Rivian.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Ford will offer flexible Mustang Mach-E leases to Uber drivers in three cities

  Ford is giving Uber drivers flexible Mustang Mach-E leases in three cities as part of a pilot.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Polestar 2 update adds YouTube integration and new CarPlay features

  Its Range Assistant app and Apple CarPlay also have new updates.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Fiat's Topolino EV is an Italian twist on the Citroen Ami

  Fiat already has its own cute EV in the 500 series, but it has now gone even tinier in its latest urban mobility push.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Faraday Future's FF 91 electric vehicles will cost as much as $309,000

  Faraday Future has officially launched its long delayed FF 91 electric vehicles, including a limited edition called the Futurist Alliance that carries a pretty hefty price tag of $309,000.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

Gaming (94)

• An Overwatch anime miniseries will debut on July 6th

  Blizzard is finally starting to bring together the strands of the Overwatch narrative. To help with that, an anime miniseries that ties into Overwatch 2 will premiere on July 6th.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Sega's COO says the company is not for sale

  Sega is not for sale, according to company COO Shuji Utsumi. The executive told Bloomberg News that the company isn't open to acquisition talks at the moment, despite rampant speculation that Microsoft was about to purchase Sega. Some of these rumors popped up due to a general consolidation trend in the gaming industry, with big fish gobbling up everything in sight.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Call of Duty is using clones of real players to mess with cheaters

  Activision's latest method of messing with Call of Duty cheaters is hallucinations. These are clones of real players that only detected and suspected hackers can see and interact with.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• 'Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth' is a new game set between the two movies

  Annapurna Interactive is developing a game based on the iconic science fiction film 'Blade Runner' and it looks to feature the return of protagonist Rick Deckard, as originally portrayed by Harrison Ford. The game's set between the events of 'Blade Runner' and 'Blade Runner 2049', so you can get some closure as to what Deckard was doing before meeting up with Ryan Gosling in an abandoned casino.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• 'Storyteller' is the latest hot indie game coming to Netflix

  Storyteller is a game about writing, word puzzles and the twisted tales we tell ourselves just to get through the day, and it'll be playable via the Netflix app on September 26th.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• ‘Thirsty Suitors’ pits you against pining exes on November 2nd

  Annapurna Interactive's Thirsty Suitors trailer wraps with the tagline: "Battle Your Exes. Disappoint Your Parents. Find Yourself." (If that doesn't proclaim that the upcoming title is venturing off the beaten path, I'm unsure what would.) Annapurna and developer Outerloop Games announced today that the cross-platform RPG about returning home and trying to resolve the disarray of the past arrives on November 2nd.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• 'to a T' is a coming-of-age game about a T-posing teenager

  In to a T, players have to navigate the world as a teenager who can't lower their arms from an outstretched, T-shaped position.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Recursive puzzle adventure game 'Cocoon' will arrive on September 29th

  'Cocoon' is a puzzle adventure game that sees you exploring worlds within worlds. It's coming to PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Steam on September 29th. It'll be available on Game Pass as well.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• ‘Pokémon Go’ developer Niantic is laying off 230 employees

  Niantic is joining the long list of companies laying off employees. The studio published an "organizational update" (after the internal memo was leaked to Kotaku) announcing that it would let go of 230 employees. In addition, the company is shutting down its Los Angeles studio and canceling two licensed games: NBA All-World and Marvel: World of Heroes. The only good news for fans is that Pokémon Go, still its flagship product, will live to fight another day.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Watch Annapurna Interactive's showcase here at 3PM ET

  Annapurna Interactive is hosting its annual showcase and you can watch it right here. The indie publisher is promising "reveals, spotlights and one of our biggest announcements yet."

  By Kris Holt Read More

• It’s a good time to be a fighting-game fan

  While fighting games may never have the same mass-market appeal they did in the '90s, 2023 is proving to be a mini-rennaisance for the genre. We've already had Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 1 is arriving this fall, and there's Tekken 8 still to come.

  By Brandon Quintana Read More

• Women’s soccer teams are coming to Football Manager in 2024

  Women's soccer teams are coming to the 'Football Manager' series next year. Players will also finally be able to transfer their progress from one year's edition to the next.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Bloober Team is done making psychological horror games

  Layers of Fear was Bloober Team's final psychological horror game. The studio didn't advertise this fact, but behind the scenes, a switch flipped weeks ago: When the remastered and expanded Layers of Fear collection came out on June 15th, it marked the end of a phase that was known internally as Bloober Team 2.0.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• ‘Final Fantasy XVI’ has already sold over 3 million copies

  'Final Fantasy XVI' has sold over three million units since launching on June 22. This new darker take on the series is a PS5 console exclusive, making these sales figures even more impressive. For comparison's sake, 'Final Fantasy XV' sold five million copies during its launch week back in 2016, but that was a multi-platform title available for both PS4 and Xbox One.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• 'Project Loki' looks like a rad mix of 'League of Legends' and 'Fortnite'

  Theorycraft Games, a studio made up of former Riot Games, Blizzard, Bungie and Respawn Entertainment developers, is creating Project Loki.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• 'Stardew Valley,' 'Slay the Spire' and 'Ridiculous Fishing' are coming to Apple Arcade in July

  Three classic indie games are on the way to Apple Arcade very soon in the form of 'Stardew Valley,' 'Slay the Spire' and 'Ridiculous Fishing.'

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Sci-fi thriller ‘Fort Solis’ arrives on PlayStation 5, PC and Mac on August 22nd

  If you're a fan of psychological, Fort Solis might just be your jam.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• 'Diablo IV' and other Blizzard games were down on Sunday due to a DDoS attack

  If you had hoped to play Diablo IV this weekend, it appears someone is intent on ruining those plans.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• The original 'Call of Duty: Warzone' battle royale will shut down in September

  The original battle royale game Call of Duty:Warzone will shut down definitively on September 21st, Activision has announced.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• E3 2024 and 2025 aren't canceled (yet)

  An LA commission said the in-person shows were done, but the ESA says otherwise.

  By Sean Buckley Read More

• ‘Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1’ heads to consoles and PC on October 24th

  Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 will arrive on October 24th, Konami announced today.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• 'Vampire Survivors' is getting four-player couch co-op

  'Vampire Survivors' is coming to Nintendo Switch on August 17th. A couch co-op mode will be available on all platforms on the same day.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Roblox now allows creators to build content for people 17 and older

  Roblox is looking to amp up its experiences for ages 17 and older. These new experiences may include violence, blood, crude humor, romantic themes and alcohol.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• EA's 'Immortals of Aveum' is delayed until August 22nd

  Ascendant Studios has delayed its upcoming magic FPS 'Immortals of Aveum' until August 22nd. 'This will give us time to further polish the game, finish optimizing all platforms and deliver a strong launch,' the developer said.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• How do you prevent an AI-generated game from losing the plot?

  The new AI storytelling platform 'Hidden Door' plops players into TTRPG-like adventures based in their favorite literary universes.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Summer Game Fest 2023: All the games announced

  We're about wrapped with our coverage of Summer Game Fest 2023, so here's all of our analysis, previews and coverage of the big announcements at the show.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Why the 'Oxenfree II' team became Netflix's first game studio

  In early 2021, Night School was in the market for a partnership. It ended up being acquired by Netflix, becoming the company's first game studio. Now, Night School is gearing up to launch its first game for the streaming giant.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Forza maker Turn 10 teams with Hutch on a 'car customization' mobile game

  The developer of Forza Motorsport, Turn 10, is teaming with F1 Clash's Hutch on a new mobile game.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has a new studio

  Rockstar Games co-founder and former creative director Dan Houser has a new company. Absurd Ventures says it will build stories, characters and worlds across different mediums — including but not limited to video games. The 49-year-old left Rockstar Games in 2020.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• ‘Cocoon’ is worth getting excited about

  Cocoon is the debut game from Geometric Interactive, a studio founded by former Playdead employees Jeppe Carlsen and Jakob Schmid. After a short play session at Summer Game Fest, it's firmly at the top of my wishlist already.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Ubisoft needs a reboot

  At some point in the last console generation, Ubisoft lost its soul. Let's take a look at how we got here.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• ‘Dead Cells’ is getting an animated series in 2024

  Developer Motion Twin just announced an animated series based on the game 'Dead Cells' that releases in 2024. The series is being produced by French studio Bobbypills, who also handled the animated trailers for the game and its many DLC releases. The animated series seems to follow the game's narrative, as it's set on a "cursed island" with a population of "monstrous creatures'' and "prophecies depicting a flame-headed hero."

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• ‘Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon’ first look: Fast battles with customizable mechs

  Armored Core, one of the longest-running mech battle series ever, hasn't been seen in over a decade. Now, developer FromSoftware, flying high from Elden Ring and Dark Souls glory, is returning to mechs, with what it says is a remastered, reimagined take on robot combat. It's time for a mech gaming boom.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Pandemic-era hit 'Phasmophobia' is coming to consoles this August

  'Phasmophobia,' the game you played during the pandemic, will hit consoles this August.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• '33 Immortals' first look: Defying a god is more fun with friends

  33 Immortals is a new co-op roguelike action game from the creators of Spiritfarer. At a session at this week's Xbox Showcase at SGF 2032, me and five (if not 21) fellow spirits tried to escape hell.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• 'Forza Motorsport' wants you to drive forever

  Forza has been one of Microsoft's most reliable first-party properties, but its eighth iteration could be its last, as Turn 10 Studios is rebooting the series around constant updates and believes it could last for years.

  By Aaron Souppouris Read More

• Embracer announces layoffs and game cancellations after a $2 billion deal falls through

  Embracer Group is cancelling some games, closing or selling studios and laying off an unknown number of workers as it tries to reduce costs and make the business more efficient. The news comes soon after the company said a deal that would have been worth $2 billion in revenue fell apart.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• 'Mr. Run and Jump' will be the first official cartridge for the Atari 2600 since 1990

  Atari just announced a brand-new physical cartridge for the 2600 console. 'Mr. Run and Jump' is a 2D platformer that's taken plenty of design cues from recent indie games like 'Celeste' and will also arrive as a modern version for new consoles like the PS5. The 2600 cartridge is available to preorder on July 31st for $60.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Ace Attorney games with Apollo Justice are coming to newer consoles in early 2024

  You soon won't have to dig out your old DS copy or your 3DS to replay Apollo Justice anymore.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Capcom's Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is an action game with traditional Japanese aesthetics

  Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is coming to the PlayStation 5, Windows PCs and Steam, in addition to the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Capcom's Pragmata has been delayed for a second time

  The sci-fi adventure has dropped its 2023 launch window.

  By Sean Buckley Read More

• Watch Ubisoft's Summer Game Fest event in 13 minutes

  If you missed Ubisoft's Summer Game Fest showcase, Engadget's video summary will catch you up in less than 14 minutes.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Watch Capcom’s Summer Game Fest showcase here at 6PM ET

  Capcom's Summer Game Fest showcase will run for around 36 minutes and you can watch it here. The company will show off 'Exoprimal,' 'Dragon's Dogma 2' and some surprises.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• First 'Star Wars Outlaws' gameplay trailer offers 10 minutes of scoundrel wish fulfillment

  Ubisoft's first gameplay trailer for Star Wars Outlaws looks stunning.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• 'The Crew Motorfest' brings open-world racing to Hawaii on September 14th

  Ubisoft's open-world racer 'The Crew Motorfest' arrives September 14th.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Ubisoft confirms holiday release for ‘Assassin’s Creed: Nexus VR’

  Ubisoft has given us the first proper look at 'Assassin's Creed Nexus VR' for the Meta Quest platform and confirmed a holiday launch window. The news comes via the company's Ubisoft Forward streaming event as part of the Summer Game Fest. Assassin's Creed Nexus VR releases for both the Meta Quest 2 and the recently-announced Meta Quest 3, though OG Quest owners are out of luck.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• 'Skull and Bones' is still alive, will apparently have a closed beta in August

  You'll have a chance to try Skull and Bones when a closed beta takes place in August.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Ubisoft’s ‘Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’ arrives on December 7th 2023

  Ubisoft's open-world Avatar game is almost here. We got a substantial look at the story and gameplay of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. James Cameron introduced the game in a prerecorded segment, teasing "new environments new flora and fauna and characters".

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Watch the Ubisoft Forward showcase at Summer Game Fest here at 1PM ET

  It's nearly time for the big Ubisoft Forward Summer Game Fest showcase event, so expect plenty of announcements, trailers, demos and more. With E3 deflating like a sad balloon, this is likely the year's biggest event for incredible reveals. The showcase starts at 1:00 PM ET, with a pre-show at 12:45, and there are a bunch of ways to watch live, including YouTube and Twitch.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• 'Alan Wake II' stands out in a sea of sequels

  I'm nervous about Saga's fate in Alan Wake II — and that only makes me more excited for the full game. This is first-and-foremost a linear, narrative-driven experience, and it looks spooky as hell.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Immortals of Aveum' first look: A little more magic and this might be wonderful

  I played a demo of Immortals of Aveum at Summer Game Fest 2023 and it showed a lot of promise.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Persona 3 Reload' updates a PS2 classic for modern platforms in early 2024

  Atlus is remaking 2006's Persona 3 for modern consoles.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Overwatch 2's story missions and new PvP mode will land on August 10th

  Blizzard has revealed more details about Overwatch 2's co-op missions, which will start arriving in August, as well as a new PvP mode.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• ‘Towerborne’ is an action-RPG brawler from the makers of The Banner Saga

  Stoic Studio, makers of the tactical-RPG Banner Saga franchise, announced a new game today at the Summer Game Fest Xbox Showcase. Towerborne is an action-RPG brawler that appears to be a contrast to the studio's previous work.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• The 'Dear Esther' studio is building an oil-rig horror game, 'Still Wakes the Deep'

  The Chinese Room — the studio behind Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture — is back with a new horror experience, Still Wakes the Deep.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Clockwork Revolution' is a time-traveling RPG of steampunk anarchy

  If you're a fan of the Dishonored or Bioshock universes, Clockwork Revolution from inXile entertainment could be right up your cobblestone alley.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• 'Metaphor: ReFantazio' is a fantasy RPG from the team behind 'Persona 5'

  Atlus has shared a first look at Metaphor: Re Fantazio, the next project from the team that made Persona 5.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• 'Cities: Skylines II' will arrive on PC and consoles October 24th

  Cities Skylines II is due to come out on October 24th, 2023. It's heading to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. A new trailer shows off the updated visuals and mechanics of the sequel.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• 'Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty' will take you back to Night City on September 26th

  Cyberpunk 2077's expansion has a release date, and it's only a few months away.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• ‘Forza Motorsport’ finally arrives on October 10th

  Microsoft announced at Summer Game Fest today that 'Forza Motorsport' will finally launch on October 10th. The eighth mainline entry in Turn 10 Studios' series was initially penciled in for a spring release but was delayed this January until later in 2023.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• 'Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth' will make you see Ichiban's bare butt in early 2024

  Yakuza fans have a busy 2023 and 2024 ahead of them.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• 'Senua's Saga: Hellblade II' will arrive in 2024

  Three and a half years after 'Senua's Saga: Hellblade II' was announced, Ninja Theory's sequel has a release window.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Rob banks with reckless abandon in 'Payday 3' on September 21st

  Shoot loot and steal to your heart's content in 'Payday 3'

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Obsidian's fantasy RPG 'Avowed' is coming to PC and Xbox in 2024

  With the tagline of "Forge your destiny", it seems to hint that you can choose to be a good or (very) bad guy. It looks like it may scratch that Elder Scrolls itch, until Elder Scrolls 6 finally shows itself.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Roguelike ‘33 Immortals’ has 33-player co-op

  Indie studio Thunder Lotus announced a game today that invites you to "Face the Wrath of God." '33 Immortals' is the 'Spiritfarer' developer's new co-op action / roguelike that supports up to 33 players.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• 'South of Midnight' is a Southern Gothic monster adventure from Compulsion Games

  Compulsion Games is back with a new project called South of Midnight, set in an original world of magic, monsters and giant, blues-playing skeletons.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars game is 'Outlaws' and it's coming in 2024

  Outlaws, Ubisoft's long-awaited open world Star Wars game, will arrive in 2024, the publisher announced on Sunday.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• ‘Unpacking’ heads to phones and tablets later this year

  After inspiring a handful of mobile clones, relaxing indie game Unpacking is finally heading to phones and tablets.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• ‘Mortal Kombat 1’ made a great first impression at SGF 2023

  The Mortal Kombat team has decided to shake up the plot and reinvent characters for this 2023 reboot. Alongside this new world and character dynamics, MK1 also introduces a new feature to fights in the form of Kameos. After choosing a character, you're able to select a guest fighter to back you up during the fight.

  By Brandon Quintana Read More

• Watch three back-to-back Summer Game Fest shows here starting at 12PM ET

  Another busy day of Summer Game Fest events is upon us, with the Wholesome Direct, Future Games Show and OTK Games Expo running back to back. You'll be able to watch everything right here starting at 12PM ET.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Watch Summer Game Fest's Tribeca Games Spotlight here at 3PM ET

  The Tribeca Games Spotlight will showcase titles with a focus on artistic storytelling. It will include looks at 'The Expanse: A Telltale Series,' 'Stray Gods,' 'Goodbye Volcano High' and several other titles.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• 'Baby Steps' is the 3D 'QWOP' we've all been waiting for

  Bennett Foddy is co-creating 'Baby Steps,' a QWOP-like game that's all about putting one foot forward.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Morning After: The games industry is massive, so why is it shrinking?

  The biggest news stories this morning, including the first blooms of Summer Game Fest, Reddit protests and United's new seatback screens.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Watch the Summer Game Fest keynote in under 20 minutes

  Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Final Fantasy VII Remake: Rebirth, Alan Wake II and other games were featured at the event.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• 'Helskate' mashes together Tony Hawk and Hades

  'Helskate' is an upcoming skateboarding action game in which you'll need to pull off killer combos to power up attacks and take out monsters.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Fortnite's next season features Transformers and rideable raptors

  Fortnite's next season, which starts on June 9th, features rideable raptors and Optimus Prime.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• ‘Alto’s Adventure’ devs announce new game, and it's all about sheep herding

  Indie game developer Land & Sea, the team behind 'Alto's Adventure' and 'Alto's Odyssey', just announced a new title ahead of this year's Day of the Dev's showcase during Summer Games Fest. Summerhill is described as a "story-driven puzzle adventure game" that casts you as both a sheepherder and your intrepid canine companion.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Watch Devolver Digital’s Summer Game Fest stream here at 6PM ET

  Devolver Digital is rounding out a busy day of Summer Game Fest events with its latest Direct stream. We may learn more about the likes of 'Skate Story' and 'The Lucky Squire.'

  By Kris Holt Read More

• ‘Like A Dragon Gaiden’ revives Kiryu on November 9th 2023

  Kiryu has some new fighting skills that look a little... familiar

  By Mat Smith Read More

• 'John Carpenter's Toxic Commando' brings a co-op apocalypse to PS5, PC and Xbox

  Itching to make a whole bunch of undead all-the-way-dead with the generous application of high velocity lead? 'John Carpenter's Toxic Commando' has got you covered.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• 'Alan Wake II' gameplay shows newcomer Saga battling a resurrected murder victim

  'Alan Wake II' is finally happening, as the long-awaited sequel is set to arrive in October. Remedy creative director Sam Lake made an appearance at Summer Game Fest to reveal more details and show off some new gameplay.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• 'Sonic Superstars' gives classic gameplay another modern makeover

  Sonic the Hedgehog is returning with a modern look. The Sega Genesis mascot (and friends) will star in Sonic Superstars, a new take on the 2D platform franchise that trades in his classic 16-bit graphics for a contemporary coat of paint.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• 'Sand Land' is a new adventure game based on a manga by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama

  Sand Land is a new adventure game from Bandai Namco, featuring character design from Akira Toriyama, the man who gave us Dragon Ball's Goku, the art of the Dragon Quest series, the characters of Chrono Trigger, and countless manga creations.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• You can play a demo of the goth Pinocchio game 'Lies of P' right now

  Lies of P is a dark, steampunk take on the legend of Pinocchio, and it's due to come out on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S (plus Game Pass) on September 19th.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Watch Summer Game Fest's Day of the Devs livestream here at 5PM ET

  You can watch the Day of the Devs Summer Game Fest showcase here at 5PM ET.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• 'Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown' is a Metroidvania-style platformer coming in 2024

  This time you'll rescue the Prince, not play as him.

  By Sean Buckley Read More

• Watch Summer Game Fest 2023 here at 3PM ET

  E3 may be dead, but Summer Game Fest kicks off today with an opening-night livestream from the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Summer Game Fest 2023 and the stagnant state of the industry

  In 2023, the state of the video game market is, "big and getting bigger." So why, from a player perspective, does it feel like the industry is shrinking? Let's talk it out.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• Paradox Interactive will refund physical pre-orders for ‘Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2’

  Paradox Interactive announced today that it will refund all physical pre-orders for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. The long-delayed sequel to the 2004 cult classic was last available for pre-sales in early 2021. That was when Paradox announced it was parting ways with developer Hardsuit Labs and pushing back the title's release date indefinitely. However, there may be a glimmer of hope for holdouts as the publisher teased more news in September about the vampire game.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Usagi Yojimbo will be playable in the upcoming DLC for 'TMNT: Shredder's Revenge'

  Developer Tribute Games just announced some robust DLC coming later this year for the well-reviewed beat 'em up 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge.' The 'Dimension Shellshock' DLC features a new game mode, new color swaps for playable characters and brand new playable characters like iconic comic book character Miyamoto Usagi from 'Usagi Yojimbo.'

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• A Hideo Kojima documentary will take you behind the scenes of 'Death Stranding'

  A documentary about Hideo Kojima, one of the most lauded video game designers on the planet, is on the way. You can check out the first trailer for 'Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds' here.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Summer Game Fest 2023: How to watch and what to expect

  Summer Game Fest kicks off June 8th — here's how to watch and what you're likely to see.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• VR Assassin’s Creed, Stranger Things and Ghostbusters arrive on Meta Quest later this year

  Meta announced a slate of upcoming games today for its standalone VR headsets (including the upcoming Meta Quest 3). Apple is expected to enter the virtual headset space next week, so Meta is hoping to make a lasting impression with its lineup of upcoming VR titles from beloved franchises, including Assassin's Creed, Stranger Things, Ghostbusters and Attack on Titan — along with some VR remakes of old-school classics.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• 'Street Fighter 6' gets the vibe right

  Street Fighter 6 is everything Street Fighter fans want in a fighting game.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

Google (26)

• YouTube test threatens to block viewers if they continue using ad blockers

  YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach when it comes to getting viewers to disable their ad blockers.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Google will pull news links in Canada in response to new law

  Google is pulling news links from its search and news features in Canada after the passage of a new law.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Morning After: Google stops plans to build its own augmented reality glasses

  The biggest news stories this morning: Google is no longer building its own augmented reality glasses, North America's first hydrogen-powered train debuts in Canada, Microsoft is already offering a generative AI certification program.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Google refutes claims it violated its own guidelines and misled advertisers

  Google has denied "extremely inaccurate claims" that it may have violated its own rules and misled advertisers over ad viewership on third-party websites.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Google is no longer building its own augmented reality glasses

  Google has killed a project internally known as "Iris" that it established to build augmented reality glasses, according to Business Insider.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• YouTube fan accounts will soon need a disclosure in the channel name or handle

  YouTube is trying to clamp down on impersonation as it's bringing in new rules for fan accounts.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• YouTube's new tool can automatically dub videos in other languages

  YouTube has plans to let creators go beyond translated subtitles by allowing creators to dub videos into other spoken languages.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Google's Duet AI can generate custom templates in Sheets

  Starting today, trusted testers will see a new sidebar in Google Sheets. They can describe what they want to do and Google's Duet AI will create custom templates to help them get the ball rolling.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Chrome can soon convert PDFs into text it can read aloud

  Google Chrome will soon let you turn PDFs into text it can read aloud.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Twitter has supposedly started paying its Google Cloud bill again

  Twitter has resumed paying its Google Cloud contract after newly appointed CEO Linda Yaccarino reportedly stepped in to patch up the relationship between the two companies.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• News publishing giant Gannett sues Google for monopolizing ad tech

  Gannett, a news publisher accused of monopolistic behavior, is suing Google for monopolistic behavior. It's the latest in a string of lawsuits against the search giant, and it repeats many of the arguments made by the Department of Justice in its second lawsuit against Google, filed earlier this year. Gannett is the US' largest news publisher. "Google has monopolized market trading to their advantage and at the expense of publishers, readers and everyone else," Gannett CEO Mike Reed said to CNBC. "Digital advertising is the lifeblood of the online economy. Without free and fair competition for digital ad space, publishers cannot invest in their newsrooms."

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Google unexpectedly sells its domain-hosting business to Squarespace

  Squarespace has entered an agreement to purchase Google's domain business. The company expects to acquire approximately 10 million domains. The deal is expected to close in Q3 2023.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Google forced to delay Bard AI's EU launch over privacy concerns

  Google will have to push back the launch of its Bard AI in the EU after officials raised privacy concerns.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google Search can now help detect skin conditions and show how clothes look on AI models

  Other search updates include Lens identifying skin abnormalities, more places to try Immersive View and more.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• EU could breakup Google’s ad business over antitrust violations

  Europe has accused Google of "abusive practices in online advertising technology" that could lead to its ad business being split up.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Google Home's new script editor can make smart device automations even more powerful

  After releasing its redesigned Home app last month, Google is giving users far more control over their smart homes via new script editor.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Google's 'Katamari Damacy' easter egg lets you roll up your search results

  Google has another easter egg up its sleeve. This time, all you'll need to do is search "Katamari" and you'll have access to this classic PS2 title - right in the browser.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Twitter has reportedly refused to pay its Google Cloud contract

  More platform instability could be in Twitter's future, with the company reportedly refusing to pay Google for the Cloud services contract the two signed in 2018.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Google's Pixel 8 Pro could feature a larger, more capable main camera sensor

  The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will reportedly feature Samsung's ISOCELL GN2 sensors for better low-light performance.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Google's Chrome Password Manager gets new security and usability features

  You can now upload from other password managers, add security notes and more.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Google Meet makes the picture-in-picture experience far more useful

  Google Meet, the company's answer to Zoom and Microsoft Teams, just got an update that makes the picture-in-picture feature far more useful.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Google's Bard AI is getting better at programming

  It can also now export to Sheets.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Google brings its predictive smart compose feature to Chat

  Google's Slack-like business app Chat, previously known as Hangouts, is getting an AI update.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Fitbit users can log in with their Google accounts starting on June 6th

  We've known it was coming for quite some time, but now Google has a date for when it will start transitioning Fitbit users to Google logins.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• YouTube changes misinformation policy to allow videos falsely claiming fraud in the 2020 US election

  In a Friday afternoon news dump, YouTube inexplicably announced today that 2020 election denialism is a-okay. The company says it "carefully deliberated this change" without offering any specifics on its reasons for the about-face. YouTube initially banned content disputing the results of the 2020 election in December of that year.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Google Wallet will let you add passes by taking a photo

  Google Wallet will soon let you add a pass just by taking a photo of the card.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

Laptops (1)

• Razer Blade 14 laptop refresh features powerful Ryzen 9 and RTX 4070 chips

  Razer is back with a refresh for its popular Blade 14 ultra-premium gaming laptop line and the specs are beefier than a trip to the meat-packing plant. There had been speculation as to what chips would power Razer's latest and greatest, but those questions are now answered. The new Razer Blade 14 features AMD's Ryzen 9 7940HS with eight cores, 16 threads and a 24MB cache. The basic model ships with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU but it's upgradeable to the RTX 4070.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

Meta (24)

• Senators demand answers from Meta over how it handles CSAM on Instagram

  A group of bipartisan senators are said to have asked Meta to explain Instagram's alleged failure to prevent child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from being shared among networks of pedophiles on the platform. Lawmakers from the Senate Judiciary Committee also want to know how Instagram's algorithms brought users who want to share such content together in the first place, according to The Wall Street Journal.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Facebook may let EU users download apps directly from ads

  Meta is gearing up to debut a new type of Facebook ads that will allow users in the European Union to download apps without having to visit their mobile platform's app store, according to The Verge.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Meta's Oversight Board urges Facebook to suspend Cambodia's Prime Minister

  Meta's Oversight Board has called for a six month ban on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's Facebook and Instagram accounts for inciting violence.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Meta explains how its AI decides what you see on Facebook and Instagram

  Meta has released information that explain how its AI systems rank content for its Feed, Stories and Reels on Facebook and Instagram.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Facebook adds parental control tools to Messenger

  Meta has added new tools to its Family Center that will allow parents to see and control how their teenage kids are using Messenger.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Meta’s Quest+ subscription offers two VR titles per month

  Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced Meta Quest+, a plan that grants users access to "the best titles on the platform" for $8 per month or $60 per year. The subscription is available starting today on Quest 2 and Quest Pro. It's also coming to Quest 3 when that headset arrives this fall.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Meta pulls news content from Canadian Facebook and Instagram

  Meta made good on its threat to pull Facebook's news feature from the Canadian market after the country's parliament voted to pass the Online News Act.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Oversight Board criticizes Meta for refusing to take down Brazilian pro-insurrection video

  The independent reviewer called for Meta to 'develop a framework for evaluating its election integrity efforts.'

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Meta will lower the Quest headset's recommended age from 13 to 10

  Meta will let kids as young as 10 use its Quest headsets, but there are safety and health worries.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Meta rolls back COVID-19 misinformation rules in many countries

  Meta is rolling back COVID-19 misinformation rules for Instagram and Facebook in countries that no longer deem the pandemic to be a national emergency. The rules will no longer apply in the US, along with some other territories.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Texas AG subpoenas Pfizer to release Meta ad records

  The Texas AG has subpoenaed Pfizer to release any advertising data it has associated with the social media giant Meta.

  By Malak Saleh Read More

• Meta's Voicebox AI is a Dall-E for text-to-speech

  Meta's Voicebox AI promises to do for the spoken word what ChatGPT and Dall-E, respectfully, did for text and image generation.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Meta is expanding its bonus program that pays creators for Facebook posts

  Meta is trying to lure more creators to Facebook with new monetization features.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Meta's Horizon Worlds is getting a text-based 'world chat' feature

  After introducing mini-games and allowing access to younger teens, Meta is trying to make its VR-based Horizon Worlds more social.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Meta's open-source MusicGen AI uses text to create song genre mashups

  Meta's Audiocraft research team has just released MusicGen, an open source deep learning language model that can generate new music based on text prompts.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Meta test puts Reels on the Quest

  The Meta Quest 3 is launching this fall.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Mark Zuckerberg says generative AI is coming to ‘every single one of our products’

  Meta's generative AI plans are starting to come into focus, the company is working on a slew of generative Ai features for its apps.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Meta vows to take action after report found Instagram’s algorithm promoted pedophilia content

  Meta has set up an internal task force after reporters discovered a vast network of accounts dedicated to disseminating underage-sex content.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Meta’s Oversight Board says the company’s rules are (slowly) changing for the better

  More than two years after it formed, the Oversight Board says that its recommendations have helped make Meta's rules more transparent to its users, though the company still needs to improve in some key areas.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Meta will require staff to be in the office at least three days a week

  Meta will make workers return to the office at least three times a week starting September 5th.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Morning After: Meta announces its new mixed-reality headset, the Quest 3

  The biggest news stories this morning: Meta announces its new mixed-reality headset, the Quest 3, Apple is reportedly testing high-end Macs powered by its new M2 chips, Motorola's folding Razr+ has a giant external display.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Meta test will limit news posts for Facebook and Instagram users in Canada

  Facebook has announced that it will begin tests on Facebook and Instagram that "limit some users and publishers from viewing or sharing some news content in Canada."

  By Steve Dent Read More

• 'Asgard's Wrath 2' is Meta's most ambitious VR game to date

  Meta is positioning Asgard's Wrath 2 as its most ambitious VR game to date. It says the RPG, which will take 60-plus hours to beat, features "massive worlds beyond the scope of any other game on the Meta Quest platform."

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Meta's Connect 2023 event is set for September 27th

  Meta has revealed the dates for this year's Connect. The company has promised to reveal more details about the Quest 3 at the event.

  By Kris Holt Read More

Microsoft (8)

• Microsoft is already offering a generative AI certification program

  Although Big Tech is still (sometimes clumsily) figuring out generative AI's ethics and implications, the genie is out of the bottle, and the technology is already integrating into the workforce. From that perspective, Microsoft announced a new program today to train workers on AI. The initiative will offer free coursework through LinkedIn, including certification.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Microsoft confirms June Outlook and OneDrive outages were caused by DDoS attacks

  In early June, a group known as Anonymous Sudan took credit for a service outage that disrupted access to Outlook, OneDrive and a handful of other Microsoft online services. On Friday, the company confirmed a DDoS attack was behind the incident.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger temporarily blocked by US judge

  A US federal judge has issued an order that temporarily blocks the companies from finalizing their $68.7 billion deal while waiting for the court to decide on the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• FTC files injunction to block Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard

  The FTC is looking for an injunction to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Microsoft adds AI voice chat to Bing on desktop

  You can now talk to Bing on desktop, and it can even read its replies to you out loud.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Microsoft will pay the FTC $20 million to settle charges over collecting children's data

  Microsoft will have to pay $20 million to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that the company collected its underage Xbox users' information and retained their data even without their parents' consent.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Microsoft is killing the standalone Cortana app for Windows in late 2023

  Apparently, the introduction of Windows Copilot signaled the end of Cortana on Microsoft's desktop OS.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Microsoft was reportedly hands-off with Xbox dud ‘Redfall’

  By now, it's well-known that Xbox-exclusive Redfall was a colossal commercial and critical dud when it launched last month. Its somewhat intriguing concept — vampires inhabiting a well-to-do Massachusetts island — was held back by bugs and an overall lack of polish. (The description "not fit for public consumption" summarized Jessica Conditt's impressions in Engadget's review.) Now, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier has pulled back the curtain on alleged behind-the-scenes turmoil that led to Xbox's latest setback in its mission to catch up with Sony's and Nintendo's first-party console sellers.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

Mobile (6)

• The Biden administration’s $42 billion broadband program is finally getting underway

  President Joe Biden today announced how $42 billion in funding to bolster broadband internet access will be allocated. The investment, which was funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to give all Americans access to high-speed internet by 2030.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• A 5G deadline could ground some US flights starting July 1st

  Planes without compatible altimeters won't be allowed to fly in low visibility.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• NFC tech could get faster and go fully contactless within the next five years

  You may be able to pay for purchases and get into train stations without having to physically touch your phone to an NFC terminal in the future.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Vodafone and Three plan to merge into the UK's largest mobile network

  Three's second attempt to join forces with a competitor still needs to clear major regulatory hurdles.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• AT&T starts using Google's Jibe platform for RCS messages

  AT&T is migrating its RCS backend to Google's own Jibe platform, a change that should make using the tech better on the carrier's devices.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• FCC orders Avid Telecom to stop health insurance-related robocalls

  The Federal Communications Commission has issued a cease and desist letter to Avid Telecom, the same company sued by nearly all Attorneys General in the US for alleged robocall activities.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

News (29)

• The FTC plans to slap companies with hefty fines for using fake reviews

  The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a formal ban on fake reviews and testimonials. Companies would also be prohibited from using phony followers and views to inflate their social media metrics.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Peloton expands its gamified exercise experience to treadmills

  Peloton is continuing to gamify its hardware lineup with the launch of Lanebreak Tread, a software experience for its beleaguered line of treadmills. The software suite looks similar to pre-existing racing experiences for the company's exercise bike line, and Lanebreak for Peloton cycles is a well-regarded bit of gamification, so the bona-fides are solid.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• DoorDash will start offering couriers an hourly rate while they're fulfilling orders

  DoorDash says it will offer couriers a guaranteed hourly rate for "active delivery time" as part of a raft of changes to its platform. For each delivery, they can choose between this Earn by Time option or stick with a per-order payment.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Lithium-ion battery creator John Goodenough dies at 100

  A key creator of the lithium-ion battery, John Goodenough, has died at the age of 100.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Russia blocks access to Google News after Wagner Group forces threaten to topple military

  According to internet monitor NetBlocks, at least five Russian telecoms are blocking web users inside the country from accessing Google News after Wagner Group forces crossed the border from Ukraine.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• EPA creates youth council to advise the agency on climate change policy

  The EPA is creating its first National Environmental Youth Advisory Council to help tackle climate change.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Philips Hue lights are getting brightness balancing and better motion sensor automations

  Philips Hue is introducing some new features that make it easier to match brightness levels on different lights and fine-tune motion sensor automation.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon handed four month sentence in Montenegro

  He's wanted in South Korea and the US for defrauding cryptocurrency investors.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• The FCC is preparing to take a 'fresh look' at internet data caps

  Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel wants to open a formal Notice of Inquiry into the impact of internet data caps on consumers.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Biden administration announces $930 million in grants to expand rural internet access

  The Biden administration awarded $930 million in grants for telecom companies to build fiber networks in rural communities across 35 states and Puerto Rico.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Binance reaches deal with SEC to avoid US asset freeze

  The SEC and Binance have reached an agreement that will allow the cryptocurrency exchange to continue operating in the US until a lawsuit filed by the regulator earlier this month is resolved.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified documents has been indicted

  Jack Texeira, the Air National Guard member who was arrested in April for sharing documents containing US intelligence matters, has been indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified national defense information.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• UDO details Super Gemini synthesizer, a 20-voice beast perfect for sound design

  British instrument manufacturer UDO has released pricing and availability information for its upcoming Super Gemini synthesizer after first teasing the device at Superbooth 2023. The Super Gemini is an absolute beast, with 20 voices, dual-layer polyphony, and a bi-timbral analog hybrid sound engine.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• The Morning After: Anker gets into the home solar battery game

  Anker muscles in on Tesla's Powerwall turf, Sennheiser makes earplugs and why Ubisoft needs a reboot.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Fujfilm's Instax SQ40 marries retro charm with larger square film

  Fujifilm's line of instant cameras has grown again with the launch of the Instax SQ40.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• UPS tentatively agrees to add air conditioning to its trucks

  UPS tentatively agreed to equip its delivery trucks with air conditioning for the first time following union negotiations between the company and the Teamsters. "Air conditioning is coming to UPS, and Teamster members in these vehicles will get the relief and protection they've been fighting for," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien. However, the agreement only requires AC in new delivery vehicles purchased after January 1st, 2024, meaning it won't likely spell relief for drivers this summer.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Sonos lays off 7 percent of its workforce

  Sonos is cutting about 130 jobs as it deals with a tough competitive landscape.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Anker's new Solix home energy storage includes a modular solar battery system

  Anker is moving into Tesla's territory with the launch of the Solix line of home energy products, including a modular Powerwall-like battery storage system.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Moog acquired by conglomerate inMusic, joining Akai and Alesis

  Iconic synth manufacturer Moog has been acquired by super conglomerate inMusic, joining other brands snatched up by the company like Alesis, Akai, M-Audio and, well, a bunch more. In a statement, Moog president Joe Richardson says the acquisition could help the company overcome "ongoing challenges", citing global distribution supply chain concerns.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Instant Pot parent company files for bankruptcy

  Instant Pot's parent company, Instant Brands, has declared bankruptcy.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Ubisoft Forward 2023 in 13 minutes

  Ubisoft Forward 2023 in 13 minutes

  By Engadget Staff Read More

• New York City sets an $18 per hour minimum wage for food delivery workers

  New York is about to become the first city in the United States to mandate a minimum wage for food delivery workers.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Hitting the books: Why you shouldn't blog about asking a cop to go shopping for you

  In "Swipe Up for More!" Stephanie McNeal takes an unflinching look at the the public personas and private lives of three of the internet's most influential lifestyle bloggers.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Canon made a prototype 180- and 360-degree VR camera

  At the Photo Next 2023 show in Japan, Canon showed off a prototype convertible camera that can capture 180-degree 3D

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• United is putting 4K displays and Bluetooth on its planes

  United is installing almost 300,000 units of Panasonic Avionics' Astrova in-flight entertainment (IFE) screens on select new Boeing 787 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• How to build a box fan air filter to escape the wildfire smoke blanketing NYC

  As much of the northern and eastern US finds itself enveloped in haze stemming from Canadian wildfires, Engadget has a timely how-to for building your own box air fan.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• The latest Yoto Player features stereo audio and a room thermometer

  The third-generation Yoto Player, an audio playback device for kids, includes a slew of upgrades and improvements. Features include stereo audio, a room thermometer, longer battery life and a durable case.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Binance faces SEC charges for allegedly mishandling funds and dodging rules

  The SEC has slapped crypto giant Binance with 13 charges.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Man allegedly used a Nintendo ‘Duck Hunt’ gun to rob convenience store

  Police have arrested a South Carolina man after he allegedly robbed a convenience store armed with a Nintendo light gun primarily used in the 1980s to play 'Duck Hunt.' The 25-year-old suspect allegedly made away with $300 in cash after donning a mask, wig, hoodie sweatshirt and the aforementioned Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Zapper gun accessory.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

Nintendo (12)

• Nintendo Switch Online gets four classic Genesis games, including Ghouls ’n Ghosts

  The Nintendo Switch Online library just got a bit beefier, thanks to the addition of four classic Sega Genesis titles. The subscription-based classic games platform is now host to 'Ghouls 'n Ghosts', 'The Revenge of Shinobi', 'Landstalker' and 'Crusader of Centy', joining around 30 pre-existing Genesis titles and many more NES and SNES games.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Nintendo says it'll be easy to transfer over to its next console

  Nintendo's President and CEO Shuntaro recently said that the company is exploring ways to make it easier to bring your current games to its next-generation console - whenever it comes out.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• 'Batman: Arkham Trilogy' comes to Switch this fall

  The classic 'Batman: Arkham Trilogy' is coming to the Nintendo Switch this fall.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Nintendo's new WarioWare game wants you to move your whole body

  There are more than 200 microgames in WarioWare: Move It!. You'll need to hold your Joy-Cons and sync your movements with what you see on the screen to win.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Play as Elephant Mario in 'Super Mario Bros. Wonder' on October 20th

  Super Mario Bros. Wonder, a new but classic adventure featuring Mario and friends, is coming to Nintendo Switch on October 20th, 2023.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• A 'Super Mario RPG' remake is coming to Nintendo Switch on November 17th

  'Super Mario RPG' is back with 'brand-new graphics' and it's coming to Nintendo Switch on November 11th. A 'Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon' remake is also on the way.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• 'Detective Pikachu Returns' lands on Switch October 6th

  Detective Pikachu Returns is due to hit Nintendo Switch on October 6th, 2023.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• The next Nintendo Direct will take place on June 21st

  Nintendo will host its second proper Direct of the year on June 21st. The stream will run for around 40 minutes and it will mostly focus on games coming to Switch this year.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• McDonald's just released a Grimace Game Boy Color game

  McDonald's launched a Game Boy Color-style title in celebration of Grimace's 52nd birthday.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Nintendo's '1-2 Switch' party game is getting a sequel

  Nintendo is launching a sequel to 1-2 Switch, its party title that features a robust collection of mini-games, on June 30th.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Nintendo kicks off the summer with pastel-hued Joy-Con controllers

  Nintendo is releasing new Switch Joy-Con controllers in pastel colors this summer.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Nintendo officially halts all eShop sales in Russia

  Nintendo has officially announced that it will be halting all sales on its eShop in Russia. Existing customers will be able to continue to download previously purchased games and DLC for the foreseeable future.

  By Peter Cao Read More

PC Gaming (12)

• 'World of Warcraft Classic Hardcore' brings permadeath to Blizzard's MMO

  "Death = Delete" is about to become an official World of Warcraft game mode.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• I consider myself a patient person, but 'The Password Game' might break me

  The Password Game is not for the faint of heart or weak of will.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Former Apple Arcade exclusive, 'Air Twister,' is coming to PC and consoles

  The rail shooter game originally came out last year.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• ‘EVE Online’s spreadsheets in space now integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Excel

  EVE Online has finally embraced its destiny. The game, often jokingly called a "spreadsheet simulator" due to the competitive advantages its most dedicated players can gain by tracking in-game data, now has a Microsoft Excel add-in. "Gain a competitive edge by harnessing the power of data, as access to and the understanding of data can spell the difference between victory and defeat," developer CCP Games wrote Tuesday in a blog post. The free extension, first announced last year at EVE Fanfest, is available now.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Steam overhauls notifications, UI elements and the in-game overlay

  Valve has turned on hardware acceleration for Mac and Linux users, too.

  By Sean Buckley Read More

• Zwift launches dedicated game controllers for its bike-based fitness platform

  The Zwift virtual cycling platform is getting a dedicated first-party game controller to simplify and improve the user experience. The Zwift Play controller attaches to the handlebars and provides a full suite of input options, with a directional pad, programmable analog buttons and a paddle on the back of each handle for braking and steering. The device attaches via silicone straps and integrates with most drop handlebar designs.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Microsoft's PC Game Pass is coming to NVIDIA's GeForce Now service

  Microsoft Game Pass members will soon be able to stream select PC games on NVIDIA's GeForce Now.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Watch the Summer Game Fest PC Gaming Show here at 4PM ET

  You can check out the PC Gaming Show Summer Showcase right here. It will feature 55 games, including 20 brand-new titles.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• ‘Minecraft’ for ChromeOS leaves early access, works on more machines

  'Minecraft' is now more broadly available on Chromebook. You can snap up 'Minecraft: Bedrock Edition' from the Google Play Store for $20. It should work on any Chromebook from the last three years.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Hideo Kojima's 'Death Stranding: Director's Cut' is coming to the Mac

  Hideo Kojima's 'Death Stranding: Director's Cut' will be available on the Mac later this year.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Hit cat game 'Stray' is coming to Macs

  Feline-focused cyberpunk adventure 'Stray' is officially coming to Mac. The critically-acclaimed title will be available for all Apple silicon models, from the most powerful Mac Studio desktops to standard Macbook Air laptops. This release is only for silicon models, however, so older Intel-based Macs need not apply. There's no release date yet.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• No Man's Sky arrives on Mac today

  It uses Apple's Metal 3 API for elevated graphics.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

PlayStation (6)

• Sony didn’t want ‘Roblox’ on PlayStation due to child safety concerns

  Sony blocked Roblox from PlayStation consoles because it was worried about inappropriate content reaching children. The revelation comes from a 2022 document, first reported by Axios, uncovered in the FTC's Microsoft trial. However, Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan said at the time that the company's stance was softening, leaving the door open to an eventual PlayStation port for the viral user-generated platform.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• PlayStation Plus free July games include ‘CoD: Black Ops Cold War’ and ‘Alan Wake Remastered’

  Sony announced the PlayStation Plus games lineup for July today. They include Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Alan Wake Remastered and Endling – Extinction is Forever. All three titles will be available on PS5 and PS4 for subscribers on the Essential, Extra and Premium tiers.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Sony is testing PS5 game cloud streaming for PS Plus Premium users

  Sony is testing PS5 game streaming for PlayStation Plus Premium members.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• 'Final Fantasy VII Remake: Rebirth' is delayed to early 2024

  Summer Games Fest's final reveal was the sequel...est of all sequels: Final Fantasy VII Remake's second chapter, Rebirth.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• ‘Spider-Man 2’ launches on October 20th

  Developer Insomniac revealed the launch date for Spider-Man 2 at Summer Game Fest 2023. The PS5 exclusive arrives on October 20th, a date Insomniac's Brian Horton says the team is "very confident" standing behind.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• ‘Spider-Man 2’ will let you swap between Peter and Miles with the push of a button

  Insomniac has revealed some more details about 'Marvel's Spider-Man 2,' including the size of the map and how players will switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales.

  By Kris Holt Read More

Reviews (28)

• Shokz OpenFit delivers open-ear audio without bone conduction

  Shokz announces the OpenFit ($179.95), its newest headphone with an open-ear design that isn't bone conduction.

  By Jon Turi Read More

• The Morning After: The verdict on Google’s Pixel Fold

  The biggest news stories this morning: NASA is creating a ChatGPT-like AI assistant for astronauts, The verdict on Google's Pixel Fold, Netflix is removing its 'basic' plan in Canada.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Google Pixel Fold review: The challenger that Samsung needs

  Despite being Google's first attempt at making a flexible phone, the Pixel Fold brings a lot of interesting design tweaks to the space, which makes it a very worthy rival to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold line.

  By Sam Rutherford Read More

• Urtopia's Chord e-bike is a little overkill for a city ride and that's okay

  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Urtopia's Chord e-bike should have a broader appeal than its racey sibling. The good news is, it's still just as loaded with sensors and features.

  By James Trew Read More

• Moto Razr+ review: Finally some real competition for Samsung’s Flip foldables

  With a roomy 3.6-inch external display, the Moto Razr+ is arguably the most useful flip-style foldable phone on the market. But it's held back by lackluster cameras, limited software updates and long-term durability concerns.

  By Cherlynn Low Read More

• 'Simpler Times' is the coziest game I've played in a long time

  Simpler Times provides a supremely peaceful environment and invites players to get lost in it. Tje game comes from Transylvania studio stoneskip and is due to be published by iam8bit in 2024.

  By Jessica Conditt Read More

• iFixit teardown reveals ASUS' ROG Ally is easier to pry open than the Steam Deck

  ASUS' ROG Ally is more repair-friendly than the Steam Deck, provided you can find parts.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Engadget Podcast: Reviewing the Moto Razr+ and Pixel Tablet

  This week, Cherlynn, Jess and guest Michael Fisher talk about how the Moto Razr+ and Pixel Tablet fit in our lives.

  By Cherlynn Low Read More

• ‘Sand Land’ first impressions: An Akira Toriyama manga, brought to life

  You may have never heard of Sand Land, but don't let that put you off, because it's a 2000s comic penned by legendary manga artist, Akira Toriyama. Yes, Dragon Ball creator, Akira Toriyama. The man who created the character designs for Chrono Trigger, Blue Dragon and the Dragon Quest series. And Toriyama's creations have never looked better.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• TP-Link Deco XE75 review: a solid WiFi 6E router system that delivers more for less

  It's not the most polished, or best-looking, but it's the right mix of affordable and powerful for folks who feel confident to manage their own mesh.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Final Fantasy XVI review: A welcome dramatic turn for the series

  With Final Fantasy XVI, the series' creators have decided that the future of the series is action-centric. Until now, the Final Fantasy games have never quite had their angry, moody dark moment. With nuanced, occasionally horny characters and often a lot of violence, is this the series' moody teenager era?

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Nest WiFi Pro review: Google’s WiFi 6E mesh is more approachable than the rest

  Google's blend of performance and price remains unbeatable in the mesh WiFi space.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Panasonic S5 IIX review: Power and value in one vlogging package

  Panasonic's S5 IIX has phase-detect autofocus and all other benefits of the S5 II, but lets you record directly to an SSD.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• The Morning After: The verdict on Google’s Pixel Tablet

  The biggest news stories this morning: The FCC is preparing to take a 'fresh look' at internet data caps, Samsung brings its self-repair program to the UK, The verdict on Google's Pixel Tablet.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Google Pixel Tablet review: Clever accessories transform an unexciting tablet

  The Pixel Tablet is a competent smart display that is also a tablet that's always charged and ready when you need it. Some quirks aside, it's a versatile product that deserves a spot in your home.

  By Cherlynn Low Read More

• Engadget Podcast: Reddit’s revolt, MacBook Air 15 and Mac Studio reviews

  This week, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss the recent subreddit revolts, following the company's decision to dramatically increase the cost of its API for third parties.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• ‘Under the Waves’ is a sad but relaxing oceanic adventure

  In Under the Waves, you play as Stan. And he doesn't seem to be in a good place. My demo started on the third day of his placement at an underwater living pod, but I know (from the game's synopsis) that he's down there quite literally to get away from it all.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• MSI Stealth 14 Studio review: A redesign done right

  Thanks to a complete redesign for 2023, MSI's new Stealth 14 Studio may have just earned a spot as the most improved gaming laptop of the year.

  By Sam Rutherford Read More

• Sennheiser SoundProtex Plus review: Concert earplugs that don't kill the vibe

  Sennheiser's latest product is designed to protect your hearing without completely sacrificing sound quality, so we put them to the test at concert.

  By Billy Steele Read More

• The Morning After: Is the 15-inch MacBook Air any good?

  The new MacBook Air and Mac Studio reviewed plus all the biggest news from Summer Game Fest and the latest development in Reddit's war with its own users.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Apple Mac Studio review (M2 Ultra, 2023): A better Mac for pros

  With updated M2 Max and Ultra chips, the Mac Studio cements itself as the ideal desktop for Apple-devoted creatives. It can be equipped with as much power as the Mac Pro and, thanks to its many ports, you probably won't miss being able to upgrade internal hardware. It's sleek, compact and incredibly fast.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Apple MacBook Air 15-inch review: A bigger screen makes a surprising difference

  Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air is nearly identical to the 13-inch model, with a powerful M2 processor, great keyboard and trackpad and long battery life. But the screen is a huge upgrade over the smaller one, and it's also the rare Apple product that's a solid value.

  By Nathan Ingraham Read More

• ‘Lysfanga’ is what happens when hack-and-slash meets tactical time travel

  While some action-game prowess helps, you'll only beat most levels in Lysfanga by thinking before you act.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Engadget Podcast: Trying out Apple's Vision Pro headset

  We dive into our thoughts on using Apple's Vision Pro headset.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Apple Vision Pro hands-on: A new milestone for mixed reality, but issues remain

  The Vision Pro is undoubtedly the best VR/AR experience we've seen yet, but it still has issues.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• Apple MacBook Air 15-inch preview: Portable power

  Our early impressions of the 15-inch MacBook Air, live from Apple's WWDC 2023.

  By Cherlynn Low Read More

• 15-inch laptops compared: Apple MacBook Air 15, Dell XPS 15 and ASUS ZenBook Pro 15

  Apple WWDC 2023: The company confirmed rumors about a 15-inch MacBook Air during the keynote at their annual event. Here's how it compares to similar models.

  By Amy Skorheim Read More

• Moto Razr 2023 hands-on: Two promising foldable updates to an iconic phone

  Today Motorola announced some much-needed updates to its iconic foldable phone line with the new 2023 Razr and Razr+.

  By Sam Rutherford Read More

Robotics (2)

• Researchers give robots roly-polies for hands

  Last summer we got inflatable necrobotic spider corpses. This summer we get captive woodlice grippers. Next summer, arthropods take their revenge.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Students create robot death machine for invasive spotted lanternflies

  The spotted lanternfly may look innocent, but these ravenous creatures have been known to decimate crops, causing more than $500 million in damages to various fruit trees since being accidentally introduced to this country nearly a decade ago. Students at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have developed a plan to battle the insects via a robot death machine that targets eggs.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

Samsung (5)

• Engadget Podcast: The rise of foldable competitors for Samsung

  This week, Cherlynn, Sam and guest Julian Chokkattu talk about the Pixel Fold and the state of foldables and smartphones in general.

  By Cherlynn Low Read More

• Samsung's latest Pokémon-themed Galaxy Buds are too cute

  You can choose from Jigglypuff, Ditto and Snorlax.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Samsung brings its self-repair program to the UK

  Samsung has announced that its self-repair program is now available in the UK and other European countries, after launching in the US last year.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Former Samsung executive accused of trying to copy an entire chip plant in China

  The data breach allegedly cost Samsung $230 million.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Samsung will focus on foldables in its upcoming July Unpacked event

  Samsung says it will unveil its next-gen foldable devices at the event.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

Science (9)

• Researchers reconstruct 3D environments from eye reflections

  Researchers at the University of Maryland have turned eye reflections into (somewhat discernible) 3D scenes. The work builds on Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF), an AI technology that can reconstruct environments from 2D photos. Although the eye-reflection approach has a long way to go before it spawns any practical applications, the study provides a fascinating glimpse into a technology that could eventually reveal an environment from a series of simple portrait photos.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Hitting the Books: Why AI won't be taking our cosmology jobs

  In "The Universe in a Box" cosmologist Andrew Pontzen discusses how recent advances in supercomputing technology are revolutionizing our capability to model the complexities of the cosmos on a smaller scale.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Generative AI can help bring tomorrow's gaming NPCs to life

  Today's non-playable characters are a step above the Ghost Gang of yesteryear but they're still a far cry from human-level fidelity. Generative AI can fix that.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• The Morning After: Let’s talk about air quality

  How to keep yourself safe during the Canadian wildfires, blog-writing AIs and Samsung's push for more foldables.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Harvard’s synthetic heart valve is designed to grow in step with the human body

  Researchers have developed a promising synthetic heart valve that may eventually be used for growing children. Harvard's Wass Institute and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) created what they call FibraValve. This implant can be manufactured in minutes using a spun-fiber method that lets them shape the valve's delicate flaps on a microscopic level — ready to be colonized by the patient's living cells, developing with them as they mature.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• How to understand Air Quality Index alerts for NYC and the rest of the east coast

  Air quality levels in parts of Canada and the US have nosedived in recent days as winds have carried smoke from wildfires in Quebec and Nova Scotia across the continent. Here's how to understand the EPA's Air Quality Index and what to do when pollution levels become a health concern.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Scientists develop remote-controlled pill-shaped camera to diagnose digestive issues

  Ingestible video capsule endoscopes have been around for a while, but they're severely limited and not controllable by physicians, relying entirely on the digestive system for movement. Researchers may have just gotten around that limitation by developing a pill-shaped capsule that allows for remote control, as announced by the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Study finds sleep coaching app can help recover an extra hour of rest

  The makers of an app called Sleep Reset claim it can help you get more (and better) sleep without the use of drugs — and they have the study to prove it.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Hitting the Books: Why we like bigger things better

  In "Size," Dr Vaclav Smil takes readers on a multidiscipline tour of the social quirks, economic intricacies, and biological peculiarities that result from our function following our form.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

Smartphones (17)

• The Morning After: ASUS attempts the flagship compact smartphone, again

  The biggest news stories this morning: ASUS attempts the flagship compact smartphone, again, Virgin Galactic completes its first commercial spaceflight, Google will pull news links in Canada in response to new law.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• ASUS' Zenfone 10 is yet another compact flagship phone

  ASUS' latest compact smartphone finally comes with wireless charging.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• A Samsung Galaxy S23 FE may be on the way later this year

  A Samsung Galaxy S23 FE may be on the way later this year. Leaked images suggest the device will have a triple-camera array, including a telephoto lens.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• OnePlus' first foldable phone will reportedly feature a 2K screen

  A leak hins OnePlus' first foldable phone may deliver high-end specs.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Brave Pixel Fold owners can try to repair hardware issues with iFixit's help

  Brave souls who pick up Google's Pixel Fold and eventually discover an issue with the hardware will be able to try and fix the problem themselves. Google will offer official tools, parts and self-repair guides for the foldable through iFixit.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Qualcomm introduces new Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipsets for budget-friendly phones

  Qualcomm just revealed its new budget-friendly mobile chipset, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2. This refresh brings plenty of improvements that will kick lower-tier smartphones up a notch. The platform is designed for excellent battery life, with the company promising "all-day use." Qualcomm also promises fast CPU speeds, 5G connectivity and the potential for upgraded visuals via any integrated cameras.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Qualcomm introduces new Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipsets for budget-friendly phones

  Qualcomm just revealed its new budget-friendly mobile chipset, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2. This refresh brings plenty of improvements that will kick lower-tier smartphones up a notch. The platform is designed for excellent battery life, with the company promising "all-day use." Qualcomm also promises fast CPU speeds, 5G connectivity and the potential for upgraded visuals via any integrated cameras.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Sony plans to keep making smartphones for at least a few more years

  Qualcomm's Snapdragon platforms will continue to power Sony smartphones as part of a multi-year agreement.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• The Pixel 8 Pro could feature a flat display

  It looks like Google finally plans to release a Pixel Pro with a flat display.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Leaked Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 render shows a bigger cover display

  Samsung's next Galaxy Z Flip could feature a significantly bigger cover display.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Google's designers on why the Pixel Fold isn't just another foldable

  Ahead of the Pixel Fold's official release later this month, Engadget got a chance to interview two product managers from Google to get a deeper look at what makes the company's first foldable so important.

  By Sam Rutherford Read More

• Pixel phones receive a slew of new features like improved car crash detection

  Google just added a bunch of new features for Pixel smartphone owners in a system update. First of all, there's a major improvement to the car crash detection feature, as it now not only contacts emergency services but automatically shares real-time location information with emergency contacts.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Nothing will reveal the Phone 2 on July 11th

  The Nothing Phone 2 launch event is set for July 11th — this is Nothing's first handset for the US.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Morning After: iOS 17 offers better protection for unsolicited images

  Plus, adding extra storage to your Xbox just got a bit cheaper and Twitter's dwindling revenue under Musk.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• iOS 17 drops support for the iPhone 8 and X

  When Apple releases new versions of its operating systems this fall, it will no longer support certain older models. Check out all the compatible devices here.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Motorola's folding Razr+ will have a giant external display

  Motorola is bringing foldable Razr phones back to the US, including the flagship Razr+ with a huge external screen.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Android can now 'remix' emojis and help with reading practice

  Google has listed a bunch of features rolling out to the Android ecosystem starting today, June 1st, and one of them can help new readers improve their diction and vocabulary.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

Social Media (36)

• Tech firms sue Arkansas over social media age verification law

  A tech alliance including Meta and TikTok is suing Arkansas over its social media age verification law.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Twitter isn't showing tweets unless you're logged in

  It seems Twitter is no longer letting people who aren't signed in see any tweets. It's unclear whether this was an intentional decision by Twitter or another technical error.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Twitter's lawsuit over censorship in India has been dismissed

  Last year, Twitter sued India over orders to block content within the country, saying the government had applied its 2021 IT laws 'arbitrarily and disproportionately.'

  By Steve Dent Read More

• The Morning After: TikTok is killing off its BeReal clone

  The biggest news stories this morning: TikTok is killing off its BeReal clone, The SAE is creating a standardized version of Tesla's EV charging plug, SoftBank gave $170m to a social app whose users mostly didn't exist.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• SoftBank gave $170m to a social app whose users mostly didn't exist

  Back in 2021, Japanese investment giant SoftBank led a little-known social media app called IRL to unicorn status and an overall valuation of $1.17 billion by investing over $170 million. Well, it just turned out that the app completely made up its user numbers, admitting that 95 percent of its purported 20 million user base was fake.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• TikTok is jumping off the BeReal bandwagon by killing TikTok Now

  TikTok has told users that it's discontinuing TikTok Now, effectively a clone of last year's social media sensation BeReal.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Telegram Stories with customizable expiration times are coming next month

  In a series of messages on his Telegram channel, Pavel Durov has revealed that the instant messaging service is launching its own take on Stories next month.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• TikTok gives parents even more control over what their teens see

  TikTok is introducing new content filtering controls to its "Family Pairing" feature, letting parents filter out videos containing specific words or hashtags.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• A Reddit transcription community will shut down over a 'lack of trust' in the platform

  A group of Reddit volunteers who transcribe media from around 100 subreddits are shutting down their community, partly due to the company's controversial API changes.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Twitch announces chat-pinning feature for those with robust bank accounts

  Twitch just announced a chat-pinning feature similar to those found on YouTube and other platforms. Hype Chat offers a new revenue stream for both streamers and the platform itself. You pay $1 to $500 and compose a message that rests atop the chat until someone with deeper pockets comes along and knocks you from the spotlight.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• The Morning After: Popular subreddits welcomed adult content to protest Reddit changes

  The biggest news stories this morning: Popular parts of Reddit welcomed adult content to protest company's API changes, A 'Super Mario RPG' remake is coming to Nintendo Switch on November 17th, Cellular satellite test successfully beams 4G data from space to a regular phone.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• Discord (still) has a child safety issue

  A new report has revealed alarming statistics about Discord's issues with child safety.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Instagram finally lets users download Reels

  Instagram finally lets users download Reels videos, much as TikTok has done for years.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Popular subreddits welcomed porn content to protest Reddit's API changes

  Several popular subreddits that historically prohibited porn have started allowing users to post NSFW or Not Safe For Work content to oppose Reddit's API changes.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Reddit’s average daily traffic fell during blackout, according to third-party data

  On the day before the Reddit blackout began on June 12th, Similarweb logged more than 57 million daily visits to the platform. Two days later, that number was down to less than 52 million.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• The Reddit blackout is already forcing unexpected changes

  It's now clear that the Reddit blackout will have a significant impact on the platform, but perhaps not in the way its organizers intended.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Instagram is rolling out its Telegram-like broadcast channels worldwide

  Instagram is rolling out its one-way messaging broadcast channels globally. Meta plans to add the Telegram-like feature to Facebook and Messenger as well, after bringing a version of it to WhatsApp last week.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• WhatsApp may soon let you add multiple accounts to one device

  It follows an update that allows you to use one account across multiple phones.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Music publishers are suing Twitter for $250 million over 'massive' copyright infringement

  A group of more than a dozen music publishers is suing Twitter for $250 million over allegations of "massive" copyright infringement on the platform.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Popular subreddits plan to extend API protests indefinitely

  Moderators from popular Reddit communities say they plan to extend their blackout protests indefinitely. Many of the subreddits protesting the company's API changes were initially scheduled to participate only from Monday to Wednesday this week. But the vow to extend the demonstration came after CEO Steve Huffman reportedly sent a memo to staff saying Reddit would "get through it" while opining that "like all blowups on Reddit, this one will pass as well." In response to Huffman doubling down, a user wrote, "Let them fuck around and find out."

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Reddit's CEO reportedly told staff that the community's API protest will blow over

  Reddit's CEO reportedly told staff to ignore the noise from a protest against the company's decision to charge for API access. Steve Huffman said a collective action by thousands of subreddits 'will pass.'

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Instagram adds music and translation to its Notes feature

  Instagram's Notes feature, which lets you post a status update for your friends, is getting an upgrade. It now lets you share song clips and translate other users' notes.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Reddit suffers a major outage after thousands of subreddits temporarily shut down

  Reddit's website and mobile apps suffered a major outage on Monday, not long after thousands of subreddits went private to protest changes the company is making to API access.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Reddit sees more than 6,000 communities 'go dark' in protest over API changes

  The Reddit community's mass protest over the company's API changes has started.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Reddit CEO Steve Huffman defends API changes in AMA

  Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has finally spoken publicly about the company's deeply unpopular API changes.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• Screenshots of Instagram's answer to Twitter leak online

  During a company-wide meeting on Thursday, Meta chief product officer Chris Cox showed off UI mock-ups of the company's upcoming rival Twitter app, which promptly leaked online.

  By Andrew Tarantola Read More

• Reddit CEO will host an AMA on API changes as thousands of subreddits plan to 'go dark'

  Reddit CEO Steve Huffman will publicly address the community for the first time over the company's planned API changes that have sparked mass outrage on the platform.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• WhatsApp's new Channels feature lets accounts send one-way updates to followers

  WhatsApp has launched a new feature called Channels that makes it much more like a social media app.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Reddit says some accessibility apps won’t have to pay for its API

  Reddit is changing its controversial new API policy for the makers of some apps that are focused on accessibility, provided they don't monetize their services.

  By Karissa Bell Read More

• NYC sues Hyundai for negligence in wake of TikTok car thefts

  The city says the automaker's negligence contributed to a public nuisance.

  By Sean Buckley Read More

• Reddit is reportedly cutting 5 percent of its workforce

  Reddit is going through a restructuring, and according to an email by company chief Steve Huffman as seen by The Wall Street Journal, one of the moves it's going to make is laying off 90 employees.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Instagram may roll out its own AI chatbot in the near future

  A reverse engineer has found evidence of an AI chatbot that Instagram seems to be working on. The chatbot may be able to answer questions, give advice and help you write messages.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Twitter's ad sales have reportedly dropped by 59 percent since last year

  Twitter's advertising revenue is reportedly down 59 percent during a five week stretch between April 1st and early May compared to the same period last year.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Twitter’s head of brand safety and ad quality has left the company

  Twitter's head of brand safety and ad quality, A.J. Brown has exited the company today. It's unclear the reasoning behind it, but Brown marks the second high-level executive to leave Twitter this week.

  By Peter Cao Read More

• Twitter's head of safety and content moderation has left the company

  According to Reuters, Ella Irwin, Twitter's top executive for content moderation has resigned.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• BeReal is testing a direct messaging feature called RealChat

  BeReal has introduced a private messaging feature called RealChat, allowing it to boast a function found on major social media apps.

  By Steve Dent Read More

Space (12)

• Virgin Galactic completes its first commercial spaceflight

  After building to this point for 10 years, Virgin Galactic has successfully completed its first commercial flight.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Watch the launch of Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceflight

  After years of testing and delays, Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceflight is finally taking off — today, if the company's plan goes as intended.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Virgin Galactic will start commercial spaceflight on June 29th

  Virgin Galactic will start commercial spaceflight service as soon as June 27th.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• The Morning After: NASA is recycling 98 percent of astronaut pee on the ISS into drinkable water

  The biggest news stories this morning: NASA can now recycle 98 percent of astronaut pee on the ISS into drinkable water, YouTube is reportedly testing online games for mobile and desktop, Apple's Vision Pro headset may not come with a top strap in the box.

  By Mat Smith Read More

• NASA is recycling 98 percent of astronaut pee and sweat on the ISS into drinkable water

  This week, NASA revealed that the International Space Station's Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is recycling 98 percent of all water astronauts bring aboard the station.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Cellular satellite test successfully beams 4G data from space to a regular phone

  AST SpaceMobile recently completed a series of tests where its engineers downloaded data at 10Mbps from an off-the-shelf smartphone connected to a satellite in low-Earth orbit.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Firefly Aerospace buys the final scraps of doomed Virgin Orbit

  The last remnants of Virgin Orbit have been offloaded. Firefly Aerospace has agreed to buy the defunct satellite-launch company's remaining assets for $3.8 million. Firefly's purchase included the leftovers from a May auction that cleaned out most of the company's possessions, netting $36 million in Virgin Orbit's bankruptcy proceedings. Firefly's purchase was reported in June 15th filings in a Delaware bankruptcy court (via SpaceNews).

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Saturn’s moon Enceladus could support species similar to Earth

  Saturn's moon Enceladus has phosphorous. The finding came from recently analyzed icy particles emitted from the natural satellite's ocean plumes, detected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. The discovery means Enceladus has all the chemical building blocks for life as we know it on Earth. "This is the final one saying, 'Yes, Enceladus does have all of the ingredients that typical Earth life would need to live and that the ocean there is habitable for life as we know it," Morgan Cable, astrobiology chemist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told The Wall Street Journal.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Latest Webb Telescope images gives a look at stars being born in the Virgo constellation

  The latest images released from the James Webb Space Telescope show off the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068. It's a combination image consisting of infrared shots taken from the telescope's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) and NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) sensors. What those sensors captured is a galaxy in the Virgo constellation about 20 million light-years from Earth

  By Nathan Ingraham Read More

• Scientists claim they're the first to transmit space-based solar power to Earth

  A team of Caltech researchers claim to be the first to successfully transmit solar power from space to Earth.

  By Dana Wollman Read More

• Boeing Starliner's first crewed ISS flight delayed due to technical issues

  Boeing's Starliner was supposed to fly its first crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 21st, but a couple of technical issues has kept the company from pushing through with its plan.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Rocket Lab delays its Venus atmospheric probe mission

  Last year, Rocket Lab announced that it would embark on an ambitious mission to send a small probe to Venus to hunt for organic molecules in its atmosphere.

  By Steve Dent Read More

Streaming (29)

• Spotify reportedly wants to add full-length music videos to its app

  Spotify is considering adding full-length music videos to its streaming service.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Vizio's redesigned TV interface helps you quickly find shows

  Vizio has revamped its TV interface to help you find shows to watch that much sooner.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Android TV's new Shop tab makes it easier to buy movies and TV shows

  It will also display all previously purchased content.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Podcast app Stitcher is shutting down in August

  Stitcher is shutting down. The popular podcasting app and web service, which SiriusXM acquired in 2020 for $325 million, will close on August 29th, according to an FAQ on its website (via Variety).

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Roku will stream live Formula E races for free

  Roku's first live sports deal will see it stream Formula E races.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Netflix is removing its 'basic' plan in Canada

  Users will have basic with ads, standard or premium tiers available.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• ‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ will be pulled from Paramount+ next week

  Paramount+ has cancelled "Star Trek: Prodigy" and plans to remove the series starting next week.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• YouTube is reportedly testing online games for mobile and desktop

  Google is looking at online games as a new possible source of income for YouTube, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• YouTube TV's multiview streams now include non-sports options

  YouTube TV has expanded its multiview feature's scope so that even non-sports fans can enjoy it.

  By Mariella Moon Read More

• Twitch replaces its mature content mode with more granular 'labels'

  Categories include sexual themes, gambling and significant profanity or vulgarity.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Spotify Desktop app gets a new look and upgraded library features

  Spotify has updated the desktop app with plenty of visual improvements and new features, like a "now playing" view that gives you immediate access to merchandise and tour dates. This was done to align the desktop app with the various smartphone and tablet apps.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Spotify may finally be ready to debut a premium HiFi audio tier

  Spotify may finally launch a high-fidelity plan called "Supremium" that would be its most expensive tier.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Trevor Noah is launching a weekly talk show podcast on Spotify

  The series will also be available on other streaming platforms.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• The Morning After: All the cool things Netflix showed off over the weekend

  The biggest news stories this morning: Netflix's most interesting new series, COVID misinformation and yet more Reddit drama.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Netflix shares teaser for World War II drama ‘All The Light We Cannot See’

  The series adapts Anthony Doerr's excellent 2014 novel of the same name.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• Netflix offers a peek at ‘One Piece’ and ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ live-action adaptations

  At its Tudum 2023 event today, Netflix revealed new trailers for two highly anticipated live-action adaptations of beloved animated series. One Piece gets a full trailer ahead of its August 31st premiere on the streaming service, while we'll have to settle for a brief teaser trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender, which won't arrive until 2024.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’ first look confirms January 2024 premiere

  Netflix just dropped the first reveal trailer for the forthcoming '3 Body Problem' science fiction series at its Tudum fan event, along with a premiere month of January. This is a short delay for the anticipated series, as it was originally supposed to air this year. If the name of the show sounds familiar, it's because the showrunners are the former 'Game of Thrones' creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Netflix's 'Squid Game' reality competition show debuts this November

  Netflix will premiere its 'Squid Game' competition show in November, and it looks almost exactly like the TV series.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Hulu is streaming Bonnaroo this weekend for the third year in a row

  Bonnaroo takes place this weekend and, as with the last two years, you can watch the festival from the comfort of your home on Hulu. Through Sunday, the streaming service is offering two channels of live music coming to you from Manchester, Tennessee.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Spotify ends its podcast deal with Harry and Meghan

  Spotify and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they've "mutually decided to part ways," ending a deal for Harry and Meghan to produce podcasts for the company. The agreement, which the two sides reached in 2020, was said to be worth $25 million.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Twitch will give smaller streamers a bigger cut of subscriptions

  Twitch is launching a program that gives streamers a larger 70 percent cut of their subscriptions.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Amazon's Freevee is adding free MGM and Warner Bros. Discovery channels

  Amazon's Freevee will soon include free cable-style channels dedicated to streaming the likes of 'The Pink Panther,' 'Stargate,' 'The Outer Limits' and 'Cake Boss.'

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Netflix may soon livestream a golf tournament featuring F1 drivers and pro golfers

  If you never thought that Formula 1 and golf could go together, Netflix may beg to differ.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• Netflix's ‘Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix’ is an anime love letter to the '90s

  Ubisoft revealed a teaser trailer today for Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix. The upcoming Netflix anime is based on the 2013 Blood Dragon expansion for Far Cry 3 — but it appears to be at least as much of a tongue-in-cheek remix of Ubisoft IP and early 90s nostalgia.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Netflix's password sharing crackdown seems to be working

  While some users canceled their Netflix accounts after a crackdown on password sharing got underway, it seems like the move is paying off for the company.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Spotify is laying off 200 employees from its podcast division

  Spotify is cutting 200 jobs as it narrows the focus of its podcast team.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Vimeo will stop supporting its TV apps on June 27th

  Vimeo is ending support for its TV apps on June 27th, and not everyone is thrilled.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Verizon streaming bundle offers Netflix Premium and Paramount+ with Showtime for $26

  That's about $6 cheaper then a regular subscription.

  By Sean Buckley Read More

• AMC transfers its on-demand streaming users to Vudu

  AMC Entertainment's streaming service is migrating its users to Vudu. The companies announced today that Vudu is "the official new streaming platform for consumers of AMC Theatres on Demand."

  By Will Shanklin Read More

Tablets (2)

• iPadOS 17 gets a customizable lock screen, interactive widgets and Apple Health

  As usual, Apple is unveiling a major set of updates for iPadOS. This year, we're on to iPadOS 17, and as usual it features a host of changes that have already been shown of for the iPhone in iOS 17, plus some updates specific to the tablet.

  By Nathan Ingraham Read More

• Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for the iPad make a compelling case for a tablet-based studio

  Apple has released iPad versions of its professional video editor Final Cut Pro and its music creation tool Logic Pro. Both of these apps don't quite have the same feature set as their Mac counterparts, but they still do a ton of things right.

  By Nathan Ingraham Read More

TV & Movies (7)

• Film director Roland Emmerich is creating a shared universe of TV, gaming and Web3 tomfoolery

  Film director Roland Emmerich is making a massively-multiplayer online (MMO) game powered by everyone's favorite punching bags, NFTs. The director of 'Independence Day', 'Stargate' and 'Moonfall' just announced 'Space Nation', a forthcoming RPG that is going to be part of a larger shared universe encompassing animated shorts, a live-action TV show and plenty of Web3 nonsense.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• ‘Among Us’ cartoon coming from teams behind ‘Infinity Train’ and 'Star Trek: Lower Decks’

  Hit video game 'Among Us' is getting the cartoon treatment, as originally reported by Variety. CBS Studios is behind the venture, partnering up with Innersloth, the game studio originally responsible for the indie sensation. There looks to be plenty of talent behind the scenes here, as the creator and showrunner is Owen Dennis, the creator of the criminally-underrated 'Infinity Train.' Titmouse Studios is handling the animation, after successful work on shows like 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' and 'Bigmouth.'

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ finds the limit of what a prequel can say

  "Ad Astra per Aspera" is a fun courtroom romp, but long-term fans will find its optimistic conclusion tragic.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• ‘Black Mirror’ finds new life in our modern hellscape

  Season six of Black Mirror is the series at its best: Shocking, incisive and often hilarious.

  By Devindra Hardawar Read More

• ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ picks up where it left off

  The season two opener is confident, if slightly nonsensical.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Watch the trailer for the second season of Apple TV+ series 'Foundation'

  It premieres on July 14.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’ premieres August 23rd on Disney+

  Disney+ has set a premiere date of August 23rd for the highly-anticipated 'Star Wars: Ahsoka' series. The show takes place in the same timeline of 'The Mandalorian', but stars a character that goes all the way back to the prequels. Former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano first appeared in the 'Star Wars: Clone Wars' cartoon and her animated adventures continued on with 'Star Wars: Rebels.'

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

VPN (1)

• Everyone is selling VPNs, and that's a problem for security

  The sharp spike in VPN ads adds to the confusion and jargon around cybersecurity — and it could be misleading us on how secure we really are.

  By Katie Malone Read More

Wearables (10)

• Sony's Mocopi avatar motion-capture system is coming to the US

  Sony just announced North American availability for its unique Mocopi motion-tracking system. The tools allow you to control digital avatars in real-time using full body movement, thanks to six motion sensors and a proprietary smartphone app. In addition to real-time control, this translated body movement can be used in videos and 3D animations, via an SDK that imports motion data into related apps.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Insta360's latest tiny action cam comes with a wireless display

  The Insta360 Go 3 is basically a GoPro with a detachable camera and a flip screen.

  By Richard Lai Read More

• Fossil finally gets Google Assistant on its Wear OS 3 smartwatches

  Fossil's Wear OS 3 smartwatches now support Google Assistant.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• FDA approves Owlet’s baby-monitoring sock two years after halting sales

  Owlet, a baby monitoring device manufacturer, has received a nod from the FDA for its latest pulse-oximeter device BabySat. The approval comes after the FDA previously took the technology off consumer shelves.

  By Malak Saleh Read More

• Sennheiser's first over-the-counter hearing aids come with a modern charging case

  Sennheiser has unveiled its first over-the-counter hearing aids, and they'll seem familiar if you've used wireless earbuds.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Apple Watch Series 8 is back on sale for $329

  The Apple Watch Series 8 is back down to $329, making it a good value if you want to buy an iPhone-friendly smartwatch right now.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Google's Pixel Watch now offers overnight blood oxygen tracking

  It will also monitor your heart rate.

  By Sarah Fielding Read More

• Skullcandy's $100 ANC earbuds promise a comfortable fit and custom EQ

  Skullcandy is known for its budget wireless earphones like the $20 Smokin' Buds, but it's going a bit more upmarket with a new line of products.

  By Steve Dent Read More

• The Apple Watch embraces widgets again in watchOS 10

  The Apple Watch user interface is getting an overhaul in watchOS 10. Apple is once again placing more focus on widgets on its wearables.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• The Meta Quest 3 is a $499 mixed reality headset with full-color passthrough

  Mark Zuckerberg has revealed the Meta Quest 3, the company's long-rumored next-gen headset. It starts at $499 and it'll arrive this fall.

  By Kris Holt Read More

Xbox (13)

• Cyberpunk cat adventure 'Stray' heads to Xbox on August 10th

  Stray, one of 2022's cutest and best games, heads to Xbox consoles this summer.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• 'The Elder Scrolls VI' is 'likely five-plus years away,' says Xbox chief

  Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls VI five years ago at E3 2018, but the new fantasy RPG is still "five-plus years away," according to Phil Spencer.

  By Igor Bonifacic Read More

• New Indiana Jones game became an Xbox exclusive after Microsoft bought ZeniMax

  An Indiana Jones game was reportedly headed to PS5 — until Microsoft bought ZeniMax and made the title an Xbox exclusive.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• Microsoft is raising Xbox Series X and Game Pass prices in most countries

  In the US, Xbox Game Pass will soon cost $11 per month (up from $10) and Game Pass Ultimate is going up by $2 per month to $17. Microsoft is also increasing the price of the Xbox Series X in most countries, but not the US, Japan, Chile, Brazil or Colombia.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Microsoft is no longer making new games for the Xbox One

  Xbox Game Studios teams are no longer working on new games for Xbox One. Players who are hanging onto the older console can still access Series X/S titles via Xbox Cloud Gaming.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Fast-paced platformer 'Neon White' is coming to Xbox

  Several more indie games are coming to Game Pass through the ID@Xbox program, including 'Neon White,' 'Little Kitty, Big City' and 'Another Crab's Treasure.'

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Watch the Xbox Games Showcase Extended here at 1PM ET

  The Xbox Games Showcase Extended will feature looks at third-party games along with deeper dives into games like 'Avowed,' 'Towerborne,' 'Senua's Saga: Hellblade II' and the Dune expansion for 'Microsoft Flight Simulator.'

  By Kris Holt Read More

• The Morning After: Xbox Series S gets a key upgrade

  There's plenty of news from Summer Game Fest 2023, as well as more drama at Twitter and some early results about Netflix's password-sharing crackdown.

  By Daniel Cooper Read More

• Xbox Series S will be available with 1TB storage in black for $349 on September 1st

  Xbox Game Studios CEO Phil Spencer announced a new Xbox Series S edition today at Summer Game Fest. The new console variant will provide 1TB of storage (double the previous amount) in a sleek "carbon black" colorway. As the company notes, its September 1st launch means it's "just in time for Starfield," the highly anticipated game that arrives on September 6th.

  By Will Shanklin Read More

• Take a peek at Xbox's Fable reboot in action

  Richard Ayoade stars in a new trailer for Playground's 'Fable' reboot.

  By Kris Holt Read More

• Watch the Xbox Showcase at Summer Game Fest here at 1PM ET

  The Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest is nearly upon us. With E3 dead in the water, this is likely the year's biggest event for jaw-dropping reveals. The festivities begin at 1:00 PM ET and there are plenty of ways to watch live. Microsoft is hosting its own YouTube stream and Twitch feed for the event and multiple streams are available via the festival itself.

  By Lawrence Bonk Read More

• Western Digital's first Xbox Series X/S storage cards start at $80

  Western Digital has unveiled its first Xbox Series X/S storage cards, and they're more affordable than their Seagate rivals.

  By Jon Fingas Read More

• 8BitDo’s Xbox-licensed arcade stick is wireless and customizable

  Alongside today's Street Fighter VI launch, 8BitDo has announced a new Xbox-licensed arcade stick. The wireless accessory, which has moddable controls and supports swappable arcade buttons, arrives later this month.

  By Will Shanklin Read More