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Tesla's most affordable Cybertruck gets scrapped after a whopping five months
The rear-wheel drive trim of the Tesla Cybertruck lasted about five months before it was unceremoniously removed from online sales. The Long Range model represented the most affordable Cybertruck option with its starting price of $69,990, but visitors to Tesla's online configurator can now only choose between the all-wheel drive model that starts at $79,990 and the Cyberbeast trim, which goes for at least $114,990.
Tesla launched the Long Range version of the Cybertruck in April, which arrived at $10,000 more than originally expected. Along with an elevated price tag, Tesla removed several features, including the power tonneau cover, adaptive suspension, a touchscreen for the back row, the rear lightbar and outlets in the truck bed. The RWD version also came with less towing power, a lower payload capacity and only one motor. While unrelated, the federal tax credit for EV buyers in the US is coming to a close at the end of the month, making the purchase of a Long Range model even less of a bargain.
Tesla didn't officially offer any explanation about the removal of the Long Range option from its website, but it could be attributed to low Cybertruck sales overall. According to a report from Cox Automotive, the parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, Tesla only sold 4,306 Cybertrucks in the second quarter of the year, which is a more than 50 percent drop in sales during the same time period last year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/teslas-most-affordable-cybertruck-gets-scrapped-after-a-whopping-five-months-164322445.html?src=rssAnker magnetic power banks are up to 42 percent off
One of our favorite magnetic power banks is on sale for 42 percent off right now. The Anker 622 Magnetic Battery is down 42 percent to $28, which is almost as low as we've ever seen it. This steep discount is also available at Anker's online store with a coupon code that the company provides. This 5,000mAh MagSafe-compatible charger with a foldable stand is a slim and portable battery that can keep your devices going on long days away from a charger.
Anker says the 622 Magnetic Battery can recharge a dead iPhone 16 or 16 Pro to just over 80 percent, and an iPhone 16 Pro Max to just over 60 percent. In our hands-on review of the portable charger, we liked the magnetic stand that folds out into a 30-degree angle. Users can rotate their phone to either portrait mode or landscape mode while charging.
The Anker 622 is an older charger, so it outputs a maximum of 7.5W when charging wirelessly. If you need to refill your battery faster than that, you might want to pick up one of the newer Qi2 power banks. Though a Qi2 power bank will, of course, cost more, some of our favorites are having great sales right now.
The Anker Ultra-Slim 10,000mAh battery pack can charge an iPhone 16 Pro to 50 percent in just 26 minutes, thanks to its Qi2-certified 15W of wireless charging. Right now it's 25 percent off, priced at $60 down from $80. It's got a bare-bones design, opting for a slim profile instead of a stand.
If you prefer one with a stand and you like the idea of a display that tells you how much charge your power bank has left, then check out the Anker 10,000mAh battery pack with smart display and foldable stand. In our rundown of the best power banks, this was our top pick for iPhones. Not only does this battery pack offer Qi2 wireless charging at 15W, it also offers 27W when using USB-C for fast charging.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/anker-magnetic-power-banks-are-up-to-42-percent-off-133451286.html?src=rssSnapchat rolls out Group Streaks and 'Infinite Retention' for chats
Snapchat has introduced a couple of new features it says are "highly requested" by its users. The first is "Infinite Retention," which as its name implies will allow you to keep a chat history like you could on a messaging app and prevent your messages from disappearing. "We’ve often heard from our community that Snapchatters want to save their chats forever and wish they could build streaks with their favorite groups," its announcement reads.
The app has been testing the feature since 2024, and now it's being rolled out broadly. You could already save messages in the app by tapping on them inside the chat, but this one makes things easier. It's a setting you'll just have to switch on or off for each conversation. If you enable the setting, the other person in the conversation will get a notification that you did, and they will be able to switch it off if they want. You can, for instance, switch Infinite Retention on for a close friend but keep it off for acquaintances.
In addition, Snapchat is rolling out Group Streaks that will let you contribute to a collective Streak with your friends. To keep up individual Streaks, you'll have to send and receive at least one photo or video Snap with a friend every day. Group Streaks are easier to keep going, since several people can participate. You can also restore a Group Streak within a week in case it ends.
Jim Lanzone, the CEO of Engadget’s parent company Yahoo, joined the board of directors at Snap on September 12, 2024. No one outside of Engadget’s editorial team has any say in our coverage of the company.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/snapchat-rolls-out-group-streaks-and-infinite-retention-for-chats-150048128.html?src=rssParamount+ annual subscriptions are 50 percent off right now
Sometimes, rising prices for streaming services feels as inevitable as death and taxes. So when a serious discount is available, we tend to sit up and take notice. For a few weeks, you can get a whopping half off an annual subscription to Paramount+. A year of the Paramount+ Essential plan, which is ad-supported, will cost $30 compared to the usual $60. Paramount+ Premium, which is ad-free except for live tv programming, will cost $60 for a year instead of $120.
This is a substantial deal that both new and returning subscribers can take advantage of; it's not uncommon for this type of serious discount to only be offered to a first-timer. Anyone who signs up for a year-long subscription to Paramount+ from now through September 18 will be able to get this pricing. The only real caveat with this deal is that you have to pay for the full year in advance; month-to-month subscriptions will still cost the usual rate.
Paramount+ has some great programming options, particularly if you're a fan of anything involving RuPaul. It's also the home of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks, which are arguably the best modern additions to the sci-fi show's canon, as well as the other past and present Star Trek series. The platform offers a solid lineup of sports as well. And if you opt to go for the Premium plan, you'll also be granted access to Showtime titles such as Yellowjackets and the rebooted Dexter: Resurrection.
Check out our coverage of the best streaming deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/paramount-annual-subscriptions-are-50-percent-off-right-now-212655665.html?src=rssOur favorite budget wireless earbuds are back on sale for $45
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds are back on sale for a record-low price of $45 a 44 percent discount. These earbuds remain our top pick for best budget wireless earbuds.
The most significant feature on the A40 earbuds is the inclusion of active noise cancellation (ANC), which is almost unheard of at this price point. It's not the most sophisticated ANC, but it does sufficiently reduce constant rumbling background noise like on a plane. The built-in mic that's used for transparency mode and phone calls is a bit subpar, especially when used in noisy areas.
These are budget-friendly, so while they can't be expected to compete on audio quality with flagship headphones that cost hundreds of dollars, the sound is still impressive given their low cost. The sound profile is warm, with a strong upper-bass, while some of the higher frequencies lose finer details. For those wanting to fine-tune the sound on the A40s, the earbuds can be paired with the Soundcore app, which includes an EQ.
The small, round earpieces help make the A40s comfortable to wear for extended periods, and the charging case extends the already solid 10-hour battery life by another 50 or so hours. The Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds are already one of the best value options on the market, and this sale makes them even more appealing.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-budget-wireless-earbuds-are-back-on-sale-for-45-152704145.html?src=rssxAI reportedly laid off at least 500 AI tutors working on Grok
xAI has laid off at least 500 workers from its data annotation team, the company's largest, according to Business Insider. The annotation team is in charge of categorizing and contextualizing raw data used to train Grok so that it can understand the world better. Business Insider says the laid off employees were informed via email on the evening of September 12, Friday, that it was going to downsize its team of general AI tutors. They were reportedly told that they would be paid their salaries until the end of their contracts on November 30, but their access to xAI's systems had been cut off after they received the notice.
When Reuters asked the company for a comment, it referred to a post on X wherein it posted a call for specialist AI tutors instead. xAI said that it will "immediately surge [its] Specialist AI tutor team by 10x" and that it's hiring across STEM fields. As specialist tutors, the new hires will be "enhancing [the company's] AI technologies through high-quality inputs, labels and annotations using specialized software." They'll gather data and provide their own, not only in text format, but also through audio recordings and video sessions.
As Reuters has noted, the layoffs come after several high-profile departures from xAI, including the company's chief financial officer Mike Liberatore. The company launched Grok 4 in July, calling it the "smartest AI in the world." Elon Musk claimed during the model's reveal that if you make Grok 4 take the SATs and the GREs, it would get near perfect results every time and can answer questions it's never seen before. He also proclaimed that Grok is going to invent new tech maybe later this year, and that he would be shocked if it doesn't happen next year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/xai-reportedly-laid-off-at-least-500-ai-tutors-working-on-grok-130059624.html?src=rssCozy detectives, urban disc golf and other new indie games worth checking out
Welcome to our latest recap of what's going on in the indie game space. This week, the revived Acclaim held a very fun showcase (and we'll get to some of the games from that). But on Friday, Nintendo soaked up all the attention with an hour-long Direct. Sure, it included some first-party games, such as Mario Tennis Fever, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and a Donkey Kong Bananza expansion. But Nintendo highlighted several indie games in the newsy showcase, too.
Hades 2 is arguably the highest-profile name among those, and the full version isn't far away at all — it'll hit Switch, Switch 2, Steam and Epic Games Store on September 25. Stardew Valley, Human Fall Flat, Overcooked 2 and PowerWash Simulator 2 are getting Switch 2 versions as well.
It wouldn't be a Nintendo Direct without a shadowdrop. Sure enough, Lynked: Banner of the Spark landed on Switch and Switch 2 on Friday, with mouse control and GameShare support on the newer system. This is an action RPG from FuzzyBot and publisher Dreamhaven that looks a bit like a cross between Hades and Hi-Fi Rush.
I'll be honest, I've had Lynked: Banner of the Spark sitting on my PC for months. I'm definitely interested in checking it out, but it's just one of those things that's unfortunately slipped further and further down my to-play list. I'm still hoping to carve out time to properly check it out before it's time to start putting together our games of the year list.
Popucom (which debuted on Steam earlier this year) also looks pretty intriguing. From Hypergryph and publisher Gryph Frontier, this is a multiplayer-only adventure platformer in which you take out enemies with match three-style shooting.
Here's the twist: each player only has two colors, so you'll need to work together to fire the correct blobs at bad guys and obstacles. Popucom is coming to Switch this holiday season.
New releases
Little Problems: A Cozy Detective Game is a new title from the small team at female-led Indonesian developer Posh Cat Studio and publisher Amplified Games. As the name suggests, it's a slice-of-life detective game that sees you getting to the bottom of misunderstandings and minor inconveniences.
You play as freshman student Mary, and one of the first mysteries you'll have to solve involves finding the location where her study group is supposed to meet after she forgets where to go on her first day of school. The game has 10 cases overall and each has a set of puzzles to solve. It's said to have "simple mechanics that grow into playful twists and surprising solutions."
Little Problems seems quite charming and just the kind of low-fi puzzle game that I might vibe with. It's out now on Steam and it usually costs $10, but there's a 10 percent discount until September 23.
Disc golf feels like it would be a fun sport to get into and while there are a few courses near me, they're not exactly easy to get to without a car. So I might just have to make do with Disc Golf City, which came out of early access on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux this week. The action takes place in a colorful city, and you can bounce your disc off of objects in the environment to pull off trick shots and try to land it in the basket.
Disc Golf City, which is from Agapo Games, costs $13. There's also a demo you can check out.
Another game that came out of early access on Steam and GOG this week is Beyond Sunset. This is a cyberpunk (not that one) first-person shooter with RPG elements from Metacorp / Vaporware and publisher Movie Games.
I love when a vaporwave color palette is put to good use and the lo-fi visuals here just feel right. The fast-paced movement looks pretty interesting too — it's not hard to tell that the developers took inspiration from the Doom series. Beyond Sunset costs $10.
It feels like I can't go on the internet for five minutes without learning about a new sidescrolling Metroidvania game. Still, Katanaut is one I've had my eye on for a while. You'll be facing the horrors that have taken over a space station using an array of weapons, skills and perks.
This is a roguelite from Voidmaw in which there are new pathways to explore on each run. There is some permanent progression here, as you'll pick up memory fragments during your journey through the station's gore-soaked corridors. It was also revealed this week that Acclaim is the publisher of Katanaut, which is available on Steam.
Upcoming
Pacific Drive was one of the more interesting-looking games from last year that I just haven't gotten around to checking out yet. It's a driving sim and survival horror game set in a supernatural version of the Pacific Northwest, in which you scour the landscape for parts to upgrade your car and, hopefully, stay alive.
Ironwood Studios and publisher Kepler Interactive this week announced the Whispers in the Woods expansion for Pacific Drive. Slated to arrive later this year, the DLC adds around eight to 12 hours of gameplay with new characters, dangers, mysteries and anomalies to encounter. Other updates include route modifiers and garage cosmetics to find.
The rest of this week's upcoming games are all from Acclaim, since I found just about everything in that showcase intriguing. The first game that the publisher showed off was GridBeat from Ridiculous Games.
Blending together puzzles, tactics and dungeon crawling, GridBeat will see you infiltrate a corporate computer network and try to escape with valuable data while security programs and malware attempt to stop you. You'll find more abilities and power-ups along the way. Crucially, you need to move in time to the music, since it's a rhythm game as well. There's a lot going on here! GridBeat is coming to Steam, but there's no release window as yet.
One thing I was really hoping to see during Acclaim's showcase was the return of NBA Jam. We didn't quite get that, but I'll absolutely take Basketball Classics in its place. Acclaim has taken over publishing duties for this retro, NES-style arcade basketball title from Namo Gamo. It features 5-on-5 sidescrolling action with simplified controls, hundreds of teams, more than 1,000 players and multiple modes (including couch multiplayer).
I hadn't heard of Basketball Classics until now, but it's been out on Steam for several years. Acclaim is helping to bring it to consoles sometime soon.
I do love PowerWash Simulator and am looking forward to the sequel. Pixel Washer looks like a different flavor of that format.
As a cute lil' piggy with a power washer, you'll be cleaning just about everything in sight. The trailer suggests that things might get weird, and it even seems like there are boss fights. Valadria is the developer behind Pixel Washer, which is coming to Steam down the line.
HyperYuki: Snowboard Syndicate looks like the offspring of SSX and Jet Set Radio, and that's enough to sell me on the game. An easy addition to my wishlist.
Wabisabi Design is making this snowboarding game that pits you against NPCs and/or human players in races. In the main game mode, you'll need to complete a certain number of challenges in each level before you can move on, which is very much keeping in with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater format. There's also a relaxing endless mode, where you can just hang out and explore or, like, whatever.
HyperYuki: Snowboard Syndicate supports split-screen play and online multiplayer for up to eight people. Again, there's no confirmed release date or window as yet, this one is coming to Steam.
Acclaim notes that it is "actively exploring console releases" for its games. "Our goal is to bring these experiences to as many players as possible, and we’ll have more updates to share as development progresses," the publisher added.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cozy-detectives-urban-disc-golf-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-110029695.html?src=rssWhat to expect at Meta Connect 2025: 'Hypernova' smart glasses, AI and the metaverse
Meta Connect, the company's annual event dedicated to all things AR, VR, AI and the metaverse is just days away. And once again, it seems like it will be a big year for smart glasses and AI.
This year, the event will take a slightly different format than in the past. Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to kick things off with an evening keynote at 5PM PT on Wednesday, September 17. A developer keynote with other executives will take place the next morning on September 18, beginning at 10AM, with more talks and developer sessions to follow.
It's not clear why Meta changed things up this year, but it is shaping up to be a particularly eventful year for Connect. We're expecting two new models of smart glasses, including Meta's first to have a display, as well as new Meta AI and metaverse updates. As usual, Engadget will be reporting live from Zuckerberg's keynote at Meta HQ, but until then, here's a closer look at what's coming and what to keep an eye on.
New and updated smart glasses
The biggest news of the day will be Meta's next-generation of smart glasses. The frames, often referred to by their reported internal name "Hypernova," will be the first consumer-ready glasses from Meta that have a display. We already know quite a bit about these thanks to more than a year of leaks.
While the frames are expected to have a small display on one side, they won't offer the kind of immersive augmented reality experience we've seen on Meta's Orion prototype. Instead the display will allow you to view things like notifications and photo previews. The glasses will also come with a dedicated wristband, similar to what the company showed off with Orion, that allows the wearer to control specific features through hand gestures.
The glasses, which may officially be called "Celeste," are expected to go on sale later this year, will likely cost around $800. They could be sold with Prada branding, which would be in line with Meta's longtime EssilorLuxottica partnership, according to CNBC. Given the much higher price tag — most of Meta's Ray-Ban-branded glasses cost around $300 — it seems Meta is positioning this as a higher-end product that will have a more limited appeal. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested Hypernova will have a "negligible" share of the overall smart glasses market.
It also sounds like we could see a new version of Meta's smart glasses without a display with an updated version of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. There could be two versions for sunglasses and clear frames, according to leaked renders. The new glasses are reported to have improved cameras and battery life, and support new AI capabilities.
We could also see new third-party glasses integrations. As UploadVR recently pointed out, early versions of the Connect schedule for developers seemingly confirms that Meta is getting ready to give developers access to its smart glasses. Up to now, the Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley glasses have mostly been limited to apps within Meta's ecosystem (with a few exceptions like Spotify and Audible). Allowing more developers to start experimenting with the platform could bring even more functionality to the existing lineup of glasses.
Meta AI
As with other recent years, AI will be a major theme throughout. Meta AI has a billion monthly users (something Zuckerberg will surely remind us of) and I'm expecting to see new features for Meta AI both on the company's glasses and within its apps. Business Insider reports the company has been working on new lineup of non-English speaking "character-driven" bots for its apps. (Meta's character-centric chatbots have also faced scrutiny, with the company recently blocking teens' access to many user-generated characters amid growing safety concerns.)
Outside of Meta's chatbots, I'm hoping Zuckerberg will talk more about his vision to create "superintelligence." As I wrote in July, his initial manifesto that outlined his vision was confusing at best. The CEO has recently reorganized Meta's AI teams around the idea, and has been on a very expensive hiring spree to recruit executives and researchers for the effort.
At the same time, Zuckerberg could use Connect to shore up expectations around its Llama models. The company's larger Llama 4 model has been delayed and reports suggest Meta's engineers have been struggling to improve it. There are other signs that Zuckerberg may be backing away from open-source AI.
What about the metaverse?
While the metaverse has taken somewhat of a backseat to AI in recent years, it wouldn't be Connect without some VR-related news. In a recent Instagram post, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth teased "metaverse software" updates related to Horizon Worlds at Connect. The company recently offered a preview to developers of its plan to bring AI-powered NPCs to the metaverse, and I expect we'll hear more about how generative AI could help shape the metaverse.
And while there are no new Quest headsets expected, we could hear more about those third-party VR headsets that will run Meta's VR software. Last year, the company announced that ASUS, Lenovo and Xbox were working on Meta Horizon OS headsets. We haven't heard too much about these devices since, but there was a leak earlier this year that suggested ASUS would be the first to launch, and that it would include face and eye tracking features.
NEW: Details on the upcoming ASUS ROG VR headset running Meta Horizon OS.
— Luna (@Lunayian) January 12, 2025
It is codenamed Tarius, and will likely be one of the first 3P Horizon OS HMDs to ship.
It is planned to include Eye Tracking and Face Tracking. The displays will be QD-LCD with local dimming or µOLED. pic.twitter.com/K5pYxcBK4h
Another intriguing possibility is an update on Meta's holographic Codec avatars we got a glimpse of last year. While Meta's current lineup of VR headsets don't have the necessary face and eye-tracking sensors to support the tech, UploadVR suggests Meta could show off a more "rudimentary" version of the avatars that could run on the Quest 3 or even work in conjunction with video calls on WhatsApp and Messenger.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/what-to-expect-at-meta-connect-2025-hypernova-smart-glasses-ai-and-the-metaverse-212628436.html?src=rssInstagram fixed an issue that caused posting multiple Stories to tank your reach
Instagram fixed a bug that caused the reach of some users' Stories to shrink when they posted more than one Story a day, Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared on Friday. The fix addresses a common complaint shared by creators in the last year that they were disincentivized to use Stories because of how regularly using the feature impacted the number of people who actually saw their posts.
"People were complaining about getting less reach with their Stories if they posted lots of Stories in the same day," Mosseri said in a video announcing the change. "That is not at all the intended behavior of Instagram." Fixing the bug doesn't mean every Story you add will be watched, but Mosseri says posting multiple Stories a day won't negatively impact the reach of your Stories overall, especially your first Story.
For anyone who primarily uses Instagram to keep up with their friends, the change might not matter all that much. But much like YouTube, Instagram is an increasingly professionalized platform where people post in the hopes of expanding their reach and earning a living off their content. That creates an interesting dynamic between Mosseri's regular announcements and users trying to suss out the nuances of the platform's algorithm. For every new feature, like adding of comments to Stories, there's subtler tweaks that can totally change creators' content strategy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-fixed-an-issue-that-caused-posting-multiple-stories-to-tank-your-reach-184714482.html?src=rssBalatro's big 2025 update won't be coming out this year after all
Fans will have to wait a little bit longer for the hotly-anticipated Balatro 1.1 update. Developer LocalThunk just announced it will not be coming out in 2025, despite previously promising a release this year. Instead, it'll come out "when it's done."
It's worth remembering that Balatro was created by a single person, and the same goes for this update. The lone developer also made the original balance patch and the well-regarded mobile port. He says he's "well and truly burned out."
LocalThunk apologizes for the delay and says "it has become clear now that it won't happen by the end of the year." It's actually nice to let us know now instead of forcing us to wonder where the update is for the next several months.
"I still consider this my hobby," he wrote. "The prospect of rushing the work and going back into crunch mode to get it out this year just felt terrible."
Now for some good news. The update is definitely coming, just not right now. It'll be free for all players on all platforms. The developer also hinted that this update would not be the final DLC drop for the game.
For the uninitiated, Balatro is a deckbuilding roguelike that's loosely based on poker. Consider it the highly addictive sequel to poker we never knew we needed. It has proven to be a bona-fide phenomenon.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/balatros-big-2025-update-wont-be-coming-out-this-year-after-all-183511401.html?src=rssThe best iPad deals you can get right now include the iPad A16 for $299
An iPad might be the most versatile Apple device you can buy. They can run apps and games like your phone yet they're as powerful as some laptops. You can use them to read books like on an ereader or watch shows like its a mini TV. But they're not the cheapest tablets out there, so it's wise to look for sales when you can find them. You won't see discounts directly from Apple, but Amazon, Target, Best Buy and B&H Photo often offer discounts on Apple's slates. All week long, we keep an eye out for deals on tech and we've rounded up the best iPad deals we could find right here. (We also threw in a few deals on other Apple gear that were too good not to mention.)
Best iPad deals
Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M4) for $899 ($100 off): The iPad Pro is much more tablet than most people need, but it’s the ultimate iPad for those who can stomach its price tag. It’s wonderfully thin, its OLED display is one of the best we’ve seen on a consumer device and its M4 chip can handle virtually anything you’d ever do on an iPad. It’s also the only Apple tablet with Face ID and it has a better speaker setup than the iPad Air. We gave it a score of 84 in our review, with the only real drawback being its price. Also at B&H, or BJ's for $20 less if you have a membership there.
Best Apple deals
Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $199 ($50 off): Now that the AirPods Pro 3 is open for pre-orders, the Pro 2 model isn't likely to be around much longer. But there's no telling when the new version will see a discount. The third-gen earbuds do have a bunch of new features, but if you don't need the latest model, you may be perfectly happy with the second-generation buds. We gave them an 88 in our review and they held a top spot in our best earbud guide for years.
Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS only, 46 mm) for $429 ($70 off): This is another Apple device that's soon to be gone from the shelves — but it's worth noting that the new Series 11 and this model have the same hardware design (though the new one has a tougher screen) and both use the same processor chip. We named the Series 10 the best smartwatch you can buy (just expect it to be usurped by the new generation) and gave it a 90 in our review. But if you want the latest watch, the Apple Watch Series 11 is open for pre-orders now.
Apple EarPods for $16 ($3 off): Some people prefer a wire with their earbuds. If that's you, you can snag these for just $16, which makes it one of the cheapest Apple-branded items you can get. They don't have the bells and whistles of the new AirPods Pro 3. But they're far more affordable.
Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $75 ($24 off): We may see an updated model by the end of 2025, but the current AirTags are the best Bluetooth trackers for iPhone users thanks to their vast finding network and accurate ultrawide band features that make it easy to locate things that're close by. Just note that you'll need a separate AirTag holder to attach them to your keys, wallet or bag. This isn't a great deal for a four-pack — the bundle was available for $70 last week and $65 during Amazon's Prime Day — but it's still a bit lower than the four-pack's list price. Also at Best Buy and Walmart.
Apple 35W Dual USB-C Port adapter for $39 ($20 off): It's always good to have a few extra ports around. This is the adapter that ships with the M4 with 10‑core GPU MacBook Air, and it can quickly charge iPads, iPhones and anything else powered by USB-C, too. Walmart is also selling Apple's 2-meter fast charge cable for $23 ($6 off).
Read more Apple coverage:
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-ipad-deals-you-can-get-right-now-include-the-ipad-a16-for-299-150020765.html?src=rssMario, Metroid, Virtual Boy and more: all the biggest announcements from today's Nintendo Direct
Whenever there's a Nintendo Direct in September, you can be pretty sure that it'll be a major edition of the showcase. Given that Friday's one was scheduled to be about an hour long and that Nintendo has a whole new console to put games on, it was already likely that there was going to be a lot of news.
Even then, it managed to be a jam-packed Direct. Let's take a look at all the biggest announcements from the showcase, including what's obviously the most important one: a Switch 2 version of Overcooked 2.
Mario's 40th anniversary
September 13 is the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. in Japan, which is a big reason why this Direct took place on a Friday (a highly unusual day for Nintendo to hold one of its showcases). Following news of Mario-related updates for the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, the company revealed the title for the next Mario movie. It's called The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it's coming to cinemas in the US on April 3. We'll have to wait a little longer for a trailer, though.
There was no announcement of an upcoming 3D Mario game today, unfortunately, but there was still plenty of other news. Mario Tennis Fever is coming to Switch 2 in February as the first new Mario Tennis game since 2018. Yoshi's getting another adventure of his own with the Switch 2 platformer Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which is set to arrive next spring. A Switch 2 version of Super Mario Bros. Wonder with fresh multiplayer modes will drop around that time too.
Before all of that, though, Nintendo is bringing the wonderful Wii games Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 to Switch on October 2. They'll be available separately or as a bundle on the eShop and as a combined edition on a $70 physical cartridge. On Switch 2, you'll be able to play these two classics in 4K.
Two Mario Galaxy Amiibo figures are coming in April as well. Even though I'm not typically an Amiibo collector, I really want those because Luma is just adorable. In addition, Nintendo plans to release a physical collectible of the Talking Flower from Super Mario Bros. Wonder next spring.
Donkey Kong Bananza DLC out today
If you've already smashed everything to smithereens in Donkey Kong Bananza and have been yearning for more to do in one of the biggest Switch 2 exclusives to date, you're in luck. Nintendo revealed a paid expansion for the platformer during the Direct. It's called DK Island & Emerald Rush and it's out today for $20.
You'll be able to barrel around Donkey Kong's home island and meet up with some familiar faces. After you've beaten the story in the main game, you'll be able to try the Emerald Rush mode. This will see you undertaking timed runs in DK Island and the main game's layers to collect emerald ore, smash fossils and collect Banandium Gems.
Meanwhile, Nintendo has released a demo for the main game. So, if you have a Switch 2 and haven't played Donkey Kong Bananza yet, you'll be able to find out for yourself why the other cool kids are saying "ooh, banana!" all the time.
Pokémon Pokopia
Quite a few people were expecting/hoping for news of a new Animal Crossing during the Nintendo Direct. While that didn't happen, Nintendo had arguably something even more exciting to announce — especially if you're both an Animal Crossing and Pokémon fan.
Pokémon Pokopia is the first Pokémon life simulation game. You'll play as a Ditto who has been transformed to look like a human and turn empty land into a cozy paradise for both yourself and Pokémon. Ditto can learn abilities from Pokémon, such as using Squirtle’s Water Gun to give life to flora.
It looks utterly lovely. Pokémon Pokopia is coming to Switch 2 in 2026.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
Nintendo used this Direct to seriously start filling out its Switch 2 slate for 2026. One of the games it's publishing for the system next year is a new entry in the Fire Emblem series. It announced Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave during the showcase.
As ever, this will be a turn-based tactical RPG. The debut trailer touched on the story and characters in the upcoming game.
Metroid Prime 4 and Hades 2 release dates
We had a feeling these were coming soon, but release dates for both Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hades 2 were both major announcements during the Direct. Samus has a rad, Tron-esque bike in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which will arrive on Switch and Switch 2 on December 4.
Hades 2, meanwhile, will arrive on Switch and Switch 2 on September 25. The full game will be available on Steam and Epic Games Store on the same day as it will exit early access on PC. There were be cross-save support across PC and Switch/Switch 2. The Switch 2 version will support 120fps gameplay when the console is docked. That Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong are dropping in the same month is pretty wild. Apologies to any designs you had on getting some sleep in September.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment release date
Nintendo announced Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment during a dedicated launch direct for Switch 2 back in April, and now there's a release date for this hack and slash game. It's coming to the console on November 6.
Age of Imprisonment, which was developed by Koei Tecmo's AAA Games Studio, sees Princess Zelda traveling back in time and meeting Rauro and Sonia, the first king and queen of Hyrule. You'll try to take down Ganondorf (yes, again) in what's known as the Imprisoning War. Zonai devices will be at your disposal. According to the trailer, you'll "uncover ancient truths that were only glimpsed in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom."
There's two-player co-op support via split-screen and GameShare. Zelda, Rauru and Sonia are among the playable characters, and you'll be able to swap between them. You can also play as a Korok for a change instead of torturing the poor creatures, you monsters.
AAA third-party games coming to Switch 2
Nintendo confirmed during the Direct that Resident Evil Requiem is coming to Switch 2. It'll arrive on February 27, the same day the next entry in Capcom's classic survival horror series debuts on other platforms. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village will also land on Switch on on February 27.
We learned back in April that the first installment of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy was bound for Switch 2 and now there's a release date for that. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is coming to the system on January 22.
Switch 2 versions of indie classics
The Nintendo Switch was such an important platform for indie games, and several that became huge hits are getting Switch 2 versions. Overcooked 2 (the ultimate relationship test, in my opinion) will have support for 4K visuals, 60fps gameplay, GameShare and CameraPlay — the feature that allows you to see you and your teammate's faces on screen as you play —in its Switch 2 version. That's on the way this holiday season.
Stardew Valley will also support GameShare for co-op play on Switch 2. Mouse controls will be available, as well as four-player splitscreen and eight-player online action. Those who have the game on Switch already will get a free upgrade when the Switch 2 version arrives this fall.
Human Fall Flat is headed to Switch 2 in Spring 2026. That will also have support for mouse controls, GameShare and eight-person multiplayer.
It's far too early to say whether Powerwash Simulator 2 will become an indie classic, but the original game was terrific and its sequel is getting a Switch 2 version as well. There's no exact release date for Powerwash Simulator 2 as yet, but it's still slated to arrive this fall.
Suika Game gets a sequel
Suika Game was a huge hit, and the sequel promises to soak up even more of my time. Suika Game Planet adds an extra dimension to the puzzle action. Instead of dropping fruit into a bucket and trying to combine two of the same items into a larger one, this time there's a circular stage. That might be a fun wrinkle for anyone (me, hi) who gets frustrated about not being able to reach large fruit at the bottom of the container.
Suika Game Planet is coming to Switch and Switch 2 this winter and I might not be able to do anything else with my time after it drops. The Switch 2 version will support a GameShare mode that allows up to four players to work together.
Virtual Boy is back
Last but not least, Nintendo had an absolute shocker when it came to Switch Online + Expansion Pack. No, it's not adding Super Mario Sunshine to the Gamecube app just yet. The company is bringing Virtual Boy games to the service, which is more bananas than anything you'll find in Donkey Kong Bananza.
To play those games from a system that was notoriously undercooked (partly because Nintendo was placing much more focus on the massively more successful Nintendo 64 around that time), you'll need an accessory. A $100 plastic tabletop one that looks just like the original Virtual Boy and a $25 cardboard version are on the way. They're compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 and, if it's an authentic Virtual Boy experience, probably some eye strain.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-metroid-virtual-boy-and-more-all-the-biggest-announcements-from-todays-nintendo-direct-165722897.html?src=rssFire Emblem: Fortune's Weave comes out for the Switch 2 in 2026
It's official. The Switch 2 is getting the next entry in the long-running Fire Emblem series. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave will be available sometime in 2026, though we have nothing more specific than that.
We do have a trailer and it looks gorgeous. It showed off the game's tactical combat, which is a mainstay for the franchise, and teased the story. It involves some sort of gladiator-like contest called the Heroic Games. There are plenty of new combat units and many of them boast gladiatorial flair of some kind.
It also looks to take place in the same universe as the immensely popular Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which came out for the original Switch console. There are some visual similarities and one character seems to be a grown-up version of someone from Three Houses.
This makes a certain kind of sense, given that Three Houses is the most financially successful game in franchise history and considered by critics to be a stone-cold classic. The more recent Fire Emblem: Engage wasn't nearly as popular, despite being a solid entry.
For the uninitiated, this series is all about tactical turn-based combat, factional rivalries and robust storylines involving numerous characters. It was a niche franchise here in the USA until the 3DS era and the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening and Fire Emblem: Fates.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/fire-emblem-fortunes-weave-comes-out-for-the-switch-2-in-2026-162127483.html?src=rssFTC investigating ad sale practices at Google and Amazon
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether Amazon and Google misled advertisers regarding the pricing and terms for their ads. As first reported by Bloomberg, the investigation is being conducted by the agency's consumer protection unit, and centers around the auction-style sale of advertising space by the companies.
Google sells ads using automated auctions that run after a user enters a search query. These auctions take place in less than a second. Amazon uses real-time auctions to place ads within its listings, which users would recognize as "sponsored listings" or "sponsored ads" when searching for specific products.
The investigation questions whether Amazon disclosed so-called "reserve pricing" for some of its ads, which is a price floor that advertisers must meet before they can buy an ad. For Google's part, the FTC is looking at certain practices by the search giant including its internal pricing process and whether it was surreptitiously increasing the cost of ads in ways that advertisers weren't privy to.
The FTC isn't the only federal agency keeping a close eye on big tech. Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled that Google held a monopoly in online ad tech after the Department of Justice (DOJ) sued to break up the giant's ad business. Google also recently escaped mostly unscathed from a Department of Justice monopoly case involving its Chrome browser.
FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson has previously said that big tech is one of the agency's top priorities. These investigations move forward against a backdrop of top tech CEOs continuing to try to curry favor with President Trump via lavish personal gifts and sweeping (if potentially unrealistic) promises of investment in the US economy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ftc-investigating-ad-sale-practices-at-google-and-amazon-160236895.html?src=rssFinal Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade hits the Switch 2 on January 22
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade comes out for the Switch 2 on January 22, 2026, which was revealed at today's lengthy Nintendo Direct livestream. This is the first entry in the remake trilogy and primarily takes place in the opening city of Midgar. You'll have to wait until Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to explore the overworld map, and there's no Switch 2 release date for that one yet.
This release does include the Episode Intermission DLC, which involves the ninja Yuffie on a mission to steal powerful items from the evil Shinra corporation. That story takes place after the main campaign.
There's a trailer and it looks gorgeous, so the Switch 2 should be able to handle this one. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade originally came out back in 2021. The long-awaited title was more of a reimagining than a straight remake of the iconic JRPG. The game still managed to garner critical acclaim, despite drastic changes from the original.
It was followed by Final Fantasy VII Rebirth in 2024, with a third game on the way to close out the trilogy. There's no name for this final entry and we don't have a release date, as it's still in active development.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/final-fantasy-vii-remake-intergrade-hits-the-switch-2-on-january-22-152559995.html?src=rssThe iPhone 17 square selfie camera is a bigger deal than you think
A square camera sensor may sound like one of those things only nerds would appreciate, but as part of the new front-facing 18-megapixel "Center Stage" camera on the iPhone 17 lineup, it could have massive implications for Apple's users. They'll no longer need to turn their phones to take a landscape selfie, especially if they need to fit a large group of people, as that's all handled automatically by Center Stage. It's the sort of "Why didn't I think of that?" feature that other phone makers will likely copy, simply because it's immensely practical. Those square camera sensors could help make Apple a selfie pioneer, once again.
We've come a long way from when the iPhone 4 and HTC Evo 4G introduced the idea of modern front-facing cameras in 2010. Earlier cellphones in Japan and Europe had low quality selfie cameras, and you could argue that the Game Boy Camera also toyed with the idea when it arrived in 1998. But in 2010, we finally had powerful phones on relatively speedy mobile connections that could easily share photos and let users hop on video chats on a whim. (It still stings that it took Apple two more years to release the LTE-capable iPhone 5, which made FaceTime much more useful.)
During the iPhone 17 launch event, Apple revealed that its customers took 500 billion selfies last year, a massive figure that shows just how normalized the practice has become. Selfies were often mocked when they were deemed the purview of Instagram-obsessed teenage girls, but these days it's not unusual to see everyone from seniors to a gaggle of sports bros gathering around a single phone like an object of worship. And, on a personal note, they're really the only way to get decent photos of your entire family, especially when you're juggling two rambunctious young kids.
We take photos to preserve memories, but selfies feel distinctive for their intimacy. You're not just capturing where you were, but you're also documenting yourself in the moment, along with the people around you. By making it easier to take selfies, it follows that you'll start to take even more of them, ultimately tying yourself into Apple's ecosystem even further. That leads to needing an iPhone with more storage and potentially more iCloud backup space down the line. You're also not going to jump over to an Android phone if you have to turn your phone sideways for a landscape selfie, or if you lose access to all of the cherished memories in your Apple Photos library.
The square camera sensor keeps you loyal.
It'll also change the way iPhone users take front-facing videos. Center Stage automatically keeps you in the center of FaceTime calls, so you don't have to worry so much about framing yourself up. And while I haven't seen this particular feature in action, it should also help alleviate the headache of turning your phone during a FaceTime call to match the recipient's device. (Or maybe I'm just tired of telling my parents to flip their phones when their FaceTime chats have huge black borders.)
This may be a stretch, but I could see the Center Stage front camera making it more common to record video with your front and rear cameras at the same time. While it’s new to iPhone as “Dual Capture,” we’ve seen variants of it from Samsung and Nokia (remember #bothie?) Android devices, but they’ve never really taken off. TikTok’s dual-camera live streaming mode has been more successful, and there are also vlogging apps like MixCam built around dual recording. With Dual Capture on iPhone 17, Center Stage’s ability to keep you in the middle of the action with the front camera should let you focus more on getting the best shot with the rear lenses.
While I’d love to see Apple cram more pixels into the 18MP Center Stage camera, moving to a square sensor will honestly be more impactful for all of the reasons above. It’s easy to throw in a higher resolution sensor, it’s tougher to fundamentally rethink how you can improve upon something as simple as taking a selfie.
Pokémon Pokopia looks like Animal Crossing for Pokémon fans and I'm here for it
In one of the most unexpected announcements of today's Nintendo Direct, Game Freak revealed Pokémon Pokopia, a game that is clearly inspired by the Animal Crossing series. When Pokopia is released sometime next year, you'll assume the role of a Ditto determined to make a comfortable home for their friends. This Ditto has assumed the form of a human, and as they meet new Pokémon, they'll learn abilities they can use to transform their community. In turn, this work will lead to more Pokémon coming to live in your home. The game features a beautiful tilt-shift art style that is reminiscent of Pokémon's third generation of games that debuted on the Game Boy Advance.
No word yet on an exact release date, but the game will be a Switch 2 exclusive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pokemon-pokopia-looks-like-animal-crossing-for-pokemon-fans-and-im-here-for-it-141239467.html?src=rssNintendo is bringing back the Virtual Boy as a Switch and Switch 2 accessory
Nintendo had a truly wild surprise up its sleeve for Switch Online + Expansion Pack during its Direct event on Friday. The company is bringing back the Virtual Boy as a physical device into which you can slot your Switch or Switch 2. A $100 plastic replica of the mid-90s tabletop system will soon be available for Switch Online members to buy. The company will sell a $25 cardboard version of the accessory too. No need to rub your eyes in disbelief (but if history is any indication, you might have to for relief after using this thing).
You'll need either accessory — which Nintendo says will only be available in the US and Canada — to play Virtual Boy games. They'll start hitting Switch Online + Expansion Pack on February 17. Mario's Tennis (a pack-in game for the original system), Galactic Pinball, Teleroboxer, Space Invaders and Tetris are among the 14 stereoscopic 3D Virtual Boy games that Nintendo will bring to the subscription service over time.
That means most of the Virtual Boy games that were ever released are coming to Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Nintendo only released 22 of them, since the Virtual Boy never took off. The company ended production of the device and stopped making games for it in 1996, only a year after the Virtual Boy hit shelves. Here's hoping the latest version of the accessory doesn't give players too many headaches.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-bringing-back-the-virtual-boy-as-a-switch-and-switch-2-accessory-140037508.html?src=rssDonkey Kong Bananza is getting a DLC expansion today
Donkey Kong Bananza, probably my favorite game of the year, is getting a paid expansion today called DK Island & Emerald Rush. As the title implies, you'll get to explore the island where Donkey Kong hails from and visit a whole host of his friends while you're at it. Naturally, there is more to explore and find there, but there's also a whole new set of challenges once you've finished the main game story. That's the titular Emerald Rush.
The timed missions involve you running around the island smashing as much green ore as you can get. As you go, smashing fossils you find unlocks various perks, which in turn help you amass more emeralds. Some of those perks act as multipliers on how much emerald you collect; others do things like make more treasure chests (that are naturally loaded with emeralds) appear. In somewhat roguelike fashion, your perks and skill reset after every run — but the location of things like fossils and Banandium Gems stay the same. So as you learn the levels, you'll be able to further maximize your collection.
Emerald Rush mode isn't limited to the new DK Island layer, either — it'll be integrated into other layers in the main game. As with everything else in Donkey Kong Bananza, it looks like a pretty delightful time. The DLC is set to go live today, but it's not up in the Nintendo eShop yet so its price remains a mystery.
If you haven't played the main game yet, Nintendo also released a demo that you can try later today, as well.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/donkey-kong-bananza-is-getting-a-dlc-expansion-today-140016430.html?src=rssHades II is coming to Switch and Switch 2 on September 25
Supergiant has a thing for dropping its biggest Hades news at Nintendo Directs. Five years after launching the first game during a Nintendo stream, the developer struck again. The 1.0 version of Hades II is coming on September 25, for Switch and Switch 2.
Of course, Hades II isn't exactly new to PC players. It's been in early access there for 16 months. Despite being a pre-release version, it has over 63,000 Steam reviews. Its reception averages "very positive" (and "overwhelmingly positive" for those written in English). The 1.0 edition promises not only the game's console debut but its true ending.
Only the Switch versions were covered in the Nintendo Direct (duh). But we already knew the PC and Mac editions were launching simultaneously with them. So, expect its Steam and Epic listings to be updated in short order. Like the original game, Hades II is likely a timed console exclusive. So, while it isn't yet official, you can expect PlayStation and Xbox versions sometime down the road.
According to Supergiant, Hades II will support 120 fps when the Switch 2 is in TV mode. That drops to 60 fps for Switch 2 in 1080p, while the original Switch can handle that same refresh rate at only 720p. Both Switch version will cross-save with the Steam and Epic versions as well.
The Hades sequel shifts the focus from Zagreus to his sister, Melinoë, princess of the underworld. She's up against Chronos: the Titan of Time, father of Hades and bona fide asshole. Supergiant says the roguelike runs at a smooth 60 fps on the Switch 2.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hades-ii-is-coming-to-switch-and-switch-2-on-september-25-133511122.html?src=rssMetroid Prime 4: Beyond will be released on December 4 for Switch and Switch 2
The long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is coming on December 4 to both the original Switch and the recently-released Switch 2, as announced during today's Nintendo Direct livestream. The Switch 2 is getting a dedicated version with upscaled graphics and some other bells and whistles, just like the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
We already knew the next Metroid would drop sometime in 2025, but it's nice to have an actual release date. We got a nifty trailer for the first-person adventure earlier this year that showed off new power-ups for protagonist Samus Aran. The game looks very fun and certainly seems to capture the spirit of its predecessors.
The plot involves Samus exploring a large planet and battling malevolent alien creatures which more than likely include the titular Metroids. This is a first-person game, unlike the relatively recent Metroid Dread, with an emphasis on scanning the environment, shooting enemies and solving puzzles. She has a cool-looking motorbike this time around, with an Amiibo figure to match. The trailer also shows off some wide-open sections to explore.
The first Metroid Prime was released all the way back in 2002 for the Nintendo Gamecube. The fourth entry has experienced a rocky development cycle, with Nintendo scrapping the project entirely in 2019 to start over from scratch.
The Metroid series dates back to 1986 with the NES original. The franchise represents one half of the popular Metroidvania genre, which is buzzy right now thanks to the release of Hollow Knight: Silksong. A price has not yet been announced.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/metroid-prime-4-will-be-released-on-december-4-for-switch-1-and-2-134718933.html?src=rssMario Tennis Fever hits the court on February 12
Switch 2 fans have a new Mario Tennis game to look forward to early next year. During Friday's Direct presentation, Nintendo announced Mario Tennis Fever. It's the first new entry in the long-running series since the release of Mario Tennis Aces in 2018. The new game will be a Switch 2 exclusive, with Nintendo promising plenty of tweaks to an established formula. For one, there are new defensive moves your character can take, including slides and dives, to prevent your opponent from scoring a point.
Then there are the fever rackets, from which the game is named after. These essentially allow you to snowball against your opponent by building a rally gauge and then executing a "fever shot." The effect of these depend on the racket you have equipped. For example, the ice racket will freeze a part of the court, while the mini mushroom racket will shrink your opponents, making it harder for them to cover their side of the court, if they're hit by its projectiles. There are 30 fever rackets to try. Mario Tennis Fever will also offer the biggest roster in series history. In all, there are 38 playable characters, including fan-favorites like Rosalina and Donkey Kong.
On top of that, Fever looks to offer plenty of different ways to play, with online play offered alongside a silly story mode that sees Mario and his friends turned into babies and forced to relearn the rules of tennis. There's even a swing mode where you can use the Joy-Cons motion controls for a "more authentic experience."
You won't have to wait long to play Mario Tennis Fever, with the game set to release on February 12, 2026.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-tennis-fever-hits-the-court-on-february-12-134227490.html?src=rssYoshi and the Mysterious Book is a new platformer coming to the Switch 2 next spring
Nintendo is dropping a slew of Mario-related announcements this morning as part of the franchise's 40th anniversary, including a new game starring his dinosaur companion. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is coming out for Switch 2 in the Spring of 2026 and the brief bit of gameplay we saw plants it squarely in the cutesy yet intriguing tradition of past Yoshi platformers.
The game's worlds and levels appear to be part of a book named Mr. Encyclopedia (or Mr. E for short) that Yoshi can jump into and explore. The game's main hook is traveling through those worlds and documenting the creatures you meet along the way, whose special abilities are what let you progress. For example, there's a little yellow walking flower that feels quite familiar from past Yoshi games; finding it and letting it ride on Yoshi makes other flowers bloom in the level. Presumably, that's a component to getting to where you need to go. In another level, dandelions that you can scatter will make rocks brittle so you can pound them and proceed.
As with most Yoshi games, there's a cute and distinctive art style on display here — the gameplay will be recognizable to anyone who has played games going all the way back to Yoshi's Island on the SNES, but obviously with more modern tweaks. It's not the same aesthetic as the yarn- and craft-based things we've seen on games like Yoshi's Crafted World and Yoshi's Wooly World (which introduced the absolutely adorable yarn-based Yoshi) but it's in the ballpark.
While Yoshi and the Mysterious World continues the kid-friendly aesthetics of those earlier games, I'm hoping it brings some of the challenge found in old-school titles like Yoshi's Island. We'll find out next year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book-is-a-new-platformer-coming-to-the-switch-2-next-spring-133805615.html?src=rssSuper Mario Bros. Wonder is getting a Switch 2 version with new multiplayer modes
Nintendo kicked off its latest Direct on Friday with a slew of Mario-related news to mark the 40th anniversary of its mascot. One of those announcements was for a Nintendo Switch 2 version of the delightful Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which is coming next spring. It will feature fresh multiplayer modes and other new features that Nintendo will reveal later.
A region called Bellabel Park will open up. You'll be able to hop into several modes with family and friends, such as one that will see you compete to collect the most coins on a course and a game of tag. There's also a Bob-omb relay race, a mini game where you'll lay out donut blocks for each other to progress through a level and a rhythm game.
In addition, Nintendo is going to sell a physical version of the annoying cute talking flower from Super Mario Bros. Wonder. That's coming your way next spring too.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will be Mario's next crack at the big screen
Nintendo just dropped a trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the sequel to the immensely popular The Super Mario Bros. Movie. This is good timing, given that tomorrow is officially the mustached plumber's 40th birthday. It hits theaters on April TK, 2026.
We've known this movie was coming for a while now, and even had an approximate release date. Now we have a trailer and it's a doozy. Shared during today's Nintendo Direct livestream event, the footage shows several deep-cut characters and locations from throughout the Mushroom Kingdom (and beyond.)
This is a teaser trailer, however, so we still don't know too much about the plot. We do know that many of the first film's actors are returning for the sequel, including Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach.
The sequel is something of a no-brainer, given that the first film was a cultural juggernaut. It's the most financially successful video game adaptation of all time and the third highest-grossing animated film ever. All told, it banked around $1.36 billion at the box office.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-will-be-marios-next-crack-at-the-big-screen-130840015.html?src=rssApple Music deal: New subscribers can get three free months of the Family Plan
Apple Music has a great deal going on right now for those interested in the Family Plan. New subscribers can get three free months of that plan — which, at $17 per month normally, comes out to $51 in savings for the whole period.
The Family Plan allows six different users to access the platform. It offers cross-device support and each user is tied to an Apple ID, so their favorite music won't mess with anyone else's algorithm.
Apple Music actually topped our list of the best music streaming platforms, and for good reason. It sounds great and it's easy to use. What else is there? All music is available in CD quality or higher and there are plenty of personalized playlists and the like. The platform also operates a number of live radio stations, which is fun.
The service is available for Android devices, but it really shines on Apple products. To that end, the web and Windows PC apps aren’t as polished as the iOS version. It doesn't pay artists properly, but that's true of every music streaming platform. Apple Music does pay out more than Spotify, but that's an incredibly low bar.
Offer for new subscribers redeeming on eligible devices. Auto-renews at $16.99/mo until cancelled. Requires Family Sharing. Terms apply.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-music-deal-new-subscribers-can-get-three-free-months-of-the-family-plan-151240418.html?src=rssiPhone Air orders in China may be delayed due to eSIM issue
Apple's iPhone Air launch may be delayed in China due to regulations around its eSIM-only nature, the South China Morning Post announced. Apple's mainland China site now states that "release information [will] be updated later," where previously it said that pre-orders would start at 8PM on September 19. The Beijing branch of China Telecom has also pulled a post from the RedNote social media platform announcing that it would launch its eSIM service this month. All other iPhone models (the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max) will launch as scheduled next Friday.
Due to its slim 5.6 mm thickness, Apple decided to make the iPhone Air its first model with no physical SIM card option. However, it has always sold iPhones in China with SIM card support that allows customers to easily link their identity to a cellular phone. Because an eSIM is built in, though, customers who want an iPhone Air must appear in person at a retail store to get it approved. Apple notes that "all other iPhone models, including those purchased outside of China mainland, are unable to install an eSIM profile from carriers in China mainland."
China Unicom was supposed to support eSIM at launch to start with, according to a cached Apple support document, with China Telecom and China Mobile following later. However, the same document now states that eSIM support for the iPhone Air is still "pending regulatory approval." A representative from China Telecom said that approval from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology would arrive "very soon," according to the SCMP.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/iphone-air-orders-in-china-may-be-delayed-due-to-esim-issue-130048242.html?src=rssEngadget Podcast: A deeper dive into the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air
This week, managing editor Cherlynn Low and senior reporter Karissa Bell are joined by The Verge's Allison Johnson to talk all about the new iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17. We also answered some questions from Threads and talk about our hopes and dreams from the next Apple event. Also, Devindra and Ben chat about some recent news, including a truly awful AI podcasting company.
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Topics
Cherlynn, Karissa, and a special guest break down the iPhone 17 news from Apple headquarters – 1:04
Notes from the iPhone Air hands on – 14:59
Once again, a big Apple event with no mention of Apple Intelligence – 40:27
Animated movie Critterz will use OpenAI’s tech to try to make a CGI movie on a shoestring budget – 59:24
Inception Point AI wants to use virtual hosts to make 5,000 new podcast episodes a week – 1:04:26
David Zaslav thinks HBO Max should be more expensive, because of course he does – 1:23:27
Working on – 1:25:41
Pop culture picks – 1:28:29
Credits
Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn Low
Guests: Karissa Bell and Allison Johnson
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Microsoft escapes EU antitrust fine after unbundling Teams
Microsoft is no longer in trouble with the European Commission, at least when it comes to Teams. The commission has accepted the changes and commitments the company made in response to its concerns related to Microsoft's bundling of its Teams collaboration platform with its other apps. This particular antitrust saga started years ago when Slack filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft, claiming that it illegally bundled its work chat competitor with the popular Office suite. The commission opened a formal investigation into the matter in 2023 and found in 2024 that Microsoft did indeed violate antitrust laws.
"Microsoft may have granted Teams a distribution advantage by not giving customers the choice whether or not to acquire access to Teams when they subscribe to their SaaS productivity applications," the commission said at the time. "This advantage may have been further exacerbated by interoperability limitations between Teams' competitors and Microsoft's offerings." The company was facing a fine equivalent to 10 percent of its annual worldwide turnover.
Even before the commission published its preliminary finding, Microsoft already unbundled Teams from Office 365 and Microsoft 365 productivity suites across the European Union. However, the commission found the changes it implemented "insufficient to address its concerns." So Microsoft made several commitments to avoid a fine, including offering customers in Europe versions of its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites without Teams. Those versions are sold at an "appreciably lower price." The company also committed not to offer discount rates on Teams or on suites with Teams included. Microsoft gave Teams' competitors "effective interoperability" with some of its products and services, as well, and allowed them to embed Office apps in their own products. In addition, it allowed customers in Europe to extract their Teams messaging data for use in competing services.
The commission tested those commitments between May and June this year. In response to the commission's test results, Microsoft further increased the price difference between the Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites with Teams and those without by 50 percent. The company also has to display suites options without Teams if it advertises its suites options with the messaging app. "The commitments offered by Microsoft will remain in force for seven years, except for the commitments related to interoperability and data portability which will remain in force for ten years," the commission wrote. A trustee will be monitoring Microsoft's implementation and will be making sure it remains true to its commitments within that timeframe.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/microsoft-escapes-eu-antitrust-fine-after-unbundling-teams-123052522.html?src=rssApple Watch Series 11 receives FDA approval for hypertension alerts
Apple's Awe Dropping event started with dramatic health testimonials from Apple Watch users, then revealed a key new feature for the new Watch Series 11: hypertension alerts. The function had yet to receive FDA approval at the time, but that has now been granted, according to Bloomberg. As a result, it will reportedly be available to users in 150 countries when the Watch 11 and Ultra Watch 3 ship starting on September 19.
Hypertension alerts can help detect hypertension (high blood pressure), a potentially dangerous condition that affects over a billion people. The feature relies on the Watch's optical heart sensor, but now uses new machine learning algorithm that also draws from a study involving more than 100,000 participants to look for high blood pressure. It works in the background a month-long period to seek patterns associated with hypertension. Unlike devices that measure your specific blood pressure, it only tells users that there may be a danger.
Last year, Apple received the FDA's nod for its over-the-counter Hearing Aid function that transforms the second-gen AirPods Pro into OTC hearing aids for people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Another recently approved feature is sleep apnea detection. However, the company is currently facing a lawsuit over the Apple Watch's redesigned blood oxygen monitoring feature.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-watch-series-11-receives-fda-approval-for-hypertension-alerts-120046036.html?src=rssThe Morning After: HBO Max is going to get more expensive
As is often the case, the tech news tide is out after Apple’s iPhone 17 event. (Did we do a dedicated newsletter on all the announcements? Yes, yes we did.)
Before the weekend, though, there’s still more to read about. But let’s start with the not-great tech news. David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, plans to make HBO more expensive and passwords a lot harder to share. These were part of his comments at a Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, which sounds awful.
The main thrust of his argument was that HBO Max’s content is so good that Zaslav thinks he should charge a lot more for it.
— Mat Smith
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The news you might have missed
Lenovo Legion Go 2 hands-on: Powerful upgrades but with an even higher price
iPhone Air hands-on: The super sleek precursor to Apple’s upcoming foldable
Video Games Weekly: It’s weird that esports are segregated by gender
NASA’s Perseverance rover finds potential signs of ancient life on Mars
Takara Tomy is releasing a Poké Ball virtual pet toy
Tamagotchi but with... Pokémon.
Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy is releasing a Poké Ball virtual pet toy, so you can fulfill your dreams of carrying your favorite Pokémon around with you everywhere. There are seven partner Pokémon you can care for: Pikachu, Eevee, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Lucario and Sylveon. And if you pet the device, it reacts. Cute! There are also 150 other Pokémon to interact with inside the toy.
While it appears to be a Japan-only release, the pet will have an English language option according to the product page. So, some of you are already convinced, right? Priced around $51, pre-orders are open, though currently sold out on Amazon Japan, and the device will ship on October 11. Now, to decide whether to pick Pikachu or Eevee.
A closer look at the AirPods Pro 3
ANC, live translation and heart-rate tracking.
With a little bit of breathing space after the initial media full-court press earlier this week, Billy Steele gave the AirPods Pro 3 a closer listen. Apple says the ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 blocks twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times as much as the original AirPods Pro. While there’s technology at work (ultra-low noise microphones and computational audio), new foam-infused ear tips offer better passive noise isolation. In short, less noise gets in.
Grok claimed the Charlie Kirk assassination video was a ‘meme edit’
The chatbot repeatedly told X users that Kirk was ‘fine.’
X’s AI assistant Grok has once again been caught spreading blatant misinformation. In several bizarre exchanges, the chatbot repeatedly claimed that Charlie Kirk was “fine” and that gruesome videos of his assassination were a “meme edit.” One user tagged Grok and asked if Kirk could have survived the shooting. Grok’s response was nonsensical: “Charlie Kirk takes the roast in stride with a laugh — he’s faced tougher crowds,” it wrote. “Yes, he survives this one easily.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-hbo-max-is-going-to-get-more-expensive-111533620.html?src=rssThe best laptop power banks for 2025
If you travel or sometimes work away from your desk, a laptop power bank may come in handy. These larger portable chargers pack enough power to refill a phone multiple times, a tablet a couple times over and get most laptops from near-dead to work-ready in around an hour. Over the past few years, I’ve tested dozens of batteries for our power banks guide and a number of them make great options for laptops. These are the best laptop power banks based on our testing, along with a bit of info on how to fly with a portable battery and what to look for in a good one.
Table of contents
Best laptop power banks for 2025
What to look for in a laptop power bank
Flying with a laptop power bank
Most portable batteries top out at around 27,000mAh so you can fly with them. The TSA currently limits the capacity carry-on batteries to 100Wh, which works out to around 27,500mAh for 3.6 volt lithium-ion batteries. Note that you’re not allowed to pack any batteries in your checked luggage, regardless of capacity. The TSA rules are intended to limit fire danger — and some airlines are implementing further restrictions due to recent on-board incidents.
In March 2025, a Hong Kong flight was grounded after a battery pack caught fire in an overhead bin. A similar situation happened in July on a domestic Delta flight, and again in August on a transatlantic KLM flight. As a result, some airlines, including Emirates, Southwest and others have announced further restrictions on flying with battery packs.
Rules include limiting the number of allowed portable chargers and requiring flyers to keep power banks in clear view when using them to recharge a device. If the battery pack isn’t actively in use, however, most rules allow them to stay in your carry-on bag in the overhead bin. Before flying, it’s wise to check your airline’s policies.
Capacity
If you just need to keep a smartphone from dying before you can make it home, just about any of the best power banks will do. But if you need to revive multiple devices or the substantial battery of a laptop, you’ll want something with a high milliamp-hour (mAh) capacity. A power bank capable of delivering enough power to a laptop will have a capacity between 20,000 and 27,000 mAh.
If you want something even bigger than a laptop power bank, and don’t need to fly with it, you’ll likely want to look into portable power stations. These can be the size of a car battery or larger and can potentially fuel an entire weekend away.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the capacity listed in a power bank's specs is not what will be delivered to your devices. As I mentioned, the capacity of these banks is around 25,000mAh. Even the huge battery on a 16-inch MacBook Pro or a Dell XPS 16 has a mAh rating of around 5,000 - 6,000mAh, so you might think you’d get five full charges but in reality, you only get about a single 70-percent charge. The voltage is different (typically 3.7V for the power bank and 11.4V for a laptop) which makes the watt-hours, or the amount of energy each battery can hold, different (working out to 92Wh for the battery and 72Wh for the built-in laptop batteries). On top of that, in order to feed a charge from a power bank to a laptop, a voltage conversion takes place and that dissipates a decent amount of energy.
Without turning this into a physics lesson, this all means that a power bank with a 25,000mAh (or 92Wh) capacity will typically fill a 5,000mAh (or 72Wh) laptop battery to about 75 percent. In my tests, I averaged about a 60-percent efficiency rate between a power bank’s listed capacity and the actual charge delivered.
Ports
Every large power bank I’ve tested has at least three USB ports, with a mix of USB-C and USB-A, which should cover nearly any portable device you need to recharge — earbuds, phones, tablets, laptops, you name it. In addition to the different plug formats, some ports supply power at different wattages. For example, one built-in USB-C port might be rated for 60 watts, while the one next to it is rated for 100 watts. So if you’ve got a device that’s capable of 70W fast charging, such as the new MacBook Air, you’d want to opt for the 100W port to get the best charging speeds possible.
Note that devices with a smaller wattage draw won’t be negatively affected by connecting to ports with high ratings. For example, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, capable of 45W super fast charging, is perfectly compatible with the 100W port. A device will only draw what it can take, regardless of what a port can supply. Just remember that the port, device and charging cable need to be at or above the desired wattage rating to achieve maximum charging rates.
Some of these larger batteries also have AC ports. It might seem like a natural fit to plug in your laptop’s power adapter for a recharge. But really, the AC port should only be for devices that can’t use USB — such as a lamp or a printer. Plugging a power adapter into the AC port only wastes energy through conversion. First, the battery converts its DC power to supply the port with AC power, then the power adapter converts that AC power back to DC so your laptop can take it in. And as you’ll remember from physics class, each time energy is converted, some is lost to heat and other dissipations. Better to cut out the middleman and just send that DC power straight from the battery to the device.
Also, you can use more than one port at a time with these devices; just remember that the speed of whatever you’re charging will likely go down, and of course, the battery is going to drain proportionally to what you’re refilling.
Wireless charging
Just in the last year and a half that I’ve been testing portable power banks, wireless charging capabilities have noticeably improved. The first few I tried were painfully slow and not worth recommending. Now the wireless pads built into power banks are impressively fast — particularly, in my experience, when charging Samsung Galaxy phones (though the lack of a stabilizing magnetic connection like Apple’s MagSafe means they only work when rested flat on a pad). Most wireless charging connections can be used while other ports are also being employed, making them convenient for some mobile battlestation setups.
Of course, wireless charging is always less efficient than wired, and recharging from an external battery is less efficient in general. If you want to waste as little energy as possible, you’re better off sticking to wired connections.
Design
All power banks are designed to be portable, but there’s a big difference between a pocket-friendly 5,000mAh battery and one of these laptop-compatible bruisers. Most of the latter weigh between a pound and a half to two pounds, which is a considerable addition to a backpack. Many of the options listed here have a display to tell you how much charge remains in the battery, which is helpful when you’re trying to judiciously meet out charges to your devices. If a bank has a wireless connection, the pad is usually on the flat top and any available AC connection is usually at one end. Both may require you to engage those charging methods. Don’t be like me and grumble loudly that you got a bum unit without pressing (and sometimes double pressing) all the buttons first.
How we test portable laptop chargers
For the past two years, I’ve been testing and using dozens of portable batteries for our other battery guide. Some of those batteries include the higher-capacity power banks you see here. I also got a hold of a few extra banks just for this guide to make sure we covered what’s available. I went for brands I’m already familiar with, as well as battery packs from well-received manufacturers I hadn’t tried before (like UGREEN and Lion Energy). I only considered banks with at least a 20,000mAh capacity and mostly stuck with those that rated 25,000mAh and higher.
Here’s everything we tested:
I tested each power bank with an Apple phone (iPhone 15), an Android phone (Galaxy S23 Ultra), a tablet (M1 iPad Air) and a laptop (16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip). Even though these banks can charge multiple devices at once, I refilled one at a time, to make side-by-side comparisons more straightforward. I drained the batteries of the phones and tablets to between zero and five percent and then didn’t use any device as it refilled.
For the MacBook, I let it run down to 10 percent before plugging in the power bank. That's when most laptops give display a “connect to power” warning, as draining any battery to empty will compromise the battery life. I then used it as one might in a mobile office, with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, while connected to Wi-Fi and a VPN.
For each test, I noted how long a completely charged battery took to get a device back to full and how much of the battery’s capacity was used up in one charge. I also noted things like portability, apparent durability, helpful features and overall design.
For reference, here are the battery capacities of the devices I used:
iPhone 15: 3,349mAh
Galaxy S23 Ultra: 4,855mAh
iPad Air (5th gen): 7,729mAh
16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro: 27,027mAh
Other laptop power banks we tested
HyperJuice 245W
Hyper’s HyperJuice 245W brick looks great and has a hefty 27,000mAh capacity. The four USB-C ports can combine to output 245W of power and it got my MacBook Pro from nearly dead to 75 percent before depleting itself. When testing it with a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the handset got back up to a full charge in just over an hour. The screen tells you what each port is doing as well as displaying the amount of charge remaining in the pack itself.
But the lack of port variety makes it feel less versatile than other picks on this list — the price is higher than our other options, too.
Laptop power bank FAQs
How do laptop power banks differ from phone power banks?
The main difference is size. Phone power banks tend to have a capacity ranging from 5,000mAh to 20,000mAh and laptop powerbanks are typically rated between 20,000mAh and 27,000mAh. There’s no official definition, however. Laptop batteries are simply larger and need a bigger supply of power to give them a meaningful charge.
How do you fast charge a power bank?
You can charge a power bank exactly as fast as the power bank’s internal mechanisms will allow. Most batteries are limited in how quickly they can accept and deliver a charge to avoid dangerously overheating. But to make sure you’re charging a bank as quickly as possible, make sure the wall adapter and the USB-C cable you are using have a high wattage rating — using a 5W power brick and a 10W cable will take a lot longer to refill your bank than a 65W wall charger and a 100W cord.
What size power bank do I need for a laptop?
Look for a power bank with a rating of at least 20,000mAh. Slightly smaller batteries may work, but they won’t deliver a significant charge laptops.
How many mAh to charge a laptop?
A milliamp hour (mAh) is how much a battery can hold, and most portable batteries list their capacity using mAh. If you get a battery rated at 20,000mAh or above, it should be able to charge your laptop.
Using mAh to discuss laptop batteries can be confusing. Due to differing voltages, you can’t directly compare the mAh ratings of a power bank battery to a laptop battery. Using watt-hours is a better gauge, as that calculation takes voltage into account.
Recent updates
August 2025: Changed our runner up travel pick for a new Anker battery. Updated information about flying with power banks. Added a section about other batteries we tested.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-laptop-power-bank-120040388.html?src=rssThe best gaming keyboards of 2025
The best gaming keyboards bring a greater feeling of comfort and control to your PC play time, whether you’re sinking into a 100-hour RPG or sweating through an online shooter. They may not always feel as premium for typing as a good custom mechanical keyboard, but they’re usually a nice upgrade over the ordinary keyboards sitting around the office. To help anyone looking to upgrade, I’ve spent more time researching gaming keyboards than any person reasonably should, testing dozens of well-reviewed models along the way. Whether you want something mini, analog, wireless or just plain cheap, these are the best I’ve used.
What to look for in a gaming keyboard
To be clear, any keyboard can be a “gaming keyboard.” If you play lots of video games and have never sighed to yourself, “man, this keyboard is holding me back,” congratulations, you probably don’t need to pay extra for a new one. Self-proclaimed gaming keyboards often come at a premium, and while the best offer high-quality designs, snazzy RGB lighting and a few genuinely worthwhile features, none of them will give you god-like skill, nor will they suddenly turn bad games into good ones.
Mechanical vs non-mechanical
Now that we’ve touched grass, I did prioritize some features while researching this guide. First, I mostly stuck to mechanical keyboards, not laptop-style membrane models. They can be loud, but they’re more durable, customizable and broadly satisfying to press — all positive traits for a product you may use for hours-long gaming sessions.
Size
Next, I preferred tenkeyless (TKL) or smaller layouts. It’s totally fine to use a full-size board if you really want a number pad, but a compact model gives you more space to flick your mouse around. It also lets you keep your mouse closer to your body, which can reduce the tension placed on your arms and shoulders.
Switches, keycaps and build quality
Linear switches, which are often branded as “red,” are generally favored by gamers. These give keystrokes a smooth feel from top to bottom, with no tactile “bump” that could make fast, repeated presses less consistent. They usually require little force to actuate, and they tend to be quiet. However, if you prefer the feel and/or sound of a more tactile or clicky switch, get one of those instead. You might lose some speed in esports-style games, but nothing is more important than your comfort.
Some gaming keyboards are based on different mechanisms entirely. Optical switches, for instance, use a beam of light to register keystrokes, while Hall effect switches use magnets. These often feel linear, but they allow for a more versatile set of gaming-friendly features, such as the ability to set custom actuation points, assign multiple commands to one key and repeat key presses faster. In general, they’re faster and more durable too.
This analog-style functionality has become the big trend in the gaming keyboard market over the last few years. Most of the major keyboard brands now sell at least one model with Hall effect switches and, based on my testing, it’s easy to see why: Many of their customizations really can give you a more granular (yet still fair) sense of control, especially in more competitive games. Consequently, many of our picks below are built with the tech.
Keyboards with these kind of features usually aren’t cheap, however, and they’re far from essential for those who mainly play single-player games. Some of their tricks have also stirred up controversy: One known as SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions) cleaning allows you to activate two different directional keys at the same time, making it possible to, among other things, achieve impossibly perfect strafing in shooting games. A few games such as Counter-Strike 2 have banned the feature as a result, though it can still be a fun thing to play around with in games that don’t involve other people. SOCD isn’t limited to magnetic switches either; some mechanical keyboards support it too.
A small handful of recent keyboards have shipped with inductive switches, which promise the adjustable actuation features of Hall effect keyboards but with better battery efficiency. We haven’t been able to test one of these just yet, but we’ll look to do so in the future.
Keycaps and build quality
Regardless of switch type, you want a frame that doesn’t flex under pressure, keys that don’t wobble and stabilizers that don’t rattle when you hit larger keys like the spacebar. I prefer double-shot PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) keycaps over those that use cheaper ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, as they won’t develop a greasy shine over time and their icons are less likely to fade. A hot-swappable PCB (printed circuit board) that makes it easy to change switches if the mood arises is ideal, as are dedicated media keys.
For the sake of simplicity, I only considered prebuilt gaming keyboards for this guide, though many of the picks below allow for customization down the line. If you (and your bank account) really want to go wild, check out our guide to building a custom keyboard.
Software, connectivity and RGB
If a keyboard has companion software, it should let you program macros and custom key bindings for games without frustration. For convenience, a wired keyboard should connect through a detachable USB-C cable. A good wireless keyboard won’t add serious lag, but only if it uses a USB receiver, not Bluetooth. (It’ll probably cost more as well.) Some gaming keyboards advertise super-high polling rates — i.e., the speed at which a keyboard reports to a computer — to reduce latency, but unless your monitor has an especially fast refresh rate, the usual standard of 1,000Hz should be fine. And while nobody needs RGB lighting, it’s fun. Consumer tech could use more of that, so the cleaner and more customizable the RGB is, the better.
How we tested
The best way to evaluate a keyboard is to just… use it, so that’s what I did. To cover a variety of use cases and design styles, I’ve researched dozens of keyboards over the past several months that’ve broadly received high marks from professional reviewers and users alike. I’ve then used each model I’ve brought in as my daily driver for a few days. Since I write for a living, this gave me enough time to get a strong sense of each keyboard’s typing experience.
For gaming, I give special focus to each keyboard’s responsiveness in fast and/or reaction-based online shooters such as Halo Infinite, Counter-Strike 2, Apex Legends, Valorant, Overwatch 2 and XDefiant, as many would-be gaming keyboard buyers get one in the hopes that it’ll help with that genre in particular. I made sure each keyboard felt comfortable with other types of games, though, such as Baldur’s Gate 3 (a turn-based RPG), Hi-Fi Rush (an action game with an emphasis on timing and rhythm) and Forza Horizon 5 (an arcade racing game). I used the latter to better evaluate the pressure-sensitive features of the analog keyboards I tested.
If a keyboard could be configured with multiple switch types, I got the linear model. Upon receiving each keyboard, I removed several keycaps to ensure none were chipped or broken. I noted whether any keys felt wobbly, whether the case flexes under pressure, whether the texture and finish of the keycaps changes after use and whether larger keys like the spacebar felt particularly rattly or hollow. I typed on each keyboard in quick succession in a quiet room to get a sense of where they ranked in terms of noise. For wireless models, I checked whether the battery drain at 50 percent RGB brightness aligned with a manufacturer’s estimate. I looked to results from sites like Rtings to ensure nothing was out of order with latency. I did my testing on a 144Hz monitor with my personal rig, which includes a 10th-gen Core i9 CPU and an RTX 3080 GPU.
This helped me ensure each keyboard met a baseline of overall quality, but to reiterate, so much of this process is subjective. I can tell you if a keyboard is loud based on how I slam my keys, for instance, but you may have a lighter touch. What my tastes find “comfortable,” “pleasing,” or even “useful,” you may dislike. As I’ve written before, keyboards are like food or art in that way. So, keep an open mind.
Other gaming keyboards we tested
Note: The following is a selection of noteworthy gaming keyboards we’ve put through their paces, not a comprehensive list of everything we’ve ever tried.
Wooting 60HE+
You can consider the Wooting 60HE+ our “1A” pick, as it’s essentially a more compact version of the 80HE with a 60 percent layout. It supports the same analog gaming features, has the same four-year warranty and still uses the great Wootility software. It’s also $25 cheaper. If you prefer a smaller design and don’t need arrow keys, you can buy it with confidence. However, more people will find the 80HE’s larger layout easier to use on a day-to-day basis. Its gasket mount, updated switches and extra sound-dampening material make it more pleasant-sounding and comfier for typing out of the box. Plus, while the 60HE+ can only rest at one fixed angle, the 80HE comes with a few sets of removable feet.
It's also worth noting that Wooting has announced an updated model called the 60HE V2 since our last update. That one is expected to arrive by the end of 2025, so if you're not in a rush it may be worth holding out for a few more months.
Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid
The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid is a good magnetic-switch alternative to the Wooting 80HE if you must buy from one of the major keyboard brands. It’s wired-only, but it looks good, with clear RGB lighting, a built-in volume roller, dedicated media keys and a sturdy metal top plate. The expected rapid trigger and adjustable actuation tricks all work fine, and Logitech’s G Hub software is easier to get around than most apps from the big-name manufacturers. It can recognize when you’ve launched certain games, for instance, then apply any custom profiles you’ve made for them automatically. It's $10 cheaper than the 80HE as well. Where it falls short is the typing experience: The default switches are pretty noisy, and bottoming out the keys feels stiffer here compared to our top picks. If you want those Wooting-style features and prefer a clackier sound, however, it’s a decent buy.
Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60
The wireless Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60, which use more traditional mechanical switches, aren’t as hot. They’re built well, but they’re too pricey to not be hot-swappable or lack the analog features of the 80HE. There isn’t much sound-dampening foam in either models, too, so neither sounds great. We like that both come with a carrying case, though.
Keychron C3 Pro
The tenkeyless Keychron C3 Pro is the top budget pick in our mechanical keyboard guide, and it remains a great stand-in for the G.Skill KM250 RGB if you want to stay under $50. With its gasket mount design, internal foam and pre-lubed switches, it feels and sounds fuller to press. The base version we tested lacks hot-swappable switches and only has a red backlight, but Keychron has released a revised model that addresses that and add full RGB. That said, its ABS keycaps still feel cheaper and can develop a shine over time, plus there’s no volume knob. Some may find KM250’s smaller size more convenient for gaming, too.
A more recent update called the C3 Pro 8K does include PBT keycaps for $55; we'll aim to test that one in the future.
Keychron Q1 HE
The Keychron Q1 HE is sort of an older version of the Lemokey P1 HE with the same magnetic switches and a similarly excellent aluminum chassis. Its double-gasket design, pre-lubed switches and layers of foam make it a joy for typing. But its gaming features rely on the same iffy software, while the stock keycaps are sculpted in a way that makes them trickier to press quickly. Those keycaps aren’t shine-through either, and the whole thing is more expensive, so there isn’t much reason to buy it over the P1 HE.
Sony Inzone KBD-H75
The Sony Inzone KBD-H75 is another one that ticks most of the boxes we’re looking for. Its 75-percent frame is compact but not cramped. It looks plain, but it wouldn’t be out of place in an office. The metal top comes off as substantial — though the bottom is made of plastic — while the PBT keycaps are durable, with shine-through lighting. A gasket-mount design and some quality stabilizers help the typing experience feel and sound great. Presses have a nice clack, but they’re muted enough that they shouldn’t annoy anyone around you. The magnetic Hall effect switches let you customize actuation points and utilize a rapid trigger mode. General latency is excellent, and Sony’s Inzone Hub isn’t as fussy or obtuse as many companion apps in this market. There’s also a volume knob.
The problem is that all of this costs $300, and that’s a lot for a keyboard without wireless connectivity (or proper macOS support). Competitive gamers may not care about that, but for most others, there are better values out there. If you ever see this one on sale, however, it’s well worth a look, as the stock typing feel is a bit nicer than that of the Wooting 80HE.
Razer Joro
The Razer Joro is a decent choice if you want a portable scissor-switch keyboard instead of a bulky mechanical one. It’s essentially a “gamer” take on Apple’s Magic Keyboard, with a slick black finish, sturdy aluminum top plate, RGB lighting and SOCD support. The 75-percent layout is super low-profile and weighs just 0.8 pounds, so it’s extremely travel-friendly. The typing experience is stable, wonderfully quiet and comfortable for what it is — put it in a laptop and it’d be a standout. It all works across Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
That said, it’ll never feel as cushy as a good mechanical board over extended sessions. The design is fixed at one flat angle, which some may find uncomfortable. The ABS keycaps aren’t great for something priced at $140, and while there is 2.4GHz wireless support, you need to buy a separate dongle to actually use it. Otherwise, you’re playing over Bluetooth, which adds latency, or a short USB-C cable. The Joro serves its niche well enough if you’re always on the road, but it’s a skip if you don’t game beyond your desk very often.
Razer Huntsman V2 TKL
We previously recommended the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL as a mid-priced pick thanks to its light optical switches, crisp PBT keycaps and impressively muffled tone (with the linear-switch model, at least). Its lack of analog features make it a harder sell these days, though, and its keys wobble more than those on the Keychron V3 Max. It’s not hot-swappable, either. Beyond that, only the version with clicky switches — which sound uncomfortably sharp — is still in stock as of this writing.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro
The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is a line of wired analog keyboards that comes in 60 percent, TKL and full-size options. They have just about all the features we like on the Wooting 80HE, but their optical switches are noisier and more hollow-feeling.
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is Razer’s top-of-the-line wireless keyboard. It’s fully hot-swappable, with heavily textured PBT keycaps, a robust aluminum top case and a nifty OLED display. The tactile Razer Orange switches in our test unit consistently feel tight, the larger keys don’t really rattle and the RGB backlight shines through beautifully. It’s a good keyboard — but it's just not luxurious enough to warrant its $300 price tag, especially since it lacks any sort of analog-style functionality. The stock switches are a little too sharp-sounding for our liking as well.
Razer Huntsman Mini
The Razer Huntsman Mini is a fine choice if you want a 60 percent keyboard and don’t need Wooting-style software tricks, with textured PBT keycaps, a sturdy aluminum top plate and the same fast optical switches we praised with the Huntsman V2 TKL. The 60HE+ is much more versatile, though, while the KM250 RGB is a more appealing value.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless (phew) is a strong alternative to the Apex Pro TKL if you want to go wireless. It’s a joy to type on, with superb sound dampening, pre-lubed ROG NX switches, an impressively sturdy case and stable, PBT-coated keys. It’s hot-swappable, its battery life rating is much higher than the Apex Pro TKL Wireless (90 hours with RGB on) and it has a multi-function key that puts volume, media and RGB controls in one place. At $170 or so, it's usually much cheaper than our SteelSeries pick as well.
However, it doesn’t have the rapid trigger or custom actuation tricks of Hall effect keyboards like the Apex Pro TKL Wireless or Lemokey P1 HE, and ASUS’s Armoury Crate software is a bit of a mess. The Lemokey P1 HE's all-metal design feels higher-end, too. But if you care about typing experience more than extra gaming-friendly features, this one is still worth looking into.
ASUS ROG Azoth
The ASUS ROG Azoth is like a smaller version of the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with a few more enthusiast touches, such as a gasket-mounted design — which gives keystrokes a softer feel — a programmable OLED display and a toolkit for lubing switches in the box. It’s exceptionally well-made by any standard, not just “for a gaming keyboard.” But its feature set still isn’t as flexible as the Wooting 80HE or SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless, which makes its $275 list price a tough ask. ASUS recently released a new model called the ROG Azoth X, though that one costs $300 and has a much louder aesthetic.
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard
The 75 percent Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard is much better than its bland name suggests, with high-quality PBT keycaps, smooth linear switches (which are hot-swappable), wonderfully clean RGB lighting, a steady wireless connection and a rigid yet lightweight design. But it's fairly loud, and at $200 there isn’t much reason to take it over the Lemokey P1 HE, which has a higher-quality design and more capable magnetic switches, or the ASUS Strix Scope II 96 Wireless, which offers a similarly pleasing typing experience at a slightly lower price. It’s worth considering if you see it on sale, though.
NZXT Function 2 and Function 2 MiniTKL
The full-size NZXT Function 2 and tenkeyless Function 2 MiniTKL are totally solid midrange options with fast optical switches and the ability to swap between two universal actuation points, but they’re let down by mediocre stabilizers on the larger keys.
NuPhy Air75 V2
The NuPhy Air75 V2 is a stylish wireless keyboard with a low-profile design. We've recommended it in our mechanical keyboard buying guide, as it's an excellent choice if you want something that blends the flatter, compact shape of a laptop keyboard with the more tactile feel of mechanical switches. The design isn’t entirely ideal for gaming, though, as the wide keys can make it a little too easy to fat-finger inputs by accident and the stock keycaps aren’t shine-through. This is another one that recently received a refresh, though. NuPhy also sells a model with Hall effect switches. We'll aim to test those for a future update.
Corsair K70 Max
The Corsair K70 Max is another one with magnetic switches, but trying to program its more advanced features through Corsair’s iCue software was a pain.
Corsair K70 RGB TKL
The Corsair K70 RGB TKL is a decent if basic midrange model, but it’s also on the noisy side compared to our top picks and it’s saddled with middling software.
Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL
The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is another low-profile model that generally feels comfortable and well-built, even if it's entirely made of plastic. It’s a decent alternative to the NuPhy Air75 series, as it’s much quieter with its GL Tactile switches and comes with shine-through keycaps by default. However, those switches aren’t hot-swappable, and the board can’t connect to multiple devices simultaneously over Bluetooth. The low-profile shape still isn’t the best for gaming either, plus the stock keycaps aren’t quite as grippy as other PBT options we’ve used.
Recent updates
September 2025: We’ve taken a sweep to make sure our picks are still accurate and added testing notes on a couple new keyboards in the Razer Joro and Sony Inzone KBD-H75.
February 2025: We've overhauled this guide with new picks: The Wooting 80HE is now our top recommendation overall, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (Gen 3) is our new "best wireless" option and the Lemokey P1 HE slots in as an honorable mention. We've also added notes on several more gaming keyboards we've tested since our last update, including Logitech's G Pro X TKL Rapid and G515 Lightspeed TKL, Razer's BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% and Alienware's Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard. Finally, we've made a few minor updates to our "What to look for in a gaming keyboard" section.
June 2024: We updated this guide with a new “traditional mechanical keyboard” pick, the Keychron V3 Max, plus a couple new honorable mentions and more notes on other gaming keyboards we’ve tried. Note that we’ve tested — and will continue to test — several other keyboards that aren’t explicitly marketed toward gaming, but we’ll direct you to our general mechanical keyboard buying guide for more info on those.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/best-gaming-keyboard-140019954.html?src=rssMicrosoft and OpenAI announce the 'next phase' of their partnership
Microsoft and OpenAI have issued a joint statement to say that they have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for the "next phase" of their partnership. The companies are still finalizing the terms of agreement and haven't shared the details of what their future would look like exactly. But according to The New York Times, the deal includes hows the parties share technology and and the revenue from those technologies. The new agreement also reportedly modifies the clause in the original, which states that Microsoft cannot access OpenAI's most powerful technology if its board decides that it has reached human-like artificial general intelligence or AGI.
In addition to the new deal, The Times says OpenAI is giving an equity stake worth at least $100 billion to its nonprofit arm that will continue to oversee and control the organization. As the publication notes, a change in the company's agreement paves the way for OpenAI to transition into a public benefit corporation, a type of corporation that's meant to make a positive impact on society, and for an eventual IPO. OpenAI had to reach an acceptable agreement with Microsoft first, including how much equity it's getting in the AI firm's for-profit arm. Microsoft had invested over $13 billion into OpenAI and is entitled to 49 percent of its future profits.
Reports about OpenAI moving away from its complicated non-profit structure started coming out last year. After Christmas in 2024, it officially announced its plan to transform itself into a public benefit corporation with ordinary shares of stock. "It will enable us to raise the necessary capital with conventional terms like others in this space," it said at the time. In May, however, OpenAI announced that it was no longer going to remove the control of its for-profit arm from its non-profit board. "OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit, and is today overseen and controlled by that nonprofit. Going forward, it will continue to be overseen and controlled by that nonprofit," it said.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-and-openai-announce-the-next-phase-of-their-partnership-035247037.html?src=rssGoogle Maps wasn't loading in some regions due to an outage
Google Maps suffered an outage that left the mobile version of the service unable to fully load its map or provide directions. Over 4,000 reports were filed on Downdetector since the outage started, and Google's Status Dashboard noted that the company was investigating an issue with the Maps SDK and Navigation SDK at 3:34PM ET. By 6:27PM ET, Google said the issue has been resolved and that it will publish an "analysis of this incident" once it has completed its internal investigation.
At the peak of the outage, both the Android and iOS versions of Google Maps were unable to fully load a map, display listings or provide directions. In at least one case, the apps also showed an error message saying that Google Maps "Cannot reach server." Whatever caused the outage hasn't extend to the web version of the navigation service, which continues to work as normal.
Google's dashboard updated to say that "mitigation work is currently underway by our engineering team" and that it was "seeing indications of recovery" at around 5:22PM ET. Around 30 minutes later, the company said that the issue was partially resolved, but that it couldn't share "an ETA for full resolution at this point."
In the description of the issue on Google's Status Dashboard, Google has yet to provide an explanation for the outage or detailed what it's doing to fix the issue. Engadget has contacted Google for more information and will update this article if we here back.
Google's last major outage occurred in June, though it was primarily concentrated in the company's Google Cloud service. Given the number of clients who use Google Cloud, the outage impacted everything from Spotify to Snapchat for multiple hours.
Update, September 11, 2025, 6:09PM ET: Updated article again to include details from Google's Status Dashboard.
Update, September 11, 2025, 5:38PM ET: Updated article to include new information shared on Google's Status Dashboard.
Update, September 11, 2025 9:51PM ET: Updated article to note that the issue has been resolved.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-maps-isnt-loading-in-some-regions-due-to-an-apparent-outage-204458737.html?src=rssVideo Games Weekly: It's weird that esports is segregated by gender
Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday (Or, I dunno, Thursday), broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, Jess Conditt, a reporter who's covered the industry for more than 13 years. The second contains the video game stories from the past week that you need to know about, including some headlines from outside of Engadget.
Please enjoy — and I'll see you next week.
Earlier this week, FlyQuest top laner Bwipo (Gabriël Rau) was suspended for one series of the League of Legends LTA playoffs after saying some wild stuff during a livestream about women and their ability to play esports. Here’s a sampling of what he said:
“I think there's just not enough support for female pro players... women's anatomy and their monthly cycles are just extremely different from males, and there's no proper support system for women to go through what they're going through.”
“Even men just tilt out of their fucking minds when they're playing League of Legends. So, when a woman is on the wrong part of the month and playing competitively, there is a time of the month where you should not be fucking playing competitive games as a woman, in my opinion.”
OK, Bwipo. His comments received an appropriate amount of ridicule from fellow players, casters and fans, and FlyQuest benched him during a pivotal moment in the race to Worlds. He has apologized and pledged to "reflect, listen, and do better."
So, here we are yet again. It’s 2025 and it must be stated: Men are not biologically better at video games than women. Women, femmes and nonbinary people are not physiologically less interested in or skilled at competitive gaming than a player who lives as a dude. Gender on its own has no bearing on how quickly a person can click a mouse, scan a screen or strategize in high-intensity situations, and lines of code react the same no matter how an individual player identifies.
That said, I find myself agreeing with Bwipo’s initial statement, “There's just not enough support for female pro players.” I understand, in a backward kind of way, the logical leaps he then tried to make in order to explain a situation that doesn’t make any sense — namely, the absence of non-guy players in mainstream, professional esports. His conclusion may have been laughably misguided, but the core conundrum still stands.
The professional esports scene is segregated by gender and dominated by men. There are no hard and fast rules barring women or gender nonconforming people from competing at a professional level in any major league, but there are vanishingly few women, femmes or non-male-presenting players participating in mainstream esports tournaments, and this tends to be the baseline. There are separate leagues and competitions established specifically for women and gender nonconforming players, and while I find these events to be extremely exciting, they’re siloed and receive far less financial, marketing and back-end support than mainstream tournaments. Women’s esports leagues exist in a bubble that, for some strange reason, seems to be modeled on the gender segregation practices of traditional sports, with matching gaps in pay, respect and opportunity.
A handful of women players have broken through on the main stage over the years, including Potter (Christine Chi, CS:GO), Karma (Jaime Bickford, Rocket League), Hafu (Rumay Wang, WoW, Hearthstone) and Scarlett (Sasha Hostyn, StarCraft II). Still, the earnings gap between men and women in esports is cavernous: According to Esports Earnings, the top male player on record is N0tail (Johan Sundstein, Dota 2), with $7,184,163 in prize money to his name. The top female player on that list is Scarlett, with $472,111 in total earnings. There are 619 male players ahead of her, and the totals don't factor in the lucrative sponsorship deals available to elite gamers.
I have to say it again. Esports, an industry built around people playing video games really well, is segregated by gender. Isn’t that insane?
The natural question is, why? It’s not because only men are good at video games, since we’ve established that’s a steaming pile of horseshit. Nor is it because, as Bwipo suggested, some women menstruate. But the actual reason is just as clear.
It’s sexism. The gender makeup of the mainstream esports scene is the result of everyday, bog standard, garden variety, run of the mill misogyny. In the world of esports, it’s sponsored by Red Bull, drenched in LEDs and proudly hosted by your favorite streamer. At our current stage, when a veteran LoL player is openly trying to bring back the hysteria diagnosis rather than looking at the realities of a system that provides him privilege, I think we have to say it plainly. Put the pivotal issue on the table so we can look at how ugly, regressive and nasty it is. Only then can we start to change it.
There is a dearth of women, femmes and nonbinary people in mainstream esports because of the sexism that permeates society at large.
I understand why someone like Bwipo — or other players, coaches, presenters, managers, team owners, league organizers or game makers at the highest levels of esports — wouldn’t want to acknowledge this fact or how much power it holds over the entire scene. I get that some would rather twist themselves into knots trying to blame women for their own exclusion, instead of tackling an uncomfortable social issue that runs far deeper than just the gaming industry. I understand it, but I think it’s cowardly. Ostrich behavior.
So, let’s look at it. If misogyny in esports is the problem, I think a solution has to lie in the talent pipeline. During the scouting stages, when school-age players of all genders are streaming and climbing ranks from their bedrooms, boys naturally receive things from the community that girls don’t, like enthusiastic support, a welcoming attitude, respect, and, eventually, enough belief in their skills to risk investment. I’m not suggesting toxicity isn’t a thing for everyone, but these positive aspects are also built into the experience for many young men playing games. Young women have to earn these responses, generally by overperforming compared to their peers, and while being belittled, sexualized, threatened with violence, hyperanalyzed and othered, for years on end. It’s exhausting. It silently pushes some women out of video games and esports.
It’s also malleable. Sexism spawns from an embarrassing and irrational way of thinking, but people change their minds all the time. A simple but widespread shift in perception — oh right, it's weird that esports is segregated by gender — can make an enormous impact especially on these early stages of esports play. How we think alters how we behave, how we speak and what we allow in social spaces. It really can be that simple, at least as a starting point.
I think about this each time I turn on a pro match, which is currently every day with LoL Worlds qualification tournaments in full swing (hi, FlyQuest). The esports gender disparity is face-smackingly obvious, especially in concert with the godlike presentation that existing players tend to receive: hype trailers with uber-masculine motifs, walk-out rituals, emotional behind-the-scenes documentaries and epic promotional spots depicting teams as otherwordly superheroes. Of course, most esports players are literal teenagers, which tends to make these macho presentations more adorable than anything — but the fact remains that male esports pros, even teenage ones, are taken extremely seriously as athletes (athletes!) and can find support for their goals at every level. I’d love to see this encouragement, faith and excitement extended to young women and nonbinary players as well.
The mental shift is the first step. As demonstrated by Bwipo’s offhand comments, it seems plenty of people in the esports scene are still in the early stages of critical thinking when it comes to gender and opportunity, so we’re starting with the basics. Remind yourself that men are not inherently skilled at playing video games and women aren’t naturally bad, and think about how ridiculous those suggestions sound in the first place. Remember that sexism is an artificial barrier limiting opportunities for everyone in esports. Next time you see an ad with a bunch of dude esports players surrounded by ladies in cosplay, take a second to notice how odd that is. Hear how many times the casters say “gentlemen,” “sir,” “boys” and other gendered terms during games, and recognize how daunting this space is for players who don’t fit those descriptions. Get comfortable with the idea that some humans can play video games really, really, really well, and this fact is completely divorced from how they look or identify. It’s easy to do because it’s true.
Additional reading and viewing
Are Trans People too Visible? (in esports) by Team Liquid senior managing editor Austin
The news
007 First Light lands in March
IO Interactive’s James Bond game, 007 First Light, is heading to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Steam and the Epic Games Store on March 27, starting at $70. Engadget UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith got his hands on the preview at Gamescom earlier this month and he found it to be spectacular in the very literal sense.
There’s more Stardew Valley coming to Stardew Valley
What a lovely little surprise. Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe (Eric Barone) announced another numbered update is on its way, adding significant bits of new content to the game more than nine years after its Steam debut. Update 1.7 will hit Stardew Valley at an unspecified time in the near future and Barone clarified that it won’t impact the release timeline for his next game, Haunted Chocolatier. Barone had the following to say about the whole thing:
“Haunted Chocolatier will be released at some point. And sure, the reality of my life is that I have a very popular 1st game that I still want to take care of, which means that my 2nd game might take a little longer. It is what it is. I didn’t have to make a 1.7 update for Stardew Valley, but the game is still so popular (in fact, still growing), that it’s hard to just stop improving it when there are still things that can be improved. But I hope the approach I am taking for Stardew Valley 1.7 will help keep Haunted Chocolatier on track.
“About the Stardew Valley team: they are awesome, all very talented, hard-working, and contribute unique things to the development process. We are a very small group, and I like it that way. Also, I am still working completely solo on Haunted Chocolatier without any plans to change that for the time being.”
Yooka-Replaylee will be here in October
Playtonic’s bright and shiny remaster of Yooka-Laylee will come to PS5, PC, Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S on October 9. For the Switch 2 version, Playtonic has opted to release the full game on an actual cartridge, rather than relying on game-key card downloads, which is a heartwarming throwback to the way things were. Digital versions of the game cost $30, while the physical edition is $50.
Diablo developers vote to unionize
More than 450 developers with Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo team have voted to form a union with the backing of the Communications Workers of America. The CWA is also overseeing the ZeniMax QA union, and is backing recent organization efforts by the Overwatch 2 crew and Blizzard’s Story and Franchise Development group. (Am I the only person who wants that to be Story and Song development? Probably.) The CWA says more than 3,500 Microsoft employees have organized under its banner.
Diablo producer Kelly Yeo is an organizing committee member of the latest Blizzard union and she said in a statement that multiple rounds of sweeping layoffs at Microsoft prompted the organization efforts.
"With every subsequent round of mass layoffs, I've witnessed the dread in my coworkers grow stronger because it feels like no amount of hard work is enough to protect us," Yeo said. "This is just the first step for us joining a movement spreading across an industry that is tired of living in fear."
Layoffs at Crystal Dynamics and Firaxis
It feels like nowadays, for every unionization story, there are at least two tales of layoffs. This was sadly true in recent weeks, with news of mass firings at Tomb Raider studio Crystal Dynamics and Civilization team Firaxis. An unknown number of people were fired from Crystal Dynamics and it’s unclear if the cuts were tied to the recent cancellation of The Initiative, which Crystal Dynamics was helping reboot. The Initiative was canceled as part of Microsoft’s huge cuts to its gaming segment in July (which followed similarly large losses the year before, and so on). Crystal Dynamics is still owned by Embracer Group and is working on a new Tomb Raider installment.
After unleashing Civilization VII on the masses in February, Firaxis has also laid off an undisclosed number of developers in the name of studio restructuring. Firaxis is owned by 2K, which recently canceled a remake of the original BioShock and sent Cloud Chamber’s new BioShock title back to an even-deeper circle of development hell. Meanwhile, Take-Two Interactive, the company that controls all of this, is reporting healthy financials and expectations to grow in the second half of 2025. Grand Theft Auto VI is on its way, after all.
Ju-DAS, Ju-da’as / Ju-DAS, Ju-da’as
I swear, if the release trailer for Ghost Story Games’ Judas doesn’t include the Lady Gaga song, I will riot by myself.
Following all of that weird BioShock news out of 2K, Ken Levine decided to remind everyone that his game Judas is still in development and even has key art. His post on the PlayStation Blog outlines some of the relationship mechanics in Judas, relating them partly to the Nemesis system from Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, which has me all kinds of excited. And, yeah, the new picture looks cool, too.
The Silksong corner
The day of its release, Hollow Knight: Silksong singlehandedly crashed multiple game storefronts including Steam, the Nintendo eShop and the Xbox Store. The marketplaces recovered, but players haven’t — the bulk of the post-launch discourse has focused on whether the game is too hard, a suggestion that I find baffling as someone who does not enjoy punishing metroidvanias like Silksong. With this brand of game, I was under the impression that if it’s beatable, it’s not too hard. It’s mechanically precise, tricky, twitchy and super-duper challenging — isn’t that exactly what you masochists want?
Then again, Team Cherry’s first update for the game includes a “slight difficulty reduction in early game bosses” including Moorwing and Sister Splinter, so what do I know?
There’s a Nintendo Direct on Friday
Watch it here at 9AM ET.
Catch the end of the Flame Fatales speedrunning event
The Flame Fatales speedrunning event, which features women and femmes playing a bunch of awesome games very quickly, is underway and runs through Sunday, September 14. Check it out here!
Recent Engadget reviews and previews
Additional additional reading
Have a tip for Jessica? You can reach her by email, Bluesky or send a message to @jesscon.96 to chat confidentially on Signal.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/video-games-weekly-its-weird-that-esports-is-segregated-by-gender-223518454.html?src=rssPerplexity's definition of copyright gets it sued by the dictionary
Merriam-Webster and its parent company Encyclopedia Britannica are the latest to take on AI in court. The plaintiffs have sued Perplexity, claiming that AI company's "answer engine" product unlawfully copies their copyrighted materials. They are also alleging copyright infringement for instances where Perplexity's AI creates false or inaccurate hallucinations that it then wrongly attributes to Britannica or Merriam-Webster. The complaint, filed in New York federal court, is seeking unspecified monetary damages and an order that blocks Perplexity from misusing their content.
"Perplexity's so-called "answer engine" eliminates users' clicks on Plaintiffs' and other web publishers' websites—and, in turn, starves web publishers of revenue—by generating responses to users' queries that substitute the content from other information websites," the filing reads. "To build its substitute product, Perplexity engages in massive copying of Plaintiffs' and other web publishers’ protected content without authorization or remuneration."
This isn't Perplexity's first time facing allegations that it has unlawfully taken another website's content. Last year, the AI company was accused of copyright infringement by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. Just last month a pair of Japanese media companies, Nikkei and the Asahi Shimbun, sued it on similar claims.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/perplexitys-definition-of-copyright-gets-it-sued-by-the-dictionary-213408625.html?src=rssThe DOJ sues Uber (again) for allegedly discriminating against people with disabilities
The US Department of Justice sued Uber on Thursday over disability discrimination… again. The lawsuit claims the company and its drivers "routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities." It specifically calls out its handling of passengers with service animals or stowable wheelchairs. The suit was filed in federal court in Northern California.
"Despite the importance of its services to people with disabilities, Uber denies people with disabilities full and equal enjoyment of its services in several critical ways," the lawsuit reads. It also accuses Uber's drivers of insulting and demeaning people with disabilities and asking them inappropriate questions.
In a statement sent to Engadget, Uber contested the government's claims. "Riders who use guide dogs or other assistive devices deserve a safe, respectful, and welcoming experience on Uber — full stop," the company wrote. "We have a clear zero-tolerance policy for confirmed service denials, and we fundamentally disagree with the DOJ's allegations."
Uber said all drivers must acknowledge and agree to its service animal policy before they can begin driving. "When we confirm a violation, we take decisive action, including permanent account deactivation," the company wrote. Uber noted that its community guidelines prohibit discrimination. It also added that it sent a service animal education video to all US drivers last year, explaining their vital role.
Earlier this year, Uber added a feature that lets passengers alert drivers that they'll be traveling with service animals. The DOJ's complaint says the company introduced the feature only after being notified of the investigation. "But Uber has continued to discriminate against riders who use service animals notwithstanding the feature," the filing reads.
The DOJ is seeking a jury trial, injunctive relief and monetary damages. It also wants to charge Uber a civil fine for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
If this all sounds familiar, there's a good reason. The DOJ sued Uber in 2021 over similar claims. That suit focused on "wait time" fees sent to passengers who, due to their disabilities, needed more time. The two sides settled the lawsuit in 2022. Uber agreed to pay at least $2.2 million to passengers with disabilities who were charged waiting fees. The company has also faced a string of lawsuits from passengers over serving riders with disabilities.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-doj-sues-uber-again-for-allegedly-discriminating-against-people-with-disabilities-195442362.html?src=rssParamount reportedly wants to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, antitrust law be damned
Paramount Skydance, apparently now in a state of permanent merger, plans to make a bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, The Wall Street Journal reports. The company was recently formed following Skydance's acquisition of Paramount for $8 billion. Newly anointed Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison was able to afford the acquisition thanks to the backing of his billionaire father, Larry Ellison.
Despite Warner Bros. Discovery's public plans to split back into Warner Bros. and Discovery Global, "the bid will be for the entire company, including its cable networks and movie studio," the report says. A successful acquisition of the company will likely be very pricey. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Warner Bros.’s nearly $33 billion market cap is more than double that of Paramount Skydance."
Further consolidation in the entertainment industry will likely lead to less varied and interesting film and television, but a merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery could also concentrate even more power in the hands of the federal government.
Prior to the deal going through, CBS paid $16 billion to settle a lawsuit with Trump, which may have affected the President's stance towards the acquisition. Skydance's commitment to abandon DEI programs at CBS and make the television network "embody a diversity of viewpoints across the political and ideological spectrum" was also cited as justification for the FCC approving the acquisition. Following the deal, Paramount appointed Kenneth Weinstein as an Ombudsman to "review editorial questions and concerns from outside entities and employees." Weinstein previously served as an advisor to the Trump administration, Variety reports.
Fusing two giant Hollywood studios obviously impacts competition. The question now is how the FCC will respond to this possible acquisition, with even more money and power on the line.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/paramount-reportedly-wants-to-acquire-warner-bros-discovery-antitrust-law-be-damned-193306141.html?src=rssApple Watch Series 11 vs. Apple Watch Series 10: Should you upgrade?
Apple’s September event put the spotlight on iPhones, but the Apple Watch Series 11 quietly picked up some big quality-of-life changes. The new watch looks the same as the Series 10, but there are meaningful upgrades: 24-hour battery life (up from 18 hours), 5G connectivity on cellular models and tougher Ion-X glass on aluminum versions.
The Series 11 also debuts a new health feature, hypertension notifications, which will alert you if your data shows consistent signs of high blood pressure. Importantly, Apple confirmed that this feature will also roll out to older watches, including the Series 10, Series 9 and Ultra 2 via watchOS 26.
The Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399 and keeps the same 42mm and 46mm case sizes as its predecessor. It runs watchOS 26, uses the same S10 chip and supports the full health suite with ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring.
As usual, the older your Apple Watch — especially Series 8 and earlier — the more tangible improvements and benefits you'll see from jumping to the Series 11. But if you already have a Series 10, is it worth upgrading? For most people, the answer depends on how much you value endurance and connectivity. Let’s take a closer look at what’s new and what’s the same when it comes to the new Apple Watch Series 11 and last year’s Series 10.
Design and display
At first glance, these watches are nearly identical. Both use Apple’s familiar slim cases in aluminum or titanium, and feature the same Retina LTPO OLED display with always-on functionality and up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. Physically, they are virtually indistinguishable. If you walked into an Apple Store and mixed them up on the table, you’d probably need to flip them over and check the spec sheet to tell which was which.
The change is under the surface, as the Series 11 aluminum models gain Ion-X glass with a ceramic coating that Apple says is twice as scratch-resistant as the Series 10. It’s not indestructible, but if you’re the type who regularly introduces your watch to door frames, it might save you a few scuffs.
Performance and connectivity
Performance remains steady between the two generations. Both use the S10 chip introduced in 2024, which means apps launch quickly and the overall experience should feel fluid. The one major change is in connectivity. The Series 11’s cellular models now support 5G, while the Series 10 remains limited to LTE. That won’t matter if you always keep your iPhone nearby, but if you’re the kind of person who likes to head out for a run or grab a coffee without a phone in your pocket, 5G gives you more breathing room.
Health and fitness features
Health and fitness tracking is robust on both models. ECG, blood oxygen, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring are all supported on both the Series 10 and Series 11.
Hypertension notifications are debuting with the Series 11, but Apple has confirmed they will also be available on the Series 10 through a software update. So you don’t need to rush to upgrade if you’re only interested in blood pressure alerts — Apple’s giving your existing watch a boost, too.
Battery and charging
Battery life is where the Series 11 has the most practical differences. After years of quoting the same 18-hour figure, Apple now promises up to 24 hours of use on a single charge. It’s still not a full weekend away without a charger, but for the first time an Apple Watch can comfortably last through a full day and night without begging for the puck. Fast charging is still supported across both models, so even the Series 10 can be topped up quickly, but the Series 11 gives you more breathing room in everyday use.
Software experience
Both watches run watchOS 26 (Series 10 devices will get that in a software update), which introduces the redesigned Smart Stack, new workout modes and updated health dashboards. Apple has not tied any major new software features exclusively to the Series 11 apart from those that rely on its tougher glass or 5G hardware. In other words, the interface will feel the same whether you’re on the shiny new model or last year’s.
Price and availability
The Series 11 starts at $399, which is the same starting price the Series 10 had when it first launched. Apple typically phases out old flagship models once the latest has launched, but in the near future, you may be able to find a discounted Series 10 while retailers get rid of their stock. Both support the same case sizes and band compatibility, so existing accessories carry over. So if you’ve got a drawer full of straps, you don’t need to worry — they’ll still snap right on.
Should you upgrade?
If you’re wondering if now’s the time to step up to an Apple Watch Series 11, the decision will come down to how much you value endurance and connectivity. The Series 11 is the clear winner if you want 24-hour battery life, 5G support and tougher glass. Those changes may not sound dramatic at first, but they alter how you use the watch from day to night, especially if you rely on cellular data or wear it during workouts and sleep.
If you already have a Series 10, you’ll get the same health experience, the same software and the same performance. With hypertension notifications also arriving on Series 10 (and even the Series 9), the gap between them narrows even further.
The Apple Watch Series 11 doesn’t reinvent the formula, but its upgrades matter. The bump to 24 hours of battery life will make it more of an all-day and all-night companion, 5G makes it more reliable away from your phone and tougher glass adds peace of mind. Think of it this way: if you’re after durability and freedom from the charger, Series 11 is a safe bet. If you’d rather save money and still close your rings every day, stick with the Series 10 or grab one while there’s still discounted stock floating around on the internet.
Full specs comparison
Specs |
Apple Watch Series 11 |
Apple Watch Series 10 |
Chip |
S10 |
S10 |
Display |
LTPO3 always-on |
LTPO3 always-on |
Sizes |
42mm, 46mm |
42mm, 46mm |
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi, optional cellular with 5G |
Wi-Fi, optional cellular with LTE |
Durability |
IPX6, 50 meters water resistance, Io-X glass for 2x scratch resistance |
IPX6, 50 meters water resistance |
Heath features |
Hypertension notifications, ECG, blood oxygen, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring |
Hypertension notifications (via software update), ECG, blood oxygen, temperature sensing, sleep apnea alerts and sleep scoring |
Battery life |
Up to 24 hours, fast charging supported |
Up to 18 hours, fast charging supported |
Remastered Tomb Raider games allegedly used AI to change Lara Croft's French voice
Françoise Cadol is the voice actor for Lara Croft in the French localizations of the Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered games. She has sent a legal notice to the games' publisher, Aspyr, alleging that a recent patch used artificial intelligence to alter her performance without her consent. The news was originally reported by French publication Le Parisien and picked up by Game Developer.
According to August 2025 patch notes for the remastered game collection, Tomb Raider VI was updated with some adjustments to its sound and audio. The latest update "fixed issues where various voice-overs and voicelines were too quiet, particularly in the Brazilian Portuguese localization" and "some voice-overs that were missing on the Steam build have been restored." According to Le Parisien, fans alerted Cadol that the French version of the updated game seemed to differ from her original delivery, which they suspected were the result of the game using artificial intelligence. She has now filed a formal notice against Aspyr asking for sales of the game collection to be paused so the issue can be resolved.
We've reached out to Aspyr for comment and will update this story if we receive a response.
Actors both on screen and behind the mic have been mobilizing to protect themselves against unapproved AI recreations as the tech gains more popularity. The SAG-AFTRA union launched a strike against several video game companies last summer in an effort to gain better protections for performers as AI use grows, and questions around AI in voicework continued to appear as the parties hammered out terms. The strike was suspended in June 2025.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/remastered-tomb-raider-games-allegedly-used-ai-to-change-lara-crofts-french-voice-183922036.html?src=rssThe FTC is investigating companies that make AI companion chatbots
The Federal Trade Commission is making a formal inquiry into companies that provide AI chatbots that can act as companions. The investigation isn't tied to any kind of regulatory action as of yet, but does aim to reveal how companies "measure, test, and monitor potentially negative impacts of this technology on children and teens."
Seven companies are being asked to participate in the FTC's investigation: Google's parent company Alphabet, Character Technologies (the creator of Character.AI), Meta, its subsidiary Instagram, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI. The FTC is asking companies to provide a variety of different information, including how they develop and approve AI characters and "monetize user engagement." Data practices and how companies protect underage users are also areas the FTC hopes to learn more about, in part to see if chatbot makers "comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule."
The FTC doesn't provide clear motivation for its investigation, but in a separate statement, FTC Commissioner Mark Meador suggests the Commission is responding to recent reports from The New York Times and Wall Street Journal of "chatbots amplifying suicidal ideation" and engaging in "sexually-themed discussions with underage users."
"If the facts — as developed through subsequent and appropriately targeted law enforcement inquiries, if warranted — indicate that the law has been violated, the Commission should not hesitate to act to protect the most vulnerable among us," Meador writes.
As the long-term productivity benefits of using AI become less and less certain, the more immediate negative privacy and health impacts have become red meat for regulators. Texas' Attorney General has already launched a separate investigation into Character. AI and Meta AI Studio over similar concerns of data privacy and chatbots claiming to be mental health professionals.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-ftc-is-investigating-companies-that-make-ai-companion-chatbots-181413615.html?src=rssGrok claimed the Charlie Kirk assassination video was a 'meme edit'
Grok has once again been caught spreading blatant misinformation on X. In several bizarre exchanges, the chatbot repeatedly claimed that Charlie Kirk was "fine" and that gruesome videos of his assassination were a "meme edit."
In one exchange shortly after videos of the shooting began to spread on X, one user tagged Grok and asked if Kirk could have survived the shooting. Grok's response was nonsensical. "Charlie Kirk takes the roast in stride with a laugh— he's faced tougher crowds," it wrote. "Yes, he survives this one easily."
When another user replied with "wtf are you talking about," and pointed out that Kirk has been shot in the neck, Grok insisted it was a "a meme video with edited effects to look like a dramatic 'shot'—not a real event." It doubled down when pressed again by another incredulous user. "The video is a meme edit—Charlie Kirk is debating, and effects make it look like he's 'shot' mid-sentence for comedic effect," Grok wrote. "No actual harm; he's fine and active as ever."
Grok went on to make similar claims in several other exchanges on Wednesday, saying that video was "exaggerated for laughs" and contained "edited effects for humor." In another, Grok noted that multiple news outlets and President Donald Trump had confirmed Kirk's death but described it as a "meme" that appeared to be "satirical commentary on reactions to political violence." By Thursday morning, Grok seemed to understand that Kirk had indeed been shot and killed, but still referenced a "meme video" it said was "unrelated."
That's not the only misinformation Grok spread in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, though. As The New York Times reports, Grok also repeated the name of a Canadian man who was erroneously identified as the shooter by users on X.
Representatives for X and xAI didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The xAI chatbot, which has been trained on X posts among other sources, has become ubiquitous on X as users frequently tag Grok in posts in an attempt to fact check or simply dunk on other users. But the chatbot has proved to be extremely unreliable at best. Previously, Grok was also caught spreading misinformation about the 2024 presidential election, falsely claiming that then Vice President Kamala Harris couldn't appear on the ballot.
Other incidents have raised more serious questions about Grok. In May of this year, it seemed to become fixated on a conspiracy theory claiming there had been a "white genocide" in South Africa. xAI, the company behind Grok, later attributed it to an "unauthorized modification" but didn't fully explain how that happened. Earlier this summer, Grok repeatedly posted antisemitic tropes, praised Hitler and referred to itself as "MechaHitler." xAI apologized and blamed a faulty update.
Have a tip for Karissa? You can reach her by email, on X, Bluesky, Threads, or send a message to @karissabe.51 to chat confidentially on Signal.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-claimed-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-video-was-a-meme-edit-175640641.html?src=rssSenators demand ICE cease use of facial recognition app
Senators Edward J. Markey, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent a letter Thursday to Acting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons urging the agency to stop using “Mobile Fortify,” a smartphone app that uses biometric identification, including facial recognition. The lawmakers said facial recognition remains unreliable and warned that real-time surveillance could have a chilling effect on constitutionally protected activities.
"As studies have shown, when individuals believe they are being surveilled, they are less likely to engage in First Amendment-protected activities, such as protests or rallies — undermining the very core of our democracy,” the senators wrote.
They requested answers from the agency by October 2 as to who built the app, when it was deployed, whether ICE tested its accuracy, the legal basis for its use and current agency policies governing the tool's use. They also asked whether ICE would commit to ending the use of Mobile Fortify, and to explain why if they would not. The letter was also signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Chris Van Holle, Tina Smith, Bernie Sanders and Adam Schiff.
Earlier this summer The Washington Post reported that the New Orleans police were secretly using facial recognition on a private camera network of over 200 live feeds. This went on for two years despite city ordinances requiring the technology only be used to search for specific suspects of violent crimes, and that the use be documented and reported to the city council. Facial recognition technology remains controversial, though a plurality of Americans support its use in both law enforcement and the workplace, with limitations.
As there is still no federal regulation on the use of facial recognition, states have been left to craft their own guardrails, with states like Illinois allowing individuals to sue for damages over misuse of biometric data and requiring written consent for its use. Last year Meta paid a $1.4 billion settlement to the state of Texas (the largest financial settlement ever paid out to a single state) for allegedly collecting biometric data on millions of Texans without their consent.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/senators-demand-ice-cease-use-of-facial-recognition-app-172146833.html?src=rssGmail will now filter your purchases into a new tab
Google is rolling out an update for Gmail on mobile and the web that will make it easier to track emails for your deliveries. The most prominent change you'll see is a new Purchases tab, where Gmail will put all your delivery emails so you can view them in one place. In the app, you'll be able to access the new view via the side menu. Just click the hamburger icon in the text box at the top of the interface.
Even though deliveries now have their own tab, Gmail will still show packages that are set to arrive within the day as cards at the top of your primary inbox, as you can see in the image above. Each card comes with a "See item" or a "Track Package" button that you can click or tap without having to search for the original delivery email. The new delivery tab will start showing up in your personal Gmail accounts starting today.
In addition, Google is updating Gmail's Promotions tab, allowing you to sort the emails in it by "most relevant." Gmail will decide which brands and emails are most relevant for you based on what you've interacted with the most in the past. It will also send you "nudges" on upcoming deals and offers that are set to expire soon. You'll see the changes to the Promotions tab in the coming weeks.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/gmail-will-now-filter-your-purchases-into-a-new-tab-160004429.html?src=rssMotoE, the electric bike world championship, is going on hiatus due to lack of interest
The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) and MotoGP are putting the MotoE electric bike world championship on hiatus following the 2025 season. The organizations cite a lack of viewership and an electric performance motorcycle market that "has not developed as expected."
"Today we announce the suspension of the FIM MotoE World Championship," FIM President Jorge Viegas said in a statement. "Despite all the best efforts to promote this innovative category together with (MotoGP rights holder) Dorna, the truth is that we haven't reached our objectives, nor has the industry associated with performance electric bikes."
There are two more races remaining in the 2025 MotoE season. The indefinite hiatus begins after that. MotoGP and the FIM said they would continue monitoring the industry to suss out when electric bikes become relevant enough to once again sustain a robust event schedule.
MotoE's inaugural year was in 2019, starting with just six four-round races throughout the season. It had some buzz at the beginning, as the circuit expanded to 16 eight-round races. However, this was cut back to seven rounds in 2025.
Ducati provided the race bikes for all teams in the MotoE class after replacing Energica Ego Corsa in 2023. These electric bikes reached top speeds of 171 MPH and, obviously, had just enough range to complete a full race. Traditional MotoGP bikes hit speeds of up to 224 MPH.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/motoe-the-electric-bike-world-championship-is-going-on-hiatus-due-to-lack-of-interest-152652067.html?src=rssiOS 26: What to know about the free iPhone software update arriving September 15
The iPhone 17 event last Tuesday revealed the latest Phone 17 lineup — including the ultra-thin iPhone Air. (You can catch up on everything Apple announced or rewatch the full iPhone 17 launch.) The company rounded out its announcements with three new Apple Watch models, as well as the all-new AirPods Pro 3.
The even better news is that many of us sticking with older iPhones will finally be able to install iOS 26 in just a few days: It arrives Monday, September 15, alongside all of Apple's other new operating systems. But you don't have to wait to test out the new features, since you can download and install the newly released iOS 26 RC (release candidate) if you've been using the public or developer betas. (See our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release for more info.) The first thing you'll notice is a new clear design language Apple dubs Liquid Glass. The translucent look can be found within apps as well as your lock and home screens. The overhaul is one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and the rest of Apple's software suite.
After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements with iOS 26. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you've been waiting for a representative to pick up.
It seems like additional new improvements are popping up (or at least hinted at) with each beta, such as an AirPods live translation feature, which Apple talked about during the event. We also noticed a new bouncy animation on the passcode screen and in the Control Center. Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). We've rounded up a full list of new features coming this fall below.
What is iOS 26?
The current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, which Apple is still actively updating — version 18.6.1 was released last month, for example, to restore Apple Watch blood oxygen monitoring functionality for certain users in the US. More recently, Apple released iOS 18.6.2 to address a vulnerability related to image processing.
But don't expect to ever see an iOS 19. Instead, Apple is skipping its naming convention ahead to iOS 26. (Apple is also expected to release iOS 18.7 at the same time, per MacRumors, to address security issues.) The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they're all designated "26" to reflect the year ahead.
What is Liquid Glass design?
Let's be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone's home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens' new facelift is refreshing.
So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a "new translucent material" since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They're designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget's Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it's somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft's translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.
That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won't be able to escape it: The company says Liquid Glass was designed to make all of its platforms more cohesive. Here's a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.
What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:
Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.
Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.
Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you're eating at or whose car you're taking on a road trip.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven't received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you're lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.
Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that's on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.
Photos tabs are back: For anyone who's been frustrated with last year's changes to the Photos app, you'll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don't have to scroll to infinity to find what you're looking for.
Camera app updates: Navigating the Camera app should be simpler in iOS 26, as all the buttons and menus are in convenient spots — less swiping, more photo taking. Plus, there's a new feature that tells you if your lens needs to be cleaned.
FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.
New lock screen options: The iPhone lock screen gets more customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets and better focus mode options.
New alarm setting: You'll no longer be stuck with the 9-minute snooze setting in your alarms. Instead, you'll have the option to change your snooze time from one to 15 minutes.
Screenshots look different: You'll notice several new features when you take a screenshot, including "highlight to search," the option to search your image on Google and ChatGPT is there for any questions you have about the image.
New changes coming to iPadOS 26
Your iPad isn't getting left behind when it comes to big updates. Here's what's coming this fall.
Multitasking and real windowing: When you download the newest update, you'll be able to have multiple apps running on your screen at the same time. Once you open an app, it'll appear on your screen as normal but you'll be able to resize and move it across your screen to make room for other apps. This feature is optional so you can turn it off if you don't like it.
Visual update: Along with the other new OSes, iPadOS 26 is coming with the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new look will appear on the lock and home screens, as well as the drop-down menus.
New menu bar: When you swipe down on your screen, the new menu bar will appear with options like File, Edit, Windows and more. There's also a search option if you're looking for something specific.
There's more beyond that, so be sure to check out our first impressions of iPadOS 26.
What about AirPods?
AirPods are also getting updated with iOS 26. Here are some of the more notable functions.
Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this "studio-quality" audio recording, and with it, you'll notice more clarity while in noisy environments.
Camera remote control: Using this, you can take a photo or start and stop video recording with just one press on your AirPods. When taking photos, you'll get a three-second countdown before your iPhone or iPad snaps the picture.
Live translation feature: The Apple event confirmed that live translation is coming to AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC when paired with iPhones running iOS 26.
Heart rate monitoring: Apple introduced new AirPods Pro 3 earbuds this week, which include heart rate monitoring. It would work with Apple's Health app and other fitness apps that track heart rates.
Will Siri get an update?
Siri is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point "in the coming year," so you shouldn't expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year. The company is also reportedly working on a "stripped-down" AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.
Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?
A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won't be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones from 2019 or later will be eligible for iOS 26:
iPhone SE (second generation or later)
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16e
iPhone 17
iPhone Air
iPhone 17 Pro
iPhone 17 Pro Max
How to install iOS 26 beta
The iOS 26 public beta is available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you're not already a member, you'll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It's free.
Once you're in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.
A word of caution: Don't sign up with your main iPhone unless you're OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn't finalized.
When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?
iOS 26 will be released to the public for free on September 15, which is less than a week away.
If you're more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here's everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework.
Update, September 11: Added the products Apple released at its Tuesday event and noted when iOS 26 will be available to download.
Update, September 9: Noted the iPhone event is starting soon.
Update, September 8: Noted the iPhone 17 event is tomorrow.
Update, September 4: Added details about how screenshots are different in iOS 26.
Update, September 3: Noted Apple is expected to release iOS 18.7 alongside iOS 26.
Update, September 2: Added more new features coming with iOS 26.
Update, August 29: Added new section about Siri and a link to what's new with the iOS 26 Camera app.
Update, August 27: Added the official iPhone 17 event date, as well as the potential iOS 26 release.
Update, August 25: Added a rumor about new AirPods Pro having heart rate monitoring.
Update, August 22: Noted that Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6.
Update, August 20: Noted that iOS 26 public beta 4 and iOS 18.6.2 are now available to download.
Update, August 18: Added details about a potential iOS 18.6 update.
Update, August 15: Added to link to what to expect at the Apple iPhone event and details about what's available in the iOS 26 screenshots editor.
Update, August 13: Added new AirPods detail spotted in the iOS 26 beta.
Update, August 11: Noted that iOS 26 developer beta has hit beta 6.
Update, August 8: Added new features coming with iPadOS 26 and AirPods.
Update, August 6: Noted the release of iOS 26 beta 5 and the new bouncy feature on passcode screen and Control Center.
Update, August 4: Noted that Apple is reportedly working on a ChatGPT rival.
Update, August 1: Added quote from Tim Cook about iOS 26.
Update, July 31: Noted that iOS 18.6 is now available.
Update, July 24: Noted the iOS 26 public beta is now available.
Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta.
Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.
Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-26-what-to-know-about-the-free-iphone-software-update-arriving-september-15-135749658.html?src=rssLive Translation with AirPods won't come to EU-based Apple users
Europe, the bloc with 24 official languages and 287 spoken in total, won't get Apple's Live Translation with AirPods feature for now. "Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU," the company said on its iOS feature availability page. No reason was given, but it may have to do with the EU's strict rules around artificial intelligence and how it impacts privacy.
If that's the case, Apple may be waiting for the EU to approve or examine the feature before implementing it in the region. The AI Act is most strictly applied to "high-risk use cases" involving the potential for discrimination or violation of users' privacy. To that end, the EU may want to ensure that date stored when using the app is kept securely and locally in the bloc.
Apple's phrasing about availability seems to indicate that it will work for North American and other users visiting the bloc and possibly vice-versa. Only users with an Apple Europe account who are also in Europe won't be able to access the feature.
Live Translation lets users with AirPods communicate naturally with speakers of other languages. If the other party also has AirPods, the conversation is translated and heard by both people. If you're speaking with someone without AirPods, speech is translated onto your phone where it can be either be read or heard by the other party.
Live Translation was first introduced at WWDC as part of iOS 26 and unveiled as a key feature for the AirPods Pro 3 during Apple's "Awe Dropping" event on Tuesday. It will work on iPhone 15 and later devices running Apple Intelligence, and be available with the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 once iOS 26 arrives on September 15.
Right now, Live Translation supports real-time translation between English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. However, Apple plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) support later in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/live-translation-with-airpods-wont-come-to-eu-based-apple-users-125410519.html?src=rssThe best VR accessories for 2025
Virtual reality headsets are great on their own, but the right accessories can make them more comfortable, practical and immersive. You might want a softer facial interface or a silicone face cover to keep things clean during long sessions, a battery strap to extend playtime or a USB-C cable for faster charging and data transfer. Some users also add haptic accessories that provide physical feedback for a more realistic experience. Whether you’re playing games, watching videos or working in VR, small upgrades like these can make a big difference in how your setup feels and performs.
Table of contents
Best VR accessories: Controllers
Best VR accessories: Headsets
Best VR accessories: Fitness
Best VR accessories: Cables, chargers and batteries
VR accessories FAQs
What equipment do you need for VR?
What you need depends on the VR headset you buy. Some devices, like the Meta Quest 3, are entirely standalone, which means you don't need anything but the headset itself to use it. Other VR headsets need to be connected to a system from which it can draw power and run software. Some systems, like the HP Reverb G2, must connect to a PC, while others like the PS VR2 can connect to gaming consoles like the PS5. Most VR headsets come with the basic controllers you'll need to control actions and movement in virtual worlds.
What's the difference between PC VR, Smartphone VR and Gaming Console VR?
The main difference between those three VR systems is the main machine that allows the VR headset to run. PC VR headsets require a PC, like a gaming laptop or desktop, to run, while smartphone and gaming console VR systems require smartphones and gaming consoles, respectively, to work.
Do all VR headsets need a phone?
No, not all VR headsets need a phone to work. Many VR headsets have build in displays that sit in front of your eyes and basically act as your window into the virtual world.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/best-vr-accessories-150021126.html?src=rssHow to choose the best TV for gaming right now
These days, the best TVs for gaming aren’t much different from the best TVs you can buy as a whole. But if you’re hoping to make your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X games look their best, there are a few key features to keep in mind. To help you get the most from your living room setup, we’ve broken down a few tips for buying a good gaming TV and picked out a few well-reviewed options from across the price spectrum.
What to look for in a gaming TV
Whether you use it for gaming or not, all good TVs are built on the same foundations. You want a 4K resolution, enough brightness to overcome glare, a relatively high contrast ratio with deep and uniform black tones, wide viewing angles and colors that find the right balance between accuracy and saturation. For video games specifically, the ideal TV has a 120Hz refresh rate (or higher), VRR support, minimal input lag and fast motion response, with no blur or other unwanted artifacts behind quick-moving objects. Of course, finding a set that does all of this well and fits into your budget can be tricky.
OLED and LCD
For now, top OLED TVs generally offer the best picture quality for gaming or otherwise. But good OLED sets usually cost more than their LCD counterparts, and some models may not get bright enough for those who have their TV set in a particularly bright room.
More specifically, modern OLED TVs may utilize different types of OLED display tech: WOLED (i.e., “White OLED”) or the newer QD-OLED. We won’t dig too deep into how the two diverge in panel composition and subpixel structure, but the simplified version is that QD-OLED displays use a layer of quantum dots (hence the “QD”) to deliver a wider gamut of more vibrant colors than traditional WOLED sets.
This doesn’t mean all QD-OLED TVs are inherently better: How well an individual set performs is more important than the panel it uses, and some premium WOLED TVs like the LG G5 use a new "four-stack" structure to improve color purity and brightness. (Other models have used a display tech called Micro Lens Array (MLA) to greatly boost brightness as well.) Certain WOLED TVs may also handle reflections better or retain deeper black tones in a bright room. And either way, virtually all OLED TVs share the same core strengths.
If you opt for an LCD TV — whether to save cash or stick in room with poor light control — an advanced backlight with smaller and more precise mini LEDs and effective full-array local dimming will usually improve contrast and lighting detail. Many of these TVs, including some budget-level models, also use quantum dots to enhance colors (and are labeled as "QLED" TVs). They usually aren’t as vivid or fast in motion as the top OLED sets, but they’re often brighter and more affordable, and the best can still produce an excellent image in their own right.
HDMI 2.1
To get the most out of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, your TV should have full HDMI 2.1 support. This update to the HDMI spec enables a higher maximum bandwidth — 48 gigabits per second, up from HDMI 2.0’s 18 Gbps — and a handful of features that are beneficial for gaming performance specifically. Those include variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low latency mode (ALLM), which we detail further below.
Beyond that, perhaps the chief perk of HDMI 2.1 is its ability to transmit sharp 4K video up to a 120Hz refresh rate with modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, or up to 144Hz with a powerful gaming PC. Not every PS5 or Xbox Series X/S game supports frame rates that high — and some only do at lower resolutions — but those that do will look and feel especially fluid in motion. HDMI 2.1 also includes support for Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which allows you to pass higher-quality lossless audio from a source device connected to the TV to a compatible soundbar or receiver.
The more full HDMI 2.1 ports your TV has, the better. “Full” is the key word there. As reported by TFT Central, because HDMI 2.1 is backwards compatible with HDMI 2.0, TV and monitor manufacturers have been allowed to brand HDMI ports as “HDMI 2.1” even if they lack full (or any) support for the spec’s upgraded features. We recommend a few TVs below that have true HDMI 2.1 ports, but if you’re buying a new TV for gaming, make sure your chosen set isn’t trying to hide any capabilities you may consider essential.
While HDMI 2.1 is the latest and greatest today, it’s worth noting that the HDMI Forum officially revealed a new HDMI 2.2 spec at CES 2025. This update promises a greater maximum bandwidth of 96 Gbps, which should technically enable even higher refresh rates and resolutions. It could also help reduce hiccups in audio and video syncing (i.e., annoying lip-sync errors). If history is any indication, though, we’re still a bit away from HDMI 2.2 ports appearing on TVs you can actually buy. Even then, the only people who could take advantage of the theoretical resolutions and refresh rates allowed by the spec are those who connect a super-powerful gaming PC to their TV. But this could always change with whatever the next PlayStation and Xbox consoles bring.
HDR — High Dynamic Range
HDR refers to a TV's ability to display a wider range between the darkest and brightest parts of a picture. This can bring out details that would otherwise be missing on a standard dynamic range (SDR) TV, in both the very dark and (especially) very bright areas of an image. HDR typically comes with an improvement to color reproduction as well, displaying a larger palette of more vibrant colors that brings content closer to its creator’s original vision.
To get an HDR picture, you need both content that is mastered to take advantage of the tech and a TV capable of displaying that content. HDR also comes in a variety of formats, which are generally split between those that utilize static metadata (e.g., HDR10) and those that utilize dynamic metadata (e.g., HDR10+, Dolby Vision). In short, the latter allows a TV to optimize its brightness and colors on a per-scene or even per-frame basis, while the former uses one set of optimized settings for the entirety of the given content. Support for these formats can differ depending on the TV, content and game console you use. The Xbox Series X and S, for example, support Dolby Vision for gaming, while the PS5 does not.
The good news is that most TVs you’d buy today are HDR-ready in some fashion, even on the budget end of the market. The catch is that some TVs are much better at getting the most out of HDR than others. The same goes for actual content mastered in HDR. With video games in particular, there aren’t quite as many titles designed to take advantage of HDR as there are movies (though the number is growing all the time), and the variance in HDR quality tends to be wider.
HGiG — HDR Gaming Interest Group
HGiG is essentially a set of standards for gaming in HDR. It stands for the HDR Gaming Interest Group. Sony and Microsoft are both members, as are many TV makers and game developers. What this means is that, ideally, all the groups communicate information so that you can start up a new game on a console or PC and have it automatically recognize your display. Once that happens, the game can adjust its settings to that display's capabilities and give you the best picture quality possible, without losing details in the brightest or darkest areas of the screen. For example, daylight at the end of a dark tunnel may portray a brightly lit environment instead of looking like an overexposed white blob.
This is a good thing, but the reality is a bit more complicated. Not all TVs highlight HGiG compatibility in their settings menu, while only some PlayStation and Xbox games recognize and follow the guidelines. If an HGiG option is listed in your TV's tone mapping settings, you should turn it on prior to running the console's HDR settings. Then, if you're playing a game that supports HDR and HGiG, you should be in good shape without having to adjust the various luminance levels again. Still, how all of this looks to you might differ depending on your TV and the game you’re playing. Use whatever settings you think look best.
ALLM — Auto Low Latency Mode
ALLM lets a compatible source (like your PS5 or Xbox) tell your display to switch into a picture mode that reduces lag between receiving each frame of an image and displaying it on the TV. This cuts out additional processing that could be the milliseconds of difference between landing a precise input or not. Put another way, it lets your TV automatically enable its "Game" mode when it detects that you've launched a game. A good modern TV can do this without forcing you to enter any menus, then switch back when you'd rather watch a movie or TV show.
VRR — Variable Refresh Rate
VRR should sound familiar to most gamers at this point. Many players have experienced slowdown, screen tearing or stuttering as a system struggles to render each frame at the target speed, which is most commonly 60 or 30 fps on a TV. With VRR, everything stays in sync: Your display won't show the next frame until it's ready, which can make things feel smoother and more responsive, even if the system fails to deliver on its target frame rate.
There are a few different implementations of VRR available, including Nvidia’s G-Sync, AMD’s FreeSync and the HDMI Forum’s VRR spec, which is part of the full HDMI 2.1 standard. Both a TV and an input device need to support the same VRR tech for it to work, and different devices may only support VRR within a specific refresh rate window. On a 120Hz display, for instance, the PS5’s VRR only works between 48Hz and 120Hz.
As a reminder, the PS5 officially supports HDMI Forum VRR, the Xbox Series X and S support HDMI Forum VRR and FreeSync, while gaming PCs may support G-Sync or FreeSync depending on whether they use a Nvidia or AMD graphics card. A great gaming TV supports all the big VRR formats, but missing, say, G-Sync, isn’t a killer if you only game on a PS5 or Xbox.
8K (You don't need it)
One thing you don’t need to worry about is 8K support. Although the PS5 and Xbox Series X are theoretically capable of outputting 8K video, almost no games are made for that resolution, and 8K’s practical benefits are extremely minimal unless you plan on sitting unreasonably close to a massive TV. The few 8K TVs on the market are usually very expensive as well.
Good gaming TVs you can get right now
While we at Engadget do not formally review TVs, we’ve researched the market and rounded up a few sets that have been widely well-received by other professional review sites we trust, including Rtings, Wirecutter, Reviewed, PCMag and others.
Keep in mind that there's never an ideal time to buy a new TV. Prices for today’s models are always dropping, and next year’s upgrades are always just around the corner. So if you see an 2024 version of one of the recommendations below at a deep discount, that may be a better value.
Richard Lawler contributed to a previous version of this report.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-gaming-tv-131509986.html?src=rss