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The best wireless chargers for 2025
If you’ve upgraded your phone recently, there’s a good chance it supports wireless charging. Battery life can be one of the first things to deteriorate as your phone ages, so you’ll need quick and easy ways to power up wherever you are. You may not always be able to have a cable on your person, but investing in a wireless phone charger (or a few) can make it more convenient to plop your phone down and know it’ll have more juice when you pick it back up again.
While you’re not going to get the same charging speed with a wireless charger that you would with a power cable, the convenience of a power source like this is undeniable. Stick a wireless charger on your bedside, on your desk at work, in your kitchen or wherever you spend a good chunk of your time and you’ll have a reliable way to power up your phone, sans bulky, messy cables. Needless to say, there are a ton of options out there with different charging capabilities (including multi-device wireless chargers) and price ranges. Below, we’ve collected the best wireless chargers we’ve tested to make your search a little easier.
Table of contents
Best wireless chargers for 2025
What to look for in a wireless charger
While it’s tempting to buy a wireless charging pad optimized for the specific phone you have now, resist that urge. Instead, think about the types of devices (phones included) that you could see yourself using in the near future. If you’re sure you’ll use iPhones for a long time, an Apple MagSafe-compatible charger will be faster and more convenient. If you use Android phones or think you might switch sides, however, you’ll want a more universal design. If you have other accessories like wireless earbuds or a smartwatch that supports wireless charging, maybe you’d be better off with a multi-device wireless charger.
Where and how will you use your charger?
Odds are that you have a specific use case in mind for your charger. You may want it by your bedside for a quick charge in the morning, or on your desk for at-a-glance notifications. You might even keep it in your bag for convenient travel charging instead of bulky power banks. Think about where you want to use this accessory and what you want to do with the device(s) it charges while it’s powering up. For example, a wireless charging pad might be better for bedside use if you just want to be able to drop your phone down at the end of a long day and know it’ll be powered up in the morning. However, a stand will be better if you have an iPhone and want to make use of the Standby feature during the nighttime hours.
For a desk wireless charger, a stand lets you more easily glance at phone notifications throughout the day. For traveling, undoubtedly, a puck-style charging pad is best since it will take up much less space in your bag than a stand would. Many power banks also include wireless charging pads built in, so one of those might make even more sense for those who are always on the go.
Wireless charging performance
Although wireless charging is usually slower than its wired equivalent, speed and wattage are still important considerations. A fast charger can supply enough power for a long night out in the time it takes to change outfits.
In general, a 15W charger is more than quick enough for most situations, and you’ll need a MagSafe-compatible charger to extract that level of performance from an iPhone. With that said, even the slower 7.5W and 10W chargers are fast enough for an overnight power-up. If anything, you’ll want to worry more about support for cases. While many models can deliver power through a reasonably thick case (typically 3mm to 5mm), you’ll occasionally run into examples that only work with naked phones.
There are some proprietary chargers that smash the 15W barrier if you have the right phone. Apple’s latest MagSafe charging pad can provide up to 25W of wireless power to compatible iPhones when paired with a 30W or 35W adapter — the latter being another component you’ll have to get right to make sure the whole equation works as fast as it possibly can.
Quality and box contents
Pay attention to what’s included in the box. Some wireless chargers don’t include power adapters, and others may even ask you to reuse your phone’s USB-C charging cable. What may seem to be a bargain may prove expensive if you have to buy extras just to use it properly. As mentioned above, you’ll want to make sure all of the components needed to use the wireless charger can provide the level of power you need — you’re only as strong (or in this case, fast) as your weakest link.
Fit and finish is also worth considering. You’re likely going to use your wireless charger every day, so even small differences in quality could make the difference between joy and frustration. If your charger doesn’t use MagSafe-compatible tech, textured surfaces like fabric or rubberized plastic are more likely to keep your phone in place. The base should be grippy or weighty enough that the charger won’t slide around. Also double check that the wireless charger you’re considering can support phones outfitted with cases — the specifications are usually listed in the charger’s description or specs.
You’ll also want to think about the minor conveniences. Status lights are useful for indicating correct phone placement, but an overly bright light can be distracting. Ideally, the light dims or shuts off after a certain period of time. And while we caution against lips and trays that limit compatibility, you may still want some barriers to prevent your device falling off its perch on the charging station.
Wireless chargers FAQs
Do wireless chargers work if you have a phone case?
Many wireless chargers do work if you leave the case on your phone. Generally, a case up to 3mm thick should be compatible with most wireless chargers. However, you should check the manufacturer’s guide to ensure a case is supported.
How do I know if my phone supports wireless charging?
Checking the phone’s specification should tell you if your phone is compatible with wireless charging. You might see words like “Qi wireless charging” or “wireless charging compatible.”
Do cords charge your phone faster?
Most often, wired charging will be faster than wireless charging. However, wired charging also depends on what the charging cable’s speed is and how much power it’s designed to carry. A quick-charging cable that can transmit up to 120W of power is going to be faster than a wireless charger.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-wireless-charger-140036359.html?src=rssReddit adds analytics and drafts for comments
Reddit is making it easier to gauge the impact your comments are having. The company is introducing detailed analytics for comments that measure views and other engagement metrics. Reddit shared the change as part of a larger batch of updates around how it handles comments on its platform.
Comment insights will provide details around upvotes (including the ratio of upvotes to downvotes), replies, views, shares and awards. Additionally, Redditors will now be able to share comments as a standalone post on Reddit.
The platform is also adding a drafts feature for comments that will allow people to save up to 20 drafts for 14 days. Drafts will automatically save, according to Reddit, so that you can revisit your thoughts if you navigate away from the page or leave the app mid-comment. In an update to moderators, Reddit said that drafts is "still in its early iteration" and that it may tweak how the feature works in future versions.
The changes are the latest way Reddit has added more flexibility around comments in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the company said it would allow users to hide their commenting history from their profiles.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-adds-analytics-and-drafts-for-comments-060550128.html?src=rssGoogle Cloud outages: Spotify, Discord, Snapchat and more were down for hours
Google Cloud experienced outages today that led to disruptions for many online services. Reports of issues for Google products and others began around 2 PM ET. The company was able to restore function to its own apps, but several other businesses have continued to experience problems for some users.
In an update at 4:16PM ET, Google said, "We have identified the root cause and applied appropriate mitigations. Our infrastructure has recovered in all regions except us-central1. Google Cloud products that rely on the affected infrastructure are seeing recovery in multiple locations. Our engineers are aware of the customers still experiencing issues on us-central1 and multi-region/us and are actively working on full recovery. We do not have an ETA for full recovery."
Spotify, Discord, Snapchat, Etsy, UPS and OpenAI all experienced a high volume of reports on DownDetector, with some informing users of disruptions. Even the Pokemon Trading Card Game and Pokemon Go weren't spared issues. Snapchat acknowledged the ongoing issues on its support page. OpenAI has posted that users may have trouble logging in due to "issues affecting multiple external internet providers." AWS also experienced a higher-than-usual volume of reports on DownDetector during the outage, but Amazon clarified in a statement to Engadget that it has no broad service issues and noted that its AWS Health Dashboard is a better indicator of its current status than DownDetector.
Almost all services have now returned to normal operation. By 5PM ET, Spotify's main page loaded for our editors and reports of outages on DownDetector had fallen back to close to their baseline. Other platforms like Snapchat and Discord also seemed to be functioning normally for us. Google said at the time that its products were coming back online across multiple regions and that it expected the recovery to be complete "in less than an hour." However, as of 7:13PM ET, the company noted that several Google Cloud components were still experiencing "residual impact." Google Cloud Dataflow, Vertex AI Online Prediction and Personalized Service Health are all still somewhat affected, and the company has not provided a timeline for when everything will be back to normal.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-cloud-outages-spotify-discord-snapchat-and-more-were-down-for-hours-193156868.html?src=rssGoogle completely remade its Snapseed iOS photo editor
After several years, Google has released a major update to the iOS version of its Snapseed photo editor. Version 3.0 is the program offers a complete redesign of both the iPhone and iPad apps. All of the images that have been edited with the tool are displayed in a grid. Navigation has been rearranged into three tabs, with a new Faves section for the photo tools that you want to quickly use on the regular. It boasts more than 25 different tools and filters for altering photos, including some newly added film filters. Snapseed also has a refreshed its logo with a more streamlined look.
Google acquired Snapseed all the way back in 2012. The new take on the app is a surprise, since Snapseed hadn't received any major updates on iOS since 2021. One thing has not changed: the app is still free and has no advertisements. For now, the listing for Snapseed in Google Play is still a version from last year; it's unclear if or when 3.0 will arrive on Android.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-completely-remade-its-snapseed-ios-photo-editor-222003395.html?src=rssApple's AI-infused Siri may not show up until spring 2026
The new version of Siri that was demoed alongside Apple Intelligence might not be released until Spring 2026, Bloomberg reports. Apple officially delayed Siri's release to some time "in the coming year" back in March.
The new Siri could be included in a planned iOS 26.4 update next year, which Bloomberg writes will likely arrive in March. Apple announced the smarter and more personal version of Siri at WWDC 2024 over a year ago now, and nearly two years before this hypothetical Spring 2026 release date. The company could demo the updated AI assistant again at its iPhone event in the fall or even release the new Siri early, but timing reportedly remains up in the air.
Apple's proposed update to Siri is supposed to give the company's aging voice assistant the authority to take action inside of apps and understand the content and context of your screen. The company's demos showed off Siri referencing emails for flight information and embedding photos in documents, all on its own, as evidence of how much more capable the assistant could be.
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Apple executives attribute the delay of the new Siri to it simply not being up to the company's standards. Internally, Bloomberg writes that there's also disagreement between Apple's marketing and engineering teams as to who is really at fault. The company shouldn't have hyped up the new Siri at WWDC 2024 or built an ad campaign around features that might not ship (Apple's pulled its Siri ads in March). But the engineering team may have been misleading as to how ready the assistant really was.
As testament to how careful Apple is being now, its focus on AI at WWDC 2025 was far more muted. The closest the company got to touching on some of the magic of the new Siri was the updated version of Spotlight that's coming in macOS 26, which can leverage the same App Intents framework Siri is supposed to use to perform select actions in apps, like sending a text in Messages without having to open the app.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apples-ai-infused-siri-may-not-show-up-until-spring-2026-221212681.html?src=rssMeta is helping to fund geothermal energy projects in New Mexico
Meta has entered into an agreement with XGS Energy to develop "next-generation geothermal energy" projects in New Mexico. The plan is for these projects to connect directly into the electrical grid that Meta's data centers draw from, feeding the growing energy needs of the company's AI development.
Both companies claim the new deal will add 150-megawatts of carbon-free energy to the grid "with zero operating water use." New Mexico is apparently uniquely suited for geothermal energy production because the state has "some of the best hot rock resources in the country," according to the deal announcement. XGS Energy's approach will allow "these hot, but typically dry, rock resources" to be used to produce electricity without having to worry about water accessibility.
The agreement is split into two phases, an initial smaller one and a second larger one, both of which are "projected to be operational by 2030." Meta has previously explored geothermal energy through a partnership with Sage Geosystems, and like its past deals — including Meta's recent 20-year agreement to use a nuclear power plant in Illinois — the company is focused on finding more sources of energy for its AI data centers.
"Advances in AI require continued energy to support infrastructure development," Urvi Parekh, Meta's Global Head of Energy, shared in the deal announcement. "With next-generation geothermal technologies like XGS ready for scale, geothermal can be a major player in supporting the advancement of technologies like AI as well as domestic data center development."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-is-helping-to-fund-geothermal-energy-projects-in-new-mexico-212222815.html?src=rssMixtape turned me back into a Millennial teenage dirtbag
Mixtape is the answer to the question, “What if the movie High Fidelity was a video game?” It’s not a perfect analogy, but it’s pretty damn close, and either way it’s a sign that Mixtape is going to be a fabulous slice of late-1990s, early-2000s nostalgia, complete with a banging soundtrack.
You can hear it in the trailers — Mixtape absolutely nails the classic Moviefone tone, and it seems that this vibe extends to the full game. I played roughly 30 minutes of Mixtape at Summer Game Fest 2025, and in that time I became enamored with the game’s lead character, a rebellious and insufferably cool teenager named Rockford who’s about to leave suburbia to pursue her dreams of becoming a music supervisor in New York City. She talks directly to the player as she introduces her two also-very-cool best friends and cues up the game’s music, breaking the fourth wall just like John Cusack. Most of the game plays out in a third-person view, following along as Rockford and her friends casually skate down tree-lined streets, flee from the cops in a high-speed shopping-cart sequence, and hang out in her bedroom, looking at Polaroid pictures and CDs while planning the best way to steal liquor from her parents’ stash.
Mixtape comes from The Artful Escape studio Beethoven & Dinosaur, and it similarly uses music as a core storytelling and scene-setting device. This makes perfect sense, considering the studio’s founder, Johnny Galvatron, is a legit rock star based in Melbourne, Australia. Leaning into musicality also worked out well for The Artful Escape, which earned Beethoven & Dinosaur a BAFTA award in 2022. Mixtape’s soundtrack is populated by the top teenage-dirtbag bands from the 80s, 90s and slightly beyond, including DEVO, Roxy Music, The Smashing Pumpkins, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division and the Cure (but not Wheatus, as far as I can tell, just to be clear).
Visually, Mixtape has a painterly 3D aesthetic with gorgeous golden light and purple shadows, reminiscent of Life is Strange or Telltale’s The Walking Dead series. In action, the characters move in a windswept, Spider-Verse animation style that doesn’t interrupt the gameplay flow. Even soaring down the snakelike asphalt on a skateboard, Rockford responds immediately to controller input and her ride isn’t interrupted by stray or late animations. Mixtape looks lovely and feels great.
There are also surprising little moments with alternative mechanics in the game’s first half hour, including a scene straight out of Wayne’s World where you make the trio headbang in a car, and another where you control two tongues making out in a close-up, Ren & Stimpy kind of cartoon realism. When Rockford explains what a music supervisor is, real-world reference images fill the screen in a tongue-in-cheek educational interlude. Throughout all of this, the music continues to roll, each song purposefully placed and given time to shine.
It would be easy for Mixtape to feel like a cheap nostalgia grab, an exploitation of Millennial players’ memories of skipping CDs and pre-cellphone party planning, but that simply isn’t the case so far. Mixtape feels like a love letter to the early aughts, filled with surprising mechanics, beautiful graphics and all the right references executed extremely well.
Mixtape is due to hit Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2025, published by Annapurna Interactive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/mixtape-turned-me-back-into-a-millennial-teenage-dirtbag-200337301.html?src=rssApple will at long last let you customize snooze times on alarms in iOS 26
We've been covering all the news Apple announced at WWDC 2025, but possibly the most exciting element coming to iOS 26 wasn't discussed on stage. The next update to the operating system will let people set custom snooze times. MacRumors reported that iOS 26 will offer anywhere from one to 15 minute snoozes that users can select when setting the alarm.
For years, Apple has kept the snooze timing locked at nine minutes. If you wanted to doze at a different interval, you'd need to set separate alarms or use a different app than the iPhone's built-in Clock. It was an odd choice for Apple to not allow personal preferences on this aspect of its smartphones, so anyone who's been frustrated by the nine-minute restriction will have a little extra treat to look forward to in the mornings when iOS 26 becomes publicly available this fall. And since there's been some recent research showing that snoozing may not be a terrible thing, we can take full advantage with zero guilt.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-will-at-long-last-let-you-customize-snooze-times-on-alarms-in-ios-26-190001600.html?src=rssThe Nothing Phone 3 will be available in the US via Amazon
The Nothing Phone 3 is getting an official release for US customers. The handset will be available to purchase from Amazon or directly from the company, according to a report by TechCrunch. Nothing CEO Carl Pei has been teasing this news since April, but now it's official.
Canadians will also be able to get in on the retail action, as Nothing has inked a deal with Best Buy to sell the new handset in the region. The phone goes on sale next month.
The company has produced eight handsets since forming back in 2020, but only the Phone 2 has made it to general sale in the US. For the other models, users would have to buy a unit via a beta program and there was no after-sale support. So this is good news for North Americans who are tired of Samsung and Apple.
Phone (3). It's a magic number.
— Nothing (@nothing) May 20, 2025
Coming July 2025. pic.twitter.com/WEQ7Vcf72H
“The smartphone market in the US is dominated by two players, but a lot of people are hungry for something different,” Pei told TechCrunch. "This is the right product, and the right moment, to start scaling in North America."
The downside here? The phone will only be available from Amazon and Nothing, so there will be no option to purchase from a carrier for a discount. However, it'll support 4G and 5G with AT&T and T-Mobile. There's no explicit support for Verizon, but the Phone 2 worked well with its network and the same thing will likely be true here.
There's no official US price yet. Pei recently said that it would cost £800 in England at launch, which would translate to around $1,080 in US dollars. This is far and away the most expensive handset the company has ever released, as it has primarily been known for mid-tier offerings. Pei says the higher cost accounts for "premium materials, major performance upgrades and software that really levels things up."
We don't have actual specs yet, but a recent leak certainly points to the kind of leveled up experience Pei was talking about. A reliable leaker suggested that it'll include a "flagship Snapdragon chipset" from Qualcomm and a new camera system with a triple-lens module on the rear. The battery is also reportedly on the larger side, with indications it'll likely exceed the 5,000 mAh mark. The Nothing Phone 2 shipped with a 4,700 mAh battery.
That's not the only product the company is bringing stateside. It's making some over-ear headphones that will be available to purchase for US and Canadian residents.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-nothing-phone-3-will-be-available-in-the-us-via-amazon-184534970.html?src=rssGoogle DeepMind is sharing its AI forecasts with the National Weather Service
Here's an AI-government collaboration of a less… unsettling variety than some. Google DeepMind is teaming up with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for tropical cyclone season. The AI research lab claims it can predict hurricane paths and intensities with at least the same accuracy as traditional methods.
NHC forecasters have already begun using DeepMind's AI model. Google says they're designed to support, not replace, human NHC forecasters. (Although President Trump's National Weather Service cuts have already reduced its headcount.) The company is also careful to repeatedly describe its models as "experimental."
Google claims that its models offer fewer trade-offs than physics-based predictions. The more accurate those methods are at forecasting a hurricane's path, the worse they are at predicting its intensity. (And vice versa.) The company says its experimental system offers "state-of-the-art" accuracy for both.
DeepMind backs that up with data from real-life storms over the last two years. On average, its five-day hurricane track prediction gets 87 miles closer to the storm's actual path than ENS, a widely used traditional model. Google's was comparable to a 3.5-day prediction model. In other words, it's like gaining an extra 1.5 days of warning with the same level of confidence. The company says such an improvement typically takes over a decade to achieve.
Alongside the NHC collab, Google is launching a new website that you can try. Now in a public preview, Weather Lab lets you see the AI storm predictions. It lets you view both live and historical predictions. You can even compare them to physics-based models to see how the AI version measures up.
It's important not to treat Weather Lab's experimental forecasts as official. But the website could come in handy if you live in Hurricane Alley. You can check it out now.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-deepmind-is-sharing-its-ai-forecasts-with-the-national-weather-service-173506456.html?src=rssStar Trek: Strange New Worlds will end with a truncated fifth season
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will only visit around 26 strange new worlds before shuttling into that cancellation sunset. The show will end with a truncated fifth season of six episodes, according to reporting by Deadline.
This news is relatively surprising, given that Strange New Worlds seems like the most popular and successful show of the modern era. However, not a single newer Trek series has made it past five seasons, so maybe that's just the way things go now. It's worth remembering that Captain Kirk's narration in the original 1960s Star Trek spoke of a five-year mission.
“We’re deeply grateful to Paramount+ for the chance to complete our five-season mission, just as we envisioned it, alongside our extraordinary cast and crew. And to the passionate fans who’ve boldly joined us on this journey," executive producers Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers, and Alex Kurtzman said in a joint statement provided via press release.
This is a bummer, as Strange New Worlds is a fantastic watch, but it's not the end of the world. The show is about to premiere its third season on July 17. A full fourth season is already in production, and the shortened fifth season will ramp up sometime in the next year. So there are still 26 episodes left to watch. That's a good amount of Trek.
It's also not the end of live-action Star Trek on television screens. The upcoming Starfleet Academy has already been renewed for a second season, though that's the only new show on our radar. There have been rumblings of movies, but we aren't sure what's actually being made. A film chronicling the formation of Starfleet was announced around 18 months ago, but there hasn't been any news since then. Patrick Stewart has been openly campaigning for a Captain Picard movie, but, well, he's 84 as of this writing.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-will-end-with-a-truncated-fifth-season-171054923.html?src=rssRazer's new Kishi V3 controllers can fit up to a 13-inch iPad
Razer has announced its latest lineup of Kishi mobile gaming controllers, capable of housing your phone, small tablet and, in the most comically extreme case, a full-size iPad.
The Kishi V3 Pro XL is seemingly designed for people who like to play games on the largest possible mobile canvas, but don’t want to rely on touch controls or just pair a wireless pad. The two sides of the controller stretch out so wide that the V3 Pro XL is able to accommodate a 13-inch iPad Air or Pro, or compatible Android slate of similar proportions, morphing the tablet into a handheld console that makes the Switch 2 look decidedly miniature in comparison.
Take away the "XL" bit and the supersized controller offers the same functionality as the standard Kishi V3 Pro, which is built for USB-C phones and tablets up to 8 inches. Both controllers feature precise anti-drift TMR thumbsticks with swappable caps, dual mouse click-back buttons and claw grip bumpers, as well as Razer’s Sensa HD haptics (not currently supported on iOS). Wired and remote play is possible on PC via the Razer Nexus launcher, and you get USB-C passthrough charging built in. There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack too if you prefer wired audio.
Rounding out the refreshed lineup is the Kishi V3, which is designed for iPhone and Android handsets. Many of the Pro features trickle down to the streamlined option, including the full-size TMR sticks (without the swappable caps) and back buttons. The USB-C “island” design of the controller makes it widely compatible with cases, so you don’t need to yank yours off every time you want to play a game.
Whatever model you pick up, Razer will give you up to six free months of Apple Arcade, normally priced at $7 per month. Will that soften the blow of the prices for these controllers? Not really. The Kishi V3 costs $100, the V3 Pro is $150, and the V3 Pro XL comes in at a whopping $200, which seems extremely high for a controller add-on for your massive tablet. But if you’ve been looking for a controller for that very specific use case, Razer has you covered.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/razers-new-kishi-v3-controllers-can-fit-up-to-a-13-inch-ipad-170317228.html?src=rssKonami and Bloober Team are remaking the original Silent Hill
A remake of the original Silent Hill is in development, it was revealed during Konami's Press Start stream on Thursday. An image announcing that another Silent Hill game from developer Bloober Team was in the works appeared during the stream. It was accompanied by music from the first game in the series. The official Japanese Silent Hill account on X later clarified that Bloober is modernizing the original 1999 entry.
Back in February, it emerged that Bloober is making a new title based on Konami's intellectual property. The two companies previously worked on a remake of Silent Hill 2, which was released in October and, by January, had sold more than 2 million copies. It was also one of our favorite games of 2024.
The Fear Of Blood Tends To Create Fear For The Flesh...#SILENTHILL #KonamiPressStart pic.twitter.com/wlKYdOnX79
— Konami (@Konami) June 12, 2025
So, going back to the game that started it all makes a lot of sense. Konami and Bloober haven't revealed any other details about the remake yet, such as when it's likely to arrive.
There was plenty more on offer during Konami's showcase, including a behind-the-scenes developer diary for Silent Hill f. The first game in the series to be set in Japan will drop on September 25.
Before that, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (a remake of MGS 3) will hit PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S on August 28. Konami revealed on the stream that the Xbox version will include gameplay from the Bomberman series — the PlayStation and Steam variants have an Ape Escape tie-in. It also emerged that Metal Gear Solid Delta will have a brand-new multiplayer mode called Fox Hunt. This is a camouflage-based hide and seek mode that builds on the stealth aspect of the series. You can expect more details on that soon.
Press Start included looks at some other games, such as Suikoden Star Leap (a new RPG adventure set in the world of Suikoden for PC and mobile). Suikoden I&II HD Remasters are getting upgrades on Nintendo Switch 2 as well. A demo for action RPG Edens Zero (based on a manga and anime of the same name) has dropped, while there was a peek at action-adventure platformer Darwin’s Paradox, in which you play as an octopus.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/konami-and-bloober-team-are-remaking-the-original-silent-hill-160629432.html?src=rssWWDC 2025: iOS 26, new Liquid Glass design and everything else Apple announced
Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote gave fans a good look into what their iPhones, iPads and Mac computers will look like come this fall when the new software updates come out. Key to the changes is Apple's new Liquid Glass design language, which will bring UI tweaks to all of its operating systems later this year. The redesign focuses on streamlining things and boosting productivity while giving most elements a semi-translucent look. As to be expected Apple Intelligence features are baked into all of the forthcoming software updates, and users can expect to see updated widgets, a few overhauled apps and more. Here's everything Apple announced at WWDC 2025 this year.
Liquid Glass design and new software names
As was expected, Apple revealed a new visual design language coming to all of its operating systems dubbed Liquid Glass. It called this new system its "broadest" design update yet, and it features semi-translucent features like redesigned widgets, notifications and more. Apple is billing it as more dynamic than the previous design language, and a way to bring even more consistency across all operating systems including iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
In addition to the redesign, Apple is revamping the names of all of its operating systems. Instead of iOS 19, for example, we’ll have iOS 26 coming out this fall. iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and others will follow suit, marking the first time Apple has given its software updates year identifiers instead of arbitrary generation numbers.
iOS 26
The changes coming to iOS 26 are subtle, but they give it a clean look and feel, with lots of overlapping elements, rounded corners and more. Apple said the design is inspired by visionOS, the operating system that powers Vision Pro headsets. App icons have a slightly different look, while toolbars and text inputs have see-through appearances. Folks will be happy to know that things are largely the same — you shouldn't have an issue identifying key apps like the Phone, Messages or FaceTime.
Phone app
Speaking of the Phone app, it's getting the biggest redesign since its launch with the original iPhone all those years ago. It puts scrolling front and center, allowing you to scroll through key contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. A translucent bar at the bottom of the screen gives you quick access to additional contacts and the keypad. Hold Assist, a new feature, will mute hold music but keep you on a call until someone picks up on the other line.
Messages
Messages is getting a few new features as well, including the ability to change the entire message background color for group messages and polls among group chat members. New screening features includes "unknown senders," which sequesters those pesky spam messages to a separate space in Messages, so you can keep your most important conversations in the forefront and ignore those that don't matter.
Apple Intelligence features are spread throughout all of the software updates, and in Messages, there are some related to Genmoji. In iOS 26, you'll be able to combine two existing emoji to create an entirely new, custom Genmoji, and you can even use ChatGPT to create Genmoji as well.
Live translate is coming to Messages, too, automatically translating messages as you type and delivering them to the receiver in their preferred language. Similarly functioning live captions will be available in FaceTime, and Apple Music will get live translation and live pronunciation features to help listeners enjoy music in other languages. The Call Translation API will be available to third-party developers to use in their communication apps as well.
Maps and Wallet
Apple Maps will gain the ability to learn your routine and suggest alternative routes based on traffic. It will also log your "visited places": cities, landmarks and business that you've been to, making it easier for you to find places you want to revisit again.
Separately, the Wallet app will support Digital ID, which lets you create a digital ID that's different from your driver's license and passport and can be used to verify your identity in some locations. You'll also be able to add updated boarding passes to Wallet when you're flying.
Games app
iOS 26 will feature a dedicated Games app as well. It will feature a Library tab, where you can find all of the games you've ever downloaded for iOS, and a dedicated Apple Arcade tab for all of the titles included in that service. Challenges is a new feature will let you compete against friends in supported games, including supported single-player games that developers.
Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence is getting baked into iOS 26's interface a bit more, allowing you to visually search for anything that pops up on your iPhone screen. For example, if there's an image of a jacket you like on your social media feed, you can take a screenshot and use the new Visual Intelligence image search feature to search for similar jackets across the web and other apps. You can highlight certain areas of your screenshot to refine the search further.
watchOS 26
In addition to the Liquid-Glass visual overhaul, watchOS 26 will bring Workout Buddy to your wrist. The new feature will analyze your fitness history and identify insights in real time as you're working out. It takes shape as a sort of audio coach that can inform you of things like the distance you've run, average pacing and those compares to previous runs you've completed. New Apple Music integration can choose playlists for you as well, based on the type of workout you're doing.
Smart Stack on Apple Watch is getting an update as well, prioritizing the information that matters most to you depending on your routine. For example, when you walk into your gym, a Smart Stack hint will appear on your watch that will quickly take you to the workout app so you can dive right into your training session.
macOS Tahoe
The next version of Apple's desktop operating system is dubbed macOS Tahoe, keeping the classic California naming scheme the company has been using for a long time. Liquid Glass design language is at the forefront here, but long-time Mac users will find most things look quite familiar, just with a semi-translucent, rounded edge now. Users will have the option to make custom backgrounds, change the color of their desktop folders and even add emoji to them.
iOS' Phone app will be available on macOS Tahoe, improving the calling capabilities of Mac computers. With it, you can more easily access your contacts and voicemail messages, and it will support all of the new features the new Phone app in iOS 26 will, including things like Hold Assist.
Intelligent actions are coming to the Shortcuts app, which integrates Apple Intelligence into the existing Shortcuts program. This lets you access Apple Intelligence models on-device, creating your own Shortcuts with AI capabilities. In a similar vein, Spotlight will be more powerful in macOS Tahoe, allowing you to call upon and execute multi-step Shortcuts and actions directly from Spotlight search, without navigating to other apps. You can also use Spotlight to access your clipboard history in the latest software update, too.
iPadOS 26
iPadOS 26 will feature a Liquid Glass redesign along with most of the new features detailed for iOS 26, including the revamped Phone and Games apps. Unique for the iPad, though, is a new menu bar and windowing feature that makes the tablet's UI look and feel a lot more like macOS. That means it should improve multitasking, something iPad power-users have wanted for a long time. You can resize windows, snap them to different corners or swipe them away temporarily to get a glimpse of your home screen. Apple claims the window system is designed to work just as well with touch input (either via fingers or a stylus) or trackpads on compatible accessories.
The Files app on iPad will feature an updated list view and the same custom color options you'll find on the new macOS Tahoe. You'll also be able to choose which programs or apps you want to open certain files, so for example, you can opt to open an image in Photoshop rather than the default option. Speaking of, a new Preview app is coming to iPads in the new software update. A mainstay on macOS, this app will bring native PDF management, annotation and editing to Apple's tablets.
iPadOS 26 will bring a number of new features for podcasters and the like, including the ability to record "studio quality" vocals with AirPods. Users will also be able to press and hold their AirPods to start and stop the recordings they're making on their iPads. In addition, a new local capture feature will integrate with video conferencing apps to let users record their video on iPads for things like remote group podcasts.
visionOS 26
The next software update coming to Vision Pro systems will include new Apple Intelligence features, spatial experiences and more. Spatial widgets are coming to visionOS 26, allowing you to put, say, a calendar widget somewhere in your Vision Pro field of view and it will stay in that place even as you move around. Native and third-party apps can support spatial widgets, and they'll all be available in the new Widgets visionOS app.
Spatial scenes is a new feature that uses AI to bring your photos to life in front of your eyes while using Vision Pro. Spatial scenes also extend to photos you'll see while browsing, so for example, those travel photos you see while researching your next vacation will look even more lifelike using spatial scenes.
Arguably the most exciting visionOS news is that it will allow the Vision Pro headset to be used with PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers. This will make Vision Pro more of a contender in the gaming space, since lack of compatible controllers was a big factor holding it back. In addition, the new software update will bring eye-scrolling to the Vision Pro, which will allow users to scroll documents, apps, webpages and more just by using their eyes.
tvOS 26
The new Liquid Glass design language brings more cinematic film and TV art to the Apple TV app in tvOS 26. A new Profiles feature in Apple TV+ lets you customize your viewing experience with your own tastes, and each member of your household can have their own profile. Elsewhere, Apple Music on Apple TV is getting a karaoke-esque feature that lets you sing along to your favorite songs using your iPhone as the microphone.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/wwdc-2025-ios-26-new-liquid-glass-design-and-everything-else-apple-announced-171718769.html?src=rssMicrosoft's Copilot Vision AI helper is now available on Windows in the US
Microsoft has begun rolling out a major update for Copilot. Starting today, Windows 10 and 11 users in the US can try out the assistant's Vision feature. The tool allows you to share up to two apps with Copilot, so that you can then chat about what it sees. "[Copilot Vision] acts as your second set of eyes, able to analyze content, help when you’re lost, provide insights, and answer your questions as you go," Microsoft says.
Additionally, with its new Highlights functionality, Copilot can even show you how to complete a specific task within an app. To try out Copilot Vision, open the Copilot app on your computer, click the glasses icon in the composer window and then select the browser or apps you want to share. You can stop sharing at any time by pressing "Stop" or "X" within the prompt dialogue. Microsoft says Windows users in non-European countries can look forward to the feature rolling out to their computers soon.
Microsoft began testing Copilot Vision with Copilot Pro subscribers in October. Following the contentious launch of Copilot's Recall feature, the company took a more careful approach with Vision by making it something testers had to manually activate and limited to a select list of websites. Now the company is expanding the available functionality before rolling it out to other markets.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsofts-copilot-vision-ai-helper-is-now-available-on-windows-in-the-us-160034369.html?src=rssInstagram will soon let you re-arrange your grid
You don't have to make a huge effort planning Instagram posts anymore so that your profile takes on a certain aesthetic or so that your grid reads or looks a certain way. Instagram will soon (and finally) let you re-order the posts already on your grid. Alessandro Paluzzi, who reverse engineered apps and posted upcoming features online, found an "edit grid" option within Instagram way back in 2022. Instagram didn't say when exactly the feature will be available, but when you do get the edit grid option, tapping it will take you to a screen where you can rearrange your posts in the way you want them to appear on your profile.
In the post announcement from Instagram head Adam Mosseri, he also revealed that Instagram is "exploring a way" that will allow you to post to your account without broadcasting it to your followers' feeds. The idea is to make posting less intimidating and to allow you to keep your account active without the pressure. Mosseri also didn't say when the feature is rolling out, but take note that his post is about Instagram's investments in creativity for this year.
Finally, the Instagram head announced that trial Reels are now available to everyone. Trial Reels will allow you to publish Reels that bypass your followers' feeds. Those Reels are then recommended to non-followers instead, since the feature's original purpose was to give creators a way to experiment with new types of content that could alienate their current audience. Mosseri said that the hope is for trial Reels to "give everyone greater freedom to explore their creativity in a low-pressure way."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/instagram-will-soon-let-you-re-arrange-your-grid-160011925.html?src=rssProton VPN review 2025: A nonprofit service with premium performance
Proton VPN stands out for two main reasons: it's one of the only virtual private networks (VPNs) to include a free plan with no data limits, and it's one of the few services majority-owned by a nonprofit. It's the best VPN in both of those categories, and it makes a strong case for being the best overall.
Even if you don't care about the work of the Proton Foundation, Proton VPN is a service worth using. It's easy to install and manage, runs like the wind and meets high standards for security and privacy. It has more IP locations in Africa than any of its competitors. It's even looking toward the future by working toward full IPv6 support.
In short, Proton VPN gets our enthusiastic recommendation, especially for torrenting (which it supports on almost every server). It's not perfect — the apps for Apple systems lag behind their Windows and Android counterparts, and the free servers can be noticeably sluggish — but the cons pale in comparison to the pros. We'll get into it all below.
Table of contents
Findings at a glance
The table summarizes what we found while reviewing Proton VPN, both good and bad. Keep it open in a tab while you comparison shop for a VPN.
Category |
Notes |
Installation and UI |
Windows has the best interface, but all apps are smooth Android users get unique preset protocols Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox can be used for split tunneling on Mac and iOS |
Speed |
Retains 88 percent of download speeds and 98 percent of upload speeds Global latency average stays under 300 ms, with 52 ms on the fastest server |
Security |
No DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks on any servers Full IPv6 support is available on Android, Linux and browser extensions; Mac, Windows and iOS still block IPv6 to prevent leaks WireShark test showed active packet encryption |
Pricing |
Best plan costs $81.36 for two years ($3.39 per month) Free plan includes unlimited data and critical security features, but you can't choose your server |
Bundles |
Proton Unlimited saves money if you want two or more Proton products |
Privacy policy |
General Proton policy prevents collection of IP addresses unless a user has violated the terms of service (such as by using a Proton VPN server to abuse another site) No third parties are allowed to handle personally identifiable information Confirmed by Securitum audit in 2024 |
Virtual location change |
Unblocked Netflix repeatedly in all five testing locations, with new content proving a successful location change A free server in Romania got into Netflix but had trouble loading the library |
Server network |
154 locations in 117 countries More servers in Africa than any other VPN, plus many others across the globe About two-thirds of server locations are virtual |
Features |
NetShield can block just malware, or all malware, ads and trackers Kill switch on all platformsSplit tunneling on Windows, Android and browser extensions only Secure Core servers route VPN through two locations, one of which is physically secured in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland Almost all paid servers are P2P-enabled Tor over VPN servers in six countries let you access dark web sites from any browser Profiles saves time when you repeatedly need specific connection settings |
Customer support |
Most articles in the online help center, while well-written, are invisible unless you use the search function Live chat is only for paying customers, and is unavailable from midnight to 9 AM CET |
Background check |
Launched in 2017 by the same company that developed ProtonMail Majority owned by the Proton Foundation, whose board includes the company founders and can resist takeover attempts While ProtonMail has worked with Swiss authorities in the past, Proton VPN is not governed by the same laws that compelled this Claims of a vulnerability in WireGuard's memory don't hold water |
Installing, configuring and using Proton VPN
This section explains how it feels to run Proton VPN on the various platforms it supports. As a rule, it's not difficult. Proton VPN has more features than ExpressVPN, and a couple of them might trip up new users, but you'd have to really scrounge to find an actual inconvenience to complain about.
Windows
Proton VPN installs easily on Windows — you'll need to grant it permission to make changes, but that's it. Once you've signed in on the app, you'll reach one of the best interfaces we've tried on a VPN. The server network is immediately visible as both a list and map, and the location search bar, connect button and major features are all laid out around the same window.
It's honestly amazing how much you can reach from the launch window without anything feeling cluttered. They even squeezed in keyboard shortcuts for the search field. We also love that settings open in the same window, since dealing with both the main VPN app and a separate preferences panel can get annoying. Our only real gripe is that there should be an easier way to adjust the size of the map.
Mac
The desktop app for Mac isn't quite as deftly laid out as the Windows app. You can reach most of the important features from the main window, including Profiles, NetShield, Secure Core servers and the kill switch. However, there's no longer a way to filter out a list of the P2P or Tor servers, except by digging through the Profile controls. On the plus side, you can adjust the size of the map, so it's now a viable alternative to the server list.
The other preferences are hidden in the menu bar — go to Proton VPN > Settings to reach them. They're laid out in four tabs, and shouldn't take more than a minute to go through at setup.
Android
The Android app takes the same design cues as the Windows app, and works as well. Four tabs along the bottom switch between the home screen, the country list, Profiles and all other settings. You can search the list of countries by tapping the magnifying glass at the top-right. In another nice touch, tapping the dots by any virtual location will tell you where the server is physically located.
Android users get some nifty exclusive Profiles, including "anti-censorship," which automatically connects to the fastest country except for the one you're in. The Settings tab is a single menu with subheadings and no unnecessary complication.
iOS
Proton VPN for iPhone and iPad looks almost the same as it does on Windows and Android, but with some of the same drawbacks found on Mac. The server list is more cluttered, and once again there's no easy way to sift out the P2P and Tor locations.
The Settings tab puts all the feature descriptions in the open, which makes it look denser than it is. But these are minor quibbles — this is still a VPN that's very easy to activate and forget about.
Browser extensions
Proton VPN has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These serve as de facto split tunneling, as connecting through the extension protects only browser traffic; everything else goes unprotected. You can split the tunnel further by setting the VPN to not work on certain URLs (unlike the other apps, you don't need to know the IPs of those sites).
Proton VPN speed test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator
We used Ookla's Speedtest app to determine how much Proton VPN drags on a user's latency, measured in milliseconds (ms), and download and upload speeds, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Together, these three stats show whether a VPN will noticeably slow down your internet, especially during demanding tasks.
We had high hopes for Proton here because of its VPN Accelerator technology, which runs VPN communications across several parallel tracks to process everything faster. It didn't disappoint — for the most part. Although download speeds didn't reach the heights we saw from ExpressVPN, Proton VPN's browsing performance still looks excellent nearly across the board.
To choose our locations for the test, we checked Proton VPN's list of smart routing servers, which use servers in one country to simulate IP addresses in another. Almost all the smart routing servers are based in five cities: Miami, London, Marseille, Bucharest and Singapore. We ran these tests on a Mac using the automatic protocol setting.
| Server Location | Latency (ms) | Increase factor | Download speed (Mbps) | Percentage drop | Upload speed (Mbps) | Percentage drop |
| Portland, OR, USA (unprotected) | 16 | -- | 58.93 | -- | 5.82 | -- |
| San Jose, CA, USA (best server) | 52 | 3.3x | 55.82 | 5 | 5.58 | 4 |
| Miami, FL, USA | 160 | 10x | 54.33 | 8 | 5.49 | 6 |
| London, UK | 332 | 20.8x | 52.55 | 11 | 5.72 | 2 |
| Marseille, France | 309 | 19.3x | 45.42 | 23 | 5.59 | 4 |
| Bucharest, Romania | 408 | 25.5x | 52.51 | 11 | 5.57 | 4 |
| Singapore, Singapore | 394 | 24.6x | 52.26 | 11 | 5.50 | 5 |
| Average | 276 | 17.3x | 52.15 | 12 | 5.58 | 4 |
Proton VPN looks very good in that table. Its average download speed was 88 percent of our unprotected speeds. To put that in perspective, if you started with 30 Mbps down (about half what we get) and connected to any Proton VPN server, you'd almost certainly still have a fast enough connection to stream in 4K.
Note the "almost" — Proton VPN did drop noticeably on its French server in Marseille. It's not uncommon for one of a VPN's data centers to have trouble while the others work fine, and you can usually fix the problem by just disconnecting and reconnecting. Just note that while drops to about 75 percent of your download speed are rare, they're not inconceivable.
Proton VPN security test: Watertight protocols
When we talk about VPN security, we're really talking about reliability. Can this VPN establish an encrypted tunnel and transmit all your information through it, every time, without leaks or failures? With Proton VPN, we're happy to say the answer is yes; we probed its security and found no cracks to speak of. Read the section below for specifics.
Proton VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Stealth
Proton VPN uses four VPN protocols to communicate between your devices, its servers and the internet. Three of them (WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2) are common choices with no serious flaws as long as they're implemented thoughtfully. The fourth, Stealth, is an obfuscation protocol you should only use if the other three are blocked.
OpenVPN is the most secure option. Without getting too technical, OpenVPN encrypts its backend functions as well as the data itself, which leaves it with no obvious vulnerabilities. It can also communicate using the same ports as common HTTPS traffic, so it's hard to block.
WireGuard is more efficient than OpenVPN, both in its source code and the cryptography it uses. It normally requires an exchange of fixed IP addresses, but the Proton VPN implementation overwrites those IPs with randomized addresses, cutting the security risk.
IKEv2 is a safe choice that's occasionally faster than either OpenVPN or WireGuard. You probably won't use it unless it happens to come up while you've set the protocol to Smart. As such, it's on the way to being phased out of Proton VPN.
Stealth is unique to Proton VPN, though its function is not. It's got the same architecture as WireGuard, but adds another TLS tunnel to evade network blocks that catch VPN traffic. That extra encryption slows it down, so we don't recommend using it unless the other three protocols don't work.
The first option on the app, called "Smart," is not a protocol — it means your VPN client selects the protocol that will give you the best speeds on your current server. Since all four protocols are safe, there's no downside to using the Smart setting most of the time.
Leak test
We used AirVPN's IP leak tool to check all four of Proton VPN's protocols for DNS and WebRTC leaks. Proton VPN uses its own DNS servers to reduce the risk of sending unencrypted requests, but since leaks are still possible, we tested using a simple method: checking our visible IP address before and after connecting to the VPN.
Despite testing several locations over three days, we never saw our real IP address show up on the tool. This held true even outside the Secure Core server list, where data centers might have been managed by third parties. It's not perfect proof, but it's a very good sign that Proton VPN enforces a consistent security regime on all its servers.
We also used BrowserLeaks to check for WebRTC leaks. These are mainly an issue on the browser side, but a VPN is doubly important if your browser happens to be leaking. We enabled WebRTC on our browser and tested the same set of Proton VPN servers without springing any WebRTC leaks.
Proton VPN and IPv6
Proton is working on making its entire VPN compatible with IPv6 addresses. If a VPN that's only configured for IPv4 has to resolve an IPv6 address, it can cause a leak — that's why most VPNs, even the best ones, block IPv6 altogether. That said, the whole internet will run on IPv6 one day, so it's nice to see Proton VPN leading the pack.
So far, IPv6 is automatically enabled on Proton VPN's Linux apps and browser extensions, and can be optionally activated on its Android app. The Proton VPN apps for all other platforms still block IPv6 traffic, but this should hopefully change soon.
Encryption test
Even if a VPN's protocol choices are solid, it's possible for individual implementations of those protocols to fail. We used WireShark, a packet inspector app, to test whether Proton VPN's encryption worked no matter what settings were in place. We're happy to say we never saw plaintext once.
How much does Proton VPN cost?
To get full access to Proton VPN, you'll need a Plus subscription, which costs $9.99 per month. You can knock off half that price by subscribing for a full year and paying a lump sum of $59.88, working out to $4.99 per month. A Plus account with Proton VPN also gives you free access to every other Proton app.
You can also pay $107.76 in advance to subscribe for two years, an average of $4.49 per month — perhaps more convenient, but it doesn't save you much. The one-year plan is the best value, though it's also nice that you don't have to pay through the nose for only one month. There's a 30-day, money-back guarantee on all plans.
Proton VPN is currently offering Engadget readers an exclusive deal that offers a 12-month plan for $47.88 ($3.99 per month) and a 24-month plan for $81.36 ($3.39 per month). Learn more about it here. One final option is the Proton Unlimited subscription, discussed in the "side apps and bundles" section below."
The Proton VPN free plan
Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs on the market right now. No other VPN backed by as much experience and good judgment has a free plan with no data limits. Instead of capping how much data you can use per month, Proton VPN restricts which servers free users can access, limiting them to five countries: the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania.
The frustrating part is that you can't choose which of these servers you use; Proton VPN just auto-connects to whichever one is the least burdened. A Proton representative told us that this change goes along with improvements to the selection algorithm, better load balancing and the addition of the Poland and Romania locations. It is also possible to try for a better connection by clicking "change server."
The fact remains, though, that a free Proton VPN plan is useless for unblocking content in specific locations — but this may be by design. The free plan seems more aimed toward privacy and anonymity than streaming, and the placement of the free locations near Russia and China reflects that. Free Proton VPN plans don't sacrifice any essential security features.
Proton VPN side apps and bundles
Proton VPN's main bundle is Proton Unlimited, which gets you all six Proton products in one package: VPN, Mail, Drive, Calendar, Wallet and Pass. This costs $12.99 for a month, $119.88 for a year ($9.99 per month) and $191.76 for two years ($7.99 per month). We won't be going in-depth on any of them in this review, but here's a quick rundown of each.
Proton Mail: An end-to-end encrypted email service. Proton can still see a Mail user's real IP address, but can't read any of their messages.
Proton Drive: Encrypted cloud storage. As with Mail, Proton can identify users, but can't read any of the content they store.
Proton Calendar: An encrypted scheduling app with events and reminders.
Proton Wallet: A self-custody wallet for storing Bitcoin unconnected to any exchange.
Proton Pass: A password manager that generates, stores and autofills passwords for online accounts.
Even if you only need two of the six, Proton Unlimited saves you money. Separate monthly subscriptions to Proton VPN and Proton Mail would cost a total of $14.98, so you've already knocked off $2 per month. That increases if you're able to commit to a year in advance.
Close-reading Proton VPN's privacy policy
Proton's privacy policy comes in two parts: the general Proton policy and the shorter policy specific to Proton VPN. We'll cover them in that order.
General Proton privacy policy
Proton tracks user activity on its product websites using its own marketing tools; the data set collected does not include IP addresses. It retains an email address connected to each user's account, but it's not allowed to connect IP addresses (and thus identities and locations) to those emails unless the user breaches the terms of service.
You may rightly ask how Proton would know a user is abusing one of their services if they don't keep activity logs. The answer is that logs aren't needed; most forms of abuse can be detected in other ways and observed in real time. For example, if someone used a Proton VPN server to launch a DDoS attack, the team could inspect that server and find the hacker while the attack was still ongoing.
The policy goes on to list the five third-party data processors Proton uses (Zendesk, PayPal, Chargebee, Atlassian and Stripe), none of whom are allowed to store customer activity data. Proton cautions that it will share what data it does have in response to unblockable requests from the Swiss government, but not "until all legal or other remedies have been exhausted." This is standard for a VPN that wants to remain in business, and the transparency report shows the company does indeed fight court orders when it can.
Proton VPN privacy policy
Proton's VPN-specific privacy policy is quite short. It states that Proton cannot log user activities or identifiable characteristics of devices connected to the VPN, cannot throttle internet connections and must extend full privacy and security to free users.
In one sense, a privacy policy requires you to take the VPN provider at their word, but it's dangerous for a company to make promises they don't intend to keep. The policy is legally binding, and breaking it is grounds for a lawsuit. Proton VPN's succinct no-logs policy is therefore a great sign. It's also been confirmed several times by a third-party audit, most recently in July 2024.
Can Proton VPN change your virtual location?
Testing a VPN's ability to mask a user's location isn't complex — all you need is a streaming subscription. We connected to five test locations and tried to unblock Netflix with each one. If we managed to access the site, and saw different shows than those on the American library, we concluded that the location had masked us successfully.
| Server location | Unblocked Netflix? | Library changed? |
| Canada | Y | Y |
| Romania | Y | Y |
| Ghana | Y | Y |
| Japan | Y | Y |
| New Zealand | Y | Y |
Proton VPN passed the test every time in all five locations. The only hiccup came in Romania, which we chose because it's one of the free locations. The app connected us to a free server, which was too slow to load Netflix; when we chose a paid server, the problem disappeared.
Investigating Proton VPN's server network
Proton VPN's free plan includes servers in five locations: the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the United States and Japan. When you connect as a free user, you'll be automatically connected to whichever location is fastest.
A paid plan opens up the full network of 154 servers in 117 countries and territories. The menu includes a huge selection of African locations, more than any VPN we've tested in some time. The Middle East, along with central and southern Asia, are also well represented, and U.S. users will find 20 different locations to choose from.
Keep in mind that about two-thirds of these server locations are virtual, meaning they're not physically located where they claim to be. This includes all the African servers except South Africa and Nigeria; all the South American servers except Brazil, Colombia and Argentina; and all the Middle Eastern servers except Turkey, Israel and the UAE. A majority of the locations in Asia are also virtual, including South Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
To be clear, virtual locations can hide your IP address just as well as physical ones. It's only a problem if you're expecting the kind of performance, particularly in terms of latency, that you get from a nearby server. Luckily, Proton VPN gives you fast enough download and upload speeds that distance shouldn't be a problem.
|
None
|
Countries | Virtual Locations | Cities |
| North America | 6 | 3 | 25 |
| South America | 7 | 4 | 7 |
| Europe | 42 | 6 | 51 |
| Africa | 25 | 23 | 26 |
| Middle East | 13 | 10 | 14 |
| Asia | 22 | 16 | 25 |
| Oceania | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 117 | 62 | 154 |
Features of Proton VPN
Proton VPN has a number of extra features that go beyond standard VPN functionality. We've already mentioned the Stealth protocol and IPv6 support. In this section, we'll cover an additional five features that might be of interest.
NetShield ad blocker
Proton VPN's built-in ad blocker is known as NetShield. It's available on the main UI page, and has two settings: one that blocks only malware sites, and one that blocks sites connected with malware, ads and trackers. The stronger feature is on by default.
NetShield works by checking any DNS requests against a database of web servers known to host malware, inject ads or attach cross-site trackers to your browsing session. The DNS-blocking approach means it's not capable of blocking ads served from the same domain that hosts them — so no blocking YouTube video ads. On the positive side, it means NetShield works across your entire device, not just on your browser.
NetShield also displays a running total of how many of each form of interference it's blocked. It catches most banner ads, but since you can't customize the blocklist in any way, it's best when combined with another browser-level ad blocker.
Secure Core servers
Here's an interesting one. Secure Core is a form of a common feature known as double VPN or multi-hop VPN, in which a connection runs through two VPN servers before being decrypted. If one server fails or gets compromised, the other server keeps your connection private.
Proton VPN takes this a step further. When you activate Secure Core, your connection will still end at your chosen server location — but before that, it will travel through a designated server in Iceland, Sweden or Switzerland. A few touches make Secure Core servers more reliable than the average VPN node:
All three countries are safe jurisdictions, with consumer-friendly privacy laws and courts sympathetic to privacy claims.
Secure Core data centers are locked down physically; for example, the Iceland location is a refitted military base, and the Sweden location is literally underground.
Proton owns and operates all Secure Core locations itself, with no rentals or third-party managers.
Almost no other VPNs pay as much attention to physical security as Proton VPN does with this feature. The second hop makes Secure Core connections slower on average, but it's worth it if you have something especially sensitive to do online.
Kill switch
Proton VPN includes a kill switch, a standard feature. When active, a kill switch cuts off your internet whenever your connection to the VPN drops. This means you're never in danger of leaking your real identity or location, even for a second. It also protects you against the TunnelVision exploit, which requires the hacker to make a fake VPN server.
Split tunneling
Split tunneling is included on the Windows and Android apps, but users on other devices can access it through the browser extension. With split tunneling, some apps or websites get online through the VPN, while others stay unprotected.
Proton VPN allows split tunneling by both app and IP address. This grants you a precise level of control over your split, as long as you know the IP of each website you're placing on the list (you can find that out using DNS checker).
Torrenting servers and port forwarding
Proton VPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting. It restricts torrenting to P2P servers, but nearly every server on the list is a P2P server — only Secure Core servers and some free servers don't permit torrenting. Combine that with the fact that it maintains 96 percent of your upload speeds on average, and you should have few problems using a torrenting client.
It also has some support for port forwarding, which can improve torrenting speed. Windows and Linux users can enable it with a simple toggle, which provides an active port number for configuring private servers. Mac users can set up port forwarding through manual OpenVPN or WireGuard configurations.
Tor over VPN
A handful of Proton VPN servers route you directly to the Tor network after encrypting your connection. While connected to one of these Tor over VPN servers, which are marked with TOR in their names and an onion symbol, you'll be able to open .onion links on a normal browser.
This is more than just convenient — Tor over VPN is the safest way to access the dark web. With the VPN as an intermediary, you're never connecting to Tor with your own IP address, so malicious node operators can't see your real identity. For maximum privacy, use Tor Browser to create your Proton VPN account, so you're never exposed at any point in the process.
Proton VPN has Tor servers in six countries (the U.S., France, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Hong Kong). Each just has one Tor server, except the United States, which gets two. Tor over VPN is supported on all platforms, but it won't work on Mac or iOS unless you have the kill switch enabled.
Profiles
A "profile" on Proton VPN is a group of pre-established settings you can use to quickly configure the VPN for a particular task. Two profiles are available from the start: Fastest, which connects to the fastest server, and Random, which always connects to a different server. You can create more profiles by toggling four settings:
Feature: The type of server used. Choose from Standard, Secure Core, P2P or Tor over VPN.
Country: The country to which the profile connects.
Server: A server within that country. You can also select "fastest" or "random."
Protocol: Which VPN protocol the profile will use. "Smart" can be selected.
As an example, say you want to watch a TV series that's only available on Netflix in Canada. You could create a profile called "Netflix Canada" that connects to the fastest Canadian server with just one click. We'd call profiles situationally useful, but they can save a lot of time if you regularly perform the same action on your VPN.
Proton VPN customer support options
We went to Proton VPN's FAQ pages with two questions that came up while researching other sections: which of Proton VPN's servers are managed by third parties, and why do certain server locations (like Marseilles) run slow despite the app showing a light load?
You can access the help center through any of Proton VPN's apps, or by going directly to the website. Articles appear to be organized into six categories. Oddly, clicking any category button only shows you a handful of the articles in that section — for example, the Troubleshooting category looks like it only has five articles. If you type "troubleshooting" into the search bar, though, you'll see dozens pop up. There are even some sections, like Billing, that don't appear on the main page at all.
It has the feel of a website update that wasn't adequately brought in line with the bulk of the support content. Until Proton fixes it, just use the search bar for everything. The articles themselves are well-written, give or take some stilted English.
Getting quick help
We couldn't find written answers to our questions about ownership and server load, so we turned to live chat. Free users should keep in mind that live chat support is only available on paid accounts, but there's a fairly active subreddit at r/protonvpn where Proton staff frequently post.
Live chat is not intuitively located on protonvpn.com. We finally found it by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the main page, only to be told nobody was online to help at the moment — live chat is only accessible from 9 AM to midnight Central European Time (CET). We submitted our question about the Marseille servers as an email ticket instead.
This part was easy, at least, as the form helpfully populated our system information. We also got a prompt response within 24 hours. We ended the interaction there, as we weren't able to reproduce the sluggish behavior on the French server locations, but it's nice to know the team will answer quickly.
Proton VPN background check: The CERN origins of Proton AG
Proton VPN launched in 2017, but its team's experience goes back much farther. The founders of its parent company, Proton AG, met while working at CERN in Switzerland, and the company remains under Swiss jurisdiction.
Their first product, Proton Mail, went live in 2014 after a successful crowdfunding campaign, and claims to have 100 million users today. Proton VPN was Proton AG's second project. Like Proton Mail, it consists of a free plan supplemented by paid upgrades.
Since then, Proton has introduced several more products: Proton Calendar in 2020, Proton Drive cloud storage in 2022 and the Proton Pass password manager in 2023, each designed around using end-to-end encryption to make user data inaccessible.
The Proton Foundation
Proton announced in 2024 that the majority of its shares had been acquired by the Proton Foundation, a nonprofit whose only purpose is to control Proton stock. Among other benefits, this prevents it from being purchased by anyone who disagrees with its mission. To sell to an objectionable parent company, the entire board of trustees would have to agree, which feels unlikely based on Proton's track record.
Throughout Proton's history, we only found two incidents serious enough to comment on, and only one of them concerned Proton VPN. We'll cover them both below.
ProtonMail law enforcement collaboration allegations
On the page that hosts its annual transparency report, Proton states openly that it "may be legally compelled to disclose certain user information to Swiss authorities" (see the Privacy Policy section of this article for more on precisely what information that describes). In 2021, the company admitted it had given Swiss police (acting on a French warrant) a ProtonMail user's IP address and device logs. The police arrested the user, a French environmental activist.
While that's unnerving for privacy-minded users, there are some important contextual issues to consider. Most importantly, ProtonMail is not governed by the same policy as Proton VPN. At the time the case unfolded, Swiss law obliged all email companies to comply with court orders from Swiss authorities to hand over data. VPNs aren't subject to those retention requirements.
Today, Swiss email companies have been reclassified so they're also exempt from data retention requirements, thanks in part to a policy change Proton fought for. A representative from Proton confirmed that "under Swiss law, we are not obligated to save any user connection logs." It's also reassuring that, despite complying with the subpoena, Proton wasn't able to turn over the contents of any emails.
Alleged WireGuard memory vulnerability
In January 2025, researchers at Venak Security alleged that Proton VPN lacks memory protection for keys generated under the WireGuard protocol, which might let hackers scrape the keys and decrypt intercepted communications. Proton responded to Venak in a blog post, which a Proton representative confirmed remains their official response to the allegations.
In short: the Venak article only demonstrates that it's possible to view public keys, not private ones. This isn't much of a bombshell, given that "public" is right there in the name. But asymmetric encryption — the kind used by VPN protocols like WireGuard — requires both keys to decrypt any messages. Even if a hacker were able to get ahold of a private key, they likely wouldn't be able to use it for anything. WireGuard incorporates perfect forward secrecy by default, changing session keys often enough that any given key is obsolete by the time it's stolen.
Final verdict
In short, we're prepared to recommend Proton VPN to almost anybody. Whether you're mainly concerned with security, streaming or something else, chances are good that you'll be satisfied. The only serious downsides are that the long-term plans are overpriced and that it's hard to get live tech support if you live outside of Europe.
It's also our unqualified pick for the best free VPN, but with the caveat that it's a bad choice for anyone who needs to choose specific server locations. If all you care about is staying hidden from your ISP and advertisers, Proton should be your first choice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/proton-vpn-review-2025-a-nonprofit-service-with-premium-performance-153046073.html?src=rssAndroid 16 is out, complete with new features for Pixel phones including live notification updates
Google has released Android 16 to the masses, as it's now available for compatible handsets. The company says new devices will come preloaded with the OS in "the coming months." As usual, it's first coming to Google's own Pixel phones.
The update includes several notable features. The biggest one might be live updates in notifications. This means that stuff like ride-shares and food deliveries will get a progress bar directly in the notification, so folks won't have to constantly open and close the app to wonder why a burrito seems to be stuck four blocks away.
Also, notifications from the same app will now be automatically grouped together to reduce clutter and pings. There's now support for LE audio hearing aids, with a native control option. Users can also switch to the phone's microphone when using one of these hearing devices for clearer audio in noisy places.
Google has tied all of its security features together, so users can now be protected from "online attacks, harmful apps, unsafe websites, scam calls and more in just a tap." This includes new scam detection features that were previewed back in May.
Shutterbugs are getting a fairly robust suite of new features, including automatic night mode scene detection, hybrid auto exposure and more precise color temperature adjustments. UltraHDR images have been improved, with support for HEIC encoding, and Android 16 offers integration with the high-end Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec.
The company is finally bringing desktop windowing to Android, but it's not ready just yet. That feature will be available to general users later in the year, but Android 16 QPR 3 Beta 2 is currently previewing the feature.
There's also a neat Android ecosystem update with some nifty features. This includes upgraded RCS group chats, with custom icons and the ability to mute threads. Google Photos now offers an AI-enhanced image editor that will recommend suggested edits. Emoji Kitchen is receiving new sticker combinations and Wear OS devices can now pay for transit fares without having to open a dedicated app.
Finally, Google has offered details on the Pixel Drop for June. New features include a Pixel VIPs widget that displays information on preferred contacts and more expressive captions on videos.
Update, June 10, 2PM ET: Well, we jumped the gun on that a little bit. Android 16 should now be available, as previously (and incorrectly) stated. We regret the error.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/android-16-is-out-complete-with-new-features-for-pixel-phones-including-live-notification-updates-170006935.html?src=rssThe best Father's Day gifts you can still shop last minute
The big day is approaching and there’s plenty of pressure for you to hand over a gift that says a lot all at once. It may be called Father’s Day, but this is an event for you to say a loving thank you to whatever person held that special role in your life, irrespective of gender. Here’s a list of the best gifts you can give to show your appreciation for all of the parenting they did, and may even still do.
Apple is releasing iOS 26 this fall. Here's the full list of compatible iPhones
Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9 introduced a slew of new changes coming to iPhone's operating system this fall. That includes a numbering change: iOS 18 is skipping to iOS 26, as opposed to introducing iOS 19. Plus, there was a laundry list of actual usability changes shown off, as well as the new Liquid Glass design (think Windows Vista, but arguably more toughtful), which looks to be Apple's largest visual update in years. But the biggest question we're all wondering: Will my iPhone be able to run iOS 26?
Last year, Apple didn't nix any iPhones from its eligibility list, but that's not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won't be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall.
We'll get to the bottom of which iPhones will support iOS 26 this year. To see what's coming with the latest OS and more, check out everything announced at Apple's WWDC event.
These three iPhones won't be compatible with iOS 26
Unlike last year, several iPhone models won't be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut this fall. This trio of models first released in 2018 won't be coming to the iOS 26 party:
iPhone XR
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhones compatible with iOS 26
While we don't yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping this fall — though there are iPhone 17 rumors — we do know, per Apple's site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you're in the clear:
iPhone SE (second generation or later)
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16e
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
What if I don't want to buy a new iPhone?
If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn't supported by iOS 26, that's fine. However, you'll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won't be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.
When will iOS 26 become available?
Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. Expect a confirmation of the release date at that iPhone 17 event, expected in early September.
iOS 26 features we're excited about
Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive.
Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.
Live Translate: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.
Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you're meeting at this weekend.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-is-releasing-ios-26-this-fall-heres-the-full-list-of-compatible-iphones-191854795.html?src=rssApple Intelligence announcements at WWDC: Everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more
Apple Intelligence hasn't landed in the way Apple likely hoped it would, but that's not stopping the company from continuing to iterate on its suite of AI tools. During its WWDC 2025 conference on Monday, Apple announced a collection of new features for Apple Intelligence, starting with upgrades to Genmoji and Image Playground that will arrive alongside iOS 26 and the company's other updated operating systems.
In Messages, you'll be able to use Image Playground to generate colorful backgrounds for your group chats. At the same time, Apple has added integration with ChatGPT to the tool, meaning it can produce images in entirely new styles. As before, if you decide to use ChatGPT directly through your iPhone in this way, your information will only be shared with OpenAI if you provide permission.
Separately, Genmoji will allow users to combine two emoji from the Unicode library to create new characters. For example, you might merge the sloth and light bulb emoji if you want to poke fun at yourself for being slow to understand a joke.
Across Messages, FaceTime and its Phone app, Apple is bringing live translation to the mix. In Messages, the company's on-device AI models will translate a message into your recipient’s preferred language as you type. When they responded, each message will be instantly translated into your language. In FaceTime, you'll see live captions as the person you're chatting with speaks, and over a phone call, Apple Intelligence will generate a voiced translation.
Visual Intelligence is also in line for an upgrade. Now in addition to working with your iPhone's camera, the tool can scan what's on your screen. Like Genmoji, Visual Intelligence will also benefit from deeper integration with ChatGPT, allowing you to ask the chat bot questions about what you see. Alternatively, you can search Google, Etsy and other supported apps to find images or products that might be a visual match. And if the tool detects when you're looking at an event, iOS 26 will suggest you add a reminder to your calendar. Nifty that. If you want to access Visual Intelligence, all you need to do is press the same buttons you would to take a screenshot on your iPhone.
As expected, Apple is also making it possible for developers to use its on-device foundational model for their own apps. "With the Foundation Models framework, app developers will be able to build on Apple Intelligence to bring users new experiences that are intelligent, available when they’re offline, and that protect their privacy, using AI inference that is free of cost," the company said in its press release. Apple suggests an educational app like Kahoot! might use its on-device model to generate personalized quizzes for users. According to the company, the framework supports Swift, Apple's own coding language, and the model is as easy as writing three lines of code.
An upgraded Shortcuts app for both iOS and macOS is also on the way, with support for actions powered by Apple Intelligence. You'll be able to tap into either of the company's on-device or Private Cloud Compute model to generate responses that are part of whatever shortcut you want carried out. Apple suggests students might use this feature to create a shortcut that compares an audio transcript of a class lecture to notes they wrote on their own. Here again users can turn to ChatGPT if they want.
There are many other smaller enhancements enabled by upgrades Apple has made to its AI suite. Most notably, Apple Wallet will automatically summarize tracking details merchants and delivery carriers send to you so you can find them in one place.
A year since its debut at WWDC 2024, it's safe to say Apple Intelligence has failed to meet expectations. The smarter, more personal Siri that was the highlight of last year's presentation has yet to materialize. In fact, the company delayed the upgraded digital assistant in March, only saying at the time that it would arrive sometime in the coming year. Other parts of the suite may have shipped on time, but often didn't show the company's usual level of polish. For instance, notification summaries were quite buggy at launch, and Apple ended up reworking the messages to make it clearer they were generated by Apple Intelligence. With today's announcements, Apple still has a long way to go before it catches up to competitors like Google, but at least the company kept the focus on practical features.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-announcements-at-wwdc-everything-apple-revealed-for-ios-macos-and-more-171133645.html?src=rssApple's AirPods 4 earbuds are cheaper than ever right now
Just in time for a last-minute Father's Day gift (or perhaps a little treat for yourself, because you deserve nice things), Apple's AirPods 4 have dropped back down to their lowest price to date. You can snap up a pair for $99. That's $30 off the list price.
This discount is for the base version of the earbuds without active noise cancellation (ANC). All the same, this is a good deal on our pick for the best budget AirPods, especially if foregoing ANC doesn't bother you too much.
We gave the AirPods 4 a score of 88 in our review. The improved fit and comfort, and upgraded sound quality compared with the previous version are definite plus points.
The AirPods 4 include features seen in the higher end AirPods Pro 2 but, unfortunately, not that model's onboard volume controls. The lack of wireless charging and Apple's Conversation Awareness feature are also negatives.
However, due in large part to the H2 chip that's included in the AirPods 4 (the same one that powers AirPods Pro 2), you'll get features such as Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, "cinema-quality" audio for FaceTime, Adaptive EQ and Voice Isolation (which helps eliminate background noise). With Siri Interactions, you can nod or shake your head to accept or reject calls, and respond to or dismiss messages and notifications.
When Apple rolls out iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26 this fall, the company will release a firmware update for AirPods 4 (as well as AirPods 4 with ANC and the second-gen AirPods Pro). This update will bring new features to the earbuds, such as the ability to use them to control iPhone and iPad cameras. Apple is also promising "studio quality recording" that should help creators better capture sound, even in noisy environments. Audio quality upgrades are on the way too.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-4-earbuds-are-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-144223181.html?src=rss8BitDo’s Ultimate 2C controller drops to $25
If you’re looking for a versatile new wireless controller that isn’t exclusive to a particular platform, 8BitDo’s various pads are always worth considering. And Amazon’s current deal on the brand’s Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller is nearly the cheapest we’ve seen. Right now, if you pick up the controller in either its Purple or Green colorways, you’ll pay $25.49, as opposed to $30 or above (the special edition Black Wukong version costs $35) for the other available colors. The lowest price we’ve ever seen this model at is $25.
If you’re a console gamer you’ll need to look elsewhere, but the Ultimate 2C plays nice with Android devices and Windows PCs, connecting either via Bluetooth in the case of the former, or over 2.4G or a wired connection for PC. There’s also a mode switch button to make it easy to hop between devices. The controller offers extra bumpers that sit next to the standard left and right bumpers, and these can be remapped without the need for additional software, while the Hall Effect joysticks are precise and reassuringly durable.
The Ultimate 2C is compatible with devices running Windows 10 and above, and Android 9.0 or above. You can expect 32 hours of playtime over a Bluetooth connection, or 19 hours when using the wireless 2.4G adapter.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/8bitdos-ultimate-2c-controller-drops-to-25-144020474.html?src=rssThe Olto is a future-forward e-bike that can accommodate two passengers
Infinite Machine made waves with its retro-futuristic P1 electric bike. That one was built for speed, but the company is back with something that's more for urbanites commuting to and from work. The Olto boasts 40 miles of range and a top speed of 33 MPH, with a 20 MPH limit while riding in the bike lane.
Just like the P1, the Olto e-bike looks both futuristic and retro, with a design that can only be described as "Cybertruck meets a scooter from Tron." This bike could be a boon for commuters, as it can accommodate two riders at the same time. The design is also fairly modular, so riders can add accessories like child carriers, rear racks and baskets, among other items.
The battery is easily removed with one hand, for nighttime charging, and can reach 50 percent in just an hour at the outlet. This removable battery also helps with security, as the battery is typically one of the most expensive components of an e-bike.
However, that's not the only security feature that Infinite Machine has implemented here. The company claims the Olto "virtually theft-proof." Each bike is connected to the internet and tracked in real time with precise GPS coordinates. There's an app to keep an eye on things and the vehicle features a dedicated slot for AirTags.
Once parked, the bike automatically locks the steering and wheels, making it difficult to move. If someone tampers with the vehicle, an alarm will sound and an alert gets sent to the owner's phone. The phone also doubles as the key.
Now for some bad news. All of these high-tech features come with a high-end price tag. The Olto costs $3,495. Preorders are available right now, with shipments going out later in the year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/the-olto-is-a-future-forward-e-bike-that-can-accommodate-two-passengers-140044468.html?src=rssThe Fujifilm X-E5 is basically an interchangeable lens X100VI
If you have ever looked at the X100VI said to yourself, "Man, I wish Fujifilm would just make an interchangeable lens version of this camera," consider your request answered. Four years after the release of the X-E4, the company has announced the X-E5, a compact, $1,699.95 camera that should appeal to the same crowd that loves X100VI.
Inside, the X-E5 has Fujifilm's latest X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor. That's the same sensor you'll find on the X100VI, X-T5 and X-T50. It's capable of capturing 40.2-megapixel stills, and video at up to 6.2K and 30 frames per second. Thanks to improvements Fujifilm has made to the sensor's pixel structure, the X-E5 offers a native 125 ISO, and there's AI-based autofocus to make it easier to capture moving subjects such as animals, birds, insects, motorcycles, planes and more.
Also new to the X-E5 is the inclusion of in-body image stabilization (IBIS). It offers up to seven stops of stabilization near the center of the frame and six stops toward the periphery.
Fujifilm has also once again tweaked the exterior of the camera. If the X-E4 was a bit too minimalistic for your taste, the good news is the X-E5 has a front grip where Fujifilm did away with that on the X-E4. The camera's top plate is machined from a single piece of aluminum, an addition that should make the X-E5 feel more premium than its predecessor. On the top, you'll find all the usual dials, including one for shutter speed and another for exposure compensation.
There's also an entirely new dial dedicated to Fujifilm's film simulations. In addition to the usual presets like Classic Chrome and Velvia, you can save up to three of your own recipes for easy access. As before, the external LCD can flip up 180-degrees to make it easier to capture selfies and vlog.
Fujifilm has also redesigned the X-E5's viewfinder. It offers two new modes. First, there's a "Classic" mode, which simplifies the interface so it's more like what you would find on an old film camera. All your exposure settings are displayed along the bottom of the screen in a deep red color, with the light meter present on the side. Alternatively, the other new mode, "Surround View," displays a black, semi-transparent or outlined area outside of the aspect ratio you've set. In practice, that should make it easier to frame your shots.
Alongside the X-E5, Fujifilm announced a new pancake lens, the XF23mm f/2.8 R WR. It's a full stop slower than the fixed, 35mm equivalent you'll find on the X100VI, but it's about the same size and should be a lot faster to focus thanks to inclusion of a direct current motor.
Fujifilm will offer the X-E5 in black and silver. The camera will be available starting in August. At $1,699.95 for just the camera body, the X-E5 is twice as expensive as its predecessor. In fact, it's more expensive than the $1,599 X100VI, which features a leaf shutter and hybrid optical viewfinder. Personally, I'm sad about that since the X-E4 was my recommendation for a great starter camera. Now I'll need to tell people to look elsewhere.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/the-fujifilm-x-e5-is-basically-an-interchangeable-lens-x100vi-133931379.html?src=rssThe Sonos Era 300 is $90 off in this home speaker sale
A number of Sonos speakers are on sale right now at Sonos direct and Amazon. his includes the well-regarded Era 300 smart speaker, which is on sale for $359. This particular model is one of Sonos' newest, and it has rarely gone on sale in the past.
We enjoyed the Era 300 enough to give it a score of 80 in our review. It has excellent sound quality and offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company's lineup, even the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers like Apple's HomePod.
It's simple to set up and offers the company's proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It's pretty nifty.
As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party.
This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it's sublime and sometimes it's kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale.
As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar, which is 26 percent off at $369, and the Era 100, which is down to $179. These deals are also available via Sonos itself. There's also an ongoing sale on portable speakers that includes the Move 2 and the Roam 2.
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-sonos-era-300-is-90-off-in-this-home-speaker-sale-150857352.html?src=rssBose's second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have AI-enhanced adaptive ANC
On Thursday, Bose unveiled its next-gen premium wireless earbuds. The latest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have enhanced adaptive noise cancellation, thanks to AI. Among their other upgrades over the originals are boosted call quality and wireless charging.
Since AI is the tech world's obsession, it's no surprise that Bose is jumping on that bandwagon. Here, the company uses it to improve adaptive noise cancellation. AI algorithms in the new model can smooth out sudden spikes in background noise while using aware mode. (That's the feature that lets you hear your surroundings while listening to music.) So, for example, the ANC should respond more quickly to a suddenly passing train or siren. In theory, that means fewer distractions from your music.
AI is also behind improved call quality in the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Bose claims that its noise suppression system improves voice pickup and overall quality.
The new model supports wireless charging natively. The first-gen QC Ultra Earbuds only offered it in a roundabout way. You had to buy a $50 silicone cover for the case, which wasn't the most elegant solution.
The rest of the 2025 model's upgrades are subtler. Their ear tips now include a built-in earwax filter. That should make it easier to clean them and avoid sound degradation over time. You can also turn off the earbuds' capacitive touch controls in the app. The inability to do that was a common complaint about the 2023 originals. (They'll receive an update later this year that adds the same functionality.)
The second-gen Bose QC Ultra Earbuds retail for the same $299 as their predecessors. They'll be available in black, white smoke and deep plum. Later this summer, the company will start pre-orders and provide a release date.
Alongside the earbuds, Bose announced two new Bluetooth speakers. The SoundLink Plus is a mid-range one, sitting between the SoundLink Flex and Max. The company's tagline for the speaker sums up the niche it wants to fill: "big enough to bring the bass but portable enough to take on the go."
The SoundLink Plus has one subwoofer, a tweeter and four passive radiators. It also includes an automatic tuning system called Active EQ. Bose says it adjusts its frequency response to match an optimal sound curve. It weighs 3.29 lbs. It supports Bluetooth Core 5.4.
The speaker supports up to 20 hours of playback. In a nice touch, you can use its USB-C port to charge your phone and other devices.
The SoundLink Plus costs $269. If you're looking to grab one, you won't have to wait long. Pre-orders open today, ahead of a June 26 launch. It will be available in black, blue dusk and citrus yellow. (The latter won't be available to pre-order until June 18.)
Finally, Bose is rolling out a second-gen version of the SoundLink Micro. The speaker is still small — just slightly less so than the first model. (The second-gen Micro measures 4.06 x 4.06 x 1.54 inches.) But in exchange, you get much longer battery life. Bose says the new speaker lasts up to 12 hours, an increase from six hours in its predecessor.
The SoundLink Micro also includes some modernizations. First, it now works with the Bose app. The speaker also ditches the micro-USB charging from its predecessor in favor of USB-C.
Elsewhere, it adds the same Active EQ and Bluetooth Core 5.4 support in its mid-range sibling. The company claims that the speaker plays back sounds more clearly at higher frequencies. (And it does so without muddying bass.) It also has a removable nylon strap. This should be handy for attaching the speaker to bags, bikes, shower heads and the like.
The Bose SoundLink Micro will be available in black and blue dusk. It costs $129. The company will provide specific launch info later this summer.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/boses-second-gen-quietcomfort-ultra-earbuds-have-ai-enhanced-adaptive-anc-130057912.html?src=rssGet up to 50 percent off MasterClass subscriptions for Father's Day
Deciding what to get your dad for Father's Day is tricky. There are the standbys like tools for the grill or a new history book, but there are also plenty of unique options out there. That includes digital options like a Nintendo Switch Online membership or a subscription to MasterClass.
A MasterClass subscription is one of our favorite gifts for teachers, but it's also an especially good option right now as the site is running a Father's Day sale. Currently, you can gift dad a one-year membership for up to 50 percent off. Take the MasterClass Plus subscription, which is down to $96 from $180 annually. It offers unlimited classes and access on two devices.
Then there's the Premium tier, which allows unlimited access across six devices. The sale brings this option down to $120 from $240 for the year. The cheapest option is the Standard subscription, which is also discounted, and it offers one class every three months on one device.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-up-to-50-percent-off-masterclass-subscriptions-for-fathers-day-140300335.html?src=rssSolar Orbiter captures images of the sun's pole for the first time
The Solar Orbiter has been observing the sun since 2021, but it recently went on a side trip to Venus which significantly tilted its orbit and gave it a good view of the sun's polar region. That is how it was able to capture images that will historically be known as humankind's first-ever views of the sun's pole. All our galaxy's planets and the other spacecraft we've deployed orbit the sun around an imaginary ecliptic plane along the star's equator. But thanks to the Solar Orbiter's Venus flyby, it now has a view of the sun from below its equator, allowing it to see the star's southern pole clearly. The images you see above were captured from an angle of 15 degrees below the equator on March 16 and 17, but the probe has reached the 17 degree maximum angle it could achieve since then.
Three of the probe's instruments were responsible for the images. The Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) imaged the sun in visible light and mapped its surface magnetic field. Meanwhile, the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) imaged the sun in ultraviolet light, and the Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE) instrument captured light "coming from different temperatures of charged gas above the sun’s surface, thereby revealing different layers of the sun's atmosphere."
So what exactly was the Solar Orbiter able to observe at the sun's southern pole? Well, the pole's magnetic field, simply put, is a mess at the moment. See, the sun's magnetic field flips roughly every 11 years, and it's about to flip this year if it hasn't yet. Normally, a magnet has a clear north and south pole, but the orbiter's PHI instrument showed that both north and south polarity magnetic fields are present at the sun's south pole right now. "This happens only for a short time during each solar cycle, at solar maximum, when the Sun’s magnetic field flips and is at its most active," ESA explained.
After the flip, the magnetic field fixes itself so that the poles have single polarities. The process is gradual, however, and it will take five to six years to achieve solar minimum, wherein which the sun's magnetic field is at its most orderly. These solar cycles or regular magnetic field flips aren't fully understood yet, and the orbiter's observations could be the key to unlocking that knowledge.
In addition, scientists used the orbiter's SPICE instrument to take Doppler measurements, or how fast clumps of solar material are moving. They then took that information to create a velocity map that shows how solar material moves within a specific layer of the sun. These measurements can show how the sun flings out particles into space in the form of solar winds, which is one of the orbiter's key goals.
Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $169 right now
Apple's AirPods Pro 2 earbuds are on sale for $169 via Amazon. This is close to a record low price and represents a discount of 32 percent, as the typical cost is $249.
This model easily made our list of the best wireless earbuds, and this is particularly true for those tied to the Apple ecosystem. The earbuds seamlessly switch between Apple devices, which is handy. The transparency mode is fantastic and the ANC is solid.
They also sound great, thanks to a new amplifier, driver and transducer, in addition to updated algorithms. We found that they offered a "massively improved" experience over the first-gen version of these earbuds. Music even sounds better at lower levels here, which is something we noticed in our official review.
The battery life is just average, with six hours of listening per charge and 30 hours with the case. The major downside with these earbuds is the price. No matter how you slice it, $249 is a whole lot of money. Luckily, today's sale alleviates some of that sticker shock. If you're looking to spend even less, you can get the AirPods 4 earbuds (without ANC) for only $99 right now.
Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-are-on-sale-for-169-right-now-154646693.html?src=rssApple's iOS 26 requires kids to get parental permission to text new numbers
As part of new updates to its parental controls announced at WWDC 25, Apple has introduced a new feature that requires kids to get permission to text new numbers. That's among other new child safety settings including more granular age-based app ratings that will be introduced to the new iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26 operating systems coming this fall, Apple announced.
The new feature called Communication Limits (part of Child Accounts) gives parents the ability to manage their kids communications across Messages, FaceTime, calling and iCloud contacts. Children must send a request to their parents when they want to contact a new phone number and parents can then give approval with a single tape in Messages. Developers can include the new function in third-party apps using Apple's PermissionKit framework.
Another new child-friendly feature is more granular age-based ratings for apps to help parents decide which are safe for their kids to use. By the end of 2025, those will expand to five categories including three for adolescents: 13+, 16+ and 18+. When parents set app content restrictions, apps that exceed those will not appear on the App Store — though kids can request exemptions if the Ask to Buy setting is enabled.
Apple already employs safety features like web content filters and app restrictions for kids under 13, but it will now enforce "similar age-appropriate" protections for teens between 13 and 17. The company will also let parents give apps a child's age range without disclosing their exact date of birth. Finally, the Communication Safety tool has been expanded to intervene when it detects nudity in FaceTime video calls and it will blur out nudity in Shared Albums in Photos.
Apple's changes follow in the heels of new age-verification laws enacted in Texas, Utah and and other states. Google, for one, opposed the Utah bill, but Meta and other app makers have called for legislation that would require app stores to get parental approval before their teens download any app — effectively offloading the responsibility to Apple, Google and others.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apples-ios-26-requires-kids-to-get-parental-permission-to-text-new-numbers-120049197.html?src=rssMeta is cracking down on AI 'nudify' apps
Meta is finally cracking down on "nudify" apps that use AI to generate nonconsensual nude and explicit images of celebrities, influencers and others. The company is suing one app maker that's frequently advertised such apps on Facebook and Instagram, and taking new steps to prevent ads for similar services.
The crackdown comes months after several researchers and journalists have raised the alarm about such apps. A recent report from CBS News identified at least "hundreds" of ads on Meta's platform promoting apps that allow users to "remove clothing" from images of celebrities and others. One app in particular, called Crush AI, has apparently been a prolific advertiser on Facebook and Instagram. Researcher Alexios Mantzarlis, Director of Cornell Tech's Security, Trust and Safety Initiative, reported back in January that Crush AI had run more than 8,000 ads on Facebook and Instagram since last fall.
Now, Meta says it has filed a lawsuit against Joy Timeline HK Limited, the Hong Kong-based company behind Crush AI and other nudify apps. "This follows multiple attempts by Joy Timeline HK Limited to circumvent Meta’s ad review process and continue placing these ads, after they were repeatedly removed for breaking our rules," the company wrote in a blog post. Joy Timeline HK Limited didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meta also says it's taking new steps to prevent apps like these from advertising on its platform. "We’ve developed new technology specifically designed to identify these types of ads — even when the ads themselves don’t include nudity — and use matching technology to help us find and remove copycat ads more quickly," Meta wrote. "We’ve worked with external experts and our own specialist teams to expand the list of safety-related terms, phrases and emojis that our systems are trained to detect within these ads." The social network says it also plans to work with other tech platforms, including app store owners, to share relevant details about entities that abuse its platform.
Nudify apps aren't the only entities that have exploited Meta's advertising platform to run ads featuring celebrity deepfakes. Meta has also struggled to contain shady advertisers that use AI-manipulated video of public figures to promote scams. The company's independent Oversight Board, which weighs in on content moderation issues affecting Facebook and Instagram, recently criticized Meta for under-enforcing its rules prohibiting such ads.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-cracking-down-on-ai-nudify-apps-100034964.html?src=rssWatch Konami's Press Start Metal Gear and Silent Hill stream at 9AM ET
In case all the content from Summer Game Fest wasn't enough, Konami has you covered. Today at 9AM ET the developer will stream Konami Press Start, a new showcase featuring updates (and hopefully new gameplay) for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill f, among other titles.
It will stream on Konami’s YouTube channel and is expected to run 37 minutes. On top of news about the aforementioned two games, Konami has promised more — perhaps news around the Gradius Origins collection coming in August, possible new DLC for the Silent Hill 2 remake from Bloober Team or an update on Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection vol. 2.
As a reminder, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is set to arrive on PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S on August 28, while Silent Hill f will come to those same platforms on September 25. The company has also been working on Silent Hill Townfall and other titles.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/watch-konamis-press-start-metal-gear-and-silent-hill-stream-at-9am-et-100011285.html?src=rssThe best Chromebook you can buy in 2025
Whether you’re shopping for a budget-friendly laptop for school or a sleek machine for everyday productivity, the best Chromebooks can offer surprising functionality for the price. Chromebooks have come a long way from their early days as web-only devices. Now, many Chromebook models feature powerful processors, premium displays and even touchscreen support, making them a compelling alternative to a regular laptop for plenty of users.
There are more options than ever too, from lightweight clamshells to high-end, 2-in-1 designs that can easily replace your daily driver. Whether you're after a new Chromebook for streaming, work or staying on top of emails, there’s likely a model that fits both your budget and your workflow. We’ve tested the top Chromebooks on the market to help you find the right one — whether you’re after maximum value or top-tier performance.
Table of contents
Best Chromebooks in 2025
Best Chromebooks FAQs
What is Chrome OS, and why would I use it over Windows?
This is probably the number one question about Chromebooks. There are plenty of inexpensive Windows laptops on the market, so why bother with Chrome's operating system? Glad you asked. For me, the simple and clean nature of Chrome OS is a big selling point. Chrome OS is based on Google’s Chrome browser, which means most of the programs you can run are web based. There’s no bloatware or unwanted apps to uninstall like you often get on Windows laptops, it boots up in seconds, and you can completely reset to factory settings almost as quickly.
Of course, simplicity will also be a major drawback for some users. Not being able to install native software can be a dealbreaker if you’re a video editor or software developer. But there are also plenty of people who do the majority of their work in a web browser, using tools like Google Docs and spreadsheets for productivity without needing a full Windows setup.
Google and its software partners are getting better every year at supporting more advanced features. For example, Google added video editing tools to the Google Photos app on Chromebooks – it won’t replace Adobe Premiere, but it should be handy for a lot of people. Similarly, Google and Adobe announced Photoshop on the web last year, something that brings much of the power of Adobe’s desktop apps to Chromebooks.
Chromebooks can also run Android apps, which greatly expands the amount of software available. The quality varies widely, but it means you can do more with a Chromebook beyond just web-based apps. For example, you can install the Netflix app and save videos for offline watching. Other Android apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Lightroom are surprisingly capable as well. Between Android apps and a general improvement in web apps, Chromebooks are more than just portals to a browser.
What do Chromebooks do well?
Put simply, web browsing and really anything web based. Online shopping, streaming music and video and using various social media sites are among the most common daily tasks people do on Chromebooks. As you might expect, they also work well with Google services like Photos, Docs, Gmail, Drive, Keep and so on. Yes, any computer that can run Chrome can do that too, but the lightweight nature of Google Chrome OS makes it a responsive and stable platform.
As I mentioned before, Chrome OS can run Android apps, so if you’re an Android user you’ll find some nice ties between the platforms. You can get most of the same apps that are on your phone on a Chromebook and keep info in sync between them. You can also use some Android phones as a security key for your Chromebook or instantly tether your 2-in-1 laptop to use mobile data.
Google continues to tout security as a major differentiator for Chromebooks, and it’s definitely a factor worth considering. Auto-updates are the first lines of defense: Chrome OS updates download quickly in the background and a fast reboot is all it takes to install the latest version. Google says that each webpage and app on a Chromebook runs in its own sandbox as well, so any security threats are contained to that individual app. Finally, Chrome OS has a self-check called Verified Boot that runs every time a device starts up. Beyond all this, the simple fact that you generally can’t install traditional apps on a Chromebook means there are fewer ways for bad actors to access the system.
If you’re interested in Google’s Gemini AI tools, a Chromebook is a good option as well. Every Chromebook in our top picks comes with a full year of the Google One AI Premium plan — this combines the usual Google One perks like 2TB of storage and 10 percent back in purchases from the Google Store with a bunch of AI tools. You’ll get access to Gemini in Gmail, Google Docs and other apps, Gemini Advanced (which runs on the 1.5 Pro model) and more. Given that this plan is $20/month, it’s a pretty solid perk. Chromebook Plus models also include tools like the AI-powered “help me write,” the Google Photos Magic Editor and generative AI backgrounds you can create by filling in a few prompts.
As for when to avoid Chromebooks, the answer is simple: If you rely heavily on a specific native application for Windows or a Mac, chances are you won’t find the exact same option on a ChromeOS device. That’s most true in fields like photo and video editing, but it can also be the case in law or finance. Plenty of businesses run on Google’s G suite software, but more still have specific requirements that a Chromebook might not match. If you’re an iPhone user, you’ll also miss out on the way the iPhone easily integrates with an iPad or Mac. For me, the big downside is not being able to access iMessage on a Chromebook.
Finally, gaming Chromebooks are not ubiquitous, although they’re becoming a slightly more reasonable option with the rise of cloud gaming. In late 2022, Google and some hardware partners announced a push to make Chromebooks with cloud gaming in mind. From a hardware perspective, that means laptops with bigger screens that have higher refresh rates as well as optimizing those laptops to work with services like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. You’ll obviously need an internet connection to use these services, but the good news is that playing modern games on a Chromebook isn’t impossible. You can also install Android games from the Google Play Store, but that’s not what most people are thinking of when they want to game on a laptop.
What are the most important specs for a Chromebook?
Chrome OS is lightweight and runs well on fairly modest hardware, so the most important thing to look for might not be processor power or storage space. But Google made it easier to get consistent specs and performance late last year when it introduced the Chromebook Plus initiative. Any device with a Chromebook Plus designation meets some minimum requirements, which happen to be very similar to what I’d recommend most people get if they’re looking for the best laptop they can use every day.
Chromebook Plus models have at least a 12th-gen Intel Core i3 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series processor, both of which should be more than enough for most people. These laptops also have a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage, which should do the trick unless you’re really pushing your Chromebook. All Chromebook Plus models have to have a 1080p webcam, which is nice in these days of constant video calling, and they also all have to have at least a 1080p FHD IPS screen.
Of course, you can get higher specs or better screens if you desire, but I’ve found that basically everything included in the Chromebook Plus target specs makes for a very good experience.
Google has an Auto Update policy for Chromebooks as well, and while that’s not exactly a spec, it’s worth checking before you buy. Last year, Google announced that Chromebooks would get software updates and support for an impressive 10 years after their release date. This support page lists the Auto Update expiration date for virtually every Chromebook ever, but a good rule of thumb is to buy the newest machine you can to maximize your support.
How much should I spend on a Chromebook?
Chromebooks started out notoriously cheap, with list prices often coming in under $300. But as they’ve gone more mainstream, they’ve transitioned from being essentially modern netbooks to some of the best laptops you’ll want to use all day. As such, prices have increased: At this point, you should expect to spend at least $400 if you want a solid daily driver. There are still many Chromebooks out there available at a low price that may be suitable as secondary devices, but a good Chromebook that can be an all-day, every-day laptop will cost more. But, notably, even the best Chromebooks usually cost less than the best Windows laptops, or even the best “regular” laptops out there.
There are plenty of premium Chromebooks that approach or even exceed $1,000 that claim to offer better performance and more processing power, but I don’t recommend spending that much. Generally, that’ll get you a better design with more premium materials, as well as more powerful internals and extra storage space, like a higher-capacity SSD. Of course, you also sometimes pay for the brand name. But, the specs I outlined earlier are usually enough.
See Also:
Other Chromebooks we tested
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus
Samsung’s new Galaxy Chromebook Plus is one of the more unique Chromebooks out there. It’s extremely thin and light, at 0.46 inches and 2.6 pounds, but it manages to include a 15.6-inch display in that frame. That screen is a 1080p panel that’s sharp and bright, but its 16:9 aspect ratio made things feel a bit cramped when scrolling vertically. Performance is very good, and the keyboard is solid, though I’m not a fan of the number pad as it shifts everything to the left. At $700 it’s not cheap, but that feels fair considering its size and capabilities. If you’re looking for a big screen laptop that is also super light, this Chromebook merits consideration, even if it’s not the best option for everyone.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-chromebooks-160054646.html?src=rssGoogle will reduce battery life for some Pixel 6a phones to prevent overheating
Google's Pixel 6a has been a winner in many respects, but a new issue with the smartphone's battery may pose a safety concern. After Android Authority reported on a pair of instances where a Pixel 6a battery overheated to the point where the device caught fire, the publication spotted some details in the latest Android 16 beta indicating that as a precaution, the Pixel 6a battery capacity and charging speed will be reduced. In addition, Android Authority received this statement from Google:
A subset of Pixel 6a phones will require a mandatory software update to reduce the risk of potential battery overheating. The update will enable battery management features that will reduce capacity and charging performance after the battery reaches 400 charge cycles. We’ll contact impacted customers next month, with all the information they need to address the issue.
The Pixel 6a is due to receive software support until July 2027, but it's just the latest entry in this device line to have battery problems this year. In January, Google rolled out an update that reduced battery life of the Pixel 4a to increase stability for the 2020 phone model. Then in April, the company launched a program of repairs and payments after some instances of batteries "swelling" in the Pixel 7a.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-will-reduce-battery-life-for-some-pixel-6a-phones-to-prevent-overheating-225355736.html?src=rssFBC: Firebreak headlines June's PS Plus additions
Remedy's multiplayer spin on Control is coming to the PlayStation Game Catalog. Sony's June PS Plus additions start with the day-one arrival of FBC: Firebreak. Other entries this month include the latest Battlefield entry and sticky-ball Katamari fun.
FBC: Firebreak lets you and up to two others team up to kick some Hiss ass. Play as a government employee who volunteered to take out extra-dimensional monsters. But the wicked delights really kick in when you enhance your plain ol' guns with supernatural gear.
In our preview, Engadget's Jessica Conditt saw a promising and "incredibly fun" shooter that only needed a bit of fine-tuning before launch. "Firebreak is poised to be a thoughtful and focused entry in the co-op shooter genre, and it's already an inviting extension of Remedy's darkest and silliest sensibilities," she wrote.
FBC: Firebreak will be available in the Game Catalog on its launch day, June 17. You'll need a PS Plus Extra or Premium membership to claim it.
Also coming on that date is Battlefield 2042. This could be a good time to catch up on the franchise before its next installment. (It's expected by April 2026.) Also arriving this month is We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie. Who doesn't love rolling a satisfyingly growing blob of random shit?
Both of those titles require a PS Plus Extra or Premium membership. Ditto for other June entries like Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2 and theHunter: Call of the Wild. Meanwhile, the 2000 classic Deus Ex: The Conspiracy will only be available for Premium subscribers. You can check out the PlayStation blog for the complete list.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fbc-firebreak-headlines-junes-ps-plus-additions-211440207.html?src=rssPrime Video reportedly shows almost twice as many ads as it used to
If it feels like you spend a lot more time watching ads in Prime Video than you used to, that may not be a mistake. Amazon has increased the number of ads or "ad load" in Prime Video to four-to-six minutes of ads per hour, Adweek reports. Amazon's plan to increase the amount of advertising in its streaming service was previously reported in October 2024.
Shifting to a max of six minutes of ads per hour is nearly double the up to three-and-a-half minutes of ads that could play when Amazon first converted its basic Prime Video subscription to an ad-supported tier. The company used to offer all of Prime Video's features and an ad-free experience for the cost of Amazon Prime ($159 per year / $15 per month) or $9 per month, but announced at the end of 2023 that avoiding ads would cost an extra $3 every month. Besides inserting ads, Amazon's basic plan also doesn't support for features like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision.
Engadget has reached out to Amazon to confirm the ad load changes and will update this article if we hear back.
Regardless of your tolerance for ads, cheaper ad-supported subscriptions have quickly become expected from most streaming services. Netflix, Max, Peacock and Paramount+ all offer subscriptions with ads. Even Apple, who could theoretically afford to lose money on subscriptions, reportedly started building a team to sell ads for a possible ad-supported tier of Apple TV+ in 2023.
While adding more interruptions to the Prime Video experience isn't what anyone wants, Adweek does note that streaming services still insert far fewer ad breaks than broadcast TV. The ad load on traditional television "typically ranges from 13 to 16 minutes per hour."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/prime-video-reportedly-shows-almost-twice-as-many-ads-as-it-used-to-210650918.html?src=rssSAG-AFTRA has suspended its gaming industry strike over AI protections
SAG-AFTRA has suspended its strike against ten game studios. The organization's national board will meet tomorrow to consider a tentative agreement with the developers; more details of the arrangement will be disclosed if and when the board agrees to the terms.
Variety obtained a statement from a spokesperson for the gaming companies that offered some hints about the contents of the potential deal: "This agreement builds on three decades of successful partnership between the interactive entertainment industry and the union. It delivers historic wage increases of over 24 percent for performers, enhanced health and safety protections, and industry-leading AI provisions requiring transparency, consent and compensation for the use of digital replicas in games."
It's been almost a year since the performers' union called a strike against the companies participating in the Interactive Media Agreement. The move was part of an effort to secure protections for its members regarding AI-generated likenesses of their voices and bodies in the gaming industry. The studios signatory to the IMA are:
Activision Productions Inc.
Blindlight LLC
Disney Character Voices Inc.
Electronic Arts Productions Inc.
Formosa Interactive LLC
Insomniac Games Inc.
Llama Productions LLC
Take 2 Productions Inc.
VoiceWorks Productions Inc.
WB Games Inc.
In addition to the negotiations with the IMA businesses, SAG-AFTRA recently took action against Epic Games for its use of an AI-generated voice for Darth Vader in Fortnite.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sag-aftra-has-suspended-its-gaming-industry-strike-over-ai-protections-204240996.html?src=rssThere's more to Mouse: PI for Hire than cartoon violence
Mouse: PI for Hire is a lot deeper than I initially assumed. When the game first caught buzz in May 2023 with an early teaser populated by placeholder assets, I didn’t understand the hype. The art style was definitely cool — Mouse is a black-and-white first-person shooter inspired by 1930s rubber hose cartoons, featuring bipedal rodents dressed like mobsters — but without any information about the gameplay loop, mechanics or narrative direction, I remained unmoved.
After seeing Mouse in action at Summer Game Fest 2025, consider me movin’. Mouse is mechanically nuanced and fully voice-acted, starring Troy Baker as the protagonist, and it has more to offer than shock-value cartoon violence. This is a clue-gathering, photo-snapping, girlfriend-avenging, noir detective simulator that happens to star a bunch of slick-talking mice and rats, and I’m fully into it.
In a private session at SGF, Fumi Games CEO Mateusz Michalak and lead producer Maciek Krzemien played through the game’s third level, Gumshoe in the Opera, and discussed their intentions with the game. Krzemien said the team didn’t want to simply lean on the art style at the expense of gameplay, and they focused on building a rich world with layered mechanics. Since that initial teaser came out, they’ve been fleshing out characters, drawing assets by hand, implementing puzzles and secrets, and tweaking individual weapons so that they feel just right.
In Gumshoe in the Opera, the protagonist Jack Pepper is investigating his girlfriend’s murder and he’s backstage at the theater, looking for a friend who might be involved. Baker makes for a fine 1930s private eye, with a deep voice and a Boardwalk Empire twang. The supporting characters are voiced, too, and they tend to have a higher-pitched, henchman style of gangster speak. Mousey, you could say.
Pepper fills up a 16-slot weapon wheel as he finds new guns and tools, including a flashlight, dynamite, Tommy gun, hookshot, pistol, shotgun and a turpentine blaster. The turpentine gun is ridiculous in the best way — since the characters in this world are cartoons, it melts their skin away like it’s paint and then dissolves their skeletons. Killing enemies with a traditional gun leaves them lying in pools of black blood, sometimes with missing heads, and the game’s environments have destructible elements. The mix of mature violence and classic cartoon art is strangely joyful, and it seems Fumi got the balance just right.
Most enemies in Mouse take a few hits before going down, but headshots are a thing and a well-aimed blast can definitely flatten a mobster (mouse-ster?) in one blow. I didn’t get a chance to play the game myself, but now that I’m fully seated on the Mouse hype train, I’m curious to feel the gunplay firsthand. I have a sense it’s going to be more difficult than Krzemien made it seem.
The preview was roughly half shooting action, half investigation and exploring. When he’s not in a firefight, Pepper climbs through vents and sneaks around backstage, collecting corked health pots, a coffee cup and weapons along the way. The coffee cup turns Pepper’s hand into a finger gun, which he uses to rapidly pew pew pew his way through enemies. He learns how to double-jump and is able to backtrack through the level with this new ability, picking up additional supplies and a hidden trading card — for the card-based minigame, of course. A lockpick mechanic has players snake their way past spikes to complete a small maze inside the lock. In one moment, Pepper takes a photo of someone through a small window and it’s stored for later, hinting at a larger clue-organizing mechanic. Krzemien said that after this section, Pepper will return to his office to piece together the evidence.
There are a lot of layers to Mouse: PI for Hire. Maybe it’s my fault for being surprised by the depth in this game or the care being shown by developers at Fumi, but at least now, I finally get it. Mouse is due to hit Steam, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch this year, published by PlaySide.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/theres-more-to-mouse-pi-for-hire-than-cartoon-violence-203044404.html?src=rssSnapchat adds a new subscription tier for Lenses
Snapchat has added a new layer to its paid offerings. The Lens+ subscription combines the existing Snapchat+ monthly plan with more access to "hundreds of Lenses and AR experiences that let you play, create, and share Snaps with friends in whole new ways." The plan will cost $9 a month.
At the start, the subscription will feature Lenses made by the company or by select creators. New augmented reality experiences will be added each week. Creators will be granted the option to build and monetize Lenses for the program in the coming months, although Snapchat hasn't publicly explained how it will select the "select" participants. A representative from the business confirmed to TechCrunch that the launch of Lens+ will not see any Lenses that were previously free placed behind a paywall.
The social media platform introduced the Snapchat+ paid option in 2022. According to the blog post announcing this extra option, the program has 15 million subscribers. The Lens program has been taking advantage of developments in AI. Already this year, the company debuted generative AI video Lenses for Premium subscribers and released a standalone app for any user to create their own effects. Snapchat's other AR project is Specs, a set of glasses that it expects to release next year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/snapchat-adds-a-new-subscription-tier-for-lenses-201018127.html?src=rssWikipedia pauses AI summaries after editors skewer the idea
Wikipedia is backing off AI article summaries… for now. Earlier this month, the platform trialed the feature in its mobile app. To say they weren't well-received by editors would be an understatement. The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) paused the test a day later.
The AI summaries appeared at the top of articles for 10 percent of mobile users. Readers had to opt in to see them. The AI-generated summaries only appeared "on a set of articles" for the two-week trial period.
Editor comments in the WMF's announcement (via 404 Media) ranged from "Yuck" to "Grinning with horror." One editor wrote, "Just because Google has rolled out its AI summaries doesn't mean we need to one-up them. I sincerely beg you not to test this, on mobile or anywhere else. This would do immediate and irreversible harm to our readers and to our reputation as a decently trustworthy and serious source."
"Wikipedia has in some ways become a byword for sober boringness, which is excellent," the editor continued. "Let's not insult our readers' intelligence and join the stampede to roll out flashy AI summaries."
Editors' gripes weren't limited to the idea. They also criticized the nonprofit for excluding them from the planning phase. "You also say this has been 'discussed,' which is thoroughly laughable as the 'discussion' you link to has exactly one participant, the original poster, who is another WMF employee," an editor wrote.
In a statement to 404 Media, a WMF spokesperson said the backlash influenced its decision. "It is common to receive a variety of feedback from volunteers, and we incorporate it in our decisions, and sometimes change course," the spokesperson stated. "We welcome such thoughtful feedback — this is what continues to make Wikipedia a truly collaborative platform of human knowledge."
In the "discussion" page, the organization explained that it wanted to cater to its audience's needs. "Many readers need some simplified text in addition to the main content," a WMF employee wrote. "In previous research, we heard that readers wanted to have an option to get a quick overview of a topic prior to jumping into reading the full article."
The WMF employee stated that the average reading level for adult native English speakers is that of a 14- or 15-year-old. "It may be lower for non-native English speakers who regularly read English Wikipedia," they added.
The organization didn't rule out future uses of AI. But they said editors won't be left in the dark next time. "Bringing generative AI into the Wikipedia reading experience is a serious set of decisions, with important implications, and we intend to treat it as such," the spokesperson told 404 Media. "We do not have any plans for bringing a summary feature to the wikis without editor involvement."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/wikipedia-pauses-ai-summaries-after-editors-skewer-the-idea-200029490.html?src=rssNASA is shutting down some official social media accounts, including the Curiosity rover's handle
NASA is shutting down several social media accounts run by the Science Mission Directorate, including the official Mars Curiosity Rover account on X. The organization says it made the decision in order to "make its work more accessible to the public, avoiding the potential for oversaturation or confusion."
The "social media consolidation project" is concentrated in part on X, where there are dozens NASA accounts affiliated with specific missions and areas of research. So far 29 accounts are being archived or consolidated with other accounts, including @MarsCuriosity and @NASAPersevere, the two accounts for the organization's Mars rovers. Posts about both missions will now come from the more general @NASAMars. Some social media accounts will also "rebranded to better align with the new strategic framework," NASA says, "reflecting a broader scope or a more direct connection to core NASA initiatives."
With "over 400 individual accounts across 15 platforms" it's not exactly unreasonable that NASA is trying to streamline things, but there is some much appreciated specificity lost when news and information is coming from a more general account. NASA's Curiosity is beloved and the agency's research into Mars was likely more well-known because the social media account made identifying with the rover easier.
Beyond social media accounts, NASA could be heading into next year with far fewer resources in general. The Trump administration's proposed 2026 budget includes around a $6 billion cut to NASA's funding. The limited resources could lead to multiple planned missions being cancelled The Washington Post reports, including sending a probe to Venus, taking mineral samples from asteroids and studying gravitational waves with the European Space Agency.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-is-shutting-down-some-official-social-media-accounts-including-the-curiosity-rovers-handle-192016918.html?src=rssPixelsnap, Google's belated answer to MagSafe, could arrive alongside the Pixel 10
Android phones that support Qi2 wireless chargers that are magnetically secured in place might finally be hitting the market. Android Authority reports that Google plans to add Qi2 charging with the upcoming Google Pixel 10. The Qi2 standard was announced at CES in 2023, and was developed with substantial contributions from Apple. The new design iterated on the Qi standard by adding magnets that would help ensure a perfect alignment, among other improvements. That magnetic alignment tech was built on Apple's MagSafe technology.
There was a lot of excitement around the standard coming to the Android ecosystem, but manufacturers dropped the ball. Displaying a total lack of urgency in implementing the standard, not a single Android device made by Samsung, Google or Motorola supported Qi2 in 2024.
The team at Android Authority reports that they have “viewed credible marketing materials intended for retailers that show that Google is working on a few magnetic Qi2 accessories meant for the upcoming Pixel 10.” They suggest Google will name the magnetic ecosystem “Pixelsnap” and at least three accessories to start. A Pixelsnap Charger, Charger with Stand and Ring Stand are set to be in the works for the new Pixel 10. Assuming that magnetic profiles are included as rumored, the Pixelsnap Charger with Stand sounds like the successor to Google’s Pixel Stand. This would ostensibly allow users to magnetically snap their phones to the stand while the phone charges wirelessly.
Android Authority reports that the Pixel 10 would support Qi 2.2, with a maximum hardware-supported charge rate of 60W, though Google will ultimately decide what rate of charging will be allowed on each compatible phone model.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/pixelsnap-googles-belated-answer-to-magsafe-could-arrive-alongside-the-pixel-10-184527063.html?src=rssiOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework
When it launched, Apple 's Visual Intelligence feature allowed you to point your compatible phone's camera at things around you and either perform a Google Image Search or ask questions via ChatGPT. At WWDC 2025, the company showed off updates to broaden the usefulness of Visual Intelligence, largely by embedding it into the screenshots system. To quote the company's press release, "Visual intelligence already helps users learn about objects and places around them using their iPhone camera, and it now enables users to do more, faster, with the content on their iPhone screen."
This reminded me of the "onscreen awareness" that Apple described as one of Siri's capabilities when it announced Apple Intelligence last year. In that press release, the company said, "With onscreen awareness, Siri will be able to understand and take action with users’ content in more apps over time." Though it's not quite the same, the updated screenshot-based Visual Intelligence more or less allows for your iPhone to serve up contextual actions from your onscreen content, just not via Siri.
In a way, it makes sense. Most people are already accustomed to taking a screenshot when they want to share or save important information they saw on a website or Instagram post. Integrating Apple Intelligence actions here would theoretically put the tools where you expect them, rather than make users talk to Siri (or wait for the update to roll out).
Basically, in iOS 26 (on devices that support Apple Intelligence), pressing the power and volume down buttons to take a screenshot will result in a new page being pulled up. Instead of the thumbnail of your saved image appearing in the bottom left, you'll see the picture take up almost all of the display, with options around it for editing, sharing or saving the file, as well as getting Apple Intelligence-based answers and actions at the bottom. In the bottom left and right corners sit options for asking ChatGPT and doing a Google Image Search respectively.
Depending on what's in your screenshot, Apple Intelligence can suggest various actions below your image. This can be asking where to buy a similar-looking item, adding an event to your calendar or identifying types of plants, animals or food, for instance. If there's a lot going on in your screenshot, you can draw on an item to highlight it (similar to how you select an object to erase in Photos) and get information specific to that part of the image.
Third-party apps or services that have enabled App Intents, like Google, Etsy and Pinterest, can also appear here so you can carry out actions within this space too. For example, if you've found a bookend you like, taken a screenshot and identified it, you can shop for it on Etsy or pin it on Pinterest.
One aspect of this update to Visual Intelligence that gives me pause is that, for people like me who screenshot mindlessly and don't want to do anything other than get receipts, this might add a frustrating step between capturing a screenshot and saving it to Photos. It sounds like you may be able to turn off this interface and stick to the existing screenshot system, though.
The examples that Apple gave for Siri's ability to understand what's on your screen felt somewhat similar. In its press release from last year, Apple said "For example, if a friend texts a user their new address in Messages, the receiver can say, 'Add this address to his contact card.'"
Like Visual Intelligence in screenshots, this involves scanning the onscreen content for pertinent information and helping you put it in a place (like Contacts or Calendar) where it's most useful. However, the promise of Siri's new era was more about interacting with all parts of your phone, across first- and third-party apps alike. So you could ask the assistant to open an article you added to your Reading List in Safari or send photos from a specified event to a contact.
It's clear Apple has yet to deliver these advancements to Siri, and like Craig Federighi said at the WWDC 2025 keynote, those might only be discussed later this year. Still, as we await that status update, the changes coming to screenshots might be a preview of things to come.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ios-26-screenshots-could-be-an-intriguing-preview-of-apples-delayed-siri-rework-183005404.html?src=rssApple made a haptic trailer for the F1 movie that only works on iPhones
The long-anticipated F1 film comes to theaters on June 27. To celebrate the pending release, Apple has developed a haptic trailer exclusively for iPhones. This leverages the smartphone's Taptic Engine to let people "feel the action" right in the palm of their hands.
Apple promises that viewers will "experience the power of the engines, the rumble of the curbs, and the intensity of every gear shift like never before with responsive vibrations." It's available to stream right now via the Apple TV app, but requires iOS 18.4 or later. Here's a regular trailer that won't make your hands rumble, but is still fun.
F1 stars Brad Pitt and was directed by Joseph Kosinski, who made the box office monster Top Gun: Maverick. He also directed the underrated Tron: Legacy, though has no involvement with the upcoming Tron: Ares. Hans Zimmer made the score. Apple spared no expense here.
To that end, the company is extremely bullish regarding the film. It's getting the full theatrical treatment, along with a nationwide IMAX release. Apple also featured the movie prominently at its recent WWDC event and screened it for attendees at the Steve Jobs Theater.
Pulling up to the Steve Jobs Theater for the F1 Movie screening 🤯 pic.twitter.com/U3nygAJym7
— Ayush Singh (@heyayush_io) June 11, 2025
Formula 1 has been surging in popularity these past years, as the sport has significantly widened its cultural footprint. Netflix released a documentary series about the organization called Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which was a huge hit. People like cars that go fast. Who knew?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/apple-made-a-haptic-trailer-for-the-f1-movie-that-only-works-on-iphones-180815475.html?src=rssHow to buy the Nintendo Switch 2: Stock updates for the new console and accessories
You can finally buy the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US — or at least, try to buy. The $450 console officially went up for sale on June 5, and several retailers have offered the device both online and in-store in the days since. That said, online stock dried up fairly quickly at most stores last week and remains highly limited as of Wednesday afternoon.
The latest opportunity to grab the console has come from Best Buy. The retailer briefly resumed sales at its online store around 12PM ET today, June 11, though the device was only available to order with store pickup. As of 1:40PM ET, both the base console and Nintendo's Mario Kart World bundle appear to be sold out again. You may also be able to grab a bundle at Costco if you’re a member there. Otherwise, it's slim pickings as of this writing.
Broadly speaking, people had a bit more luck on launch week by venturing to a physical retail store. We can’t guarantee you’ll still be able to snag a Switch 2 the old-fashioned way, but it’s worth checking if a local Target, Best Buy, Walmart or GameStop — the four official retailers Nintendo lists on its store page — still has consoles in stock. Either way, if you’re still on the hunt, we’ve rounded up all of the latest information we could find on how to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 and where you can pick one up.
Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2
Best Buy said it'd have limited stock at its retail locations starting June 5. It previously confirmed it wouldn't sell the console at its online store during launch week, but it made additional Switch 2 consoles available on June 11 around 12PM ET. The initial restock lasted for the better part of an hour and required in-store pickup, but it now appears to have run out. Still, you might want to keep the retailer's Switch 2 pages handy in case more inventory opens up later today.
Walmart began online purchases at midnight ET on June 5, but the console alone and the Mario Kart World bundle are out of stock as our latest update. Both SKUs briefly returned around 11:30PM ET on June 6, but we haven't seen much since then. Naturally, the world's largest retailer is also selling the console at its brick-and-mortar locations, though the company has noted that quantities are limited and inventory will vary by location.
Target began selling the Switch 2 in stores on June 5, then restocked its online inventory for at least a couple of hours starting around 3:30AM ET on June 6. It looks to be fully out of stock as we write this, but again you should still look into the locations closest to you for in-store availability just to be safe.
GameStop has advertised in-store availability, though exactly how much stock your local store may have will vary by location. Online, the device has been unavailable for the past several days. We saw a $625 bundle that includes Mario Kart World, a microSD Express card and a few other accessories pop up a bit more frequently than the standard SKUs, but it's no longer listed (and it was kind of a raw deal anyway). The listings for the base console and Mario Kart bundle, meanwhile, now point to a "Find a Store" page.
You may still have some luck at certain membership-based retailers. A Mario Kart World bundle at Costco that includes a 12-month Switch Online subscription has gone in and out of stock since Thursday morning. Sam's Club has had a bundle without the Switch Online sub as well, though it's out of stock at the moment. We also saw the console at BJ's early on June 5, but it's not live there now.
Verizon briefly had the Switch 2 available on Thursday morning, but that's dried up, and only those with Verizon service were able to order.
Amazon hasn't had any form of Switch 2 listing on its website thus far, nor has it listed first-party Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World. The company didn't take pre-orders for the Switch 2 either, so it's unclear if and when it will sell the device.
Newegg has listed the Switch 2 on its site for several weeks, but it's given no indication as to when it'll begin sales. It previous showed a couple listings from a third-party seller, but at massively inflated prices.
With all of these stores, we've seen the Mario Kart World bundle available in greater quantities online than the base console, which costs $50 less. But given that Mario Kart is the Switch 2's biggest launch game and retails for $80 on its own, that may not be the worst thing.
Nintendo, meanwhile, is only offering the Switch 2 via an invite system. This requires you to have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of Switch 1 playtime as of April 2. It can't hurt to sign up if you meet the criteria, but don't expect it to bear fruit immediately — many people who registered in April still haven't received an invite.
You can find a list of every Switch 2 retail listing we could find below. Just be aware that this is meant to be a reference, not a rundown of everywhere the device is available right this second.
Where to buy Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle:
Costco (membership required)
Sam's Club (membership required)
Verizon (service required)
Where to buy Switch 2:
Where to buy Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories
Nintendo is selling a number of Switch 2 accessories alongside the console, from controllers to cases to cameras for the new GameChat feature. Most of these became available on June 5 as well. The same goes for games like Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Another big Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananza, won't be available until mid-July but is still up for pre-order now.
As of Wednesday afternoon, just about all Switch 2 games are broadly available. Stock for the accessories is a little spottier, but most devices are still available at multiple retailers. Nintendo's official Switch 2 carrying cases are the main exceptions right now, so you may need to look to third-party alternatives if you want some protection for your console right away.
Mario Kart World ($80)
Donkey Kong Bananza ($70)
Additional Switch 2 games
Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60)
Joy-Con 2 bundle ($95)
Switch 2 Pro Controller ($85)
Switch 2 Camera ($55)
Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera ($60)
Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($40)
Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) ($25)
Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case ($85)
Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector ($40)
Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($120)
Meta launches a surreal AI video editor
Meta's impressive Movie Gen AI editing tool is starting to bear fruit. On Tuesday, the company launched a new editor for short videos, "inspired by" the technology. The editor lets you transform your clothing, location, style and more. The examples the company showcased are head-turning. We're getting closer to Hollywood-level CG effects that anyone can produce in a few seconds.
The editor lets you choose from over 50 preset prompts. You can transform your video's subject into things like comic art, a marble statue or a video game character. Or, transport them to a beach or a snowy scene. You can also add dreamy lighting effects and color overlays.
You can't yet type custom prompts. However, those are scheduled for later this year.
The AI editor is the first commercial spawn of Meta's Movie Gen tech. Previewed last year as a private research tool, its results are surprisingly realistic. Like the tool Meta launched today, it can edit non-AI videos. But it can also generate videos from scratch and turn photos into videos. (Don't be shocked if those capabilities migrate to Meta's consumer products, too.)
For now, the new editing tool is available on the Meta AI app, Meta.AI website and the Edits app. It's also coming to Instagram "over time," according to platform head Adam Mosseri. (He also teased the feature last year.) Mosseri's demo video shows some wild examples of the effects you can try.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-launches-a-surreal-ai-video-editor-173907584.html?src=rssThe Browser Company’s new AI browser rolls out to private beta testers
The Browser Company’s new AI-powered browser is now available in an invite-only beta. Called Dia, the browser was first announced towards the end of 2024, and is built around the deep integration of what its maker calls "the most personal AI on the market".
Dia allows you to "chat with your tabs" and will adapt and learn the more you use it. You can open an AI chat on any webpage without having to leave the tab, where the built-in bot can search the web, compare websites, answer questions about the content displayed, and even draft a document in the tone of a specific webpage. You can set preferences to customize the chatbot’s tone and style for writing tasks, as well as its coding language and how it talks to you.
All of these features live within Dia’s URL bar, with the idea being that you don’t need to visit dedicated pages for other LLM chatbots such as ChatGPT to get things done with AI. The Browser Company has plenty of rivals, though, not least Google, which last month announced that it will soon bring its Gemini AI assistant to Chrome, which will be able to do many of the same things as Dia’s own chatbot. Opera’s upcoming Neon browser also comes with an integrated AI and is being billed as "fully agentic".
Back in May, The Browser Company confirmed that it had stopped active development on its Arc web browser, shifting its focus to Dia instead. Arc members get instant access to the new browser and invite friends to join once they’re signed up to Dia. If you’re not a member of either browser you can join the waiting list here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-browser-companys-new-ai-browser-rolls-out-to-private-beta-testers-170311014.html?src=rssApple reveals new iOS 26 features and its Liquid Glass redesign at WWDC 2025
Every year, iOS is one of the star attractions of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. It's our first official look at new features and other changes that are coming to iPhones in the fall. The 2025 WWDC keynote was no exception, and the most immediate change is to the iOS naming system.
As was recently reported, Apple operating systems will all be named after years to keep everything aligned. So instead of iOS 19, we're jumping up to iOS 26. The same goes for iPadOS, watchOS, macOS and so on. The versions will be named for the year after major annual OS updates (so iOS 26 for the version that arrives in fall 2025 etc), but it should still help mitigate some confusion as to which is the current version.
There's a lot more to this version of iOS than a change to the numbering system, so let's dig right in.
A major redesign
Beyond the naming system, the biggest change this year is a major visual overhaul across Apple's operating systems. These responsive, translucent user interfaces are inspired by the look of visionOS, the OS that powers Apple Vision Pro. It's been over a decade since the last major change to the look of the iPhone user interface. With iOS 7, which debuted in 2013, Apple jettisoned its skeuomorphic design language for a flatter, more simplified look.
It was reported over the weekend that Apple's new user interface design language would be built around a concept called Liquid Glass, and that turned out to be dead on. There is a larger focus on factors like light and transparency here.
App icons and buttons have new looks, while toolbars and tab bars will have a see-through appearance. Apple is also making use of pop-out menus that'll offer quick access to certain options — that reminds me a bit of the "peek and pop" 3D Touch functions Apple introduced to the iPhone a decade ago.
Widgets aren't going anywhere, though they're getting a new look to match the rest of the design updates. On the lock screen, the clock font can change size dynamically, so it can shrink as alerts come in.
CarPlay is among the other user interfaces that's getting this visual redesign. It will feature a more compact view for incoming calls so the display doesn't obfuscate directions. Tapbacks (i.e. emoji responses) and pinned conversations are coming to Messages in CarPlay, and widgets and Live Activities can be reflected on the infotainment system. These updates will be present in CarPlay Ultra too.
Core app updates
Apple is giving several core apps notable updates in iOS 26. In the Phone app, it's pulling together your recent calls and voicemails into a single tab, with your favorite contacts above those. You'll be able to see Apple Intelligence summaries of voicemail transcripts.
A call screening tool can automatically answer calls from unknown numbers as well. You'll be able to see on your iPhone screen who is calling and why, so you can decide whether to answer. On the other side of that, a Hold Assist feature can let you know when a live agent is available, so might never have to listen to interminable hold music ever again. (Android has had these features for ages, for what it's worth.)
On FaceTime calls, you'll see that Apple has moved the major controls to the bottom right of the screen for easier access. Safari will have a more transparent address bar in the updated OS, as well as "advanced fingerprinting protection" for all browsing by default for extra privacy.
As for the Camera app, Apple is looking to simplify that a bit after adding several features like slow-motion video and panoramic photos over the last several years. You'll switch between still photo and video options with a swipe. Tabs are blessedly coming back to the Photos app too.
In Messages, you'll have the ability to set a background image and create polls (much as you can in other messaging apps). The backgrounds will be the same for everyone in the chat, as they are in the likes of Messenger. It'll be possible to send and receive Apple Cash payments in group chats, which will also be getting typing indicators.
On-device spam detection for Messages is in the pipeline. That's a very welcome update, though if Apple handles all of that for me, I'll kinda miss replying to scammers with a carefully crafted insult before immediately blocking and reporting them. Anyway, you'll have the option to screen messages from unknown senders and place them in a separate folder from your regular chats, though it should still be easy to find two-factor authentication codes.
As for Wallet, you'll be able to create a digital ID from your passport. A refresh of boarding passes will provide real-time updates on flights in Live Activities, as well as maps for airport navigation, a quick way to report missing bags and more.
Maps will be able to learn preferred routes (for things like making the school run before going to work). It can provide updates about these learned routes, such as what the traffic is like. A Google Maps-like location history option will be available as well. Apple says this is end-to-end encrypted and it can't see your data.
There will be a new core app in iOS 26: Games. From here, you'll be able to view and download titles from Apple Arcade and have access to your library, multiplayer options (such as achievements) and more.
Apple has been making a bit more of a push into games over the last few years between Apple Arcade and getting ports of major games like Death Stranding and multiple Resident Evil titles for its devices. It'll be interesting to see how this works in action and if there'll actually be interest from gamers. After all, did anyone ever actually use Game Center?
AI features
Apple Intelligence hasn't exactly been a huge success for the company so far, but there are AI-powered features that seem genuinely useful coming to iOS 26. Apple is integrating translation tools more deeply into the operating system, so you may not have to switch over to Translate (or, perhaps more likely, Google Translate) as often.
The most impactful aspect of that will be live translation for text and audio in phone calls, FaceTime and Messages, powered by on-device models. That could be a massive deal for many iPhone users.
Live translation and pronunciation guides for lyrics in Apple Music is cool — I might finally be able to sing a decent version of the Babymetal verse in "Ratatata." On the subject of Apple Music, an AutoMix feature will use intelligence to perhaps make for smoother, DJ-style transitions between songs through time stretching and beat matching. Moving album art is going to be a thing in the app too.
Since WWDC is an event that's largely for developers, news that they'll be able to tap into on-device Foundation Models for their apps could be a boon. Among other things, they'll be able to integrate live translation into their apps.
Apple is taking another leaf out of the Google playbook with a visual intelligence update. You'll be able to ask ChatGPT questions about what's displayed on your screen, and seek more information from supported apps such as Google and Etsy. Visual intelligence will detect when you're looking at an event and may suggest adding it to your calendar.
The Shortcuts app is getting an update including options powered by Apple Intelligence and dedicated actions for the likes of Writing Tools and Image Playground. Meanwhile, Apple Intelligence will be able to pick up and summarize tracking information from emails related to your purchases, including ones that you didn't make with Apple Pay. Apple says this will let you see your order details and delivery progress details all in one place. That's something the Shop app from Shopify has been handy for, and now Apple's looking to handle that itself.
There are minor AI updates elsewhere, such as to Genmoji (you'll have the option to combine two existing emoji). The upgraded Siri Apple has been talking about for a while is still in the works, and we'll hear more about that later this year.
Other updates
Apple is making some changes to parental controls in iOS 26. The company says it'll be easier for you to create Child Accounts and move your kids into them. Other updates include being able to grant kids exemptions to download apps with age ratings that are outside of the restrictions that parents set. Apple will also blur "sensitive content" in FaceTime calls and photos in Shared Albums.
There are several new accessibility features too. Accessibility Reader is said to offer "a customized systemwide reading experience," while Braille Access is a new interface for iPhone devices that have connected braille displays. Meanwhile, Apple says it will deliver a "new level of accessibility" across its ecosystem with updates to Live Listen, Background Sounds, Personal Voice and other tools.
You'll be able to install iOS 26 if you have an iPhone 11 or later (or a second-gen iPhone SE). Apple Intelligence features will run on iPhone 16 devices, Phone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and future models, as well as compatible iPads and Macs.
Developers can try out the iOS 26 features starting today through the Apple Developer Program. Public betas of the new operating systems will be available in July. Apple will make iOS 26 and the other new operating systems available this fall, likely soon after its annual iPhone event, which typically takes place in September.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-reveals-new-ios-26-features-and-its-liquid-glass-redesign-at-wwdc-2025-171650243.html?src=rssThere's a Steven Universe sequel series in the works at Prime Video
It's been five years since the Steven Universe saga ended, via a final season and movie that took the story into the future. Now, it's coming back, according to a report by Deadline. Prime Video is working on a sequel series, with franchise creator Rebecca Sugar in tow as an executive producer (and hopefully as a songwriter.)
This doesn't look to be a straight sequel series, in that the focus is shifting away from Steven, the Crystal Gems and Beach City. Instead, the tentatively-titled Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars will follow punk rock slacker Lars Barriga and his ragtag band of space pirates.
Spoiler time: Just about every character got a cool arc in the main series, but Lars was one of the standouts. He started as a selfish jerk stuck at a dead-end job, but finished the show as the captain of an actual starship trying to make a difference in the universe.
Deadline says the new episodes will follow the "space outlaw as he and his pirate crew smuggle contraband, evade the authorities and uncover the darkest secrets of the fallen Gem Empire." So this looks to be a series that will largely take place in space, exploring the fallout of the final episodes of the main show. We don't know which, if any, of Steven Universe's main characters will show up or in what capacity.
The news was revealed by Sugar at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. She went on to say that she misses "my world and my characters" and that she "can't wait to share [the sequel] with you and can’t thank you enough for all your support." Sugar's long-time production partner, Ian Jones-Quartey, is also involved.
We don't have a release date for this, which gives you plenty of time to catch up on the OG show and the movie. There are 160 episodes, so buckle up. Once that's done, there are several affiliated video games to dig into.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/theres-a-steven-universe-sequel-series-in-the-works-at-prime-video-164211472.html?src=rss