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The MacBook Air M5 starts at $1,099, up $100 from the M4
Reports had suggested that Apple wasn’t going to reveal a refreshed MacBook Air with an M5 chip during its week of announcements, but whaddyaknow? Apple just went ahead and did that exact thing.
Let’s deal with the bad news first: Apple is reverting a price cut from last year. It dropped the M4-powered MBA’s starting price down to $999, but for the M5-equipped model, you’ll need to shell out at least $1,099.
The company claimed the M5 MacBook Air will be able to deliver four times faster performance in AI tasks than the M4 MBA. Compared with the M1 MacBook Air, you’ll get up to 9.5 times faster performance, the company said.
Along with swapping in a more powerful chip, Apple has upgraded the starting storage by doubling it from 256GB to 512GB. The company says the SSD has “2x faster read/write performance compared to the previous generation.” You can kit out the MacBook Air with 4TB of internal storage if you have the will and the means.
You’ll also get 16GB of RAM for starters. The memory has 153GB/s of bandwidth, which Apple said is a 28 percent improvement over the M4 MBA. The latest MacBook Air can be equipped with up to 32GB of memory.
Just like it did with the latest iPad Air, Apple has upgraded the connectivity hardware. Thanks to the inclusion of the company’s N1 wireless chip, the M5 MacBook Air supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
As you’d imagine, the M5 MacBook Air runs on macOS Tahoe and it supports Apple Intelligence features. It has a Liquid Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, a sound system with Spatial Audio support and a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, which allows the laptop to support up to two external displays. Apple claims the M5 MacBook Air will run for up 18 hours on a single charge.
The M5 MacBook Air is available in 13-inch and 15-inch models, with the latter starting at $1,299. It’s available in sky blue, midnight, starlight and silver. Pre-orders start on March 4 at 9:15AM ET. The laptops will be available in stores in 33 countries and regions on March 11.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-macbook-air-m5-starts-at-1099-up-100-from-the-m4-141612909.html?src=rssApple unveils the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which feature new, faster 'super cores'
As part of its big week of announcements, Apple has unveiled a new pair of M5 chips alongside two new MacBooks. The new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips will power the new MacBook Pro that was just announced today, while the new MacBook Air comes with the base M5. According to the company’s press release, the M5 Pro and M5 Max come with an “advanced GPU with Neural Accelerators and higher unified memory bandwidth for a massive increase in AI compute.”
At the heart of the M5 Pro and M5 Max are what Apple is calling a new “Fusion Architecture” that “combines two dies into a single system on a chip (SoC).” The chips both feature a new 18-core CPU, six of which Apple is now calling “super cores, that are the word’s fastest CPU core.”
The other 12 are “all-new performance cores, optimized for power-efficient, multithreaded workloads.” Altogether, Apple says these CPU changes improve performance by “up to 30 percent for pro workloads.” Meanwhile, the GPU is a jump over the next-gen design we saw in the M5, as it goes to up to 40 cores. Each GPU core has a Neural Accelerator in it, and together with the higher unified memory bandwidth, the company says the M5 Pro and M5 Max offer “over 4x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation.”
Apple added that graphics performance is also getting a substantial boost, by up to “35 percent for apps using ray tracing” compared to the M4 Pro and M4 Max.
To be clear, this isn’t the first time Apple has claimed it has the “world’s fastest” core. According to our resident Apple Silicon expert Devindra Hardawar, the benchmarks have proven the company’s claims true. It’s also worth noting that the two-die design isn’t novel or unique, as companies like Intel and AMD have been doing similar.
The M5 Pro and M5 Max will first show up in the new MacBook Pro, which is available for pre-order starting March 4, and will arrive on Wednesday, March 11.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/apple-unveils-the-m5-pro-and-m5-max-chips-which-feature-new-faster-super-cores-141533420.html?src=rssApple brings its M5 Pro and Max silicon to the next MacBook Pro generation
It happened much later than we expected, but Apple's announcement of MacBook Pros with its M5 Pro and M5 Max chips has finally arrived. These more powerful variants on Apple's silicon will be available in the 14-inch and 16-inch models of the laptops. Pre-orders will open on March 4 with an expected ship date of March 11. You’ll want to save some extra coin this time, though, as prices have gone up compared to the prior generation.
The new 14-inch MacBook Pro can be kitted out with either an M5 Pro or M5 Max. The Pro option for the chip boasts a CPU with 15 or 18 CPU cores and 16 or 20 GPU cores. For the M5 Max, users will have 18 CPU cores along with 32 or 40 GPU cores. The base model with an M5 Pro has either 24 or 48GB of RAM and now starts with 1TB of storage, up from 512GB as was standard before.
If you're eyeing the 16-inch MacBook Pro, it starts with the M5 Pro with 18 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores. You can also get the same two M5 Max configurations as you can on the 14-inch model.
Perhaps most significantly, Apple has raised prices on its entire MacBook Pro lineup. The 14-inch M5 model previously started at $1,599; it’s now priced at $1,699. At least you’re getting something for that cash, as Apple has doubled its base storage to 1TB.
The same goes for the new M5 Pro and Max options. The 14-inch with the M5 Pro now starts at $2,199 instead of $1,999, while the 16-inch starts at a whopping $2,699 instead of $2,499. That 16-inch model comes with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage now as standard; that’s again double the storage space from the prior model. The M5 Max model starts with 2TB of storage and 36GB of RAM for $3,599 (14-inch) or $3,899 (16-inch).
Running down the rest of the specs: Apple says the storage in the new MacBook Pro is twice as fast as the prior generation — so you’re getting more, faster storage than before for the extra cash. The laptops also include the Apple-designed N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity, and Apple says the MacBook Pro is rated for up to 24 hours of battery life. It has the same excellent Liquid Retina XDR display as we’ve seen for multiple years now, as well as a 12-megapixel “Center Stage” front-facing camera.
It's a little unusual for these heavy-duty upgrades to Apple's MacBook Pros to be announced so much later from the news of its latest silicon updates. The company debuted the M5 chip last fall as usual, but spent several months before it revealed these major hardware additions for housing it. And the M5 MacBook Pro that was announced in October shortly after the M5 chip news came with zero fanfare.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-brings-its-m5-pro-and-max-silicon-to-the-next-macbook-pro-generation-141553279.html?src=rssApple reveals its new 5K mini-LED Studio Display XDR
Apple continues its gradual unveiling of new products this week with the launch of the Studio Display and an all-new 27-inch Studio Display XDR. The latter is a higher-end model aimed at content creators with a 27-inch 5K Retina XDR display that features a mini-LED display with 2,000-plus dimming zones, up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness and a wider color gamut for improved accuracy. It looks like a replacement for the expensive, nearly seven-year-old 32-inch 6K Pro XDR Display, which is no longer for sale on Apple's website.
The Studio Display XDR also has a 120Hz refresh rate, addressing complaints about the relatively anemic 60Hz refresh rate of previous models. At the same time, it comes standard with a new tilt- and height-adjustable stand, with a height range of 105mm.
Apple calls the Studio Display XDR the "world's best pro display" for things like HDR video editing and medical displays. Brightness levels are certainly outstanding at 1,000 nits SDR and 2,000 nits HDR, and the 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 80 percent Rec.2020 coverage are also top-notch. The new model should even be fine for some light gaming thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate and Adaptive Sync support, though many buyers may want a 32-inch or larger display like the Pro XDR model.
Other features include a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity with a second port for downstream high-speed accessories or additional daisy-chained displays. It can also act as a Thunderbolt hub, while offering up to 140W of charging power through the included Thunderbolt 5 Pro cable, enough to fast-charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Along with the Display XDR, Apple also announced a new version of the standard Studio Display. As before, it comes with a 27-inch 5K Retina display with up to 600 nits of brightness and P3 wide color, either with standard or optional nano-texture glass (a $300 option). However, it now includes an improved 12MP Center Stage camera along with Desk View to show your face and an overhead view of your desk at the same time. You also get a studio-quality three-microphone array and six speaker sound system with Spatial Audio.
That display now supports Thunderbolt 5 connectivity as well, providing higher-speed connections for accessories and the ability to daisy-chain displays. However, max charging power on this model is limited to 96W, still enough to fast-charge a 14-inch MacBook Pro. The Studio Display comes standard with a tilt-adjustable stand, but you can get it with a tilt- and height-adjustable standard for $400 more as before.
The Studio Display XDR will be available tomorrow for pre-order starting at $3,299, while the new Studio Display also goes on pre-order on March 4 starting at $1,599 without the nano-texture display or heigh-adjustable stand.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/apple-reveals-its-new-5k-mini-led-studio-display-xdr-141515587.html?src=rssShure's next-gen DAI adds mobile support
XLR microphone owners, rejoice: Shure's successor to the MVX2U Digital Audio Interface (DAI) brings the adapter into the mobile era. The compact MVX2U Gen 2 adds more advanced onboard audio processing. But its most notable upgrade is mobile device compatibility, so you're no longer limited to desktop use.
The single-channel MVX2U Gen 2 provides up to +60dB of gain and 48V phantom power. On the processing front, the adapter includes an auto-level mode. There’s also a real-time denoiser to minimize background noise and a pop filter ("Popper Stopper" in Shure marketing-speak) to soften those harsh plosive sounds. Shure says the new model improves the noise floor, headphone amp and DAC.
The adapter stores your last-used audio processing settings. That way, you don't have to worry about your settings getting wiped out when switching between devices or software.
The Shure MVX2U Gen 2 includes a 1m (3.3 ft) USB-C to USB-C cable, so you can get it up and running quickly on your phone, tablet or PC. The adapter is now available for $139 from the company website.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/shures-next-gen-dai-adds-mobile-support-140000205.html?src=rssMeta's AI display glasses reportedly share intimate videos with human moderators
Users of Meta's AI smart glasses in Europe may be unknowingly sharing intimate video and sensitive financial information with moderators outside of the bloc, according to a report from Sweden's Svenska Dagbladet released last week. Employees in Kenya doing AI "annotation" told the journalists that they've seen people nude, using the toilet and engaging in sexual activity, along with credit card numbers and other sensitive information.
With Meta's Ray-Ban Display and other glasses with AI capabilities, users can record what they're looking at or get answers to questions via a Meta AI assistant. If a wearer wants to make use of that AI, though, they must agree to Meta's terms of service that allow any data captured to be reviewed by humans. That's because Meta's large language models (LLMs) often require people to annotate visual data so that the AI can understand it and build its training models.
This data can end up in places like Nairobi, Kenya, often moderated by underpaid workers. Such actions are subject to Europe's GDPR rules that require transparency about how personal data is processed, according to a data protection lawyer cited in the report.
However, Svenska Dagbladet's reporters said they needed to jump through some hoops to see Meta's privacy policy for its wearable products. That policy states that either humans or automated systems may review sensitive data, and puts the onus on the user to not share sensitive information.
Meta declined to comment directly on the story, and simply said that "when live AI is being used, we process that media according to the Meta AI Terms of Service and Privacy Policy." To find out more, check out Svenska Dagbladet's detailed reporting on the subject.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/metas-ai-display-glasses-reportedly-share-intimate-videos-with-human-moderators-135939855.html?src=rssCharlie Brown now works for Sony
Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Sony Pictures Entertainment now officially own 80 percent of the Peanuts franchise. The companies have closed the deal, which was officially announced in December 2025 when it was still subject to regulatory approvals, for $460 million. Sony Music Japan has owned 39 percent of Peanuts since 2018, so the Sony subsidiaries are essentially buying 41 percent of the franchise from Canadian firm WildBrain with this transaction. Now that the acquisition is done, Peanuts is officially a consolidated Sony subsidiary.
The Peanuts universe started as comic strips by Charles M. Schulz back in 1950. Its characters, especially Charlie Brown and his pet dog Snoopy, have become household names since then. One cannot say “Good grief!” without associating it with Charlie Brown. The franchise has grown massively since Peanut’s inception, spawning a bunch of animated series, cartoon musicals and movies, such A Charlie Brown Christmas and Snoopy The Musical.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/charlie-brown-now-works-for-sony-125619518.html?src=rssThe Morning After: Apple’s big week starts with the iPhone 17e
We’re at the start of another one of those weeks where Apple announces one or two of its lesser products each day. The first pair to break cover is the iPhone 17e and iPad Air M4, with more due to drop as the calendar rolls forward. The iPhone 17e is by far the more interesting gadget, especially as the price remained the same as for the iPhone 16e. Apple is charging $599 for the 17e, even though the base model storage has doubled to a very welcome 256GB.
The 17e also gains several features that were held back from the equivalent budget handset last year. The most notable is perhaps the addition of MagSafe at Qi2 speeds, enabling users to wirelessly charge their device at 15W. Keen-eyed spec-list nerds will also spot Apple’s C1X proprietary wireless chip, which offers comparable speed to the Qualcomm models it will eventually replace, but with far better power efficiency.
The iPad Air, by comparison, is the very model of a modern major iterative spec revision to keep it up to date. The M3 has been upgraded to an M4, and it’ll get the same home grown wireless chips (N1 and C1X), blessing it with Wi-Fi 7 compatibility. Apple is also adding some more RAM to the iPad Air, boosting it from 8GB to 12GB, but without adding any more digits to the price.
As someone who’s still clinging on to an iPhone 14, the generous storage and low cost of the iPhone 17e is intriguing. And it’s a far more attractive package than whatever Apple was trying to offer with the iPhone Air.
— Dan Cooper
The other big stories this morning
Starlink's next-gen satellite network could provide 150 Mbps speeds by end of next year
The company wants to offer 5G-esque speed, but from space.Vivo's X300 Ultra goes global and gets a huge 400mm Zeiss telephoto lens
Looks totally normal hanging off the back of a phone.OpenAI will amend Defense Department deal to prevent mass surveillance in the US
Wait a second, wasn’t that one of Anthropic’s red lines?
The Lenovo Modular AI PC concept is a remixed dual-screen laptop with hot swappable ports
Modularity! For! Some! Reason!
Lenovo rocked up to MWC to show off a concept laptop with hot-swappable components, letting users push around their keyboard and displays at will. The company says you can set up the hardware on your desk to suit your needs at any given time. So, if you need a standard laptop, you can do that, or you can put a second display where your keyboard should go and use your keyboard wirelessly. Sadly, it’s a concept, so while you can purr at Lenovo’s engineering prowess you can’t hand it any of your cash to properly own this thing.
A closer look at Honor’s Robot Phone
Sources describe the unit as ‘adorable.’
Honor made its usual full-court press at MWC, but the star of its own show was the Robot Phone, due to launch later this year. It’s a smartphone with its own articulating camera gimbal which can move around in response to its user’s commands. The Morning After’s own Mat Smith says it’s able to shake and nod its, uh, “head,” and can even dance along to music. And that’s before you get to its real function to, you know, take photos and stuff.
Paramount+ and HBO Max could be merging into a single streaming service
The combined ParaSkyWarDisco would serve 200 million subscribers.
Paramount Sky CEO David Ellison has outlined his vision for his latest toy, Warner Brothers Discovery. He told investors both companies would merge their streaming services, giving it a global audience of around 200 million subscribers. Ellison also pledged to give HBO operational independence, hopefully meaning it won’t be staffed entirely by patronage appointees.
Everything announced at MWC 2026: Lenovo's wild foldable gaming handheld, Honor's Robot Phone, and more
Far too many things for one newsletter.
MWC is such a big show it would be impossible to cover everything we’ve reported on in a single newsletter. But, thankfully, we’ve built a roundup of the most important things for you to peruse, especially all of the biggest phones that you aren’t as likely to see on store shelves in the US.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121540093.html?src=rssMeta starts testing its AI shopping assistant
Meta has started rolling out an experimental AI shopping tool to some users in the US, according to Bloomberg. At the moment, it’s reportedly only showing up on desktop browsers when select users visit Meta AI on the web. They’ll know if they have access to the feature if they see the “Shopping research” button inside the query text box. The company has confirmed that it was testing the feature, Bloomberg said, but it didn’t say when a wider release will happen.
When users ask for product suggestions, the chatbot will show them a carousel with product images and their pricing, along with a link to the e-commerce website and information about the brand. Meta AI will also include a short explanation why it recommended the item. If Meta AI can see a user’s information, such as their gender and location data, it can tailor responses for them. Bloomberg said it replied with a selection of women’s puffer jackets from shops that ship to New York, based on the tester’s profile. Users cannot check out from within the Meta AI interface, but they can click on the links it provides to shop online.
Mark Zuckerberg previously told investors that Meta is launching agentic shopping tools during an earnings call earlier this year. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the company is working on them, when rival AI companies already offer the same tools. OpenAI rolled out a dedicated shopping assistant for ChatGPT just before Black Friday last year, shortly after Google launched its own shopping tools for Gemini. Perplexity also released an AI shopping assistant at the same time.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-starts-testing-its-ai-shopping-assistant-120148124.html?src=rssGoogle Home's latest feature is Gemini-powered 'Live Search' for cameras
Google Home has some significant new quality-of-life updates and a new AI-powered feature, the division's head honcho Anish Katturkan announced on X. Many of them, including a function called "Live Search," are powered by the company's Gemini for Home service launched in October 2025 as the official replacement for Google Assistant on smart devices.
"We launched Gemini for Home in Early Access specifically to learn from real-world usage," Katturkaran said. "With millions of you now testing and shaping this experience every day, we're pushing regular voice improvements to address your feedback."
The Live Search feature does just what it says, letting you query Gemini about the current state of your home based on what the cameras see. For instance, you can ask things like "Hey Google, is there a car in the driveway?" However, the feature is only available for Google Home Premium advanced subscribers who pay a $20 per month ($200 per year) fee.
Gemini for Home now uses updated models to improve the quality and accuracy of answers too and will more reliably play newly-released songs. Other key updates include better targeting for smart home devices by room, house and device, reduced instances of cutting off a speaker prematurely, better reliability for user-created automations by voice and more. Too see all those changes, check out Google Home's latest changelog,
Finally, Google Home announced "enhanced support" for the Nest x Yale lock, including comprehensive passcode management (including for guests), a more robust activity history, real-time notifications for lock events and enhanced lock settings like single touch locking.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/googles-homes-latest-feature-is-gemini-powered-live-search-for-cameras-112216551.html?src=rssMWC 2026’s most bizarre phone can start fires (on purpose)
This isn’t a Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Oukitel's WP63 is a ruggedized smartphone that’s meant to set things alight. It has a built-in electric igniter, aimed at emergency response and camping, helping to start fires when you forgot matches, but you brought this beastly phone along for the adventure. It’s got several other notable features, like a 20,000mAH battery, a loudspeaker, and even its own built-in USB-C cable for charging other devices.
Still, the igniter was why I was here. The WP63 has an electric coil that heats up, similar to cigarette lighters in cars circa 1987. This is hidden away behind a protective cover at the top of the device, and once it pops out, you activate it using an app. An Oukitel spokesperson was able to light some rolled-up paper, and I was surprised how gentle and seemingly in control it was. (The paper looked like a cigarette, too.)
Unfortunately, another spokesperson told me that it can’t be used to light candles, although I can’t understand why. I don’t start campfires, but I do light candles.
The phone will be priced around $500, and completely ignoring the tendency for thinner and thinner phones, it’s 27mm thick. Another outdoor use? If a bear decided to attack you in the woods, you might be able to concuss it with the WP63.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/oukitel-wp630-mwc-2026-smartphone-igniter-101046023.html?src=rssThe best keyboards for 2026
A keyboard is one of those pieces of gear you interact with constantly, yet it’s easy to overlook how much it affects your day-to-day comfort. From firing off emails to long coding sessions or late-night gaming, the right keyboard can make everything feel smoother, faster and less fatiguing.
Some setups call for slim, quiet boards that disappear into a workspace, while others benefit from chunky mechanical keyboards with satisfying switches and durable frames. You’ll also find wireless models that cut down on desk clutter, compact layouts built for travel and ergonomic keyboards aimed at reducing strain during long stretches of time.
No matter how you use your computer, upgrading your keyboard is one of the simplest ways to improve the experience. We’ve tested a wide range of options to find the best keyboards for different needs, budgets and typing styles.
Best keyboards for 2026
What to look for in a keyboard
Design
Size
The first thing you’ll want to consider when it comes to your next computer keyboard’s design is size. There are a number of different keyboard layouts to choose from, but the most common are full-sized, tenkeyless and those smaller than tenkeyless.
Full-sized keyboards, or 100 percent, include a function row at the top and a complete numpad with arrow keys on the right side, along with all of the rest of the alphanumeric keys you’d expect on a standard QWERTY layout. Tenkeyless, or 80 percent, removes the number pad but keeps the arrow keys and the function row, reducing the overall width measurement of the board by a decent amount. Compact keyboards keep things ultra simple by including only the alphanumeric keys and modifiers like Alt, Shift, Ctrl and others and they come in different sizes like 60 percent, 65 percent and more. These are the most popular sizes out there, but you can find plenty of other designs that include different mixes of keys along with the standard letters and numbers all should have.
Aside from size, there are two other big categories that you could use to define a keyboard: ergonomic and mechanical. Ergonomic keyboards are designed with, you guessed it, better ergonomics in mind, taking into account where you should position your fingers, hands and forearms to maintain proper posture. Separately, mechanical keyboards use mechanical switches (of which there are many types) that differ greatly from the membrane or scissor-switch keyboards you’ll find dominating most wired and wireless options widely available today. We have guides to the best ergonomic keyboards and best mechanical keyboards, but we’ll summarize what you need to know about both here.
Ergonomic keyboards
If you deal with discomfort from working at a computer all day, ergonomic keyboards can help. These specially designed boards re-orient the keys, allowing you to hold your elbows farther apart and maintain a straighter line from your forearms to hands. Some people find this subtle change more comfortable.
Ergonomic keyboards typically fall into two categories: Alice and split keyboards. The former is a single unit with an A-shaped gap in the center of the keys. Split models come in two separate pieces which you can arrange as you like on your desk. Additional ergonomic features like tenting and negative tilt can make typing feel even more comfortable, and are often available on both Alice and split boards. Tenting raises the middle of the keys up so your hands take on more of a “handshake” position. Negative tilting lowers the top of the keyboard to keep your wrists angled downward instead of back towards your forearms.
The way the keys are arranged on the keyboard may make typing easier as well. Traditionally, keyboards are staggered, with one row of letters slightly offset from the row beneath it. Columnar keyboards arrange the keys in a grid of rows and columns. This style takes a little getting used to, but some people find it allows them to type faster. You can also make the keys of some keyboards do more than just produce letters. Programmable boards let you map shortcuts and other functions, including macros, which may keep you from reaching for the mouse quite so often, saving you time and possibly strain as well.
Mechanical keyboards
Mechanical keyboards have blown up in popularity as more people have been thrust into creating their own workspaces at home. It’s easy to see why: Compared to a traditional membrane keyboard, a good mechanical board is more durable, more satisfying to press and, most importantly, infinitely more customizable. The best of them usually come with a price premium, but even some cheaper models let you “hot-swap” between keycaps, switches and other materials, letting you tinker with different typing sensations and sound profiles until you find a combination that best expresses your preferences.
Do you want each press to feel deep and full or fast and light? Do you need them to sound loud and clacky or almost totally muffled? Do you prefer your keycaps to look subdued and professional, stuffed with RGB lights or written in an Elvish language from The Lord of the Rings for some reason? With the right new keyboard, it’s all up to you — the only things really holding you back are your imagination and your wallet.
We have a dedicated buying guide that digs deeper into the key aspects to consider when buying a mechanical gaming keyboard, so we encourage you to look at that for a full rundown. To keep things high-level, the most influential part of your purchase is your keyboard’s switch type. These little mechanisms slot underneath the keycaps and generally have the biggest effect on how your keyboard feels and sounds as you type away.
You can broadly separate mechanical switches into three buckets: linear, tactile and clicky. Linear switches feel smooth all the way down; they’re often popular with gamers since they tend to be light and fast to actuate. Tactile switches create a tangible “bump” sensation partway through a press; many people who spend all day typing prefer them because they clearly confirm each press without (always) being all that loud. Clicky switches are functionally similar to tactiles but make an audible “click” sound to match the bump; your coworkers may hate them, but others love the full-throated sense of feedback they provide. To be clear, just because two switches fall within the same bucket doesn’t mean they feel or sound exactly the same. The only way to figure out which switch works best for you is to do your research and, preferably, try some out for yourself.
Other keyboards have a mechanical-style feel but are built on different mechanisms entirely. The hot new trend in gaming-focused keyboards, for example, is Hall effect switches, which use tiny magnets to register keystrokes and let you customize the sensitivity of each press. Optical switches, meanwhile, offer similar functionality by replacing the physical contact point of a typical mechanical switch with a beam of infrared light. More recently, we’ve seen a couple keyboards launch with inductive switches, which can work like magnetic switches but use inductive coils in the keyboard’s printed circuit board (PCB) to cater to all switches collectively and don’t require a sensor for each individual switch. We touch on a couple of magnetic-switch keyboards in our picks below, but for a fuller breakdown of this sort of tech, we recommend you check out our dedicated buying guide to the best gaming keyboards.
Connectivity
You’ve got two options here: wired or wireless. Wired keyboards typically have an attached cable that plugs into a USB-A or USB-C port on your computer (or docking station), although some come with cables that can be removed. Wireless mechanical keyboards connect to your machine either via Bluetooth or a wireless receiver dongle. There’s always the chance of some latency with wireless keyboards, so keep that in mind if you’re picking one up to use primarily with a gaming PC. Of course, you’ll only have to worry about battery life with Bluetooth keyboards.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-keyboard-120000018.html?src=rssOpenAI will amend Defense Department deal to prevent mass surveillance in the US
OpenAI’s Sam Altman said the company will amend its deal with the Defense Department (or the Department of War) to explicitly prohibit the use of its AI system on mass surveillance against Americans. Altman has published an internal memo previously sent to employees on X, telling them that the company will tweak the agreement to add language to make that point especially clear. Specifically, it says:
“Consistent with applicable laws, including the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, National Security Act of 1947, FISA Act of 1978, the AI system shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Department understands this limitation to prohibit deliberate tracking, surveillance, or monitoring of U.S. persons or nationals, including through the procurement or use of commercially acquired personal or identifiable information.”
Altman has also claimed in the memo that the agency affirmed that its services will not be used by its intelligence agencies, including the NSA, without a modification to their contract. He added that if he received what he believed was an unconstitutional order, he would rather go to jail than follow it.
In addition, the OpenAI CEO has admitted in the memo that the company shouldn’t have rushed to get the deal out on Friday, February 27, since the issues were “super complex and demand clear communication.” Altman explained that the company was “trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome” but it “looked opportunistic” in the end. If you’ll recall, OpenAI announced the partnership shortly after President Trump ordered all US government agencies to stop using Claude and any other Anthropic services. To note, Anthropic started working with the US government in 2024.
The Defense Department and Secretary Pete Hegseth had been pressuring Anthropic with to remove its AI’s guardrails so that it can be used for all “lawful” purposes. Those include mass surveillance and the development of fully autonomous weapons. Anthropic refused to bow down to Hegseth’s demands and in a statement said that “no amount of intimidation or punishment” will change its “position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.” Trump issued the order as a result. The Defense Department had also taken the first steps to designate Anthropic as a “supply chain risk,” which is typically reserved for Chinese companies believed to be working with their country’s government.
Altman said that in his conversations with US officials, he reiterated that Anthropic shouldn’t be designated as a supply chain risk and that he hoped the Defense Department would offer it the same deal OpenAI agreed to. In an AMA session on X over the weekend, Altman clarified that he didn’t know the details of Anthropic’s agreement and how it differed from the one OpenAI signed. But if it had been the same, he thought Anthropic should have agreed to it.
After the news broke out about OpenAI’s deal, Anthropic climbed its way to the number one spot of the App Store's Top Free Apps leaderboard, beating out both ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Anthropic, capitalizing on Claude’s sudden popularity, launched a memory import tool to make switching to its chatbot from another company’s easier. Meanwhile, uninstalls for ChatGPT’s jumped by 295 percent day-over-day, according to Sensor Tower.
Here is re-post of an internal post:
— Sam Altman (@sama) March 3, 2026
We have been working with the DoW to make some additions in our agreement to make our principles very clear.
1. We are going to amend our deal to add this language, in addition to everything else:
"• Consistent with applicable laws,…
Australia will consider requiring app stores to block AI services without age verification
Australia's government may take a strict stance on ensuring younger users cannot access AI chatbots. Reuters reports that Australian regulators may require app storefronts to block AI services that do not implement age verification for restricting mature content by March 9.
"eSafety will use the full range of our powers where there is non-compliance," a representative for the commissioner said in a statement to the publication. Those paths could include "action in respect of gatekeeper services such as search engines and app stores that provide key points of access to particular services."
A review by Reuters found that of 50 leading text-based AI chat services in the region, only nine had introduced or shared plans for age assurance. Eleven services reportedly "had blanket content filters or planned to block all Australians from using their service," according to the report, leaving a large number that had not taken public action a week ahead of the country's deadline. Failure to comply could see AI companies face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($35 million).
The question of which parties are responsible for keeping children from accessing potentially harmful content is being debated around the world. In the US, for instance, Apple and Google have been lobbying to have the task delegated to platforms rather than app store operators. The language from the Australian regulators about all stores is hardly definitive at this stage, but given the breadth of its sweeping ban on the use of social media and some highly social digital platforms for citizens under age 16 enacted last year, an aggressive stance seems to align with leaders' priorities.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/australia-will-consider-requiring-app-stores-to-block-ai-services-without-age-verification-221714252.html?src=rssAnthropic brings memory to Claude's free plan
Anthropic is bringing another paid feature to Claude's free tier. The next time you chat with Claude, you'll have the option to have it reference your previous conversation to inform its outputs. Anthropic first made its chatbot capable of remembering past interactions last August, before giving it the ability to compartmentalize memories in the fall. Making memory a free feature is well-timed; earlier today Anthropic made it easier for users to import their past conversations with a competing chatbot to Claude. If after enabling memory you decide to turn it off, you can either pause the feature, preserving Claude’s memories for use down the road, or completely delete them so they’re not saved on Anthropic’s servers.
Claude is enjoying new-found popularity, having recently jumped to the number one spot in the App Store's free app charts. This comes while Anthropic is engaged in a high-stakes contract dispute with the US government over AI safeguards. On Friday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled the company a "supply chain risk" after it refused to sign a contract that would allow the Pentagon to use Anthropic models for mass surveillance against Americans and in fully autonomous weapons. Following Hegseth's announcement, Anthropic vowed to challenge the designation. As of right now, we’re waiting to see how things play out, and what it might mean for Anthropic.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-brings-memory-to-claudes-free-plan-220729070.html?src=rssCall of Duty will add Black Ops Royale, a new free game mode coming March 13
Call of Duty is getting a new battle royale mode later this month. The popular first-person shooter will introduce Black Ops Royale as a free game mode on March 13.
Black Ops Royale pays homage to Blackout, the series' first foray into a battle royale game mode back in CoD: Black Ops 4. Matches will have 100 players dropping in as four-person teams. The mode takes place on the massive Avalon map, but there will be no familiar Warzone features like loadouts, the gulag, or buy stations. Instead, it's all about the scavenging the weapons from the recent Black Ops 7 game and upgrading them.
According to the team's announcement, there will be other familiar features from the Blackout days such as the weapon handling and bullet drop that have been reimagined for modern-day Warzone players. You'll also be able to further customize your play style with an open-ended perks system, another nod to the original Call of Duty BR perk mechanic.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/call-of-duty-will-add-black-ops-royale-a-new-free-game-mode-coming-march-13-211733205.html?src=rssStarlink's next-gen satellite network could provide 150 Mbps speeds by end of next year
Starlink is getting ready to launch its second generation of satellites, and it's expected to match the speeds of a traditional terrestrial network. During a keynote at Mobile World Congress, Starlink execs detailed the roadmap for the company's upgrade towards the next generation of satellites called V2.
"The goal of Starlink Mobile ... is to provide a terrestrial-like connectivity when you're connected to the satellite system," Michael Nicolls, SpaceX's senior vice president of Starlink engineering, said during the MWC keynote. "In the right conditions, it should look and feel like you're connected to a high-performing 5G terrestrial network."
Nicolls detailed that the V2 satellite constellation could offer download speeds up to 150 Mbps in ideal conditions, comparing it to a broadband experience. According to Starlink, next-gen satellites will offer 100 times the data density of its predecessors, which should help users with faster streaming and browsing as well as more reliable voice calls. Notably, Nicolls added that the V2 satellite constellation would offer better coverage to Earth's polar regions, which are known to have unreliable coverage with traditional networks.
Nicolls said that SpaceX is planning to send out more than 50 V2 satellites on each SpaceX launch starting in mid-2027, with a goal of building out a full constellation in six months. Outside its MWC presser, Starlink also announced a partnership with German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom. The partnership would help Deutsche Telekom address internet coverage gaps in Europe using Starlink's constellation, starting in 2028.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/starlinks-next-gen-satellite-network-could-provide-150-mbps-speeds-by-end-of-next-year-192118368.html?src=rssX adds ‘Paid Partnership’ labels so users can more easily identify ads
X is rolling out a built-in “Paid Partnership” label that creators can apply to sponsored posts, replacing the hashtag workarounds they’ve had to rely on until now. The feature, announced by the platform’s head of product Nikita Bier, adds a toggle that places a disclosure label directly below a post’s content. It can also be applied retroactively.
The label is meant to help creators comply with years-old FTC regulations requiring clear disclosure of sponsored content. The agency sent out letters reminding influencers about this requirement in 2017, and Instagram added a disclosure feature that same year. Without a native tool, X creators had been left to use hashtags like #ad and #paidpartnership.
X has been trying to court creators for some time with tools like ad-revenue sharing and creator subscriptions, but the platform still struggles with major image issues following a string of scandals like Grok creating CSAM. The Elon Musk-owned platform is under investigation both domestically and abroad for the AI agent’s behavior.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-adds-paid-partnership-labels-so-users-can-more-easily-identify-ads-183528227.html?src=rssiPad Air M4 vs. iPad Air M3: The few new things in Apple's midrange tablet
The iPad Air, the middle child in Apple’s tablet lineup, has been upgraded to the M4 chip with increased RAM and… Well, there’s not a whole lot else if I’m being honest. At the very least, the new iPad Air M4 models remain at the same price as the iPad Air M3, with the 11-inch version starting at $599 and the 13-inch at $799. I would give Apple more credit if it had increased the starting storage or added literally anything else.
If you put them side by side, you might not be able to tell the difference, but this upgrade would benefit creatives and professionals more than anything. There’s a significant performance bump from the M3 to the M4, and the increased RAM is doing a lot of work, especially if you’re taking advantage of Apple Intelligence.
If you’re using an M1-powered iPad Air or something even older, though, the new iPad Air M4 should be a compelling upgrade. Pre-orders start at 9:15AM ET on March 4, with the units arriving a week later. We expect full reviews will be published by then. But in the meantime, let’s dive into what the performance gains might look like and what we’re missing out on in this year’s iteration of the iPad Air.
iPad Air M4 vs. iPad Air M3: Performance and battery life
The most significant difference between the two iPad Air generations is their chipsets. The latest iPad Air launches with the M4 chip versus its predecessor’s M3 chip, and it gets a bump in RAM from 8GB to 12GB.
I don’t give much fanfare to incremental chip increases because the performance gain is usually minimal. However, the M4 is up to 30 percent faster than the M3, according to Apple. That might be noticeable to even casual users, especially as the years go on and iPadOS becomes more demanding. For power users, it’ll mean more demanding work like video editing will be noticeably quicker.
For those in need of the fastest internet speeds, the new iPad Air is also equipped with Apple’s N1 chip, which enables Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, the latest connectivity technology. However, I really don’t imagine the average user needing up to 46 gigabits per second of internet speed compared to the iPad M3’s 9.6 Gbps on Wi-Fi 6. If you do, you’re in the tax bracket for an iPad Pro.
Now, despite the increase in speeds, the battery life between the M4 and M3 models remains the same. Apple claims all four models get up to 10 hours of battery life surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video (up to 9 hours on cellular). No complaints here.
iPad Air M4 vs. iPad Air M3: Design, display, audio and cameras
For better or worse, we’re not getting any changes in any of these departments, which is why I’m lumping them together.
The iPad Air comes in blue, purple, beige and gray. The 11-inch option measures 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and the 13 comes in at 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches. As their names suggest, they’re both rather light, at 1.01 pounds (1.02 pounds for M4) and 1.36 pounds, respectively. My only wish was that we got new colors that popped a bit more.
Then there’s the displays. All four versions of the iPad Airs sport a Liquid Retina LED display at 264 ppi. The 11-inch supports a 2,360 x 1,640 resolution with a peak brightness of 500 nits, while the 13-inch offers a 2,732 x 2,048 resolution at 600 nits. It would’ve been nice to see an OLED or even Mini-LED panel make its way to the iPad Air, which could’ve made the screen more vivid and vibrant. But it’s more disappointing that we’re stuck at 60Hz unlike the Pro models that offer 120Hz, making their visual experience smoother.
Both products feature landscape stereo speakers. The iPad Air M3’s audio quality couldn’t live up to the iPad Pro, so I doubt the M4 model will.
You won’t catch me taking photos with an iPad, but for those of you who do, the iPad Air M4 features the same 12MP cameras on the front and back as its predecessor.
iPadOS 26, Apple Intelligence and Apple accessories
Nothing huge is happening to iPadOS or the Apple accessories in the iPad Air refresh. The revamped Magic Keyboard from last year still works with these new models, as does the Apple Pencil Pro. iPadOS 26, released last fall, was a major update but will still be familiar enough to anyone who has used an iPad before. The new iPad Air M4 is getting a significant boost in AI processing speeds, though, thanks to its new chip and 50 percent increase in RAM. However, unless you’re an AI power user, you probably won’t notice a difference there.
All that said, if your love language is spreadsheets, the full specs are helpfully laid out below:
iPad Air M4 vs. iPad Air M3: Specs at a glance
The Analogue Pocket will be back in stock this week, but there's a tariff-related price increase
The Analogue Pocket handheld retro console has proven to be extremely popular, as initial runs have sold out. The company just announced the system will be back in stock this week, along with the dock accessory. Preorders open up on March 4 at 11AM ET, with shipments going out this June.
Analogue Pocket & Analogue Dock - restock.
— Analogue (@analogue) March 2, 2026
A tribute to portable gaming. Out of the box, Pocket is compatible with the 2,780+ Game Boy, Game Boy Color & Game Boy Advance game cartridge library and more.
Available March 4th, 8am PST.
Ships June 2026. pic.twitter.com/8XZ3fbh87a
That's the good news. The bad news? The little console is getting slapped with a price increase. It's shooting up to $240 from the recent price of $220, with the company placing the blame squarely on President Trump's neverending tariffs. The device is assembled in China and Trump just hit the region with even more tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down the old ones. We love to suddenly pay more for gadgets that have been out in the wild for nearly six years, don't we folks?
For the uninitiated, the Pocket isn't an emulation machine. It plays actual Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges. It also integrates with various Game Boy accessories, like the camera and printer. The console can even handle Game Gear, TurboGrafx-16 and Atari Lynx games, but those require separate adapters.
We praised the Analogue Pocket in our official review, calling it "a clever little thing" that is sure to light up the nostalgia center of your brain. It even made our list of the best handheld consoles, which is notable given competition included stuff like the Steam Deck.
In any event, this drop will likely sell out quickly. We recommend parking a browser on the company website just prior to 11AM ET if you can stomach the new price.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-analogue-pocket-will-be-back-in-stock-this-week-but-theres-a-tariff-related-price-increase-182226016.html?src=rssThe Supreme Court doesn't care if you want to copyright your AI-generated art
As AI-generated artwork becomes more commonplace, it still won't be able to be copyrighted, according to US courts. On Monday, the US Supreme Court declined to hear a case about whether an artwork generated with the help of AI can be copyrighted. The refusal means that a lower court's decision to reject the copyright request will stand.
The case dates back to 2018 when Stephen Thaler applied for a copyright of an artwork called A Recent Entrance to Paradise. Unlike using ChatGPT or Midjourney, Thaler, a computer scientist, created an AI system that generated the artwork in question. However, the US Copyright Office rejected his application in 2022 on the grounds that it wasn't made by a human author. Thaler sought appeals at higher courts, but ultimately had to escalate the case to the Supreme Court after both a federal judge in Washington and the US Court of Appeals ruled against him.
With a refusal from the highest court in the US, it's unlikely Thaler's case can continue. The US Supreme Court could always hear a related case in the future, but Thaler's lawyers said, "even if it later overturns the Copyright Office’s test in another case, it will be too late," adding that the decision will have negatively impacted the creative industry during "critically important years." It's worth noting that Thaler also filed applications to the US Patent and Trademark Office for AI-generated inventions, which were rejected for similar reasons.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-supreme-court-doesnt-care-if-you-want-to-copyright-your-ai-generated-art-171849407.html?src=rssNintendo just announced an Indie World Showcase for tomorrow at 9AM ET
Nintendo has scheduled an Indie World Showcase livestream for tomorrow, March 3, at 9AM ET. The company says this event will include "roughly 15 minutes of news and updates on indie games coming to Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch." That's not a whole lot of time, but indie trailers tend to be on the shorter side.
We really don't know anything about what Nintendo and its partners could reveal tomorrow. It's entirely possible we'll see something big, like the previously announced Sea of Sorrow DLC for Silksong. More than likely, however, we'll get trailers and updates regarding a spate of unexpected indie games.
The previous Indie World Showcase took place in August and it gave us trailers and announcements for stuff like the excellent Ball x Pit and the upcoming Mina the Hollower. To that last one, Yacht Club Games said it would be launching the title for consoles this spring so we could get a release date announcement tomorrow.
Scott Pilgrim EX will be available for download tomorrow, so a launch trailer is almost certain. This is a new side-scrolling fighter with four-player co-op and music by Anamanaguchi. My personal white whale is Witchbrook, the long-gestating life-sim set in a magical school. It's being published by Chucklefish, the company that originally published Stardew Valley.
There's some stuff we absolutely shouldn't expect. This is an Indie World Showcase, and not a Nintendo Direct. There will likely be no appearances by Mario or Zelda, unless a character pops up in an indie game as DLC or something. The stream is also unlikely to spotlight Pokémon Pokopia, despite the life-sim launching on March 5.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-just-announced-an-indie-world-showcase-for-tomorrow-at-9am-et-164706666.html?src=rssParamount+ and HBO Max could be merging into a single streaming service
Paramount Skydance plans to combine Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming service following the completion of its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. CEO David Ellison confirmed the plan on an investor call Monday, saying the combined platform would serve over 200 million subscribers and position the company to compete with the biggest players in the streaming space.
“We think the combined offering, and given the amount of content and what we can do from the tech side, really will put us in a position to be able to compete with the most scaled players in DTC,” Ellison said. It’s not yet clear whether the app’s two libraries will be fully integrated, or whether one will exist as a standalone service within the other. Ellison signaled that the HBO brand will “operate with independence” during the call.
Also unclear is what the newly combined app would cost subscribers. The last year has seen nearly across-the-board increases in the cost of streaming services, including HBO Max.
The planned merger would unite Paramount’s CBS, MTV, Comedy Central and BET with Warner’s CNN, HBO, TNT and Food Network, along with franchises including Game of Thrones, Mission: Impossible, the DC Universe and SpongeBob SquarePants under one roof. The combined entity is expected to carry roughly $79 billion in net debt, according to Reuters, and could be considered the largest leveraged buyout in history. The deal is expected to close in the back half of 2026, pending regulatory approval.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/paramount-and-hbo-max-could-be-merging-into-a-single-streaming-service-163439653.html?src=rssiPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: What's new on Apple's latest $599 handset
Apple’s most affordable iPhone just got an upgrade, but how does the new iPhone 17e compare to the iPhone 16e? Well, thankfully the price remains the same at $599, which is good news in our current economic climate. An immediate difference you might notice is that one of them now comes in a third color: pink. That’s at least one win for me because I am all for putting more color into tech.
There are a few differences under the hood as well, namely that the iPhone 17e is arriving with the A19 chip and double the storage. We’ve already seen what’s possible with an A19 chip in the standard iPhone 17 — it’s not a super exciting upgrade, but it is a boost nonetheless.
Pre-orders start at 9:15AM ET on March 4, and while we work on a full review, let’s take a deeper dive into what has changed on this year’s model and what that might mean in the real world.
iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Design and display
Of course, the biggest difference in the design for the iPhone 17e is the shiny new pink color. I’ve long complained about how many major tech companies stick to the safety of black, white or gray colorways. Thankfully, the iPhone 17e’s pink hue is a departure from that approach. It’s also an understated shade that’s elegant, compared to the typically brighter and louder tones reserved for cheap(er) phones.
Both the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e measure 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches. However, the iPhone 17e did get a bit heavier at 5.96 ounces compared to the iPhone 16e’s 5.88 ounces. It’s very unlikely you’ll notice the 0.08 ounce difference, though. (And if you do, you have a gift.)
In terms of durability, the iPhone 17e is outfitted with Ceramic Shield 2, which is a glass face that Apple said is three times more scratch-resistant than the iPhone 16e’s original Ceramic Shield. Ideally, it’ll survive falls to the ground (within reason) and spare you a scratched up display from casual wear and tear.
There doesn’t seem to be any change in the display — whether that be in its brightness or color rendering capability — but that isn’t too shocking. Both the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel with a 1,200-nit peak brightness. That’s bright enough to combat the ambient glare from the sun, so you should be able to read it outside relatively easily. They’re also specced out with a 2,532 x 1,170 resolution at 460 ppi — meaning text and lines will be clean and sharp.
iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Cameras
I didn’t expect a huge bump in camera technology, especially if Apple intended to keep the price the same. We’ve got upgrades in other categories for sure, but it would’ve been nice to see an extra camera on the back. Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e is kitted out with Apple’s 48-megapixel Fusion 2-in-1 camera with a 12MP 2x Telephoto setting. You also get digital zoom up to 10x. Take a look at our iPhone 16e review to see exactly what that looks like in practice, but to sum up our experience: it’s solid.
There’s a great level of detail and vibrancy, but like I said, it’s limited. Without a potential ultrawide camera, you cannot capture as much of your surroundings because you’re not getting that 0.5x zoom option.
One major upgrade, however, is that the iPhone 17e is now capable of recognizing dogs and cats in Portrait mode. It also saves depth information so you can turn regularly captured photos into portraits after the fact. This might be a noteworthy upgrade, considering the iPhone 16e struggled in Portrait mode, incapable of capturing non-human faces and objects.
There’s also the 12MP TrueDepth camera on the front, which we didn’t have many complaints about, and don’t expect to disappoint on the iPhone 17e.
iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Processor, battery life and charging
Apart from the color, the biggest differences between the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e is their starting storage and overall performance. The new iPhone is packed with an A19 chip, while the latter comes with an A18 chip.
Yes, you’re getting a performance bump with the A19 chip, but casual users are unlikely to feel the difference. If you’re a power user trying to get the most out of an affordable iPhone and want to get crunchy about it, there’s roughly a 5 percent difference in CPU speed and over 10 percent in GPU performance (according to CPU Monkey).
Despite that bump, the battery life hasn’t changed. With both devices, Apple says you’re getting up to 26 hours of video playback and up to 21 hours streamed. The company doesn’t typically share specifics on battery sizes, but GSMArena is reporting that both models come with a 4,005mAh battery. What has changed, however, is being able to receive double the wattage from wireless charging. The iPhone 17e can now take up to 15W for Qi2 fast wireless charging — compared to 7.5W from the Qi support on the iPhone 16e.
iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence
At a glance, there does not seem to be any difference in what the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e offer in terms of iOS and Apple Intelligence capability. However, it’s relevant to note that you will likely get better performance out of the iPhone 17e with regards to AI features because of its superior A19 chip.
In case you wanted to do the numbers comparison yourself, we’ve compiled a nifty table here so you can eyeball them with ease. But for a sense of how the iPhone 17e holds up in the real world and whether it’s worth the money, stay tuned for our full review.
iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Specs at a glance
Everything Apple announced today: iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air
Apple has promised a “big week” for the company, which includes an in-person event for press and creators on March 4. But it didn’t exactly wait until Wednesday to get things started. The news started on Monday with the announcements of the iPhone 17e and M4-powered iPad Air.
We’ll be updating this roundup throughout the week as we learn exactly what Apple has in store for everyone (though we have a decent idea of what to expect, such as new MacBooks). For now, though, here’s our recap of everything Apple announced on Monday:
iPhone 17e
Apple has spruced up this year’s entry-level iPhone with some pretty solid upgrades, though it's keeping the starting price at $599. The iPhone 17e has double the base storage of the iPhone 16e at 256GB. It also has MagSafe support with Qi2 wireless charging speeds of up to 15W, double that of the iPhone 16e.
Design-wise, Apple hasn't exactly rocked the boat. The iPhone 17e looks pretty much identical to its predecessor. It appears that Apple is sticking with the same 48MP Fusion camera system as it used in the iPhone 16e too.
That said, the 6.1-inch Super Retina display has Ceramic Shield 2. According to Apple, this provides “3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.” The company slotted its C1X cellular modem into the iPhone 17e as well. It says this is up to two times faster than the C1 that was in the iPhone 16e. The device has the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17, so it supports Apple Intelligence AI tools, and it runs iOS 26.
In addition, the iPhone 17e has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, as well as the promise of "all-day battery life." It also supports satellite-powered features including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 17e open on March 4 and it will be available in black, white and soft pink. The device will hit shelves in more than 70 countries and regions on March 11.
iPad Air M4
The latest iPad Air boasts Apple’s M4 chip. That means the mid-range iPad is effectively remaining a year behind the iPad Pro. The M4 is almost two years old at this point, while the top-end model has the newer M5 chip. Still, if you only use an iPad for casual tasks like watching shows, web browsing, email and so on, the M4 will be more than powerful enough. It will be more adept at handling resource-intensive tasks like video editing than previous iPad Air models too.
Apple has also bumped up the RAM from 8GB from the last-gen model to 12GB. Given the sharp increase in RAM prices in recent months, it’s slightly surprising that Apple is sticking to the same prices for the iPad Air. The 11-inch M4 iPad Air starts at $599 while the 13-inch version starts at $799, each with 128GB of storage. There's a $50 discount for those buying it for educational use.
Apple claims the M4 delivers up to 2.3 times faster performance compared with the M1 iPad Air and "over 4x faster 3D pro rendering with ray tracing performance." Of course, the new iPad Air runs iPadOS 26.
Apple gave the iPad Air other internal upgrades by including its N1 and C1X connectivity chips. As such, this is the first iPad Air with Wi-Fi 7 support. As you might expect, 5G cellular connectivity is available as well.
The design of the M4 iPad Air doesn't seem to have changed, as it appears to have the same LCD display Apple used in the last two iterations of the tablet. The company has stuck with the same rear-facing camera and dual-speaker setup as well.
As with the iPhone 17e, pre-orders for the M4 iPad Air open on March 4. The tablet will hit retailers in 35 countries and regions on March 11. It will be available in blue, purple, starlight and space gray.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/everything-apple-announced-today-iphone-17e-and-m4-ipad-air-155617174.html?src=rssAnthropic's Claude can now absorb your past conversations with other AI chatbots
Anthropic has made switching to its Claude AI chatbot easier than ever. The company announced a new memory import tool that can extract all of a competing AI chatbot's memories and context of you into a text prompt that can be fed into Claude.
With Anthropic's prompt, you can then copy and paste the output into Claude's memories, and the AI chatbot will pick up where you left off with another AI chatbot, whether it's ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. Anthropic said it'll take about 24 hours for Claude to assimilate the new context, but you'll be able to see the change by clicking on the "See what Claude learned about you" button. Claude users can even tweak what the AI chatbot remembers in the "Manage memory" section in the app's settings. Anthropic pointed out that Claude is meant to focus on "work-related topics to enhance its effectiveness as a collaborator," adding that it might not remember personal details that are unrelated to work.
Anthropic's timing doesn't seem to be just a coincidence. Claude recently jumped to the number one spot in the App Store's free apps charts, dethroning ChatGPT in the process. The rise in popularity likely stems from its recent dispute with the Department of Defense, where Anthropic refused to budge on AI guardrails related to mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. On the other hand, OpenAI will be taking Anthropic's vacated role with the Department of Defense, leading to a trend of users boycotting ChatGPT and canceling their subscriptions.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropics-claude-can-now-absorb-your-past-conversations-with-other-ai-chatbots-153201656.html?src=rssWhat to expect at Apple's product launch event on March 4
Apple has scheduled a product launch event, dubbed an "Apple Experience", for March 4 at 9AM ET. The company is reportedly holding this event in NYC, London and Shanghai.
Everyone loves shiny new products, so what can we expect to see at Apple's first launch event of 2026? We don't know anything for certain, but we have plenty of educated guesses that have been sourced from industry reports and speculation from analysts.
Editor's Note (on March 2 at 9:45AM ET): Apple has officially announced the iPhone 17e and iPad Air (M4). It's expected to continue to unveil new hardware in the following days, per the rest of this article.
Budget-friendly MacBook
There have been rumors swirling that Apple is preparing to launch a cheaper alternative to the MacBook Air. Bloomberg reported on this all the way back in November. Industry rumors indicate that Apple will be stuffing this laptop with an iPhone processor, the A18 Pro, to keep the price down.
Worth pointing out the three colors from the invite are light green, blue and yellow -- which just so happen to be the colors Apple has tested the low-cost MacBook with, as I wrote yesterday. Coincidence? We shall see. https://t.co/1FFVkfw9JZ pic.twitter.com/ssKDDzdJsw
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 16, 2026
It's also been suggested that this laptop will only include 8GB of RAM, which kind of flies against the company's recent stance to outfit all Macs with at least 16GB of RAM. However, that would certainly help with the cost. You might have heard about a little thing called AI that chomp chomps on all RAM it can find.
TechRadar has reported that this could be Apple's biggest laptop launch in years, with potential initial shipments hitting 8 million units. The price is likely to be somewhere in the $699 to $799 range, which is pretty nifty. However, I'd still go for an Air at $999. They are absolute workhorses.
MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and Max chips
It's likely that Apple will release more powerful MacBook Pro models this year and the timing seems to match up. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested a March launch and the event is on March 4.
The company has already released a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip, but both the M5 Pro and Max are likely on the horizon. We could be getting new laptops outfitted with these chips in various display sizes.
There have also been reports that both of the higher-end M5 chips are getting a redesign to help improve heat dissipation and reduce defective chip rates. Additionally, the new chiplet design would allow the M5 Pro and Max to raise the total number of CPU and GPU cores. The Max is expected to have more cores than the Pro.
This idea is helped along by the fact that MacBook Pro M4 Max orders are currently delayed. This is typically the case with an outgoing model as stock dries up to make room for new releases. Also, the Pro and Max variants typically get announced in the Fall, so we are due.
New iPads
Rumors have been circulating that we are about to get new iPads, including an update to the base model and the Air. The standard model, which would be the 12th-gen release, is expected to upgrade the A16 chip to an A18. This should also allow for the integration of Apple Intelligence tools, if that's your bag.
As for that iPad Air, rumors suggest an upgrade to the M4 chip from the M3. An extremely light tablet with an M4 would be fairly notable in my estimation, as only the newest iPad Pro has that chip.
iPhone 17e
It was almost exactly a year ago that Apple announced the iPhone 16e, so you know what that means. It's time for a refresh. Recent reports have suggested that an announcement regarding the iPhone 17e is imminent, so this launch event seems like as good a place as any to reveal the latest "budget-friendly" smartphone.
As for specs, Mark Gurman has suggested that it'll be getting an upgrade to the A19 chip, which is nice. Also, it could be getting MagSafe support. That sounds like an iterative upgrade, but the price is expected to remain steady at $599.
Other Possibilities
The following stuff is less likely, though certainly possible. There have been rumors that Apple is currently preparing a revamped Studio Display and Mac Studio desktop. The reports suggest a release sometime in the first half of the year, and March is right in the middle of that timeframe.
It's also possible that the company will reveal an upgrade to the MacBook Air with the M5 chip. Reports indicate that this is unlikely to happen during this event, but it is worth noting that the M4 Air came out in March of last year. In other words, it's a toss up.
The inclusion of Shanghai essentially rules out Siri, as expected, given the delays. https://t.co/mgNLR4qCYy
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 16, 2026
What's not a toss up? You shouldn't expect anything regarding the long-anticipated Siri refresh. This looks to be a hardware event, so any software updates will likely have to wait until WWDC this summer. In any event, Engadget will be on hand to report on all of Apple's new products.
Update, March 2 2026, 9:45AM ET: This story has been updated to add an Editor's Note with the latest news from Apple this week.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/what-to-expect-at-apples-product-launch-event-on-march-4-173612816.html?src=rssThe Samsung Wallet can now hold your house keys
Samsung's newest feature turns your phone into your house keys. The company has created the Digital Home Key, a feature inside of the Samsung Wallet that should let you unlock any compatible smart door with your phone. The Samsung Wallet already offered digital car keys.
"As we continue to evolve Samsung Wallet, delivering trusted mobile experiences remains at the core of our innovation," Woncheol Chai, EVP and head of Digital Wallet Team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement. "Through close collaboration with our partners and in alignment with the Aliro standard, Digital Home Key brings the same level of security and ease Samsung Galaxy users expect from Samsung Wallet to their homes."
Created by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Samsung calls Aliro an "industry-standardized communication protocol." The Digital Home Key will also get support from smart lock brands like Nuki and Schlage. It's also designed to meet EAL6+ security certification.
According to Samsung, you'll also need biometrics or a PIN to use the Digital Home Key. You should be able to remotely manage or remove the tool through Samsung Find if you lose your phone.
Samsung is rolling out the Digital Home Key in select regions starting this month. It plans to expand its range as compatible smart lock brands become available in more locations.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/the-samsung-wallet-can-now-hold-your-house-keys-142944132.html?src=rssApple introduces the $599 iPhone 17e with MagSafe and twice the storage
Apple has just announced the addition of the iPhone 17e to its smartphone lineup. This model is kitted with the same A19 chip that powers the base iPhone 17, and it will support the Apple Intelligence suite of AI tools. As the rumors suggested, the iPhone 17e will indeed be priced at $599, same as last year’s iPhone 16e. The base model will come with 256GB of storage, and also be available in a new pink color.
The iPhone 16e was missing a few elements that are now being added to the 17e, most notably MagSafe charging at Qi2 speeds. This means it can charge wirelessly at 15W compared to the 7.5W on last year’s model.
Apple also gave the iPhone 17e its C1X cellular modem, which it said is “up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e.” This year’s entry-level iPhone also has Ceramic Shield 2 on its 6.1-inch Super Retina display, which Apple says offers “3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.”
Most of the other specs appear similar to the iPhone 16e, including the 48-megapixel Fusion camera that uses one single hardware sensor to provide two dedicated camera pipelines. It’s not yet clear whether there are specific changes here, but to use Apple’s words in its press release, “[The Fusion camera] also enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto — like having two cameras in one.”
The iPhone 17e is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, and will also support Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My via satellite. From the outside, the device looks very similar to its predecessor, with the same shape, notch and buttons as before. We’ll of course have to wait for a review unit and more information to know for sure, but Apple continues to state that the iPhone 17e delivers “all-day battery life,” though adding this time it’s aided by the C1X modem “and the advanced power management of iOS 26.”
Apple unveiled most of its iPhone 17 roster back in September, but its budget models usually are introduced a few months later. We're also still waiting on the official news of what’s colloquially being calling the iPhone Fold, which is rumored to arrive in the back half of this year.
The iPhone 17e will be available for pre-order on March 4, and will start arriving in stores on March 11.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-introduces-the-599-iphone-17e-with-magsafe-and-twice-the-storage-140612085.html?src=rssApple updates the iPad Air with an M4 chip
Apple is kicking off multiple days of product announcements this morning with a new iPad Air. Unsurprisingly, it’s more or less like the iPad Air Apple announced one year ago, except it now has an M4 chip instead of last year’s M3.
Apple is also including its in-house networking chips, the N1 and C1X, which will cover Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread and cellular connectivity. This means the iPad Air supports the Wi-Fi 7 standard for the first time. The Air also now has 12GB of RAM standard, up from 8GB in the prior model.
The rest of the iPad Air appears unchanged at this point. It has the same display that the 2023 and 2024 models sported — either an 11- or 13-inch LCD that tops out at 500 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate. Storage options start at 128GB and go up to 1TB, same as last year. The dual stereo speaker configuration and both front- and rear-facing cameras are unchanged, as well.
For those keeping track, it’s been less than two years since Apple redesigned the iPad Air, adding a 13-inch model that had an M2 chip. I remain surprised the company is committed to releasing chip updates for the Air so frequently — even the M2 model is more than powerful enough for the target audience. But, getting a faster chip for the same money is hard to complain about.
Naturally, the iPad Air M4 is running iPadOS 26, which was released last fall. It was, without a doubt, the biggest iPadOS update we’ve seen, bringing a far more robust multitasking system than the iPad has ever had before. It’s most noticeable and useful on the larger 13-inch screen, but having greater freedom with window management and more robust background tasks is a huge step forward — even if the Liquid Glass visual redesign is a bit divisive.
Pre-orders for the new iPad Air M4 open on Wednesday, March 4, and the tablet will be fully available on March 11. As before, pricing starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for a 13-inch display.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apple-updates-the-ipad-air-with-an-m4-chip-141117569.html?src=rssAt MWC, Tecno’s super-thin modular concept phone doesn't even have a wired charging port
On its own, at 4.9mm thin, Tecno's modular phone concept barely feels like a smartphone. It has a screen, a basic camera module, four low-profile pogo-pin connectors and that's about it. From there, you can seemingly build your conceptual phone however you want.
At its booth at MWC 2026, Tecno had two families of modular components in two different colorways, which is surprising at this concept stage. The chunky telephoto lens and housing must weigh over three times as much as the base phone, adding up to 20x zoom capabilities, even if it was a little glitchy during my hands-on. The barrel also offers manual focus, which is always a nice touch. The lens itself is huge, though, making even Vivo's latest 400mm telephoto lens peripheral look reasonable by comparison.
There are more subtle camera modules, including ultrawide options and a more streamlined periscope telephoto. There's even an action cam that can attach through Wi-Fi and be used on its own. Depending on the module, transmission is also done through Bluetooth and even mmWave. One module has an antenna that folds out, turning the phone into a walkie-talkie messenger… thing that can communicate without cell service or Wi-Fi. There were also lanyard connectors, grip clips, and several that I may have forgotten. Sadly, the game controller mod wasn't on the stand, though I'm not sure how you'd use it blindly on the back.
It's a lot of fun to swap out and even stack the modules, most of which were functionally working. There are plenty of questions left to answer, and I'm concerned about how rigid the magnetic connection would be when pulling this kind of phone out of your pocket repeatedly. Also, who's going to carry around an attaché case filled with all these things?
Naturally, due to its thickness, the phone has a tiny battery cell (I don't know the capacity), but you can add 3,000mAh battery packs to the back. And another. And even another, topping out at around 10,000mAh, beating the capacity of most mainstream smartphones. It was only then that I realized it lacked any traditional USB-C charging port. Instead, a charging module can be attached to either of the two pairs of connectors. (And you can add further modules on top of that.)
Tecno often has thrilling concepts and one-off devices at trade shows, so we can't vouch that this will eventually make its way to consumers. Modular phones are a tricky sell, as they can often lose the efficiencies that come from unified components. Google ended its Project Ara modular concept over 10 years ago, while Motorola's Moto Mods just weren't very good and even I struggle to remember LG's G5 modules.
Adding to that, the company also rarely sells its phones in Western Europe and the US. Judging by the moves being made by other Chinese phone manufacturers in the last year, that could change.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/at-mwc-tecnos-super-thin-modular-concept-phone-doesnt-even-have-a-wired-charging-port-123129135.html?src=rssVivo's X300 Ultra goes global and gets a huge 400mm Zeiss telephoto lens
Vivo barely has a presence outside of China but that seems to be changing with the company's next flagship phone. At Mobile World Conference 2026, the company unveiled the X300 Ultra smartphone that comes with a 200MP telephoto sensor, along with multiple accessories designed for pro photographers and content creators, including a SmallRig video cage and 400mm Zeiss telephoto extender lens.
Vivo didn't go into detail about the phone's specs, but you can likely expect a high-end processor, screen, battery and other internal components when it's fully unveiled later on. Vivo did say that like the X300 Pro, the X300 Ultra will have an impressive 200MP telephoto sensor, and is likely to offer features like 4K 120fps Dolby Vision HDR recording. Vivo's Daniel Goetz said it couldn't yet reveal the specs for its primary camera sensor — which will likely be deeply involved with the new device's push into video.
Another thing Vivo revealed is that you'll be able to get the Vivo X300 Ultra with a 400mm equivalent lens accessory called the Vivo Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra. That will allow about an 8x zoom compared to the native field-of-view, plus much more when combined with the high-quality digital zoom. It will also offer "gimbal-grade" optical image stabilization and motion-tracking focus technology, Vivo says.
The device's camera mount is part of an ecosystem that remains consistent with the X200 Pro, so the camera automatically reads the connected lens. This means the first-gen telephoto extender will also work with Vivo's newest flagship. The large 1/1.4-inch telephoto sensor and high megapixel count allow shooting up to 30x zoom (roughly 800mm) while retaining high levels of detail, according to Vivo.
Along with the lens, Vivo is introducing a "pro-grade camera cage" designed by the well-known accessory company SmallRig. It's expandable and offers multiple cold shoe mounts and quick-release ports so you can easily add things like handles, lights and microphones. It also comes with dedicated physical buttons for tactile shutter and zoom adjustment, plus a multi-level piezo cooling fan to keep the phone running cool. You also get an "External Lens Expansion Frame" to accommodate the X300 Ultra Telephoto Extender. Other SmallRig collaborations include Bluetooth connected gri controllers, which you can see above, mounted on the X300 Pro.
During a brief teaser presentation, we learned a few more details. The telephoto camera will include three degrees of optical image stabilization, and you'll be able to shoot video in Log with your favorite LUT active in the X300 Ultra's preview view. The video you record, however, will still be an unedited Log file. Color grading will also be available inside the device.
For videographers, it will also natively support ACES (Academy Color Science), making it easier to fit into professional workflows in DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro without requiring specific color conversion.
Vivo showed off the phone at MWC 2026 in Barcelona to a fair amount of enthusiasm. The company emphasized that the X300 Ultra will be the first device in the series to reach international markets, including all European regions in which it already does business. It didn't specify the price. The X300 Pro costs about €1,400 in Europe. Availability in the US is still TBC.
The move, Vivo said, "signals Vivo's more proactive and confident approach to expanding its presence in the global premium smartphone segment." Given the likely price, though, it's debatable if pro creators will want to buy this instead of, say, a pretty nice mirrorless camera and lens.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/vivos-x300-ultra-goes-global-and-gets-a-huge-400mm-zeiss-telephoto-lens-105058478.html?src=rssSony faces a $2.7 billion antitrust lawsuit in the UK
Another major antitrust lawsuit has launched in the UK. This time its against Sony, which could be on the hook for almost £2 billion ($2.7 billion) for overcharging PlayStation users.
A class action case for about 12.2 million users argues that Sony "occupies a dominant position in relation to the digital distribution of PlayStation games and in-game content and that it has been unfairly charging its UK customers too much for digital games and in-game content purchased through the PlayStation Store."
It argues that Sony "has a near monopoly" on add-on content and digital games through the PlayStation store, allowing it to set the prices and take a 30 percent commission.
The class action encompasses anyone in the UK who owned a PlayStation console and purchased digital games or made in-game purchases through the PlayStation store between August 19, 2016 and February 12, 2026. It's being run as an opt-out lawsuit, so anyone meeting the criteria can qualify without taking any action. If the lawsuit is successful then each person could receive about £162 ($217).
Sony has argued that allowing downloads from third-party stores could bring security and privacy risks, according to the Financial Times. It further states that the digital sales commission makes up profits lost for selling their consoles with minimal profit.
This lawsuit follows the success of a similar class action decided in October. The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal found that Apple had been abusing its dominant market position and overcharging App Store users. In December, Apple filed an appeal against the £1.5 billion ($2 billion) fine.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/sony-faces-a-27-billion-antitrust-lawsuit-in-the-uk-114113889.html?src=rssThe best Xbox Series X and Series S accessories for 2026
The Xbox Series X and Series S are built for fast load times, smooth performance and expansive game libraries, but the right accessories can make a noticeable difference in how you play day to day. From storage solutions that help you manage growing installs to headsets that make it easier to catch subtle audio cues, the best Xbox accessories are about removing friction and improving comfort as much as boosting immersion.
Whether you’re setting up a new console or refining an existing setup, there’s a wide range of add-ons worth considering. Many accessories designed for previous Xbox generations still work with Microsoft’s current hardware, which makes it easier to upgrade gradually rather than all at once. We’ve tested and selected the best Xbox Series X and Series S accessories to help you get more out of your console, no matter how or where you play.
Best Xbox accessories for 2026
Everything announced at MWC 2026: Lenovo's wild foldable gaming handheld, Honor's Robot Phone, and more
MWC 2026 kicks off today, running from March 2 through March 5, but announcements were pouring in all weekend in the lead-up to its official start. We can always count on the annual tech event to bring tons of new phones, laptops and tablets, and we're expecting to see some robots and other gadgets too — plus plenty of AI news, of course. In addition to the announcements, MWC is our chance to get hands-on time with some of the most interesting new devices, like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Honor's Robot Phone, and concepts like the Legion Go Fold.
Engadget’s Mat Smith is on the ground in Barcelona, and we'll be updating this story as the week goes on to keep you in the loop on everything that caught our attention. Keep checking back here for the latest MWC news.
Lenovo
Lenovo pulled up to MWC with a bunch of new products and concepts, but if there's one thing everyone's going to be talking about, it's the Legion Go Fold. (Check out Sam Rutherford's coverage of the Legion Go Fold here). In short, the Legion Go Fold is a concept foldable gaming handheld with a flexible display that can unfurl to a massive 11.6 inches. Or, it can be folded in half to become a 7.7-inch display. It has detachable controllers, and there are multiple mounting points along the tablet so you can switch things up between landscape and portrait mode. The left and right gamepads can also be combined into one controller with an accessory, and the display can be propped up kickstand-style with the folio cover.
You think we're done here? We're not. The Legion Go Fold can go laptop mode too, with a strip of pogo pins where a wireless keyboard can be connected. Its right gamepad can serve as a mouse, thanks to the inclusion of a little scroll wheel and a hidden sensor. That gamepad also features a tiny circular OLED display below the buttons, which can both show widgets such as the time and be used as a touchpad.
It is a concept, though, so don't get your hopes up too much about this one going into production. And if it does ever become a real, buyable product, it'll no doubt be expensive.
Lenovo also announced its Modular AI PC concept — a laptop with two displays and a detachable keyboard. As Sam Rutherford, who got a chance to check it out in person, explained, "This allows you to move its keyboard and secondary display around at will, so the system can better adjust to its environment or workload." Perhaps even more exciting is that it has hot swappable ports. Lenovo demonstrated it with USB-C, USB-A and HDMI connectors, but said others could be possible too.
Still, while everything looked pretty polished in the demo, Lenovo says this one will remain a concept.
It hasn't all been concepts at MWC. Lenovo also refreshed some of its existing tablet and laptop lineups for 2026. The company introduced the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition Gen 11 (with the new Canvas Mode configuration), starting at $1,949, and the new 15.3-inch Yoga Pro 7a, which starts at $2,099. It's updated its more affordable IdeaPad Slim 5i Ultra laptop ($799) as well. All of those new laptops come with Copilot+ features. For students, Lenovo is launching the 13-inch Idea Tab Pro Gen 2, starting at $419, with its Quira AI assistant and AI tools. You can find all the specs and release dates for those here.
Upgrades are here for Lenovo's ThinkPads too, along with the Yoga-like ThinkBook 2-in-1. And, Lenovo announced a $499 industrial tablet, the ThinkPad X11.
Lenovo's 8.8-inch gaming tablet is getting a spec boost with the latest version announced at MWC 2026, the $849 Legion Tab Gen 5. The tablet has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB storage. It also has a 9,000mAh battery to support longer gaming sessions, and two USB-C ports. The Legion Tab Gen 5 comes in three colors: Eclipse Black, Glacier White and the lime-green Surge. It launches in May. That'll be followed shortly after in July by the launch of the new 15-inch Legion 7a Gen 11 gaming laptop, starting at $2,299.
And we're back to the concepts. Lenovo showed off two work-oriented AI devices: the AI Workmate Concept, a desktop robot, and the AI Work Companion Concept, a clock/display that can sync tasks across devices and organize them into a daily plan. The robot has a cute little face, and its head doubles as a projector that can display images and documents on nearby surfaces.
Honor
Honor teased its Robot Phone this past fall and we just finally got a proper look at it at MWC. And it's pretty freakin' cute. The phone is equipped with a camera that's mounted on a highly mobile 4-degrees-of-freedom gimbal, which tucks away into a compartment on the back when it's not in use (making for a pretty beefy camera bump). In a demo at MWC, the camera, which behaves like a little robot head, bobbed along to music and showed off some of its gesture skills, like cocking its “head” and nodding in agreement.
Honor didn't reveal too much spec-wise, but the company says the primary camera uses a 200-megapixel sensor. The gimbal will offer three-axis stabilization, which will be coupled with camera modes such as Super Steady Video and AI Object Tracking. The Robot Phone isn't quite ready for release at the moment, but the company says it will launch later this year.
Be sure to check out Mat Smith's writeup on the Robot Phone for a more in-depth look.
It's not a humanoid robot reveal without some backflips and a choreographed dance performance. Honor introduced its robot at MWC with all the spectacle we've come to expect (though the bot didn't do any talking). It’s simply called the Honor Robot, and the company has plans for it to be used in both industrial and domestic settings.
The Robot Phone isn't the only phone Honor showed off at MWC. The company also announced its Magic V6 smartphone, which it says is the thinnest phone in its category, measuring 8.75mm folded and 4.0mm open in the white colorway. The other three colors — black, gold and red — are slightly thicker, at 9mm folded and 4.1mm open.
Not too much has changed from the V5, though, which only came out in August 2025. It does however have the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, with 16GB RAM and 512 GB storage. As for the cameras, there are two 50-megapixel lenses and a 64-megapixel telephoto, plus a 20-megapixel f/2.2 selfie lens on the cover and internal display.
The international version of the Magic V6 will have a 6,660mAh battery with 25 percent silicon content, while the version sold only in China will boast a battery with a rated capacity of more than 7,000mAh and 32 percent silicon content. Honor hasn't yet shared details about pricing and availability.
Ahead of MWC, Honor also announced what it claims is the thinnest Android tablet in the world: the 4.8mm thick MagicPad 4. We're expecting to hear more about this at Honor's press conference on Sunday, but so far we know it features a 12.3-inch 165Hz OLED display and weighs just 450g. It comes with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. The thinness doesn't count the camera bump, Honor notes. The MagicPad 4 has 13MP rear and 9MP front cameras. It also boasts spatial audio, with eight speakers.
Just as the display is slightly smaller than the previous MagicPad, the MagicPad 4 has a smaller battery at 10,100 mAh. It comes with a 66W fast charger. The MagicPad 4 will run Honor's MagicOS 10. We don't yet know how much it will cost, but we'll update this after Honor's press conference (where we're also expecting to see the company's robot) with any new details.
Xiaomi x Leica
Xiaomi kicked off MWC this year by announcing the global launch of its 17 Ultra smartphone, which debuted first in China back in December. It's unclear if the phone will ever come to the US, but it's now rolling out in Europe. Xiaomi teamed up again with Leica to make a photography-focused smartphone, and the 17 Ultra sports a 1-inch 50-megapixel camera sensor with a f/1.67 lens, a telephoto setup with a 200MP 1/1.4-inch sensor, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. There's also a manual zoom ring around the camera.
Check out our hands on for our first impressions of what it's like shooting with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. And there's more to it than just the camera. The 17 Ultra has a 6.9-inch OLED 120 Hz display that peaks at 3,500 nits of brightness, and a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at £1,299 (roughly $1,750).
Leica also announced a new phone made in partnership with Xiaomi at MWC. It looks a whole lot like Xiaomi's 17 Ultra, but isn't the 17 Ultra, exactly.
Like the 17 Ultra, Leica's Leitzphone by Xiaomi has a 1-inch camera sensor and physical controls for zoom and other settings, using a mechanical ring around the camera unit. It features a Leica-designed intuitive camera interface with the option to show just the essentials when you're shooting, hiding all the modes and labels. There's a monochrome shooting mode and Leica filters.
The Leica branding is splashed all over it in design and wallpapers, but it's otherwise pretty similar to the 17 Ultra, with the same specs. Like the 17 Ultra, it has a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and a 6.9-inch 120Hz display. This one's priced at €1,999 (roughly $2,362).
In addition to the 17 Ultra, Xiaomi announced two new tablets at MWC this year: the Xiaomi Pad 8 and Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro. There's nothing revolutionary here, but they're lightweight and thin, with both being 5.75mm thick and weighing 485g, and have a 9,200mAh battery. The Pro model is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, while the regular Pad 8 uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset.
Xiaomi also unveiled a new 5,000mAh powerbank, the UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 15W. The 6mm thick power bank comes in three colors with an aluminum alloy shell: orange, silver and charcoal gray. Along with that, the company introduced the Xiaomi Tag, its own take on the Bluetooth item tracker. The Xiaomi Tag has a built-in hanging loop so it can be attached directly to a keyring, and the company says it will work with both Apple Find My and Google's Find Hub for Android.
Tecno
We can always expect to see some wild phone concepts at MWC, and this year we're starting with one from Tecno. The company unveiled a modular concept smartphone design that can be as thin as 4.9mm in its base configuration. There’d be 10 modules to choose from based on the announcement, including various camera lenses, a gaming attachment and a power bank, relying on magnets to keep it all together — or Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology, as Tecno is calling it.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/everything-announced-at-mwc-2026-lenovos-wild-foldable-gaming-handheld-honors-robot-phone-and-more-172442814.html?src=rssMotorola's Edge 70 Fusion phone has a huge curved 144Hz display
Motorola has unveiled the Edge 70 Fusion, its latest mid-range model with an impressive display and OIS-enabled camera with a Sony sensor. Though other specs are modest, the cameras, display and Pantone-inspired, fabric-like colors make it a good choice for fashion-forward and budget conscious buyers in Europe and other (non-US) territories.
The Edge 70 Fusion is a more modestly specced version of last year's Edge 70 that's thicker at 7.2mm compared to 5.9mm but has a better screen. Motorola says it has the world's first "quad-curved" display that folds into the sides for smoother lines and a more elegant look. The AMOLED screen is also huge at 6.78 inches and has a 144Hz refresh rate with Pantone-validated color accuracy, while hitting a peak 5,200 nit brightness, easily enough for sunny outdoor use.
The 50MP main camera is also impressive, using Sony's Lytia 710 sensor with optical image stabilization and an f/1.8 aperture. That's accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide macro camera and a 32MP from selfie camera with 4K recording.
The Edge 70 fusion is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 with Cortex-A720 and A520 cores, along with an Adreno 810 GPU, promising about a 15 percent bump in performance over the last model. It supports 68W wired (no wireless) fast charging and carries a 5,200mAh battery. It will be relatively tough as well, with IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings and MIL-STD-810H durability.
It's a solid value with prices starting at $430 in Europe (about $503) when it goes on sale later this month in colors like Patone Orient Blue, Pantone Country Air and Pantone Sporting Green. There's no indication that it will be available in the US, though.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/motorolas-edge-70-fusion-phone-has-a-huge-curved-144hz-display-093035809.html?src=rssTCL is upgrading its easy-on-the-eyes glare-free NXTPAPER display tech with AMOLED
TCL has been making smartphones and tablets at an impressive clip for years. While most companies have focused on foldable display tech — and TCL has dabbled — the focus has been on its NXTPAPER screens. Aimed at being friendlier on the eyes, and pitched as a device somewhere between e-ink slates and traditional tablets, NXTPAPER has gradually been upgraded and refined, reaching an apex at CES 2026 earlier this year with the Kindle Scribe-alike, the Note A1 NXTPAPER and its latest smartphone, the NXTPAPER 70 Pro.
At MWC, just a couple of months later, it's preparing for a major leap forward on future phones and tablets. It's been announced (and backed up with tech demos) that it's developing AMOLED NXTPAPER displays, aiming to combine the eye comfort benefits of TCL's current displays with flagship visual performance. This involved fundamentally redesigning and re-engineering the display architecture. Still, it should address the biggest problems with current LCD-based NXTPAPER, such as mediocre brightness, poor outdoor performance, and dull colors.
This NXTPAPER AMOLED screen, well, it looks like AMOLED:
On the showfloor at CES, the company had several demo devices showcasing the new screen technology's brightness. While still photos don't really do it justice, it's impressive, and the anti-glare effect seems premium compared to third-party anti-glare protective films.
TCL says its incoming AMOLED display — it hasn't announced a device yet — will reach 3,200 nits of brightness. For reference, TCL's 70 Pro topped out at a mere 900 nits. TCL says it will also feature 120Hz refresh rates, 100 percent color gamut coverage, and blue light reduction that can go as low as 2.9 percent, which is 15 percent less than existing NXTPAPER displays.
The company plans to launch an AMOLED NXTPAPER smartphone before the end of the year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/tcl-is-upgrading-its-easy-on-the-eyes-glare-free-nxtpaper-display-tech-with-amoled-085736065.html?src=rssQualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite chip is made for smartwatches and AI devices
Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite chips are reserved for the best Android phones and laptops, and now the company has introduced the first in the Elite series for wearables. The Snapdragon Wear Elite processor is designed for smartwatches and AI devices like pendants and promises up to a fivefold increase in single-thread CPU performance, Qualcomm announced.
The new processor is built on a 3nm process to improve speed and efficiency over previous models, while boosting the number of cores to five (one big core at 2.1GHz and 4 little cores at 1.9GHz). With those changes, the company is promising up to five times faster single-threaded performance, with GPU speeds boosted up to seven times.
The Snapdragon Wear Elite is also equipped with a new NPU that allows low-power AI use cases like keyword recognition along with noise cancellation. It's also the first Snapdragon wearable processor with a dedicated Hexagon NPU supporting AI models with two billion parameters. That will allow new "personal AI experiences," the company said, like context-aware recommendations, natural voice interactions, life logging and AI agents that can orchestrate tasks on your behalf.
Wear OS devices with the chip should see up to 30 percent improved battery life and charging speeds of up to 50 percent in ten minutes. It also allows for more types of connectivity, including 5G reduced capability, micro-power Wi-Fi, NB-NTN for satellites, Bluetooth 6.0, GNSS and UWB. However, manufacturers will be able to source versions of the chip without some of those wireless features.
Whether the Snapdragon Wear Elite will give Wear OS watch manufacturers a better chance to chip into the 50-plus percent market share of Apple's Watch remains to be seen. The first devices using the chip will start to ship in the "next few months," Qualcomm said. "Leading global partners are supporting the platform including Google, Motorola and Samsung."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/qualcomms-snapdragon-wear-elite-chip-is-made-for-smartwatches-and-ai-devices-080744412.html?src=rssMotorola Razr Fold hands-on at MWC 2026: Bright screens, inside and out
After briefly announcing its new foldable at CES, Motorola is now ready to debut its first book-style foldable in full at MWC 2026. There are several features we already knew, including support for Motorola’s new Pen Ultra stylus and no fewer than five cameras. However, many specs were still unknown. There are some pleasant surprises.
Motorola decided to make both screens brighter than any of its rivals by quite a margin. The main 8.1-inch foldable display of the Razr Fold has a peak brightness of 6200 nits, while the external screen almost matches it with 6000 nits. For comparison, both screens on the Pixel 10 Fold Pro have a peak brightness of 3000 nits and other foldables’ internal screens typically have substantially lower brightness levels. Inside Motorola's demo room, filled with windows and Barcelona sun, I had no trouble reading either screen.
The main display is a 2K (2,484 x 2,232) LTPO display that can reach a peak refresh rate of 120Hz, while the external display has a 2,520 x 1,080 resolution and peaks at 165Hz. Both screens also support Dolby Vision.
With those high-brightness levels, Motorola has opted for a silicon-carbon 6,000mAh battery, another leading specification among foldables at the time of writing. It’ll be interesting to see how battery life fares, powering those big, bright screens. The Razr Fold also supports fast charging at up to 80W with the company’s own (sold separately) TurboPower charger and up to 50W wireless charging.
With a silicon-carbon battery that offers higher energy density, Motorola’s biggest foldable yet remains surprisingly svelte, despite its huge battery. The Razr Fold is 4.6mm (0.181 inches) thin when open and 9.9mm (0.39 inches) when closed. Yes, Samsung’s latest Z Fold is thinner (4.2 mm; 8.9 mm), but it has a substantially smaller 4,400mAh battery.
The Razr Fold’s hardware continues with many of the design touches found on recent Razr phones. I spent most of my time with the Blackened Blue iteration of the Razr Fold, with a woven piqué design that felt both easy to hold and didn’t seem to hold onto fingerprints. There will also be a Lily White color that doesn’t have the piqué design, but a more satin finish.
The Razr Fold has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, the de facto flagship Android processor at this point. The foldable also has its own liquid-cooling system to maintain consistent performance during tougher tasks and gaming sessions.
The Razr Fold’s cameras will have to do more than what we’re used to seeing on the flip-style Razr smartphones, which have underwhelmed in the past. Fortunately, it looks like it could be a very capable smartphone camera. The main 50-megapixel sensor has a f/1.6 lens and 3.5 degrees of optical image stabilization. It’ll also work alongside a multi-spectral 3-in-1 light sensor to improve color accuracy. The Razr Fold’s ultrawide camera has a 50MP sensor, a 122-degree field of view, and support for macro photography. The 50MP periscope telephoto camera can reach up to 3x optical zoom and 100x SuperZoom, through image cropping and AI-boosted image processing. And finally, there are two selfie cameras: a 32MP internal camera that can record up to 4K video and a 20MP external selfie cam, both with a f/2.4 lens.
Motorola is already claiming this is the best camera on a foldable smartphone, with the highest DXOMARK score among foldables. If you haven’t heard of DXOMARK before, it’s a benchmarking website and lab in France that offers professional image quality testing for smartphones, camera lenses and cameras. It also offers a consultancy service to help manufacturers improve their devices’ camera performance.
It’s too early to tell whether this is objectively a better cameraphone than Samsung’s Z Fold 7, but I was particularly impressed by the Razr Fold’s telephoto camera results. Similarly, I’m intrigued by Motorola’s decision to support its newest stylus, the Moto Pen Ultra. It warrants further testing when the foldable lands for review.
Motorola hasn’t announced pricing and availability for the Razr Fold. It’ll be coming to North America “in the coming months.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/motorola-razr-fold-hands-on-mwc-2026-050027092.html?src=rssLenovo's robot concept can help you digitally sign documents (and maybe annoy coworkers)
Lenovo can make a robot, too. Alongside proof-of-concept foldable gaming PCs and modular laptops, it introduced the AI Workmate Concept at MWC 2026. With its own Intel Core Ultra processor, 64GB of memory and its own Pico projector, it’s an AI-laced “workmate” meant to streamline office tasks and collaboration. And it has an LCD face.
For now, it’s a proof of concept, musing on how to integrate voice commands and LLMs (large language models) into workplace settings. It's meant to sit on your desk, but preferably also near a wall – more on that later.
Voice commands aside, the concept bot supports writing, voice and gestures with on-device AI processing. While it can answer the usual voice assistant questions, it can also scan and summarize documents (both digitally and physically) and even assist with creating a PowerPoint presentation – though you might want to check its work.
The 3.4-inch 480 x 480 screen doesn’t seem to offer any data visualization or numbers. During my demo, it only seemed to show the bot's eyes and facial expressions: it’ll sip coffee as it listens (with a moustache), cup a floating hand to the side of its face when it needs you to repeat a command, or twinkle when it’s processing more complicated tasks, like that fictional PowerPoint presentation.
With its articulated head, which houses the projector, cameras and LCD face, you can ask it to project images or documents on either the desk in front of it or a wall nearby. No need to flip around your monitor or laptop to share with colleagues. In one example, a spokesperson asked for a postcard. The Workmate then projected a (Lenovo-branded) image of Barcelona onto the desk. The rep laid paper down, then signed the ‘postcard’ and got the robot to scan it (with two downward-facing 5-megapixel cameras), and then send the file to a nearby printer.
In theory, this sort of flow could transition to document signing or adding notation to images and files. However, one caveat here is whether those of us who work in offices want the extra workplace noise of a chatty robo and the person barking orders at it.
Lenovo says this concept (and it has a few at MWC) is meant to demonstrate the company’s “exploration of spatial and physical AI experiences” that integrate “seamlessly into professional environments.” Hopefully, further evolutions offer a text-based way to make using it a little less noisy.
Lenovo was also showing a simpler AI work device, the AI Work Companion Concept. It’s a completely different premise, despite the name being a little too close to the AI Workmate Concept.
The AI Work Companion is not a robot, but a handsome chunky desk clock, with a solid, satisfying dial on the top and programmable buttons. The front is almost entirely display, able to show calendars, task lists and other work-centric dashes. It runs independently, plugging into a USB-C port for power and pulling data down wirelessly, while also acting as a port hub for charging other accessories and devices.
It’s certainly not as high-concept as the robot, but there are some AI smarts inside.
The Work Companion’s “Thought Bubble” uses AI to sync a user’s tasks and daily schedule across devices, synthesizing a daily action plan. It will even suggest times to break up bursts of work and attempt to monitor screen time to better manage burnout.
According to the press release, Lenovo says it also has “playful interactions with the user” and will, kind of bleakly, offer an end-of-week celebration report of tasks completed. It’s lucky it’s a good-looking desk clock.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/lenovo-concept-robot-ai-workmate-mwc-2026-230159746.html?src=rssLenovo unveils the 2026 refresh of its Yoga 9i 2-in-1 convertible laptop at MWC
Lenovo has given the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition a refresh for 2026 and launched the new device at this year’s Mobile World Congress. The convertible laptop comes with a new Canvas Mode when the Yoga Pen Gen 2 case it’s bundled with is attached to the A-cover. When you lay the device down on a flat surface with the case attached, you’ll get a slight elevation on the display, which may make it easier to sketch or draw.
The Copilot+ laptop is powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with integrated graphics, has up to 32GB in memory and runs Windows 11. Its 14-inch screen has a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels, has a variable refresh rate of 120 Hz and supports multi-touch. In addition to the new Canvas Mode, the device also supports Tablet, Tent, Stand and traditional Laptop Modes like its predecessors do. The Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition Gen 11 will be available in May, with prices starting at $1,949.
Lenovo has also launched the new Yoga Pro 7a at MWC 2026. This Copilot+ laptop is powered by AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Series processors and comes with up to 128GB of RAM, so it can be used for heavy AI tasks. It has a 15.3-inch 2.5K PureSight Pro OLED display and is equipped with a big Force Pad trackpad that doubles as a drawing tablet. You can get the device starting in August this year for at least $2,099.
For a more affordable option, there’s the new IdeaPad Slim 5i Ultra laptop, which also has Copilot+ features. It’s powered by Intel Core Ultra processors and comes with either a WUXGA OLED or a WQXGA IPS LCD 14-inch display that has a VRR of 120 Hz. The device was designed for portability, with its thinnest part measuring just 11.9 mm in depth, and weighs 2.5 lbs. It will be available starting in October for at least $799.
Another affordable option is the new Idea Tab Pro Gen 2, which is specifically targeted towards students. It’s powered by theSnapdragon 8s Gen 4 Mobile Platform and has a 13-inch 3.5K display. The Tab Pro Gen 2 is Lenovo’s first tablet to ship with its Qira AI assistant and the company’s AI tools. It will be sold with a Lenovo Tab Pen Plus included for $419 starting in July.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lenovo-unveils-the-2026-refresh-of-its-yoga-9i-2-in-1-convertible-laptop-at-mwc-230100644.html?src=rssLenovo's ThinkPads get a spec bump at MWC 2026
Lenovo is updating its business-focused laptop lineup at MWC 2026. The best-selling ThinkPad T-series is getting a full refresh, and there's an updated ThinkBook 2-in-1 and an all-new Android tablet.
The ThinkPad T-Series, the backbone of Lenovo's business PC lineup, now (optionally) ships with a 5MP camera that supports computer vision and vHDR. The 2026 versions of the laptops have larger speakers and a new color (“cosmic blue”) on some models.
The ThinkPad T14 Gen 7 and ThinkPad T16 Gen 5 (each starting at $1,799) are the all-around workhorses of the ThinkPad lineup. Lenovo touts the 2026 models' 10/10 iFixit repairability score. They ship with either an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (with Intel vPro) or an AMD Ryzen AI Pro 400 Series processor.
Meanwhile, the T14s Gen 7 ($1,899+) is an even lighter version of Lenovo's slim ThinkPad variant. The 2026 model weighs 2.45 lbs (1.1kg), making it the lightest T-series model to date. The T14s Gen 7 is powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (with Intel vPro) or AMD Ryzen AI Pro 400 Series processors.
Rounding out the T-Series is the second-generation of the 360-degree-folding ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1. The 2026 model ($1,849+) is ever-so-slightly lighter than its predecessor, now weighing in at 3.06lbs (1.39kg). The new version includes a garaged pen, with its storage slot living above the screen.
The ThinkPad X13 Detachable is the lineup's take on the Surface Pro. The tablet has Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and up to 64GB of RAM. Its 13-inch display supports up to 500 nits of brightness. It has a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, and its keyboard has full-sized keys with 1.5mm of travel. It ships with a "full-size ergonomic pen" that you can stash (and charge!) in a dedicated slot on the keyboard. The X13 Detachable starts at $1,999.
The $499 ThinkPad X11 is a rugged Android tablet for industrial environments. Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 Mobile Platform, it has a 10.95-inch display with 2,560 x 1,600 resolution and 600 nits of brightness. It's MIL-STD-810H certified, meaning it passes stringent military testing for durability.
Finally, there's the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 6 ($1,754+). This Yoga-like folding device has a 14-inch WUXGA touch display. It runs on an Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 3) processor and supports up to 32GB of RAM.
Most of the devices start shipping in Q2 2026. (That includes the ThinkPad T14, T16, T14s, T14s 2-in-1, ThinkTab X11 and ThinkBook 14 2-in-1.) The lone exception is the ThinkPad X13 Detachable, which is slated for Q3 2026. You can learn more about the new business-focused devices on Lenovo's website.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lenovos-thinkpads-get-a-spec-bump-at-mwc-2026-230100419.html?src=rssLenovo's latest gaming tablet goes big on battery
Lenovo’s buzziest gaming-related MWC announcement is undoubtedly its foldable Legion Go handheld-cum-laptop hybrid, which you can read all about here. But that wasn’t all the company showed off. We’re also getting an updated Legion Tab, Lenovo’s powerful gaming tablet.
Like the Gen 4 and 3 models before it, the latest Legion Tab features an 8.8-inch LCD display with an 165Hz refresh rate. The 3K panel can get up to 600 nits of brightness. The notable spec boosts come in the form of a jump up to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset and a larger 9,000mAh battery, which should help you power through those long-haul flight gaming sessions.
The 360g Gen 5 Legion Tab is equipped with 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. It also features what looks like an RGB light ring next to the rear camera cutout (just in case anyone needs reminding that you’re a capital G on-the-go gamer), and two USB-C ports.
The latest Legion Tab also supports Lenovo AI Engine+, which uses AI for audio enhancement and noise cancellation. Available in Eclipse Black, Glacier White and Surge, it will be available to buy in May, with prices starting at $849.
Lenovo also unveiled a new 15-inch variant of its Gen 11 Legion 7a gaming laptop, after announcing an updated 16-inch model at CES in January. It features a slightly smaller version of the same PureSight OLED display and is powered by a Ryzen AI Max+ 392 processor with integrated Radeon 8060S graphics. Weighing in 1.65kg, the Legion 7a is a slimline laptop designed to be easily portable without compromising too much on power, and its 84Whr battery is good for the size. It will be available with up to 2TB of storage in July, starting at $2,299.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/lenovos-latest-gaming-tablet-goes-big-on-battery-230017436.html?src=rssThe Lenovo Legion Go Fold gaming handheld concept looks awkward but its versatility is endless
Lenovo already has a large roster of gaming handhelds. However, it seems there's always room for another because at MWC the company showed off an ambitious concept device based around a flexible OLED display. And while the whole setup looks ungainly, after getting my hands on it, I'm very intrigued by its adaptability.
Now I'll be the first to admit that an 11.6-inch display feels oversized on a handheld that, in theory, is meant to be somewhat portable. That said, the beauty of the Legion Go Fold's screen is that it can be bent in half to create a more appropriately-sized 7.7-inch panel. In this configuration, the system feels a lot less cumbersome while also sporting a more traditional aspect ratio. Then, at a moment's notice, you can extend the display to provide extra room when you need it.
However, the thing I like most about the Legion Go Fold is that its controllers are detachable and that the tablet has several different mounting points. This means if you have the space, you can remove the controllers, rotate the display into landscape mode and then reattach them to get an immersive widescreen experience. Alternatively, you can connect the gamepads together using one of Lenovo's accessories (which is similar to Nintendo's Joy-Con Grip) and then prop the system up using the Go Fold's folio cover, which doubles as a kickstand.
But wait, there's more: The handheld also features a strip of pogo pins for connecting a wireless keyboard, effectively transforming the whole setup into a miniature gaming laptop. Depending on how you're counting, that's at least four different modes you're getting from the Legion Fold, which is really quite impressive and speaks to the versatility of Lenovo's design.
Another feature I really like is the small 1-inch OLED display on the right gamepad. It supports a handful of widgets that can display the time, performance settings and more. It also doubles as a small touchpad, which can be really handy when playing PC titles that were originally developed for mouse and keyboard. And just like on the Legion Go and Legion Go 2, the Fold's right gamepad has a small scroll wheel and a hidden sensor, so it can also turn into a vertical mouse for playing FPS titles.
At this point, it's important to mention that Lenovo doesn't have concrete plans to put this thing into production, so its specs don't really matter. That said, the Legion Go Fold I tried featured an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chip with 32GB of RAM and a 48WHr battery, which is more than respectable. Though if this thing does become an actual retail device, I would like to see a power cell with a bit more capacity.
But as a concept gadget, I think the Legion Go Fold is a great showcase of how new technology (in this case, a flexible display) can bring new capabilities and greater flexibility to existing categories. And who knows, if a lot of people like the idea, it might encourage Lenovo to refine it and put it on sale for real. I would just be a bit worried about pricing, because all these components won't come cheap.
The Lenovo Modular AI PC concept is a remixed dual-screen laptop with hot swappable ports
The potential of modular laptops has never fully translated to the real world. While companies like Framework have made major strides in recent years, there's still quite a bit of room for improvement. At MWC, Lenovo is looking to address that with its Modular AI PC concept. It features not one but two displays and a detachable keyboard to create something that strains the definition of a laptop, thanks to an innovative and very adaptable design.
Compared to Framework's gadgets, which primarily use modularity to make upgrading the system and extending its lifespan easier, Lenovo's concept is based around a 14-inch chassis with hot swappable components. This allows you to move its keyboard and secondary display around at will, so the system can better adjust to its environment or workload. By default, its bonus screen is mounted on its lid, allowing you to do easy face-to-face sharing with someone sitting opposite you. However, without even needing to turn the system off, you can yank away the notebook's keyboard and put the display in its place to provide additional real estate.
Or if you prefer a more traditional dual-screen setup, you can move it off to the side, prop it up via a built-in kickstand and connect to the laptop over USB-C. You even get the flexibility to arrange the display in vertical or landscape orientation, which is nice if you're doing stuff like coding or writing in a word doc (I feel targeted, but in a good way). And because the keyboard can connect to the notebook using pogo pins or Bluetooth, you have the freedom to position it practically anywhere you want.
Meanwhile, Lenovo borrowed one aspect of Framework's modularity by including the ability to swap ports on the fly. During my demo, the company showed off modules featuring USB-C, USB-A and HDMI connectors, though I was told there are a ton of additional possibilities for those who might need things like a proper Ethernet jack or additional ports for audio.
But what impressed me the most was that despite being a concept device, the whole setup felt quite polished. That almost suggests that this thing might be closer to becoming an actual retail product than some of the company's other demo gadgets. Build quality felt really sturdy and I had no issues changing out ports or moving the secondary display around without needing to troubleshoot or reboot the system. Everything just kind of worked. And while Lenovo isn't sharing details about what processor it's running or how much memory it has, its performance felt snappy too.
My only question is that I'm not quite sure where AI fits into all of this. I was able to break down and reconfigure the system without any help from machine learning or a digital assistant. That said, I'm not complaining, because even with a lot of moving parts, its modular design is very approachable and easy to use.
Unfortunately, Lenovo isn't planning on turning this concept into a true retail device. But even so, I hope the company will at least consider bringing some of the modular laptop's features like its hot swappable ports to future products.
Best Buy Canada seemingly just leaked Sonos' next portable speaker
A product briefly posted on the Canadian Best Buy website this weekend suggests Sonos may soon announce a new portable speaker called the Sonos Play. The speaker offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, AirPlay 2 support, Trueplay to tune the sound based on wherever you've placed it and voice controls, according to a page that's since been removed. Best Buy Canada had it listed for $399.99 CAD (or a little under 300 US dollars), and put the release date at March 31.
The listing may have been taken down, but not before it was spotted and reposted on Reddit. The product page for the Sonos Play also showed that it comes in two colors, White and Black, and it has a little carrying strap for added convenience. It's IP67 rated dust- and waterproof. Sonos hasn't officially made any announcements about it yet, but we wouldn't be surprised to see one soon.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-buy-canada-seemingly-just-leaked-sonos-next-portable-speaker-215601978.html?src=rssAnthropic's Claude grabs top spot in App Store after Trump's ban
Anthropic may have lost out on doing business with the US government, but it's gained enough popularity to earn the number one spot on the App Store's Top Free Apps leaderboard. At the top, Claude beat out both ChatGPT and Google Gemini, which respectively sit at the second and third spots on Apple's free apps charts.
The sudden surge in user downloads isn't random. It follows news that President Trump has barred any federal agency from using Anthropic's Claude or other AI tools after the AI company refused to concede on certain guardrails. After declining to have its AI models be used for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons, Anthropic was also threatened with a "supply-chain risk" label by the Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The very public spat led to a wave of user support that finally allowed Claude to dethrone OpenAI's ChatGPT on the App Store as the most downloaded free app.
While OpenAI has stepped into Anthropic's shoes after agreeing to a deal with the Department of Defense, the CEO still offered up some thoughts about the debacle during an AMA on X. Even though Claude is a competing model, Sam Altman said that Anthropic's supply-chain risk designation was "a very bad decision" that he's hoping gets reversed. On top of that, OpenAI's CEO called Anthropic's blacklisting "an extremely scary precedent," but he's "still hopeful for a much better resolution."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/anthropics-claude-grabs-top-spot-in-app-store-after-trumps-ban-193610130.html?src=rssThe US reportedly used Anthropic's AI for its attack on Iran, just after banning it
In a lengthy post on Truth Social on February 27, President Trump ordered all federal agencies to "immediately cease all use of Anthropic's technology" following strong disagreements between the Department of Defense and the AI company. A few hours later, the US conducted a major air attack on Iran with the help of Anthropic's AI tools, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The president noted in his post that there would be a "six-month phase-out period for agencies like the Department of War who are using Anthropic’s products," so federal agencies are still expected to eventually move away from using Claude or other Anthropic tech. It's also not the first time that the US used Anthropic's AI for a major military operation, as the WSJ previously reported that Claude was used in the capture of the now-removed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.
Moving forward, the Department of Defense may begin transitioning towards other AI options, especially after reaching deals with both xAI and OpenAI to use their models within the federal agency's network. However, the WSJ reported that it would take months to replace Anthropic's Claude with other AI models.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-us-reportedly-used-anthropics-ai-for-its-attack-on-iran-just-after-banning-it-172908929.html?src=rssA closer look at Honor’s Robot Phone
While Honor has already made plenty of product announcements, with tablets, foldables and more, its most interesting device at MWC 2026 is the Robot Phone — and maybe the humanoid robot that came alongside it.
After briefly showing off a model at CES, Honor isn't quite ready to launch its Robot Phone. However, we got more specs, tech demos and a closer look following the company's MWC press event in Barcelona. The Robot Phone is currently set to launch later this year.
Honor has put a lot of effort into ensuring its camera gimbal is highly mobile, to the point of creating a tiny personal robot that is, dare I say, adorable? The Robot Phone's pop-up camera can cock its head, shake to say no, nod to agree, and even "flip" – or at least rotate 360 degrees. According to Honor's presentation, it can even bop along to songs. A spokesperson told me that it's got five songs in its repertoire, so it's not clear whether they're programmed for these kind of demos, or will be a feature of the final retail device.
Another demo here at MWC showed how you could make the Robot Phone "sleep" by covering its gimbal eye, though it's odd that the camera is still exposed rather than folded away. My main concern with the Robot Phone is the robustness and durability of its robotic mechanisms. We've lived through several waves of smartphones that attempted much simpler mechanical camera functions and the threat of dust or heavy-handed users can't be ignored.
The company says it's taken what it learned from foldables, regarding high-performance materials and simulation accuracy, and applied it to shrinking the camera module. On stage, Honor CEO James Li revealed what he calls the industry's smallest micro motor, much smaller than a 1-euro coin and, he added, 70 percent smaller than existing micro motors.
As this component has been reduced substantially, the Robot Phone's gimbal will be the industry's smallest 4-degrees-of-freedom gimbal system. That's a spec – we finally got a spec! It'll also offer three-axis stabilization in this tiny camera package, with the primary camera using a 200-megapixel sensor.
The fold-away panel that the primary camera tucks into also reveals more typical cameras, so you're not forced to use the gimbal if you don't need it. Still, that's one very thick camera unit:
Honor has already started building out camera modes and features, with a Super Steady Video mode that enhances stability while swinging the Robot Phone around to capture video. AI Object Tracking will apparently intelligently follow subjects, while AI SpinShot supports intelligent 90-degree and 180-degree rotational movement for more cinematic transitions. We've seen these sorts of pre-programmed movements and functions in full-size phone gimbals and action cams. If Honor can nail it in such a tiny form, it'll be impressive.
Other specifications during Honor's press event were sparse, although the company announced a collaboration with ARRI Image Science to bring its cinematic smarts to the Robot Phone's gimbal camera.
In a press release, Honor's Li said the collaboration would bring ARRI's "cinematic standards and professional workflows" into mobile imaging. It's apparently the first time elements of ARRI Image Science are being integrated into a consumer device. Dr. Benedikt von Lindeiner, VP at ARRI, said the goal is to bring a true cinematic aesthetic, such as "natural color, gentle highlight roll-off, and a sense of depth," to shooting with an Honor smartphone.
Honor also made a humanoid robot companion for its Robot Phone. The bot took to the stage alongside the Robot Phone, danced alongside human dancers, did a backflip and shook hands with CEO James Li. It didn't say a thing, but fortunately, during some on-the-rails banter between the robot, Robot Phone and Honor's CEO, the Robot Phone was particularly chatty.
Like the many humanoid robots we've reported on and seen in person, Honor hopes to put it to work in both industrial and domestic settings, pitching it as a central part of the company's multi-million-dollar push into AI. For now, it's being called Honor Robot.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/a-closer-look-at-honors-robot-phone-145935198.html?src=rssHonor’s Magic V6 doesn’t have a new rabbit to pull out of its hat
Honor launched the Magic V5 in August 2025 and yet its successor is being announced just seven months later. Speak to Honor’s representatives, and you can imply that it’s racing to push the envelope against both its real competition (Samsung) and its anticipated one (Apple). With so little time between launches, you’ll be unsurprised to learn that little has changed. The only other real reason this device has been pushed out so swiftly is because it’ll help Honor retain the title of making the world’s thinnest foldable. I’ll leave you to decide if you think that’s a valid enough reason to release a whole new smartphone so soon.
Last year, just one of the four Magic V5 colorways measured in at 8.8mm folded and 4.1mm open while the rest clocked in at 9mm and 4.2mm respectively. This year Honor is marking its own homework with a similarly generous spirit, with the white version of the Magic V6 measuring 8.75mm folded and 4.0mm open. The black, gold and red colorways will have to settle for the indignity of measuring 9mm folded and 4.1mm open. Now, I appreciate the engineering savvy necessary to make a device this slim, but this push for more thinness needs to stop. Last year’s Magic V5 crossed the millimeters-wide rubicon from slender to dainty, to the point where, while holding it, I was worried about how durable it was. After all, foldables are regularly put through mechanical stresses that regular phones never have to deal with in normal duty.
Honor says the phone is well built to withstand the rigors of normal life, including a scratch-resistant display cover. The screen is impact-resistant, there’s a far stronger hinge and it’s rated for IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance. Claims that, I’m sure, will be tested to its limits by sceptical reviewers when the device goes on sale. The company has also been scraping away at the V6’s weight, with the white model weighing in at 219 grams, while the other three colorways are 224 grams. That’s lighter than an iPhone 17 Pro Max (233 grams), and you can bet Honor mentioned that fact in its briefings to the press more than once.
Honor has also seen fit to make some massive design changes to the inside of the V6 to help shrink many of its components. This redesigned internal structure includes a new antenna, speaker chamber, vibration motor, NFC module, SIM card slot and USB-C housing. All of the space vacated by those components has been filled by a new 6,660mAh battery with 25 percent silicon content. Honor says you should expect to be able to play a video on the primary display for 24 hours with that beefy battery.
It’s worth noting only the international version is equipped with this 6,660mAh cell, while the China-only variant gets an even better model. Honor said its domestic edition will have a CATL-manufactured battery with 32 percent silicon content and a rated capacity of more than 7,000mAh.
“And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain he wept, seeing as he had no more worlds to conquer.” The quote comes from Die Hard — although it’s an urban myth that film coined the phrase entirely — but the sentiment applies to much of the rest of this handset. The rest of the spec sheet is more or less the same as found on the Magic V5, which itself was a modest revision of its predecessor. Essentially, there aren’t too many more worlds to conquer even at the highest end of smartphone components, so grab your weepin’ tissues.
Dab at the corners of your eyes when you see the cameras are more or less identical both in the main setup and for selfies. There are two 50-megapixel lenses paired with a 64-megapixel telephoto, and up front on both the cover and internal display, there’s a 20-megapixel f/2.2 selfie lens.
You’ll find similarly-meager fare in the list of changes made to the displays, since the primary screen remains the same size and resolution as before. The bezels on the cover screen have been trimmed, so it now measures in at 6.52-inches, up from the 6.43-inch on the V5. But in most of the other ways in which it matters, you’ll find that here it’s business as usual.
The V5 shipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, and that was plenty fast enough. The V6 can boast that it’s the first foldable to ship with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (paired with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage). While it is an upgrade on the older SoC, it’s not transformative. Let’s be honest, it’s hard not to see Honor’s desire to shuffle a new handset out the door with some marketing claims comes at the cost of any meaningful substance.
On the software side, it’s business as usual, although one thing caught my eye enough to be worth comment. At several points during Honor’s briefing, the company went hard on the idea that its devices play wonderfully well with Apple’s. If you install Honor Connect onto your iPhone and Mac, you’ll be able to share files, extend your desktop and even control your AirPods. This was something the company has been pushing for a while now, but it surprised me how much it was brought up here.
On one hand, it makes sense that any would-be Apple challenger would offer a friendly way in for iPhone diehards. Tell them that your Android handset will integrate with your existing devices and then hope to show them what you’ve got to offer. On the other, if you’re so eager to tag your gear onto another company’s ecosystem, it doesn’t suggest a lot of confidence in your own. Especially when you’re marketing your pricey, ultra-premium flagship foldable as “an ideal macOS companion” in your own marketing materials. Still, being able to use the V6 as an extended display for your Mac is a cool idea, no matter the broader narrative.
At first blush, Honor’s Magic V6 looks like a phone that exists to satisfy a marketing demand rather than out of necessity. (I’m sure someone will point out that’s the case for a lot of new phones these days, but I’m sure you take my meaning.) To stay ahead of its rivals, it’s nipped and tucked every corner of this phone to within an inch of its life, and the end result is more or less the same handset we saw less than a year ago. That’s not to say it’s a bad phone, the V5 was a lovely piece of kit, but I can’t help but wonder if holding this device back until Honor had more meaningful improvements wouldn’t have been better.
At the time of publication, Honor hasn’t shared pricing and availability information, which we will update here when it’s announced.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/honors-magic-v6-doesnt-have-a-new-rabbit-to-pull-out-of-its-hat-130048729.html?src=rss