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Report reveals that OpenAI's GPT-5.2 model cites Grokipedia
OpenAI may have called GPT-5.2 its "most advanced frontier model for professional work," but tests conducted by the Guardian cast doubt on its credibility. According to the report, OpenAI's GPT-5.2 model cited Grokipedia, the online encyclopedia powered by xAI, when it came to specific, but controversial topics related to Iran or the Holocaust.
As seen in the Guardian's report, ChatGPT used Grokipedia as a source for claims about the Iranian government being tied to telecommunications company MTN-Irancell and questions related to Richard Evans, a British historian who served as an expert witness during a libel trial for Holocaust denier David Irving. However, the Guardian noted ChatGPT didn't use Grokipedia when it came to a prompt asking about media bias against Donald Trump and other controversial topics.
OpenAI released the GPT-5.2 model in December to better perform at professional use, like creating spreadsheets or handling complex tasks. Grokipedia preceded GPT-5.2's release, but ran into some controversy when it was seen including citations to neo-Nazi forums. A study done by US researchers also showed that the AI-generated encyclopedia cited "questionable" and "problematic" sources.
In response to the Guardian report, OpenAI told the outlet that its GPT-5.2 model searches the web for a "broad range of publicly available sources and viewpoints," but applies "safety filters to reduce the risk of surfacing links associated with high-severity harms."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/report-reveals-that-openais-gpt-52-model-cites-grokipedia-192532977.html?src=rssGoogle says it's working to fix Gmail issue that's led to flooded inboxes and increased spam warnings
If your Gmail inbox is all out of whack today, you're not alone. Gmail users have been encountering issues with the automatic filters that keep their main inbox free from the clutter of promotional emails and non-urgent updates, and some have reported seeing notices that emails have not been scanned for spam. Google confirmed to Engadget and in an update on its Workspace status dashboard that it's aware of the problems, and is currently working on a fix.
On social media and DownDetector, some Gmail users have also reported delays in receiving messages, leading to issues with two-factor authentication logins. Google noted that the problem has resulted in the "misclassification of emails in their inbox and additional spam warnings," including a banner that says, “Be careful with this message. Gmail hasn't scanned this message for spam, unverified senders, or harmful software.” In a statement to Engadget, a Google spokesperson echoed the message from its status dashboard, saying, "We are actively working to resolve the issue. As always, we encourage users to follow standard best practices when engaging with messages from unknown senders."
US Congress members call for 'thorough review' of EA's $55 billion sale
Before Electronic Arts goes private in a groundbreaking sale, some US lawmakers are pleading for some federal oversight. Democratic members of the US Congress, as part of the Congressional Labor Caucus, penned a letter asking the Federal Trade Commission to "thoroughly review" the $55 billion acquisition of EA.
EA confirmed the sale to the Public Investment Fund, or the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners in September, but the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. Before the official change of ownership, the 46 House Democrats who signed the letter to the FTC are calling for more scrutiny into the impacts of the deal.
The letter noted some of the most consequential effects, including the worsening of an unstable industry, the potential for more layoffs and increased market dominance for EA. "We respectfully urge the Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into the labor market consequences of this proposed acquisition, including EA’s existing wage-setting power, the likelihood of post-transaction layoffs, the degree of labor-market concentration in relevant geographic and occupational markets, and the role of cross-ownership in shaping labor outcomes," the letter read.
The letter already earned support from the Communications Workers of America union, who also supported a petition from the United Video Games union. As spotted by Eurogamer, the petition calls on regulators and elected officials to "scrutinize this deal and ensure that any path forward protects jobs and preserves creative freedom."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/us-congress-members-call-for-thorough-review-of-eas-55-billion-sale-175851429.html?src=rssNTSB will investigate why Waymo's robotaxis are illegally passing school buses
Waymo has caught the attention of the National Transportation Safety Board as the federal agency launched an official investigation into the company for its robotaxis improperly passing school buses in Austin, Texas. The NTSB said on X that it would "examine the interaction between Waymo vehicles and school buses stopped for loading and unloading students."
The latest federal probe stems from a preliminary evaluation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that looked into how Waymo reacts to stopped school buses in the Texas city. That report led to Waymo's voluntary software recall in December. However, the school district said in a memo that the robotaxis were seen repeating the same offense days after the software update.
As for the NTSB investigation, an agency spokesperson told the Austin American-Statesman that its "investigators will travel to Austin to gather information on a series of incidents in which the automated vehicles failed to stop for loading or unloading students." According to an NTSB spokesperson, a preliminary report will be out within 30 days, but the final report will take anywhere between 12 and 24 months.
In response, Mauricio Peña, chief safety officer for Waymo, said in a statement to multiple news outlets that "there have been no collisions in the events in question, and we are confident that our safety performance around school buses is superior to human drivers," adding that the investigation will be "an opportunity to provide the NTSB with transparent insights into our safety-first approach."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ntsb-will-investigate-why-waymos-robotaxis-are-illegally-passing-school-buses-160943613.html?src=rssHow to use Google Photos' new Me Meme feature
Google has started rolling out a new feature for its Photos app that can turn your images into memes. The feature, called Me Meme, uses Google Gemini to take meme templates and recreate them with the photo you use from within the app. It’s still in its experimental stages and will only be available for users in the US in the English language. In addition, it seems to be rolling out for Android users only at the moment, and Google warns that the generated images may not match the original photo at times. If you do get access to the feature soon, check out the instructions below on how to use it.
Open your Photos app. Go to the Create tab at the bottom and find the Me Meme option. If it’s not showing up even though you’re an Android user in the US, you’ll have to wait for it as it continues rolling out. Google told TechCrunch that it will reach iOS users over the coming weeks.
You’ll see onscreen instructions the first time you use it. The next time you access the feature, you’ll go straight to the meme creation process.
You can browse and choose one of the preset templates Google provides, but you can also upload a meme or any other image as a template.
You then have to upload a photo that you want to insert into the meme. Google advises using a selfie or a photo where your face is clearly visible.
After you tap Generate, you can save the meme if you’re satisfied with the result or share it directly to social media platforms online. You can also tap Regenerate to see a different output.
Android Authority spotted the feature in October 2025 and was able to try it out before its limited release. You can see an example of Me Meme’s output below.
The "Me meme" feature which I spotted back in October 2025 is finally announced by Google.
— AssembleDebug (Shiv) (@AssembleDebug) January 23, 2026
This is an experimental feature which will be available first for users in US only 😐
Here is the announcement forum posts- https://t.co/7P2JgJhoBk https://t.co/E60prcqcie pic.twitter.com/sFICxzVIPU
How to use Workout Buddy with Apple Watch and iOS 26
Apple’s iOS 26 and watchOS 26 introduced a new fitness companion called Workout Buddy. This feature uses Apple Intelligence to provide spoken feedback during workouts and give motivation based on your activity history. Workout Buddy analyzes your pace, heart rate, distance and other metrics to deliver real-time encouragement and performance insights directly through connected Bluetooth headphones. It works in conjunction with the Workout app on Apple Watch and is partially controlled through the Fitness app on iPhone. This guide walks you through everything needed to set up and use Workout Buddy effectively during workouts.
What Workout Buddy does
It’s important to note that Workout Buddy is not a full coaching program. Instead, it adds to your workout with spoken cues that reflect how your session is going. Workout Buddy can remind you of your weekly activity totals, alert you to personal bests or performance milestones and provide an overview when you’re finished. It is designed to feel like a supportive training partner rather than a strict coach.
The feature operates in English by default and uses a text-to-speech model trained on voices from Apple Fitness+ trainers. It is available for a subset of workout types, including running, walking, cycling, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training. It requires on-device Apple Intelligence, which means you’ll need to keep one of the latest iPhones running updated software nearby during workouts.
Supported models include iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and any iPhone 16 model. You’ll also need an Apple Watch running watchOS 26.
Requirements before you begin
Before Workout Buddy appears in your Fitness app or Workout app you must ensure a few things are in place. First, your Apple Watch must be running watchOS 26 or later and paired to an iPhone with iOS 26 installed. Second, your iPhone must be capable of on-device Apple Intelligence, meaning you must own one of the supported iPhone models we mentioned above and have Apple Intelligence enabled in the phone’s settings.
You’ll also need Bluetooth headphones paired with either your iPhone or your Apple Watch. Workout Buddy’s audio feedback cannot play through the watch speaker so headphones are essential. Lastly, your device language must be set to English, at least initially. If any of these things are missing, the option to enable Workout Buddy may not appear.
How to turn on Workout Buddy from iPhone
While much of the interaction with Workout Buddy happens on Apple Watch during workouts, you can enable it and choose voice options from the Fitness app on iPhone.
Open the Fitness app on your iPhone and tap the Workout tab at the bottom. Scroll through the list of workout types until you find one you plan to use with Workout Buddy. Tap the waveform bubble icon associated with that workout. This will bring up settings where you can turn on Workout Buddy. Flip the toggle to enable it and choose a voice from the available options. Once you have selected a voice, close that screen and your choice is saved. When you start this workout type on Apple Watch, Workout Buddy will activate.
Enabling Workout Buddy for a workout type on iPhone means you do not need to toggle it on separately on Apple Watch each time for that specific workout. However, you may still adjust it from the watch interface for more granular control.
How to turn on Workout Buddy on Apple Watch
To use Workout Buddy during a session, open the Workout app on your Apple Watch. Turn the Digital Crown to scroll through and select the workout you want to do, such as Outdoor Run, Outdoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, HIIT or Strength Training. If you want to see all available workouts, tap the Add button at the bottom.
Once the workout type is selected, look for the Alerts button on screen. Tap Alerts then scroll until you see Workout Buddy. Tap Workout Buddy and flip the switch to on. You will then be asked to choose a voice if one is not already selected on your iPhone. After selecting the voice, return to the previous screen and tap Start. Workout Buddy will begin working as soon as the workout does.
Using Workout Buddy during a workout
Once you start an exercise on your Watch or iPhone, Workout Buddy will speak to you through your connected headphones. The feedback is designed to be encouraging and relevant to your pace, performance or milestones. It may mention your current progress toward activity goals, pace, splits, personal bests or other highlights from your fitness data. At the end of your session Workout Buddy will offer a summary of key metrics like duration distance and calorie burn.
While a workout is active, you can temporarily mute the audio if you need silence. On Apple Watch during the session, swipe right to reveal controls then tap Mute. This pauses Workout Buddy’s spoken commentary without disabling the feature entirely.
Customizing and managing Workout Buddy settings
Workout Buddy is enabled on a per-workout-type basis. If you prefer voice feedback for running but silence for strength training, you can enable it for one and leave it off for the other. The Fitness app on iPhone allows you to set a default voice preference for each workout type. On Apple Watch you can quickly toggle the feature on or off before starting a session.
If Workout Buddy does not appear as an option for a particular workout type, you may need to check compatibility. Apple’s documentation indicates that only certain types* are supported initially and that the option will not appear for unsupported workouts.
*Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Ultra 3
Troubleshooting common issues
If Workout Buddy fails to activate make sure your devices meet the requirements outlined above. Confirm that your iPhone with Apple Intelligence is nearby and that Bluetooth headphones are connected. If audio feedback is missing, ensure headphones are paired correctly and that the language is set to English. Some users have reported that if the headphones are paired only to the Watch rather than the iPhone, it can interfere with feedback. Switching to the iPhone often resolves that issue.
For workout types where Workout Buddy previously worked but suddenly does not appear, you may try toggling the feature off and on again in the Fitness app or rebooting both devices. In rare cases removing and re-adding the workout type on Apple Watch can refresh the settings.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/how-to-use-workout-buddy-with-apple-watch-and-ios-26-130000922.html?src=rssEngadget review recap: Valerion VisionMaster Max, Canon EOS R6 III and Samsung Bespoke Fridge
Our reviews team is rested up after the CES grind and we’re back to business. This week we reviewed the latest devices from Valerion, Canon, Samsung and Sony, covering a wide range of product categories in the process. Grab yourself a beverage and cozy up with all the reviews you might’ve missed.
Valerion VisionMaster Max
The weeks leading up to the Super Bowl are a popular time to upgrade home theater setups before the big game. One way to do that is Valerion’s VisionMaster Max — if you’re willing to splurge. “The Valerion VisionMaster Max is a highly capable indoor projector that offers the best image quality I’ve seen thanks to the dynamic iris and Enhanced Black Level features,” contributing reporter Steve Dent discovered. “However, it’s also a lot more expensive than rival models at $5,000. It’s pretty hard to justify that extra money, unless you’re really fussy about picture accuracy and gaming performance, or need other features like the 1Gbps ethernet port.”
Canon EOS R6 III
If you’re primarily shooting video these days, contributing reporter Steve Dent just wrapped up testing with the Canon EOS R6 III. While he said it’s great for video, the photo quality isn’t the absolute best you can get right now. “If it’s mainly photography you’re interested in, though, Sony’s $2,900 A7 V is a better choice,” he said. “It matches the R6 III’s resolution, price and autofocus but offers superior dynamic range and lower rolling shutter distortion.”
Samsung Bespoke Fridge with AI
We don’t often review appliances here at Engadget, but Samsung’s AI-infused refrigerator caught the attention of senior reporter Sam Rutherford. You may not think you need a 32-inch display in your kitchen or cameras in your fridge, but Sam argues once you try them you may never go back. “You may not agree or want to pay this much for features like this just yet, but Samsung's Bespoke AI 4-Door French Door refrigerator has convinced me there's a happy home for smarter iceboxes,” he concluded.
Sony LinkBuds Clip
Clip-on earbuds have been constantly popping up over the last few years. Many of the key players in headphones have tried their hand at the open-wear form factor with Sony being the latest to jump on board. While the company embraces the inherent perks of these designs, the LinkBuds Clip doesn’t do enough to rise above the competition. “Subpar bass performance and the omission of some of Sony’s more attractive features (and even some basic ones) mean the company hasn’t done enough to distinguish the Clip from the competition in an obvious way,” I wrote.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-valerion-visionmaster-max-canon-eos-r6-iii-and-samsung-bespoke-fridge-123000849.html?src=rssMore Cult of the Lamb, a World War II computer mystery and other new indie games worth checking out
Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. It’s been a very busy week of fun game releases (next week will be too!), so let’s get into some of them after a quick reflection on gaming while traveling.
I love my Steam Deck. I really truly do. It’s a fantastic machine. And yet when I brought it with me on a five-week trip over the holidays, I used it for barely an hour the entire time. That doesn’t really justify the space and weight it takes up in my bag. The same holds true for my Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation Portal.
I’ll be leaving them all at home next time. I’ll take a small controller (probably OhSnap's MCON) so I can play the odd game on my laptop or phone. I’ll bring my Playdate as well. I adore that little yellow console, and I haven’t spent nearly enough time using it. I have a lot of neat-looking indie games to catch up on there (Diora looks particularly interesting). I’m more likely to play something on a flight if it’s on a device I can pull out from my pocket. I just wish Panic had put a backlight in the Playdate.
New releases
Massive Monster and publisher Devolver Digital gave Cult of the Lamb fans a whole bunch of reasons to jump back into the game this week with the arrival of the Woolhaven expansion. You'll need to get close to the end of the base game (though you don't need to beat the final boss) before you can experience what the DLC has to offer. It includes weather effects, a new mountain area with a pair of fresh dungeons, a ranching system (which allows you to raise animals as pets or for food) and much more.
Folks who dig Cult of the Lamb seem to get really into the game. After a few years of free updates from Massive Monster, Woolhaven is a major expansion that's similar in scope to the base game, so it should keep fans busy for quite a while if they want to try everything. The DLC is out now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. It costs $17 if you already have the base game.
Inkle, the studio behind Overboard! and the wonderful A Highland Song is back with TR-49, a puzzle game with a World War II computer at its core. Over five decades, an array of books, letters and journals were fed into the machine as part of an effort to "crack the code of reality." But now you're tasked with finding and destroying one specific book before a timer runs out.
It all seems rather mysterious. To give you a sense of what's going on here, Inkle says it drew inspiration from narrative deduction games like The Roottrees are Dead, The Return of the Obra Dinn and Her Story, as well as audio dramas. I can't see myself having the time or patience to figure out the enigma of this particular machine (I imagine many players will need a notebook for this one), but I'm intrigued enough to at least watch a Let's Play at some point. You can experience this mystery for yourself on Steam (normally $7, but there's a 10 percent launch discount until January 28).
Another week, another Metroidvania, but MIO: Memories in Orbit has a more striking art style than most. This game from Douze Dixièmes and publisher Focus Entertainment debuted to positive reviews this week. After the AI caretakers on a forgotten spaceship stop working, you'll have to help the robot MIO explore the spacecraft "to revive its lost memories" and save it from doom. Naturally, you'll discover some new abilities along the way, including a grappling hook and air gliding.
MIO: Memories in Orbit is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, Steam, the Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store for $20 (with a 10 percent launch discount on some platforms). You can also check it out via Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Perfect Tides: Station to Station is a pixel-art point-and-click narrative adventure and a sequel to Three Bees' Perfect Tides. Over the course of an in-game year, you'll help 18-year-old Mara explore the big city and find her place in the world.
The early 2000s vibes of the trailer are immaculate, so I'm going to have to try to play this at some point. Perfect Tides: Station to Station is out now on Steam for PC and Mac for $20.
Cozy cafe sim Tailside debuted in early access on Steam (normally $11, but there's a 10 percent discount until January 28) this week. I'm bummed I haven't had a chance to try this one from Coffee Beans Dev yet, because it looks lovely.
Along with serving snacks and drinks to your furry customers, you can learn more about the visitors to your cafe by reading stories about them in the newspaper (hopefully nice ones!). You can play at your own pace as you draw latte art and decorate your cafe. Eventually, you'll be able to visit other players' cafes and open a flower shop. Like I said, it looks lovely.
Upcoming
BALL x PIT’s first FREE major update, The Regal Update, launches on January 26th on all platforms!
— BALL x PIT 🏐 OUT NOW (@BALLxPIT) January 19, 2026
Adding:
🤠2 new characters - The Carouser & The Falconer
🏐8 new balls
🎯New passives
✨Plus a nice surprise you’re going to love! pic.twitter.com/t0tYlwjOXk
One of my favorite games of last year is getting a free update on January 26. Just when I thought I was out of Ball x Pit, Kenny Sun and friends (along with publisher Devolver) are pulling me right back in to check out two new characters, eight fresh balls with their own abilities, more passives and some kind of surprise.
I adore Ball x Pit and this update is going to be a drop everything and play immediately deal for me. The Regal Update will be available on all platforms: Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Ball x Pit costs $15. It's available via Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass too.
I'm interested to check out the demo for Vampire Crawlers, a Vampire Survivors spin-off. Poncle will release it on February 23 at Steam Next Fest as well as on Xbox. Your progress will carry over into the full game, which will be on Game Pass on day one.
As a rule, turn-based games aren't really my jam, and nor are roguelike deckbuilders. But I'm a big fan of Vampire Survivors, so I'm definitely willing to give this a shot. It helps that Vampire Crawlers seems to be fast-paced and that it draws from the chaotic visuals of the original game. Vampire Crawlers is coming to Steam, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android later this year.
Speaking of interesting demos, one for Ratcheteer DX is available now on PC ahead of the full game's release on Switch, Steam (PC and Mac) and the Mac App Store on March 5. It'll normally cost $13, but a limited-time discount will reduce the price to $9.75. If the game's name sounds familiar, that's because this is a color version of the Playdate season one title Ratcheteer.
This take on the pixel-art action-adventure has multiple visual filters, a "CD-quality stereo soundtrack" and support for more languages. Playdate creator Panic is publishing Ratcheteer DX, whose developers are Shaun Inman, Matthew Grimm and Charlie Davis.
Let's wrap things up for this week with a cinematic trailer and release date for Aethus, a story-driven survival-crafting and base-building game from a solo developer at Pawsmonaut Games. It's coming to Steam on March 6.
Aethus is a game about "carving out a future from the ruins of corporate greed" in a dystopian sci-fi world. As ex-mining engineer Maeve, you start with basic gear and a drone companion by your side. You'll explore what's left of a failed science expedition and abandoned facilities as you try to establish your own mining claim after leaving a company that drains planets of their resources.
Of course, you'll upgrade your gear and build out your base as you progress. You can modify settings like the base's air supply, how quickly your hunger and thirst needs change and how much you can carry to fine tune the experience.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/more-cult-of-the-lamb-a-world-war-ii-computer-mystery-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000807.html?src=rssGoogle Photos can now turn you into a meme
In Big Tech's never-ending quest to increase AI adoption, Google has unveiled a meme generator. The new Google Photos feature, Me Meme, lets you create personalized memes starring a synthetic version of you.
Google describes Me Meme as "a simple way to explore with your photos and create content that's ready to share with friends and family." You can choose from a variety of templates or "upload your own funny picture" to use in their place.
The feature isn't live for everyone yet, so you may not yet have access to it. (A Google representative told TechCrunch that the feature will roll out to Android and iOS users over the coming weeks.) But once it arrives, you can use it in the Google Photos app by tapping Create (at the bottom of the screen), then Me Meme. It will then ask you to choose a template and add a reference photo. There’s an option to regenerate it if you don’t like the result.
Google says Me Meme works best with well-lit, focused and front-facing portrait photos. "This feature is still experimental, so generated images may not perfectly match the original photo," the company warns.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-photos-can-now-turn-you-into-a-meme-213930935.html?src=rssA rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products
Meta is being sued by Solos, a rival smart glasses maker, for infringing on its patents, Bloomberg reports. Solos is seeking "multiple billions of dollars" in damages and an injunction that could prevent Meta from selling its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses as part of the lawsuit.
Solos claims that Meta's Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 1 smart glasses violate multiple patents covering "core technologies in the field of smart eyewear." While less well known than Meta and its partner EssilorLuxottica, Solos sells multiple pairs of glasses with similar features to what Meta offers. For example, the company's AirGo A5 glasses lets you control music playback and automatically translate speech into different languages, and integrates ChatGPT for answering questions and searching the web.
Beyond the product similarities, Solos claims that Meta was able to copy its patents because Oakley (an EssilorLuxottica subsidiary) and Meta employees had insights into the company's products and road map. Solos says that in 2015, Oakley employees were introduced to the company's smart glasses tech, and were even given a pair of Solos glasses for testing in 2019. Solos also says that a MIT Sloan Fellow who researched the company's products and later became a product manager at Meta, brought knowledge of the company to her role. According to the logic of Solos' lawsuit, by the time Meta and EssilorLuxottica were selling their own smart glasses, "both sides had accumulated years of direct, senior-level and increasingly detailed knowledge of Solos' smart glasses technology."
Engadget has asked both Meta and EssilorLuxottica to comment on Solos' claims. We'll update this article if we hear back.
While fewer people own Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses than use Instagram, Meta considers the wearable one of its few hardware success stories. The company is so convinced it can make smart glasses happen that it recently restructured its Reality Labs division to focus on AI hardware like smart glasses and hopefully build on its success.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/a-rival-smart-glasses-company-is-suing-meta-over-its-ray-ban-products-205000997.html?src=rssRetro handheld maker Anbernic has a new gamepad with a screen and heart rate sensor
File this one under "Things that make you go, 'Hmmm…'" Retro handheld maker Anbernic is launching a new controller with a screen. But unlike Nintendo's Wii U controller, there's no second-screen gaming capability here. Instead, the display is designed to "make customization intuitive and effortless." Oh, and the controller also has a heart rate sensor. Because, hey, if you're going weird, I say fully commit!
The Anbernic RG G01 has a 2.5-inch HD display that the company describes as an "HD smart screen." The idea is to remap buttons, program macros and change other settings without requiring software on a connected device.
Meanwhile, Anbernic says the heart rate detection helps you "monitor your well-being during intense sessions." I would hope that folks with heart conditions would use something other than a gamepad to monitor their pulse. And I don’t know why anyone else would be worried about that while gaming. (Too many Red Bulls?) Regardless, Anbernic seems to be leaning into the novelty / curiosity space here, so at least it fits the motif.
The RG G01 connects in three ways: Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4Ghz wireless and over a wire. It supports onboard calibration for the triggers, joystick and 6-axis gyroscope. There are four programmable buttons (including macro support) on the backside. The company promises a 1,000Hz polling rate in wired and wireless modes. The gamepad is compatible with PC, Switch, Android and iOS.
We don't yet know when this glorious oddity will arrive, other than "coming soon." We also don't know how much it will cost. But you can watch the launch video below and see if it's your type of strange.
Apple will begin showing more App Store ads starting in March
More ads are coming to App Store search results starting in March, Apple shared on an advertising help page. The company first said that it would increase the number of App Store ads last month, and this new rollout of search ads will begin on Tuesday, March 3, according to a developer email viewed by MacRumors.
"Search is the way most people find and download apps on the App Store, with nearly 65 percent of downloads happening directly after a search," Apple says. "To help give advertisers more opportunities to drive downloads from search results, Apple Ads will introduce additional ads across search queries." Up until this point, ads for related apps have appeared at the top of search results, but now they'll also appear "further down in search results," according to Apple.
App Store activity makes up a significant portion of what Apple calls its "services" business. The company makes money on every App Store transaction, whether it's an app download or an in-app purchase, and increasingly, by selling ad space to companies looking to reach users. App Store ads are hardly new, but the number of ads has steadily increased over the years. Apple added ads to the Today tab in 2022 — a space that's already home to editorial curation that doubles as marketing — and in 2025, Bloomberg reported the company planned to bring ads to Apple Maps.
Apple's decision to rebrand its advertising business from Apple Search Ads to Apple Ads in April 2025 was maybe the best indication that the company was interested in expanding the number of places it would help partners try and reach customers. And it makes sense: the company's billions of devices, each pre-installed with default apps, are some of the most valuable real estate it owns.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-will-begin-showing-more-app-store-ads-starting-in-march-192031226.html?src=rssTikTok finalizes deal for its US entity
After years of uncertainty over TikTok's future in the United States, a deal for the app's US business has been finalized. The new US entity is called TikTok USDS Joint Venture. ByteDance has retained a 19.9 percent percent stake in the new business, with the rest controlled by a group of non-Chinese investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX, an Emirati-state owned investment firm, all of which have a 15 percent stake. Dell CEO Michael Dell and other investors have smaller stakes in the new company.
The terms of the deal were first leaked last month, after TikTok CEO Shou Chew reportedly told employees in a memo that TikTok and ByteDance had agreed to a group of investors. This ends a lengthy saga and months of slow progress as the agreement was being worked out, ensuring that the app will remain available in the US after years of being on the verge of a ban in the country.
President Donald Trump, who had tried to ban the app during his first term in office, praised the deal in a post on Truth Social. "It will now be owned by a group of Great American Patriots and Investors, the Biggest in the World, and will be an important Voice," he wrote."I only hope that long into the future I will be remembered by those who use and love TikTok."
According to TikTok’s announcement, the joint venture will protect American users’ data with Oracle's secure US cloud environment. It will also retrain TikTok’s algorithm on US users’ data and will be in charge of content moderation in the US. The entity promises interoperability, as well, promising that users will still get international content and, if they’re a creator, viewers. “The safeguards provided by the Joint Venture will also cover CapCut, and Lemon8 and a portfolio of other apps and websites in the US,” TikTok said.
The new entity will be overseen by a seven-member board of directors, most of whom are Americans. It includes, Shou Chew, the Chief Executive Officer of TikTok, Silver Lake co-CEO Egon Durban, Oracle Executive Vice President Kenneth Glueck and MGX Chief Strategy and Safety Officer David Scott. Adam Presser, who had previously been head of operations and trust and safety at TikTok, is the CEO of TikTok USDS Joint Venture.
Exactly what the new joint venture means for US users of TikTok is unclear. Shortly after the deal was announced, TikTok introduced new terms of service for US users. As the BBC notes, the new terms include provisions relating to use of the app by kids under 13 (they are limited to the "Under 13 Experience") and that the "TikTok USDS Joint Venture does not endorse any content" in the app. The company hasn’t announced specific changes to the app’s algorithm or other core features.
Update, January 23, 2026, 10:58AM PT: This post was updated to add a statement from President Trump, and with additional information about TikTok’s new terms of service.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/tiktok-finalizes-deal-for-its-us-entity-010543484.html?src=rssVimeo lays off most of its staff just months after being bought by private equity firm
Vimeo just got hit by a brutal round of layoffs, according to a report by Business Insider. Staffers are posting on various social media sites that the layoffs have impacted most of the company, including the entire video team. Vimeo is a video-hosting platform, so that sounds bad.
“Yesterday, following Vimeo’s recent acquisition by a private equity firm, I learned that I, along with a large portion of the company, was impacted by layoffs,” wrote the company’s former vice president of Global Brand & Creative, Dave Brown. He is referring to a firm called Bending Spoons that bought Vimeo for $1.38 billion in the latter half of 2025.
We don't know why parent company Bending Spoons conducted such a massive round of layoffs, but the equity firm is known for purchasing tech companies and aggressively cutting costs via layoffs. It did the same thing to Evernote back in 2023 and WeTransfer in 2024. Engadget has reached out to Vimeo to inquire about the exact number of employees that were laid off and will update this post when we hear back.
"I can confirm that a layoff was announced at Vimeo on January 20, 2026. To respect the privacy of those departing, we cannot provide additional details at this time,” a Bending Spoons spokesperson told Gizmodo in an emailed statement. "Going forward, Bending Spoons remains committed to growing Vimeo to meet the needs of its diverse user base."
Reviving this account to say: Almost everyone at Vimeo was laid off yesterday, including the entire video team. If you're looking for talented engineers, there are a few on the market.
— Derek Buitenhuis (@daemon404) January 21, 2026
Sucks to see something I built killed by private equity in a technology company skin suit.
It's good to know the company "remains committed to growing Vimeo" after firing just about everyone that works there. One former employee said on X that it "sucks to see something I built killed by private equity in a technology company skin suit."
Vimeo has been around a long time. The platform was founded a full year before YouTube and has positioned itself as being a premium alternative for hosting creative and business-adjacent videos. We have no idea what it'll look like with a minimal staff and no video team.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/vimeo-lays-off-most-of-its-staff-just-months-after-being-bought-by-private-equity-firm-184556023.html?src=rssTesla paywalls lane centering on new Model 3 and Model Y purchases
Tesla just objectively decreased the value of the Model 3 and Model Y. On Thursday, the company said it’s paywalling its lane-centering feature, Autosteer, for new purchases of the two EVs in the US and Canada. This was previously a standard feature. Lane centering is now part of the Full Self-Driving Supervised (FSD) package, which costs $99 per month.
Speculating on why Tesla would do this doesn't require much imagination. Remember the pay package Tesla shareholders approved for Musk in November? One of his requirements for receiving up to $1 trillion is reaching 10 million active FSD subscriptions.
As for the details, Tesla killed the Basic Autopilot feature that was standard on the Model 3 and Model Y. That package included both Autosteer and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC). Now, the latter will remain a standard feature, but Autosteer now requires that $99-per-month FSD subscription. The change applies only to new purchases, not existing owners.
The move comes ahead of FSD's switch to a subscription-only service. After February 14, you'll no longer be able to buy the package for a one-time $8,000 upfront fee. If you want FSD (or just lane centering) from now on, your annual cost will be $1,188.
Making matters worse, Musk warned that FSD won't remain at $99 monthly forever. "I should also mention that the $99/month for supervised FSD will rise as FSD's capabilities improve," the Tesla CEO posted on X. He didn't indicate when that might happen or what the increase would be.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-paywalls-lane-centering-on-new-model-3-and-model-y-purchases-184000707.html?src=rssMeta is temporarily pulling teens' access from its AI chatbot characters
Meta will no longer allow teens to chat with its AI chatbot characters in their present form. The company announced Friday that it will be "temporarily pausing teens’ access to existing AI characters globally."
The pause comes months after Meta had said it was working on chatbot-focused parental controls following reports that some of Meta's character chatbots had engaged in sexual conversations and other alarming interactions with teens. Reuters reported on an internal Meta policy document that said the chatbots were permitted to have "sensual" conversations with underage users, language Meta later said was "erroneous and inconsistent with our policies." The company announced in August that it was re-training its character chatbots to add "guardrails as an extra precaution" that would prevent teens from discussing self harm, disordered eating and suicide.
Now, Meta says it will prevent teens from accessing any of its character chatbots until "the updated experience is ready." Those updates will include parental controls, according to a Meta spokesperson. The new restrictions, which will be starting "in the coming weeks," will apply to those with teen accounts, "as well as people who claim to be adults but who we suspect are teens based on our age prediction technology." Teens will still be able to access the official Meta AI chatbot, which the company says already has "age-appropriate protections in place."
Meta and other AI companies that make "companion" characters have faced increasing scrutiny over the safety risks these chatbots could pose to young people. The FTC and the Texas attorney general have both kicked off investigations into Meta and other companies in recent months. The issue of chatbots has also come up in the context of a safety lawsuit brought by New Mexico's attorney general. A trial is scheduled to start early next month; Meta's lawyers have attempted to exclude testimony related to the company's AI chatbots, Wired reported this week.
Correction, January 23, 2026, 11:18AM PT: This post was updated to clarify that Meta’s planned chatbot parental control features have not yet rolled out.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-temporarily-pulling-teens-access-from-its-ai-chatbot-characters-180626052.html?src=rssYou can now create AI-generated coloring books in Microsoft Paint
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently went on record saying that AI still needs to prove its worth if society is to adopt it long-term, but he presumably thinks his company has cracked it with its latest innovation: AI coloring books.
A new Microsoft Paint feature currently rolling out to Windows Insiders allows you to generate coloring book pages based on the text prompt you enter. The example Microsoft uses is "a cute fluffy cat on a donut," to which the AI tool will spit out a set of slightly different options based on your prompt.
You can then choose which image you want, add it to your current workspace, copy or save it. Presumably you can also print it out for the purpose of entertaining your kids. No doubt the kind of real-world impact the Microsoft chief was alluding to.
The coloring book feature is exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, and Microsoft is also adding a fill tolerance slider that lets you adjust the precision with which the Fill tool adds color to your canvas.
As well as Paint’s new Coloring book feature, Microsoft has also improved its Write, Rewrite and Summarize AI functionality in Notepad, which integrates with GPT to fine-tune your writing and summarize complex notes. You’ll need to sign into your Microsoft account to use cloud features, but results will now appear more quickly and let you interact with the preview without having to wait for its full response. Again, you’ll need to be Windows Insider in the Canary and Dev channels on Windows 11 to take advantage of the updates initially.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/you-can-now-create-ai-generated-coloring-books-in-microsoft-paint-163512527.html?src=rssNBA League Pass is up to 55 percent off
Basketball fans can save on NBA League Pass right now, which lets you catch a bunch of out-of-market NBA games via streaming. The League Pass Premium subscription is on sale for $75, down from the usual $160, and League Pass Standard is marked down to $50 from $110. Considering we're almost halfway though the season, the discount makes sense and is a good deal for anyone who wants to keep a close eye on the rest of the games to be played this year.
The Standard plan includes commercials and support for only one device at a time, while the Premium tier offers no commercials, in-arena streams during breaks in the game, offline viewing of full games and concurrent streams on up to three devices at once.
Last year, League Pass added multiview, which allows you to view up to four games at once on a single screen. This is included across both subscription tiers. The service also added a smart rewind tool that automatically selects key highlights and plays from each game.
Outside the US and Canada, League Pass carries every single NBA game live, but within these countries a bevy of restrictions apply. In the US, any games being shown on your regional sports network will be blacked out as the service is meant for out-of-market games only. Also, any nationally broadcast games will not be available live, but instead will be available for on-demand viewing at 6AM ET the following day. The service is only for regular-season games.
If you're an avid NBA fan that follows multiple teams then the League Pass almost certainly carries dozens of games you can watch even with the restrictions in the US. Subscribers can get a list of applicable blackouts by entering their ZIP code before signing up.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/nba-league-pass-is-up-to-55-percent-off-163421368.html?src=rssMalaysia lifts ban on Grok after taking X at its word
After being one of the first countries in the world to block Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot, Malaysia has now lifted its ban. Along with Indonesia, the country moved swiftly to temporarily halt access to X's frequently controversial AI chatbot earlier this month, after multiple reports emerged of it being used to generate deepfake sexualized images of people, including women and children.
At the time, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said the restrictions would remain in place until X Corp and parent xAI could prove they had enforced the necessary safeguards against misuse of the above nature.
Malaysian authorities appear to be taking X at its word, after the MCMC released a statement confirming it was satisfied that Musk’s company has implemented the required safety measures. It added that the authorities will continue to monitor the social media platform, and that any further user safety breaches or violations of Malaysian laws would be dealt with firmly.
At the time of writing, only Malaysia and Indonesia have hit Grok with official bans, though UK regulator Ofcom opened a formal investigation into X under the country’s Online Safety Act, in the wake of the non-consensual sexual deepfake scandal. X has since changed its image-editing policies, and on January 14 the company said Grok will no longer allow "the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis."
Earlier this week, the UK-based non-profit, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), estimated that in the 11-day period between December 29 and January 9, Grok generated approximately 3 million sexualized images, around 23,000 of which were of children.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/malaysia-lifts-ban-on-grok-after-taking-x-at-its-word-144457468.html?src=rssGet the 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card for 33 percent off right now
MicroSD Express cards are still a little hard to find, considering they're pretty new and only really started becoming popular last year once the Switch 2 came out. These upgraded versions of microSD cards are the only ones compatible with the Switch 2 for expanding its storage, so if you're already starting to feel the crunch on your console, it's worth picking one up. Samsung's P9 microSD Express card is on sale right now — you can grab the 512GB version of $80, which is 33 percent off and one of the best prices we've seen.
The P9 boasts transfer speeds of up to 800MB/s, making moving games to the card that much faster. As for load times, in our testing we found that any microSD Express, the standard the Switch 2 requires, will offer roughly the same performance. This format is pretty new, so there aren't a ton of cards on the market. As such, the P9 makes our list of best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2.
The P9 microSD Express is also compatible with the Steam Deck or any other gaming console that accepts the format, as well as cameras and more.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-the-512gb-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-for-33-percent-off-right-now-143849920.html?src=rssSamsung Bespoke Fridge with AI review: All the bells and whistles
At their core, refrigerators are relatively simple devices. If you're the type of person to view every extra feature as a component that could potentially go wrong, basic iceboxes are probably the kind you go for. But for those on the other end of the spectrum, Samsung's latest Bespoke Refrigerators with AI inside have more bells and whistles than you might think possible — including an optional 32-inch screen.
Editor's note: The model we tested for this review came out in the second half of 2025 and will continue to be on sale throughout 2026. Hardware will remain the same, the only changes will come in the form of an OTA software update slated for later this year that will add support for Google Gemini, improved food recognition/labeling and more.
Design: As sleek as a fridge can be
If you're into faux vintage appliances like Smeg's retro-inspired models, Samsung's offerings might not be for you. For everyone else, the Bespoke family does minimalist design better than practically any other line of fridges on the market. Granted, the counter-depth French Door AI model I tested is a bit of a departure thanks to a huge 32-inch screen embedded in its right-side door. That said, there are a ton of configurations, including the choice of a smaller 9-inch panel or models without a display at all. The latter looks like a big rectangle, but in a way that Dieter Rams would probably appreciate (I'm just guessing, I don't have his contact info). Other options include setups ranging from four-door models to side-by-side two-door variants or even a single-panel upright model.
On my review unit, the fresh food section is a touch smaller (16.5 cubic feet) than you might expect from a fridge this size, though I've never really felt limited by the amount of available storage. Samsung does a good job of optimizing interior space by providing a number of adjustable shelves, including a sliding one on the right side that makes it easy to store taller items without completely sacrificing flat space for others. The shelves are also spill proof and made out of tempered glass, so they resist scratches and just look a bit nicer than those made from lower-quality materials. I also appreciate how Samsung found a spot between the two crisper drawers for the water filter, instead of just sticking it in the top corner like a lot of competitors.
Meanwhile, in exchange for a slightly smaller main cabinet, this model has what Samsung calls a FlexZone drawer, which might be my second favorite thing about this fridge. It's perfectly designed for storing things like 12-ounce cans and juice boxes, and as someone who always likes to keep a couple of chilled Coke Zeros on standby, it's super convenient. That said, taller bottled drinks may need to be stored on their sides, which doesn't feel quite as efficient. But really, you can put anything you want in there and if you have young children like me, it's an excellent place to keep refrigerated kids' snacks. My four-year-old can go in there on his own without needing help from an adult to reach stuff higher up. Samsung even gives you the ability to set a different temperature for the FlexDrawer, which is a nice touch.
Additionally, along with some rivals from LG, this fridge also has touch sensors at the bottom of each door that let you open them with a light tap. While I still prefer to just grab the built-in handles (which are located both above and below each door), this is a nice inclusion, particularly on a fridge that doesn't have giant handgrips bolted to the outside. My one small gripe with Samsung's exterior design is that its top isn't completely flat as it dips down in back. Admittedly, this hasn't stopped me from storing stuff like sheet pans and roasting trays above the fridge, but it would be nicer if things were fully level up there.
Water and ice dispensing: Samsung's Beverage Center reigns supreme
I've already gone on record about how Samsung's Beverage Center is the best new feature to land on any fridge in years, so without belaboring the point, but I'll happily wax poetic about it again. Instead of having a water dispenser installed smack dab on the outside of the door, Samsung opted to hide things behind an exterior flap on the left side of the fridge. This accomplishes several things. Not only does it feel a bit more hygienic because the spigot isn't subjected directly to all the germs swirling around the kitchen or a cough or sneeze from anyone passing by, it also simplifies the fridge's exterior design. This might sound a bit weird, but I've always thought that putting water dispensers on the outside of a fridge was kind of like installing a shower in the middle of a room. It's just kind of awkward. Furthermore, by opening the Beverage Center's door, you also have access to one of the fridge's interior shelves, which makes it quick and easy to grab things like ketchup, mustard or any other sauces you might need for a meal. My wife stashes her matcha there, so it's readily available first thing in the morning.
But the most important thing is that right next to the spigot, there's also a built-in water pitcher that automatically refills itself after every use. This means there's pretty much always 40+ ounces of ice-cold water (depending on the specific model) that you can pull out and pour. This allows you to fill up everyone's cup in seconds like a server at a restaurant, instead of blocking the entire fridge while you slowly top off each glass individually. To me, it's the difference between an active process where you can dictate your own pace versus having to stand there while the machine takes its sweet time. Plus, if you like infusing your water with fruit or tea, there's a built-in basket filter for that too. The Beverage Center is a truly useful innovation and one of Samsung’s biggest advantages over its rivals, and because the company patented it, it'll be years before competitors can come up with copies.
As for ice, the model I'm testing can produce two different types: regular cubes and smaller pebbles. There's also an included scooper and a dedicated shelf for storing it. Now I will admit that the smaller pebbles aren't quite as good as what you get from a standalone nugget-style icemaker, but in my experience they're more than good enough for anyone who likes variety in their frozen water. My small critique for Samsung is that I've heard the ice trays on other models come with sliders that have actual ball bearings instead of plastic rails and I wish the latter were a standard inclusion on every model. There's never so much friction that anything would get properly stuck, it would just be nice if things slid a bit more smoothly.
The screen: A welcome addition to a digital lifestyle
Of course, one of the biggest potential objections about Samsung's latest fridges may also be one of its biggest strengths: their optional displays. With the continued intrusion of screens into our daily lives, I'm not here to tell you that you need one more. However, even though I was skeptical at first, I've grown to really appreciate having one on the fridge and I'd argue that unless you're skipping the feature entirely, the larger 32-inch panel is what you want.
The main reason is that, at least for my family, so much of what we do is already digital. Things like calendars, shopping lists, recipes and family photos already live on my phone and being able to share all of that with the fridge directly via Wi-Fi is a major plus. Frankly, it's easier to upload a picture to the fridge's display than it is to print one out and post it, which goes double for Samsung's Bespoke line since its glass front means magnets don't stick. Even though I already have a smart display in our kitchen, the size of Samsung's screen, along with support for a handful of important apps, have turned the fridge into a better family hub than anything else we own. Because there's so much space, there's room for photos, memos, the weather, filter status and a full 30-day calendar — the latter of which has significantly improved my family's planning and coordination.
The fridge runs Samsung's Tizen OS, which is basically the company's lightweight take on Android, so it's super easy to use. You can swipe left and right to add additional widgets to your screen, play music or even watch videos (YouTube, Samsung TV Plus, etc.) if you're so inclined. That said, sometimes I wish the screen was a bit more responsive, because even though I don't think it's a dealbreaker, after having reviewed several generations of the company's phones, I know Samsung can do better. There are also some settings from its handsets that I wish would get ported over to its fridges — like a dedicated dark mode. When I grab a glass of water later at night, the last thing I need is the entire display blasting my kitchen like a pair of hi-beams.
AI Inside: A work in progress with benefits today
With seemingly every tech company trying to shoehorn AI into its latest products, it's easy to roll your eyes at the idea of adding that into a fridge as well. And I think even Samsung would admit that its efforts to integrate machine learning into the Bespoke line are a work in progress. I've found that while it certainly isn't essential, the AI features found here can be a handy bonus in the right situations.
AI Vision is the headline feature in Samsung's package, which uses machine learning and a camera mounted to the roof of the fridge to automatically recognize and record items you put inside. However, there are some limitations. Currently, Samsung's AI can detect 37 different food items like fresh fruit and veggies, along with an additional 50 kinds of packaged goods like yogurt. Furthermore, the camera only records what goes into the fridge's main cabinet, so anything you put in the FlexZone drawer, freezer or either door won't get recorded. Regardless of whether an item is recognized or not, the fridge will then take a photo of the item (and tag it with the name of the food if it can be properly identified). You can then view a list of everything in the fridge via a dedicated tab on its screen (assuming your model has one) or from your phone via Samsung's SmartThings app. From there, you can do things like set names for anything uncategorized or add an expiration date, though I wish the fridge would do that last part on its own.
In practice, this means you just put items in the fridge like you would normally and let the AI sort things out on its own. You can always go through the main list to see if you have a specific item or let the fridge automatically delete things when you take them out. That said, the AI doesn't get things right every time, because while Samsung's programming does clear things out after a certain amount of time, you will still need to delete food manually from time to time. Thankfully, for items in the door, the fridge can show you a live feed of what's there, so if you're at the store and can't remember if you have milk or not, you can simply pull out your phone and see for yourself.
Because the camera is mounted to the top of the fridge, you might not get the clearest picture or you may end up with your hand covering part of the food as the fridge takes a picture as you put items inside. Even so, that's still more than enough for me to be able to tell what something is just by looking at a small icon. I've found that Samsung AI Vision legitimately makes it easier to grocery shop by allowing me to see what food I have at a glance, regardless of whether I'm at home or at the store.
On top of that, the fridge also has built-in meal planning capabilities. This means you can ask the fridge to come up with a dish based on ingredients you already have, and it's surprisingly good. Not only do you have the ability to specify preferences and dietary restrictions, there's a wide variety of recipes it can choose from. On several occasions, I even found that when asked to suggest a recipe, the fridge came up with dishes I already had in mind. Alternatively, it will highlight when you're missing items for a potential dish, so you can grab them the next time you're at the store. This is one of the most helpful features, because often at the end of the week, I find myself with a handful of leftover ingredients. So when the fridge uses that info to suggest recipes that use those items, it helps reduce food waste.
Sadly, the weakest part of Samsung's AI is Bixby. In addition to being overeager when listening for voice prompts, which ended up causing a lot of inadvertent triggers, Samsung also put the Bixby icon near the bottom left corner of the screen. That's right next to the sensor and handle for the door, resulting in even more unwanted summons. After using this fridge for four months, I wish Bixby would just go away, and it seems Samsung agrees. Sometime later this year, the company is adding support for Google Gemini, which should deliver a massive upgrade to the fridge's voice-controlled capabilities.
A word on ads
Last fall, to the dismay of many, Samsung announced that it was adding ads to its Family Hub fridges, including Bespoke models with built-in displays. Now no one likes being taunted with commercials, especially when they're on expensive appliances located in the busiest room of their home. Thankfully, I've found that these ads only show up on the Cover Screen, which only appears after no one has used the fridge in a while, kind of like a screensaver on a desktop. Furthermore, you can disable these ads entirely. The downside is that doing so also gets rid of the rotating news and weather widgets that appear on the home screen. But in my experience, that's just fine, because I don't need what is effectively the fridge's lock screen to have that much going on. Plus, when you open the fridge or touch its screen, it instantly reverts to the main home menu, which includes its own set of widgets that you can customize how you like.
Some quick notes and observations
The Bespoke fridge’s screen does collect smudges, but so does stainless steel, and it doesn't really impact viewability. And on white glass models like my review unit, the simple design makes it easier to clean and maintain than typical metal-clad rivals.
The door to the Beverage Center doesn't soft-close like you'd normally expect on a fridge. It's more of a clack, which isn't a bad thing on its own, though I hope Samsung changes its design to match the other doors on future models for consistency's sake.
Because the fridge runs Tizen and not full Android, there aren't nearly as many choices for widgets. For example, there's a widget for Spotify and Amazon Music, but not YouTube or Apple Music. There's also only a single option for weather and a widget for pinning your favorite websites, but very little choice when it comes to dedicated news options. In my testing, the SmartThings integration worked better on Samsung phones compared to standard Android handsets, but your experience may vary.
If you are so inclined, you can create shopping lists directly on the fridge and then order them from partners including Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Walmart and others.
Wrap-up
AI in a fridge might sound ridiculous, but it allows for some genuinely useful features, even if the tech suffers from growing pains. And while this might sound preposterous, I think Samsung should actually double down on the tech by adding even more cameras, so the fridge has more angles and viewpoints to choose from as its algorithms evolve. The ability to automatically track what goes in and out of the fridge makes it easier to both shop and plan meals, and this is just in the early stages of the tech.
That said, obsessing over AI is sort of besides the point because even without it, Samsung's Bespoke French Door fridge is a first-class icebox. For tech-savvy people, its big screen helps simplify and organize our digital lives while simultaneously allowing the fridge to be helpful in ways you might not have even considered. It's also well-built and exquisitely designed to fit in seamlessly with other modern devices, which feels refreshing considering how often appliances feel like they are lagging years or decades behind gadgets like phones and laptops. And I can't overstate how much I like Samsung's Beverage Center, which in my opinion, is so good it's worth going with a Bespoke fridge just for that one feature.
In the end, the two biggest factors you'll need to consider are price and your appetite to digitize your kitchen, and by extension, your life. Starting at $3,500 for AI-equipped Bespoke models, Samsung's top-of-the-line fridges are far from cheap. Thankfully, versions without machine learning can be had for much less. But more importantly, you have to be willing to embrace technology's role in your home. You may not agree or want to pay this much for features like this just yet, but Samsung's Bespoke AI 4-Door French Door refrigerator has convinced me there's a happy home for smarter iceboxes.
Ring can now verify if a video has been altered
Ring has launched a new tool that can tell you if a video clip captured by its camera has been altered or not. The company says that every video downloaded from Ring starting in December 2025 going forward will come with a digital security seal. “Think of it like the tamper-evident seal on a medicine bottle,” it explained. Its new tool, called Ring Verify, can tell you if a video has been altered in any way. Even adjusting a video clip’s brightness or trimming a few seconds off will break that seal, and the tool will tell you that it cannot be verified. All you have to do is visit the tool’s web page and upload the video you want to check.
In the era of AI, you can also use the tool to make sure you’re looking at a real Ring video instead of something generated by artificial intelligence models. OpenAI’s Sora, for instance, can easily create Ring video doorbell footage with just a prompt or two, leading to a lot of fake security cam footage on social media apps. The company suggests asking the owner of the camera to share videos straight from the Ring app to make sure they’re unaltered. It also doesn’t matter what camera it is: All of the company’s models now embed digital security seals to downloaded videos and videos shared from Ring’s cloud storage. However, the tool can only tell you if a video has been tampered with or can’t be verified at all. It can’t tell you what has been edited or if it’s AI-generated.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ring-can-now-verify-if-a-video-has-been-altered-140000140.html?src=rssTurboTax Deluxe is on sale for only $45 ahead of tax season
With the spring approaching, it's time to start thinking about how you'll file your taxes. Unfortunately, with the recent demise of Direct File, there isn't a free, government-provided alternative to TurboTax in 2026, and you'll need to look to other federal programs, including IRS Free File, to file your paperwork. If you don't qualify for Free File, chances are you'll need to dish out cash for Intuit's software. And while we hate to suggest you give money to a company that has spent decades lobbying to ensure America's tax system remains a nightmare, we can at least save you some money if TurboTax is your only option.
Right now, Amazon has discounted the deluxe desktop edition of TurboTax by 44 percent. That gets you $35 off software that normally costs $80, which you can use to file both your individual state and federal taxes. For most Americans, that should cover their needs.
However, if you're self-employed, you'll need to pony up for the more expensive Business version of TurboTax, which is currently 42 percent off, or $54 off. One last thing to note: you'll need a PC with either Windows 11 or macOS Sonoma to run the software, so an older machine won't do, unfortunately.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/turbotax-deluxe-is-on-sale-for-only-45-ahead-of-tax-season-204848111.html?src=rssApple's AirPods Pro 3 drop back down to a record-low price
AirPods Pro 3 have returned to an all-time-low price. You can pick them up for $200 right now, which is $50 off and the best discount we've seen since the earbuds came out at the end of last year.
We gave these AirPods a score of 90 out of 100 in our review and we consider them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone users. The third generation model is a substantial update to an already impressive product, bringing new features like live translation to the table.
The AirPods Pro 3 also offer heart-rate tracking, allowing them to stream live data to Apple Fitness and other third-party workout apps. This lets you track your fitness and close activity rings similarly to when using an Apple Watch.
Apple also improved the sound quality of this generation thanks in large part to a redesigned acoustic architecture that improves how air is delivered into the ear canal. Additionally, the company changed the angle of the drivers to help more sound get where it needs to go instead of bouncing off the sides of your ear. We felt the jump in audio quality from the last generation to this one was substantial.
The ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 has also been improved. Apple claims this model filters out twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times as much as the original AirPods Pro. We found the noise cancellation to be top-notch.
Live Translation is as neat as it sounds, leveraging the AirPods' noise cancellation tech, Apple's AI and beam-forming mics to help you understand a speaker in a different language. Right now, this is limited to a handful of languages with more being added over time.
It's not often you see one of Apple's best and most recent products on sale for 20 percent off, so if you're in the market for an upgrade or your first set of AirPods, consider taking advantage of this deal.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-3-drop-back-down-to-a-record-low-price-140752588.html?src=rssEngadget Podcast: Why would Apple want to make an AI pin?
Apple is reportedly working on an AI pin of its very own to compete with OpenAI's non-existent pin. No, it doesn't really make much sense to us, either. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget Managing Editor Cherlynn Low discuss why Apple might be quick to jump on the AI pin trend, even before it jumps into smart rings. Also, we dive into Sony’s Bravia TV deal with TCL, and the aftermath of Verizon’s massive service outage.
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Topics
TCL is taking over Sony’s Bravia TV business in a new joint venture – 0:58
Last week’s Verizon outage was resolved after 10 hours, no official word on what caused it – 8:39
Youtube CEO promises more AI video tools for creators while also denouncing deepfakes – 12:19
The FTC isn’t giving up on its Meta antitrust case – 14:22
Trump family earnings from crypto may total $1.4B in 2025, but likely much more – 19:00
Adobe Acrobat can now generate presentations and podcasts from your documents – 21:12
Why the heck would Apple make an AI pin?? – 25:15
Around Engadget: Sony LinkBuds Clip review, Volvo EX60 and Canon EOS R6 III reviews – 43:14
Pop culture picks – 46:34
Credits
Host: Devindra Hardawar
Guest: Cherlynn Low
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien
The Morning After: Apple might be making its own AirTag-sized AI wearable
It’s been a while since rumors and reports suggested Apple is exploring a new divisive product category, and it’s been several years since the Apple car. Unfortunately, the new challenger is a wearable AI pin with cameras, mics and… zero interest from me.
According to a report from The Information, it’ll resemble a slightly thicker AirTag with an aluminum and glass exterior. The report suggests it’ll have two cameras (standard and wide-angle) for photos and video. It may also have three microphones and a (swoon) physical button. I love a physical button.
How is Apple going to pitch it? What is the non-creepy, not-nefarious selling point of a tiny listening device with cameras? As Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar puts it: Why attempt an unproven wearable? Especially when its own Watch and AirPods could already deliver a lot of what’s being rumored here.
The Information says Apple could release its AI pin as early as 2027, but it’s reportedly only in the very early stages and could still be canceled. Even if the Vision Pro and Watch eventually happened, the Apple Car and the Apple TV never did.
— Mat Smith
TikTok finalizes deal for its US entity
A group of non-Chinese investors will own 80 percent of it.
TikTok owner ByteDance has finalized a deal for its US entity. The majority of its stake is held by a group of non-Chinese investors. The deal was closed just before the Trump administration’s latest deadline to ban the app in the US unless it was divested from ByteDance. TikTok’s new investors will own 80 percent, with Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX, an Emirati-state owned investment firm, taking 15 percent each.
According to TikTok’s announcement, the joint venture will protect American users’ data with Oracle’s secure US cloud environment. It will also retrain TikTok’s algorithm using US users’ data and will be responsible for content moderation in the US. The new US TikTok also promises interoperability, ensuring users still get international content and, if they’re creators, viewers.
Bungie’s Marathon arrives on March 5
Another extraction shooter to distract.
Bungie’s long-awaited Marathon will arrive on March 5. The 3v3 extraction shooter has a lot riding on it — but it looks pretty damn cool. You might remember Sony, Bungie’s parent company, previously committed to a September 2025 release. However, it delayed the game indefinitely last June after a mixed reception to its alpha and partially plagiarized visual assets.
It’s a very important game for both Bungie and Sony. The latter said Destiny 2 had not lived up to its expectations. It wants another hit like Helldivers 2, not another Concord.
How to find an affordable GPU during the great RAMageddon
It sucks out there.
If you’re thinking about getting a new graphics card this year, your window for doing so at a typical retail price has closed. What do you do if you want to upgrade to a new graphics card this year? If you’re sitting on an older GPU, the best advice we can give is to stick with your current hardware. On the other hand, if your current GPU is not up to running the games you want to play, consider buying a card with at least 12GB of VRAM. Then, well, read on for more tips and our top recommendations.
The biggest stories you might have missed
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-apple-might-be-making-its-own-airtag-sized-ai-wearable-121500060.html?src=rssApple accuses Europe of 'delay tactics' following alternative app store collapse
Following the shutdown of an alternative app store, Apple has accused the European Commission (EC) of using “political delay tactics” as an excuse to probe and fine the company, Bloomberg reported. Apple issued the statement preemptively as commission is reportedly preparing to blame Apple for the shutdown of third-party app store Setapp due to what the developer called “still-evolving and complex business terms.”
As part of an EU ruling, Apple was forced to allow third-party marketplaces for apps once the Digital Markets Act (DMA) took effect in 2024. Apple agreed to allow such stores, but implemented fees of €0.50 per installation if the number of downloads exceeded one million, among other rules.
In April 2025, the EC found Apple to be in “non-compliance” with the DMA over rules on “steering” users to alternative payments and levied a $500 million fine. In June last year, Apple said it would change its pricing for third-party App Stores to a five percent revenue share called the Core Technology Commission (CTC).
However, Apple said that the EC has so far refused to allow those changes. In the meantime, a developer called MacPaw shut down its fledgling Setapp store, saying Apple’s terms “don’t fit Setapp’s current business model” due to the complexity. As a result, the EC will reportedly rule that Apple hasn’t addressed the key issues it raised regarding business terms, including their complexity.
“The European Commission has refused to let us implement the very changes that they requested,” Apple said in a statement to Bloomberg. “In October, we submitted a formal compliance plan and they have yet to respond. The EC is using political delay tactics to mislead the public, move the goal posts, and unfairly target an American company with burdensome investigations and onerous fines.”
In reply, an EC spokesperson told Engadget that it’s in “constant” contact with Apple with the aim of finding a DMA-compliant solution. “The Commission’s main objective is that gatekeepers operate in full compliance with the DMA. The Commission is available to discuss and work with gatekeepers to achieve full compliance. In this context, the Commission has been in a constant dialogue with Apple to solve all pending issues, while also listening to developers from all over the world. We remain committed to this exchange to find a DMA compliant solution.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-accuses-europe-of-delay-tactics-following-alternative-app-store-collapse-124701591.html?src=rssThe best GPS running watches for 2026
Having the right GPS watch on your wrist whether you’re going for your first ever run or your umpteenth run can make all the difference. The best GPS running watches not only keep track of how far you’ve run, but they track pace and other real-time metrics, advanced training features to help you hit your goals and, of course, precise distance measurements. Some models even provide offline maps for navigation, sleep tracking, recovery insights, and smart features that “regular” smartwatches do.
For those who need extra durability and lasting battery life, higher-end sport watches — like some of the best Garmin watches — are built to handle intense workouts, harsh weather and long runs. If you're training for a marathon, triathlon or just want a multisport option that can keep up with your lifestyle, these watches have the tech to support you.
With so many options available, from entry-level models to the best running watches packed with advanced running metrics, it can be tricky to find the right fit. That’s why we’ve rounded up our top picks to help you choose the perfect GPS watch for your training needs.
Best GPS running watches for 2026
Other GPS running watches we tested
Polar Pacer Pro
The Polar Pacer Pro looked and felt quite similar to our top pick, and it mapped my outdoor runs accurately. However, Polar’s companion app is leagues behind Garmin’s with a confusing interface and a design that feels very much stuck in the past. It’s also $100 more expensive than our top pick.
Amazfit Cheetah Pro
The Amazfit Cheetah Pro tracked my outdoor runs accurately and Zepp’s companion app has a coaching feature much like Garmin’s adaptive training plans that can outline a routine for you to complete in preparation for a race or to achieve a specific goal. My biggest issue with it was that its touchscreen wasn’t very responsive — it took multiple hard taps on the display to wake it, and often the raise-to-wake feature didn’t work, leaving me staring at a dark screen.
What to consider before buying a GPS running watch
GPS speed and accuracy
The most important thing for a GPS running watch to have is fast, accurate GPS tracking. That might seem obvious, but it’s quite easy to get distracted by all of the other smart features most of these devices have. Since most of them can be worn all day long as standard sport watches, there’s a lot of (possibly unnecessary) fluff that looks good on paper but won’t mean much if the core purpose if the device is left unfulfilled. To that end, I paid particular attention to how long it took each device’s built-in GPS tracking to grab my location before a run, if it ever lost my spot and the accuracy of the generated maps. Also, the device should be smart enough to let you start tracking a run while the GPS looks for your location.
Workout profiles and trackable metrics
You may not be able to suss out GPS accuracy just by looking at a spec sheet (that’s where this guide can help), but you can check for features like supported workout profiles. That’s something you’ll want to look into, even if your one and only activity is running. Check to make sure the best running watches you’re considering support all the kinds of running activities you like to do (outdoor runs, treadmill runs, etc) and any other workouts you may want to track with it.
Most fitness wearables today aren’t one-trick ponies; you’ll find a healthy number of trackable exercise modes on any sport watch worth its salt. That said, the number of workout profiles can be directly proportional to a device’s price: the higher-end the product, chances are the more specific, precise workouts it can monitor.
In a similar vein, you’ll want to check the trackable metrics of any watch you’re considering before you buy. Since we’re talking about the best GPS running watches, most will be able to track the basics like distance, heart rate and pace, and those are bare minimums. Some watches can monitor additional stats like speed, cadence, stride length, advanced running dynamics, aerobic and anaerobic training effect, intensity minutes and more. If you’re already a serious runner who trains for multiple races each year, or if you're a trail runner who needs elevation and navigation features, you’ll want to dig into the spec sheet of the watch you’re considering to make sure it can track all of your most necessary metrics.
Size and weight
It’s worth checking out a watch’s case size and weight before going all-in on one. GPS running watches, and standard smartwatches as well, can have a few different sizes to choose from so you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best fit for your wrist. I have a smaller wrist, so I tend to avoid extra-large cases (anything over 42mm or so), especially if I intend on wearing the device all day long as my main timepiece. Weight, on the other hand, is a little less controllable, but typically smaller case sizes will save you a few grams in overall weight.
For those who need durability, particularly trail runners or those tackling extreme conditions, devices like Garmin watches offer rugged builds that can handle rough terrain, impact, and extreme weather.
Battery life
Unlike regular smartwatches, GPS running watches have two types of battery life you’ll need to consider: with GPS turned on and in “smartwatch” mode. The former is more important than the latter because most GPS running watches have stellar battery life when used just as a smart timepiece. You can expect to get multiple days on a single charge, with some surviving more than two weeks (with all day and night wear) before they need a recharge.
Battery life with GPS turned on will be much shorter by comparison, but any GPS running watch worth its salt should give you at least 10-15 hours of life with the GPS being used continuously. The more you’re willing to spend, the higher that number typically gets, with some GPS running watches lasting for 40 hours while tracking your location.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/best-gps-running-watch-141513957.html?src=rssSennheiser introduces new TV headphones bundle with Auracast
Sennheiser has unveiled its RS 275 TV Headphones, which are bundled with a BTA1 digital receiver. These headphones use Auracast technology to provide low-latency audio at a range of up to 50 meters, and can connect to other devices enabled with Auracast or Bluetooth Classic. For those unfamiliar, Auracast is broadcast Bluetooth audio; we have an explainer about it after CES 2024 put this audio tech onto the big stage. The digital receiver introduces an Auracast signal in a physical space for any other compatible devices, which might include hearing aids or loudspeakers as well as other headphone sets.
The company promises 50 hours of listening with the RS 275 TV Headphones on a single charge, and the set can be powered up from the receiver's USB-C port. Sennheiser designed the headset for long-term comfort; the ear cushions and battery can be replaced by the device's owner. The headphones can be further personalized with the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus App. In addition to finding lost headphones, the app provides controls such as transparency mode, left-right balance, hearing profiles and device-type audio modes.
The RS 275 TV Headphone bundle will retail for $300, while a standalone BTA1 receiver will cost $130. Pre-orders will open on February 3 and the audio gear is expected to start shipping on February 17.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sennheiser-introduces-new-tv-headphones-bundle-with-auracast-233735294.html?src=rssDarth Maul's standalone series premieres on Disney+ on April 6
Darth Maul, the beloved, sometimes spider-legged former Sith Lord first introduced in Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace, is officially getting his own animated spin-off on April 6, 2026, based on a new teaser trailer published by Disney. Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord was originally announced at Star Wars Celebration in 2025, and is set after Maul's arc in Star Wars: The Clone Wars but before his appearance in Star Wars: Rebels.
The 10-episode series covers Maul's plot to rebuild his criminal syndicate "on a planet untouched by the Empire," according to Lucasfilm. "There, he crosses paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan who may just be the apprentice he is seeking to aid him in his relentless pursuit for revenge." Shadow Lord will premiere with two episodes on April 6, and will stream two episodes a week on Disney+ through May 6.
Like most of Disney's popular animated Star Wars shows, Maul — Shadow Lord is created by Dave Filoni, a George Lucas supplicant, co-creator of The Clone Wars and newly minted President and Chief Creative Officer at Luscafilm. Besides picking up the story threads he helped establish in his previous animated work, Maul — Shadow Lord could be representative of the work that will define his tenure: stories that play in the pre-existing Star Wars sandbox.
Since completing their sequel trilogy in 2019 with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Disney and Lucasfilm have struggled to define what the future of their franchise will actually be. New projects have languished in pre-production, interesting TV shows have gotten cancelled and the only things that seem to come out with any consistency are spin-offs of The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars. Disney and Lucasfilm will release The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22, 2026, the first new Star Wars movie to hit theaters in seven years. The Shawn Levy-directed Star Wars: Starfighter, the first film set chronologically after the events of Rise of Skywalker, is slated to premiere on May 28, 2027.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/darth-mauls-standalone-series-premieres-on-disney-on-april-6-224036720.html?src=rssJBL made a pair of AI-powered practice amps
JBL is trying its hand at something new, with a pair of AI-powered practice amps. The BandBox Solo and BandBox Trio include an onboard Stem AI that purportedly lets you separate or remove vocals and instruments from any music streamed over Bluetooth. So, say you're a young guitarist learning “Stairway to Heaven” (as one does). At least in theory, you could use the speaker to remove Jimmy Page's part and hone your chops with the rest of the band.
The $250 BandBox Solo, designed for individual musicians, has a single guitar / mic input. And the $600 BandBox Trio, better for bands, supports up to four instrument inputs. The latter also has a few extra perks not found in the Solo: onboard controls (to reduce reliance on the app) and an LCD.
The JBL One app lets you add filters to match a variety of modern and vintage amp models. You'll also find effects like phaser, chorus, and reverb, as well as a pitch shifter and tuner. A built-in looper will allow for layering, but JBL says that feature will arrive via a software update in October.
JBL says the BandBox Solo supports up to six hours of battery life. The BandBox Trio is said to last up to 10 hours. But the latter has a replaceable battery, so you could buy a spare (for an as-yet-unknown price) and double that time.
The $250 BandBox Solo and $600 BandBox Trio are available to pre-order from JBL's website starting today. Shipments and third-party retail availability are scheduled for March 1.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/jbl-made-a-pair-of-ai-powered-practice-amps-221000631.html?src=rssTelly has only delivered 35,000 of its free televisions with always-on ads
Telly appeared on the home theater scene in 2023 with an unusual proposition. Its business model revolves around giving customers free dual-screen televisions where the lower screen shows non-stop advertisements. At the time, the start-up’s execs projected that Telly would ship its first 500,000 screens that summer. However, Janko Roettgers of Lowpass reported that Telly only had 35,000 sets in people's homes at the end of the third quarter of 2025. The figure appears to come from a quarterly investor update, but Telly didn't provide Roettgers with any comment on the report.
Personally, I don't think I'd want a free TV that perpetually pelts me with ads, but it seems Telly did in fact have some interest in its approach; the company reportedly had 250,000 pre-orders in June 2023. However, it ran into issues with getting those televisions to customers in one piece. The quarterly report allegedly said that 10 percent of Telly's shipments through FedEx arrived broken. A thread on the company's Reddit page from a year ago backs that up, chronicling delayed shipments and broken replacements. So in short, things aren’t going so great for the company right now.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/telly-has-only-delivered-35000-of-its-free-televisions-with-always-on-ads-215033698.html?src=rssDavid Ellison extends deadline for Warner Bros. Discovery takeover offer
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison is apparently still hopeful that investors will approve his $108.4 billion hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount Skydance announced Thursday that it's extending its all-cash offer to acquire the storied studio, and giving investors until February 20, 2026 to accept. The company's previous offer expired on January 21, but with a lawsuit in the works and a revised Netflix deal to compete with, Paramount Skydance wants to stay in the conversation.
Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery originally announced their $82.7 billion acquisition agreement in December 2025. Netflix's deal is for a significant portion, but notably not all, of Warner Bros. Discovery as it exists today. If approved, the streaming service would acquire Warner Bros. film studios, New Line Cinema, HBO, HBO Max, the company's theme parks, game studios and select linear channels like TNT, but not the collection of reality TV and news programming that Warner Bros. Discovery calls “Global Networks.”
Paramount Skydance made its competing offer of $108.4 billion for all of Warner Bros. Discovery a few days later in December, with the recommendation that shareholders reject the Netflix deal. To add pressure, Paramount Skydance also sued Warner Bros. Discovery in January alleging that the company had not provided adequate information about why it favored Netflix over Paramount. Beyond offering more money, Paramount contends its deal is more likely to be approved by regulators because owning Warner Bros. doesn't "entrench Netflix's market dominance." Warner Bros. Discovery claims that funding for Paramount's deal "remains inadequate" and that the company is uncertain Paramount Skydance will actually be able to complete the deal.
David Ellison was previously able to merge Skydance with Paramount using the financial backing of his billionaire father Larry Ellison, and the Ellison family's friendly relationship with the Trump administration. Promising to make sure that CBS News represents "a diversity of viewpoints” via a newly appointed ombudsman, and that the merged Paramount Skydance won't create any diversity, equity and inclusion programs was enough to get the FCC to approve the merger. Ellison might have thought acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery would be equally easy, but at least so far that hasn't worked out as planned.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/david-ellison-extends-deadline-for-warner-bros-discovery-takeover-offer-204752313.html?src=rssFable will let you be a heartless landlord this fall
After half a decade of waiting, Microsoft finally offered an extended preview of its long-awaited reboot of the beloved Fable RPG franchise on Thursday. During the company’s recent Developer Direct showcase, Playground Games, best known for its works on the Forza Horizon series, shared nearly 11 minutes of gameplay footage and commentary related to the upcoming title. The new game will feature a fully open world for players to explore, with locations from previous Fable games like Bowerstone making a return.
Playground didn’t say exactly where the new game takes place in the Fable timeline. If you played 2010’s Fable 3, you may recall there was a time gap between each of the original games, with the final Lionhead entry giving players the chance to explore a version of Albion that’s been thrown into the tumult of an industrial revolution. This new game appears to offer a more traditional Medieval fantasy setting.
From what little Playground shared of the story, the player character is the first hero born in Albion in a generation. Like previous Fable games, their story will begin when they’re a child. They’ll leave their home of Briar Hill after a “mysterious stranger” turns all the inhabitants into stone. Before you set off on your adventure, you’ll be able to decide what your hero looks like, with customization including options for different skin tones, head shapes, tattoos and scars.
All pretty standard stuff, and combat doesn’t look groundbreaking. Your character can use a combination of melee and ranged weapons, alongside magic, to defeat their foes. In addition to a health bar, enemies appear to have a posture meter players can break through both light and heavy attacks, before carrying out “stylish” finishers. Judging from the footage Playground shared, combat doesn’t quite have the kinetic feel of say a FromSoftware title.
Thankfully, there’s more to the game than just fighting monsters. Like past Fable games, players can ask villagers out on dates, before eventually marrying them and having children, and you’re not limited to a monogamous relationship. It looks like Playground built a modern polycule simulator. Beyond that, you can also purchase every house and business in Albion. The game’s NPCs will develop an opinion of your hero and their actions. Say you evict an artist that lived in one of the houses you bought, you can later meet them on the street and they’ll tell you to your face that you’re awful. Wonderful stuff.
From a technical perspective, the footage Playground showed off looked on the rough side. The game’s frame rate and frame pacing wasn’t smooth, and I’m pretty sure I saw ghosting in some of the animations. Hopefully the studio has enough time between now and when the game is finally released sometime this autumn to polish the presentation. When the game does arrive, it will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PC via Xbox and Steam, PlayStation 5 and Game Pass Ultimate.
Microsoft first announced a new Fable game was in development back in 2020. It then went three years before sharing a preview of the title, which was originally slated to arrive in 2025 before it was delayed to this year last February.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fable-will-let-you-be-a-heartless-landlord-this-fall-200409310.html?src=rssDouble Fine announces delightful-looking multiplayer pottery game Kiln
Double Fine has been on a tear with its smaller projects lately. The popular indie game developer is following up last year's atmospheric adventure game Keeper with a new title in a totally different direction. As its Double Fine founder Tim Schaefer attempted to say five times fast during today's Xbox Developer Direct, Kiln is an "online multiplayer pottery party brawler" that boasts exactly the sort of colorful, clever fun that fans have come to expect from the studio.
Kiln is a game with two facets: creation and destruction. On the creation side, players get to design a ceramic vessel of their choosing, anything from a dainty saucer to a massive vat. From the clips showed, this riff on character creation imitates many of the real processes of throwing on the wheel. There are options to decorate your vessel with glazes and stickers for additional personalization.
Once you've made your pottery creation, it's time to destroy it. The game mode that Double Fine showed off during the Developer Direct is called Quench. In these capture-the-flag style matches, your teammates are trying to carry water in the vessels they've designed to the enemy's kiln, where the goal is to douse its flames before opponents can do the same to yours. Different vessel types have different attacks for smashing enemy ceramics to shards, so there can be a strategic angle to building up a smart team composition with a mix of defensive and offensive capabilities.
Kiln looks like a really fun time, and it is due out in spring 2026. The game will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Steam, as well as through Xbox programs such as Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/double-fine-announces-delightful-looking-multiplayer-pottery-game-kiln-195837155.html?src=rssSubstack now has a TV app
It was only 16 months ago that Substack expanded into live video. Since then, it's become a widely adopted medium on the platform, including by its ever-growing list of cable news expats. Now, the company has decided it's ready for a bigger screen. Starting today, you can install a new Substack TV app on Apple TV and Google TV devices.
Substack describes the app's initial launch as focusing on "reliable, high-quality viewing" for the platform's long-form videos. It centers around video posts and livestreams from the creators and publications you follow. There's also a "For You" section that combines those videos with algorithmic recommendations. And you can browse dedicated pages for each channel.
Viewing access aligns with your subscription level. So, if a channel restricts videos to paying subscribers on Substack’s mobile app and website, the same paywall applies here. However, the company says it's working on adding previews of paid content for free subscribers. It also plans to add audio posts, search, improved discovery and separate sections for different shows within a single publication.
At least one of those legacy media expats who moved to Substack is optimistic about the feature. "This is a game-changing moment for the rise of independent media," former CNN anchor Jim Acosta wrote in the announcement post. "Substack has proven that legacy media consumers are not only searching for fresh alternatives; they are finding them."
Based on the comments in Substack’s announcement, some of the platform’s die-hards are less enthusiastic than Acosta. “File this under – thing we didn’t ask for,” Ashli Pollard wrote. “This is not YouTube,” a commenter named Dustin added. “Elevate the written word.” I personally don’t see any harm in another way to watch the videos Substack already hosts. (Its newsletters aren’t going anywhere.) But given how Big Tech companies tend to pivot further toward the most en vogue (and profitable) medium of the day, I can see why purists feel the need to dig in their heels.
Regardless, you can find the Substack TV app by searching for its name in the tvOS App Store or the Apps section on Google and Android TV devices. You can sign in by scanning a QR code with your phone.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/substack-now-has-a-tv-app-195408592.html?src=rssElon Musk just told Davos that Tesla will sell humanoid robots next year, really, he swears
Elon Musk just took the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and announced that Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot will be sold to the public by the end of next year. Musk is the master of unrealistic timetables, but this may be the nuttiest one yet. These are humanoid robots that are supposed to be able to do just about any task a human can do.
Musk, as usual, gave himself an out if the robots don't start rolling off the assembly line in 2027, saying that they'll only be released when Tesla is "confident that it’s very high reliability, very high safety and the range of functionality is also very high."
He stated that the robots have already begun doing simple tasks in the Tesla factory, but there's no proof of this other than his word. In the real world, Optimus robots have continuously failed to live up to the marketing hype.
If there was any question that Optimus uses teleop for their robots. Here one clearly has a guy take the headset off and it falls over.
— CIX 🦾 (@cixliv) December 8, 2025
Absolutely hilarious though. pic.twitter.com/4gYVohjY00
There have been plenty of reports suggesting that previous demos of the robots in action were actually smoke and mirrors, as they were being remotely piloted by human operators.
Tesla's stock jumped over three percent upon this announcement because company investors live in a world of magical rainbows, unicorns and robots mixing drinks at home in the year 2027. Musk also recently stated that the robots would be ready for commercial deployment in 2026. That's this year. It's worth noting that the program head for the project, Milan Kovac, recently left the company.
Again, these are autonomous robots that are supposed to be able to perform complex tasks across a wide variety of categories. That'll likely happen someday, but not by 2027. I'm just gonna go ahead and throw Musk's timeline in with "two years to AGI" and "five years until the singularity."
On a related note, the Tesla CEO also said that the long-awaited Cybercab will enter production in April, with a goal of two million vehicles manufactured each year. This isn't quite as far-fetched as the Optimus promise, but that two million number seems highly suspect. Just how many consumers does he think want a car without a steering wheel that only holds two people?
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/elon-musk-just-told-davos-that-tesla-will-sell-humanoid-robots-next-year-really-he-swears-192515568.html?src=rssMario Kart World adds a team option in Knockout Tour
Mario Kart World received a free update today that brings a team option to its Knockout Tour mode. Initially, the Knockout races in this Nintendo Switch 2 launch title were only for solo drivers, challenging players to finish ahead of enough other competitors or get eliminated from the series. It was one of the highlights of the game in our review, and this new wrinkle should bring plenty more fun chaos to the racetrack.
In the team mode, players compete either in two teams of twelve, three teams of eight or four teams of six. If you don't have enough people to fill out a team CPU drivers will complete the roster. You’ll still progress or be knocked out based on individual performance, but your score will be pooled with your teammates’ results. More points are awarded for placing highly in a race, with 50 going to the top finisher while drivers who don’t advance to the next course only get one. Eliminated drivers can continue to spectate the game and cheer on their teammates. Team play can be hosted via local wireless or online play.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-adds-a-team-option-in-knockout-tour-190348248.html?src=rssForza Horizon 6 will hit Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 19
Forza Horizon 6 is taking the racing series to Japan for the first time, and now we know exactly when you’ll be able to hit the virtual streets of Tokyo. The game will arrive on Xbox Series X/S, PC and Xbox Cloud on May 19, with an early access period commencing on May 15. That lines up with earlier reports about the release date(s) after an in-game ad supposedly appeared in Forza Horizon 5. The upcoming title will hit PS5 later this year.
The standard edition of Forza Horizon 6 is expected to cost $70, though it will be on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. To jump in a few days early, you’ll need the premium edition (a deluxe edition will be available too).
Playground Games and co-developer Turn 10 Studios offered a first look at gameplay during Thursday’s Xbox Developer Direct showcase. You’ll start out by working through Horizon qualifiers in order to join the Horizon Festival racing circuit, then you’ll unlock faster cars and other goodies as you rise up through the ranks. In a few feature called Horizon Rush, you’ll take on obstacle courses.
Playground says this is the largest Forza Horizon game to date. This version of Tokyo, for instance, is said to be five times larger than any urban area the studio has built before and it has multiple districts. There are lots of rural areas in the game as well, and the environments are affected by seasonal changes. As has been the case in previous games, you’ll be able to explore the world as you wish, either solo or with your friends.
There will be more than 550 cars available at the jump, and you’ll be able to apply liveries to their windows. Each player house has a customizable garage. You can build up a part of the world called The Estate as you see fit and your friends can visit to see what you’ve made (building will be available in multiplayer for the first time in the series too). There are also new open-world car meets where you can show off your whips, buy copies of other players’ rides and download more songs.
Playground is including all of the accessibility features from previous games. It’s adding new ones as well, such as a customizable high-contrast mode and an autodrive option.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/forza-horizon-6-will-hit-xbox-series-xs-and-pc-on-may-19-183242726.html?src=rssAn AI pin is beneath Apple
So it's come to this: Apple is reportedly working on a wearable AI pin. According to The Information, it is going to be a small device with "multiple cameras, a speaker, microphones and wireless charging." It sounds like the perfect gadget to pair with the long-awaited AI-powered Siri update, which will also reportedly work as a chatbot. But while many Apple rumors conjure up an air of excitement, the notion of an Apple AI pin sounds downright baffling. Worse, it just seems desperate.
Apple, the company known for taking its time to jump into new categories with more thoughtful solutions than its competitors, is reportedly chasing the specter of OpenAI's unreleased AI pin. Never mind that OpenAI has never actually produced any hardware, and that it arguably stumbled into its position as a leading AI player. And never mind that Humane's AI pin was a notorious failure that barely worked, and seemed pointless from the start.
Sure, Apple doesn't want more AI eggs on its face, after the delay of its Siri revamp and the underwhelming (and error-prone) debut of Apple Intelligence. Beyond OpenAI, there's also competition from Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, which lean heavily on the company’s AI. There’s also the looming threat of whatever AI hardware Meta is cooking up next, following the layoffs from its virtual reality division. And while Google doesn’t have much to show from its Android XR platform, which aims to bring its Gemini AI to your face, Samsung’s Galaxy XR is a start. We’ve also recently seen compelling demos of Google’s AR glasses prototypes and Xreal’s Project Aura glasses.
If Apple's AI pin serves as a conduit to Siri, is it really that much more convenient than using an iPhone, AirPods or even an Apple Watch to do the same? The company has reportedly nixed plans to put cameras in the Apple Watch, and Bloomberg suggests it’s opting instead to focus on delivering its own smart glasses this year. But it’s not hard to imagine that faster hardware could let the Apple Watch handle more Siri and AI-related tasks on its own. It’s already a fairly self-sufficient device, allowing you to ask basic Siri queries, run apps and listen to music without an iPhone — the cellular models are even more capable since they can take calls and send messages.
Rumors also point to infrared cameras coming to the next AirPods and AirPod Pros. Instead of taking photos, they could enable hand gestures and environmental awareness, which might be useful for Apple Intelligence down the line. The addition of heart rate tracking in the AirPods Pro 3 shows that there are still new features Apple can bring to its buds, beyond listening to music.
At best, an Apple AI pin could just be a simple way for someone to access Siri if they don’t want to wear an Apple Watch, plug in AirPods or have their iPhone within shouting distance. But at least those devices do other things beyond talking to Siri. The same is true for Meta’s Ray-Bans and future smart glasses. Even without accessing AI, they’ll still let you listen to music, take calls and, well, be glasses for those who need prescription frames.
Given the vocal pushback against Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, which are also being banned on cruises, clubs and other venues, I'm also not convinced many people would be eager to prominently display a surveillance device throughout the day. Wired’s Julian Chokkattu was questioned about wearing a camera while he was testing the Humane AI Pin, and I’ve also had to explain to curious people why I was wearing Xreal’s smart glasses, which feature a prominent camera accessory.
Sure, we're already living in a panopticon of smartphone cameras, but it's also obvious when someone is using their phone to capture photos and video. An AI pin just dangling off of your clothes is a constant threat, an unblinking eye. Even if Apple implements some sort of capture notification, someone will always try to circumvent it.
While The Information notes Apple's AI pin may never actually see the light of day, I wouldn't be surprised if it does. This is the company that partnered with OpenAI just to make Siri appear slightly smarter with the debut of Apple Intelligence. And instead of building its own home-brewed AI models, it's banking on Google's Gemini to power Siri's big AI upgrade, as well as its future foundation models. When it comes to AI, Apple will do almost anything to avoid being seen as a straggler (and to avoid even more stock declines).
It’s genuinely strange that Apple, the company that let Samsung and Google get a multi-year head start on foldable smartphones and hasn't yet jumped into the world of smart rings, could fast-track an AI pin for 2027. It’s yet another example of how the AI hype cycle has warped priorities throughout the tech industry. But at least Apple’s fortunes don’t depend on standalone AI hardware as much as OpenAI.
Korg's new experimental synthesizer combines acoustic sounds with electronic control
Korg just officially unveiled the Phase8 synthesizer, after years of tinkering by a team led by legendary engineer Tatsuya Takahashi. This is a highly experimental synthesizer, but it's not a concept unit. It'll be available for purchase in April.
The Phase8 uses a new form of "acoustic synthesis" that combines acoustic sound generation with electronic control. Takahashi says the synthesizer is "beyond analog vs. digital" and "beyond electronics" altogether. It features chromatically tuned steel resonators, which creates an acoustic sound similar to that of a kalimba. These signals can be manipulated via onboard effects and sequenced like a traditional synthesizer. Here's a video of the synth in action.
Players can mess with the resonators just like they would a guitar string or a piano key. Korg recommends that users physically touch, pluck, strum and tap the resonators to create new textures and tones. The company even suggests that people actually put objects on top of each resonator for additional experimentation. There's a slider that boots or dampens the acoustic response.
As for the electronics, the Phase8 boasts dedicated envelopes and velocity control for each resonator and there's a polymetric step sequencer. The sequences can be stored and recalled via eight memory slots. All controls can be automated across a sequence. There are a handful of modulation effects, including tremolo and pitch-shift.
It features modern connectivity options, including MIDI in/out via 3.5mm, USB MIDI, a standard ¼-inch audio out and a headphone jack, among other options. Preorders are open right now, but hold on to your jaw. This thing costs $1,150.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/korgs-new-experimental-synthesizer-combines-acoustic-sounds-with-electronic-control-180809332.html?src=rssGrok generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images — including 23,000 of children — over 11 days
We already knew xAI's Grok was barraging X with nonconsensual sexual images of real people. But now there are some numbers to put things in perspective. Over an 11-day period, Grok generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images — including an estimated 23,000 of children.
Put another way, Grok generated an estimated 190 sexualized images per minute during that 11-day period. Among those, it made a sexualized image of children once every 41 seconds.
On Thursday, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) published its findings. The British nonprofit based its findings on a random sample of 20,000 Grok images from December 29 to January 9. The CCDH then extrapolated a broader estimate based on the 4.6 million images Grok generated during that period.
The research defined sexualized images as those with "photorealistic depictions of a person in sexual positions, angles, or situations; a person in underwear, swimwear or similarly revealing clothing; or imagery depicting sexual fluids." The CCDH didn't take image prompts into account, so the estimate doesn't differentiate between nonconsensual sexualized versions of real photos and those generated exclusively from a text prompt.
The CCDH used an AI tool to identify the proportion of the sampled images that were sexualized. That may warrant some degree of caution in the findings. However, I'm told that many third-party analytics services for X have reliable data because they use the platform's API.
On January 9, xAI restricted Grok's ability to edit existing images to paid users. (That didn't solve the problem; it merely turned it into a premium feature.) Five days later, X restricted Grok's ability to digitally undress real people.
But that restriction only applied to X; the standalone Grok app reportedly continues to generate these images. Since Apple and Google host the apps — which their policies explicitly prohibit — you might expect them to remove them from their stores. Well, in that case, you'd be wrong.
So far, Tim Cook's Apple and Sundar Pichai's Google haven’t removed Grok from their stores — unlike similar “nudifying” apps from other developers. The companies also didn’t take any action on X while it was producing the images. That’s despite 28 women’s groups (and other progressive advocacy nonprofits) publishing an open letter calling on the companies to act.
The companies haven't replied to multiple requests for comment from Engadget. To my knowledge, they haven't acknowledged the issue publicly in any format, nor have they responded to questions from other media outlets.
The research’s findings on sexualized images included numerous outputs of people wearing transparent bikinis or micro-bikinis. The CCDH referred to one of a "uniformed healthcare worker with white fluids visible between her spread legs." Others included women wearing only dental floss, Saran Wrap or transparent tape. One depicted Ebba Busch, Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister, "wearing a bikini with white fluid on her head."
Other public figures were part of that group. They include Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj, Christina Hendricks, Millie Bobby Brown and Kamala Harris.
Examples of children include someone using Grok to edit a child's "before-school selfie" into an image of her in a bikini. Another image depicted "six young girls wearing micro bikinis." The CCDH said that, as of January 15, both of these posts were still live on X.
In total, 29 percent of the sexualized images of children identified in the sample were still accessible on X as of January 15. The research found that even after posts were removed, the images remained accessible via their direct URLs.
You can read the CCDH's report for more details on the results and methodology. We’ll update this story if we receive a reply from Apple or Google.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-generated-an-estimated-3-million-sexualized-images--including-23000-of-children--over-11-days-175053250.html?src=rssHow to watch the 2026 Super Bowl: TV channel, where to stream and more
We might still be in the midst of the playoffs, but that doesn't mean we can't plan ahead for Super Bowl LX. For those of you who just can't with Roman numerals, thats Super Bowl 60, and it's taking place this year at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, on February 8, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Like all other Sunday Night Football games this season, the championship game will be broadcast on Super Bowl Sunday on NBC, and will stream live on Peacock. And it's not just the game that we're excited for, either. This year's halftime performer is singer and rapper Bad Bunny, and there will be pre-game performances by Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile, and Coco Jones, it's truly an incredible lineup of talent. So while we wait to find out which teams will be competing in this year's game, the least we can do is let you know everything you need to know to tune in to Super Bowl LX when it airs on Feb. 8.
How to watch Super Bowl LX
Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV channel: NBC, Telemundo
Streaming: Peacock, DirecTV, NFL+ and more
2026 Super Bowl game time
The 2026 Super Bowl is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Feb. 8, 2026.
2026 Super Bowl game channel
The 2026 Super Bowl will air on NBC, with a Spanish-language broadcast available on Telemundo.
Where is the 2026 Super Bowl being played?
The 2026 Super Bowl will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
What teams are playing in the 2026 Super Bowl?
The teams for the 2026 Super Bowl will be determined after the AFC and NFC Championship games are played on Sunday, Jan. 25. You can keep tabs on the post-season playoff bracket here.
How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl without cable
You can stream NBC and Telemundo on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV, both of which are among Engadget's choices for best streaming services for live TV. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not available on the platform.) The game will also be streaming on Peacock and on NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you're limited to watching the game on mobile devices.
Who is performing at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show?
Bad Bunny, who holds the title as the most-streamed artist in the world, will be headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance. You can expect that show to begin after the second quarter, likely between 8-8:30 p.m. ET. Singer Charlie Puth will also be at the game to perform the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile is scheduled to sing "America The Beautiful," and Coco Jones will perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
Where to buy tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl:
Tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl are available on third-party resale platforms like StubHub and Gametime.
Find tickets on Stubhub Find tickets on GametimeMore ways to watch Super Bowl LX
GeForce Now adds support for flight controllers
It only seems right that cloud gaming should welcome virtual pilots, and that’s definitely now the case if GeForce Now is your streaming platform of choice. One of the most frequently requested features from its community according to NVIDIA, flight control support has now been added to its GeForce Now offering, meaning you can live your Top Gun fantasies without worrying about your rig buckling under the pressure.
The first compatible peripheral is the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One — which incidentally NVIDIA is giving away to five winners of a competition it’s currently running, along with a month of GeForce Now Ultimate — with more to be supported over time. A dedicated row in the GeForce Now app will highlight games that you can play with flight controls, one of which will be Team Jade’s Delta Force, which arrives on the service soon.
Last year NVIDIA started using RTX 5080 GPUs to power its $20-per-month GeForce Now Ultimate servers, allowing for 5K streaming up to 120fps. Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar called the update a "cloud gaming revelation" and was blown away by how sharp and smooth the experience was.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/geforce-now-adds-support-for-flight-controllers-171047006.html?src=rssThe best VPN deals: Up to 87 percent off ProtonVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, NordVPN and more
In a chaotic world, one thing you can count on is your own common-sense steps toward better cybersecurity. Most of the holiday deals are over by now, but plenty of services are still offering excellent prices. With access to a virtual private network (VPN), you can stream TV shows and events from all over the world, protect your information from hackers and thwart online trackers.
We strongly recommend using a VPN, but you might get stuck with a substandard app if you jump on the very first deal you see. You might also mistakenly end up paying more than you want to, as even otherwise respectable VPNs sometimes frame their prices in misleading ways, with advertised deals not always as available as they seem to be.
Even so, there are some great bargains on the table. Many of the best VPNs — including our top pick, Proton VPN — are still running deals that save you anywhere from 70 to 87 percent on annual subscriptions. Most of these discounts only apply if you sign up for a year or more, but if you divide the cost by the months of subscription, it's much cheaper over time.
Best VPN deals
ExpressVPN Basic — $78.18 for a two-year subscription with four months free (78 percent off): This is one of the best VPNs, especially for new users, who will find its apps and website headache-free on all platforms. In tests for my ExpressVPN review, it dropped my download speeds by less than 7 percent and successfully changed my virtual location 14 out of 15 times. In short, it's an all-around excellent service that only suffers from being a little overpriced — which is why I'm so excited whenever I find it offering a decent deal. This discount, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents a 78 percent savings. Be aware, though, that it'll renew at the $99.95 per year price.
ExpressVPN Advanced — $100.58 for a two-year subscription with four months free (74 percent off): ExpressVPN recently split its pricing into multiple tiers, but they all still come with similar discounts for going long. In addition to top-tier VPN service, advanced users get two additional simultaneous connections (for a total of 12), the ExpressVPN Keys password manager, advanced ad and tracker blocking, ID protection features and a 50 percent discount on an AirCove router. As above, note that it renews at $119.95 annually.
NordVPN Basic — $81.36 for a two-year subscription (70 percent off): NordVPN gets the most important parts of a VPN right. It's fast, it doesn't leak any of your data and it's great at changing your virtual location. I noted in my NordVPN review that it always connects quickly and includes a support page that makes it easy to get live help. NordVPN includes a lot of cool features, like servers that instantly connect you to Tor. This deal gives you 70 percent off the two-year plan.
NordVPN Plus — $93.36 for a two-year subscription (74 percent off): NordVPN has also taken 70 percent off its Plus subscription. For only a little more, you get a powerful ad and tracker blocker that can also catch malware downloads, plus access to the NordPass password manager. A Plus plan also adds a data breach scanner that checks the dark web for your sensitive information.
Surfshark Starter — $53.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): This is the "basic" level of Surfshark, but it includes the entire VPN; everything on Surfshark One is an extra perk. With this subscription, you'll get some of the most envelope-pushing features in the VPN world right now. Surfshark can rotate your IP constantly to help you evade detection — it even lets you choose your own entry and exit nodes for a double-hop connection. That all comes with a near-invisible impact on download speeds. With this year-round deal, you can save 87 percent on 27 months of Surfshark.
Surfshark One — $67.23 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): A VPN is great, but it's not enough to protect your data all on its own. Surfshark One adds several apps that boost your security beyond just VPN service, including Surfshark Antivirus (scans devices and downloads for malware) and Surfshark Alert (alerts you whenever your sensitive information shows up in a data breach), plus Surfshark Search and Alternative ID from the tier below. This extra-low deal gives you 88 percent off all those features. If you bump up to Surfshark One+, you'll also get data removal through Incogni, but the price jumps enough that it's not quite worthwhile in my eyes.
CyberGhost — $56.94 for a two-year subscription with four months free (84 percent off): CyberGhost has some of the best automation you'll see on any VPN. With its Smart Rules system, you can determine how its apps respond to different types of Wi-Fi networks, with exceptions for specific networks you know by name. Typically, you can set it to auto-connect, disconnect or send you a message asking what to do. CyberGhost's other best feature is its streaming servers — I've found both better video quality and more consistent unblocking when I use them on streaming sites. Currently, you can get 28 months of CyberGhost for 79 percent off the usual price, but it'll renew at $56.94 per year.
hide.me — $69.95 for a two-year subscription with four months free (75 percent off): Hide.me is an excellent free VPN — in fact, it's my favorite on the market, even with EventVPN and the free version of Proton VPN as competition. If you do want to upgrade to its paid plan, though, the two-year subscription offers great savings. Hide.me works well as a no-frills beginner VPN, with apps and a server network it should frankly be charging more for.
Private Internet Access — $79 for a three-year subscription with four months free (83 percent off): With this deal, you can get 40 months of Private Internet Access (PIA) for a little bit under $2 per month — an 83 percent discount on its monthly price. You can also get a shorter one-year subscription for $40 ($3.33 per month). Despite being so cheap, PIA has plenty of features, coming with its own DNS servers, a built-in ad blocker and automation powers to rival CyberGhost. However, internet speeds can fluctuate while you're connected.
What makes a good VPN deal
Practically every VPN heavily discounts its long-term subscriptions year-round, with even sharper discounts around occasions like the holidays. The only noteworthy exception is Mullvad, the Costco hot dog of VPNs (that's a compliment, to be clear). When there's constantly a huge discount going on, it can be hard to tell when you're actually getting a good deal. The best way to squeeze out more savings is to look for seasonal deals, student discounts or exclusive sales like Proton VPN's coupon for Engadget readers.
One trick VPNs often use is to add extra months onto an introductory deal, pushing the average monthly price even lower. When it comes time to renew, you usually can't get these extra months again. You often can't even renew for the same basic period of time — for example, you may only be able to renew a two-year subscription for one year. If you're planning to hold onto a VPN indefinitely, check the fine print to see how much it will cost per month after the first renewal, and ensure that fits into your budget.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-vpn-deals-up-to-88-percent-off-protonvpn-surfshark-expressvpn-nordvpn-and-more-120056445.html?src=rssAMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU will arrive on January 29 and cost $499
At CES earlier this month, AMD announced the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, a more wallet-friendly take on its $700 9950X3D. The company promised the new chip would be out sometime in the first three months of the year, and it's going to arrive a bit sooner than you might have expected. It can be all yours on January 29 for $499.
AMD says the 9850X3D builds on the 9800X3D with an 400MHz upgrade to the boost clock. It can reach boost speeds of 5.6GHz. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D is an 8-core CPU with 16 threads and 104MB of combined L2 and L3 cache. AMD is employing its 3D V-cache tech so it can vertically stack more cache memory onto the chip.
The 9850X3D also has a 120W TDP. AMD claims the CPU is able to deliver an average 27 percent faster gaming performance than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285k. We'll be able to assess that for ourselves very soon given that the 9850X3D will hit shelves in just a few days.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amds-ryzen-7-9850x3d-cpu-will-arrive-on-january-29-and-cost-499-165000446.html?src=rssNetflix scores Oscar nominations for Frankenstein and KPop Demon Hunters
The nominees for the 2026 Academy Awards were just announced and Ryan Coogler's vampire-adjacent period drama Sinners received a record-breaking 16 nominations. That's the highest number of Oscar nominations for a single film in the history of the awards, followed by Titanic, La La Land and All About Eve with 14 noms each.
Sinners grabbed a nomination in nearly every major category, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. The same goes for the performances, as Michael B. Jordan captured the nomination for Best Actor. Even Delroy Lindo got nominated for Best Supporting Actor, which is his very first Oscar nomination after 50 years in the business.
Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another walked away with 13 nominations and Yorgos Lanthimos' Bugonia scored four. Apple's F1 actually got nominated for Best Picture, which is unusual for a popcorn-style blockbuster. Netflix scored Best Picture noms for both Frankenstein and Train Dreams.
Netflix also got its flowers for the international animated sensation KPop Demon Hunters. It got nominated for Best Animated Feature and, of course, Best Original Song.
The 98th annual Academy Awards will take place on March 15, with Conan O'Brien returning to host. It'll be broadcast live on ABC. The awards ceremony will be moving to YouTube in 2029.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/netflix-scores-oscar-nominations-for-frankenstein-and-kpop-demon-hunters-163521141.html?src=rssWaymo is now available in Miami
Waymo’s fully autonomous robotaxis are now accepting passengers in Miami. The city was one of five named in expansion plans last year, and joins the likes of Phoenix, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area on Waymo’s existing network.
Waymo says that nearly 10,000 Miami residents have signed up so far, and that it will send out invites to new riders on a rolling basis" in the weeks and months to come. The autonomous ride-hailing service will initially cover a 60-square-mile area that includes neighborhoods like the Design District and Wynwood, with Waymo planning to expand to Miami International Airport soon.
Waymo started testing robotaxi rides in Miami in November, without passengers initially, which allows it to spot local potential issues and local quirks, and adjust the driving algorithm so things go smoothly once humans are involved. The company insists that autonomous vehicles are safe and reliable, claiming a "ten-fold reduction" in serious injuries caused by crashes compared to human drivers in its current areas of operation.
Waymo’s Florida expansion will move to Orlando next, with the Texas cities of San Antonio, Houston and Dallas also on the agenda for 2026.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymo-is-now-available-in-miami-162515070.html?src=rssXbox Developer Direct 2026: How to watch and what we expect to see from Fable, Forza Horizon 6 and Beast of Reincarnation
Xbox is set to hold the fourth installment of its now-annual Developer Direct showcase on January 22. You’ll be able to watch the 2026 edition at 1PM ET on YouTube (including versions with audio descriptions and ASL), Twitch, Facebook and Steam. Xbox will stream the Developer Direct on its regional channels simultaneously, and it’ll be available on Bilibili on Friday.
The YouTube stream might be the way to go, since that one will be available in 4K and 60 fps. Because we’re so nice, we’ve embedded that stream above, so all you have to do is click the play button when the time is right.
Microsoft has confirmed that it will feature three titles at the Developer Showcase: Fable and Forza Horizon 6 from Playground Games, and Beast of Reincarnation from Game Freak, which is best known for its work on Pokémon games. We should get developer interviews, gameplay footage and (for at least one of those) a release date.
There is a chance that there will be some surprises, of course. The three previous editions of Developer Direct all featured five games — the first one showcased Hi-Fi Rush, which was released on the same day.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-developer-direct-2026-how-to-watch-and-what-we-expect-to-see-from-fable-forza-horizon-6-and-beast-of-reincarnation-161000242.html?src=rssAI Mode in Google search can now pull context from your other apps
After adding Personal Intelligence to Gemini as an opt-in experience, Google has announced that it’s also integrating the feature into AI Mode in Search. What Personal Intelligence does is pull information from your Google apps to tailor its responses based on your history and interests. For Search, in particular, you can allow Personal Intelligence to look for information in your Gmail accounts and Google Photos libraries.
If you use AI Mode to shop for clothes with the new feature enabled, for instance, Google could recommend items or models from a brand you previously purchased from. If it sees plane tickets or other reservations in Gmail, Google could also recommend specific items based on your destination and the season if you’re clothes shopping for that trip.
Personal Intelligence is powered by Google’s Gemini 3 AI model. The company says it doesn’t train its models using information from your Gmail inbox or Google Photos library, but it does use your prompts and AI Mode’s responses. Google also warned that sometimes, the feature’s recommendations could feel inaccurate because it could not fully comprehend the context or could make incorrect connections between separate topics.
At the moment, Personal Intelligence is an experimental feature that’s rolling out in Labs starting today. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US, who use the service in English, will automatically have access to it and be able to connect AI Mode to Gmail and Google Photos. It will only be available to personal Google accounts, however, and not for Workspace accounts just yet.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ai-mode-in-google-search-can-now-pull-context-from-your-other-apps-160000103.html?src=rss