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Google Maps will finally be usable in South Korea
5 hours ago
by Steve Dent
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Google will finally be able to provide real-time driving and walking directions in South Korea, The New York Times reported. The company has received permission from the nation's Transport Ministry to export geographic data out of the country, which will allow it to provide GPS services as well as detailed listings for restaurants and other businesses.
"We welcome today’s decision and look forward to our ongoing collaboration with local officials to bring a fully functioning Google Maps to Korea," Google's senior executive Cris Turner told the NYT in a statement. However, the approval is contingent “on the condition that strict security
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The best Wi-Fi extenders in 2026
6 hours ago
by Valentina Palladino
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Valentina Palladino
Weak Wi-Fi can turn everyday tasks into small frustrations, whether it’s a video call that drops mid-sentence or a stream that refuses to load in certain rooms. If upgrading your router isn’t an option, a Wi-Fi extender can be a practical way to stretch your existing network farther and smooth out coverage gaps — without rewiring your home or rearranging furniture.
Today’s Wi-Fi extenders range from simple plug-in repeaters to more advanced models that behave like miniature access points or mesh nodes. Some are best suited for extending coverage to a single room, while others are designed to preserve faster speeds
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Anthropic refuses to bow to Pentagon despite Hegseth's threats
7 hours ago
by Steve Dent
Politics & Government, Military & Defense, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Despite an ultimatum from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Anthropic said that it can't "in good conscience" comply with a Pentagon edict to remove guardrails on its AI, CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a blog post. The Department of Defense had threatened to cancel a $200 million contract and label Anthropic a "supply chain risk" if it didn't agree to remove safeguards over mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.
"Our strong preference is to continue to serve the Department and our warfighters — with our two requested safeguards in place," Amodei said. "We remain ready to continue our work to support the national
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Netflix backs out of Warner Bros. Discovery bidding war
16 hours ago
by Anna Washenko
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
For anyone who has been following the soap opera unfolding between Netflix and Paramount Skydance over the past few months in their financial brinksmanship to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the saga may be nearing its end. Today, WBD said its board of directors have determined that the latest offer from Paramount Skydance amounted to the better proposal. The media outfit gave Netflix four business days to match Paramount's terms, but the streamer didn't waste any time in declining to raise its own bid.
"We believe we would have been strong stewards of Warner Bros.' iconic brands, and that our deal would
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iFi's new GO Link 2 DAC is a cheap way to reap the lossless benefits of your Spotify plan
16 hours ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Audio Technology, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Audio company iFi just introduced a new DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) that's both smaller and lighter than its previous model, and only costs $59. The iFi GO Link 2 connects to a smartphone or other audio-playing device over USB-C and can instantly improve the listening experience on wired headphones.
Wireless earbuds and music streaming services have normalized listening to your favorite songs at a lower quality. For anyone who doesn't consider themselves an audiophile, that might not matter, but now that several streaming services offer higher sample rates and lossless audio, you might consider other ways of listening. In order to experience
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Block, the parent of Square and Cash App, is laying off over 4,000 people
17 hours ago
by Anna Washenko
Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Block is the latest business to announce layoffs, with the operator of payment platforms Square and Cash App opting to cut jobs in favor of using more AI tools. The financial tech company, helmed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, is slashing its current staff of 10,000 to "just under 6,000." CNBC highlighted a letter Block sent to shareholders announcing the decision to nearly halve its workforce. According to the message from Dorsey:
"The core thesis is simple. Intelligence tools have changed what it means to build and run a company. We're already seeing it internally. A significantly smaller team, using the
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Guitar Hero vets RedOctane reveal their new music game
17 hours ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Media, Video Games, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
RedOctane Games, a relaunched version of one of the studios behind the very first Guitar Hero, has shared a first trailer for its new music game, Stage Tour. The original RedOctane was shut down by Activision in 2010, and only recently reformed under Embracer Freemode to create a new music game franchise in August 2025.
Stage Tour is playable solo or with other players in a band, according to RedOctane, and supports inputs from a keyboard and mouse on top of the expected guitar, drums and microphone accessories. The studio plans to primarily offer the game digitally, but hopes to also
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Meta sues advertisers in Brazil and China over 'celeb bait' scams
18 hours ago
by Karissa Bell
Business, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Karissa Bell
Meta has sued the people and groups behind three scam operations that used images and deepfakes of celebrities to lure users to scam websites. According to the company, the three entities were based in China and Brazil and targeted people in the US, Japan and other countries. The ads promoted fraudulent investment schemes and fake health products.
Meta said that it had filed lawsuits against several people in Brazil who promoted fake or unapproved healthcare products and online courses promoting them. The company also sued a China-based entity it says used ads featuring celebrities "as part of a larger fraud scheme
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NATO approves the iPhone and iPad for classified use
19 hours ago
by Will Shanklin
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Apple's mobile devices are secure enough for NATO. Following extensive testing by the German government, the iPhone and iPad are now considered secure enough for the NATO-restricted classified level.
Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik, or BSI) tested the devices. BSI first approved the iPhone and iPad for governmental use by German authorities in 2022. To take the additional step of NATO approval, Apple says BSI conducted exhaustive technical assessments, comprehensive testing and deep security analysis.
Unless you work for NATO, this won't mean a thing to you. But at least it appears to bolster some
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An AI-generated Resident Evil Requiem review briefly made it on Metacritic
20 hours ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Review aggregator Metacritic has removed a review of Resident Evil Requiem because it was AI-generated, Kotaku reports. The review was published by UK gaming site VideoGamer, but appears to be "written" by a fake AI journalist rather than a real person.
While it's unfortunately difficult to confirm with 100 percent accuracy whether a piece of text is AI-generated, you don't have to read VideoGamer's review for long to notice all the ways it feels off. The biggest giveaway, beyond heavy use of contrived metaphors, is a striking lack of detail beyond what you could glean from a trailer for the game.
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The new $25 action game from the creator of Just Cause arrives on April 8
20 hours ago
by Matt Tate
Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
We’re still waiting for releases dates for Remedy’s in-development Max Payne remakes, but if you’re in need of a noir fix sooner than that, keep an eye on Liquid Swords’ Samson: A Tyndalston Story, which just got a release date of April 8.
The debut game from a new studio formed by Just Cause creator Christofer Sundberg, Samson looks like a tighter, more narrative-led experience than Avalanche’s proudly ridiculous open-world series, but no less packed with over-the-top action. You play as the eponymous Samson McRay, a man down on his luck and seriously in debt in the punishing city of Tyndalston.
"Samson
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Apple and Netflix are teaming up to share Formula 1 programming
20 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Apple and Netflix have entered into a rather surprising partnership. The dynamic streaming duo will share Formula 1 programming, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The deal allows Netflix to stream the F1 Canadian Grand Prix in May, along with Apple TV. On the flipside, Apple TV and Netflix will both air season eight of the docuseries Drive to Survive.
The Netflix-created series spotlights various F1 drivers and their teams. The season premieres at midnight on both platforms. Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior VP of services, said that Netflix "has played a pivotal role in growing F1 since the launch of Drive to
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eBay will lay off 800 workers, or 6 percent of its staff
20 hours ago
by Anna Washenko
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
eBay announced that it is cutting about 800 jobs from its global staff. "We are taking steps to reinvest across our business and align our structure with our strategic priorities, which will affect certain roles across our workforce," the retailer said in a statement as reported by Bloomberg. This move will see about 6 percent of eBay's current full-time workers laid off. Bloomberg noted that eBay would continue hiring in "key areas" but did not specify what those fields are.
The downsizing follows a week of business updates for eBay. On the same day it shared its latest financial results, the
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Everything you need to know about streaming F1 on Apple TV
21 hours ago
by Billy Steele
Motor Racing, Technology & Electronics, Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
We’ve known Apple would follow up its blockbuster film F1: The Movie with live coverage of F1 races in 2026. Now that we’re approaching the first grand prix weekend of the year, the company has provided details on what fans can expect to see inside the Apple TV app and beyond.
There’s already a dedicated F1 channel in the Apple TV app, which is where you’ll stream races live when the time comes. You can also watch practice sessions, sprint races and both pre- and post-race coverage. Apple offers a number of additional F1 videos there (I’d recommend watching the one
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Ambient Dreamie bedside companion review: The best sleep I've had in years
21 hours ago
by Cheyenne MacDonald
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald
How much would you pay for a good night's sleep? This is a question I've asked myself repeatedly over the last few weeks as I've been testing the Dreamie, a $250 alarm clock and "bedside companion" that I couldn't stop thinking about after I first encountered it at CES.
Ambient's Dreamie offers many of the conveniences of a smartphone-connected device — highly customizable alarm schedules, a library of soundscapes and noise masks, Bluetooth so you can connect earbuds and podcasts (soon). But it is phone-free every step of the way, with all controls and features built-in so you don't end up
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Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked: The Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy Buds 4 and more
a day ago
by Kris Holt
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
Mobile World Congress is right around the corner, but Samsung got out ahead of many rivals that will be showing off new handsets at that event by running the latest edition of Unpacked on Wednesday. At its event in San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, the company revealed the Galaxy S26 lineup, which includes the base S26, the S26+ and the S26 Ultra. We've got some hands-on time with all three handsets as well, and you can read about our in-person experience with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, as well as our S26 and S26+ impressions in those articles.
In addition to
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Burger King will use AI to monitor employee 'friendliness'
a day ago
by Will Shanklin
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Burger King, the chain that leans into creepy when others don't dare, is at it again. The Verge reported on Thursday that the company is rolling out a new voice-controlled AI chatbot for its workers. That may sound like business as usual in 2026, but this assistant doesn't just help with meal prep and monitor inventory. It also has an unsettling habit of surveilling employees' voices for "friendliness."
The voice-controlled chatbot will live inside employees' headsets. The company said the AI is trained to recognize when its low-paid workers utter phrases like "welcome to Burger King," "please" and "thank you." Managers
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Like so many other retirees, Claude Opus 3 now has a Substack
a day ago
by Matt Tate
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
We appear to have reached a point in the information age where AI models are becoming old enough to retire from, er, service — and rather than using their twilight years to, I don’t know, wipe the floor with human chess leagues or something, they're now writing blogs. Can anything be more 2026 than that?
ICYMI, Anthropic recently sunsetted Claude Opus 3, the first of its models to be retired since outlining new preservation plans. Part of this process is conducting "retirement interviews" with the outgoing models, allowing them to offer "perspective" on their situation, and Opus 3 apparently used this
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The astronaut whose illness forced an early return from the ISS was Mike Fincke
a day ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
NASA recently ended a manned mission to the International Space Station (ISS) a month early, citing a medical issue with one of the astronauts. The space agency just revealed that the impacted astronaut was Mike Fincke. This was the first medical evacuation in the history of the ISS.
NASA wrote a statement saying that the astronaut experienced an unknown medical event on January 7 "that required immediate attention" from his fellow crew members. Fincke added that his "status quickly stabilized" thanks to the "quick response and the guidance" of the flight surgeons.
However, the incident did force NASA to cancel a spacewalk
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Google's Nano Banana 2 is a faster version of Nano Banana Pro
a day ago
by Mariella Moon
Software, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
Google has launched its new image generation model, the Nano Banana 2, which is powered by Gemini 3.1 Flash Image. The company says the new model has the capabilities, world knowledge and reasoning of Nano Banana Pro, but it can accomplish tasks at “lightning-fast speed.” That enables rapid editing and the quick creation of various iterations using a single prompt.
Nano Banana 2 will give more people access to capabilities that were previously exclusive to the Pro model. That includes Pro’s ability to pull real-time information and images from web searches to create, say, infographics and diagrams. It will also be
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Tim Cook confirms a week of Apple product reveals
a day ago
by Kris Holt
Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
Apple CEO Tim Cook has teased “a big week ahead" for Apple, starting on the morning of Monday, March 2. The company had already announced an in-person event for media and creators on March 4, while rumors had pointed toward Apple revealing at least five products over three days next week, so it looks like the stars are aligning for that to actually be the case.
Cook all but confirmed that Apple is about to reveal its newest MacBooks in the coming days. His tweet features a short video of someone shaping an Apple logo on a surface that appears to
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AI robotics company started by Alphabet is joining Google proper
a day ago
by Andre Revilla
Software, Robots, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Andre Revilla
Robotics company Intrinsic has announced it will be folding into Google as the company bets on the future of physical AI in manufacturing. The company focuses on software tools to make robots more affordable and easier to use, as well as using adaptive intelligence to help the robots perform real-world tasks.
Intrinsic was started in 2021 as an Alphabet "Other Bets" project, part of a portfolio of high-risk and potentially high-payoff startups, Waymo among them. The project will now run as a "distinct group" within Google where it will leverage Gemini and Google Cloud while working closely with the Google DeepMind
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NVIDIA updates Shield TV after pledging further support
a day ago
by Matt Tate
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
NVIDIA is a very busy company, and between all the graphics cards and AI-chasing, it wouldn’t be wholly surprising to see the company forget about its more niche offerings, such as the Android-powered NVIDIA Shield TV. Happily for all those who own one of these powerful set-top boxes, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Not only is NVIDIA continuing to support its Shield devices, but it’s just rolled out its first proper update in nearly a year. The Shield Experience Upgrade 9.2.4, to give it its proper name, applies to both the Shield and Shield Pro boxes. It’s admittedly light
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Watch the trailer for Louis Theroux's new documentary 'Inside the Manosphere'
a day ago
by Steve Dent
Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Netflix has unveiled a trailer for its upcoming documentary Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere set to arrive on March 11th. It will be the first full-length Netflix documentary for Theroux, and see him interview "manosphere" influencers like Sneako, Justin Waller and HS Tikky Tokky, aka Harrison Sullivan. "I’ve made documentaries for over 30 years now, and in a way, this subject feels like the final boss," the filmmaker told GQ.
"From Miami to Marbella, meet the men that are reshaping and radicalising young men’s ideas about masculinity and manhood," Netflix's description reads. In the trailer, we see Theroux interview the influencers
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The best budget cameras for 2026
a day ago
by Steve Dent
Cameras & Photography, Shopping, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Like other electronics products, cameras have shot up in price in the US of late due to tariffs and other reasons. Fortunately, there are still many models available for less than the price of a budget smartphone ($750 or less) that offer great features for creators and photographers alike.
If it’s speed you want for sports or action shots of your kids, models like Canon’s R50 can shoot bursts as fast as many high-end cameras. Creators, meanwhile, can choose Sony’s ZV-E10 for vlogging jobs. There are also great, and cheap, models in the action and gimbal camera categories.
Which one to pick
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NY AG: Valve's loot boxes can get kids hooked on gambling
a day ago
by Mariella Moon
Business, Hobbies & Personal Activities, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
New York Attorney General Letitia James has accused Valve of promoting illegal gambling through its video games in a lawsuit filed by her office. According to the AG’s announcement, her office conducted an investigation and had concluded that Valve enabled gambling by enticing users to pay for a chance at rare items from loot boxes in Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2. In the lawsuit, the New York AG stressed that Valve’s loot boxes are “particularly pernicious,” because the games are popular among children and teenagers.
The lawsuit described the loot box model, which requires a player to open
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Instagram will alert parents if teens repeatedly search for suicide or self-harm content
a day ago
by Anna Washenko
Media, Arts & Entertainment, Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Instagram is adding a new alert for the parents of teen users of its social media platform. The network will alert the adult if their child repeatedly searches for terms about suicide or self-harm in a short time frame. From that notification, the parent will optionally be able to access resources for having conversations with their teen about these topics. These alerts will begin rolling out for parental supervision users in the US, UK, Australia and Canada next week, with later regions to be added in the future.
"We chose a threshold that requires a few searches within a short period
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Gaming accessory maker and publisher Nacon files for insolvency
a day ago
by Steve Dent
Video Games, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
French AA gaming developer and accessory manufacturer Nacon has filed for insolvency after its majority shareholder Bigben failed to make a loan repayment, the company said in a press release. "To date, the company reports available assets do not allow it to meet its liabilities," Nacon wrote. The objective with insolvency, it said, was to allow "continued operation, protect employees and maintain jobs while renegotiating with its creditors."
Nacon is behind the games Styx: Blades of Greed and was set to publish Terminator: Survivors before that title was delayed. It published Hell is Us last year to some praise, but Test
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The best ergonomic keyboards for 2026
a day ago
by Amy Skorheim
Health, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Amy Skorheim
If you experience discomfort after long hours behind a desk, simply slapping an ergonomic mouse and keyboard on your desk won’t solve the problem. First, you have to address the root issue of sitting still for too long by standing up and walking around each hour or so. But after that, it’s worth considering your workstation ergonomics. An ergonomic keyboard can prevent the hunching, twisting and contorting that leads to discomfort. With split, tilt and angled keys, these boards help keep your shoulders and chest more open and your forearms and wrists more aligned. One ergonomic board won’t work for
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New Webb Telescope photos show off the Exposed Cranium Nebula
2 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
It's always a fun day for the space nerds when a NASA team has new images to share from the James Webb Space Telescope. Today's pair has brains on the brain, with a look at the fittingly named Exposed Cranium Nebula. More officially, this cloud of space dust and debris is known as Nebula PMR 1. The images shared today may capture a moment in the final stages of a star, as well as giving hints as to how the nebula got its brain-like shape.
"The nebula appears to have distinct regions that capture different phases of its evolution — an
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Snap is hosting its own creator awards show
2 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
It seems like any and every industry can have its own awards show these days. And why not? Most of us appreciate a chance to bust out the sequins and satin from time to time. If you can celebrate excellent work or make some extra biz dev bucks at the same time, all the better. Snap is the latest social media company to launch its own take on the glitz and glam. The Snappy Awards Show will be held at the company's headquarters on March 31. Comedian and content creator Matt Friend will host the event.
Snapchat has been adding more
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Skate's developer is laying off staff before the game leaves early access
2 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Full Circle, the developer behind the new Skate game, has announced that it is restructuring and laying off staff. It's not yet clear how many roles will be impacted by the changes, but the restructuring is happening less than six months after skate. launched in early access on September 15, 2025.
"We’re reshaping Full Circle to better support skate.’s long-term future," Full Circle says. "These shifts mean making changes to our team structure, and some roles will be impacted. The teammates affected are talented colleagues and friends who helped build the foundation of skate. Their creativity and dedication are deeply ingrained
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The next Assassin's Creed game loses its creative director
2 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Ubisoft's shakeups continue unabated. The creative director of the next Assassin's Creed game, codenamed Hexe, has left the company. The departure of Clint Hocking, a 20-year veteran of the company over two stints, was reportedly announced in a staff meeting this week.
Hocking's resume at Ubisoft included serving as creative director on Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Far Cry 2 and Watch Dogs: Legion. The details of why he's leaving the company haven't been reported.
Ubisoft told VGC, which first reported on Hocking's exit, that development on Hexe will continue. Jean Guedson, one of three new leaders of the Assassin's Creed franchise, will
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Canadian government demands safety changes from OpenAI
2 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Politics & Government, Society & Culture, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Canadian officials summoned leaders from OpenAI to Ottawa this week to address safety concerns about ChatGPT. The crux of the government concerns was that OpenAI did not notify authorities when it banned the account of a user who allegedly committed a mass shooting in British Columbia earlier this month.
"The message that we delivered, in no uncertain terms, was that we have an expectation that there are going to be changes implemented, and if they're not forthcoming very quickly, the government is going to be making changes," Justice Minister Sean Fraser said of the company and its AI chatbot. It's unclear
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Xbox consoles now support 1440p streaming
2 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Technology & Electronics, Game Consoles, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Microsoft has announced that its rolling out support for streaming games at 1440p on Xbox consoles. Game streaming is a key benefit of paying for a Game Pass subscription, and as of 2025, now also includes games players own that aren't part of the larger Game Pass library.
The higher bitrate streaming option will let subscribers with an Xbox Series X or S, Xbox One X or Xbox One play their games at a higher resolution, provided the game and their display supports it. Microsoft previously only offered 1440p streams on select Fire TVs, LG TVs, Samsung TVs, web browsers and
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Tecno just unveiled a ridiculously thin modular smartphone concept design
2 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Smart Phones, Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Tecno just unveiled a rather intriguing modular smartphone concept design at MWC 2026. The standout feature here is likely the size. Most modular smartphone concepts start bulky and only get bulkier once attaching accessories. Tecno's base smartphone is just 4.9mm thin, which is significantly thinner than a pencil and the iPhone Air.
Of course, the size increases with each attached module. However, snapping on the power bank module makes the thickness comparable to a standard modern smartphone. Another key feature here is how these various modular components stick together. Tecno has developed new interconnection technology that uses both magnets and pin
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HP says RAM now accounts for more than a third of its PC costs
2 days ago
by Andre Revilla
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Andre Revilla
The cost of PC components has been skyrocketing as AI infrastructure buildout creates extraordinary demand amid limited supply. HP says that squeeze is now hitting PC memory especially hard, with RAM now accounting for 35 percent of a system’s overall cost.
"We did share last quarter that memory and storage costs made up roughly 15 percent to 18 percent of our PC bill of materials, and we now currently estimate this to be roughly 35 percent for the year," said CFO Karen Parkhill on the company's latest earnings call. She also confirmed that part of the company's response will be price
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Kalshi fined a MrBeast editor for insider trading
2 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Investment & Company Information, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Kalshi, one of several online prediction markets that have exploded in popularity in the last few years, has suspended one of YouTube MrBeast's video editors for insider trading, NPR reports. Besides being suspended from the platform for two years, Kalshi says the editor will also be required to pay a financial penalty that's five times his initial trade size.
The editor, Artem Kaptur, traded in markets related to YouTube and specifically, MrBeast. Kalshi says his transactions were initially flagged because of his "near-perfect trading success on markets with low odds, which were statistically anomalous." Because trades are public on Kalshi, multiple
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Anthropic weakens its safety pledge in the wake of the Pentagon's pressure campaign
2 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Politics & Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Two stories about the Claude maker Anthropic broke on Tuesday that, when combined, arguably paint a chilling picture. First, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly pressuring Anthropic to yield its AI safeguards and give the military unrestrained access to its Claude AI chatbot. The company then chose the same day that the Hegseth news broke to drop its centerpiece safety pledge.
On Tuesday, Anthropic said it was modifying its Responsible Scaling Policy (RSP) to lower safety guardrails. Up until now, the company's core pledge has been to stop training new AI models unless specific safety guidelines can be guaranteed in
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March's PS Plus Monthly Games include Monster Hunter Rise and Slime Rancher 2
2 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Media, Video Games, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Sony just divulged the list of PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for March, and there's a little something for everybody. These will all be playable on March 3 for subscribers on any tier. After downloading, the games will stay in a player's library as long as the subscription remains active.
First up, there's Monster Hunter Rise. This was initially a Nintendo Switch exclusive before making the jump to other platforms. This is a decent Monster Hunter game with a focus on verticality. There are tools to quickly scale large cliffs and engage in aerial combat. It can be played solo or via
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Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: What’s changed and which one should you buy?
2 days ago
by Georgie Peru
Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Georgie Peru
Following Samsung’s Unpacked event, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is available for pre-order, and it looks very familiar. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Like recent updates in the Galaxy S line, Samsung is refining its flagship rather than dramatically reinventing it.
Both phones share a lot of core DNA, including compact designs, high-refresh AMOLED displays and similar camera hardware. The S26 does introduce a handful of meaningful updates, however, including a slightly larger battery and newer software out of the box. Those changes also come with a higher starting price: the Galaxy S26 begins at $899.99 compared to the S25’s
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Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. S26+ vs. S26 Ultra: Comparing the three new phones
2 days ago
by Georgie Peru
Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Georgie Peru
Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra, and the company is once again leaning heavily on AI, camera upgrades and refined hardware to move the lineup forward. While the overall design remains familiar, there are some meaningful differences between the three models, particularly when it comes to display tech, charging speeds and camera hardware.
Across the board, the S26 family is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip and runs Android 16 with One UI 8.5. Samsung is also doubling down on Galaxy AI features like Now Brief, Now Nudge and
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How to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S26 phones and Galaxy Buds 4
2 days ago
by Amy Skorheim
Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Amy Skorheim
During its Unpacked event today, Samsung announced three new Galaxy S-series phones as well as the latest generation of its earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Pre-orders are now open and the new devices are set to ship March 11. As expected, this year’s models aren’t drastically different from last year’s, but all the phones are equipped to better handle the Galaxy AI experiences such as Now Nudge that offers suggestions based on your activities and a more conversational assitant in Bixby (or Gemini or Perplexity depending on your preferance).
Engadget’s own Sam Rutherford is on-site in
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Google announces new Android AI features coming to the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 series
2 days ago
by Andre Revilla
Software, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Andre Revilla
Google unveiled a new batch of Android updates, including more Gemini-powered tools and improved scam detection features at Samsung’s Galaxy S26 launch on Wednesday.
A new feature in the Gemini app will let users hand off multi-step tasks, like ordering a rideshare or building a grocery cart. The feature, which will first arrive in beta, runs in the background while users perform other tasks. Gemini's progress can be monitored live via notifications, so users can see what it's doing and jump in at any time.
Google
Google says this feature will initially be limited to certain food, grocery or rideshare apps. It will
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Samsung Galaxy S26 hands-on: A lot more of the same for a little more money
2 days ago
by Mat Smith
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mat Smith
As we prepare to leave the winter months, Samsung announced another family of Galaxy S flagships for those looking to upgrade. As usual, the company put its best components and features into the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but it also added more to the base S26 and S26+. The company has hit its groove with its smaller (and cheaper) flagships, delivering solid devices with increasingly better cameras, occasionally even offering feature parity with its most expensive smartphone.
In 2026, that’s what we’re getting, with the 6.3-inch S26 ($899) and 6.7-inch S26+ ($1,099). Both phones are more expensive than last year, and it’s