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Judge tosses out X's advertiser boycott lawsuit
16 hours ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Business, Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
A US District Court Judge for the Northern District of Texas has dismissed X Corp.’s lawsuit against advertisers it claimed participated in an “illegal boycott” of X, Reuters reports. X originally filed its lawsuit in 2024 in response to advertisers pulling ads from the social media platform, a decision reportedly motivated by X's lax approach to moderating hate speech.
Judge Jane J. Boyle was not swayed by X’s claims that advertisers like Twitch, Shell, Nestlé and Lego pulling advertising amounted to an “antitrust injury.” The companies named in X’s lawsuit are members of the World Federation of Advertisers’ Global Alliance for
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Blumhouse's horror-centric cozy game Grave Seasons will be released on August 14
16 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
The spooky, yet cozy, game Grave Seasons is coming out on August 14, which was announced at today's Xbox Partner Preview event. This is basically Stardew Valley, but set in a Lovecraftian nightmare of a town. Players farm, mine and romance villagers, but also solve murders and deal with the occasional bloodthirsty demon or two. It looks fun!
This is being published by Blumhouse Games, which is a division of the film studio that pumps out modern horror hits like Happy Death Day, M3GAN and Five Nights at Freddy's. Perfect Garbage is the development studio behind the game, which previously made
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Dispatch is coming to Xbox this summer
16 hours ago
by Matt Tate
Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
Dispatch was one of 2025’s standout titles and one of the best narrative games in years, which made its no-show on Xbox all the more puzzling. Luckily, that’s being rectified this summer.
Announced during today’s Xbox Partner Preview broadcast, Dispatch is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud later this year. It will also be an Xbox Play Anywhere title at launch, so you can play it on your console and continue on your PC or Windows handheld, or vice versa.
ICYMI last year, the game is pitched as a superhero workplace comedy by developer AdHoc Studio, which
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Stalker 2 is getting its first DLC, Cost of Hope, this summer
17 hours ago
by Anna Washenko
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Stalker 2 is getting its first DLC, titled Cost of Hope, this summer. The expansion and its general release window was announced during today's Xbox Partner Preview showcase.
It's been more than a year since the base game finally released, closing a long development cycle that was disrupted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where the studio GSC Game World was initially based. Stalker 2 was released on PlayStation 5 in the interim, but otherwise, the team has been focused on making this substantial DLC.
Stalker 2: Cost of Hope will add two new regions and a new story that takes place alongside
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Google begins rolling out Search Live globally
17 hours ago
by Igor Bonifacic
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic
Following a false start last week, Google has begun rolling out Search Live globally. The tool allows you to point your phone's camera at an object or scene and ask questions about what you see in front of you. With today's expansion, Google is making Search Live available in every location and language where it offers its AI Mode chatbot. With that, people in more than 200 countries and territories can use Search Live to get answers to their questions.
Behind the expansion is Google's Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model. According to the company, the new AI system was designed to
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Hades 2 is coming to Xbox Series X/S and PS5 on April 14
17 hours ago
by Kris Holt
Game Consoles, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
If you’ve been (impatiently) waiting for Hades 2 to hit Xbox Series X/S and PS5, there’s some great news for you coming out of Thursday’s Xbox Partner Preview showcase. Supergiant’s roguelite action RPG is coming to those consoles (as well as Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud) on April 14. It’ll be available on Xbox Game Pass too.
The full version of Hades 2 hit PC and Nintendo Switch last September after over a year of Steam early access. It was one of our favorite games of 2025.
This time around, you play as Melinoë, the sister of the original game’s protagonist,
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The EU is investigating Snapchat over possible child protection breaches
17 hours ago
by Matt Tate
Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
The European Union has opened a formal investigation into whether Snapchat has breached Digital Services Act (DSA) regulations regarding the safeguarding of children using its app.
Regulators say that the company, whose audience demographic has always skewed young, may not be doing enough to protect minors from grooming and "recruitment for criminal purposes." The EU is also looking into whether Snapchat’s younger users are too easily accessing information on how to buy illegal drugs and age-restricted products.
Brussels argues that while Snapchat requires users to be at least 13 years of age to sign up for an account, its self-declaration age assurance
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Serious Sam: Shatterverse will hit Xbox platforms this year
17 hours ago
by Anna Washenko
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
The Serious Sam game franchise is back with a new entry, giving the FPS series a co-op roguelite twist. Basically it's getting the Nightreign treatment in the same way Elden Ring did.
The latest title is Serious Sam: Shatterverse, where teams of up to five players will take on waves of perennial foe Mental's monster goons. Each run will offer the usual roguelite approach of upgrade options to make your team more powerful. And if you're a long-time fan of the series, the trailer has plenty of the same broad, loud humor; for instance, the three upgrade cards shown are all
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Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez introduce a bill to pause US data center construction
17 hours ago
by Will Shanklin
Politics & Government, Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
File this one under "things that might have a shot after the midterms." On Wednesday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act. The bill would require an immediate pause on data center construction until specific new regulations are passed.
The legislation aims to address the problem that AI is advancing faster than Washington's regulatory response (basically none) has kept pace. Despite its benefits, the technology poses grave threats to the job market and the environment. Rapidly advancing deepfakes could soon leave people unable to determine truth from fiction. (That is, more
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Wikipedia has banned AI-generated articles
17 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
English Wikipedia has banned the use of generative AI when writing or rewriting articles. The platform says it came to this decision because using AI to whip up copy "often violates several of Wikipedia's core content policies."
There are a couple of minor exceptions. Editors can use large language models (LLMs) to refine their own writing, but only if the copy is checked for accuracy. The policy states that this is because LLMs "can go beyond what you ask of them and change the meaning of the text such that it is not supported by the sources cited."
Editors can also use
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EU says Pornhub and others failed to stop minors accessing adult content
19 hours ago
by Kris Holt
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
The European Commission (EC) accused four porn platforms of not doing enough to prevent minors from accessing their content. In its preliminary findings of a 10-month investigation, the European Union's regulatory arm said Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The EC said the platforms have an ineffective “self-declaration“ measure — they only require users to make a single click to state they are over 18. Nor do efforts like content warnings, page blurring and "restricted to adults" labels "effectively prevent minors from accessing harmful content." As such, the EC said the platforms are failing to
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AMD's Ryzen 9950X3D2 chip features an incredible 208MB of on-chip cache
19 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
AMD just revealed the Ryzen 9950X3D2 Dual Edition desktop processor, which is a beastly follow-up to last year's 9950X3D. This is the company's first desktop processor where both chiplets have been equipped with AMD's proprietary 3D V-Cache technology, which seems like a boon for gamers. Each chiplet includes 104MB of cache, offering an incredible 208MB total on-chip cache.
"208MB of cache means more game data, more assets and more working data sitting right next to the CPU cores," AMD Senior VP Jack Huynh explained in an announcement video.
Just like last year's release, the 9950X3D2 features a 16-core processor based on the
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How to use Apple's Playlist Playground to make AI-generated mixes
21 hours ago
by Igor Bonifacic
Music, Media, Technology & Electronics, Arts & Entertainment, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic
With the release of iOS 26.4, Apple Music's Playlist Playground can now generate playlists with the help of AI. Best of all, you don't need an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone to take advantage of the new feature. As long as you're a US Apple Music subscriber with your language set to English, you can start using Playlist Playground right now. Here's how to get started.
HOW TO CREATE PLAYLISTS USING PLAYLIST PLAYGROUND
A pair of screenshots showing off Apple Music's new Playlist Playground feature.
Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
For the time being, there are two ways to access Playlist Playground. For the time being, the
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HBO Max finally launches in the UK and Ireland
21 hours ago
by Matt Tate
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
It’s been a long wait, but HBO Max has finally arrived in the UK and Ireland, rounding off the streaming service’s European expansion. Oscar-winners One Battle After Another and Sinners are both available to stream at launch, alongside Max Original shows like The Pitt. Season three of Euphoria arrives in April, and HBO Max is also home to mega-franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, both of which are celebrating their 25th anniversaries in 2026.
Starting today, March 26, UK audiences can choose from three plans. Basic with Ads costs £5 per month, and offers all HBO shows
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Sonos Play review: The company's best portable speaker so far
a day ago
by Nathan Ingraham
Audio Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Nathan Ingraham
It’s been a rough couple of years for Sonos. In mid-2024, the company released a redesigned and thoroughly busted update to its app, which Sonos owners need to set up new products, manage their speaker groups, play music and access a host of other crucial features. The fallout from that was far-reaching — the company replaced its CEO, canceled a few planned products and released no new hardware in 2025.
The Sonos Play, announced earlier this month, is the company’s reset button, a way to remind people what the company does well. The Play is a portable speaker that sits between
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March Madness 2026: How to watch the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight this weekend
a day ago
by Billy Steele
Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
It’s time to lock in those brackets. The 2026 NCAA basketball tournaments, affectionately known as March Madness, begin this week. In fact, some of the action on the men’s side starts tonight. Both the men’s and women’s tournaments are available to stream through various apps and services, but navigating the web of broadcasters and TV channels can be confusing. We’ve broken down when all the games are happening, where to watch and the best options for saving some cash doing so.
WHAT DOES THE SWEET 16 AND ELITE EIGHT START?
The men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 begins on Thursday, March 26
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WhatsApp rolls out updates including multiple accounts for iOS
a day ago
by Anna Washenko
Software, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
WhatsApp shared multiple quality of life updates coming to its messaging platform starting today. The first is a long awaited option to have two accounts on a single iOS device. The option has been available for years on Android, and iPhone users can now be logged into two separate accounts at once. The profile photo for the account will be visible in the bottom tab to double-check which persona you're messaging as.
The other new features allow for easier movement of chat histories, both between platforms and devices in the same ecosystem. This chat transfer should make it easier to retain
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DJI Avata 360 drone review: 360 video hits new highs
a day ago
by Steve Dent
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
After achieving action camera success, Insta360 invaded DJI’s turf with the first mass-market panoramic drone, the Antigravity A1. It had instant appeal for drone pilots, offering 8K 360 video and features like subject tracking, obstacle detection and FPV flying.
Though beaten to the punch, DJI has responded quickly with the Avata 360, aided by its drone experience and camera tech from the new Osmo 360 action cam. It has a lot in common with its rival, but it’s safer to fly around people and offers single camera 4K footage on top of 8K 360 video.
To find out how the Avata 360
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OpenAI drops plans to release an adult chatbot
a day ago
by Steve Dent
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
OpenAI has "indefinitely" abandoned plans to release an a erotic chatbot for adults following concerns from employees and investors, the company confirmed to The Financial Times. Plans for such a feature, first announced in October 2025 for release in December last year, had already been delayed while company debated whether to release it all. It's the second app OpenAI has decided to shelf this week, after announcing on Tuesday that it was shutting down its Sora video generator.
The adult-oriented chatbot, reportedly called "Citron mode," is now on hold with no planned release date. The company reportedly had difficulty training models
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Uber and Pony.ai are testing a robotaxi service for Europe
a day ago
by Mariella Moon
Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
Uber and Chinese company Pony.ai are gearing up to launch a robotaxi service for Europe, starting with Zagreb in Croatia. The companies are working with Croatian company Verne, which will provide the service ecosystem and operational framework for the service. They’re using Arcfox Alpha T5 vehicles made by Beijing-based automaker BAIC Motor powered by Pony.ai’s Gen-7 autonomous driving system. Initially, the autonomous rides will be offered on Verne’s app, but they will eventually be available through Uber.
In their announcement, the companies said they have already started on-road testing in Zagreb, where the service will be available “soon.” They’re hoping to
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Oversight Board tells Meta expanding Community Notes outside of US poses 'significant' risks
a day ago
by Karissa Bell
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Karissa Bell
Meta didn't consult its Oversight Board last year when it announced sweeping policy changes to content moderation and a rollback of third-party fact checking in the United States in favor of Community Notes. But the company did ask the board for advice on how to expand the crowd-sourced fact checks to other countries.
Now the Oversight Board is publishing its advice to Meta. In a 15,000-word policy advisory opinion, the group urged Meta to be cautious with an international rollout, warning that an expansion of the program could "pose significant human rights risks and contribute to tangible harms" if safeguards are
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PSA: T-Mobile customers have a week to sign up for a free year of MLB.TV
2 days ago
by Sam Rutherford
Baseball, Major League Baseball, Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Sam Rutherford
Today marks the start of the 2026 baseball season and in what has sort of become an annual tradition, T-Mobile is once again offering a free subscription to MLB.TV.
In order to take advantage of the deal, T-Mobile customers simply need to log into the T Life app, navigate to the Benefits tab and then hit Redeem after clicking the banner for a free season of MLB.TV. From there, you just need to download the latest version of the MLB app to your mobile device and sign in or create an account. That said, this is a time-limited offer, so if
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Jury rules against Meta and YouTube in social media addiction case
2 days ago
by Karissa Bell
Business, Company Legal & Law Matters, Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Karissa Bell
A jury in Los Angeles has found that Meta and YouTube were negligent in a closely-watched trial over social media addiction. The companies were ordered to pay $6 million in damages to the woman who said she was harmed by their addictive features as a child.
The case was brought by a 20-year-old woman, named in court documents as “K.G.M,” who sued Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap, saying that she had been harmed by the platforms as a child due to addictive features. TikTok and Snap reached a settlement ahead of the trial.
According to NBC News, Meta was ordered to pay
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HBO Max's Harry Potter series premieres this Christmas
2 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Media, Celebrities, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
HBO released a teaser trailer and premiere date for its take on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The show will premiere on the HBO Max streaming network this December 25. It's a rare case where a big-ticket project is coming out earlier than anticipated instead of later; the series wasn't expected to arrive until 2027.
HBO has already proved its bona fides with lush adaptations of fantastical stories several times over, and this trailer looks like more of the same. The team behind the camera includes notable names who have worked on series such as Succession, Game of Thrones, The
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Webb and Hubble telescopes combine forces for a new view of Saturn
2 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
The ESA, NASA and CSA have released new images of Saturn captured by the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes that offer an unprecedented view of the gas giant's atmosphere. Particularly, comparing shots captured with Hubble against an infrared view from Webb highlights details in the composition and movement of Saturn's outer layers.
The Hubble images were captured as part of the Outer Planet Atmosphere Legacy program in August 2024, while the Webb images were shot a few months later. "Both sense sunlight reflected from Saturn’s banded clouds and hazes," NASA says, "but where Hubble reveals subtle color variations across the
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Razer's new Blade 16 has Intel's latest chips and ultra-fast RAM
2 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Computing, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
After leaning into some questionable AI antics at CES 2026, Razer is making some altogether more practical updates to its 16-inch laptop by giving it newer chips and faster RAM. The new Razer Blade 16 features Intel's new Core Ultra chips and speedy LPDDR5X-9600 MHz RAM, and is available to order today for $3,500.
The Razer Blade 16 is designed to split the difference between the portable Razer Blade 14 and the monstrous Razer Blade 18, mostly by being thin but offering improved performance. Razer says the 2026 Blade 16 is 0.59 inches (14.9mm) at its thinnest point, which matches the
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Nintendo to start charging different prices for first-party digital and physical games
2 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Nintendo just announced it will soon start charging different prices for first-party Switch 2 games based on whether the content is digital or physical. This could actually be a good thing for those who like to download their games instead of heading to a brick-and-mortar store to pick up a copy, as digital titles are getting a nice discount.
It starts with the release of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book on May 21, which will be $60 on the eShop but $70 at retail locations. Prior to this, most first-party games were $70 no matter how you bought them. I prefer
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YouTube is bringing affiliate shopping features to more creators
2 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
YouTube creators can start making money earlier in their careers. On Wednesday, the company said it's reducing the Shopping affiliate program subscriber threshold from 1,000 to 500.
The affiliate program launched in 2022, allowing creators to earn kickbacks when viewers buy products tagged in their videos. It applies to YouTube Shorts, VOD and Live content. Creators will still need to meet the YouTube Partner Program's other requirements to reap the benefits.
Perhaps not a coincidence, the move comes only a day after Meta added shopping links to Reels. Creators on Facebook and Instagram can now link to up to 30 distinct products
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Here's your first look at For All Mankind spinoff Star City
2 days ago
by Matt Tate
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
Apple’s excellent For All Mankind might be wrapping up after its recently confirmed sixth season, but as one big-budget alt-history sci-fi show departs, another is born. Apple TV has just dropped the first teaser for Star City, which focuses on the reimagined space race of the 1960s from the Soviet perspective.
ICYMI, For All Mankind has been running for nearly five seasons now (the fifth arrives later this week), with its debut season in 2019 asking, "what if Russia had beaten America to the moon?" For All Mankind has jumped a number of decades ahead since then, but Star City returns
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Google's Lyria 3 Pro can now generate AI music (slop) up to 3 minutes in length
2 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Software, Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Google just introduced Lyria 3 Pro, an updated version of its AI model that generates songs based on prompts. The biggest improvement here is the ability to make full three-minute songs, up from 30 seconds when the product launched last month.
The tool also brings a lot more customization into the mix. Users can now prompt the model to create specific elements within a song, like intros, verses, choruses and bridges. Google says "Lyria 3 Pro better understands musical composition" when compared to the previous model and that it's "great for experimenting with different styles or generating songs with complex transitions."
It's
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Meta lays off hundreds of workers, including more from Reality Labs
2 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Meta is laying off more employees. Of the hundreds of cuts made on Wednesday, the Reality Labs division is one of the prime recipients. The layoffs come a day after news broke that Meta executives (sans Mark Zuckerberg) could be set for windfalls of up to $2.7 billion each under new pay packages.
Today's cuts of “hundreds” fall well short of its reported 20 percent workforce reduction plans that leaked earlier this month. At the end of 2025, Meta's workforce stood at around 79,000 people. However, this could simply be a smaller initial round before the larger cuts come into play.
Earlier
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The Afeela 1 came too late and now is gone too soon
2 days ago
by Tim Stevens
Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Tim Stevens
One of the most overly hyped, unfortunately named and curiously positioned cars has been officially killed. It's the Afeela 1, better known as the PlayStation Car, and it was meant to be an ultimate intersection of personal mobility and digital media. It is, instead, dead, killed by a combination of headwinds that even the most pessimistic of mobility analysts couldn't have foreseen when it was first revealed six years ago.
That said, the six year interval might have been the biggest blow to the Afeela 1's chances.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
What was to become the Afeela 1 debuted at CES 2020
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Supreme Court rules ISPs aren't liable for subscribers' music piracy
2 days ago
by Andre Revilla
Business, Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Andre Revilla
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on March 25 that Cox Communications is not liable for copyright infringement committed by its subscribers, reversing a 2024 appeals court decision that had upheld the ISP's liability.
Sony Music Entertainment and other major labels sued Cox in 2018, arguing the company failed to terminate internet service for subscribers repeatedly flagged for pirating copyrighted music. A jury awarded $1 billion in statutory damages after finding Cox willfully infringed all 10,017 copyrighted works at issue, though this was overturned on appeal and a new trial was ordered.
Writing for the court, Justice Clarence Thomas said a provider is
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Spotify is testing a tool to help real artists deal with AI slop on their profiles
2 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Software, Music, Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Low-quality, mass-produced AI songs have been flooding music streaming platforms like Spotify for a couple of years now. This is annoying, but relatively easy for fans to avoid. However, it leads to real problems for artists. There's so much slop coming in that some gets falsely attributed to actual musicians on these platforms.
This messes with brand identity and audience retention, but Spotify is testing a new tool to help real artists exercise more control over their profiles. The platform's Artist Profile Protection feature lets musicians review releases before they go live and become associated with their profiles.
Spotify
This should prevent AI
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Reddit will prompt some accounts to 'verify humanness' in latest bot crackdown
2 days ago
by Karissa Bell
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Karissa Bell
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has detailed the company's latest plan to fight bots and it means that some accounts will need to "verify humanness," though the company is stopping short of widespread identity verification. In an update, Huffman said that in "rare" cases accounts that seem "fishy" will be prompted for additional verification.
Such prompts "will not apply to most users," according to Huffman, but will apply to accounts where Reddit detects signs of automated posting or bot-like behavior. If the account doesn't pass the verification test, it may be "restricted" from the platform. For now, verification will take the form
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Sony's upcoming Bravia 3 II is a mid-range LED TV available in sizes up to 100 inches
2 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Sony just revealed the upcoming Bravia 3 II mid-range LED TV. It'll be available in sizes all the way up to 100 inches, for those in need of a home theater centerpiece. It's considered a mid-range device, but is still outfitted with plenty of tech typically reserved for the company's high-end displays.
First of all, these TVs ship with Sony's XR processor. This grants access to the company's proprietary Clear Image algorithm, auto HDR tone mapping and more. It's nice to see these features expand beyond flagship products.
The 4K LED display supports Dolby Vision, Atmos and DTS:X, with refresh rates up
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Sony adds the Bravia Theater Bar 5 and Bar 7 to its soundbar lineup
2 days ago
by Billy Steele
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
Sony already has a robust collection of soundbars in its Bravia Theater lineup. Today, the company is adding two more, as well as new rear speakers and three new subwoofers. The Bar 7 will sit in Sony’s premium tier, alongside the existing (and larger) Bar 8 and Bar 9 models, while the Bar 5 will offer a more compact and more affordable solution just below the current Bar 6.
The Bravia Theater Bar 7 utilizes nine total drivers to produce Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and IMAX Enhanced sound. More specifically, that arrangement includes three woofers, two tweeters, two up-firing units and two
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X is changing its revenue-sharing policy to deter users pretending to be Americans
2 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
X is updating its revenue-sharing incentives to give more weight to engagement from a user’s home region, Nikita Bier, the company’s Head of Product has announced. Bier said the change in policy was to “encourage content that resonates with people in [the user’s] country, in neighboring countries and people who speak [their] language.”
Bier continued that while X appreciates everyone’s opinion on US politics, the company is hoping the new policy can “disincentivize gaming the attention of US or Japanese accounts.” The US and Japan have the largest number of users on X. Bier didn’t mention it outright, but dozens of
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Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang and Sergey Brin join Trump's tech advisory panel
2 days ago
by Kris Holt
Politics & Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
The leaders of several major tech companies will offer the White House their opinions on tech and science policy as part of an advisory council. Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, Michael Dell and Larry Ellison — the CEOs of Meta, NVIDIA, Dell and Oracle, respectively — are joining the panel alongside Google co-founder Sergey Brin and AMD CEO Lisa Su. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who has donated to super PACs that support President Donald Trump, will serve on the panel too.
The latest iteration of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has 13 members, though that could expand
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Stephen Colbert is writing a new Lord of the Rings movie
2 days ago
by Matt Tate
Movies, Media, Celebrities, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
It’s been quite a while since we visited Middle-Earth on the big screen (anime prequels aside), but it looks like Lord of the Rings fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming years. We already knew that Andy Serkis’ The Hunt for Gollum was in the works — and by all accounts is progressing nicely — but another Rings-related film is in development too, and it’s being co-written by none other than Stephen Colbert.
The announcement came from Peter Jackson himself, in a video posted by Warner Bros. to coincide with Tolkien Reading Day. The director of the Lord of
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Anthropic releases safer Claude Code 'auto mode' to avoid mass file deletions and other AI snafus
2 days ago
by Igor Bonifacic
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic
Anthropic has begun previewing "auto mode" inside of Claude Code. The company describes the new feature as a middle path between the app's default behavior, which sees Claude request approval for every file write and bash command, and the "dangerously-skip-premissions" command some coders use to make the chatbot function more autonomously.
With auto mode enabled, a classifier system guides Claude, giving it permission to carry out actions it deems safe, while redirecting the chatbot to take a different approach when it determines Claude might do something risky. In designing the system, Anthropic's goal was to reduce the likelihood of Claude carrying
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Ring adds 4K to its battery-powered video doorbells
2 days ago
by Daniel Cooper
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Daniel Cooper
Ring has today announced a spec bump to its battery-powered video doorbells for all those folks who can’t wire their units to power. The flagship Battery Doorbell Pro (2nd gen) gets 4K video, with 10x zoom and the promise of far longer time between recharges than the previous model. At the same time, it’s bringing 2K imaging to its lower-end battery doorbells, the Battery Doorbell Plus and Battery Doorbell (2nd gen). The former, as fitting its higher price, gets a quick-release battery pack, while both models get 2K video and 6x zoom. Naturally, these features are already available on Ring’s
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Sennheiser's owners want to sell its consumer headphone business
2 days ago
by Steve Dent
Audio Technology, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Hearing aid company Sonova has put its Sennheiser consumer audio division on the auction block less than five years after acquiring it, the company announced on Reddit. "Today Sonova announced they intend to divest the business and will focus on Hearing Care," Sonova wrote, adding it intends to find "the right new owner."
Sennheiser's consumer audio division mainly manufactures high-end headphones like the HD 400, HD 500, HD 600 and HD 800 series and recently launched the HDB 630, $500 wireless headphones aimed at audiophiles. The company's most (in)famous lineup is the HE series, which includes the $55,000 HE 90 and
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Samsung Galaxy A37 and A57 hands-on: The cheaper phone might be a winner
2 days ago
by Sam Rutherford
Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Sam Rutherford
Late last year, Samsung launched its newest generation of affordable A-series phones, starting with the entry-level A17. Following the arrival of the flagship Galaxy S26 line, the company has returned to flesh out the rest of its midrange portfolio. The more affordable Galaxy A37 and Galaxy A57 sport some interesting upgrades, even when compared to some of their pricier siblings.
CORE SPECS AND FEATURES
Before we dive into my hands-on impressions, I want to do a quick rundown of each phone's specs as that should help set up (or temper) expectations. As you'd expect based on their numbering, the A37 is the
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Apple introduces age verification for iCloud accounts in the UK
2 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
Apple has introduced more than just new features, like an AI playlist generator, with iOS 26.4 in the UK. The company now requires users in the region to verify their ages and to prove they’re 18 years old or above before they can access “certain services or features, or take certain actions on their account.” Users can verify their ages in Settings by linking a credit card to their account or scanning an ID. For people who’ve had an Apple account for a while, the company will check if they already have a payment method on file that can prove