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Amazon's new USPS deal will see postal deliveries cut by 20 percent
7 hours ago
by Steve Dent
Post Office, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Earlier this year, Amazon threatened to cut US Postal Service deliveries by as much as two thirds. Now, the parties have reached tentative a deal that will see USPS deliveries reduced by 20 percent, The Wall Street Journal reported. While not as drastic as first menaced, the reduced volume will still deal a financial blow to the USPS.
"We’re pleased to have reached a new agreement with USPS that furthers our longstanding partnership and will let us continue supporting our customers and communities together," an Amazon spokesperson told the WSJ.
Amazon is the USPS's largest customer, accounting for 15 percent of its
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The League of Legends KeSPA cup will air globally on Disney+
14 hours ago
by Anna Washenko
Arts & Entertainment, Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Disney has inked a deal with the Korea Esports Association that will bring several gaming tournaments to the its streaming platform. Disney+ will be the global live streaming home for Esports Champions Asia Jinju 2026, the 2026 League of Legends KeSPA CUP and some preliminary events ahead of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. This agreement expands KeSPA's arrangement with Disney, which only streamed its esports events to viewers in Asia last year.
Esports Champions Asia is the first event on the calendar, occurring April 24-26 with professional teams from across the continent squaring up in tournaments for games including Street
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New Jersey has no right to ban Kalshi's prediction market, US appeals court rules
15 hours ago
by Jessica Conditt
Politics & Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jessica Conditt
Kalshi can't be stopped in New Jersey. A 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled on Monday that New Jersey has no authority to regulate Kalshi's prediction market allowing people to bet on the outcome of sports events. That power rests with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the panel ruled 2-1.
The CFTC is headed by President Donald Trump appointee Michael Selig, who vocally and actively supports prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, calling them "exciting products." The Trump family agrees: Donald Trump Jr. is a paid adviser to Kalshi and an unpaid adviser to Polymarket, and Truth Social, which
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Apple will again appeal to the Supreme Court in battle with Epic Games
17 hours ago
by Anna Washenko
Software, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
The legal battle between Epic Games and Apple is escalating once again. For a second time, the warring factions are going straight to the top of the judicial system. Apple is asking for the Supreme Court to review when and how it can charge commissions on mobile purchases made via third-party payment systems. The business has requested a motion to stay on a lower court ruling regarding the fees Apple charges to software developers using those external financial systems rather than the App Store.
The last time Apple petitioned for an appeal at the top of the judicial branch, it was
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Three YouTubers accuse Apple of illegal scraping to train its AI models
19 hours ago
by Jackson Chen
Business, Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Three YouTube channels have banded together and filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, as first spotted by MacRumors. According to the lawsuit, the creators behind h3h3 Productions, MrShortGameGolf and Golfholics have accused Apple of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by scraping copyrighted videos on YouTube to train its AI models.
While the YouTubers' videos are available to watch on the platform, the lawsuit alleged that Apple illegally circumvented the "controlled streaming architecture" that regular users are limited to. The creators claimed that Apple's video scraping was used to train its generative AI products, adding that the tech giant's "massive
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NASA's Artemis II crew just flew farther away from Earth than anyone ever has before
19 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
NASA's Artemis II crew just set a new distance record in miles traveled away from Earth. The team of four astronauts are in the process of circling the Moon, reaching 5,000 miles beyond the natural satellite. That brings the total distance traveled away from our home to over 250,000 miles. Gene Roddenberry would be proud.
This broke the previous 1970 record set by Apollo 13's crew by around 4,000 miles. The four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch of NASA and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency – are the first humans to cross the lunar threshold
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You can now search through app reviews on the Google Play Store
20 hours ago
by Jackson Chen
Software, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Finding the right app on the Google Play Store just got a lot easier. Google is rolling out a new search function for an app's reviews when navigating its Play Store, as first spotted by Android Authority. The new feature only currently searches for exact matches of at least two words, but it should still help users identify if certain apps and games have specific features or gameplay elements.
You can find the search function after hitting the "See all reviews" button on the Play Store, and it will also offer some popular search terms next to the feature. It's similar
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Netflix just released a standalone gaming app for kids
20 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Software, Media, Video Games, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Netflix just released a free app called Playground for smartphones and tablets. This is a gaming app for kids, aged eight and under. It's available to all Netflix members on any tier, and the company promises it doesn't have ads or in-app purchases.
It also works without a mobile or Wi-Fi connection. Netflix says this makes it the "perfect companion for long airplane rides or grocery trips." Kids do love their screens.
The company promises an "ever-growing library of games" for children. The platform launches with titles based on some massively popular franchises. There's something called Playtime with Peppa Pig, which is
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How to watch the historic Artemis II lunar flyby
21 hours ago
by Igor Bonifacic
Science, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic
NASA's Artemis II mission is about to make history. After a successful April 1 launch, and a trip of 39,000 miles through space, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen are about to travel farther from Earth than any human beings have before, and you can watch the entire thing unfold online. NASA will stream the entire flyby on YouTube and its own NASA+ website, with coverage beginning at 1PM ET. You can also watch NASA+ through Netflix.
It's going to take some time for things to get underway, so if you're working or have plans this evening
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Mercedes-Benz recalls some G-Wagon EVs due to risk of wheels falling off
a day ago
by Jackson Chen
Autos, Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Before you take your electric G-Wagon for its next off-roading excursion, you may want to stop by an authorized dealer. The German automaker issued a recall for every Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ technology with the 2025 model year, as first spotted by InsideEVs. According to the recall on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website, the current wheel bolts could "allow a wheel to loosen or detach from the vehicle," potentially affecting 3,734 models on the road.
The recall report explained that the electric G580's wheel bolts were "not adapted to the increased vehicle mass and higher torque loads associated with
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Samsung's Music Studio speakers and two of its 2026 soundbars are available now
a day ago
by Billy Steele
Speakers & Headphones, Audio Technology, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
Back at CES, Samsung showed off a new line of speakers and two of its 2026 soundbars. Today, the company announced pricing for the entire suite of new products, including two soundbars that weren’t inside its showroom in Vegas. All but two of the new devices are available to order now, so you might not have to wait to get your hands on some new Samsung audio gear.
Let’s start with the Music Studio 7 and Music Studio 5 speakers. The Music Studio 7 is the more rectangular model in the duo. It’s a 3.1.1-channel unit with left, right and center
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Artemis II arrives in lunar space ahead of its trip around the Moon
a day ago
by Cheyenne MacDonald
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald
Artemis II and its four-person crew have entered the Moon’s “sphere of influence,” meaning the spacecraft is more affected by lunar gravity than the Earth’s pull. The transition occurred at a distance of 39,000 miles from the Moon, four days, six hours and two minutes into the mission. The next and most important phase will happen tomorrow when the craft loops around the Moon’s far side, taking humans deeper into space than they’ve ever been before.
At their apogee, Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen will be 252,757 miles from Earth. That will break the previous
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The UK government reportedly wants Anthropic to expand its presence in London
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
While the US and Anthropic are in the midst of a major dispute, the UK is trying to sway the San Francisco-based AI company to expand its presence on English soil. According to a report from The Financial Times, staffers at the UK's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology have worked on proposals that include expanding Anthropic's office in London, along with a potential dual stock listing.
The UK's strategy follows a public fallout between Anthropic and the US Department of Defense earlier this year. After the AI company said it wouldn't budge on certain AI guardrails, the Department of Defense
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Samsung will discontinue its Messages app in July and replace it with Google's
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Samsung is putting the final nail in the coffin for its own messaging app. The smartphone maker posted an "End of Service Announcement" on its website, revealing that the Samsung Messages app will no longer be available by July of this year. Samsung also recommended that anyone still using Samsung Messages switch over to Google Messages as the default messaging app.
For Samsung Messages users in the US, the switch to Google offers RCS messaging that lets you send high-quality media, join group chats and get real-time typing indicators no matter the smartphone's OS. Galaxy smartphone owners may lose out on
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Devils on the Moon brings the score-chasing of pinball to the Playdate
2 days ago
by Nathan Ingraham
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Nathan Ingraham
Pinball video games have been around for years — I cut my teeth on Space Cadet 3D Pinball, which was pre-loaded on Windows 95. They range from realistic recreations of pinball tables you’ll find at arcades to games that could never exist in real life like 2019’s Demon’s Tilt or older ones like Metroid Prime Pinball for the Nintendo DS or Pokémon Pinball for the Game Boy Color.
I didn’t expect to find a detailed pinball game for the humble and delightful Playdate, but a pair of developers working under the name Amano pulled it off with Devils on the Moon
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The Spaceballs sequel will be released in April next year
3 days ago
by Cheyenne MacDonald
Movies, Media, Celebrities, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald
There's finally a release date for the Spaceballs sequel — but before you get too excited, it's a whole year away. As first reported by Deadline, Amazon MGM Studios announced on Friday night that the upcoming Spaceballs movie will hit theaters on April 23, 2027, right around the 40th anniversary of the first film. Several members of the original cast will be reprising their roles, according to Deadline, including Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, George Wynder and Daphne Zuniga.
> Spaceballs: The Release Date. April 23, 2027. pic.twitter.com/5Xv0BKmf7C
>
> — Amazon MGM Studios (@AmazonMGMStudio) April 4, 2026
Whispers of a potential
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Ursula K. Le Guin's blog has been turned into a podcast
3 days ago
by Cheyenne MacDonald
Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald
For those who will never tire of the words of Ursula K. Le Guin, a special treat is on the way. The esteemed late author's blog, which she started in 2010 at the age of 81, is being rereleased as a podcast, In Your Spare Time. Le Guin's blog ran until 2017, and a book collecting a selection of those posts was published that year. But, the podcast will include everything: essays, poems and "even the ones that are mostly cat pictures," according to the announcement. The first episode will be released April 8 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other
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An Italian court ruled Netflix has to refund its customers for price hikes dating back to 2017
3 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Instead of raising prices again, Netflix may have to lower its subscription costs in Italy. A court in Rome recently ruled that Netflix owed its Italian users a refund for price hikes between 2017 and January 2024 and a reduction to previous subscription costs. On top of the refunds, Netflix Italia would have to inform its affected subscribers of their right to a refund.
The lawsuit was originally filed by Movimento Consumatori, a consumer rights organization based in Rome. The group's president, Alessandro Mostaccio, said in a press release that more than 25,000 Netflix users have complained to Movimento Consumatori that
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Ireland is testing out a digital wallet that conducts age verification for social media users
3 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Politics & Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Before it's publicly available later this year, the Irish government is trialing its Government Digital Wallet, which includes a way to verify a user's age to access social media platforms. In its press release, the government's Department of Public Expediture, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation said people can store digital versions of their birth certificates, driving licenses, European health cards and more.
Frank Feighan, the department's minister, said that this testing phase would help inform the development of the digital wallet and ensure it was user friendly. The government hasn't laid out when the Government Digital Wallet graduates beyond the
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Apple iOS 26.5 public beta is now available
3 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
Apple has released the first public beta for iOS 26.5, just a few days after the beta for developers came out. One of the biggest changes the new operating system brings is the “Suggested Places” feature in Apple Maps. It will show you trending places to visit, such as restaurants and other establishments, near your location or based on your search history. You can see Suggested Places when you tap on the search bar in the Maps app.
iOS 26.5 beta also will also come with notifications that the company will be putting ads inside Maps. Apple confirmed in March that
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It's no longer free to use Claude through third-party tools like OpenClaw
3 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Business, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Anthropic is no longer offering a free ride for third-party apps using its Claude AI. Boris Cherny, Anthropic's creator and head of Claude Code, posted on X that Claude subscriptions will no longer cover using the AI agent for third-party tools, like OpenClaw, for free. As of 3PM ET on April 4, anyone using Claude through third-party apps or software will have to do so with an extra usage bundle or with a Claude API key, according to Cherny.
Most of Claude's workload may come from simple user questions, but there are those who use the AI chatbot through OpenClaw, a
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The latest on the Artemis II mission to the moon, and more science stories
3 days ago
by Cheyenne MacDonald
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald
We got to share in a rare moment of collective awe this week as four astronauts blasted off toward the moon, beginning a 10-day journey that will take them farther from Earth than any humans have traveled in the last 50 years. It'll still be a little while before they reach their destination — the Orion spacecraft is expected to loop around the moon on Monday — but they've already seen some pretty incredible stuff on the way there. Here's the latest on the Artemis II mission, and other interesting science stories from this week.
ARTEMIS II CROSSES THE HALFWAY POINT
After
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Super Meat Boy 3D, coin-pushing chaos and other new indie games worth checking out
3 days ago
by Kris Holt
Media, Video Games, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. As ever, we've got a whole bunch of new games for you to dive into this weekend, along with announcements and updates on several others that are coming down the pike.
I love how spoiled we are for game showcases these days, and I'm really looking forward to the latest installment of the indie-focused Triple-i Initiative at noon ET on April 9 as the first two editions were really strong. The trailer for this one features the likes of Cairn, Warhammer Survivors (the Warhammer-themed Vampire Survivors spinoff),
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AI animation studio Toonstar will turn books into digital shows for HarperCollins
4 days ago
by Devindra Hardawar
Visual Arts, Humanities, Arts & Entertainment, Animation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar
HarperCollins is tapping into AI to bring some of its book franchises to life. Specifically, the publisher is teaming up with Toonstar, an AI animation studio, to turn them into digital shows. The first project will be an adaptation of Lisa Greenwald’s “Friendship List” series, which will also be joined by a graphic novel.
You’d be forgiven for being unaware of Toonstar, a studio that received some buzzy early on for simplifying typically complex animation pipelines with AI, but has mostly remained under the radar. Its biggest claim to fame is producing StEvEn and Parker YouTube series, which has amassed 3.38
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Jason Blundell announces his new-new studio, Magic Fractal
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Jason Blundell, a former creative lead on Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Black Ops series, has announced that he's formed a new development studio called Magic Fractal Studios. Blundell announced the studio on a livestream with former Dark Outlaw Games coworker JC Farmer, a little over a week after the previous studio was closed by Sony.
Little is known about Magic Fractal beyond its logo and social media accounts. Dark Outlaw Games was similarly mysterious, and closed before it could even announce its first project. All that's known is what Blundell has shared after the studio was shut down: Dark Outlaw
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Banks working on the SpaceX IPO reportedly have to subscribe to Grok
4 days ago
by Will Shanklin
IPOs, Stocks & Offerings, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Cutthroat capitalism sure does bring out the best in humanity. Take, for example, Elon Musk. He reportedly set a condition for banks, law firms, auditors and advisors who want to work on the SpaceX IPO. They're required to subscribe to the bastion of nonconsensual deepfakes and occasional Hitler praise known as Grok.
Surely the best and brightest banks our nation has to offer would refuse such a pay-to-play demand, right? Well, no. The New York Times reports that some of them have agreed to spend tens of millions of dollars on Grok. Those financial institutions are said to already be integrating
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The Artemis II crew snapped some mesmerizing photos of Earth
4 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Science, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
On their way around the Moon, the Artemis II crew had time to snap some terrific pictures of our blue planet. NASA has begun sharing the images, including the one above, which shows a striking view of Earth through the Orion capsule's window.
Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman overcame the crew’s problems with Microsoft Outlook and the toilet to capture the photos. He took the above pic after the craft completed its translunar injection burn on April 2.
Reid Wiseman / NASA
Meanwhile, this second photo trades clever composition for a full-on view of our planet. If you look carefully, you can see
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March Madness 2026: How to watch the Final Four
4 days ago
by Billy Steele
Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
Let’s face it: your bracket was probably busted a long time ago. The 2026 NCAA basketball tournaments, affectionately known as March Madness, is ending soon. The Final Four for both the men’s and women’s tournaments starts this weekend. 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 FINAL FOUR START?
The men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Final Four begins on
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Take-Two laid off the head its AI division and an undisclosed number of staff
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Take-Two, the owner of Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar Games, has seemingly laid off the head of its AI division, Luke Dicken, and several staff members working under him. " It’s truly disappointing that I have to share with you that my time with T2 — and that of my team — has come to an end," Dicken shared in a LinkedIn post spotted by Game Developer.
When asked to confirm the layoffs in its AI division, Take-Two declined to comment.
Dicken writes that his team was "developing cutting edge technology to support game development" and his post specifically notes that he's
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Much like the game’s zombies, State of Decay 3 is somehow still alive
4 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Amid Microsoft's hacking and slashing of its Xbox division, you wouldn't be crazy for thinking State of Decay 3 was dead. After all, the title was announced nearly six years ago, and, well, we haven't heard much since. But the survival game is still in the pipeline, and developer Undead Labs will hold a series of playtests beginning in May.
In the announcement, franchise co-creator Brant Fitzgerald emphasized the role of community input in the game's continued development. "We've read your feedback on Discord, we've watched your gameplay clips and livestreams on YouTube," he said. "It became clear that community is
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Trump labor board tells Amazon to negotiate with Staten Island warehouse union
4 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Unions, Labor Issues, Society & Culture, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
The Trump administration's labor board has ordered Amazon to recognize and bargain with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, which represents workers at a warehouse in Staten Island. This is just the latest chapter in a multiyear standoff between Staten Island warehouse workers and Amazon, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The union has been trying to bring Amazon to the bargaining table for years to negotiate pay, benefits and workplace safety. The labor board's proclamation doesn't mean that the battle is over. It's highly likely this will be settled in court.
An Amazon spokesperson maintains that the vote to
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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a black hole of entertainment
4 days ago
by Devindra Hardawar
Movie Reviews, Movies, Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar
I realized something was genuinely wrong with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie about 30 minutes in: I hadn't laughed even once. My audience of around 15 people, including a few families, was dead silent as well. The guy sitting behind me, a Nintendo fan decked out in Mario gear, was so bored he fell asleep. Sure, this is made for kids, but as a Nintendo devotee myself, and someone who has to watch a ton of children's films on repeat, even the Despicable Me films are more entertaining.
To be fair, there's the pretense of a plot: Koopa Jr. and Peach
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Engadget Podcast: How Apple keeps redefining personal computing at 50
4 days ago
by Devindra Hardawar
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar
For a 50-year-old company, Apple remains pretty hip and nimble. This week, Devindra and Senior Reporter Igor Bonifacic dive into Apple's big birthday, the state of the company today and what the next 50 years could bring. It remains one of the few PC companies that’s still firmly committed to the idea of personal computing. Also, we celebrate the successful launch of NASA's Artemis II mission, which will bring us back to the Moon (but just for a close look).
SUBSCRIBE!
* iTunes
* Spotify
* Pocket Casts
* Stitcher
* Google Podcasts
TOPIC
* Apple at 50: Why it’s still all
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Fan fiction website AO3 is finally coming out of beta
4 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Media, Arts & Entertainment, Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
The famous fan fiction website Archive of Our Own or AO3 has finally exited open beta, 17 years after it launched way back in 2009. AO3 is a nonprofit created by the by the Organization for Transformative Works. In an announcement, the team reminisced about its early days and how volunteers had to manually send out invitations to prospective writers. Upon launching the website on open beta, it only had 347 accounts and hosted 6,598 works. Now, it has 10 million registered users and is hosting 17 million fan-created works.
The team has highlighted some of the most useful features it
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The Morning After: NASA’s Artemis II is on a voyage around the Moon
4 days ago
by Daniel Cooper
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Daniel Cooper
NASA’s Artemis II successfully launched on April 1, with its crew on a 10-day mission to circle the Moon. It’s the first crewed Artemis flight and a major step toward humanity returning to our little neighbor in the future. Since launch, the vehicle has separated from its launch system and been manually piloted, testing how the Orion capsule will dock with future lunar landers. There have been some snags, however: The onboard toilet went awry, and Microsoft Outlook has been acting screwy.
Jokes aside, there is something magnificent about seeing humanity taking to the stars once again. That, for all of
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NASA's Artemis II mission has left Earth's orbit
4 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Science, Space & Astronomy, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
The Integrity, the name of the Orion capsule carrying Artemis II astronauts on a trip around the moon, has left Earth’s orbit. NASA has announced that it has successfully completed a key burn of Orion’s main engine. That six-minute firing of the engine provided approximately 6,000 pounds of thrust, which gave the spacecraft the acceleration it needed to set it on its path to the moon. “Today, for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, humans have departed Earth orbit,” said Dr. Lori Glaze from NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Orion is operating with crew for the first time in
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Star Wars animated series 'Maul: Shadow Lord' season 2 confirmed
4 days ago
by Steve Dent
Arts & Entertainment, Sports & Recreation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Ahead of its premiere, Dave Filoni has revealed that the Star Wars animated series Maul: Shadow Lord will return for a second season. The Lucasfilm co-president revealed that season 2 is already in the works, telling Esquire that "at the end of the day, people like that character."
Filoni didn't reveal any other details about the plot or release date for season 2. However, the news isn't a great surprise given Lucasfilm's past history with its animated series — The Clone Wars ran seven seasons, Star Wars Rebels four seasons, Star Wars Resistance two seasons and Star Wars: The Bad Batch
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Look Outside's April 1 update that let you kiss enemies is now a permanent 'smooch mode'
5 days ago
by Cheyenne MacDonald
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald
For April Fools' Day, the developer of Look Outside released an update that added a new option to your interactions with NPCs: kissing. Instead of just fighting or talking to enemies and surviving neighbors in the cursed apartment building, you could give 'em a smooch. Their dialogue and sprites were updated accordingly, too. Cue stammering eldritch horrors with bright red blushing cheeks. April Fools' Day is (thankfully) over now, but there's good news for anyone who has been enjoying the lovefest or didn't get a chance to try it. Developer Francis Coulombe has built in a way for players to
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Sony's gaming division just bought an AI startup that turns photos into 3D volumes
5 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
Sony Interactive Entertainment, owner of the PlayStation brand, has acquired Cinemersive Labs, a UK startup developing tools to convert 2D photos and videos into 3D volumes. The startup team will join Sony's Visual Computing Group, a research engineering team focused on graphical technology, including game rendering, video coding and generative AI models.
Cinemersive's most recent product is a virtual reality app called Parallax that works as a viewer for parallax photos — three-dimensional images that you can peer around with natural head movements — captured using traditional smartphones and professional cameras with stereo lenses. The startup developed custom AI tools to
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VR game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City launches on April 30
5 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Media, Video Games, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Everyone's four favorite anthropomorphic turtles are returning to the world of video games. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City will be released on April 30 for the Meta Quest, Steam VR and Pico. It is made by VR game company Cortopia Studios and will retail for $25. Empire City is a first-person action game that you’ll be able to play solo or co-op with up to four people. And yes, that means all four of the turtles are playable.
We've seen a lot of the quartet flexing their fighting form in games over the years, but this is their first time appearing
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OpenAI brings ChatGPT's Voice mode to CarPlay
5 days ago
by Igor Bonifacic
Software, Mobile Apps, Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic
In a surprise release, OpenAI has made ChatGPT's Voice mode available through Apple CarPlay. If you're running the latest version of both iOS and the ChatGPT app, and own a CarPlay-compatible vehicle, you can check out the experience. To get started, download all the necessary software, connect your iPhone to CarPlay and select "New voice chat" from ChatGPT. When the in-app text indicates ChatGPT is "listening," you can start a conversation.
There are some notable limitations to using ChatGPT Voice with CarPlay. For one, OpenAI's chatbot can't control car functions. If you want to adjust the cabin temperature or skip tracks,
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CFTC sues three states for trying to regulate prediction markets
5 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Politics & Government, Business, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is suing Illinois, Arizona and Connecticut for attempting to outlaw or regulate prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. The CFTC believes it has sole jurisdiction to regulate these platforms, and that states attempting to classify them as illegal gambling are overstepping their authority.
CFTC defines prediction markets as “designated contract markets” where futures contracts are traded, essentially letting people bet on the outcome of events (for example, who will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2028). And because futures contracts are financial instruments distinct from traditional bets, they arguably fall under the supervision of
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PSA: YouTube will be streaming Coachella for free next week
5 days ago
by Sam Rutherford
Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Sam Rutherford
Coachella officially kicks off next Friday, April 10. But for anyone who doesn’t want to fly out to the desert or fork over upwards of $650 for a ticket, YouTube is going to livestream the concert for free so you can enjoy it on your own terms. Here’s a quick overview of all the programming that will be available in just over a week.
With YouTube planning on providing feeds of seven different stages, there will be no shortage of content. This includes the Quasar stage in both horizontal and vertical formats, so no matter what device you're using, there should
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Indie Pass is a forthcoming subscription service exclusively for indie games
5 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Publisher and game management platform indie.io just announced the pending launch of something called Indie Pass. This is a subscription service, so it's sort of like Game Pass but for indie titles.
It launches on April 13 and will offer over 70 games on that date, with more coming down the line. Not a single person on this planet wants another monthly subscription to manage, but this one costs just $8. That's a pretty good deal, considering Game Pass Ultimate costs a whopping $30 per month.
However, these subscription platforms are only as good as their libraries. The company has already confirmed
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Russia closes loophole to fully block payments for Apple services
5 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Russia has closed a loophole that allowed its citizens to pay for Apple digital services. "As of April 1, 2026, payment processing is no longer available for purchases made on the App Store or other Apple Media Services in Russia," the company wrote in a support document (via 9to5Mac).
The change affects all Apple services. However, the company says iCloud+ subscribers' data will remain available after their subscriptions end, even after losing premium cloud storage. Customers' previous purchases will still be accessible, as will existing Apple Account funds until they run out.
Why is Russia doing this? Well, the (state-aligned) Russian news