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YouTube is testing an AI search mode that 'feels more like a conversation'
6 hours ago
by Steve Dent
Social & Online Media, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Google is determined to impose AI search onto as many of its products as possible, and the latest, er, victim is YouTube. A new feature called "Ask YouTube" will let you pose complex questions and receive "comprehensive results that include video and text, then ask follow ups to dive deeper," Google explained on its YouTube Labs page. The experimental feature is available starting today until June 8 for Premium US subscribers 18 and older.
To use it, first, enable the feature in your account. Then, click on the new "Ask YouTube" button in the search bar and you'll see prompt suggestions,
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The G512 X is Logitech’s most advanced and customizable gaming keyboard yet
7 hours ago
by Sam Rutherford
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Sam Rutherford
Thanks to the adoption of features like rapid triggers, analog switches and TMR sensors, the tech in fancy gaming keyboards has changed surprisingly quickly in the past few years. So to keep up with the pace of development, Logitech is putting a bunch of advanced components in its latest flagship offering — the G512 X — to create what may be its most configurable keyboard to date.
Available in both 75 and 98 percent layouts, the G512 X is based on a novel design that supports both mechanical and analog switches. Out of the box, every key features PBT keycaps and
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Images of Samsung's rumored smart glasses have leaked
20 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Images and details about Samsung's upcoming smart glasses have leaked, according to a report by Android Headlines. We knew these were coming at some point, but we now have what could be actual photos and they look pretty nifty. The glasses are reportedly being developed under the codename "Jinju" and could cost anywhere from $380 to $500.
These are the first smart glasses from Samsung and look to offer a similar feature set to stuff like Meta Ray-Bans and the forthcoming Google Gemini glasses. Samsung's specs will run on the Android XR wearables platform and will likely feature heavy integration with
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Joby Aviation is demoing 10-minute air taxi flights from JFK to Manhattan for a week
20 hours ago
by Jackson Chen
Commercial Vehicles, Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Joby Aviation is kicking off 10 days of electric air taxi demo flights in New York City. Before you try to book one to bypass the city's awful traffic, Joby's aircrafts aren't taking customers yet. Instead, the company is trialing the air taxis in "real flight routes and real environments," as indicated in its press release.
With the first point-to-point flight of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft completed, Joby said that one of its electric air taxis made it from John F. Kennedy International Airport to NYC's heliports in Lower Manhattan and Midtown in less than 10 minutes.
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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns for its penultimate season on July 23
21 hours ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Media, Celebrities, Arts & Entertainment, Television, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns for its fourth season via Paramount Plus on July 23. The ten episodes air weekly until September 24. This is actually the second-to-last batch of episodes, as the show was recently renewed for a fifth and final season.
The streamer has dropped a trailer for season four and it looks promising. The tone looks slightly darker when compared to season three, which was maligned for being a bit too silly and uneven. The trailer is narrated by Anson Mount's Captain Christopher Pike, who discusses the "terror" of space as a planet explodes.
This is still Strange
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Valve's Steam Controller costs $99 and arrives May 4
21 hours ago
by Jessica Conditt
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jessica Conditt
Valve's Steam Controller will hit the market on Monday, May 4, for a going price of $99 in the United States. The Steam Controller does precisely what it says: It communicates with anything running Steam or the Steam Link app, so this includes PCs, Macs, mobile devices and the Steam Deck.
Eventually, the Steam Controller will connect to the new Steam Machine console and Steam Frame VR headset, but neither of these products have solid release dates just yet. They were originally slated to come out in early 2026 alongside the Steam Controller, but we're nearly five months into the year
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Valve Steam Controller review: A gamepad in search of a console
21 hours ago
by Jessica Conditt
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jessica Conditt
Don’t mistake the Steam Controller for a PC controller. Even though its main function is to play PC games, Valve’s new gamepad communicates with Steam, and only Steam. This is not a general controller for your PC, Android or iOS devices, and it’s certainly not compatible with any console on the market today, unless you count the handheld Steam Deck. In order to play a game with the Steam Controller, you have to boot it up through Steam. (More on this later).
Valve’s end goal for the Steam Controller is compatibility with the Steam Machine, a console that doesn’t yet have
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A Star Wars expansion is coming to PowerWash Simulator 2
a day ago
by Kris Holt
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
There's something deeply relaxing about chucking on a solid pair of headphones, listening to some good music and cleaning muck off structures and vehicles. Not in real life, though. Heavens, no. PowerWash Simulator 2 lets you do that without having to deal with any actual muck — as long as you're regularly cleaning your keyboard or controller, anyway.
You'll soon be able to carry out powerwashing jobs in six more locations, all of which are in a galaxy far, far away. In the game's upcoming Star Wars expansion, you can visit the likes of Tatooine and Hoth to clean the Lars
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OpenAI breaks out of exclusivity agreements in its partnership with Microsoft
a day ago
by Jackson Chen
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
OpenAI is opening up its partnership with Microsoft in the latest amendment to the major multi-year collaboration between the tech giants. The latest changes allow OpenAI to offer its latest AI models to other companies and through other cloud providers, stripping Microsoft of its exclusivity rights.
In a joint announcement posted on OpenAI and Microsoft's websites, Microsoft will still be OpenAI's primary cloud partner with the latest products shipping first on Azure, but OpenAI is now allowed to use any cloud provider. Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, posted on X that the company is "now able to make our products and services
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Spotify is now a fitness app too
a day ago
by Jackson Chen
Software, Health, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
In its quest to become an all-in-one app, Spotify is now breaking into the fitness app world by offering "guided workout experiences" and on-demand Peloton classes. Premium subscribers will get access to Peloton's library of more than 1,400 classes in the app, while both Free and Premium can browse curated playlists (they're listed under the genre "fitness.")
Spotify
Spotify said the classes are primarily in English, but there are some options in Spanish and German. Like music and podcasts, Spotify lets you bounce between different devices for its fitness media, so you can start a video workout on your TV and switch
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Oprah brings her podcast to Amazon's streaming services
a day ago
by Kris Holt
Celebrities, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
Amazon has brought another high-profile podcasting name into its fold after agreeing to a multiyear licensing deal with Oprah Winfrey. Her podcast will expand to two episodes a week starting in July and it will be available across the likes of Prime Video, Amazon Music, Fire TV channels and Audible. New episodes will still hit YouTube and other podcast platforms, according to Variety.
Winfrey will stick to the same format she's been using on YouTube since starting a podcast channel there at the end of 2024. It will feature interviews with authors, celebrities and others in the public eye.
In addition, Winfrey
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The sequel to the iconic emulator ZSNES is called Super ZSNES, of course
a day ago
by Devindra Hardawar
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar
Somehow, ZSNES has returned after laying dormant for 20 years. The developers of the iconic Super Nintendo emulator, which originally debuted in 1997 for DOS (something I distinctly remember trying to install on my ancient Intel 486 Packard Bell), are back with a sequel release dubbed Super ZSNES. And really, what else would they call it?
Developers zsKnight and Demo say that Super ZSNES has been rewritten from scratch with a focus on a GPU-powered “Super Enhancement Engine,” which allows for high resolution playback, overclocking (which could help with games notorious for slowdown), widescreen support, uncompressed audio and 3D height maps
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Ford's Mustang Cobra Jet sets a new EV quarter mile record at 6.87 seconds
a day ago
by Steve Dent
Autos, Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Ford Racing's Mustang Cobra Jet 2200 just ran a quarter mile in 6.87 seconds at 221 mph at an NHRA event in Charlotte, setting a new world record for an EV. The run smashed Ford's own previous EV record of 7.62 seconds, set by the Cobra Jet 1800 last September, by an impressive 0.75 seconds.
As the name suggests, Ford's Cobra Jet 2200 puts a massive 2,200 horsepower to the wheels thanks to a newly designed electric motor and inverter combo. Ford elected to use two motors and inverters instead of four of each as before to reduce complexity and boost
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Forced Windows updates can now be paused forever
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
No more getting caught by a forced Windows 11 update while you're in the middle of a meeting or a match. Microsoft announced some major changes coming to Windows Update on its blog, including the ability to indefinitely pause Windows updates, 35 days at a time.
To give users more control, Windows Update introduced the option to extend update pauses as much as users want. Once you opted to pause updates for Windows 11, you won't be disturbed for 35 days at a time, but you can now reset this 35-day limit for as long as you want. You should eventually
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Canadian premier wants to ban social media and AI chatbots for kids in Manitoba
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Society & Culture Organizations, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Manitoba could be the first province in Canada to establish a social media ban for kids, but the proposal's details aren't very clear yet. The province's premier, Wab Kinew, announced during a fundraiser event on Saturday and on X that Manitoba would put in place a ban for social media and AI chatbots for its youth.
"They're doing these very awful things to kids all in the name of a few likes, all in the name of more engagement, and all in the name of money," Kinew said at the event. "Our kids will never be for sale and their attention
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Trump has terminated several members of the independent National Science Board
2 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Politics & Government, Board & Management Changes, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
As reported by several outlets, the Trump administration dismissed members of the National Science Board (NSB), which is tasked with establishing policies for the National Science Foundation. It's not clear how many members have been dismissed. According to screenshots shared with The Washington Post, board members received a message that their position was "terminated, effective immediately.
The NSB establishes policies for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the independent US agency responsible for apportioning about 25 percent of federal support towards research conducted by the country's colleges and universities. The foundation has existed for over 75 years and has contributed to the
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BYD's next all-electric hypercar is a convertible that's coming to Europe first
3 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Consumer Discretionary, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
BYD may be known for its affordable all-electric cars, but that doesn't mean it won't dabble in the occasional hypercar under one of its subsidiary brands. At the Beijing Auto Show, BYD unveiled the Denza Z, a hypercar that can produce more than 1,000 horsepower with an all-electric motor. According to CarNewsChina, the Denza A can hit 0 to 60 mph in less than two seconds, rivaling the likes of the Rimac Nivera.
BYD first showed off the Denza Z as a concept at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2025. A year later, the Chinese EV maker confirmed its latest hypercar
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OpenAI's Sam Altman apologizes for not reporting ChatGPT account of Tumbler Ridge suspect to police
3 days ago
by Jackson Chen
Education, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Jackson Chen
Two months following the deadly shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, OpenAI's Sam Altman has formally apologized for not informing police of the alarming ChatGPT conversations seen with the suspect's account. Before the incident, OpenAI banned the account belonging to the alleged shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, for violating its usage policy due to potential for real-world violence.
"I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June," Altman wrote in the letter. "While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible
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NASA's initial takeaways from the Artemis II mission, 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
Now that Artemis II is all wrapped up, NASA has begun its post-game performance analyses of all the systems that worked together to get four astronauts safely to the moon and back earlier this month. In addition to taking humans farther than ever before, Artemis II served as a crucial test flight for upcoming crewed missions that are planned for as soon as 2027 and 2028, the latter being NASA's ambitious target for landing astronauts on the lunar surface. So far, the Orion spacecraft and the SLS rocket seem to have fared pretty well.
NASA says its initial assessments of the
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What to read this weekend: Monsters in the Archives dives deep into Stephen King's early works
3 days ago
by Cheyenne MacDonald
Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Cheyenne MacDonald
Need something new for your reading list? Here are two titles we think are worth checking out. This week, we read Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King and the first issue of the Image Comics miniseries, Corpse Knight.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/what-to-read-this-weekend-monsters-in-the-archives-dives-deep-into-stephen-kings-early-works-150000954.html?src=rss
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Tesla is giving away one year free Supercharging with Model 3 Premium and Performance purchases
3 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Autos, Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
Tesla completely ended its free lifetime Supercharging offer way back in 2018, but it has given customers the perk for certain promotions since then. It brought back free Supercharging for Model S and X a couple of times in 2019, for instance. The automaker’s latest offer is for new purchases for a Model 3 Premium or Performance vehicle in North America. On its website, Tesla has announced that it’s including one year of free supercharging with a Model 3 Premium or Performance, though the offer is “subject to change or end at any time.”
As Electrek notes, this is a nice
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Engadget review recap: DJI Osmo Pocket 4, Recteq X-Fire Pro and Alienware 27 QD-OLED
3 days ago
by Billy Steele
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Billy Steele
Engadget’s hottest review roundup truly has it all this week: a new pocket cam, a 2-in-1 smart grill, a pair of drones and a pricey skinny vac. And that’s before we even get to the highly capable gaming display that will only set you back $350. Read on to catch up on the reviews you might’ve missed over the last two weeks as we prepare for another slate of big events next month.
DJI OSMO POCKET 4
DJI’s Osmo Pocket cameras have become a staple of Engadget’s live event coverage over the last few years. They’re convenient, compact and product high-quality footage
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Vampire Crawlers, Peter Molyneux's return and other new indie games worth checking out
3 days ago
by Kris Holt
Video Games, 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. If you're looking for something new to play this weekend, we've got a bunch of options for you. We've also got some interesting upcoming games to tell you about as well.
In a press release announcing that Playdate Season 3 is coming later this year, Panic included a line that I've been thinking about a lot this week. "Panic is currently relieved and happy that people can make amazing games for Playdate with just 16 megabytes of RAM," it said, a nod toward the ongoing RAM crisis.
The
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XChat, the standalone app for messaging on X, is available on iOS now
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Software, Mobile Apps, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
XChat, the standalone app for accessing X's messaging feature, is available to download now for iOS. X first suggested it would be stripping direct messaging from X in 2025, but at least for now, XChat is available in the original X app, the web and this new app.
Based on its launch video, the new XChat app offers many of the elements of modern messaging X had already introduced to its chats feature, like the ability to delete and edit messages, block screenshots and send disappearing messages. The new XChat app also supports video and audio calls, and X claims that
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Maine governor vetoes bill temporarily banning large data centers in the state
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Politics & Government, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
The governor of Maine, Janet Mills, has vetoed a bill that halts the construction of large data centers in the state until the fall of 2027. While the bill passed both houses of the Maine's legislature on April 14, and Mills has suggested she'd support a temporary moratorium, the governor wanted a bill that would exempt an existing data center project in Jay, Maine.
The bill specifically blocked the construction of data centers that consume 20 megawatts of power or more and directs state agencies and other entities to not issue permits unless proposed projects fall under those energy needs. Passing
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A Battlefield movie adaptation is on the way, possibly starring Michael B. Jordan
4 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Movies, Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Have you ever noticed how Walgreens and CVS locations often end up across the street from each other? Well, Call of Duty and Battlefield have a similar thing going on. A mere eight days after the upcoming Call of Duty movie got an official premiere date, lo and behold: There's news from The Hollywood Reporter that a Battlefield movie is on the way.
The project has some heavy-artillery star power attached. Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) is slated to produce and possibly star in the film. Meanwhile, Christopher McQuarrie of Mission Impossible fame is set to write, direct and produce.
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The DOJ is backing xAI in its lawsuit against Colorado
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Politics & Government, Civil Rights, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
The Department of Justice has announced that it's intervening on the behalf of xAI in the company's recent lawsuit against the state of Colorado. xAI first filed the suit in early April in response to a recent Colorado law that requires developers of "high-risk" AI systems (for example, ones used in healthcare, employment or housing) to both disclose and mitigate the risk of algorithmic discrimination in their systems. The law is set to go into effect in June, and the DOJ is now asking a Colorado District Court to declare it unconstitutional.
In xAI's original argument, Colorado Bill SB24-205 violated the
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What you need to know as Elon Musk's lawsuit against Sam Altman begins
4 days ago
by Igor Bonifacic
Company Legal & Law Matters, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Igor Bonifacic
In a few short days, jury selection will begin in the long-awaited Musk v. Altman case. At the end of that process, an Oakland federal court will task nine regular people with deciding if OpenAI defrauded Elon Musk when it announced, and recently completed, its reorganization to become a more traditional for-profit business. More than just being the venue where two billionaires will air their grievances against one another in public, the trial has the potential to reshape the AI industry.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Musk first sued OpenAI in 2024, but the seed of the dispute was planted when Sam
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Google plans to invest even more money into Anthropic
4 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Mergers, Acquisitions & Takeovers, Investment & Company Information, Finance, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Google plans to invest up to $40 billion into Anthropic in what could be viewed as a circular deal with the AI startup (and frequent competitor), Bloomberg reports. The search giant has invested in Anthropic at multiple points in the past, but this new investment comes after an announcement that the AI startup had signed a joint agreement with Google and Broadcom for "multiple gigawatts of next-generation TPU capacity."
According to Anthropic, Google is committing $10 billion now at the company's current valuation, with an additional $30 billion on offer if Anthropic meets specific performance milestones. Through Anthropic's existing commitment to
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Singapore police arrest alleged The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender leaker
4 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Movies, Media, Arts & Entertainment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
People aren't thrilled with Paramount these days. After all, corporate consolidation and the transformation of CBS News into state media tend to do that. But here's someone who may not have chosen the… wisest form of protest. The Straits Times reports (via Gizmodo) that Singapore police have arrested a 26-year-old man for leaking Paramount's The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender.
The film, part of the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise, was initially scheduled for a theatrical release. But after two delays, it was later moved to Paramount+, where it’s set to debut later this year. Naturally, hardcore fans of the
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The MacBook Neo is a glimpse into John Ternus's Apple
4 days ago
by Devindra Hardawar
Technology & Electronics, Handheld & Connected Devices, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar
John Ternus was unavoidable when Apple debuted the Macbook Neo. He kicked off an intimate media event for the Neo, introducing it as a transformative machine for Apple thanks to its low $599 cost ($499 for education customers) and premium build quality. He was interviewed on Good Morning America, the sort of prominent media feature CEO Tim Cook typically handles. And when I asked Apple workers about the Neo at its launch event, they almost always brought up Ternus’ vision of the laptop.
For all intents and purposes, Ternus was Apple’s frontman for the MacBook Neo.
Ternus is slated for his coronation
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Engadget Podcast: Tim Cook’s Apple era and what lies ahead for John Ternus
4 days ago
by Devindra Hardawar
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Devindra Hardawar
The Apple rumors were true, once again. This week, the company announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down from his CEO role on September 1. Replacing him will be John Ternus, who currently serves as Apple's SVP of hardware engineering. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Nathan Ingraham discuss Cook's legacy as Apple's CEO, and pontificate about how Ternus may change things. We're going from Apple being led by a logistics guru, to Apple being driven by a product and engineering wizard. Surely, that will have some impact on future products.
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DeepSeek promises its new AI model has 'world-class' reasoning
4 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Software, Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
DeepSeek has released its latest AI models, the V4 Pro and Flash versions, a bit over a year after it went viral and became the top rated free app on Apple's App Store in the US. “Welcome to the era of cost-effective 1 million context length,” DeepSeek said in its announcement. Context length is what you call the maximum number of tokens that an AI model can remember, so the bigger it is, the more coherent and consistent an AI is when it comes to extended conversations. OpenAI’s recently announced GPT‑5.5 has a context window ranging from 400,000 to 1
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The Morning After: Polymarket and a hairdryer
4 days ago
by Mat Smith
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mat Smith
Although it’s one of the more inoffensive topics on Polymarket, this news typifies the Wild West of prediction markets and betting sites. A hairdryer was allegedly used to rig Polymarket bets on temperatures at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, according to a report by The Telegraph. French authorities noted that the official temperature readings at the airport spiked twice in the past month. On both occasions, gamblers betting on those temperature fluctuations on Polymarket appear to have walked away with thousands upon thousands of dollars.
There is no indication that Polymarket forced anyone to return winnings, but the temperature sensor
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Porsche's new Cayenne Turbo Coupé Electric can do 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds
4 days ago
by Steve Dent
Autos, Transportation, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Steve Dent
Porsche has announced an electric version of its popular Cayenne Coupé and it could be the company's most powerful vehicle ever — either ICE or electric. Mechanically, the Cayenne Coupé Electric is nearly identical to the Cayenne Electric but the body is substantially sleeker for improved range and performance.
While the front end of the Coupé looks much the same as the Cayenne Electric, the back is giving off BMW X-series vibes in a big way. Porsche says that bulbous rear makes the new model more aerodynamic and thus efficient, with a drag coefficient of just 0.23. It also sits nearly
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US soldier arrested for allegedly making over $400,000 on Polymarket with classified Maduro information
5 days ago
by Mariella Moon
Society & Culture, Crime & Justice, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Mariella Moon
United States soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke has been arrested and charged for placing bets on prediction marketplace Polymarket using classified information he had access to related to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The US Army Special Forces master sergeant, who was directly involved with the planning and execution of the operation, allegedly made $409,881 in profits.
According to the Department of Justice, Van Dyke created a Polymarket account around December 26, 2025 and made 13 bets related to Maduro from December 27 to January 2. He took the “Yes” position on several Polymarket wagers, including “US Forces
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Claude can now connect to lifestyle apps like Spotify, Instacart and AllTrails
5 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Mobile Apps, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Anthropic is expanding its directory of connected services for its Claude AI chatbot. The platform can now link up with your accounts on AllTrails, Audible, Booking.com, Instacart, Intuit Credit Karma, Intuit TurboTax, Resy, Spotify, StubHub, Taskrabbit, Thumbtack, TripAdvisor, Uber, Uber Eats and Viator. Additional services will be added in the future.
More and more AI companies are trying to up their third-party integrations in a pitch to make their services as useful as possible. The benefit of having multiple apps connected means that a chatbot can theoretically execute more complicated tasks on your behalf. This expansion takes that capability from the professional
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Microsoft is reportedly offering voluntary buyouts to up to 7 percent of its employees
5 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Internet & Networking Technology, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
Microsoft is planning to get rid of more US employees via its first voluntary buyout program, CNBC reports. The buyout program will reportedly be offered to US employees at "the senior director level and below whose years of employment and age add up to 70 or higher," and could cover up to 7 percent of the company's US workforce.
With around 125,000 employees in the US as of June 2025, that could mean up to 8,750 will be offered a paid exit when Microsoft begins its program in May. That's a smaller figure than the 15,000 or so employees the company
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Meta is downsizing by about 10 percent
5 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Technology & Electronics, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
Meta is making another steep cut to its staff, this time to the tune of a 10 percent reduction in its workforce. About 8,000 people will be laid off and about 6,000 open jobs will also be eliminated, according to Bloomberg.
In an internal memo from Janelle Gale, Meta's head of human resources, the latest cuts are "part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making." Those "other investments" are likely in artificial intelligence. Meta is building its own models and apparently training them on its own staff.
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Titanium Court mashes together genres and cultural references to tell a strange, funny tale
5 days ago
by Kris Holt
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Kris Holt
I would love to tell you everything about my favorite game of the year so far. But that would be doing a great disservice to Titanium Court. I'm not even sure I could explain it all, anyway.
Titanium Court is a run-based game with elements of permanent progression, so it's technically a roguelite. However, you cannot really break Titanium Court like you can with Balatro. There are multiple ways to win a run, but you have to play by the rules. Gradually learning what those are — and how the game suddenly changes them — is a big part of what
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X is shutting down its Communities feature
5 days ago
by Ian Carlos Campbell
Software, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Ian Carlos Campbell
X is closing its Communities feature in May, X Head of Product Nikita Bier has announced. Communities were introduced before Twitter was acquired and rebranded by Elon Musk, and act as a way for users to create, join and moderate public groups focused on a particular interest. Communities make it possible to follow a feed made up of only the people or subject matter you care about, but they haven't been used at the scale the social platform wanted.
"Communities had a great vision, but they were used by less than 0.4% of users — yet contributed to 80% of spam
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Apple, Amazon join push for looser greenhouse emissions reporting
5 days ago
by Anna Washenko
Government Agencies, Government, Pollution & Waste, Climate Change, Environment, Nature & Environment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Anna Washenko
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, a widely used international environmental standard for measuring and reporting emissions, is considering changes to how certain types of the emissions are reported. Advocates for the new guidance argue that the current rules make it too easy for businesses to overstate their commitments to environmentally friendly operations, such as being powered by renewable energy or making progress toward net-zero emissions.
Today, some major tech companies joined a call pushing back against the new guidance, asking for the new reporting rules to be optional rather than required. The joint statement argued that the proposed policies would reduce investments
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Apple TV's upcoming For All Mankind spinoff Star City oozes Cold War-era paranoia
5 days ago
by Lawrence Bonk
Arts & Entertainment, Television, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Lawrence Bonk
Apple TV just dropped a real-deal trailer for Star City, after releasing a short teaser earlier this year. It's a spinoff of For All Mankind, but this new show examines the alt-history space race from the Soviet perspective.
In other words, this is a trailer steeped in Cold War-era paranoia. Secret photos are snapped, phones are tapped and characters are disappeared, all set against the backdrop of space exploration. The vibe looks decidedly different from For All Mankind, despite the parent show occasionally dabbling in Russia-based espionage.
The vibe isn't the only shift here. Star City isn't doing time jumps, which is
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Rivian begins production on the R2 electric SUV
5 days ago
by Will Shanklin
Transportation, Nature & Environment, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Will Shanklin
Rivian has begun production of its R2 SUV. However, you can't get one just yet: The first customer deliveries (of the most expensive version) aren't expected until later this spring.
On Wednesday, CEO RJ Scaringe drove the first electric SUV off the production line at the company's Normal, IL, factory. A storage and logistics building at that factory was damaged by a tornado last weekend, with Wednesday's rollout event seemingly designed to reassure nervous customers and investors.
"We are really excited to be producing R2 for our customers," Scaringe is quoted as saying in a news release. However, Rivian CFO Claire McDonough
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Five Annapurna Interactive games get Switch 2 releases
5 days ago
by Matt Tate
Video Games, site|engadget, provider_name|Engadget, region|US, language|en-US, author_name|Matt Tate
If you’re a Switch 2 owner itching for something new to play and you happen to be partial to an Annapurna Interactive game, then boy is it your lucky day. The prolific indie publisher has announced that five of its titles are coming to Switch 2, three in the form of next-gen upgrades and two for the first time on Nintendo platforms.
The magnificent Sayonara Wild Hearts and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes are available starting today, complete with 120Hz and 4K upgrades for Nintendo’s latest console. First-time buyers can grab Sayonara Wild Hearts for $13, while 2024’s Lorelei and the Laser Eyes