Last week, Meta decided it would replace its professional fact-checking program with X-style "Community Notes" and it looks like a version of the feature is already being tested on Threads. Alessandro Paluzzi, a developer who frequently posts leaked details on Meta's apps, shared three screenshots that show an early look of what the Community Notes might look like in Threads.
In a statement, a Meta spokesperson described the screenshots as an "internal prototype" and said the feature wasn't being tested outside of the company.
Paluzzi's images show a new "Write Community Note" option in the menu you can access in the corner of a Threads post. If you select it, it looks like you'll be able to anonymously submit your note, and if it's rated as helpful, it will appear under the post. The whole setup is not dissimilar from how X uses Community Notes, which started as a feature called "Birdwatch" on Twitter before Elon Musk acquired and renamed the company.
Alessandro Paluzzi
Community Notes are just one of the ways Threads is changing under Meta's new approach to moderation. The app, which was against the sharing and promoting of "political" content, will now also suggest political posts. Instagram and Threads head Adam Mosseri demonstrated how you can adjust the amount of political content you see in your feed in a short video shared to Threads today. Meta is giving users three options to choose from: "See less," which attempts to weed out political content, "Standard," which suggests some political content and "See more," which treats political content like everything else on the app.
It's not clear that Community Notes or toggles for political content address the actual issues users have with Threads, or if they'll make anyone happier. They do fit with the "free speech warrior" image Meta is trying to project, though.
Update January 14, 2025, 12:26 PM ET: This story has been updated to add more information from a Meta spokesperson.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-starting-to-test-community-notes-232150151.html?src=rss
Alarmo, the most important hardware announcement Nintendo's made in the last year, will soon be available to a lot more people. Nintendo says the motion-tracking alarm clock will be able to be purchased "in stores at participating retailers" in March, without the need for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription or a visit to a physical Nintendo store.
Nintendo's alarm clock originally launched in October 2024. It combines beloved sound effects from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Pikmin 4 with motion sensors that can track your tossing and turning. This gives the Alarmo some rudimentary sleep tracking features, and morning alarms that can get louder the more you flop around, only stopping when you actually sit up.
Nintendo Sound Clock: #Alarmo will be available in stores at participating retailers in March 2025, no Nintendo Switch Online membership required. Available while supplies last. pic.twitter.com/qhVo0NMKjx
As Engadget's review found, Alarmo is pricey at $100, and not particularly great as a sleep tracker. The alarm clock can only track one person at a time, which keeps anyone who shares a bed from accessing its most charming feature. But if you're weak to Nintendo nostalgia or have a child who's already a fan, the clock is a cute way to start your morning routine.
In March, retailers will only have Alarmo "while supplies last," but hopefully by then, die-hard Nintendo fans will already be saving up for their next big purchase.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/nintendos-goofy-alarm-clock-will-be-available-to-everyone-in-march-222912137.html?src=rss
Meta appeared to be blocking links to Pixelfed, a decentralized photo-sharing platform, on Facebook, according to both users on Bluesky and 404 Media. A small group of posts that linked to "pixelfed.social" was deleted, with Facebook's "Community Standards on spam" used as a justification.
When asked to comment, a Meta spokesperson said removing the posts was a mistake and that they'd be reinstated.
Pixelfed runs on the ActivityPub protocol and is part of the wider "fediverse" of decentralized posting platforms. It functions a lot like Instagram in its ability to let you share, like, and comment on images, but because its on ActivityPub, your posts could show up in other apps or be ported to entirely different takes on photo sharing if you want. Meta is slowly adopting parts of ActivityPub into Threads, which makes it possible to post to Threads and Mastodon at the same time, for example.
The timing of these deletions is enough to make anyone suspicious. Meta just announced pretty dramatic changes to how it plans to moderate speech on its platforms. The company decided to end both its third-party fact checking program and change its Hateful Conduct policy last week. The company's loosening standards now allow for speech that would be defined as hateful under any normal circumstance, based on what Wiredwas able to dig up.
It's not unreasonable to imagine users might consider jumping ship to an alternative like Pixelfed in response, and the platform did share on Saturday that it was "seeing unprecedented levels of traffic to pixelfed.social." It's also not unreasonable to imagine the new right-leaning Meta might preemptively block its competitors, just like X did with links to Mastodon and Substack.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-admits-it-deleted-links-to-decentralized-instagram-competitor-pixelfed-194624098.html?src=rss
If you're in the market for a new controller, you're in luck. Microsoft's Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller is on sale for $98 at Amazon and Target, down from $130. That means its about $3 off its lowest price to date — a great opportunity to upgrade to something a little nicer.
We've recommended the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller before, and that's mainly based on its ability to give you the best of the $180 Xbox Elite Series 2 controller for a more approachable price. That includes fits and finishes like a rubberized grip and sturdier, longer-lasting versions of a traditional controller's triggers, joysticks and directional pad (it's circular now). On top of that, it has up to 40 hours of battery life.
The Elite Series 2 Core also lets you adjust the tension of the joysticks and triggers to your liking, and remap the controller's buttons in the Xbox Accessories app. That's helpful if there's specific settings your prefer for Call of Duty: Warzone versus something more relaxing, like Viva Piñata, or if you share your controller with someone else.
The main disadvantage with the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller, besides the limited color options you have purchasing it anywhere other than the Xbox Design Lab, are the lack of accessories. Included in the price for a normal Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is a variety of different joysticks, directional pads and back paddles you can attach when you want to experiment with a new setup. Those aren't included at all with the Core controller. In fact, there's awkward divots on the back of the controller where the paddles are supposed to be attached.
It's a small annoyance in the grand scheme of things, and one that can be rectified by buying the accessories when you figure out that you actually need them down the road. Even without paddles, the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller should feel noticeably more pleasant to use, and when you're trying to make your way through an extra-long RPG, that's what really matters anyway.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-xbox-elite-series-2-core-controller-is-on-sale-for-98-222712100.html?src=rss
Meta isn't stopping at moderation changes. According to both Axiosand The New York Times, the company is also pulling the plug on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. That includes removing diversity hiring goals, eliminating the chief diversity officer position and no longer prioritizing minority-owned businesses as vendors, per The Times' reporting.
When asked to comment on ending DEI initiatives, Meta confirmed the reporting was accurate.
Internally, the company is apparently pinning the decision on a shifting "legal and policy landscape," according to a memo to employees Axios acquired.
"The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling a shift in how courts will approach DEI," Janelle Gale, Meta's VP of Human Resources says in the memo. "The term 'DEI' has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others."
The current Supreme Court is not exactly friendly towards systemic attempts to address issues of race, gender and sexuality, but in the context of Meta's other recent changes, it seems like there's more going on than the company being afraid of a possible lawsuit.
At the same time that Mark Zuckerberg was announcing that Meta was abandoning third-party fact checking and changing what kind of speech it allows on its platform, 404 Media reports that the company removed the Trans and Non-binary themes from Messenger, and posts it made announcing them. The company also added Trump supporter and UFC CEO Dana White to its board this week, a confirmation of Zuckerberg's continuing UFC fandom but also a signal that it's eager to listen to conservative voices. It all seems to add up to less of a reaction to the current climate and more like the way people in charge want to be doing business going forward.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/metas-right-wing-reinvention-also-includes-an-end-to-dei-programs-and-trans-messenger-themes-204031848.html?src=rss
FOTO DE ARCHIVO. Se ven personas detrás de un logo de Meta Platforms, durante una conferencia en Mumbai, India, el 20 de septiembre de 2023 REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Registration for the closed network test of Elden Ring Nightreign are open, publisher Bandai Namco announced today. The sign-up period for the co-op Elden Ring spinoff officially started on January 10 at 9AM ET and will run until January 20 at 9AM ET. You can add your name to the list now on Bandai Namco's website.
The close network test will be spread across five different sessions on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S, running from February 14 through February 15th. You'll be able to log in on each of those days from 6AM ET to 9AM ET or 10PM ET to 1AM ET the following day to put the game through its paces.
Limveld awaits you, Nightfarers.
Rise together against the tides of darkness from February 14th to February 17th.
Selected players will be able to play "a portion of the game prior to the full game launch," according to Bandai Namco's sign-up page, with the goal of getting a sense of how the company's servers and online systems will handle a mass of fans playing simultaneously. As to what that "portion" will actually contain, Bandai Namco says that players will get "to try the game’s co-op experience," partnering with two other players to tackle a three day cycle filled with "increasingly challenging enemies and bosses."
Nightreign appears to use many of the mechanics, armor, weapons and abilities of Elden Ring, but drops them in a revamped setting, "Limveld," that's design to change every time you play. Per Bandai Namco, you start each cycle of the game in the familiar Roundtable Hold, where you can pick one of eight characters with unique abilities and "Ultimates." The Limveld map you play in will shrink each night, and introduce a new boss that if beaten, lets you progress to the next day. The process continues until the final, third night when you face off against a "Nightlord." And if you fail at any point in the process and have to start a new run (as many will likely do) you'll earn a relic that lets you "customize and upgrade" your character.
Elden Ring Nightreign was an unexpectedly announced at The Game Awards in 2024, and was a pretty big surprise, not only because Shadow of the Erdtree came out that same year, but because the game's structure seems remarkably different than anything developer FromSoftware has made before. Anyone lucky enough to be a part of the network test will now be able to see how different it actually feels.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/you-can-now-sign-up-to-test-elden-rings-co-op-spinoff-192012608.html?src=rss
Grok, the AI assistant that's for some reason baked into X, is now available as a standalone app. Like the version that exists as a tab on the social media platform, the Grok app can be used to generate images, summarize text and answer questions, with a conversational tone xAI, the AI assistant's creator, calls "humorous and engaging."
The app was first tested with a limited set of users in December 2024, right around the same time X debuted a free tier of Grok that's available to anyone. Prior to that, you needed to pay at least $8 a month for X Premium to have the privilege of using the AI.
Ian Campbell for Engadget
The limitations of that free access — 10 requests every two hours, three image analysis request per day — may also apply to the Grok app. You can use the app without signing in, or sign-in with an Apple account, X account, Google account, or a plain old email. It's not clear whether an X Premium subscription gets you added benefits in the Grok app in the same way it does X.
Grok has struggled with similar issues around accuracy and bizarre image generation choices as other AI assistants like Gemini and ChatGPT. The chatbot mainly stands out from its competitors because xAI pitched it as being able to answer "spicy questions" other AI assistants avoid, and a version of the Grok AI model is open source. You'll have to see for yourself how "spicy" the Grok app ultimately is, but at least you don't have to go to X to use it now.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/xs-grok-ai-assistant-is-now-a-standalone-app-225151579.html?src=rss
Splashy TV and laptop launches are some of the topics that tend to dominate CES, but for CES 2025, many companies tried to make waves in the robot vacuum space as well. These smart home devices have come a long way in the past few years, but it has seemed for a bit that vacuuming, mopping, and self-emptying might be the peak of what they can do. But that’s not the case, as many CES exhibitors showed by debuting home robots with new functionality — and appendages. Here’s the robot vacuums that caught our eye at CES 2025, many of which you could invite to clean your living room later this year.
Roborock Saros Z70
Karissa Bell for Engadget
Roborock's flagship vacuum for 2025 is the Roborock Saros Z70, a circular robot vacuum on the outside, that hides a retractable "OmniGrip" arm that can pick up and move objects on the inside. The arm is capable of five axis movement and is only able to carry around 300 grams, which makes it better at moving clothes and cables than anything truly heavy. Roborock claims the Saros Z70's precision sensors, LEDs, and camera will be able to identify 108 objects that it can move or avoid, with the ability to learn up to 50 custom objects, too.
The only missing pieces are a price and launch date. Roborock plans to start selling the Roborock Saros Z70 later this year, but hasn't shared what the price of the new robot will be. It might turn out that a robot arms don't come cheap.
Dreame X50 Ultra
Karissa Bell for Engadget
Dreame is one of Roborock's rivals, and it had its own new flagship robot vacuum at CES. Rather than an arm, the Dreame X50 Ultra has tiny wheeled legs for climbing (admittedly shallow) stairs. Dreame calls the feature its "ProLeap System" and it currently says that the X50 Ultra can handle stairs that are 6cm (around 2.4 inches) tall. That's a lot shorter than the average household stairs, but it does still mean Dreame's robot vacuum can reach places competitors can't.
The Dreame X50 Ultra is available to be reserved now for $39, which locks you in to a lower $1310 price and secures a longer warranty and free accessories. The robot vacuum will officially go on sale on February 4 for $1700.
Eufy E20
Eufy
Robot vacuums are convenient, but they're not yet great at reaching every corner of your home, which usually means you have to also own some kind of handheld vacuum. The Eufy E20 could eliminate that two-vacuum conundrum. It's a 3-in-1 robot vacuum that you can program to clean your house on its own, or pop out its vacuum component and use as a stick or handheld vacuum for hard to reach spots.
The goal is owning one vacuum that can adapt to all of your needs, while still offering the benefits of a robot vacuum, like a base station for automatically dumping debris. It seems like Eufy might have pulled it off, and at a relatively affordable price, too. The Eufy 3-in-1 E20 Vacuum will be available on February 10 and start at $550, with all of its accessories included.
Switchbot K20+ Pro
Switchbot
Swithcbot is known for smart home accessories like robotic curtain movers and button pushers, but the company has also been offering its own affordable robot vacuum for the last few years. The Switchbot K20+ Pro is its latest model, but also a whole new way to combine the Switchbot products you might already own.
The K20+ Pro looks a bit like normal robot vacuum, just with a rolling platform mounted on top. It can hold up to 18 lbs and you can connect Switchbot's air purifier, security camera or fan to the top and get a vacuum that doubles as a more of a general home robot. Switchbot says it's also designed to be easy to mod if you want to create your own weird attachment to go on top. The K20+ Pro is definitely equal parts goofy and clever, but it still has plenty of unknowns. There's no price or launch date beyond later this year. Switchbot plans to sell the K20+ Pro solo, and in bundles with some of the compatible accessories.
Dreame Retractable Arm Prototype
Karissa Bell for Engadget
Roborock wasn't alone in showing off a robot vacuum with an arm. Dreame's unnamed prototype robot vacuum isn't ready to go on sale, but does includes its own claw-shaped arm for grabbing things, and wheeled "legs" for getting over ledges like the Dreame X50 Ultra.
It's not clear when this prototype will become a real product or how much it'll cost when it does, but it serves as a good example that if Roborock can pull off the Saros Z70, others will certainly follow.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/the-new-robot-vacuums-that-caught-our-eye-at-ces-2025-210358124.html?src=rss
ASUS is leaning even harder into Copilot+PCs with it's new Vivobook 14 and 16 at CES 2025. And unlike the laptops the company introduced last fall, this time ASUS is going all in on Qualcomm chips.
Just like the new ultralight Zenbook A14, both the Vivobook 14 and Vivobook 16 come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X chip, and in the case of both sizes of Vivobook, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. ASUS claims these new internals mean both laptops are 44 percent more performant than last generation Vivobooks and should last longer too, with a battery life of up to 19.8 hours.
Regardless of whether you buy the 14-inch or 16-inch laptop, you'll get a 60Hz, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution display. Like past ASUS laptops, both Vivobooks will also use the company's "AI Camera" which can detect when you're not sitting in front of your screen and automatically dim the display to stretch battery life further, or lock your computer for added security. You'll have plenty of options if you need to plug something in, including two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port and an audio jack.
ASUS imagines the draw of all this new hardware will be the AI features they enable, like Generative Fill and Erase for editing photos or Live Captions for automatically adding subtitles to the audio on your computer. A more powerful laptop that lasts longer is more immediately appealing, though.
Alongside the new Vivobooks, ASUS is announcing two new enterprise-focused laptops, the ExpertBook B5 and B3. Both laptops come with up to an Intel Core Ultra Series 2, up to 64GB of RAM and plenty of security features to keep your data safe.
ASUS hasn't shared the availability or price of the new ExpertBooks. The ASUS Vivobook 14 and Vivobook 16 are available to pre-order now for $700 and $750, respectively.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/asus-brings-qualcomms-latest-chip-to-the-vivobook-14-and-16-173007085.html?src=rss
Anker may be known for power banks and charging gear, but its offerings are vast and varied from 3D printers to smart scales. Case in point, the company announced the new Anker Solix Solar Beach Umbrella at CES 2025, a flexible, freestanding shade that keeps you cool while also powering up your phone or Anker’s EverFrost 2 cooler.
As with any regular beach umbrella, the Solix Solar Beach Umbrella is portable, collapsible, and designed to protect you from rain (it’s IP67 rated) and excessive sun. What makes this solar beach umbrella unique from the one you probably have sitting in your garage are the flexible solar panels it has attached on top.
Anker
Anker says it's using perovskite solar cells in its panels, which are supposed to offer "30 percent better performance" than traditional crystalline silicon cells, and translates to a solar rated power of up to 80W. The company has offered few details about how the Solix Solar Beach Umbrella works beyond that, including how much it will actually cost when it launches, but it's not a completely unexpected extension of what Anker was already doing with solar.
The company launched its Solix line of home energy products in 2023, introducing Tesla Powerwall-esque home backup batteries, and retroactively branding portable solar panels and large capacity batteries in the process. The Solix Solar Beach Umbrella is expected to join the Solix lineup in either spring or summer 2025, according to Anker.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/anker-made-a-solar-beach-umbrella-because-of-course-030040245.html?src=rss
UFC CEO Dana White is joining Meta's board, the company announced today. The addition of the mixed-martial arts impresario jives with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's well-documented UFC fandom, but also the larger strategy Meta appears to be using heading into a second Trump term: tacking right.
That's not to say White's seat on the board is typical, however. Most of Meta's current board members work in the tech industry. The two members Meta is adding alongside White, John Elkann and Charlie Songhurst, fit the social media company's usual bill. White might say he's "a huge believer that social media and AI are the future" in Meta's press release, but the company he keeps is likely the more important reason he's joining now.
Dana White and President-elect Donald Trump have been friends for years. White supported Trump's campaign for re-election, and UFC as a whole fits his strong-man tastes. Putting White on the board is as much about burnishing Zuckerberg's self-image as it is having access to the incoming Trump Administration. The President-elect might at one point have thought that Zuckerberg should "spend the rest of his life in prison," but Meta's CEO is doing everything in his power to court him.
Zuckerberg visited Mar-A-Lago in November 2024 to have dinner with Trump, one of several tech CEOs to do so. Meta's also been adjusting its executive ranks to better work with a conservative government. The company's former President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg announced he was stepping down just last week, to be replaced by Meta's most prominent Republican executive, Joel Kaplan. Among Kaplan's credits is an eight-year stint in the Bush Administration. Zuckerberg has been in UFC mode for a while now, and it seems like for at least the next four years, Meta will be too.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-adds-ufc-ceo-and-trump-booster-dana-white-to-its-board-230611306.html?src=rss
Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; UFC president Dana White in attendance during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Samsung made a bunch of announcements at CES 2025, including a slew of new laptops and TVs, but as to be expected, the company will save some of the biggest news for its own event. Samsung will host its first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year on January 22, 2025 at 1 PM ET, where it will likely show off the latest in Galaxy AI and the new Galaxy devices it runs on.
The event will take place in San Jose, and like previous years, you can reserve the company's new gear in advance (and even before it's officially announced) for $50 off and the chance to win a $5,000 Samsung gift card. That's on top of Samsung's typically generous trade-in credit — this year the company says you can get up to an additional $900 credit if you trade-in an old device.
Given the timing of Unpacked, Samsung is likely to announce the Galaxy S25 series, and there's a good chance it'll use the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and sport an updated design, at least on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. What might be more interesting are the non-smartphone devices Samsung could show off. The company is rumored to already have a Galaxy Ring 2 in the works, and there's a good chance Samsung's "Project Moohan" Android XR headset could make an appearance at the event.
Engadget will have all the details of Samsung's announcements right here, but if you want to watch the event yourself, you'll be able to tune in on Samsung.com, Samsung's Newsroom or the company's YouTube channel.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/this-years-first-samsung-unpacked-2025-event-will-be-on-january-22-224535221.html?src=rss
TiVo is back...sort of. Xperi, the owner of the TiVo brand as of 2019, announced at CES 2025 that TiVo OS will be available in the US for the first time on Sharp TVs. The storied TV brand was last seen stateside as the TiVo Stream 4K, a $50 streaming dongle. This new software push makes TiVo the main interface of participating affordable TVs, and puts it in direct competition with Roku's operating system.
"The Sharp Smart TV Powered by TiVo" is a pretty standard TV for 2025, with an "Ultra High Definition and High Dynamic Range 55” QLED screen," according to Xperi, and three HDMI ports for connecting various accessories. It's big differentiator is TiVo OS. The operating system aggregates content from streaming services, linear TV channels, and sports packages, and gives users access to "a vast library of free and paid content," Xperi says. The OS also supports "natural voice navigation" and "advanced search and recommendation capabilities." Nothing too revolutionary when compared to the competition, but TiVo's at least known for making user-friendly ways of navigating TV content.
TiVo OS was originally announced in 2022, but TVs using the operating system didn't start shipping until 2023, and only in Europe. Sharp's TV will be the first new TiVo product in the US since the launch of the TiVo dongle. It doesn't exactly feel like a triumphant return, but to a certain kind of home theater aficionado, the TiVo name still means a lot, and Sharp is poised to take advantage of it.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/tivo-os-is-coming-to-the-us-on-sharp-tvs-213938244.html?src=rss
Dell is introducing three new monitors at CES 2025, but the most interesting one includes a feature you might have already experienced with a pair of AirPods: spatial audio. The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor is the first monitor with "AI-enhanced 3D Spatial Audio," according to Dell.
The monitor's 5x5W speakers are able to pull off their audio tricks thanks to "AI-driven head-tracking" that follows your head and adjust audio playback so you're always immersed. It's a system that seems similar to Razer's Leviathan V2 Pro PC soundbar from 2023, which also used head-tracking to simulate a spatial audio experience. Dell's just managed to cram the necessary sensors and speakers into a monitor, with likely tinnier sound as a tradeoff.
Dell
If you're more worried about the screen, you're in luck. The Dell 32 Plus 4K has a 31.5-inch QD OLED panel with up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 4K resolution, which sounds great for creative work or games. Bells and whistles like Dolby Vision, HDR TB400, and AMD FreeSync Premium mean you'll get the brightest and tear-free image when you actually sit down in front of the screen, too.
Alongside it's new spatial audio monitor, Dell is updating two sizes in its UltraSharp line, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor. Dell claims both UltraSharps are the first "enhanced IPS Black monitors" which is supposed to mean they'll offer "three times the contrast of conventional IPS displays and 47% deeper blacks."
The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor will be available in China on March 27, before launching worldwide on May 22 for $799.99. Both the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor will be available on February 25 for $699.99 and $949.99, respectively.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/dells-new-4k-qd-oled-monitor-comes-with-spatial-audio-194551957.html?src=rss
Samsung Galaxy phones will finally support Qi2 in 2025, according to the stewards of the standard, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). Qi2 wireless charging was supposed to bring the convenience of the iPhone's MagSafe to any phone that supports it, but the vast majority of Android phone makers failed to to do anything with it in 2024. That set to change in 2025.
"The exceptional Qi2 growth story will continue in 2025," Samsung shared in the WPC's press release. "You can expect to see Android devices supporting Qi2 from Samsung Galaxy devices in 2025." Besides requiring the inclusion of magnets to make it easier to align smartphones with wireless chargers, Qi2 also supports up to 15W charging, which means Qi2 devices should charge faster than before, too.
Alongside Samsung, Google is also throwing its hat in the ring for Qi2, specifically by contributing "its own high-power wireless charging technology to WPC" for the development of Qi v2.2. Notably missing from Google's quote is a commitment to actually using the standard in its own Pixel devices however. The Pixel 9 was inarguably the best Android device the company has shipped to date, but it notably doesn't support Qi2.
In the more immediate future, WPC says that Qi v2.1 will include a new design for wireless car chargers with a moving charging coil that can adjust and seek out a phone regardless of its size or how awkwardly it's thrown on a charger.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-will-finally-support-qi2-wireless-charging-in-2025-190430230.html?src=rss
TCL has long been a proponent of using Mini LED TVs as an alternative to OLED ones, and at CES 2025 the company is introducing what it claims is the best version of the idea yet in the TCL QM6K TV. The new QD-Mini LED TV is the first of several new options in TCL's new "Precise Dimming Series," and it includes several breakthrough improvements to the display technology.
The QM6K is the first of TCL's TVs to use the company's Halo Control Technology Suite, which is the catch-all name for the various tweaks it's made to the dimming and picture quality of its Mini LEDs. That includes things like a new "Super High Energy LED chip" that TCL claims increases brightness output and light efficiency, a new "Condensed Micro Lens" that allows for even more precise control over the light that comes from a TV's LEDs and updated "Quantum Dot Technology" that helps display up to 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
TCL
TCL introduced the term "OD Zero" to describe 0nm optical distance between the backlights and the LCD panel of the Mini LED TVs it introduced in 2021, but the company has apparently found a way to top itself with its Halo Control Technology Suite screens. These new TVs have "Micro OD," which TCL says "virtually eliminates any halo effect" or blooming on the screen.
The QM6K will be available in a variety of bezel-less sizes, from 50 inches all the way to an extra large 98 inches, and will support a 144Hz refresh rate and "up to LD500 Precise Dimming." Features like Dolby Vision (and HDR10+ and HDR10), Dolby Atmos and AMD FreeSync certification are on board, and the TV runs Google TV so you should be covered as far as streaming apps are concerned, too.
TCL didn't provide a release date for the QM6K, but did say it's the first of several 2025 TVs it will release with the Halo Control Technology Suite. When it does come out, you'll be able to purchase a 50" model for $750, 55" for $800, 65" for $1,000, 75" for $1,300, 85" for $2,000 and 98" for $3,500.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/tcls-new-mini-led-tvs-aim-for-oleds-throne-again-190023765.html?src=rss
JBL has never met a CES it couldn't dump a bunch of new audio products on, and CES 2025 is no different. The company's new Tour One M3 headphones might be the star of its lineup, but JBL is announcing a total of seven new pairs of wireless earbuds across the Endurance Race 2, Vibe 2, and Tune 2 lines, on top of new wired headphones, kid-friendly options, and an alarm clock.
The JBL Endurance Race 2 are wireless earbuds for working out with an ergonomic fit thanks to some raised ridges and a built-in wing tip. The headlining feature for the Endurance Race 2 is the addition of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and a Sports Mode that lets you set separate ambient sound settings depending on what workout you're doing. Beyond, that the Endurance Race 2 support Bluetooth 5.3, are IP68 rated and will be available for purchase for $80 in black, white, blue or purple.
JBL
JBL's more affordable line, the JBL Vibe 2, is also getting ANC and Smart Ambient Aware settings that let you hear more of the world around you while you're headphones are in. In terms of physical hardware, the big change for the Vibe 2 is the addition of two additional mics to improve call quality and an extended battery life of 40 hours. All Vibe 2 models will support Bluetooth 5.3, and you can get a pair in three different styles: Buds, which are basic wireless earbuds, Beam, which are stick-shaped buds with ear tips, and Flex, which are stick-shaped buds with no ear tips. All JBL Vibe 2 models will cost $60 and will come in either black, white, pink, or blue.
If you're looking for a step up, or care about the (mostly unnecessary) addition of spatial audio, the JBL Tune 2 line could be for you. JBL says the new models will offer ANC, "Spatial Sound," 10mm drivers, and support for Bluetooth 5.3. Like the Vibe 2, the Tune 2 will be available in Buds, Beam and Flex versions, though you'll only be able to pick between black, white and turquoise finishes. Regardless of which you pick, the JBL Tune 2 costs $100.
Alongside those wireless headphones, JBL also has a pair of wired USB-C headphones called the JBL 520C, the JBL Junior 470NC and 320BT for kids and the new JBL Horizon 3, an alarm clock with built-in ambient lighting and preloaded with soothing nature sounds.
All of JBL's new earbuds and headphones will ship in March 2025. The Horizon 3 alarm clock will be available in May.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/jbl-is-adding-anc-to-seven-new-pairs-of-wireless-earbuds-at-ces-2025-130025314.html?src=rss
United Airlines has announced plans to start testing Starlink on flights in February, and eventually add SpaceX's satellite internet service to its entire fleet. The company first announced a partnership with SpaceX to "set a new standard of inflight connectivity" in September 2024.
After testing, United expects the first commercial flight with Starlink to be on a United Embraer E-175 in the spring. The rest of the the airline's "two-cabin regional fleet" will have Starlink installed throughout 2025, and United says it will have the "first mainline Starlink-enabled plane in the air" before the end of year.
Starlink will available for free to all members of United's MileagePlus program. Besides improving the quality of inflight Wi-Fi, United sees Starlink as an opportunity to "unlock new partnership" for its members. Do not be surprised if United cooks up new deals with streaming services to offer more free content during flights.
United is joining both Delta and Hawaiian Airlines in partnering with Starlink for inflight Wi-Fi. SpaceX originally announced its intentions to offer 350 Mbps internet speeds to planes in 2022, and both Delta and Haiwaiian Airlines have either tested Starlink or committed to offering it on their planes.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/united-will-start-testing-starlink-on-flights-in-february-130047392.html?src=rss
FILE PHOTO: The One World trace Center and the New York skyline are seen while United Airlines planes use the tarmac as pilots from United Airlines take part in an informational picket at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo
Streams on TikTok Live were used to exploit children, according to a newly unredacted lawsuit filed by Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. The lawsuit says that TikTok was not only aware that TikTok Lives were exposing minors to concerning messages from adults, but the company also directly profited off of some of the exchanges through TikTok Live's virtual gifting system.
Following an investigation by Forbesinto TikTok Live, TikTok conducted its own review called "Project Meramec," according to the suit. The company found that "hundreds of thousands of children" were getting around TikTok's age restrictions, hosting livestreams and interacting with adults.
Because TikTok pockets a portion of the sale of digital gifts in livestreams, the company was technically making money on "transactional gifting" over "nudity and sexual activity" that happened during streams. And since TikTok's algorithm favors livestreams where virtual gifts are being exchanged, the lawsuit says, some of these sexually exploitative streams were also distributed more widely than they would have been otherwise.
The lawsuit details another TikTok investigation, "Project Jupiter," that looked in to whether TikTok Live's gifting feature was being used to launder money. As it turns out, it was. According to the lawsuit, the company found that "criminals were selling drugs and running fraud operations" during livestreams.
When reached for a comment on the lawsuit, TikTok shared the following statement:
This lawsuit ignores the number of proactive measures that TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support community safety and well-being. Instead, the complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and outdated documents and presents them out of context, which distorts our commitment to the safety of our community.
We stand by our efforts, which include: robust safety protections and screen time limits for teen accounts enabled by default, Family Pairing tools for parents to supervise their teens, strict livestreaming requirements, and aggressive enforcement of our Community Guidelines on an ongoing basis.
Utah's AG filed the redacted version of this lawsuit in June 2024, following a different suit from 2023 concerning the addictive design of the TikTok app. The Utah lawsuit isn't the first time the company has come under scrutiny for its handling of child safety. The FTC has investigated TikTok's handling of child privacy, and the ban of the app — now headed to the Supreme Court on appeal — was partially pushed over concerns with how social video app could be used to influence children.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/utah-lawsuit-alleges-tiktok-knew-minors-were-being-exploited-on-livestreams-220851340.html?src=rss
FILE PHOTO: The TikTok logo is pictured outside the company's U.S. head office in Culver City, California, U.S., September 15, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
Apple is kicking off 2025 with a new wave of updates to Apple Fitness+. This time, the company is not only adding new content to the service’s yoga, strength training, and meditation programs, but also offering a new integration with another popular fitness app: Strava.
If there’s any problem with Fitness+’s offerings up until this point, it’s that they primarily cater to beginners. Yoga Peak Poses could be one way that changes. Apple is adding yoga retreat-inspired workshops focused on specific, challenging yoga poses like Dancer or Crow. “For each pose, there’s a 10-minute prep flow to warm users up,” Apple says, followed by a “corresponding 10-minute practice session.” You can use the workshop to build on your skills and hopefully end up pulling off a tricky pose in the process.
If strength training is more your speed, Fitness+ is also getting a new three week-long progressive strength training program Apple has dubbed “Three Perfect Weeks of Strength.” The program is spread across a dozen 30-minute workouts, with the first week focused on "Progressive Overload," the second on "Time Under Tension," and the third on "Dynamic Power." Apple says its designed the program to be repeatable so you can run through it again with different weights as you grow stronger. Don't expect it to be as in-depth as Peloton’s new strength training app, but it’s nice to have more options.
Apple
One of the more interesting new additions in this update is how Fitness+ will integrate with Strava. When you share a Fitness+ workout to Strava, the app will now display things like the Fitness+ workout you performed or trainer who led it, on top of your normal health metrics. Apple is offering Strava subscribers up to three months of Fitness+ at no additional costs in a savvy bit of cross-promotion, too.
Alongside these new additions is a grab bag of other new features, like an Intro to Breath Meditation class, a selection of workouts designed around training for pickleball, a new slate of Apple's celebrity-led Time to Walk audio stories, and workout playlists focused on Janet Jackson (on January 13), Coldplay (on January 20), Bruno Mars (on January 27) and Kendrick Lamar (on February 3).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-fitness-gets-strava-integration-and-new-workouts-120013064.html?src=rss
