Technology New of the last 24 hours

President Donald Trump says the US government is taking a 10 percent stake in chip maker Intel. Trump shared the news during a press conference on Friday, though an official announcement is still forthcoming, Reuters reports. News of a plan to convert Intel's previously promised CHIPS Act funding into equity in the company was first reported earlier in August. A meeting between Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan and Trump following the President's call for Tan to resign seems to be the source of the deal. "He walked in wanting to keep his job and he ended up giving us 10 billion dollars for the United States. So we picked up 10 billion," Trump shared during the press conference.  Based on Intel's current share price, a 10 percent stake would be worth around $10 billion, Reuters says. It's important to note that the government investing in Intel is not the same thing as receiving free money, it's the exact opposite. The government's stake in Intel will also be non-voting, according to earlier comments from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.  Intel was supposed to receive up to $10.86 billion in federal funding to expand its chip manufacturing business in the US as part of the CHIPS Act. By agreeing to this deal, Tan is likely trying to make sure that funding still goes through, one of several drastic moves to keep Intel afloat. Tan assumed the title of CEO following Pat Gelsinger's sudden retirement in 2024. Since taking over, he's already committed to cutting Intel's workforce by 20 percent. Even with lower costs and guaranteed investment, the company's future is still uncertain: Intel is reportedly struggling to make its next-gen Panther Lake chips at scale.  The Trump administration says it won't seek similar equity deals with other recipients of CHIPS Act funding. That hasn't stopped them from making other equally unprecedented financial arrangements. NVIDIA and AMD reportedly struck a deal with the US government that gives the companies the ability to export products to China in exchange for 15 percent of their profits.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-government-is-taking-a-10-percent-stake-in-intel-205047622.html?src=rss

China web traffic was blocked from accessing outsider websitesNo political or sensitive events appear to have coincidedPakistan also suffered an outage hours beforeChina appears to have shut itself off from the internet world for over an hour earlier this week, but could it have just been a mistake?The country's "Great Firewall" disrupted all traffic on TCP port 443, used for HTTPS, for 74 minutes on August 20, 2025, but with most citizens asleep during the outage (00:34-01:48 Beijing time), was this intended behavior?Interestingly, only port 443 was affected, leaving other ports like 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP and 8443 (alterative HTTPS) unaffected.China just had a partial internet outageBy injecting forged TCP RST+ACK packets to cut connections on port 443, the Great Firewall blocked access to most websites outside China and also disrupted services that rely on offshore servers, including Apple and Tesla.A report explained the Great Firewall of China is not a single entity, but a “complex system composed of various network devices that perform censorship.” The device involved did not match fingerprints of known GFW equipment, suggesting the 74-minute outage could have come from a new censorship device, a misconfigured known divide or a test of port-blocking capability.The Great Firewall also has a history of glitches, leaks and other technical errors.Unlike past censorship events, no major political or other sensitive events were identified during this outage, making the reason more obscured.Coincidentally, Pakistan also saw a large drop in internet traffic hours before the Chinese outage. The two countries both have similar histories of web censorship, and China has even been linked with sharing censorship technology with Pakistan, potentially drawing a link between the two events.More broadly, the granular and more complex censorship that China chooses (compared with total shutdowns observed in Turkey, Sudan and Egypt) strikes a fine balancing act between restricting access to foreign information while avoiding economic harm.With the community responding to the report’s comments with suspicions that this could have been a test, we’re left with little more evidence than to believe either this is the case, or it was a mistake.You might also likeThese are the best web hosting providersMake the most of broadband speeds with the best Wi-Fi routersA major Google Cloud outage took down swathes of the internet and even Workspace apps - here's what we know

Last week, Samsung announced the world's first Micro RGB TV and while it sounded fantastic on paper, you can never really get a good sense of what a fresh display looks like until you see it in person. But after going to Samsung's new headquarters in New Jersey, I can attest that it is truly a sight to behold. Now, before we get to the TV itself, it's probably a good idea to dive into what's going on with Samsung's latest panel tech. In many ways, Micro RGB is a step up from current Mini LED screens. On a technical level, the Micro LEDs and the self-emissive pixels of Samsung's The Wall probably remain the more sophisticated end goal for next-gen TVs. At its core, Micro RGB is still based on LCD tech, the difference is that instead of using blue or white backlighting like a lot of sets today, it features individually controlled red, green and blue Micro LEDs (hence the name Micro RGB) to produce an even wider range of colors. The result is that Samsung claims this is the first TV to cover 100 percent of the BT.2020 standard. For context, that covers more than 75 percent of the visible spectrum and has an even wider color range than what you get from DCI-P3, which is one of the most commonly used high-end standards for modern filmmaking. In person, that means the TV can produce stunningly rich and vivid colors that put Samsung's other top-tier TVs to shame, including the new Neo QLED QN90F which starts at a whopping $26,999. Like its sibling, Samsung's Micro RGB TV is only available in one size (115 inches) and has a similar design, while its panel features a 144Hz refresh rate and a matte glare-free coating. But that's kind of where the similarities end, because this new flagship model features four times the number of dimming zones. Furthermore, because the Micro RGB LEDs require more computing power to manage all those pixels, Samsung had to create a new RGB Engine AI processor to properly control everything. In short, this is a lot of words to describe what might be the best-looking TV I've ever seen. While I only got to view some demo footage (which admittedly is designed to make the set look its best), I couldn't help but appreciate the sheer intensity of the hues and shades on display. When the video loop shifted to primarily blue and green scenes, the TV's color depth was almost overwhelming. That said, due to the immense size of the panel, when you get up close, it's easy to see individual pixels. However, when you're sitting in its sweet spot (about 11.5 feet from the display), everything looks ridiculously sharp and overflows with detail. And even for those off-center, there appeared to be no falloff in brightness or saturation. While Samsung's $26,999 Neo QLED QN90F boasts a price tag that's nearly as expensive as the $29,999 Micro RGB TV, there's still a very obvious difference in color. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Now, of course, the major downside of Samsung's new Micro RGB TV is that at $29,999, it makes everything but The Wall (which starts at a cool $40,000) seem cheap. But the funny thing is that when compared to the Neo QLED QN90F, which Samsung also had on display in a nearby room, the difference in quality and color was immediately obvious. This sort of makes me wonder why anyone with super deep pockets would even consider the latter just to save a few thousand dollars, because when you see them in person, there's no doubt which set is superior. Unfortunately, the Micro RGB's full glory doesn't translate across the internet due to the much more limited specs of the web. It's one of those things you need to see for yourself to fully grasp. But if you're the kind of person with enough money that you don't need to care about price tags, Samsung's latest flagship should be an immediate contender as the centerpiece in your mansion.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-new-29999-micro-rgb-tv-looks-ridiculously-good-194629549.html?src=rss

Google Gemini Live now provides visual guidance with real-time cues on your screen when you share your cameraThe feature is designed to help users solve tasks visually and identify objects by sightGemini Live has also expanded its app integrations and introduced expressive voice upgradesGoogle is continuing its quest to get people to use its Gemini AI assistant at all times and in all places with a new set of upgrades launched alongside the Pixel 10 series of smartphones. The centerpiece of the new and improved Gemini Live is a set of AI eyes, a feature called visual guidance.Basically, you can give Gemini Live access to your camera, and it will look at the same things you're looking at and help you figure out things like the right tool to use, the best choices to coordinate an outfit, or other tasks. The solutions will be right on the screen, with arrows or circles around the correct answer. For now, the feature will only be available on the Pixel 10, but other Android phones and even iOS devices will be able to use the feature in the near future.Visual guidance might sound like a party trick, but it could prove to be a major draw for Gemini Live. Instead of receiving a flat, spoken answer when you ask Gemini to help assemble a new piece of furniture, you can now show the parts to your camera and have the assistant visually indicate which goes where. It doesn’t require special hardware; it's like showing a friend who's good at DIY what you have and asking for help.Google clearly sees it as a way to bridge the awkwardness that sometimes happens when you ask an AI for help and it gives you vague or overly generic answers. “Use the blue-handled pliers,” might not help much if your toolbox has three tools with blue handles. A glowing circle over the right one is much more helpful. As someone who has tried to follow a YouTube tutorial while simultaneously wielding a screwdriver, I get the appeal.Sweet talk and multitaskingGemini Live will also sound better when it's showing you things, thanks to new speech models capable of adjusting the tone, and even the character of the voice. So, Gemini might use an especially calm voice to talk about a stressful topic, speed up when you're in a hurry, or perhaps tell you a story about pirates in the stereotypical pirate accent.Gemini Live is also going to be better at multitasking thanks to new links to apps like Google Calendar, Messages, and Maps. So, when you're chatting with Gemini, you could get it to handle your personal appointments and send texts to your friends with directions.The revamp of Gemini Live fits with Google's broader approach to AI, positioning it as an ambient, always-on platform rather than a standalone feature. AI assistance that is flexible enough for any event, while using context to be specifically valuable for individuals, is what Google and other AI developers have promised for a while. And while the visual guidance and other tools aren't going to be perfect, the adaptability could make up for it. You don’t need to learn a new system or talk in commands. You just show Gemini what you see, ask it what you need, and get a reply that’s tuned to the topic.You might also likeI tried Google's new AI mode powered by Gemini, and it might be the end of Search as we know itGoogle previews AI Mode for search, taking on the likes of ChatGPT search and PerplexityGoogle Gemini's new model is the brainstorming AI partner you've been looking for

Hackers claim to be selling millions of PayPal logins, but experts suspect foul playThe dataset allegedly includes passwords, emails, and URLs for automated attacksExperts say the leaked sample is too small to confirm authenticity, and its low pricing casts doubt about its legitimacyHackers recently announced on a well-known forum that they were selling a dataset of 15.8 million stolen PayPal credentials, allegedly including login emails and plaintext passwords.The cybercriminals claim the information was stolen in May 2025, and the dataset contains not just emails and passwords but also associated URLs, making it easier for criminals to automate credential stuffing attacks and launch identity theft scams.They also claim that while many of the leaked passwords appeared unique and “strong-looking,” a large portion were reused. If true, the value of the dump may be smaller than suggested.Doubts over the breach claimsHowever, experts who examined the small sample released to the public concluded it was insufficient to verify the attackers’ claims, noting if the breach really occurred in May 2025, much of the usable data might already have been exploited.Interestingly, the price set for the alleged database is surprisingly low, raising further doubts about its authenticity.Historically, high-quality stolen data commands far higher prices on the dark web.However, PayPal quickly denied any new breach, instead pointing to a “security incident” from 2022, which involved credential stuffing attacks and resulted in regulators fining the firm earlier this year.That event saw only 35,000 accounts exposed, a far cry from the millions now claimed by attackers.Skeptics argue the resemblance between the alleged PayPal dataset and the structure of infostealer malware logs from an older event suggests foul play.Infostealers quietly harvest passwords, cookies, and other details from infected devices, often packaging the data with a URL followed by login information.It is quite common to find credentials listed in stealer logs that circulate on dark web marketplaces, but these are not directly from PayPal’s system; they are from compromised user devices.Regardless of whether this new claim proves genuine, the situation underscores how easy it is for user information to circulate once stolen.Leaked login details can enable identity theft and financial fraud long after the original compromise.Users who have reused PayPal credentials on other platforms remain vulnerable to attack.How to stay safeChange your PayPal password and avoid reusing it across other services.Enable multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security.Monitor accounts regularly for signs of identity theft or unusual activity.Use a strong internet security suite with firewall protection.Be cautious with links and attachments that may carry infostealer malware.Consider dedicated identity theft monitoring services for added protection.Via CybernewsYou might also likeTake a look at our roundup of the best business VPNs available nowThese are the best cloud document storage solutions to choose fromAsus new laptops come with 5-year BIOS update warranty and 1-year McAfee+ premium subs

Raspberry Pi shrinks the size of its touchscreen while keeping the same resolutionIt's cheaper and smaller, but it does not introduce new capabilitiesRetailers are already listing the new screen at higher pricesRaspberry Pi has announced a new addition to its display range, a 5-inch version of the Touch Display 2.The company saysits new offering is a compact, low-cost option for hobbyists and developers who want to embed touch interfaces into projects.At $40, it undercuts the 7-inch Raspberry Pi model which launched in 2024, although both share the same 720x1280 resolution.A smaller screen for Pi projectsApart from its reduced size, the 5-inch variant carries essentially the same specifications as the larger display.It supports multi-touch input, connects via the DSI port, and draws power directly from the Raspberry Pi board.Integration with Raspberry Pi OS is designed to be smooth, with no calibration steps or third-party drivers needed."Its capacitive touch screen works out of the box with full Linux driver support, no manual calibration required, no hunting through device trees, and no wrestling with incompatible touch controllers," said Gordon Hollingworth, CTO of Raspberry Pi software.For users already accustomed to working with RPi distros, the device should feel straightforward to set up.To illustrate the display’s capabilities, Raspberry Pi’s Gordon Hollingworth demonstrated a slideshow application built with the assistance of AI.The process highlighted how AI can speed up development and provide a foundation for interactive coding, with multi-touch support ultimately working smoothly after fine-tuning.The screen is being presented as a good fit for compact smart home controls, portable kiosks, or integrated dashboards.In theory, mounting a Pi board on the back of the display offers an all-in-one system without external peripherals.For casual projects, this could reduce clutter compared to juggling keyboards, monitors, and portable HDD storage devices.Yet the hardware itself does not represent a leap forward, as resolution remains fixed at 720p, and touch responsiveness still depends heavily on software layers that may introduce quirks.As with many Raspberry Pi peripherals, the new display will find an audience among tinkerers eager to explore interactive projects.However, it is worth noting that the announcement reflects refinement rather than revolution, as the product is cheaper and smaller, but it does not introduce new capabilities.For those already invested in the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, it may be another piece of the puzzle - but for others, it risks being just another component destined to sit in a drawer after the initial excitement fades.This device is now available from several Pi retailers. PiShop and CanaKit list it at $50.95, while Vilros is selling it for the MSRP.You might also likeCheck out the best 3D modeling software for 3D printing and moreWe've rounded up the best portable monitors available nowA dual Intel GPU graphics card with 48GB of VRAM has gone on sale for $1200

This month's departures from HBO Max have a color in common: red. It's the color of Hellboy and the color of Mars – and it's also the color of that famous scene in the horror classic Carrie.My three catch-em-while-you-can recommendations for HBO Max this month have something else in common too: stunning central performances. Ron Perlman is a wisecracking delight as a hellishly powerful superhero, adding a very welcome dose of grumpiness to a genre that was starting to feel somewhat stale. Matt Damon is utterly believable and completely compelling as a scientist stranded millions of miles from home. And Sissy Spacek in Carrie is truly exceptional, delivering a performance that's heartbreakingly fragile and truly terrifying.These are very different movies, but they're all exceptional. If you've seen them already they're well worth revisiting. And if you haven't, you're in for a movie masterclass on one of the best streaming services.Carrie Two Carries are leaving HBO soon: the 1976 original and the 2013 remake. The older film is vastly superior to the newer one – the remake scored just 51% with the critics on Rotten Tomatoes and has variously been called "remarkably redundant", "terrible pointless junk" and "one of the worst remakes ever made". But the original film based on Stephen King's horror classic is tremendous, with an astonishing central performance by Sissy Spacek as the titular teen who starts to suspect she has supernatural powers. It's currently sitting with a whopping 94% rating from the critics.Carrie "is a terrifying lyrical thriller," legendary New Yorker critic Pauline Kael wrote. "The director, Brian De Palma, has mastered a teasing style – a perverse mixture of comedy and horror and tension." Looking back from the 2020s, Total Film wrote: "Brian De Palma transcends the pulpy horror feel by emphasizing the awakening-sexuality metaphor, and using some glorious trickery," while The Fright File called it "One of cinema's ultimate operatic teenage melodramas. I have seen "Carrie" more times than I can count, and yet it never loses its uncommon heartbreak and blood-curdling dramatic power."The MartianMatt Damon spent a lot of time in spacesuits in the 2010s: there was (mild spoiler alert) Bad Space Matt in Interstellar, and Good Space Matt in this impressive solo performance. Damon is Mark Watney, left behind on Mars after a fierce storm leads his fellow explorers to think he's dead and leave the red planet without him. But he's not dead, and he'd really like to get home.The 91% critic rating is well deserved. Empire Magazine gave the film four stars: "Instantly joining E. T. and Bruce Dern’s Freeman Lowell (Silent Running) in the pantheon of cinema’s greatest space gardeners, Damon’s Watney is the actor at his most engaging, by turns flip and desperate... The Martian mixes smarts, laughs, weird character bits and tension on a huge canvas. The result is (Ridley) Scott’s most purely enjoyable film for ages."HellboyLike Carrie, there's more than one Hellboy movie and the original is vastly better than the remake: the 2019 reboot of Hellboy got a frankly embarrassing 17% critic rating. That's partly because it didn't have Guillermo Del Toro in the director's chair or Ron Perlman in the Hellboy prosthetics. The film is "a unique romp," The New Yorker said, "with an exciting yet vulnerable superhero at the center who just happens to be the spawn of Satan."NPR raved about it too. "Anyone can send an immense, computer-generated vegetable monster rampaging at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, but it takes a special kind of imagination to do it in a way that's thrilling, emotionally complex, and rapturously beautiful all at once." Time Out agreed. "Del Toro, in love with his source but never overawed by it, keeps things moving; Perlman ties it together with some of the driest witticisms this side of Indiana Jones."You may also likeWhen is James Gunn's Superman movie coming to HBO Max and other streaming services?IT: Welcome to Derry – everything you need to know about the new Max horror seriesPeacemaker season 2: everything we know so far about the HBO Max show's return (release date, trailer, cast, and plot)

There are some very interesting Philips Hue products on the way, including new Gradient Strips, Festavia string lights, and a Philips Hue Bridge Pro that can support up to 150 devices, but one rumored release has had me scratching my head - Philips Hue Essential.These appear to be slightly lower-spec versions of standard Hue smart light bulbs, and will presumably have a more modest price tag to match – but why? Who, exactly, is Philips Hue Essentials for?The budget end of the smart lighting market is already dominated by the likes of Govee, Ikea, and WiZ – and that’s where things get interesting. You see, WiZ lights are made by a company called Signify – the same company that makes Philips Hue products under license. Why would it pit its two brands against one another with a low-cost version of Hue?WiZ smart lights (such as this WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp) are made by the same parent company as Philips Hue products, but for different users (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)Well, it isn’t – not quite. Aside from price, one of the key differences between WiZ and Philips Hue is connectivity. WiZ lights connect directly to Wi-Fi, meaning there’s no need for a hub, and they’re easier to set up. They’re a good option if you just want one or two bulbs and aren’t planning to build a sophisticated lighting system with switches and sensors.Although you can control individual Philips Hue lights from your phone using Bluetooth, most people will use them with a Philips Hue Bridge, which plugs into your router and uses the Zigbee wireless protocol to create a mesh network that links all your devices together. No Wi-Fi necessary.Using Zigbee rather than Wi-Fi means you can have a lot more smart lights in your home (a typical home Wi-Fi router isn’t really intended to communicate with more than a couple of dozen devices), with better range without the need for a Wi-Fi extender. (Zigbee devices also use less power, though LED bulbs aren’t huge energy-hogs to begin with, so you’re not likely to notice a huge difference on that front.)Philips Hue Essential and WiZ bulbs, therefore, aren’t filling quite the same niche. If you only ever intend to own a couple of smart lights, then WiZ would be just fine, but Hue Essential will give you the option to expand your setup much further in the future, should you choose to.A bright idea?"Hue stretches across indoor and outdoor, and has different variants of products in all those categories," Giuliano Ghidini, Business and Marketing leader at Signify, told me in a recent interview."Hue offers a more comprehensive range so you can cover all rooms, and thanks to the technology it’s based on, Zigbee, with a Hue hub, you have very good coverage indoor and outdoor, and very high reliability without putting too much stress on your Wi-Fi network."Pick up a couple of Philips Hue Essential bulbs with a Hue Bridge, and you'll have the option to extend your setup much further at a future date if you want to (Image credit: Philips Hue)That makes Hue appealing if you have a generous budget and can afford to deck out your entire house, but the high entry price can be off-putting otherwise. A starter kit of two White & Color Ambiance bulbs bundled with a Hue Bridge might cost as much as $140 / £130 / AU$190. When you can pick up four Govee bulbs for a quarter of the price, with no hub necessary, it’s easy to see why homeowners with more modest needs would write off Hue.The Philips Hue Essential series, depending on how it’s priced, sounds like it could offer the best of both worlds, with a palatable asking price and the ability to expand your smart lighting setup as much as you like later on, or just keep it simple and not feel like you’re under-utilizing it.Essential? Perhaps not quite, but certainly more tempting.You might also likeI swapped my alarm clock for this Philips Hue light, and I've never felt more refreshed in the morningIf Philips Hue is too expensive, the HDMI Sync Box and TV Backlight set from WiZ is a cheap and effective alternativePhillips Hue lights get a free AI upgrade – and it's a feature that could take your smart home to the next level

More range, faster charging and a lower priceNACS support means it can top up at Tesla Supercharger stationsThe Leaf arrives at a time when demand for EVs is waning in the USNissan has revealed pricing for its US-bound Nissan Leaf model and it claims it will be the cheapest EV on sale when it hits roads in 2026.The updated Leaf, which the Japanese marque hopes will prove even more popular than the ground-breaking original, will start at $29,990 for the Leaf S+ and rise to $38,990 for the top spec Platinum+ trim, which manages 259 miles on a single charge.The entry-level model is around $3,000 cheaper than the 2011 original and undercuts the outgoing 2025 version, but Nissan will also reveal pricing for the cheapest S model later this year, which could well start at under $28,000.Redesigned from the ground up and sharing its platform with the Nissan Ariya, the US-spec Leaf S+ features a 75kWh battery pack that is capable of 303 miles on a single charge. The outgoing 2025 model managed a max range of 212 miles.Despite now adopting the more popular SUV/crossover body shape, the new Leaf is actually a bit shorter than the outgoing hatchback and only 10mm taller, but engineers have somehow managed to declutter to the interior so there is more space to comfortably transport passengers.Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging port has been added, allowing users to gain access to the vast Supercharger network. Charging from 10% to 80% takes around 35 minutes from the faster chargers.Other notable new features include an electronically-dimming panoramic roof, which Nissan says is a first in the segment, a Google-based infotainment system and advanced camera technology that provides a 360-degree view of the vehicle and offers an 'Invisible Hood' view to make parking easier.Nissan needs a big hitImage 1 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 2 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 3 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 4 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 5 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Image 6 of 6(Image credit: Nissan)Despite rapid growth over the past few years, EV sales have slowed in the US in recent months, with Inside EVs reporting that America’s EV market share dropped from 7.4% to 6.6% in April of this year.Consumer confidence has been shaken by the US government’s decision to remove subsidies, while funding for EV-related industries continues to be attacked. The support to ensure the technology goes mainstream just isn’t in place.Nissan is also facing a crisis of its own, as its share price continues to tumble due to the continuing losses it has been posting. As a result, it has already announced deep cuts to the workforce and the closure of several plants.The new Leaf needs to be a big hit in the US, while the upcoming all-electric Micra also hopes to have a successful run in Europe – seeing as it shares most of its components with the hugely popular Renault 5 E-Tech.Priced as it is, the new Nissan Leaf comes about as close as the US will get to the mythical $25,000 EV (with a useable range) that the internet has been pining for.Seeing as Tesla looks to have killed that idea, Nissan might be in the perfect position win over new customers.You might also likeLet the cat out of the bag there’: Elon Musk says the new, affordable Tesla coming in 2025 will just be a cheaper Model YVolkswagen wants you to pay a Netflix-style subscription to unlock extra EV power – and that could be a slippery slopeHonda's tiny EV makes official debut – and the impossibly cute microcar can power your home too

As the handheld PC boom has taken off, companies have tried to push the boundaries of the Steam Deck form factor Valve helped popularize. Lenovo tried detachable controllers. Acer is trying an 11-inch screen. And Abxylute is apparently combining them both (and then some) into the Abxylute 3D One, which The Verge reports features an 11-inch, glasses-free 3D display and detachable controllers, all for "under $1,700." The Abxylute 3D One is based on a hardware prototype co-developed by Intel and Tencent that the companies demoed at CES 2025. The prototype, dubbed the "Sunday Dragon 3D One," featured a display that used eye-tracking to achieve its 3D effect. The version Abxylute is selling seems to be offering more or less the same features, with an Intel Lunar Lake chip, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, an 120Hz display and a built-in kickstand. The Abxylute 3D One's controllers can detach like Joy-Cons, which leaves it looking like a chunky Surface Pro.Abxylute "Abxylute claims the product’s specifically optimized to deliver 3D for 50 of the top Steam games," The Verge writes, though it can also be used for more than gaming if you're desperate. The Abxylute 3D One will include software for converting 2D photos and video to 3D, and a detachable keyboard accessory complete with a trackpad. No part of what Abxylute is offering here seems particularly practical, but if you like 3D and are into the company's maximalist approach, you could be getting a deal. Acer's 11-inch handheld, the Acer Nitro Blaze 11, starts at $1,100. A 3D laptop like the ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 starts at $2,000. The Abxylute 3D One could approximate the features of both for a fairly reasonable price in the middle. That might not make up for the fact that it seems too heavy to hold for more than 30 minutes at a time, but you can put that to the test yourself when the Abxylute 3D One goes on sale in "late September or early October."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/abxylute-will-sell-an-absurd-3d-handheld-from-intel-and-tencent-games-for-under-1700-220556583.html?src=rss

President Donald Trump says the US government is taking a 10 percent stake in chip maker Intel. Trump shared the news during a press conference on Friday, though an official announcement is still forthcoming, Reuters reports. News of a plan to convert Intel's previously promised CHIPS Act funding into equity in the company was first reported earlier in August. A meeting between Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan and Trump following the President's call for Tan to resign seems to be the source of the deal. "He walked in wanting to keep his job and he ended up giving us 10 billion dollars for the United States. So we picked up 10 billion," Trump shared during the press conference.  Intel later announced more details on the investment. The company said in a press release that the government will "make an $8.9 billion investment in Intel common stock." It adds that the equity stake will be partially funded by $5.7 billion previously earmarked for as part of the CHIPS act, and $3.2 billion awarded as part of the Secure Enclave program. Intel had previously recieved $2.2 billion in CHIPS grants, making the government's total spend on the chipmaker $11.1 billion. The government paid $20.47 per share, making the full investment equivalent to a 9.9 percent stake in the company.  It's important to note that the government investing in Intel is not the same thing as receiving free money, it's the exact opposite. Despite earlier comments from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggesting the stake would be non-voting, common stock does come with voting rights. Intel does note that the investment will be passive, with no board representation, and that the government has agreed to vote with its board of directors "on matters requiring shareholder approval, with limited exceptions." Intel was supposed to receive up to $10.86 billion in federal funding to expand its chip manufacturing business in the US as part of the CHIPS Act. By agreeing to this deal, Tan is likely trying to make sure that funding still goes through, one of several drastic moves to keep Intel afloat. Tan assumed the title of CEO following Pat Gelsinger's sudden retirement in 2024. Since taking over, he's already committed to cutting Intel's workforce by 20 percent. Even with lower costs and guaranteed investment, the company's future is still uncertain: Intel is reportedly struggling to make its next-gen Panther Lake chips at scale.  The Trump administration says it won't seek similar equity deals with other recipients of CHIPS act funding. That hasn't stopped them from making other equally unprecedented financial arrangements. NVIDIA and AMD reportedly struck a deal with the US government that gives the companies the ability to export products to China in exchange for 15 percent of their profits. Update, August 22, 6:20PM ET: This story was updated after publish with more information on the deal from Intel, and the headline was changed to the dollar figure, rather than the previously stated "10 percent" amount. A section quoting US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying that the stake was non-voting was also ammended to reflect the final details of the deal.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-government-is-taking-an-89-billion-stake-in-intel-205047795.html?src=rss

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is looking at Gemini to power SiriApple Intelligence's best bits are still delayed until possibly 2026No confirmation from either company, and the report put discussions at the earliest stagesApple's efforts to deliver the smarter Siri and full Apple Intelligence we were promised "in the coming year" might get a boost from an unlikely third party if Bloomberg's latest report is true. The iPhone maker is reportedly in early-stage exploratory talks about integrating Gemini in Siri.There aren't many details beyond that, though Bloomberg's Mark Gurman contends that the shift to these Google chats happened after Apple couldn't reach financial terms with Anthropic (maker of Claude AI).The possibility of Apple using Gemini's much more accomplished generative AI and one of its models (Gemini Pro, Flash, Lite?) to bring the conversational intelligence lacking in Siri would immediately transform Apple's nearly 15-year-old digital assistant into a more able AI tool, but it would also mean that Apple is ceding control in what is a key digital arms race.How we got hereWhile working with third parties has always been a part of Apple Intelligence's strategy, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and the company's development leadership have never mentioned ingesting someone else's generative AI models. It's also a fact that Apple Intelligence's rollout has not gone exactly according to plan.(Image credit: Shutterstock)In TechRadar's conversation at WWDC 2025 with Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi, who is also now running Apple's AI development efforts, he explained why the company hadn't delivered full Apple Intelligence and a smarter Siri on time. After struggling to get V1 architecture working as they wanted to, Apple had a decision to make:"...fundamentally, we found that the limitations of the V1 architecture weren't getting us to the quality level that we knew our customers needed and expected." He added, "As soon as we realized that [...] we let the world know that we weren't going to be able to put that out, and we were going to keep working on really shifting to the new architecture and releasing something."Gurman, though, contends that Apple is still not fully committed to using its own architecture and models and will soon make the decision about whether or not to outsource to a third party like Google for at least some of the necessary intelligence. Again, the discussions he describes are in the earliest stages. And whatever comes of them, assuming they exist, it's unlikely they will have any impact on the upcoming release of iOS 26, which features a smattering of Apple Intelligence updates but virtually none to Siri.(Image credit: Shutterstock/rafapress)Far from strangersApple and Google are already search partners (Google is Safari's default search engine), and in Apple's Visual Intelligence, where you can choose to use Google to search on captured images (or you can ask OpenAI's ChatGPT about them).Still, Gemini inside Siri would mark a major turning point for Apple and an admission that it's simply not up to the task of competing in the AI sphere, at least not at the level of an OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, or Google.This approach, though, is not unheard of; Microsoft's Copilot is essentially a reskinnning of ChatGPT (though there are questions if Microsoft will continue getting access to OpenAI's best models).Even so, Apple put a lot of effort and marketing into Apple Intelligence. The question is, can it still be called that if a big chunk of it is powered by Google?We contacted Apple and Google for comment. Google had no comment. We'll update this story if and when Apple replies.You might also likeThis is what really happened with Siri and Apple Intelligence, according to AppleI spoke to Apple’s software engineering VP for the inside story on how iPadOS 26 finally became a real Mac alternative15 things we learned at the Apple WWDC 2025 keynote

Anthropic has developed an AI-powered tool that detects and blocks attempts to ask AI chatbots for nuclear weapons designThe company worked with the U.S. Department of Energy to ensure the AI could identify such attemptsAnthropic claims it spots dangerous nuclear-related prompts with 96% accuracy and has already proven effective on ClaudeIf you’re the type of person who asks Claude how to make a sandwich, you’re fine. If you’re the type of person who asks the AI chatbot how to build a nuclear bomb, you'll not only fail to get any blueprints, you might also face some pointed questions of your own. That's thanks to Anthropic's newly deployed detector of problematic nuclear prompts.Like other systems for spotting queries Claude shouldn't respond to, the new classifier scans user conversations, in this case flagging any that veer into “how to build a nuclear weapon” territory. Anthropic built the classification feature in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), giving it all the information it needs to determine whether someone is just asking about how such bombs work or if they're looking for blueprints. It's performed with 96% accuracy in tests.Though it might seem over-the-top, Anthropic sees the issue as more than merely hypothetical. The chance that powerful AI models may have access to sensitive technical documents and could pass along a guide to building something like a nuclear bomb worries federal security agencies. Even if Claude and other AI chatbots block the most obvious attempts, innocent-seeming questions could in fact be veiled attempts at crowdsourcing weapons design. The new AI chatbot generations might help even if it's not what their developers intend.The classifier works by drawing a distinction between benign nuclear content, asking about nuclear propulsion, for instance, and the kind of content that could be turned to malicious use. Human moderators might struggle to keep up with any gray areas at the scale AI chatbots operate, but with proper training, Anthropic and the NNSA believe the AI could police itself. Anthropic claims its classifier is already catching real-world misuse attempts in conversations with Claude.Nuclear AI safetyNuclear weapons in particular represent a uniquely tricky problem, according to Anthropic and its partners at the DoE. The same foundational knowledge that powers legitimate reactor science can, if slightly twisted, provide the blueprint for annihilation. The arrangement between Anthropic and the NNSA could catch deliberate and accidental disclosures, and set up a standard to prevent AI from being used to help make other weapons, too. Anthropic plans to share its approach with the Frontier Model Forum AI safety consortium.The narrowly tailored filter is aimed at making sure users can still learn about nuclear science and related topics. You still get to ask about how nuclear medicine works, or whether thorium is a safer fuel than uranium.What the classifier attempts to circumvent are attempts to turn your home into a bomb lab with a few clever prompts. Normally, it would be questionable if an AI company could thread that needle, but the expertise of the NNSA should make the classifier different from a generic content moderation system. It understands the difference between “explain fission” and “give me a step-by-step plan for uranium enrichment using garage supplies.”This doesn’t mean Claude was previously helping users design bombs. But it could help forestall any attempt to do so. Stick to asking about the way radiation can cure diseases or ask for creative sandwich ideas, not bomb blueprints.You might also likeHas ChatGPT-5's cold tone made you want to try alternative AIs? Claude just added a new memory featureYou don’t have to explain everything to Claude anymore – it’s finally in your appsHow Claude’s 3.7's new ‘extended' thinking compares to ChatGPT o1's reasoning

Google held its annual Made by Google showcase this week, during which it unveiled the latest Pixel phones and various new AI features. What it didn’t announce is a Gemini-powered smart home speaker, but it might have snuck one into the presentation as an easter egg. As spotted by The Verge, about 15 minutes into the stream, on a table next to F1 driver Lando Norris during a Gemini demonstration, you can clearly see what looks a lot like a smart speaker. The fabric-wrapped device we see in the video is white with a light around its base, and it looks more like an upside down HomePod mini than any of Google's other speakers. According to Android Headlines, it’s called the Google Home Speaker, and is unsurprisingly powered by Gemini. Android Headlines claims to have seen more images of the as-yet unannounced smart speaker, which it says will also be available in red, light green and black. It adds that Google’s Gemini Live AI assistant will be a baked-in feature for voice conversations, though without a screen or camera there’s no visual element here. There could also be new natural voice options on the speaker, as well as standard features like media control and smart home automations. It can reportedly also detect unusual sounds like breaking glass or smoke alarms and can send an alert to your phone or tablet if this happens. According to the Android Headlines report, the Home Speaker can pair with a Google TV Streamer and double as an additional surround sound speaker, much like the HomePod does with Apple TV. It functions as a smart hub too, with support for Matter. Google announced Gemini for Home this week, which will gradually replace Google Assistant on the company’s existing smart devices, with free and paid tiers offered to users. What the leak doesn’t contain is a launch date for this mysterious speaker. But given that Google was seemingly happy enough to have one sitting there in its most important keynote of the year, the smart money would be on an official reveal pretty soon. Engadget reached out to Google for comment, but the company said it had nothing to share at this time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/googles-first-gemini-smart-speaker-detailed-in-leak-164227031.html?src=rss

It's been three and a half years since Peacemaker took the world by storm.The Suicide Squad spin-off series, which saw John Cena reprise his role as the jingoistic anti-hero from that 2021 flick in the character's self-titled TV show, was a big hit. Armed with the usual trappings of a James Gunn project, the arrival of the season 1 finale in February 2022 broke the at-the-time record for the highest single day viewership of an HBO Max original episode. Not bad going for a show starring a C-list tier metahuman from DC Comics.But Peacemaker's first season had a trick up its sleeve that supercharged its success weeks prior to the launch of its last episode: a dance number-inspired title sequence. The 80-second long intro, which saw its full cast amusingly perform a highly-polished, choreographed routine set to Wig Wam track 'Do You Wanna Taste It?', was surprising as it was delightful. Four billion views on TikTok later, and writer/director James Gunn, Cena, and company had an unexpected viral sensation on their hands.With a second season – one set in the rebooted DC Universe (DCU) overseen by Gunn and fellow DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, rather than the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU) – greenlit not long after its forebear's finale, one question dominated fans' minds. Well, the one that has nothing to do with whether events from Peacemaker season 1 would be deemed canon in season 2 and the wider DCU, anyway: would the show's sophomore outing have its own similarly dance-infused intro?The short answer is: yes. And, with the first episode of Peacemaker season 2, titled 'The Ties That Grind' out now, viewers can finally watch it in all of its glory.What many fans won't realize and/or potentially underappreciate, though, is the amount of time, effort, and energy that went into this season's more intricate and more ambitious opener. And, after three gruelling years of putting said sequence together, Gunn and the show's ensemble are finally ready to reveal all.'Julian, it's a hungry world...'John Cena and company dance along to 'Oh Lord' by Foxy Shazam during this season's intro sequence (Image credit: HBO Max)Last season's intro owed much to Gunn's uncanny knack – nay, superpower – to select the right track for any given scene or sequence in projects he writes, directs, and/or produces. A self-confessed music nerd, almost every one of Gunn's works, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy film trilogy he wrote and directed for Marvel, are full of catchy yet underrated songs who've become part of the cultural zeitgeist following their use in said productions.The pressure to select the perfect ditty to set season 2's dance opener to, then, was certainly on. And, while Gunn tells me this season's song of choice – 'Oh Lord' by glam-rock outfit Foxy Shazam – was eventually settled on because its lyrics tie into the themes of season 2, it wasn't the only option he umm-ed and arr-ed about."I don't know if any other songs came close [to being chosen]," Gunn admits. "[But] there were a couple of others I considered. There was another Foxy Shazam track and I also thought about using 'Do You Wanna Taste It?' again. But, at the end of the day, I picked 'Oh Lord' because it was the best fit for this season's tone, much like 'Do You Wanna Taste It?' was the right fit for season 1.""You think hearing the same song over and over for 10 hours straight would get old, but it never did for me," Steve Agee, who plays John Economos, reveals with a laugh. "I really like the song, and some of the guys from Foxy Shazam came over while we were shooting the actual thing, so it was a lot of fun."Going again from the topThe show's cast spent weeks preparing to film this season's opening sequence (Image credit: HBO Max)With its title track locked in, work soon began on the actual dance that the cast would need to perform on the day (or, as you'll learn later, days).Just as he did for one of the best HBO Max shows' first season, Gunn teamed up with Charissa Barton to create a completely new, multi-tiered sequence. Workshopping it with her husband Alan Tudyk, who's voiced various characters in the first two DCU Chapter One projects Superman and Creature Commandos, Barton soon settled on the movements that this season's near-20-strong cast would need to master.A lot of work went in to this year’s opening dance sequence, although you wouldn’t be able to tell by watching Frank Grillo. #Peacemaker season 2 tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/Gtdp83tIb7August 20, 2025"Charissa worked it out ahead of time before getting approval from James," Agee explains. "Then, she meets with us one-on-one, or in groups of two or three, because there are sections to the dance. So, we'd go in with her to rehearse it, she'd record it, and then send the file to you so you can practise at home.""We had a lot of individual and group rehearsal," Frank Grillo, who reprises his role as Rick Flag Sr from Gunn's Superman movie and Creature Commandos season 1, adds. "We were given plenty of homework to do, and I'm glad I got to work on it at home because the idea of being on stage with so many people, and being in sync, was something I didn't think I'd be comfortable with."I've had the time of my liiiiiife! (Image credit: HBO Max)Peacemaker 2's opening credits are certainly more complex than its predecessor's. Indeed, more people are involved this time around and, with the first season's dance sequence being so well received, there's an inevitable demand to make it bigger, bolder, and better than what's come before.For Jennifer Holland, the gymnast-turned-actor who returns to play Emilia Harcourt, season 2's routine provided some particularly tricky moves for her to get right. Indeed, with this season further examining Harcourt and the titular character's 'will they, won't they' dynamic, Barton felt it was crucial to lean into this aspect of the story with a Dirty Dancing-inspired lift."There's a piece where I get to go on wires and do this little spin in the air, which was like a little Cirque du Soleil moment," Holland tells me, "But that lift was the most challenging thing I had to do. I didn't get to rehearse that much with John because he's so busy – you never know if you'll get to practise with him from one day to the next! But, his stunt double, Spencer Thomas, was so amazing. He made sure I was prepared so, by the time I got on set with John, I knew exactly what was expected of me."Dance like everybody's watchingPeacemaker season 2's dance routine asked a lot of some of its cast (Image credit: HBO Max)That prep work – "we rehearsed for weeks", Sol Rodríguez, who plays Sasha Bordeaux, admits – was, as the cast alludes to, was critical when it came to shooting the actual thing.Unlike last season's single day shoot, the cast and crew were given two full days to get the new title sequence in the can. However, even with the extra time afforded to them, everyone involved faced some sort of challenge."We have many more bad dancers this season," Gunn says with a laugh. "Robert Patrick [who plays Auggie Smith] was the only one we had last time, so shout out to Frank, Tim Meadows [who plays Langston Fleury], and Michael Rooker [who portrays Red St. Wild] for stepping up and doing their best!""I had to dance in the Captain Triumph costume," David Denman, who plays Keith Smith, reveals. "That was a big challenge, but thankfully I didn't have to do much in it, especially with the helmet on.""Dancing in a mask is trickier than you think," Freddie Stroma, who reprises his role as Adrian Chase/Vigilante, adds. "You can't really see, so most of the time you're worried you'll bump into someone or, if you're about to head off stage where it's really dark, you're trying to figure out where the edge is so you don't fall off.Some viewers will find themselves dancing along to season 2's opening credits with each new episode (Image credit: HBO Max)The saying goes that "practise makes perfect", though, and it certainly pays off here. Well, unless you're Rooker, Gunn says a grin. "Re-watch it enough and you'll see what I mean," he teases.Rooker's issues with staying in sync with his fellow actors aside, there's little doubt that season 2's title sequence is as wonderfully entertaining as last season's was – indeed, I said as much in my Peacemaker season 2 review. Despite its cast having to wear serious looks on their faces as part of the routine, it's evident they all enjoyed themselves, too."It was my last two days on set," Stroma explains. "I didn't get to do it last season, either, so I had nothing to compare it to. But, it was really fun to drop the accent I use in the show, relax, and just have a great time dancing.""The whole shoot was amazing," Rodríguez says. "Having the full cast and James there, and all of these big personalities who love having a laugh, filming on a big soundstage and having music blasting away – I've never experienced anything like it.""It's a full production," Danielle Brooks, who plays Leota Adebayo, adds. "James takes it all very seriously, but we had a blast. I can't wait to see all of our fans learning it."Peacemaker season 2 episode 1 is out now on HBO Max and more of the world's best streaming services. Read my Peacemaker season 2 release schedule guide to see when new episodes will air.

August is almost over, which means we're getting closer to the Apple iPhone event — it usually takes place in mid-September. That also means we'll finally get to officially lay eyes on the iPhone 17 lineup. The latest iOS 26 features will come preinstalled on the new models, as well as any additional features Apple reveals at the launch event. But since we (presumably) still have to wait a few weeks until the iPhone event, we can only speculate what the new devices will look like. As with most unreleased iPhones, rumors and leaks have trickled in about the hardware side ahead of the official introduction. Here's what we're expecting and what we can reasonably assume we'll get from Apple in September. What are the latest iPhone 17 rumors? Could new "TechWoven" cases be introduced with the latest iPhone 17 lineup? That's what leaker Majin Bu claims, per a MacRumors report. The cases match the rumored design on the iPhone 17 models, with the wide camera bump. MacRumors says this could be a revamped version of the much-maligned FineWoven case, which was discontinued due to being susceptible to scratches and stains. The leaker noted there are two lanyard holes for "convenient and secure carrying," so it could be worn around your neck. More recently, the same leaker shared what they allege to be the case colors, in a post titled "New TechWoven Case Colors for iPhone 17 Revealed." The colors shown in the image are grey/black, blue, green, purple and orange. New TechWoven Case Colors for iPhone 17 RevealedFull Article: https://t.co/nSA8Wbek5G pic.twitter.com/W6fZdb8psn— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) August 21, 2025 This is just a rumor and we won't know what the actual iPhone 17 models or accessories will look like until Apple's iPhone event next month. That said, the shared photos (including the one embedded above) are more convincing than usual. How much will the iPhone 17 cost? Apple's announced plan to expand US-based manufacturing partners seems to give it at least some shielding from the steepest Trump administration tariffs that have already triggered price increases on everything from Switch consoles to high-end cameras to Sonos speakers. But given that President Trump's trade policies can change from week to week, and Apple's continuing reliance on Asia-based supply chains, price shocks remain an ongoing possibility. The bigger question is: Will Apple absorb any higher costs, or pass them on to consumers?  If prices do creep up, Apple may choose to pair it with an "upgrade." Consider this recent rumor posted by MacRumors from a leaker known as "Instant Digital," suggesting that the default storage of the iPhone 17 line may start at 256GB, doubling the current 128GB baseline. While that could be accompanied by a price increase of $50, Apple could at least pitch it as a "better value." That said, the company doubled the default RAM of its Mac computers from 8GB to 16GB at no extra cost in 2024 — but that was before the current Trump tariff cycle started. When will the iPhone 17 series be announced? Most years, the flagship smartphones are introduced in September. MacRumors highlighted a story originally reported by iphone-ticker.de that the Apple iPhone 17 event could be Tuesday, September 9, according to information gleaned from German mobile phone providers. It's still too early to have the specific dates; some years, Apple only gives a week or two of lead time between sending invites and hosting the event. But years of past precedent show that sometime in September should be when the 17 models make their debut. This family of smartphones may be the last to follow that trend, however. There have been hints that the introduction of the iPhone 18 collection in 2026 will be split into a pro-tier announcement in the fall and a standard model announcement the following spring. What will the new iPhone 17 lineup include? Design leaks suggest that Apple is building an ultra-thin smartphone, likely to be named the iPhone 17 Air to match Apple's ultralight laptop designation. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, often a solid source of advanced intel about Apple, reported in January that the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with a basic A19 chip and will only have a single camera lens. It may also use Apple's new in-house modem, which was introduced in February on the iPhone 16e. More details about this development may leak ahead of September, but that's what we know for now. An investor note from Apple analyst Jeff Pu indicated that the Air will have a titanium frame. If his reports are accurate, the lightweight smartphone will be the only entry in the iPhone 17 lineup to use that metal; the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to be made of aluminum, which is oddly a lighter material than titanium. Other speculation had suggested that the Air would use a blend of aluminum and titanium, so the exact materials may not be known until the official announcement. Additionally, an August 4 MacRumors report says the internal battery pack of the iPhone Air is just 2.49mm thick — half the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro battery. The leak was posted on the Korean-language Naver blog, where they show the alleged batteries of the iPhone 17 Air and 17 Pro side by side. The same account claimed the 17 Air's battery capacity was a mere 2,800 mAh, MacRumors notes. (That's below the battery capacity of current iPhone 16 models.) On a similar topic, an iPhone 17 Pro production leak appears to have revealed an all-aluminum chassis, according to MacRumors. Originally posted by leaker Majin Bu, the image shows a shell that has a large round hole on the back (where the Apple logo typically is) to allow for MagSafe charging. MacRumors says this could just be a molding but notes that the aluminum frame (versus the current titanium in Pro iPhone models) would yield a significantly lower weight. That same leaker (Majin Bu), whom MacRumors classifies as a "hit-or-miss leaker," suggests the iPhone 17 Pro will have better wireless signal strength thanks to an updated antenna design. The individual posted a render on X that shows a new antenna system that wraps around the iPhone 17 Pro's supposedly wider rear camera bump. Again, this is a render, not a real-world photo. That said, we can't knock the goal of better wireless reception, so we're hoping this one has a degree of truth to it. Each new roster includes a base model, but over the years, Apple has shaken up the variety of phones it offers. Most likely there will be an iPhone 17 and an iPhone 17 Pro. Apple has also committed to the size matters philosophy, and has been building an iPhone Pro Max option with an even bigger screen and better battery life; the 17 roster will almost certainly have one as well.  The new Pro iPhones are said to have a full-width "camera island" on the rear, which would mark the first time an Apple model opted for that design. This feature can be seen in the purported iPhone 17 "spotted in the wild." The pics, highlighted on MacRumors, show a black cased iPhone (17 Pro?) with the distinct back panel. Is it the real deal? The dual angles lend a degree of credibility in a social media landscape increasingly polluted with AI-enhanced fakes, but your guess is as good as ours. I just spotted a test development iPhone in the wild 🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/iS3PtKWqxJ— Fox Pupy 🦊🧡 (@Skyfops) July 28, 2025 The iPhone 17 Air seems primed to take the place of a potential iPhone 17 Plus. Since the iPhone 16e was only just introduced in February at a surprisingly high price point, it seems unlikely that there will be a new addition to that lower end of the spectrum, the models that were previously called SE.  At the very least, it sounds like the iPhone 17 Air won't take away the charging port and rely only on wireless connectivity. Bloomberg said that while Apple had investigated making the iPhone 17 Air without a single port, the company (fortunately) changed plans. He also says that the rumored phone will have a 6.6-inch screen and include the Dynamic Island and Camera Control button. Finally, the price is rumored at $900 — likely more than the standard iPhone 17 but less than the Pro. We've also gotten what seems to be a reliable look at what the color lineup will be for the new smartphones. Macworld reported that the iPhone 17 will be available in black, white, steel gray, green, purple and light blue. The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly have four color options: black, white, light blue and light gold. While the Air colors will be less saturated, the visuals for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will go bold. The options for the Pro models are expected to be black, white, gray, dark blue and orange. On July 30, Tom's Guide highlighted an X post from Sonny Dickson — a longtime and generally reliable leaker of unreleased iPhone information — showing "dummy" iPhone 17 models in the new colors that were the source of the aforementioned Macworld story. While these are literally just mock-ups — not real, leaked iPhones — it's interesting to see how the design and color rumors translate into a real-world look and feel. To add the the rumors, a Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station suggests the iPhone 17e will come equipped with a new design that includes the Dynamic Island, MacRumors reports. According to the post, the new phone will have the A19 chip and could have a 6.1-inch OLED display with a front-facing 12-megapixel camera and a rear-facing 48-megapixel camera. However, it's important to note this report refers to the 17e model that would be expected to launch no earlier than February 2026, if it followed the same release pattern as the iPhone 16e. What will iOS 26 be like? Apple upended its numbering conventions with WWDC 2025, and will match the name of each new operating system to the year it's released. So when the next wave of iPhones hits, they'll be running on iOS 26. On the design side, the smartphone OS introduced during the big developer showcase took a contentious approach dubbed Liquid Glass. Apple has been scaling down the amount of transparency effects in the subsequent beta tests of iOS 26, but it will still have a glass-like visual. The feature list includes big and small updates. On the more impactful side, the Phone and Photos apps have been redesigned. There will be several features leveraging artificial intelligence, such as live translation capabilities coming to Phone, FaceTime and Messages. Apple is also currently testing a sensitive content warning for child accounts that will freeze FaceTime video if nudity is detected by on-device machine learning tools. And the company is also launching Visual Intelligence, which will use AI to search for elements in an image. iOS 26 also has a litany of minor, quality of life improvements. Group texts are getting support for polls. And for the slow risers out there, iOS 26 will finally let you escape the tyranny of the nine minute snooze alarm.  The next iOS is now available as a public beta. Here are our initial impressions of the Liquid Glass design and other new features. iOS 26 is compatible with all models back through iPhone 11. What other products are expected to be released alongside the iPhone 17? If Apple follows its usual pattern, the iPhone 17 will be announced alongside new Apple Watch products. That would be the Apple Watch Series 11 (if Apple sticks to the same naming scheme), and maybe an Apple Watch Ultra 3 and/or an updated Apple Watch SE. (They'll all run watchOS 26, of course.) Other possibilities — and this is, again, speculation — could include refreshed Apple AirPods Pro (which received its last big update in 2022) and maybe new AirTags trackers (first released in 2021). The Apple rumor mill got a big shot in the arm this week thanks to the reported inclusion of product ID numbers in recent beta software builds. Per MacRumors, it's a laundry list of new hardware, including long-rumored product updates like the Apple TV, HomePod mini, new Apple Studio Display monitor and two fresh iPads.  Of course, even if that list is totally accurate, we may not see those products until 2026 — if ever. So don't expect all of products to share the stage with the iPhone 17, especially since Apple likes to keep its star performer at the center of attention.  That said, keep in mind that Apple has recently been having Mac-centric announcements in late October (as it did last year to debut new M4 Macs), so there's always the chance of another shoe dropping a few weeks down the road.   Update, August 22, 2025: Added new details about the colors of the rumored TechWoven case. Update, August 20, 2025, 7:12PM ET: Added new rumor about potential TechWoven case for iPhone 17 series. Update, August 18, 2025, 6:23PM ET: Added new rumor about the iPhone 17e potentially having the Dynamic Island. Update, August 15, 2025, 2:05PM ET: Added new rumor about the all-aluminum chassis on the iPhone 17. Update, August 13, 2025, 10:02PM ET: Added a list of the products that are expected to be released alongside the iPhone 17s.  Update, August 11, 2025, 7:27PM ET: Added a render of a rumored new antenna design for the iPhone 17 Pro. Update, August 8, 2025, 4:43PM ET: Added new speculation and reports about iPhone 17 pricing. Update, August 6, 2025, 4:05PM ET: Added latest details about the potential iPhone 17 event date. Update, August 4, 2025, 5:23PM ET: Added latest battery leaks about the iPhone 17 models. Update, August 1, 2025, 8:15AM ET: Added new photos showing potential iPhone 17 colors. Update, July 30, 2025, 11:08AM ET: Added latest leaks and rumors about the iPhone 17, and updated information on the iOS 26 public beta. Update, July 17, 2025, 4:40PM ET: Added latest information about iOS 26, possible materials for the Air, and the color options for the different models. Update, March 17, 2025, 2PM ET: Added details about the rumored price and features of the iPhone 17 Air. Update, April 11, 2025, 3:45PM ET: Added details from Front Page Tech's new video that claims to reveal details from a leaked iOS 19 build. Katie Teague contributed to this story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/iphone-17-release-date-ios-26-features-and-everything-else-to-know-about-apples-upcoming-lineup-153024576.html?src=rss

Australian CommBank announced 45 workers would be replaced with AIHowever the decision has now been reversed after the AI failed to live up to humansWorkers have received an apology from CommBankAustralia’s Commonwealth Bank has provided a useful example of how not to introduce AI tools after being forced into an embarassing clim-down.The bank had recently announced 45 customer service workers would be cut and replaced with an AI-powered 'voice bot' in an effort to reduce call volumes and automate less complex replies - leaving a small number of employees to handle the remaining more complex enquiries.As it turns out, these bots were not capable of handling the tasks that the workers could - and now, those cut employees will now be rehired.The ‘backflip’The bank claimed the ‘voice-bot’ led to a reduction in calls, but Australia's Finance Sector Union disputes this claim, noting, “Members told us this was an outright lie and did not reflect the reality of what was happening in Direct Banking. Call volumes were in fact increasing and CBA was scrambling to manage the situation by offering staff overtime and directing Team Leaders to answer calls."The bank issued an apology to the staff who were affected by the proposed job cuts and reversed the decision. A spokesperson from the bank told TechRadar Pro that it's initial assessment 'did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations and this error meant the roles were not redundant.'"We have apologised to the employees concerned and acknowledge we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required. We are currently supporting affected employees and have provided them with choice regarding continuing in their current roles, pursuing redeployment within CBA or to proceed with leaving the organisation."That being said, CommBank is not denouncing the tech entirely, having recently announced a partnership with OpenAI to develop scam and fraud detection solutions, as well as ‘deliver more personalized services’ for its customers.For months, concerns about job losses at the hands of AI were dismissed, with companies assuring that only the most basic and mundane admin tasks would be handled by bots, leaving workers to focus on the more creative aspects of their roles.Those in administrative positions who handle almost exclusively mundane tasks have warned that these models, although sometimes useful, cannot replace human experience and understanding.It’s undeniable that AI is replacing workers, with hundreds of jobs at firms like IBM and Crowdstrike disappearing as humans have been made more dispensable thanks to the tech.But, not all of these cost-cutting decisions are working out. In the UK, over half of all businesses who replaced workers with AI already regret their decision, and are not less likely to believe that AI will replace human workers.You might also likeAlmost all GenAI pilots companies deploy are failing - so are they really worth the hype?Check out our choice for best endpoint protection software to keep you safe70% of people are sick of talking to AI – where did all the humans go?

One of Final Fantasy 14's most popular mods, Mare Synchronos, has shut downThe plug-in's creator blamed a "legal enquiry"The game has since been review-bombed on SteamFollowing a "legal enquiry", a popular third-party tool used for Final Fantasy 14 has shut down and now players are furious.The tool, Mare Synchronos, was a plug-in that allowed users to sync and view other players' mods in-game, such as character customization, hair, clothing, and more, and had over 20,000 users.Modding in Final Fantasy 14 has always been against the game's terms of service, though it is well-known in the community that it's best not to advertise the use of them if you want to avoid the ban hammer.Unfortunately, it seems one of the most popular mods wasn't able to escape Square Enix's legal team.The mod's creator announced the shutdown on their Discord (in a message that was posted to Reddit), saying, "See the sun set, the day is ending. With a heavy heart, I have to announce the end of Mare Synchronos as you know it. I've received a legal inquiry concerning the project. After reviewing my options with counsel, I'm winding down" (via GamesRadar).The modder has explained that, effective immediately, registration to download the mod will be closed and bot services will be shut down, repositories for client, server, and api will be removed, and all Patreon/Ko-Fi memberships will be removed.Since Mare was used by many players who mod the game, particularly those in the role-playing community, the announcement hasn't gone down well."Square Enix messing with their freaky fanbase is a bold strategy, let's see if it pays off," said one user in the Reddit thread."More reasons to never come back," another wrote. "People say mare was just for the ERPers, which sure lotsa people used it for that. But lemme say this... mare legit made it so I could get my character to actually present how I wanted him for my friends to see... warmer more diverse skin tones, hair editing, better hair colors, personally altering face bones and height etc and having that show up."Mare's shut down has also resulted in Final Fantasy 14 being review-bombed on Steam. As of writing, the game is now sitting at "Mixed" reviews, with plenty of angry posts relating to the mod's takedown."I never messed with mods, but i had no issue with people using them because people really enjoyed their character creation mod options," one player said. "Square never had a problem with it before and now suddenly they rip this away from people. wont be coming back. if square wants to burn their game to the ground then let them.""RIP Moon [Mare Synchronos], canceled my sub I've been paying for," said another. "Without Moon, it's not worth it for me personally."You might also like...Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailerEverything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei modeNew Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

Max, a Russia-developed messaging app, must be pre-installed on every new device from September 1The domestic RuStore app store is also to be forced onto Apple devices, after already being mandatory on AndroidAuthorities are reportedly considering blocking WhatsApp, today's most popular messaging app in Russia A Russia-developed messaging app must be pre-installed on every new smartphone and tablet sold in Russia starting from September 1, 2025 – the government confirmed on Thursday, August 21.So-called Max, the WhatsApp rival, is also integrated with government services and has already reached 18 million registered users, according to Interfax.Privacy experts have been raising the alarm, arguing that Max could spy on its users. Something that the Kremlin strongly denies, arguing that "it has fewer permissions to access user data than rivals WhatsApp and Telegram," Reuters reported.As per the government announcement, on September 1, the domestic RuStore app store will also become mandatory on all Apple devices, having been forced only on Android gadgets so far.Can people in Russia still use WhatsApp?(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images )WhatsApp is currently the most popular messaging service across Russia, and the only Meta-owned app not blocked in the country.This could soon change, however, as authorities have recently confirmed their intention to ban WhatsApp in Russia.Talking to Reuters on Friday, July 18, Deputy Head of the Russian parliament's Information Technology Committee, Anton Gorelkin, said that "it's time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market," while reminding that Meta has been designated as an extremist organization in Russia.Two more government sources have then confirmed to Meduza, a Russian Independent media outlet, that "there’s a 99-percent chance" the WhatsApp block will happen.Fast-forward to August 13, Interfax confirmed that authorities partially restrict calls on both Telegram and WhatsApp, allegedly as a measure to combat criminal and terrorist activities.The looming WhatsApp ban comes as the Kremlin also recently passed a law to punish online searches for so-called 'extremist' content, while adding new penalties to those using VPN services.This means that using one of the best VPN services to bypass a potential ban on WhatsApp, or any other app for that matter, has suddenly become ever more challenging.You might also likeRussia demands over 200 VPNs are removed from the Play Store – but Google is resistingRussia to invest over half a billion US dollars in its battle against VPN usageRussia disconnects several regions to test its sovereign net

In presumably less than a month, the annual Apple iPhone event will be here, giving us a first look at the iPhone 17 lineup. With that should come the official date for downloading the latest software update, iOS 26. While you wait, you can download and install the newly released public beta 4 (or iOS 26 developer beta 7 for developers). I've been playing around with it for the past couple of weeks, and have found that taking screenshots is way better in the new operating system — Google and ChatGPT search options are now in the screenshots editor, for instance. You can see a more complete view of the new features in our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release, which shows off the fresh home and lock screen redesign. Called Liquid Glass, the translucent look will extend across all of Apple's upcoming operating systems. The overhaul is one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple's software suite, all of which were showcased during the company's WWDC keynote on June 9. After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you've been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it's in the Photos app). Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point "in the coming year," so you shouldn't expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year. The company is also reportedly working on a 'stripped-down' AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT. With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like this new AirPods gesture we're all curious about, and this FaceTime feature that'll freeze your video if it detects nudity. With the release of the iOS 26 developer beta 5, we saw more added features, like a new bouncy animation on the passcode screen and in the Control Center, MacRumors reports. Some or all of those changes will likely soon migrate into the separate public beta (see below). Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.  What is iOS 26? The current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, and Apple is still actively updating it — version 18.6.1 was released to restore Apple Watch blood oxygen monitoring functionality for certain users in the US. More recently, Apple released 18.6.2 to address a vulnerability related to image processing. Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6, MacRumors reports, which means it can no longer be installed on your iPhone due to a "server-side software verification check." That's pretty normal when newer versions are available to download. But don't expect to see iOS 19 soon — or ever. Instead, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they're all designated "26" to reflect the year ahead.  It's official, we're moving to iOS 26. (Apple) What is Liquid Glass design? Let's be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone's home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens' new facelift is refreshing. So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a "new translucent material" since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They're designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget's own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it's somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft's translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago. That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won't be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive. Here's a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop. What are the new and notable features of iOS 26? iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile: Phone app redesign: You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks. Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation. Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you're eating at or whose car you're taking on a road trip. Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven't received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you're lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder. Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that's on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online. Photos tabs are back: For anyone who's still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you'll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don't have to scroll to infinity to find what you're looking for. FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime "Communication Safety" feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.  New lock screen options: The iPhone lock screen gets more customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets and better focus mode options.  Apple's Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple) New changes coming to iPadOS 26 Your iPad isn't getting left behind when it comes to big updates. Here's what's coming this fall. Multitasking and real windowing: When you download the newest update, you'll be able to have multiple apps running on your screen at the same time. Once you open an app, it'll appear on your screen as normal but you'll be able to resize and move it across your screen to make room for other apps. This feature is optional so you can turn it off if you don't like it. Visual update: Along with the other new OSes, iPadOS 26 is coming with the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new look will appear on the lock and home screens, as well as the drop-down menus. New menu bar: When you swipe down on your screen, the new menu bar will appear with options like File, Edit, Windows and more. There's also a search option if you're looking for something specific. Check out our first impressions of iPadOS 26.  What about AirPods? AirPods are also getting updated with iOS 26. Here are some of the more notable functions. Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this "studio-quality" audio recording, and with it, you'll notice more clarity while in noisy environments. Camera remote control: Using this, you can take a photo or start and stop video recording with just one press on your AirPods. When taking photos, you'll get a three-second countdown before your iPhone or iPad snaps the picture. Live translation feature: While not officially announced or confirmed, it appears that the long-rumored live translation for AirPods could be coming with iOS 26. The evidence comes from a system asset spotted in the in iOS 26 beta showing a gesture that's triggered by pressing both earbud stems at the same time. The photo also shows words in several different languages.  Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26? A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won't be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update. iPhone SE (second generation or later) iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone 12 iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 13 iPhone 13 mini iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 16e Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.  How to install iOS 26 beta The iOS 26 public beta is now available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you're not already a member, you'll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It's free. Once you're in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.  A word of caution: Don't sign up with your main iPhone unless you're OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn't finalized. When will the final version of iOS 26 be released? iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced. If you're more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here's everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework. Update, August 22: Noted that Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6. Update, August 20: Noted that iOS 26 public beta 4 and iOS 18.6.2 are now available to download. Update, August 18: Added details about a potential iOS 18.6 update. Update, August 15: Added to link to what to expect at the Apple iPhone event and details about what's available in the iOS 26 screenshots editor. Update, August 13: Added new AirPods detail spotted in the iOS 26 beta. Update, August 11: Noted that iOS 26 developer beta has hit beta 6.  Update, August 8: Added new features coming with iPadOS 26 and AirPods. Update, August 6: Noted the release of iOS 26 beta 5 and the new bouncy feature on passcode screen and Control Center. Update, August 4: Noted that Apple is reportedly working on a ChatGPT rival. Update, August 1: Added quote from Tim Cook about iOS 26. Update, July 31: Noted that iOS 18.6 is now available.  Update, July 24: Noted the iOS 26 public beta is now available. Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta. Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.  Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-26-everything-to-know-about-apples-upcoming-iphone-and-ipad-updates-135749791.html?src=rss

On Friday, Ubisoft announced… something. The company describes The Division 2: Survivors as "an updated take on the survival extraction experience." Is it DLC? Is it a new game mode? We have no idea. But Ubisoft said it will "strive for transparency during its development." Unfortunately, that didn't apply to its announcement. Ubisoft said Survivors is in its early stages, which may explain the lack of detail. Other media outlets have reported that it will come in 2026. But the company's franchise roadmap places its release date under "TBA." "The Division 2: Survivors is as much your baby as it is ours, and we strive for transparency during its development," Executive Producer Julian Gerighty wrote in the announcement blog post. "Clear communication and community involvement are a focus as we build the new experience, and we will be closely involving you as we move forward on the development journey." Ubisoft Ubisoft also confirmed that its free-to-play mobile game is still in the pipeline. The Division Resurgence is expected this year. The company announced a delay last summer. A Redditor who played a beta version in 2023 described it in less than appealing terms. "Overall, Resurgence is a console clone of The Division, where you can team up and play with clunky, small mobile controls." To be fair, much could have changed in its development since then. Regardless, you can sign up for the closed beta on Ubisoft's website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-division-2-survivors-will-bring-survival-extraction-to-the-series-171948909.html?src=rss

GPD Win 5 is an unusual gaming handheld and ultra mobile workstation hybridIt's powered by AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with 16 cores and Radeon 8060SCompact 565g device includes 7-inch 120Hz touchscreen and dual-fan cooling systemGPD has unveiled the Win 5, a handheld PC that straddles the line between portable gaming console and mobile workstation.With its compact form factor, the device is powered by AMD’s powerful Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU (Strix Halo), a processor that so far has mostly appeared in mini PCs and only a handful of laptops, including HP’s ZBook Ultra 14 G1a, Asus’s ROG Flow Z13 and Emdoor’s EM-959-NM16ASH-1.While the Win 5 looks good and packs a lot of power, its expected price tag - around $2000 - will put it firmly in enthusiast territory.Dual-fan coolingThe Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is built on TSMC’s 4nm process and features 16 Zen 5 CPU cores and 32 threads, clocking up to 5.1GHz. There’s a Radeon 8060S GPU with 40 compute units running at 2.9GHz.The chip also offers AI acceleration, with 16 TOPS from its NPU and 38 TOPS combined with CPU performance.To keep that hardware under control, the Win 5 uses a dual-fan cooling system, which delivers consistent thermal management even under heavy loads, which would otherwise be a concern for a device this small.The handheld supports up to 128GB of LPDDR5X RAM at 8000MHz and NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD storage options ranging from 1TB to 4TB.Storage can be swapped from the rear panel, and microSD plus mini SSD expansion slots are included.The display is a 7-inch H-IPS touchscreen at 1920x1080 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate and FreeSync Premium support.Wireless connectivity includes WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Ports include two USB-C (one at USB 3.2 speeds and another at USB 4 with support for external GPUs), a 3.5mm audio jack, and card slots.Despite its undoubted power, the device weighs just 565 grams and measures 267 x 111mm, making it smaller than a Steam Deck.The 80Wh battery supports fast charging up to 180W.The Win 5 looks like a standard handheld games system, with dual analog sticks, a D-Pad, triggers, and action buttons, but includes extras like a fingerprint reader.GPD Win 5 mobile workstation PC will be available to buy globally from October 17 2025.More from TechRadar ProSixunited joins HP and Asus in offering a Strix Halo-powered laptopThere are 15 AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 mini PCs in the world right now...Finally, Minisforum set to launch its own AI Max+ 395 Mini PC

Apple might use Gemini to power its revamped version of Siri, Bloomberg reports. The companies are in the early stages of exploring a partnership, with Google training a version of its Gemini model that can run on Apple's servers. The iPhone maker was previously reported to be considering similar partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic. "The company is simultaneously developing two versions of the new Siri: one dubbed Linwood that is powered by its models and another code-named Glenwood that runs on outside technology, " Bloomberg writes. A final decision has yet to be made on what AI model Apple will ultimately use, but it's entirely possible it sticks with its internally-developed models. While seceding a potentially key technology to a competitor seems decidedly un-Apple, it's a testament to how much difficulty the company has had rolling out Apple Intelligence. Apple included the majority of its new AI features in the release of iOS 18, but failed to ship an updated version of Siri that can draw on personal data to take action in apps. Apple ultimately admitted the Siri update was delayed in March, with the new launch now expected sometime in 2026. The turmoil caused by the delay reportedly led to Apple's various AI projects changing hands internally, and the company's decision to consider using a third-party AI model. As of the launch of the Pixel 10, Gemini now offers a similar set of capabilities to what Apple promised with the new Siri. It could presumably do the same things on iOS with the right changes. Using a version of Gemini that runs on Apple's hardware and servers — the company calls this Private Cloud Compute — could also add an additional layer of security. Apple was reportedly planning to offer Gemini as an alternative to ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence, but the option has yet to ship. Having Gemini power some of its AI features would put Apple in a similar position to Samsung, who's Galaxy AI relies on a mix of custom models and Gemini.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-is-reportedly-considering-using-gemini-to-power-the-new-siri-184528449.html?src=rss

The Apple TV+ price hike does not apply to the service's annual rateThe cost of bundle services like Apple One will remain unchanged New and select returning subscribers can still get a 7-day free trial Apple TV+’s sudden price hike has left subscribers scrambling to decide whether to cancel their subscription before the increased rate shows up in their next renewal bill, but there are some ways to avoid paying as much as 30% more.The best I've seen so far is to sign up for an annual subscription, as the 12-month rate remains unchanged for the moment. That means you can not only still get a more than 16% saving on the old monthly cost of Apple TV+ by buying an annual subscription, but you can also save 55% on the newly raised monthly price.By signing up for 12 months upfront, you can bring the cost of a monthly subscription down to just $8.33 in the US, £7.49 in the UK, and AU$10.83 in Australia (see the table below for how these stack up against the new raised prices).Apple TV+ global costsAnnual Monthly equivalent New monthly prices US $99$8.33$12.99UK£89.99£7.49£9.99AUAU$129.99AU$10.83AU$15.99Apple also has not announced any further changes to the price of other bundles and offers, which means the cost of its mega subscription service that bundles all of its services, including Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple TV+, and more, into one package remains unchanged.The Apple One subscription bundle has three different pricing tiers depending on whether you want an individual account, family, or more premium features like a higher storage capacity on iCloud, making it a great value for anyone who regularly uses these services. It starts at $19.95 a month in the US, £18.95 per month in the UK, and AU$21.95 per month in Australia.If you haven't already read our Apple TV+ cost guide, then you might not know that you can also still get a free trial of Apple's streaming service. The introductory offer is available for new and select returning customers, making it a great option if you're a savvy budgeter who hops between subscriptions.An Apple TV+ free trial is by far the cheapest option to avoid the price hike, and there are multiple ways to get one. The standard trial period is seven days, but you can get a month if you're a student or a new Apple One subscriber – or three months with an Apple device purchase. In the US, you can also get three months if you purchase a Roku device, or six months if you're on a T-Mobile Go5G plan. There are similar offers in the UK too, with EE iPhone contracts and Three bundles.These are the best ways to avoid missing out on streaming Spike Lee's new movie Highest 2 Lowest, alongside the return of The Morning Show season 4 and Slow Horses season 5 in September. Of course, it's always worth keeping an eye on the best streaming deals, but Apple TV+ isn't known to offer many discounts throughout the year.Will Apple TV+ introduce an ad-supported tier? If you're like me and signed up to the rare Apple TV+ deal that marked a 70% saving on the usual price of a subscription in April, then your discounted account has probably run out by now – great timing, I know.There are thankfully ways to save money on an Apple TV+ subscription (as listed above), but for anyone who's looking for a more long-term solution that doesn't involve swapping and changing which of the best streaming services you're signed up to each month, then one could be on the horizon.Reports have been circling for over a year now that Apple TV+ has been making inroads in the advertising space. From recruiting ad execs to testing ad tools, industry insiders have connected these dots and believe they suggest that Apple TV+ could be next to get an ad-based tier.That's not too surprising considering the success that Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video have had following the rollout of similar ad-supported tiers, with the services each announcing an increase in sign-ups off the back of the launch of these new, cheaper tiers.With Apple increasingly spending more on big-ticket productions and acquiring the expensive rights to big sporting tournaments – namely the Formula 1 rights in the US – it's bound to have an impact on the bottom line, and that means we'll have to cough up for it.I wouldn't be surprised if we start to hear more about a potential ad-supported tier rolling out on Apple TV+ off the back of the price hike, especially if it impacts subscriber numbers, as Apple's streaming service will undoubtedly want to win back eyeballs.You might also like5 new Apple TV+ shows you should stream in August 2025When will Foundation season 3 episode 7 be released on Apple TV+?Invasion creator says Apple TV+’s slow-burn sci-fi show is set for big changes

The Trump administration is forming a "National Design Studio," with the aim of improving government websites and the efficiency of digital services at federal agencies. Trump has already signed an executive order to create the studio. According to Reuters, the president will appoint Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia as the head of the new organization, which one of its sources described as a stripped-down version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).  DOGE, which was once led by Elon Musk, aimed to cut wasteful government spending and modernize its IT systems. It facilitated mass layoffs of hundreds of thousands of federal workers and even dismantled whole agencies. As Reuters has noted, though, its activities have greatly slowed down after Musk left the organization and his role as Trump's advisor altogether. The White House did not respond to Reuters' request for comment, and it's unclear if DOGE will continue operating once the studio has been formed. Gebbia will be apparently be named as the studio's the Chief Design Officer and will lead its efforts to upgrade the "usability and aesthetics" of federal digital services. The news organization says the studio will standardize design for websites meant to allow people to interact with the government and will advise agencies on how to reduce costs on duplicative designs. Based on Trump's executive order, the studio will shut down in three years before he steps down from office. While Gebbia will be the Chief Design Officer, an administrator will run the studio and will be in charge of reporting to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-is-forming-a-national-design-studio-to-spruce-up-government-websites-140053273.html?src=rss

We're in a slightly weird place in the streaming world this week (August 18-24). As summer and winter start to wind down in the northern and southern hemispheres, the world's best streaming services appear to be withholding their biggest releases for the final few months of the year.That's not to say there aren't some new movies and TV shows to catch over the next few days. From a popular HBO Max show making its long overdue return, to three interesting offerings from Netflix, you're sure to find something worth watching with our help. So, read on to see what's new. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporterPeacemaker season 2 (HBO Max)Everyone's favorite DC comic book anti-hero is back. Peacemaker – real name Chris Smith – is back on our screens after three and a half years for his sophomore outing on Warner Bros Discovery's recently rebranded streamer. This time, the titular character stumbles on a parallel world where life is everything he wishes he could be. Oh, and he's being hunted by Rick Flag Sr, the newly-installed head of ARGUS and father of the man Peacemaker killed in 2021's The Suicide Squad.Episode 1 is out now – read my Peacemaker season 2 release schedule guide to see where you can stream it outside of the US and when new entries will air. Before you watch it, check out my Peacemaker season 2 guide for more details on its cast and plot among other things, and my Peacemaker season 2 review to see what I thought of its first five chapters. – TPWatch Peacemaker season 2 on HBO MaxHostage (Netflix)Suranne Jones as UK Prime Minister? If I woke up tomorrow and that was real life, I'd be made up. Instead, she's playing fictional leader Abigail Dalton in new Netflix series Hostage, where she's faced with putting her country first while dealing with the sudden abduction of her medic husband in French Guiana. To top it all off, her scheduled visit with French president Toussaint (Julie Delpy) doesn't go swimmingly... especially when she starts being blackmailed, too.I can't think of a time we've seen two female world leaders coexist like this, let alone work together to overthrow the tests a patriarchal system consistently subjects them to. I've no doubt in my mind that Jones was going to knock this out of the park and I hope this is the start of her rise to global stardom, much like Sarah Lancashire experienced in Happy Valley. – Jasmine Valentine, entertainment writer Watch Hostage on NetflixEenie Meanie (Hulu/Disney+)Ready or Not star Samara Weaving leads the cast of this new Hulu and Disney+ offering, which sees her play the role of a troubled getaway driver.Indeed, we follow her as she's dragged back into a life of crime when a former employer reveals they’ve got an opportunity to save her “chronically unreliable” ex-boyfriend.This heist movie sounds perfect if you’re after an action flick this weekend, but we'll have to wait and see what critics think of it first before we can recommend it ourselves. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writerWatch Eenie Meanie on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally)Road to a Million season 2 (Prime Video)While most people were watching Squid Game: The Challenge with baited breath (and to be fair, so was I), I was watching Brian Cox do his best 'M' impression on Prime Video's underrated reality TV show 007: Road to a Million. That said, considering how expensive it was to make, I'm surprised a second season was greenlit.Nevertheless, I'm yet to see a competition series on par with this. We've all wanted to take a stab at being James Bond. Thankfully, we get to experience that from the safety of our sofa while James from Wigan screams his head off trying to win some money. This Amazon TV Original only gets more unhinged from there, so strap in. – JVWatch Road to a Million season 2 on Prime VideoLong Story Short (Netflix)BoJack Horseman is one of the best Netflix shows and a personal favorite of mine, so you can imagine how excited I am about co-creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg's new show Long Story Short. The adult animation series centers on a middle-class Jewish family and, more specifically, three siblings as they experience everyday events while looking back on their very religious childhood.Given BoJack was equal parts hilarious and devastating, I’ve already stocked up on tissues for the weekend. It's already been renewed for a second season, too, so there'll be plenty more to enjoy in th future. – LBWatch Long Story Short on NetflixInvasion season 3 (Apple TV+)Out of the five new Apple TV+ shows releasing in August, Invasion season 3 is the most underrated. But, that doesn't mean I'm not excited for its arrival – not least because we're set to learn the true intentions of the hostile aliens that have invaded Earth.There have been theories about the extraterrestrials' constant attacks throughout the Apple TV+ sci-fi saga, but this season promises to finally give us answers. Creator Simon Kingberg has confirmed we'll see the main characters unite in a "low-key Avengers" storyline, so I'm expecting a climatic showdown.So far, Invasion has seen mixed responses due to its slow-burn pacing, but many agree that last season greatly improved on the first, putting the Apple TV Original's third season in good stead to be a world-saving (or -ending) spectacle. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor Watch Invasion season 3 on Apple TV+The Truth About Jussie Smollett? (Netflix)Before 2019, Jussie Smollett was known for his roles in shows like Empire and movies like The Mighty Ducks, but has since made headlines after being accused of staging a hate crime hoax.The real-life case has more twists and turns than a Spanish soap opera, but that hasn't stopped Netflix from going ahead with a 90-minute documentary about the case. The Truth About Jussie Smollett? will bring us interviews with police, lawyers, journalists, investigators, and Jussie himself to get the story straight, making this the best way to get the (hopefully) true story on the alleged fake story. – ASWatch The Truth About Jussie Smollet? on NetflixYou might also likePeacemaker season 2 episode 1 solves a big mystery about the HBO Max show's first season – and it's all thanks to James Gunn's SupermanSpider-Man: Brand New Day casts Severance star in mystery role – and another Marvel hero could also appear in the MCU filmFallout season 2 trailer reveals who's playing Mr. House, a Deathclaw, and an official release date for the hit Prime Video show's return

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #803).Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.NYT Connections today (game #804) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…SMARTWATCHBOWLOILCHICANERYCOOLANTPODCASTHIPPODROMEVAPELEGERDEMAINCRYPTODECEITFUELCOLISEUMSUBTERFUGEBRAKE FLUIDSTADIUMNYT Connections today (game #804) - hint #1 - group hintsWhat are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?YELLOW: Open up the hood to addGREEN: Large venuesBLUE: ShenanigansPURPLE: 21st century stuffNeed more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…NYT Connections today (game #804) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARSGREEN: ARENABLUE: SKULDUGGERYPURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONSRight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.NYT Connections today (game #804) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #804, are…YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARS BRAKE FLUID, COOLANT, FUEL, OILGREEN: ARENA BOWL, COLISEUM, HIPPODROME, STADIUMBLUE: SKULDUGGERY CHICANERY, DECEIT, LEGERDEMAIN, SUBTERFUGEPURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONS CRYPTO, PODCAST, SMARTWATCH, VAPEMy rating: EasyMy score: PerfectI imagine the category MODERN INVENTIONS will get some heat.It’s a vague link, as there are countless modern inventions and other than them being "modern" there is nothing else that connects them.Also, the word modern is subjective – the beginnings of CRYPTO, VAPE and PODCAST were around 20 years ago, while there were types of SMARTWATCH in the 1990s.This quibble aside, the purple group was easy to get, as they are indeed all current preoccupations and distinct from the other 12 tiles.Noticeably, this was a day without SUBTERFUGE or CHICANERY, which has me thinking that there are two possible reasons for this. Either Connections is going easy on us because it’s a Saturday, or they have something terrible planned for us tomorrow. I predict the latter.Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, August 22, game #803)YELLOW: U.S. PRESIDENTS ADAMS, FORD, GRANT, WASHINGTONGREEN: ACTORS WHOSE LAST NAMES ARE ALSO VERBS CHEVY CHASE, CHRISTOPH WALTZ, GEOFFREY RUSH, TOM CRUISEBLUE: KINDS OF POKER DRAW, OMAHA, STRIP, STUDPURPLE: PROPER NOUNS AFTER GERUNDS IN '90S MOVIE TITLES AMY, JOHN MALKOVICH, LAS VEGAS, PRIVATE RYANWhat is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #537).Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Rub it in, why don't you?NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.CLEARSLUMVESTMULESTREAMRIVETNYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 12 lettersNYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 5th rowLast side: right, 7th rowRight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.NYT Strands today (game #538) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #538, are…LOTIONBALMCREAMBUTTERJELLYSERUMSALVESPANGRAM: MOISTURIZERSMy rating: EasyMy score: PerfectI didn’t really think about it until this edition of Strands, but it’s interesting how many of the things we rub on our faces sound like food – CREAM, BUTTER, JELLY, milk. Or maybe it should be that it's incredible how many foods sound like things we rub on our faces?Anyway, I digress, today was a search for the many different formats of MOISTURIZERS – a spangram I got after initially spotting the word “moist” and realizing there was more to it.I got LOTION first and from there went round the board in an anti-clockwise direction without a struggle or snag, unlike when i rub BALM into my beard; that’s a whole load of struggle and snag.Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, August 22, game #537)DETECTIVESTRANGERLOVERRIVALSPOUSEHEIRSPANGRAM: ITS A MYSTERYWhat is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #1306).Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• D• G• F• SRight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.Quordle today (game #1307) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1307, are…DEMONGRATEFLYERSHEEPI returned to my three-starter-word game plan today, and while it speeded up the play I still fell foul of some bad luck, guessing great instead of GRATE.I can’t be too peeved, though, as my other quick guesses came good – including FLYER, which I could have taken a punt at, guessing plyer earlier in the game.Daily Sequence today (game #1307) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1307, are…BRUSHCAIRNCOUCHSALVEQuordle answers: The past 20Quordle #1306, Friday, 22 August: TROOP, SCOPE, TORSO, BRINYQuordle #1305, Thursday, 21 August: QUEST, SPARK, WHITE, ACUTEQuordle #1304, Wednesday, 20 August: DOLLY, MERRY, BUGLE, WORSTQuordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMAQuordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASEQuordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECKQuordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITEQuordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEEQuordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVERQuordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUMQuordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINEQuordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUELQuordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPOREQuordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUSQuordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZYQuordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARLQuordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDYQuordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLYQuordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRPQuordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST

NVIDIA has reportedly asked its suppliers to halt production related to its H20 AI chips for the Chinese market. According to The Information, the company told Arizona-based Amkor Technology and Samsung Electronics to put a pause on their work for the H20. Amkor produces advanced packaging for the H20 chips, while Samsung supplies memory for NVIDIA. Reuters has also reported that NVIDIA asked Foxconn, which is in charge of backend processing for the chip, to suspend its work. "We constantly manage our supply chain to address market condition," the company told CNBC in a statement when asked to comment about the supposed production pause.  The US government had blocked NVIDIA from selling the H20 in China back in April, out of concerns that the country could use it to develop AI tech for its military. It allowed the company to resume selling the chip in China by July, reportedly after closing a deal that would give it 15 percent of the sales. But China didn't welcome the H20 with open arms. Local regulators instructed the biggest Chinese tech companies, including ByteDance and Alibaba to stop new orders for H20 chips, citing security concerns. The Cyberspace Administration of China talked to NVIDIA, claiming that AI experts had revealed that the chips could be tracked and controlled remotely. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang had admitted that Chinese regulators asked him about the supposed "backdoor" and said that he made it clear it didn't exist. "Hopefully the response that we've given to the Chinese government will be sufficient," Huang said.  A recent report by the Financial Times, however, claimed that Chinese authorities didn't issue warnings against using NVIDIA chips just because of security concerns. Apparently, they found certain remarks by US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick "insulting." When the US allowed shipments of the H20 to China again, Lutnick said during an interview: "We don't sell them our best stuff, not our second best stuff, not even our third best. The fourth one down, we want to keep China using it... You want to sell the Chinese enough that their developers get addicted to the American technology stack." The H20 is currently the most advanced AI chip NVIDIA can sell in the Chinese market, but the company is reportedly developing a more powerful product. It will be based on the company's Blackwell architecture, Reuters previously reported, and will be capable of half the computing power of NVIDIA's Blackwell Ultra GPUs.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidia-reportedly-stops-production-of-h20-ai-chips-133020132.html?src=rss

The Made By Google event was not only a showcase of Google’s latest Pixel hardware, but a launchpad for many new AI features. I’m typically skeptical of the current generation of AI, but as I checked out the new software across various demo sessions, I found myself more and more intrigued. It seems like Google, along with Apple and Samsung, has been working on making these AI-powered updates more helpful in a way that might actually make our lives easier or simply more fun. There wasn’t enough time to write up every single one of them, so I’ve put a few of my favorites in this story to give you a better sense of what to expect when the Pixel 10 series hits retail shelves later this month. Spoiler alert: Many of these have to do with voice and calls — an area Google has historically excelled at. The Recorder app can generate backing music I have long been enamored with Google’s Recorder app. It started with the on-device transcription that made getting quotes from my interviews easy and relatively secure. But when Apple introduced a multi-track recording function to its Voice Memos app, I quickly jumped ship. While the iOS recorder has inferior transcription in terms of accuracy and readability, the fact that I could basically record a duet with myself seriously appealed to the musical theater geek in me. I played both Elphaba and Glinda, crooning their parts from “For Good” into my iPhone. But when Google’s senior director of product management for Pixel software Shenaz Zack told me the Pixel 10’s recorder app would add AI-generated music to your singing, I went silent in slight disbelief. I spent much of my youth ripping karaoke tracks from YouTube videos, looking up “minus one” or “backing tracks” or “instrumentals only” on various download platforms. My friends and I were aspiring performers, looking to mix our own covers of popular songs, and a tool that would generate backing music to our voice tracks would have been a dream come true. Honestly it kind of still is. Zack walked me through the process twice — on my first try I sang a verse and part of the chorus of “Golden” from the Kpop Demon Hunters soundtrack. I giggled self-consciously at the end, before Zack hit stop. As it recorded, the app actually showed a tag that indicated it knew I was singing, and when we selected the recording after, a chip appeared saying “Create and add music.” Tapping that brought up a panel titled “Choose a vibe to create music” with two sections: Featured vibes and Your vibes. Under the first one, the options were “Chill beats,” “Cozy,” “Dance party,” “Rainy day blues,” “Romantic” and “Surprise me.” On my second attempt, when I rushed through a rendition of the all-time banger “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” the app displayed a warning at the bottom that said “The beat might not match well if the recording is short.” I chose Dance Party, hit next, and waited a minute or so while Recorder went to work. The animation at the top said the system was analyzing the audio, identifying the rhythm, locking onto the beat and harmonizing the track before delivering the result. I don’t quite know what I was expecting, but I can say that those who were at all concerned about digital rights management have nothing to worry about. The music that Google generated for “Golden” sounded nothing like the original, and while it did make my voice sound less lonely and made for a more complete track, I felt like I needed a few more adjustments to feel satisfied with it. As for “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” the result was as generic as expected for an AI-generated soundtrack to a very basic nursery rhyme. To Google’s credit, what came out seemed to be in the right key and rhythm, and I certainly will need much more time playing around with this to see if tweaking the settings will help. I also wanted to point out that the generated music also stopped as my singing stopped, so the giggling I mentioned earlier was not scored. Although this feature did not live up to my (admittedly unrealistic) fantasy, I do think it’s a fun use of AI and seems harmless. It’s not going to be a mainstay of most people’s daily routines, although Zack did say that a large percent of people actually used Recorder for singing. This update could certainly make for a nice little dose of musical creativity. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Engadget (@engadget) Voice Translate made it sound like I was speaking German I had more concerns around the Voice Translate feature that was supposed to make you or your caller sound like you were speaking in a different language. According to Google, the goal is to “break down language barriers during phone calls.” When I asked Zack why the company felt the need to make the voice resemble the caller’s, she said it was about personal connection. Zack explained that her parents live in India, and though they speak English, they’re not very fluent. That makes for some difficulty when they call Zack’s kids. Simply adding a robotic voice that’s translating between the grandparents and the children wouldn’t feel right, either. I was initially skeptical that fully replacing the caller’s original voice with a translated version would help, but after a few demos, I am certainly swayed. To be clear, the person placing the call has to do so from a Pixel phone for Voice Translate to work. Once you choose Voice Translate from the Call Assist submenu, you’ll have to choose a language. When the call is connected, the system will say to both parties that the “Call is translated by Google AI in each speaker’s voice. Audio is not saved.” I tried this out a few times with a Google representative who spoke German, whom we will refer to as “Uncle Tim” to make it easier for me to describe this demo. Each time he spoke, I could hear a couple seconds of his voice in German, before a chime played and the version in the original language became softer. What sounded like a dubbed actor playing Uncle Tim came on and conversed in English, complete with realistic replications of pitch, rhythm and expression. I also could hear feedback when I talked on the call, so I heard myself speaking German on the other end. It was truly strange, because it sort of did sound like me. One of my closest friends lives in Germany, and has had to put up with my attempts to learn German for more than 10 years. I immediately wanted to try Voice Translate on her to see if she would believe I had suddenly become fluent (but of course, I’d have to figure out how to get her to ignore the warnings that Google AI was at work). I’ll be honest, the experience wasn’t perfect. Not only were the translations sometimes off (some of what Uncle Tim said in English didn’t make sense), the generated voices seemed less like a complete replication of the caller and more like a novice dubbing artist. That’s not a bad thing, since I was very concerned about impersonation being a problem. To that end, Zack said Google was deliberate about the implementation. She reminded me of the “ducking” that was in place, which is when the original speech is still audible in the first few seconds and then softer throughout. Like the original audio is ducking below the dubbed voice — get it? And I remembered that while the AI voice might sound sort of like me, it isn’t designed to simply make up things I’m saying — it’s just translating the content. I’m the one that decides whether to go off and curse out a relative and have that conveyed in their native tongue, for example. Of course, there may still be bugs and quirks to work out. I was amused by the various accents that came through in the English-speaking version of Uncle Tim. At first he sounded American, but in subsequent conversations he took on an Australian accent. All this is powered by the Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 chip and processed on-device using “a new codec and semantic understanding,” according to Zack, to understand the speaker’s vocal expressions. For now, I see what Google is going for and cannot wait to call my friend in Frankfurt. At launch, Voice Translate will support translating to or from English with Spanish, German, Japanese, French, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Russian and Indonesian. Google/Screenshot by Engadget Magic Cue surfacing your flight info when you call your airline is helpful The recorder app, translation and expressive-sounding AI are areas Google has long proven expertise in. And lest we forget, the company has also been a pioneer in suggesting actions from your emails and adding events to your calendar by scanning your inbox. With the Pixel 10’s Magic Cue feature, Google is basically bringing this functionality to your texts and calls. While Magic Cue can helpfully show shortcuts within the Messages app to help you answer questions about reservations or send photos from recent trips, I’m most into one specific aspect. When you call an airline to make changes to a flight, for instance, the Pixel 10 can pull up your reservation information and display it within the call, so you won’t have to open your email, and search for the booking confirmation to have your reference number ready. Sure, it might only save you seconds, but it’s so much easier, and Google already does a version of this in your inbox. I would love to see this particular feature expand and cover other types of appointments so you can quickly get codes or other identifying information during calls to, say, your plumber, doctor, insurance provider and more. Camera and photo features continue to improve Google continues to improve upon areas it’s led the way in, and photography remains a strength of Pixel phones. The company was one of the first major players to use its algorithmic prowess to dramatically improve the quality of low light photos and with the Pixel 10 Pro it again uses computational processing to deliver superior images. Pro Res Zoom on the new phone did manage to produce some surprisingly clean pictures of faraway buildings, at least in my demo at Google’s Manhattan office. I was impressed by how clear the lines on the underside of a skyscraper that we zoomed to a 100x level on looked. Google was also careful to clarify that Pro Res Zoom won’t work on people, and that distant text may look odd.  "We've tuned Pro Res Zoom to minimize hallucinations, however they may still occur — especially with faraway text. Additionally, when Pro Res Zoom detects a person in the scene, we use a different enhancement algorithm that prevents inaccurate representations," according to Google. in those situations, the algorithm will drop to Super Res Zoom quality. Depending on which Pixel phone you’re using, Super Res Zoom delivers up to either 20x or 30x zoom. In the results I saw, people standing on a deck at the top of a tower just seemed a bit pixelated compared to the building’s facade, and the effect wasn’t jarring or even really noticeable until I zoomed in. But that might be because they were a tiny part of the picture — I imagine things would look different if a person was the main subject in a scene. As someone who enjoys composing pictures, I didn’t think the Camera Coach feature would do anything for me. But I was pleasantly surprised that I actually liked some of the AI’s proposed framing options. I still don’t think I’ll use this much in the real world, but it might help other people who want tips on photography. I was initially nonplussed about the new Photos feature that lets you tell the AI how to edit your pictures, but after a brief demo I came around. Simply telling Gemini to “turn that red dress blue” or “get rid of the people in the background” was not only easier, but suprrisingly effective. I also want to point out that Google also made tweaks to the Guided Frame feature in its camera app that helps those who are blind or visually impaired know what is in the scene. It now uses Gemini models, which should help with object recognition. Finally, it’s worth calling out the support for C2PA content authenticity initiative. Google is building this into the Photos app, where metadata will show whether or not AI was used in a picture. The Pixel 10 phones will be the first to implement the new industry-standard Content Credentials (CR) within its native camera app, and companies like Adobe, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI are all part of the initiative.  An assortment of other updates worthy of mention Those were just a slice of the new AI-related features I was impressed by at my recent demos ahead of Google’s event this week. But there are quite a few more I found promising, like visual overlays in Gemini Live and the new Pixel Journal app. I didn’t spend as much time with either, but they worked in my brief demos. So did the “take a message” feature that will send transcriptions of voicemails to you, which seems like a much better way to be alerted to a missed call than a hidden section of the Phone app. I’m not yet sold on the Daily Hub, which is basically an updated version of the existing pages that sit to the left of the home page showing relevant actions and articles you might want to explore. I’m fairly intentional when it comes to looking for things to consume, and have specific apps I prefer for doomscrolling (Reddit over everything), so I’m not sure Daily Hub will suit me. Still, the fact that I liked the bulk of the new AI features coming to the Pixel 10 series is pretty significant. Of course, I will still reserve judgement until I can spend more time with them in the real world, and hope to write reviews of some of them. But it’s clear from my time with demos of the Pixel 10 that Google has been pretty thoughtful about how it imbues its hardware with AI, and I hope its competitors take notes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/my-favorite-google-ai-features-from-the-pixel-10-launch-130023979.html?src=rss