Apple acknowledged that the iPhone 14 was designed to be easier to repair, but it might have undersold that upgrade. iFixit has finished a teardown of this year's base iPhone, and it's clear that the device was reworked from the ground up with do-it-yourself fixes in mind. The back glass is easier and cheaper to fix, as promised, but used a metal midframe to keep the front just as accessible. The design is more repairable than the many Android phones that are only simple to open from the back, iFixit said.
The iPhone 14's midframe maintains the same structural rigidity you saw in the 13 family. Apple had already moved the earpiece and front camera array to a more repairable location on the previous generation's mainframe.
The iPhone 14 isn't going to make Fairphone buyers regret their purchases. Apple still requires that customers and technicians activate parts after they're installed, so you can't just use an unofficial back instead of potentially pricier Self Service Repair components. Even so, iFixit claims this is the most repairable Apple handset since 2016's iPhone 7.
The rework isn't completely surprising. Apple is facing pressure to improve repairability from both the federal government and state legislatures. If it didn't address at-home repairs with its designs, it risked battles with regulators that could force changes and dish out penalties. Whatever the reasoning, you probably won't mind if you've been waiting for an iPhone that's truly fix-friendly.
Apple released its latest iPhone lineup last week. While many folks were excited to get their hands on a new device, their elation may have been tempered by some problems with the camera system. It seems that several prominent third-party apps have compatibility issues with the iPhone 14 Pro's rear camera unit. Users have reported problems including shaking, rattling and mechanical noises emanating from the device when using apps like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, as 9to5 Mac reports. It seems there are problems with autofocus and focus too.
Along with sharing reports of the problems on the likes of Reddit and Twitter, some have been sharing videos that show the issues. One appears to depict a grinding sound coming from an iPhone 14 Pro when Snapchat is open. Another shows a similar issue while TikTok accesses the rear cameras.
Given that these issues only appear to be present when third-party apps are in use, rather than Apple's own Camera app, a software issue may be to blame, as 9to5 Mac points out. In particular, the apps may not be playing nicely with the iPhone 14 Pro's optical image stabilization, which seems to be the cause of the rattling. It's not yet clear whether the problems are on Apple's end or with the third-party apps. Engadget has contacted Apple, TikTok, Snap and Meta for comment.
CD Projekt Red has managed to catch lightning in a bottle twice. With nearly 80,000 concurrent Steam players at the moment, Cyberpunk 2077 is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. While it’s a far cry from the more than one million people that played the game on PC following its troubled launch, it’s still more interest than the game has seen in more than a year.
You don’t have to look far to find a reason for the spike. On September 13th, the game’s anime spinoff, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, premiered on Netflix to critical acclaim, earning praise for its story, worldbuilding and animation. The series has one of the highest audience scores for a Netflix production. And after watching Edgerunners, many people are giving Cyberpunk 2077 a second chance or picking it up for the first time.
If all this sounds familiar, it’s because a similar situation played out after the debut of The Witcher. In 2019, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, thanks to the popularity of its Netflix counterpart, was briefly more popular than it was after its 2015 release. It will be interesting to see if Cyberpunk 2077 can maintain its current momentum. At least on PC and current-generation consoles, the RPG is a different game than it was in 2020. Cyberpunk 2077’s recent1.5 and 1.6 updates addressed many of the lingering bugs and stability issues that plagued the game at launch. CD Projekt Red also recently released official modding tools and announced that Phantom Liberty, the game’s first major expansion, would arrive in 2023.
Voyager and Lockheed Martin have found a partner to design astronaut facilities for their space station. Hilton will develop suites and sleeping quarters for Starlab, CNBC reports. Under the partnership, Hilton and Voyager will also look at marketing opportunities related to Starlab and trips to what may be one of the first space hotels.
NASA has granted contracts to four private companies who are building private space stations ahead of the agency's planned decommissioning of the International Space Station at the end of the decade. Axiom Space, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman are also working on space stations. Voyager's operating company Nanoracks received the largest contract, which was valued at $160 million.
Voyager and Lockheed Martin hope to have the first Starlab up and running by 2027. I wonder how many Hilton Honors points it will cost for a trip there.
That purported Grand Theft Auto VI leak appears to be real. Rockstar Games has confirmed the authenticity of the leak in a tweet, noting that a hacker stole confidential data including "early development footage" of the next Grand Theft Auto title. The firm didn't foresee any long-term damage to development or live services like GTA Online, but was "extremely disappointed" that details of the future game were shared in this manner,
Rockstar promised another update "soon," and that creation of GTA VI would continue "as planned." The game producer didn't share more. However, Windows Centralnotes parent company Take Two has asked original leak host GTAForums to pull content, which reportedly includes Bully 2 plans and might include code for multiple GTA titles. The hacker's original Telegram channel has disappeared.
The leak is unprecedented and included 90 videos of a very early build of GTA VI. The clips appear to validate rumors from July that hinted at a return to Vice City (aka Miami) as well as a Bonnie and Clyde-like pair of male and female protagonists. There also appears to be a slew of functional upgrades ranging from improved animations to a robbery system.
The GTA VI material might not do much damage, as the finished product is likely to be much more polished. However, there is a concern that any code for GTA Online could make it easier for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities and otherwise sour the game for other players.
Kiwi Farms, a forum that's long been accused of fostering targeted online and real-world harassment campaigns, says that someone hacked its proxy service and website. As noted by cybersecurity researcher Kevin Beaumont, it told users in a Telegram message that all avatars had been changed to the logo of another website (said to be another purported "free speech" forum) and that "each node on the forum index was deleted one at a time."
While Kiwi Farms apparently has backups and none of the forum data has been permanently deleted, users' personal information may have been compromised. Founder Joshua Moon told users to assume that their email and password information has been obtained, as well as the IP address of any device they've used to access Kiwi Farms in the last month.
Kiwi Farms’ proxy service and Kiwi Farms itself has been hacked.
My guess would be users might want to change their passwords and consider DMs etc may be compromised. pic.twitter.com/NU6EJPKFou
"I do not know for sure if any user information was leaked. In my access logs, they attempted to download all user records at once," Moon wrote in a statement on the Kiwi Farms website. "This caused an error and no output was returned. I shut everything off soon after. If they scraped information through some other mechanism, I cannot say with any confidence either way."
The hacker is said to have used an injected script to gather data from users' systems. Moon said they accessed his admin account as a result of this method. Moon added that he would restore the site from a backup, but noted that the process (as well as reviewing Kiwi Farms' security procedures) would take some time. However, he noted on Telegram today that he had to leave for a week to deal with a family emergency.
Earlier this month, Kiwi Farms was effectively forced off of the open web following an effort to take down the forum. Streamer and political commentator Clara “Keffals” Sorrenti, a prominent target of a harassment campaign that allegedly stemmed from the website, started the movement to bring down Kiwi Farms. While Moon was later able to bring the forum back online through other means.
Cloudflare, a DDoS protection company, kicked Kiwi Farms off its service due to a significant increase in targeted threats originating on the site. That seems to have played a role in this weekend's hack. "Cloudflare not only provided DDoS protection, they also accounted for many popular exploits like this," Moon wrote.
The Treasury Department is keenly aware that crypto scams and hacks remain serious problems, and it's pressuring the rest of the US government to respond. As The Washington Postnotes, the Treasury has issued a report calling on other federal regulators to further crack down on scams and other illegal crypto activity. Officials want agencies to "expand and increase" investigations and enforcement, issue clearer guidance and help crypto users understand both risks and the reporting tools at their disposal.
In all cases, the Treasury asked for more coordination between government divisions. The department also asked for greater transparency on illegal activity to help spot trends in scams and other crimes.
The tougher stance is necessary given the dangers, according to the report. While proponents argue crypto can democratize financial services by making them more affordable and accessible, the Treasury found that there wasn't much evidence to support the claim. If anything, the department found that low-income households were particularly vulnerable to ripoffs — 29 percent of crypto investors had an annual income below $50,000, according to Federal Reserve Board data.
It's not clear that the findings will lead to decisive action. The Treasury didn't outline a concrete strategy for battling crypto scams and security breaches, and regulators have their own sometimes-conflicting views of how to govern digital assets. The Securities Exchange Commission sees most crypto tokens as securities it can monitor, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission unsurprisingly wants to treat tokens as commodities. Although the bureaus might not be fighting, this report doesn't do much to establish common ground.
This might be your best chance yet to buy Apple's flagship tablet. Amazon is selling the 12.9-inch iPad Pro M1 with 128GB of storage at a new all-time low price of $900 after an instant savings at checkout, or $200 below the official sticker. You can buy the 256GB and 512GB versions with similar $200 discounts. While you won't get cellular data or other extras, this is still a significant bargain if you crave a large-screen slate.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro remains one of the most powerful mobile tablets you can buy. The M1 chip is speedy enough for multitasking and other serious work, while the mini-LED screen is a treat whether you're editing video or kicking back with a TV marathon. Add Thunderbolt support (for peripherals like monitors and external SSDs) and a robust accessory ecosystem and this might replace a laptop in the right conditions, particularly once iPadOS 16 arrives with features like Stage Manager.
This is still a mobile OS-based machine, so you may want a laptop or Windows tablet if you're juggling multiple apps or need desktop-level software. However, the main reason for pause might simply be timing. Rumors persist of Apple introducing an M2-powered iPad Pro this October with MagSafe charging and other possible upgrades. You might want to wait if you insist on the most powerful iPad you can buy. If you're mainly interested in value for money, though, the M1 model is difficult to beat.
Just like a relationship, going on a trip with a gadget is one of the best ways of finding out how well you and your partner work together. So to really test ASUS' first go at making a laptop with a flexible display, I took the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED on a journey across four countries in nine days. And while there are a few issues that need to be addressed, my experience was surprisingly positive and renewed my excitement for the category as a whole (especially after Lenovo's ambitious but flawed first try back in 2020). Now that doesn't mean you should run out and get one, because starting at $3,500, the Zenbook 17 Fold is far from affordable. But for all the foldable haters out there, ASUS' latest effort has proven it's way too early to write off the next wave of new-fangled flexy laptops.
Design
For the Zenbook 17 Fold it's almost as if ASUS took the blueprint for the ThinkPad X1 Fold, put it in a photocopier and then hit the enlarge button. Sure, the Zenbook is a little prettier thanks to some leather panels and a bit of lovely frosted glass around back, but it's clear ASUS didn't try to deviate too much from Lenovo’s formula. We have a big flexible OLED display (with no obvious crease, I should add) that's augmented by a built-in kickstand and a detachable magnetic keyboard that neatly fits inside the gap that forms when the system is folded in half. While it's a bit bulky, measuring 1.25 inches thick in clamshell mode and weighing just over four pounds including its keyboard (4.04 to be exact), the Zenbook 17 Fold is still lighter than a lot of similarly-sized traditional laptops like Dell's XPS 17.
That said, I'm not trying to neg ASUS' lack of originality, because by going with a bigger 17.3-inch display (up from 13.3 inches on the ThinkPad X1 Fold), it created a hybrid that finally works as both a laptop and a portable all-in-one desktop of sorts. In laptop mode, the ZenBook 17 Fold converts to a system that's similar in size to a 12.5-inch notebook. This is great when you're trying to get work done on an airplane tray table or anywhere else space is a premium. And because the detachable keyboard sits on top of the bottom half of the screen, you still get a very familiar mousing and typing experience.
But when you get to a hotel or cafe with a bit more room, that's when the real magic happens. By fully deploying that 17.3-inch screen, suddenly you have a ton of extra space for productivity, gaming (well light gaming) or anything else. Does it take some extra effort? Yeah. But at the same time, it's actually kind of practical (and it doesn’t hurt that it reminds me of playing with Transformers as a kid). You can prop up the Zenbook using ASUS' built-in kickstand while positioning the Bluetooth keyboard wherever you like. And because there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on different sides of the machine, it's easy to plug in peripherals or a power cable when you need to recharge.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Aside from laptop and desktop modes, you can also use the Zenbook 17 Fold as a big tablet, which allowed my wife and I to watch She-Hulk while waiting at the gate for our flight. Despite some sizable letterboxing, it was really nice having a bigger display to look at as opposed to huddling around a six-inch phone. There's even something ASUS calls book mode that feels kinda like you're holding a giant magazine (remember those?). Though similar to tablet mode, the sheer size of the screen makes both tablet and book modes feel a bit too unwieldy to use with any sort of regularity.
Unfortunately, ASUS didn't copy the same sort of mil-spec 810G durability Lenovo provides with the X1 Fold. But even so, after more than a week of being tossed in a bag that got thrown under seats or into multiple overheard cargo bins, the Zenbook made it out unscathed. So not quite army-grade, but as far as my battle testing goes, it gets a pass.
Display and cameras
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
As for the screen itself, ASUS touts a peak brightness of 500 nits for HDR content, though in more typical conditions, I found that the Zenbook outputs closer to 350 nits, which is plenty bright for general use. Around the outside of the display, there are half-inch bezels that do look kind of chunky compared to other modern laptops. But given the amount of bending, flipping and moving of the screen you do with the Zenbook, I don't think I'd want them any smaller, at least not until ASUS can shave some weight off this thing.
The real highlight of the 2560 x 1920 OLED panel is all the bright colors and deep blacks. I know OLED screens are becoming more popular on premium systems, but the vibrancy you get from them is even more impressive on a flexible display. The screen's one small weakness is its shiny coating, which likes to pick up fingerprints while also being a bit more reflective than your typical glossy panel. I also want to mention that despite its display dominating the Zenbook’s design, its quad Dolby Atmos speakers sound quite good for its size.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
To handle video calls, the Zenbook features a nifty set of cameras which include a 5MP main shooter and some IR sensors, which can be used for facial login or to detect your presence. This allows the laptop to automatically lock itself when you walk away for some added security or to turn on a screen saver to reduce battery drain and prevent potential burn-in. The one quirk is that because the Zenbook was designed to be primarily used in desktop mode, you'll get vertical pics and videos in laptop mode, which isn't exactly ideal for meetings. Meanwhile, because the webcam sits on the side of the display in desktop mode, properly positioning your face in the center can be a little tricky too.
Performance
The ZenBook 17 Fold is pretty well-rounded with an Intel Core i7-1250U CPU, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Performance was generally smooth and I only encountered a few hitches once the battery dipped below five percent. But, the choice of a U-series chip means the Zenbook isn't quite as powerful as many traditional clamshells, with systems like the Dell XPS 13 Plus and Lenovo Yoga 9i posting higher scores across a number of tests including Geekbench 5 and PCMark 10. In short, it can handle typical productivity and even a bit of very casual gaming, just don't expect much more than that.
Keyboard and software
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Alright, so far everything has been pretty positive, but without getting overly doom and gloom, it's time to talk about the Zenbook's flaws. In theory, its magnetic keyboard is the perfect companion for a flexible hybrid. It connects wirelessly over Bluetooth and its tailored dimensions mean you can tuck it away neatly inside the display while traveling. You even get 1.4mm of key travel, which is pretty great on a peripheral this thin.
Unfortunately, actually using it feels like trying to give medicine to an upset baby, because no matter how nicely you ask, it just won't listen to you. At first, the keyboard struggled to stay connected, which meant I had to unpair and repair it every time the Zenbook went to sleep. Then I noticed that its touchpad was jumpy and erratic, sometimes bouncing around without me moving my finger or being slow to respond to commands.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
To make matters worse, while the system is supposed to automatically recognize when you lay the keyboard on top of the bottom half of the screen in laptop mode, for some reason the Zenbook simply ignored that procedure when launching certain apps. This causes everything to jump back into full-screen mode until you lift the keyboard and drop it down again, which is downright frustrating especially when you're trying to play a game. It’s not just me either, practically everyotherperson who has reviewed the Zenbook 17 Fold has encountered similar issues, which is a real shame because it puts a real damper on the device’s potential.
Furthermore, while the keyboard has a USB-C port for charging and excellent battery life (upwards of 12 hours), you still have to charge it separately (there’s no backlighting either). This feels like a weird oversight compared to something like a Surface Pro and Microsoft's Type Covers, where you never need to worry about connectivity issues or keeping the keyboard topped up because they’re an integral part of the system. But with the Zenbook, while it looks like a core component, the keyboard feels more like an afterthought.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Also, I have to mention that on a device this expensive, some of ASUS' software and pre-loaded bloat is rather irritating. In addition to McAfee LiveSafe constantly bombarding you with unnecessary notifications, trying to find important settings in the MyASUS app is a real chore. But the thing that really pisses me off is that ASUS' GlideX app — which lets you turn a spare tablet or phone into a secondary display — is limited to 720p and has embedded ads unless you pay extra to unlock the Plus, Pro or Ultra tiers. I mean come on, this is a very expensive (and sort of experimental) premium device, those perks really ought to be free. And no, limited-time promos don’t count.
Battery life
When it comes to longevity, one of the big fears with a flexible convertible like this is that all the extra support required to hold everything together takes up valuable room where a battery might go. But to my pleasant surprise, the Zenbook 17 Fold fared better than I expected. On our local video rundown test, it lasted 14 hours and 9 minutes in desktop mode, and an even better 15:26 in laptop mode. That's a good mark for any portable PC, and as long as you're not overloading the processor, the Zenbook's battery holds up during everyday use as well.
Wrap-up
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
After using this thing for the better part of two weeks and lugging it across half of Europe, I've got some thoughts. At first, I was constantly worried about breaking it during my travels. But once those concerns faded, I started to really appreciate its flexibility. Simply thinking about this as a standard 2-in-1 isn't quite right, because it's a lot more adaptable than that.
Depending on the situation, the Zenbook 17 Fold changed from being a big tablet for watching shows and movies to an ultraportable that let me work in tight spaces to a portable desktop I could use as my command station away from home. I'm usually one who longs for the comfort of a second monitor when I'm not at my desk, but those yearnings didn't hit nearly as hard on this trip. And to my delight, it performed well in all of those roles. On top of that, between Windows 11 and ASUS' ScreenXpert tool, it's much easier to choose the right app layout for whatever mode you're in. (If you’ll remember, the original ThinkPad X1 Fold was designed to run on Windows 10X, which ended up getting canceled last year.) And the decision to include a bigger 17.3-inch screen gives you more room for work or play, while also making content look great.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
However, where the Zenbook falters is in its software, wonky Bluetooth keyboard, and of course, that $3,500 price tag. But what's really stopping me from loving it is the short time I've spent with Lenovo's 2022 ThinkPad X1 Fold. That's because for Lenovo's second-gen flexible laptop, the company came up with a brand new chassis featuring a more compact hinge, a revamped keyboard and a redesigned stand. Lenovo also retained its mil-spec durability and stylus support, neither of which you get on the Zenbook. So while the Zenbook 17 Fold is an admirable first attempt and improves on the category as a whole, it still has a few regressions that leave it feeling more like a polished take on a slightly dated design than a true rival to Lenovo's next-gen foldable.
Instacart may have thrived on deliveries at the height of the pandemic, but it's adapting to an era when many people are once again comfortable with in-person grocery shopping. The company is introducing a Connected Store "experience" that uses new and existing technology to theoretically blend the advantages of delivery apps and retail.
To start, the platform will let you pay for items by scanning them with your phone. It's not as convenient as Amazon's automated Just Walk Out tech, but it could save you the hassle of using a self-checkout terminal. Instacart is also rolling out a new model of its smart Caper shopping cart (pictured) with a 65 percent larger capacity and a slimmer, lighter design. You can even sync your Instacart-compatible shopping list to help find items and mark them as purchased the moment you put them in the cart. Carrot Tags light up electronic shelf labels to help you find items, while links between departments let you pick up orders from the bakery and deli without having to wait in line.
Behind the scenes, the Connected Store system will alert staff the moment an item is running low or goes out of stock. You could see fewer empty shelves, or at least fewer inventory checks.
Instacart has already been testing the related technologies with some stores, but is now making them available to retailers in the US and Canada. Outlets like Joseph’s Classic Market, Schnuck's and Wakefern Food Corp. will use parts of the Connected Store system going forward, while Instacart is working with Bristol Farms to build a store in Irvine, California that will use the full package in the "coming months."
The company isn't shy about its goals. Instacart is clearly hoping to entice grocery stores that can't (or just don't want to) use Amazon's platform. Retailers won't need to install costly camera arrays or otherwise revamp whole locations, Instacart notes. This might not lure you back to the store if you prefer home deliveries, but it could deliver a meaningful upgrade to retail shopping — particularly for anyone who doesn't shop at Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods.
