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A lot of EVs aren’t that fun to drive, built as they are to glide around a highway like a swan on a river. Sure, like the swan’s manic paddling, there’s a lot of hardware and software sweating in the background to maintain that serenity. But the feeling can be so soporific that you wind up lusting for the day full autonomy comes and puts us out of our misery.

Except, of course, if you’re driving a new Lotus.

You see, when you’re driving an electric Lotus, there’s a sense of cognitive whiplash you don’t often get these days. EVs are quick and have plenty of torque thanks to their electric motors but they rarely have anything close to a personality. But even when you’re driving its new two-plus ton SUV, you’re capable of zooming around a race track as if you were driving a go-kart. It’s this unity of electric smarts and old-school drivability that Lotus hopes will return the perpetually beleaguered manufacturer to its former glory.

Lotus

Lotus Cars

If you’re not a car person, I wouldn’t blame you for not knowing Lotus was a big name in manufacturing and F1 – emphasis on was – responsible for many innovations that shaped how we build, drive and race cars today. “We talk about [having] this pioneering and rebellious spirit,” says Mike Johnstone, Lotus’ new VP of Commercial Operations. For the last 75 years, Lotus has been a left-field car manufacturer, with customers who want something that is “not necessarily part of the status quo.”

Lotus is a company defined by, and proud of, its idiosyncrasies. It’s idiosyncratically based in rural Norfolk, a hundred miles or more from the rest of the UK’s automotive industry. It’s idiosyncratic co-founder Colin Chapman (pictured, above), whose famous mantra was “simplify, then add lightness.” It’s idiosyncratic technical innovations, like monocoque bodies, ground-effect aerodynamics and the early use of carbon fiber. Its cars' idiosyncratic obsession with perfect handling and speed rather than creature comforts.

It would be impolite to mention the idiosyncratic financial relationship between Chapman and John DeLorean that would lead to the latter’s undoing.

It was this idiosyncratic reputation that made it a draw for pop culture figures who wanted to stand out from the crowd. Patrick McGoohan chose a Lotus Seven to be The Prisoner’s car in 1996 because it showed a “touch of the rebel.” The Avengers’ Mrs. Peel drove a Lotus Elan, while James Bond drove a Lotus Esprit underwater in The Spy Who Loved Me and a Turbo Esprit in For Your Eyes Only. And Richard Gere drove a Lotus Esprit in Pretty Woman because Porsche and Ferrari, who were asked first, objected to the film’s subject matter. I doubt Lotus has ever uttered the phrase “brand safety” with a sincere face.

Since Chapman’s death in the early ‘80s, Lotus has become a byword for stagnation, passed from one corporate parent to another. Its model line suffered: It sold the Elise from 1996 until 2021, while the Exige was in production from 2000 to 2021. Its newest car pre-Geely was the Evora, and its 12-year lifespan made it the youngest and freshest ride in the range. All three were discontinued in 2021 when the Emira made its debut as the company’s last gas-powered car.

Lotus remained alive because of its small but passionate fanbase, which happened to include a number of automotive executives. But while demand for its own cars waned, the rest of the industry continued to rely on its expertise in making cars drive well. Lotus’ fingerprints are visible in so many high-profile cars, from the DeLorean DMC12, Aston Martin DB9 and even Sinclair’s C5. More importantly, the first Tesla roadster was developed on Lotus’ platform, with the first run of cars built at its Hethel, England base.

In 2017, Geely — the Chinese EV giant that owns Volvo and Polestar — bought a 51 percent stake in the company. It’s spent the last few years and a considerable amount of cash to push the company into the 21st century. The existing gas-powered product line was cleared out, the HQ revamped and a new electric-only facility built in China. I was able to visit the company’s Hethel plant to see the fruits of this investment, and also to try all of the new vehicles. The headline-grabbing model, of course, is the Evija, the company’s $3 million all-electric hypercar.

The Evija

Lotus Cars

Emeya, Eletre, Emira, Evija, Evora, Exige, Elise, Elan, Esprit: It’s tradition, or something, that all Lotuses have incomprehensible faux-Latin names beginning with an E. The Evija will, hopefully, lodge itself in your memory as the company’s hypercar, of which only 130 will be built. One of the first is owned by former Formula One world champion Jenson Button with a Brawn GP paint job in honor of his 2009 win.

Lotus opted to put a lot of hardware in the middle of the car behind the two seats to retain that mid-engined weight distribution. The body is a single piece of carbon fiber, and it’s obvious to all that this is a race car first, with Lamborghini-esque styling. To save weight, there’s little sound dampening, so you can hear the roar of the gear, and the road, as you slice through the air. Put your foot down and you’ll hear the power unit spin up to push juice to those four wheel-mounted 500W motors.

What comes out the other side is eye-bleeding acceleration and enough g-force that you feel your lunch shift from one side of your stomach to the other. Yes, other EVs can go quickly, and some accelerate ludicrously fast, but the Evija is playing in different water. For car people, Lotus has always been synonymous with fast-twitch driving dynamics and slightly lackluster reliability. But the Evija feels mature, solid, stable and able to harness all of the pure grunt that only an electric motor can provide.

I’d go further and say that the Evija is terrifying, especially when Karl Eaton, one of the minds behind the vehicle, took me around the track in one. He waited until the car reached 201 miles per hour to start explaining all of the smart choices embodied in its design. I didn’t recall much of what he said at the time since I was trying to keep all the fluids in my body.

The Eletre and Emeya

Lotus Cars

Of course, the Evija is the standard bearer for Lotus as a luxury EV maker that stands out from the crowd. It’s not likely you’ll have a few million lying around, but its existence will make you aware of the relatively more reasonably-priced options in its lineup. The Eletre is the first real Lotus EV, priced around $100,000 and again, something of a departure from the norm. Whereas Lotus prides itself on making zippy, mid-engined sports cars, this is a two-and-change ton SUV that just happens to be as capable on a race track as its E-named predecessors.

On my first few laps around the track, I drove the Eletre like a high-sided SUV, which is to say, gently. After all, I didn’t want to flip this thing over when I’d need to save three years worth of paychecks just for a chance to look at the sales brochure. My co-pilot kept urging me to go harder, and eventually I did, realizing that Lotus has done something amazing. It’s a car that you can fling around a track and feel like you’re Lewis Hamilton, and then drive it home without missing a beat.

Lotus Cars

The Eletre is already on sale, but we won’t need to wait a decade to see what follow-up Lotus has planned. Next on the docket is the Emeya, a luxury hyper-grand tourer based on the same platform as the Eletre. You can see the shared design language and the emphasis on active aerodynamics in the body to help the cars zoom around the corners. There are gaps and vents all around the body to help push air past the cabin and keep all four wheels planted on the road.

As for the interiors, Lotus is a company that has traditionally avoided fripperies like comfort and ease of use. These, after all, aren’t conducive to Chapman’s mantra of simplifying and adding lightness. But the Eletre and Emeya have gloriously un-Chapmanesque cabins full of luxurious materials and physical dials and switches more reminiscent of a high-end camera. When you look at the price and see that the luxurious excesses of this cost the same as a Tesla Model X, you feel as though the incumbents need to get a lot better quickly.

The Spirit of Lotus

Lotus Cars

You could argue that Lotus is just a badge under which Geely can slap components it’s using elsewhere. But Mike Johnstone said the parent company has no interest in diluting what makes Lotus Lotus. “More than 99 percent of all of our development is done ourselves,” said Johnstone, “where we benefit [from being owned by Geely] is access to a supply chain.”

Much has been made about what Lotus’ role in the automotive firmament should be in the new world of electric vehicles. Colin Chapman’s famous principles were to simplify and add lightness so aren’t bulky EVs, shorn of their gas-powered engines, an insult to his memory? Thankfully, I only needed to cross the road that runs alongside Lotus’ Hethel HQ to ask an expert: Chapman’s son, Clive (pictured, left). Clive is the head of Classic Team Lotus, a heritage brand that keeps the company’s former gas-powered F1 cars working. Despite the shared name and proximity, there’s no financial relationship between Lotus and the Classic Team.

Clive showed me around the facility, which maintains those classic F1 cars and races them at heritage events, like the Historic Grand Prix at Monaco. If you’re a one-percenter with an old Lotus, you can also send it here to be restored by specialists. On the upper floor, there’s a collection of classic Lotuses of every stripe. It’s a rare and beautiful sight to see. I asked Clive how his father would feel about the shift to electric. “Dad was never sentimental,” said the younger Chapman, and directed me to a pristine Lotus 56 in the collection. He explained that his father was never wedded to one technology or philosophy, despite what some Lotus fans may claim. The Lotus 56, after all, was equipped with a gas turbine engine more commonly seen in aircraft than vehicles, but Colin Chapman was very interested in the speed advantage it could have offered.

It seems that what mattered to Colin Chapman then is the same as what matters to Lotus now: Pushing automotive design forward, no matter how unusual the method. Before I tried any of Lotus’ EVs on its test track, I tried the (gas-powered) Emira and used that as my benchmark. My expectation was that the subsequent cars would all pale somehow in comparison to the last “true” Lotus to be made at Hethel. And yet, the new cars, despite their batteries and electric motors, are just as lithe and energetic as ever. This, I suspect, is why Lotus has a good chance of making a mark in the new world, because it remains enough of that uncompromising spirit to stand out from the crowd and make sure that, for those who need it, you can still feel connected to your car.

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is finally here, bringing tremendous deals on Samsung Galaxy devices, from watches to earbuds. We're especially excited about the 30 percent discount on Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag 2, one of our picks for 2024's best Bluetooth trackers. The sale brings it down to $21 from $30 — just one dollar more than its all-time low. However, the four-pack is also on sale for $70, down from $100, which drops each Galaxy SmartTag 2 device to $17.50.

Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag 2 debuted in October as a significant upgrade to its predecessor. The entire shape has also changed: where the previous model resembled a high tech coat check ticket, the SmartTag 2 looks more like a standard keyring USB drive. Its overall durability also improved with the addition of IP67 dust and water resistance to allow for outdoor tracking. 

Internally, the Galaxy SmartTag 2 also has a range of improvements, like combining Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) into a single model. It also offers 500 days of battery or 700 days in Power Saving Mode — a 50 percent improvement from the original. The only downside is that it only works with Samsung devices, but this is a good choice if you have one. 

Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Nineteen years after Jawed Karim uploaded the very first YouTube video, the awkward, 19-second clip in front of San Diego Zoo’s elephant enclosure is memorable today only because of what it represents: the start of a multibillion-dollar juggernaut that defines so much of what it means to be an online creator.

Today, YouTube is the most dominant social media platform by a sizable margin, especially among teenagers. Its influence is so vast it feels almost impossible to define. The service has birthed thousands of memes and internet personalities. Its recommendation algorithm has been credited with supercharging bizarre trends and viral misinformation.

But one of the most powerful ways YouTube has wielded its influence is through its Partner Program. The revenue sharing arrangement has generated billions of dollars for its most popular users and helped define the multibillion-dollar industry we now call the creator economy. Today, there are dozens of platforms and business models for making money via content creation, but it’s difficult to imagine any of them existing without YouTube’s Partner Program.

While YouTube is hardly the only platform that has made becoming an online creator feel like a viable career path, it has played an outsized role in creating and fueling the industry. When Google first introduced the Partner Program in 2007, there weren’t many ways to make a living from online content. The blogging industry was well established, but online media dynamics were already shifting away from independently run operations in favor of established platforms and brands.

YouTube, on the other hand, was a rising upstart in online media. Google had acquired the video service in 2006, before it had ads or even a mobile app. And when it announced it would make some of its most popular creators “partners“ in its business, it promised some of Google’s ad money could flow directly to the people making content.

It would take several more years for the Partner Program to grow into the money-printing machine it is now. But the Partner Program arrived, in 2007, when there was a growing demand for online video. Between 2006 and 2009, the audience for online video doubled, according to Pew Research, and YouTube was the biggest beneficiary. By the fall of 2009, YouTube was seeing more than one billion views a day.

That same year, YouTube made another important change to its monetization policies. It decided to spread the wealth so any single viral video could be eligible for revenue sharing, even if the creator wasn’t a partner, affirming that YouTube was the place to make money from viral content. In 2012, the Partner Program officially opened to everyone, and by 2014 there were one million creators making money from YouTube, according to The New York Times.

The flood of creators looking for a payout (and the sometimes scammy tactics that drove them) eventually led YouTube to again tighten its requirement for partner status in 2017. But YouTube had already cemented itself as the platform for amateur creators to turn their videos into a steady income. Today, there are more than three million channels with partner status, and the company has paid creators more than $70 billion in the last three years alone.

Of course, creators starting out now have many options available besides YouTube. Nearly every social media app offers some kind of monetization opportunity, though few have generated anything close to the eye-popping eight-figure sums made by YouTube’s top talent.

Other companies' creator funds, in which all creators draw payouts from the same pool of money fronted by the platform, have been underwhelming. YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, better known as Mr. Beast, regularly tops the lists of YouTube’s highest earners. In 2022, he shared that he was making less than $10,000 a year from TikTok’s creator fund. And other apps’ monetization features, like tipping, subscriptions and virtual gifts, are difficult to scale.

Unsurprisingly, the number of YouTube-made multimillionaires has drastically changed teens’ ideas for career paths. In 2005, the year YouTube came online, teens said their top career aspirations were to become teachers or doctors, according to a poll conducted by Gallup. By 2021, YouGov found becoming a YouTuber or streamer was the top aspiration for Gen Z. In 2023, Morning Consult reported that 57% of Gen Z would like to pursue a career as an online creator “if given the opportunity.”

Polls like this often prompt a lot of eye rolls and snarky headlines. But it’s never been easier or more lucrative to be an online creator. At least one university offers a major in content creation and social media. Whether we like the idea of influencing as a career path, the industry of independent streamers, vloggers, newsletter writers, podcast producers, VTubers and others is worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Better weather is on the horizon and that means more time outside using your phone to capture all the beautiful blooms — but you don't to run out of battery mid-snapshot. Thankfully, Amazon's Big Spring Sale has proven to be a boon for Anker deals. A range of the company's products are currently on sale, including the Anker Prime Power Bank, down to $125 from $180. The 31 percent price cut makes one of our best power banks for 2024 much more accessible.

Anker's Prime Power Bank is a great choice if you're sick of guessing how much juice your power bank has left. This premium portable charger digitally displays its battery percentage. The device can charge your iPhone to 75 percent in 47 minutes and to 100 percent in an hour and 48 minutes. An iPad clocks in at 54 percent after 47 minutes and 100 percent after two hours and 11 minutes. The charger has a sleek look for a high price point but the screen seems easily scratched. 

Notably, the Prime Power Bank's sale doesn't include the charging base (that will cost you $235 for both), but it's not necessary. You can fully recharge the power bank in 37 minutes with a USB-C cord at 140W — faster than the base's 100W charging capabilities.

Other notable power banks included in Amazon's sale are Anker's 622 Magnetic Battery and 737 Power Bank. The 622 touts the largest discount of the group with a 43 percent cut bringing it's price to $40 from $70. It snaps right onto the back of an iPhone and provides up to 17 hours of battery life. The device, which is available in blue, also comes with a PopSockets attachment. 

The Anker 737 Power Bank is a bit more expensive, with a 38 percent discount dropping its price to $80 from $130. However, it offers three charging ports (two USB and one USB-C) and works with laptops, iPhones and Androids. USB connections have 18W of power while the USB-C provides 60W. 

Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Getty has flagged another photo captured by the Princess of Wales as digitally altered that was released back in 2022, featuring Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. "Getty Images is undertaking a review of handout images and in accordance with its editorial policy is placing an editor's note on images where the source has suggested they could be digitally enhanced," a spokesperson told CNN. This comes on the heels of a recent controversy, where a photo of Kate Middleton was revealed to be doctored.

The publication found 19 alterations in the photo that most people likely wouldn't notice unless they zoom in very closely and examine every pattern. It found a few misalignments in the subjects' clothing, random floating artifacts, cloned hair strands and heads that looked like they were pasted in from another photo due to the difference in lighting. Kate, or whoever edited the picture, might have simply been looking to create the best version of it possible, but agencies like Getty only allow minimal editing for the photos in their library to avoid spreading misinformation. 

The princess' absence from public events since Christmas last year has, as you might have expected, spawned all kinds of conspiracy theories. It even gave rise to a whole Wikipedia article entitled "Where is Kate?" because people around the world are apparently that invested in the British monarchy and can't quite believe that she'd undergone abdominal surgery. 

In the midst of it all, William's and Kate's social media accounts posted the aforementioned doctored photo of the Princess of Wales with her children on Mother's Day in the UK. But when the Associated Press and other news agencies pulled the photo because they found that it had been edited, those conspiracy theories became even more outlandish. The wildest claim we've heard so far is that the video of her out shopping with the Prince of Wales wasn't her at all but a body double. Or a clone, apparently, because that's the way it goes on the internet.

Is it really possible to keep anything hidden on the internet anymore? It seems very unlikely, with the latest example coming from Glassdoor, which published people's real names without their consent, ArsTechnica reports. That's right, the site specifically designed to allow anonymous, often unfiltered posts about users' employers is now tattling. 

Glassdoor's long-standing policy was that users could sign up with their name or anonymously. However, things changed when the company bought FishBowl in 2021 and later integrated it. Now, Glassdoor users get signed up for a FishBowl account and, as a result, must be verified (a Fishbowl requirement). This shift gives Glassdoor access to users' information to either display without consent — as is being done — or potentially get revealed if there was a leak or subpoena.

ArsTechnica spoke with two individuals whose data was populated on their Glassdoor profiles, including Monica, who noticed the change after actually asking for the company to remove some of her public-facing information. In an initial blog post, she claimed to have repeatedly not consented and that one Glassdoor employee told her that all profiles are now required to include a name.

Monica reported that a Glassdoor manager then added, "I stand behind the decision that your name has to be placed on your profile and it cannot be reverted back to just your initials or nullified/anonymized from the platform. I am sorry that we disagree on this issue. We treat all users equally when it comes to what is eligible to be placed on the profile and what is not, but we know that there are times our users, such as yourself, may not always agree with us." However, a Glassdoor spokesperson told Ars Technica that users could remain fully anonymous — contradicting the manager and leaving the truth unclear.

Then there was Josh, who claimed that Glassdoor not only added private information without permission but that some of it was inaccurate. Glassdoor listed him as living in London when he's based in California and spelled his employer's name wrong. Both Monica and Josh removed their accounts and sent Glassdoor requests to delete their data.

There’s nothing quite like getting into the zone during a run, and for many of us, the right soundtrack is a requirement. Whether you need classic rock, reggaeton or an immersive audiobook to properly settle into your morning jog, you’ll get the best listening experience with a good pair of wireless headphones for running. But not all wireless workout headphones are created equally, and runners need to consider specific needs before investing in a pair like how long your runs are, what type of music or other audio you prefer listening to and how much you want to block out the world during a session. If you’re just getting into a new running routine and need a pair of headphones that can keep up, or you’re a seasoned pro looking for an upgrade, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve tested more than a dozen Bluetooth headphones for running to come up with our top picks and help you decide which is right for you.

What to look for in running headphones

Design

Before diving in, it’s worth mentioning that this guide focuses on wireless earbuds. While you could wear over-ear or on-ear Bluetooth headphones during a run, most of the best headphones available now do not have the same level of durability. Water and dust resistance, particularly the former, is important for any audio gear you plan on sweating with or taking outdoors, and that’s more prevalent in the wireless earbuds world.

Most earbuds have one of three designs: in-ear, in-ear with hook or open-ear. The first two are the most popular. In-ears are arguably the most common, while those with hooks promise better security and fit since they have an appendage that curls around the top of your ear. Open-ear designs don’t stick into your ear canal, but rather sit just outside of it. This makes it easier to hear the world around you while also listening to audio, and could be more comfortable for those who don’t like the intrusiveness of in-ear buds.

Water resistance and dust protection

Water resistance and dust protection is crucial for running headphones since you’ll likely be sweating while wearing them. Also, if you have the unfortunate luck of getting caught in the rain during a run, at least your gear will survive. Here’s a quick rundown of ingress protection (IP) ratings, which you’ll see attached to many earbuds on the market today. The first digit after the abbreviation rates dust protection on a scale from one to six — the higher, the better. The second digit refers to water- resistance, or waterproofing in some cases, ranked on a scale from one to nine. A letter “X” in either position means the device isn’t rated for the corresponding material.

Check out this guide for an even more detailed breakdown. All of the earbuds we tested for this guide have at least an IPX4 rating (most have even more protection), which means they can withstand sweat and splashes but do not have dust protection.

Active noise cancellation and transparency mode

Active noise cancellation (ANC) is becoming a standard feature on wireless earbuds, at least in those above a certain price. If you’re looking for a pair of buds that can be your workout companion and continue to serve you when you’re off the trail, ANC is good to have. It adds versatility by allowing you to block out the hum of your home or office so you can focus, or give you some solitude during a busy commute on public transit.

But an earbud’s ability to block out the world goes hand in hand with its ability to open things back up should you need it. Many earbuds with ANC support some sort of “transparency mode” or various levels of noise reduction. This is important for running headphones because you don’t want to be totally oblivious to what’s going on around you when you’re exercising outside along busy streets. Lowering noise cancelation levels to increase your awareness will help with that.

Battery life

All of the earbuds we tested have a battery life of six to eight hours. In general, that’s what you can expect from this space, with a few outliers that can get up to 15 hours of life on a charge. Even the low end of the spectrum should be good enough for most runners, but it’ll be handy to keep the buds’ charging case on you if you think you’ll get close to using up all their juice during a single session.

Speaking of, you’ll get an average of 20-28 extra hours of battery out of most charging cases and all of the earbuds we tested had holders that provided at least an extra 15 hours. This will dictate how often you actually have to charge the device — as in physically connect the case with earbuds inside to a charging cable, or set it on a wireless charger to power up.

How we test headphones for running

When testing headphones for running, I wear each contender during as many runs as possible. I typically run three to five days each week, completing at least a 5K (3.01 miles) each time. I’m looking for comfort arguably most of all, because you should never be fussing with your earbuds when you’re on the tread or trail (as a note, I primarily run outside). I’m also paying attention to fit over time, particularly if the earbuds get slippery or loose while I sweat, or if they tend to pop out or feel less stable in my ears as I pick up speed or make quick movements.

I also use the earbuds when not running to take calls and listen to music, podcasts and the like throughout the day. Many people will want just one pair of earbuds that they can use while exercising and just doing everyday things, so I evaluate each pair on their ability to be comfortable and provide a good listening experience in multiple different activities.

While I am also listening for audio quality, I’m admittedly not an expert in this space. My colleague Billy Steele holds that title at Engadget, and you’ll find much more detailed information about sound quality for some of our top picks in his reviews and buying guides. Here, however, I will make note of audio-quality characteristics if they stood out to me (i.e. if a pair of earbuds had noticeably strong bass out of the box, weak highs, etc). Most of the wireless workout headphones we tested work with companion apps that have adjustable EQ settings, so you’re able to tweak sound profiles to your liking in most cases.

Others headphones for running we tested

Apple AirPods Pro

The Apple AirPods Pro have an IP54 rating, which protects them from brief encounters with dust and splashes. While that’s more dust protection than many other earbuds we tested, it’s the same level of water-resistance that most exercise-specific competitors have. We generally like the AirPods Pro, but the Beats Fit Pro offer many of the same features and conveniences (namely good transparency mode and the H1 chip), with a design that’s more appropriate for working out.

Beats Powerbeats Pro

The Powerbeats Pro are a good alternative to the Beats Fit Pro if you’re a stickler for a hook design. However, they cost $50 more than the Fit Pro (although they’re often hovering around $180) and don’t offer any significant upgrades or additional features aside from their design. They’re also quite old at this point (having launched in 2019) and it appears Beats is putting more effort into updating its newer models instead.

Anker Soundcore AeroFit Pro

The Soundcore AeroFit Pro is Anker’s version of the Shokz OpenFit, but I found the fit to be less secure and not as comfortable. The actual earbuds on the AeroFit Pro are noticeably bulkier than those on the OpenFit and that caused them to shift and move much more during exercise. They never fell off of my ears completely, but I spent more time adjusting them than I did enjoying them.

JBL Endurance Peak 3

The most noteworthy thing about the Endurance Peak 3 is that they have the same IP68 rating as the Jabra Elite 8 Active, except they only cost $100. But, while you get the same protection here, you’ll have to sacrifice in other areas. The Endurance Peak 3 didn’t blow me away when it came to sound quality or comfort (its hook is more rigid than those on my favorite similarly designed buds) and their charging case is massive compared to most competitors.

Dyson is finally bringing its latest robot vacuum to the US and Canada, after launching in other regions. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is now available to order in the US for a heady $1,199 from both Dyson’s online store and retailers like Amazon. I tested Dyson’s first attempt almost a decade ago, but the new model is more powerful, smarter and apparently capable of cleaning for longer. It also looks like what would happen if a GameCube married a fighter from Robot Wars.

Dyson

On paper, the technology could set the 360 Vis Nav apart from rivals with raw suction power — but we’ll have to review it to test that.

— Mat Smith

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GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker review

Turning your kitchen into a BBQ joint.

Engadget

The hit product at CES 2024 was GE’s attempt at bringing effortless food smoking to your kitchen. The Profile Smart Indoor Smoker isn’t exactly petite, but it is capable. Thanks to a unique filtration system, the unit captures smoke while cooking and only expels warm air (from the front). We put it to the test and were impressed by the decent smoky flavor and easy cleanup. Check out the full review below.

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Microsoft hires DeepMind co-founder to head up its new consumer AI division

Mustafa Suleyman will lead Microsoft’s Copilot efforts.

DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman is joining Microsoft to push the consumer-facing Copilot assistant into the future. Suleyman’s official title will be executive vice president and CEO of a new division called Microsoft AI, reporting directly to CEO Satya Nadella. Despite its explosive start over AI search rival Google, Bing’s market share hardly moved the needle against its search rival, Bloomberg reported in January. Suleyman co-founded DeepMind in 2010, four years before Google bought the British–American AI startup for between $400 million and $650 million.

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England convicts its first cyberflasher

He was sentenced to 66 weeks in jail.

A man has been jailed for 66 weeks in England after pleading guilty to cyberflashing. Nicholas Hawkes is the first person to be convicted of the crime in the country under the Online Safety Act. It outlawed cyberflashing (sending unsolicited photos of genitalia) in England and Wales on January 31. Hawkes admitted to sending a photo of his genitals to a woman and a 15-year-old girl in early February. Some US states have moved to tackle cyberflashing too, including California, Virginia and Texas.

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Amazon has kicked off its latest multi-day deals event, dubbed the Big Spring Sale. The retailer's latest attempt at stirring up sales isn't as big on tech deals as its summer Prime Day event, but it still has a few gadget discounts of note, which we're rounding up as the sale goes along. If you're specifically looking for a new Apple gadget, however, we've compiled the best Apple deals we could find below. In truth, the pickings are pretty slim, but we're still seeing a few decent offers for the AirPods Pro, Apple Pencil and MacBook Air, among others. We'll update this post if more worthwhile discounts arise. As a reminder, Amazon says the Spring sale will run through March 25 and isn't exclusive to Prime subscribers.

A quick PSA on iPad deals

Most people should hold off on buying a new iPad right now. Apple is widely expected to announce new tablets in the coming weeks, with past reports suggesting that we'll see two new iPad Pros, a refreshed iPad Air and an all-new Air model with a 12.9-inch display. That said, neither the 10th-gen iPad nor the iPad mini are expected to be updated until later in 2024, so if one of those slates suit your needs and you absolutely must buy a new tablet today, both should be a little safer to buy than the iPad Air or iPad Pro. (Or the older 10.2-inch iPad, which is likely to be discontinued with the next round of refreshes.) We'll highlight a couple of decent prices on those devices below.

Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.