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The PlayStation Portal has turned out to be a bit of a surprise hit for Sony. The portable peripheral is often out of stock and hard to come by, even though it does just one thing: stream games from your own PlayStation 5. The device does not run games locally — unless you find a way to modify it to do so.

Two Google engineers claim to have done just that by getting PPSSPP, a PlayStation Portable emulator, to work natively on the Portal. A photo shows Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories running on the system. Andy Nguyen, one of the engineers, says that no hardware modifications were required to make the emulator run and that the project took “more than a month of hard work” to see through.

Nguyen has discovered PS4 and PS5 exploits in the past, as The Verge notes. It’s not yet clear whether Nguyen will detail how to get PPSSPP working or release a jailbreak so that other folks can install the emulator on the Portal with relative ease. “There’s no release planned in the near future, and there’s much more work to be done,” Nguyen wrote on X. However, Nguyen hinted at posting some videos this weekend to show the emulator in action.

The Portal is clearly popular and it’s evident that players yearn to be able to do more with the system. As things stand, they can't even stream games from Sony's cloud gaming service. Perhaps these factors might be enough to convince Sony to give many fans what they truly want: a proper handheld successor to the PSP and the Vita.

International law enforcement, led by the UK’s National Crime Agency, disrupted ransomware gang Lockbit's operation. The group behind notable hacks against aircraft manufacturer Boeing, chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, sandwich chain Subway and thousands more had its site taken offline on Monday while authorities arrested major players behind the gang. "This site if now under the control of law enforcement," the website reads. According to malware repository Vx-underground, law enforcement took down at least 22 Lockbit-affiliated Tor sites.

"Through our close collaboration, we have hacked the hackers; taken control of their infrastructure, seized their source code, and obtained keys that will help victims decrypt their systems," National Crime Agency Director General, Graeme Biggar, said in a statement. “As of today, LockBit are locked out. We have damaged the capability and most notably, the credibility of a group that depended on secrecy and anonymity."

Lockbit admitted defeat, too. In a statement to Vx-underground, the group said "FBI pwned me." Operation Cronos, the name law enforcement used for their efforts, also resulted in the seizure of source code and other useful data related to Lockbit's operations. At the same time, authorities in Poland, Ukraine and the US arrested key members of the ransomware operation. There are sanctions out for two more Lockbit affiliates in Russia.

There's more good news for Lockbit victims, too: the operation obtained keys from Lockbit to create a decryption tool for victims to get their data back, according to US Attorney General Merrick Garland. The free decryptors can be found via the No More Ransom project. 

Since 2019 when Lockbit first entered the scene, it's squeezed victims for more than $120 million in ransomware payments, according to acting assistant AG Nicole Argentieri.

Apple Music is building on its annual Replay feature by offering a monthly version. The annual Replay playlist will still be available, but the monthly option should offer a more granular look at your listening history.

Simply visit replay.music.apple.com and sign in with the same Apple ID you use for Apple Music. You'll be able to view your top songs, albums and artists, as well as your personal milestones for each month. Apple will archive these stats as well, so you can revisit them later.

I don't exactly need Apple to tell me that I spent much of the last few weeks listening to Deacon Blue, Charlotte Cardin and Gang of Youths' blistering cover of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" on repeat. Still, being able to revisit my February 2024 replay years from now should provide a nice little reminder as to what I was absorbing in this period of my life.

Samsung has announced a variety of updates designed to give its devices' audio capabilities a boost, starting with a Galaxy Buds' capability that could make it easier to communicate in another language. The company launched a new feature called Live Translate with its Galaxy S24 series, which people can use as an interpreter for phone calls to, say, a restaurant in a foreign country they're visiting. Soon, Galaxy S24 owners will be able use their phones as a real-time translation tool for in-person conversations if they pair their devices with their updated Galaxy Buds. 

When users listen to the other person through their earbuds, they'll hear the words translated into their own language. Meanwhile, the other person can hear them in their language through the phone speaker. The user can also swap the order of speech during the conversation by tapping on their Galaxy Buds. Samsung says this eliminates the need to pass a phone back and forth when trying to converse in two different languages. When we tested out Live Translate on the Galaxy S24 with a phone call, though, we experienced a noticeable lag before Samsung's computerized system interpreted our words. Still, this could be a valuable tool for travelers visiting foreign countries. 

The company has also revealed that it's expanding Auracast support to its phones and tables, including the Galaxy S24 series. Auracast is a Bluetooth technology that allows users to broadcast audio from devices, such as phones and TVs, to an unlimited number of nearby headphones, speakers and earbuds. Samsung initially made the technology available for its smart TVs only. With this Galaxy Buds update, owners will be able to use Auracast to transmit audio from their mobile devices to multiple earbuds. 

In addition, Galaxy Buds2 Pro and Buds2 users will be able to enjoy 360 Audio if they pair their earbuds with certain Samsung Neo QLED, QLED and OLED TV models. By doing so, their earbuds will be able to track their head movements for an immersive watching or listening experience. Finally, Galaxy Buds2 Pro users will be able to use Samsung's Auto Switch feature to automatically switch their connection between the company's tablets, Galaxy Books and TVs and its phones if they need to take a phone call. These features are making their way to Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Buds2 and Buds FE users starting in late February. 

Walmart is buying Smart TV manufacturer Vizio for $2.3 billion, the US retail giant announced as part of its latest earnings report. While Walmart has long been one of the major sellers of Vizio TVs, the company says the acquisition "enables a profitable advertising business that is rapidly scaling" via the company's SmartCast OS. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval. 

Vizio sells solid mid-range TVs, most equipped with its SmartCast operating system that supports free ad-supported content. The company recently refreshed its lineup with a more intuitive user interface and faster startups and app switching. 

Walmart, meanwhile, prominently features the brand on its shelves (along with TCL), as anyone who has gone there lately has probably noticed. The retailer already has its own TV house brand, ONN, but those sets are very much on the low end, usually selling for under $500. 

More importantly, the companies plan to combine their respective ad businesses. Walmart already has a $2.7 billion ad business, but Vizio would increase its access to key consumer info like viewership data. It would also effectively give Walmart more eyeballs for its ads — for instance, companies that sell goods at Walmart could also run ads on Vizio TVs, all of which could be tracked by the retailer. 

"We believe the combination of these two businesses would be impactful as we redefine the intersection of retail and entertainment," said Walmart VP Seth Dallaire. "Our technology will help bring a scaled, connected TV advertising platform to Walmart Connect," added Vizio CEO William Wang. 

The acquisition may also be a counter to Amazon's in-house Fire TV business, both in terms of television retailing and advertising, as The Wall Street Journal reported last week. Amazon has one of the largest ad businesses in the US behind Alphabet and Meta, and smart TVs help it gather personalized consumer data for targeted advertising. 

Nintendo’s Switch 2 (not its official name) was widely expected to arrive sometime this year, but that may not happen. Now, the company is reportedly telling publishers the next-gen console is slated for release in the first quarter of 2025.

If that did happen, it would mimic the release of the original Switch, which was announced in October 2016 and came out in March 2017.

What can you expect from Nintendo’s next console? We don’t know much yet, including the name. Rumors suggest it’ll have backward compatibility with Switch, along with 4K capabilities and visual quality similar to that of the PS5 and Series X. It could use NVIDIA’s DLSS upscaling tech to ramp up the graphics of older games, too.

In the interim, there’s a Nintendo Direct tomorrow that will focus on new third-party games.

— Mat Smith

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The EU opens a wide-ranging probe into TikTok

It’s looking into addictive algorithms, harmful content, privacy and more.

TikTok is in the EU’s crosshairs over potential Digital Services Act (DSA) breaches around the safety of minors and other matters. The formal proceedings will focus on addictive algorithms, the rabbit-hole effect, age verification issues and default privacy settings. It’s getting into it: The European Commission will also probe ad transparency and data access for researchers.

The safety of young users seems to be a major driver: It will force the social media site to ensure high levels of privacy, safety and security for minors with default privacy settings — like it did for Meta’s Instagram and Facebook.

Continue reading.

Sony A9 III camera review

The future of cameras is fast.

Engadget

Sony laid down a gauntlet with the 24.6-megapixel A9 III. It’s the world’s first mirrorless camera with a global shutter, a much-awaited holy grail feature. It completely eliminates rolling shutter distortion found on CMOS cameras by reading the entire sensor at once. It also boosts speed and removes the need for a mechanical shutter. However, as the first of its kind for Sony cameras, it’s expensive ($6,000) and has a reduction in still image quality, due to the nature of a global shutter. But the benefits far outweigh those — this is one fast, accurate camera. Check out the full review.

Continue reading.

The UK moves another step closer to banning phones in schools

France and Italy already restrict phones during class.

Experts and regulators have expressed concerns about children’s wellbeing and distraction due to their phones while at school. The UK government has become the latest to announce guidance for banning the use of phones during school. It follows other European countries, like France and Italy, which prohibit phones in classrooms.

Some schools in the UK already have no-phone policies in place, but these guidelines could bring widespread adoption and uniformity. “This is about achieving clarity and consistency in practice, backing headteachers and leaders and giving staff confidence to act,” Gillian Keegan, the UK’s secretary of state for education, said in a press release.

Continue reading.​​

Anker has an ongoing sale for Presidents' Day at Amazon, and you can grab a bunch of charging accessories you may need at a discount. If you want a 20,000mAh portable charger that's noticeably smaller, slimmer and easier to carry than its peers with the same capacity, there's the Anker Power Bank Battery Pack with a built-in USB-C cord that doubles as a carrying strap. The power bank measures 4.5 x 2.8 x 1.2 inches and isn't only available in black and white, but also in green, pink and purple. It has a 22.5W output, can charge a phone three to four times — or charge up to three devices at once — and even has an integrated phone stand for when you want to watch videos while charging. The model originally sells for $45, but you can get it for $33.74 from this sale. 

Need a wall charger that's fast and compact? You can get the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger for only $68 instead of $87. It has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, and you can use up to two of them with a max output of 100 watts. The model is less than half the size of a MacBook charger, making it easier to pack and carry for your laptop, though you can also use it to charge your phones and tablets. If you don't need a GaN charger with a 100W output, you can get the Anker Nano 65W GaN II Charger instead. It has a smaller output and only one USB-port, but it's also much cheaper: You can get it from the sale for $28, down 44 percent from its $50 retail price. Like the Prime 100W, you can use the Nano 65W for your laptops, tablets and phones. 

Anker also has a 100W MacBook charger on sale. It works even with a 16-inch MacBook Pro, but you can also use it to power various devices. While it's built like a typical MacBook charger, it's smaller, has a foldable plug and comes with a 5-foot USB-C-to-USB-C cable. This model typically sells for $38, but you can grab one from the sale for only $25.49. 

If what you need is a charger with multiple ports, though, you may want to take a look at Anker's 240W 4-Port GaN Charger. It has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port, so you can plug in multiple devices at once. One of those USB-C ports can provide an output of 140W, while the other three ports share a 100W output. While Anker's 4-Port GaN charger typically costs $200, you can get it right now for only $130. And in case all you need is a new iPhone charging cable, you can take this chance to grab a two-pack at a discount. Anker is selling its two-pack six-foot USB-A-to-Lightning cables that use premium nylon material for only $17.09 instead of $20. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Fujifilm's X100V was the toy to have over the last couple of years (thanks, TikTok) and the company has now released its successor, the 40.2-megapixel X100 VI, with large improvements across the board. While keeping the same retro form, it offers much faster shooting speeds, in-body stabilization, 6.2K 30p video and more.

The X100VI looks identical to the previous model, with the same styling and control positions. The series was conceived as a street photography camera, borrowing a lot of styling cues from Leica's famous rangefinder cameras. As such, it doesn't have the world's great ergonomics, but is light at 521 grams, discreet for shooting and can slide into a jacket pocket.

Fujifilm

Fujifilm elected to go with the same 40.2-megapixel (MP) APS-C sensor as the much bigger X-H2, significantly boosting resolution over the X100V. I think that's a wise choice as it gives the camera — which has a wide-angle fixed 23mmm f/2.0 lens (35mm full-frame equivalent) — more cropping options. The price for that is likely a small drop in low-light sensitivity.

Another big new feature on the X100VI is built-in 5-axis stabilization with up to 6 stops of shake reduction. Given the X100VI's small body, it's an unexpected but welcome feature, and will be a big help to street photographers taking candid shots on the fly. 

The X100V keeps the same 3.69-million dot hybrid optical viewfinder and 1.62-million dot LCD display, but the latter now tilts downward an extra 15 degrees to make shooting from above easier. It retains the same battery as before (CIPA rated for 300 shots), and unfortunately, the same slow UHS-I card slot. 

Fujifilm

The X100VI still shoots at 11fps with the mechanical shutter and 20fps in electronic mode, but autofocus is quicker and more capable, according to Fujifilm. It now offers the company's latest tracking and face/eye detection, along with animal/vehicle and other types of subject detection. 

Image quality should be improved as well with the extra resolution and a lower native 125 ISO. And since a lot of the newfound social media popularity of this camera is based on the film simulation modes, the camera comes with 20 built-in, including a new one called Reala Ace, designed to offer "faithful color reproduction and contrast tonality." 

Fujifilm

Finally, one usually doesn't think of video when it comes to this series, but the X100VI is surprisingly capable for a tiny compact. It can shoot 6.2K video at up to 30fps, 4K at 60 fps and 1080p at 240fps. You also get 10-bit F-log and F-Log2 recording, shockingly good for a small, photo-centric camera with a fixed lens. The only downside is relatively low data rates (200Mbps max) due to the slow cards, but you can capture ProRes to an external recorder.

Fujifilm's X100VI is now on pre-order for $1,600 in silver or black, with shipping slated for early March 2024. The company is also offering a special edition version "engraved with the corporate brand logo from Fujifilm's founding in 1934" for $2,000. It has vowed to reduce the long lead times of the previous model by manufacturing it in China like other recent models. 

The next Nintendo Direct is scheduled for this Wednesday, the company just announced. It's being billed as a "partner showcase," with Nintendo saying it'll show off Switch games coming in the first half of this year from "our publishing and development partners." It'll kick off on February 21, bright and early at 9AM ET. 

While Nintendo holds these showcases on a regular basis, this one is potentially more significant than usual. Last week, Microsoft made an expected but still surprising announcement that it would begin bringing some of its titles to "other consoles," a phrase that's hard not to interpret as games coming to the Switch (and Sony's PlayStation 5 as well). 

Nintendo says it'll be a 25-minute presentation, so there's a chance we'll hear about some games from other developers, as well. But we're all expecting to see some news about what games Microsoft is going to bring over to the Switch. Microsoft only said that it would be bringing four games to other platforms but didn't name them; the latest rumors cite Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, Halo and Gears of War as likely options to make the move.

This comes at a time when Nintendo doesn't have a lot of its own first-party games scheduled for the platform (that we know of, anyway). There's also the looming specter of a Switch 2 console; reports just said that the hardware is getting pushed back to 2025 after an expected launch at some point this year.

The Biden administration is granting $1.5 billion in funding to GlobalFoundries to bolster semiconductor production under the CHIPS Act. The company, which spun out from AMD in 2009 and also has access to $1.6 billion in loans from the CHIPS Program Office, will split the cash between three projects.

First, GlobalFoundries will build a new fabrication facility in Malta, New York, where it aims to produce "high value technologies not currently available in the US," the Department of Commerce said in a statement. GlobalFoundries says it will use the facility to build chips for a range of industries and applications, including the automotive, aerospace, defense and AI spaces. Construction is expected to start in 2025.

Secondly, GlobalFoundries plans to expand its existing facility in Malta by incorporating tech from its Singapore and Germany plants with the aim of making more semiconductors for use in cars and trucks. This expansion, combined with the new fab, will enable GlobalFoundries to triple the capacity of its Malta campus over the next decade or so. Once all phases of both projects are complete, GlobalFoundries expects to increase wafer production to 1 million per year across the plants.

Last but not least, the remaining funding will go toward modernizing an existing fab in Burlington, Vermont. The aim is to build the first US plant capable of high-volume manufacturing of next-generation gallium nitride on silicon semiconductors for electric vehicles, smartphones, the power grid and other key technologies. The plant will use entirely carbon-free energy, while an on-site solar system will provide up to nine percent of annual power needs.

Through public-private partnerships, GlobalFoundries plans to invest more than $12 billion into the sites over the next 10-plus years. New York is also supporting the Malta projects with $575 million in performance-based Green CHIPS tax credits, while the New York Power Authority is investing at least $30 million.

The Department of Commerce says the three projects are expected to create 1,500 manufacturing positions and around 9,000 construction jobs over the next 10 years. The positions are slated to pay fair wages and offer benefits including childcare.

Aligned with the broader aims of the CHIPS Act, the investment is designed to improve domestic semiconductor supply chains. GlobalFoundries says that there are only four companies that can deliver "current and mature foundry capabilities" at its scale outside of China, and it's the only one of those based in the US.

Last year, the company reached a direct supply agreement with GM to provide the automaker with US-built processors and help it avoid the kinds of chip shortages that caused a significant slowdown in car manufacturing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. GlobalFoundries agreed to create an exclusive capacity corridor for GM chips. GlobalFoundries struck a chip deal with Ford in 2021 as well.