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For many, "new year, new me" includes finding a new job. Scouring sites like LinkedIn and Indeed for opportunities can feel like a full-time role in and of itself. This process could potentially improve moving forward, with LinkedIn announcing its latest feature: Job Collections. 

Basically, instead of searching for a specific industry or role, LinkedIn is using generative AI and large language models to analyze each job posting and categorize it into groups such as IT, pro sports, remote and top startups. Along with saving time, LinkedIn indicates that this feature can benefit people who aren't sure what their next step looks like. The company compares it to Airbnb Experiences — you might not know what you're searching for, but you could find something great. Its success relies significantly on how well it understands you versus wasting your time further sorting through jobs that are completely off base. 

According to LinkedIn, applications have risen 50 percent in the US and 36 percent globally, with 85 percent of working people contemplating changing jobs this year. The number of people searching for a job isn't surprising, given the number of recent layoffs. In the tech industry alone, 2024 has already seen layoffs at Twitch, Google, Meta, Discord and more.  

To use LinkedIn's new feature, simply go to the Jobs tab and click on "Explore with Job Collections." You can now also go to Preferences and choose from things like employment and location type. Then LinkedIn will highlight them in green anytime they appear on a job listing. Plus, if a job isn't exactly what you want but the company is, you can now send them an "I'm Interested" notification right from the listing instead of visiting their profile to do so. 

After making a cameo appearance in the Osmo Pocket 3 camera, DJI's Mic 2 wireless microphone system has officially arrived with some nice upgrades over its popular predecessor. It can now connect directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth, while also offering improved internal recording quality, AI noise reduction, a bigger touchscreen, easier control and more. 

The transmitters come in grey with a new see-through design and DJI introduced a white color option as well. They're slightly smaller than before, but largely resemble their predecessors with a clip, magnetic mount and 3.5mm mic input. The power and link buttons are now on the same side and round instead of oblong, with the record button and USB-C input on the other side. 

DJI

In one welcome change, DJI moved the power-on LED to the sides, rather than near the front as before, where it would annoyingly appear on camera. The DJI logo is front and center, though, so you'll still need a piece of black tape to cover that up. 

The receiver has changed substantially, with a larger 1.1-inch touchscreen and a new thumbwheel to make adjustments easier. DJI has made connecting the transmitter directly to your phone simpler as well via included USB-C and Lightning adapters. 

A big plus of the Mic 2 over other kits like the Rode wireless Go 2 is the charging case that's sold with the two-transmitter kit. It now supports up to 18 hours of use on a charge, up from 15 before, and the transmitters have been upgraded from 5.5 to six hours.

DJI

Topping the list of new features is direct Bluetooth connection support, letting you pair a transmitter mic to your phone (or DJI's Osmo Pocket 3 and Action Cam 4) without the need for a receiver. That'll allow creators on a budget to purchase a transmitter mic by itself for $99, or add DJI's Lavalier Mic for an additional $35. 

Linking a phone is relatively easy — hold the record button for three seconds to put it in Bluetooth mode, then press and hold the link button for two seconds. From there, your phone should detect the transmitter. It worked great with my Pixel 7a, even though it's not on the approved list, and I was able to start recording video with much better quality audio, to say the least. 

There are a couple of caveats: the AI noise cancelling feature doesn't work when connected to a smartphone and you can only use one transmitter at a time. If you have the transmitter/receiver combo, though, you can also get audio by connecting the receiver directly to your phone as before. 

DJI

Speaking of, the Mic 2 has a couple of improvements in audio quality. It promises "brighter and more natural sounding voices" for the interviews or standup work where it's mainly used. And though the original DJI Mic supported internal recording as a backup to camera files, it now captures that at higher 32-bit float quality, letting you max out gain without fearing distortion. It also supports a higher acoustic overload point (AOP), up to 120 dB from 114 dB, meaning you'll see less distortion on higher audio levels. 

The other quality trick is AI noise cancelling, allowing the Mic 2 to lower the environmental noise so vocals stand out better. DJI promises that it works in "complex and noisy environments, such as streets and restaurants." 

A full review is to come, but I tried out the Mic 2 in a variety of situations, including inside a car, riding on a bicycle and in a howling wind. It performed well in nearly all those situations, with all distracting noise blocked in the car and bike shots, leaving just some pleasant environmental sound. However, it was unable to block out a direct 30-40 MPH wind on a sand dune, even with the included wind muff installed. It still worked well enough for me to get the shot, though, which was impressive.

DJI

Key features carrying over from the last model include the option for a safety track recorded at a lower -6 dB (in case you accidentally blow out the levels), an 820 foot range with the transmitter/receiver combo (524 feet in the EU), magnetic clips and a muff for each transmitter. For the receiver, DJI has also included preset gains for different cameras so that it'll work relatively well out of the box. It doesn't include all recent cameras, so hopefully firmware updates will address that. 

With the new options, particularly the smartphone Bluetooth connectivity and Osmo Pocket 3/Action 4 support, the Mic 2 is again likely to strike a chord with creators. It's now available for $349 with two transmitters, a receiver and charging case, $219 for a transmitter and receiver and $99 for individual transmitters. You can also purchase the charging case separately for $69. 

With pre-orders opening later this week, Engadget experienced a more in-depth demo of Apple's mixed-reality headset. Editor-in-chief Dana Wollman and deputy editor Cherlynn Low were fitted with the Vision Pro for some more extensive demos, including immersive video, a little bit of Disney+ and attempts to type in thin air on the Vision Pro’s floating keyboard.

Apple

They discuss the fitting process, the attention to detail in Disney+’s viewer app and where there's room for improvement with keyboards, comfort and utility. This is the company’s first new product for a while — and I had strong feelings about its last one. Early impressions suggest Apple seems to have made a fluid, intelligent headset experience — but are you willing to spend $3,499 on it?

— Mat Smith

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The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered review

A new roguelike No Return mode steals the show.

When a PS5 remake of the 2013 title The Last of Us Part I launched, it was hard to stomach the $70 price tag. Yes, the game looked incredible, there were some new modes, but the level design and gameplay were identical. It was, for all intents and purposes, a money grab.

With The Last of Us Part II Remastered, that seems less true. First, it’s a $10 upgrade for people who bought the PS4 versions (or $50 outright). Second, there’s a new roguelike game mode called No Return, which may be worth that upgrade price on its own. Nathan Ingraham, TLOU die-hard, explains.

Continue reading.

Yamaha takes on Teenage Engineering with its own colorful groovebox

The SEQTRAK is an all-in-one production studio.

Yamaha

Yamaha is a pillar of the electronic music-making world, but it’s perhaps best known for its stage synthesizers and studio monitors. Now, it’s taking Teenage Engineering with the SEQTRAK groovebox. Stylistically, it seems heavily inspired by TE.

The SEQTRAK includes a drum machine, sampler, FM and sample-based synthesizers and that semi-eponymous sequencer along with a built-in battery (three to four hours expected playtime) plus a built-in speaker, so it works without plugging in anything else. The SEQTRAK is available to pre-order at retailers for $399, which undercuts the heady pricing of Teenage Engineering’s similar product.

Continue reading.

Apple shipped more smartphones than anyone else last year

It’s the first time Apple has held the top spot.

Both IDC and Canalys’ most recent analysis of smartphone shipments shows Apple has beaten Samsung to roll out more smartphones than any other company. IDC’s preliminary data said Apple shipped 234.6 million units in 2023, equal to 20.1 percent of the market share. In comparison, Samsung shipped 226.6 units for 19.4 percent of the market share. This is the first time Samsung has fallen from the number-one spot since 2010. 

Back then, Nokia was in the lead.

Continue reading.

When users open an Incognito browser on Chrome, they'll see a notification warning them that other people using their device won't be able to see their activity but that their downloads, bookmarks and reading items will still be saved. Now, Google has updated that disclaimer in Chrome's experimental Canary channel, shortly after agreeing to settle a $5 billion lawsuit accusing it of tracking Incognito users. As first noticed by MSPowerUser, the company has tweaked the disclaimer in Canary to add language that says Incognito mode won't change how websites collect people's data.

"Others who use this device won’t see your activity, so you can browse more privately," the new disclaimer reads. "This won't change how data is collected by websites you visit and the services they use, including Google. Downloads, bookmarks and reading list items will be saved." The publication spotted the updated warning in Canary on Android and Windows, and we can confirm that the same language appears in the version of Chrome for Mac. 

Google was hit with a lawsuit in 2020, accusing it of tracking users' activities even if they're on Incognito mode. The plaintiffs told the court that the company used tools like its Analytics product, apps and browser plug-ins to monitor users. They also argued that by tracking users on Incognito, Google was giving people the false belief that they could control the information they're willing to share. A Google spokesperson explained at the time that the mode could only hide a user's activity on the device they're using but that their information could still be collected. That's not clearly communicated in the current disclaimer for the public version of Chrome, but it looks like that could change in the near future. 

Google

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If you own a copy of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition or Minecraft: Education Edition, you can now grab a free expansion pack based on the BBC's Planet Earth III. Much like the previous Frozen Planet II experience, this new wildlife documentary DLC lets players explore five scenarios through the lens of animals — arctic wolves, ocelots, musk oxen, leopards, Cape fur seals, great white sharks, impalas and more. 

Basically, be the hunter or be hunted; you get to play both sides on locations ranging from the Arctic tundra to the Okavango Delta. In the case of the lily-trotter, you're either the father protecting your chicks from crocodiles, or you're one of the chicks following your father's signals. There's also an activity involving the fascinating interaction between unlikely insect allies: the tree hopper and the stingless bee, with the latter in charge of shooing ants and assassin bugs away from the tree hoppers' nest.

A new addition to this educational experience is the "BBC Planet Earth Field Station," which is set in the heart of a pixelated jungle. This serves as a portal to the five biomes, with extra goodies including sound boards, animal facts and a cinematics album. Upon the completion of each activity (which can be repeated), you'll receive rewards that can be used to decorate the hub or dress up your avatar.

With the game reaching its 15th anniversary this year, Minecraft has become the best-selling video game of all time, reaching over 300 million copies sold as of October last year. There's also a movie adaptation in the works, reportedly starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa when it comes out in April 2025.

Apple is relaxing a key App Store rule that has long been a source of frustration to developers. The iPhone maker will allow U.S. developers to link to outside websites for in-app purchases, according to the company’s updated developer guidelines.

The change comes shortly after the United States Supreme Court rejected an appeal to reconsider a lower court ruling requiring Apple to allow developers to direct customers to alternative payment methods. The change only applies to iOS and iPadOS apps in the U.S. app stores and developers are still required to pay a commission for in-app purchases not made via the App Store.

It seems that Apple will continue to maintain tight control over payments, even under the new rules. According to a support page, developers will need approval from Apple before they can take advantage of the new rule, and app makers will only be permitted to notify users about alternative payment methods in specific ways. For example, the company’s guidelines to developers stipulate that links can only be shown in an app one time, and only in “a single, dedicated location.” App makers are also prohibited from using in-app pop-ups or mentioning outside payments in their App Store listing.

The company is also officially requiring developers to pay it a commission for purchases made outside of its App Store. The commission is set at 12 percent for developers who are part of its small business program, and 27 percent for larger developers. But, as 9to5Mac points out, the company may have some trouble enforcing those terms. In court documents, the company argued that it would be “exceedingly difficult and, in many cases, impossible” to collect the fees.

Still, the change is a significant concession for Apple, which has long been criticized for developers for App Store rules sometimes viewed as draconian and arbitrary. The company’s rule barring developers from communicating with users about alternative (and often cheaper) payment methods was a central aspect of the Epic v. Apple trial in 2021. The company had previously loosened some of these rules following the trial and a subsequent class-action lawsuit from developers.

Developing...

The cult hit Prison Architect is getting a sequel and it's actually releasing pretty soon. The franchise follow-up launches on March 26 for PC via Steam, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. There’s even a trailer, posted below. Of note, Prison Architect 2 brings the series to 3D, as the original was a strictly top-down affair. The sequel has a cartoonish look that’s slightly reminiscent of newer Dragon Quest games, but the gameplay is anything but a JRPG.

As the name suggests, it’s a robust prison-building simulator. We loved the original and wrote that it was nearly impossible to play the game in a humane way, as limitations would eventually force you to mistreat prisoners in the name of “fiscal responsibility.” This correlation with our real-world prison system was likely not an accident, as the end-goal of the game was to sell your prison for a hefty profit.

We don’t know if the sequel will keep this critical eye on America’s for-profit prison system, but it's more than likely. The trailer, after all, shows a dehumanized inmate being prevented from escape at every turn. Sure, it's a cute-looking cartoon inmate, but an inmate all the same. Also, one of the game’s taglines is “will your prisons end up being monuments to rehabilitation or retribution? Most importantly, will they pay the bills?”

Prison Architect 2 is bringing a host of new features to the table, beyond a jump to 3D. The developer says the inmates are now smarter and will develop relationships with one another based on wants and needs. Your design will “affect every aspect” of their lives, so plan accordingly. The first game liked to tighten the purse strings just when you wanted to build a library or even walls around a toilet.

There’s also an upgraded career mode, in which you can build multiple prisons in the same city, and more control options for creating facility policies. Developer Paradox Interactive, who made the first one, has teased new gameplay scenarios, like escapes, gang wars and “all sorts of expensive and destructive problems.”

Prison Architect 2 will cost $40 when it releases in late March. In related news, private prison “industry leader” GEO Group posted record profits in 2023 and the Corrections Corporation of America is currently enjoying around 14 percent of year-to-year growth since 2009.

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeals filed by both Apple and Epic Games following a judge’s ruling that Apple must allow developers to offer alternative methods to pay for apps and services other than through the App Store. It did not provide an explanation as to why it refused to review either appeal, but it means the permanent injunction giving developers a way to avoid the 30 percent cut Apple takes will remain in place.

Apple made the appeal to the high court back in September of last year, requesting it review the circuit court’s decision it deemed “unconstitutional.” The case brought forward by Epic Games is the first to challenge the business model of the App store, which helps Apple rake in billions. In May 2023, Apple said that developers generated about $1 trillion in total billings through the App Store in 2022. Gaming apps sold on the App Store generate an estimated $100 billion in revenue each year.

While the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Epic’s appeal that Apple has indeed broken California's Unfair Competition law, it rejected Epic’s claim that the App store is a monopoly. In addition to declining to hear Apple’s appeal, SCOTUS also will not review Epic’s appeal that the district court had made “legal errors.”

Epic claimed that Apple violates federal antitrust laws through its business model, however, this is not an issue the high court will consider. The CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, called the appeal denial “a sad outcome” on X.

Epic Games has been front and center in the fight against Apple’s developer transaction fee policy since 2020. Other companies, including Spotify and the New York Times, are also trying to challenge app store policies on Apple and Google platforms. The Coalition for App Fairness, which consists of more than 60 companies now, believes no developers should be required to use the app store exclusively. The Epic lawsuit was just the start — problems have been piling up for Apple. Even the Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly considering filing an antitrust case against it. The DOJ has been conducting an investigation into whether Apple’s App Store practices have killed competition in the space.

Days after laying off more than a thousand employees from Pixel, Nest, Fitbit, Google Assistant and core engineering divisions, Google is cutting “hundreds of roles” on its advertising sales team, a company spokesperson told Engadget on Tuesday.

“Every year we go through a rigorous process to structure our team to provide the best service to our Ads customers,” the company said in a statement. “We map customers to the right specialist teams and sales channels to meet their service needs. As part of this, a few hundred roles globally are being eliminated and impacted employees will be able to apply for open roles on the team or elsewhere at Google.”

The spokesperson declined to share information about the exact number of employees impacted by the cuts or where they were located. The news was first reported by Business Insider, which obtained a memo that Google’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler sent staff on Tuesday.

Google’s latest cuts continue the trend of layoffs at tech companies, which shed thousands of jobs in 2023. In the first two weeks of this year, for instance Amazon cut hundreds of workers in video game streaming service Twitch, Prime Video, MGM Studios, and Audible. Discord, Meta, Unity and Duolingo have also let go employees in 2024.

In December, The Information reported that Google was planning to reorganize its ad sales unit, which has more than 30,000 people, in favor of using machine learning to help customers buy more ads on flagship products like Google Search and YouTube, which is how the company makes a bulk of its revenue. Most of the company’s cuts taking place today will focus on ad sales teams selling ads to large businesses.

Meanwhile, the company is reportedly throwing millions of dollars of stock at select researchers at DeepMind, its artificial intelligence unit, to stop them from decamping to rivals like OpenAI.