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Today, GoPro unveils its latest camera: The Hero 12 Black. This time around, the updates are mostly on the user experience, with a slight focus on pro users and creators. Perhaps the most exciting new “feature” for regular GoPro users will be the claimed extended battery life. The company says “Up to two times” the runtime of previous cameras. Battery life has long been a pain point, so we’ll be keen to see what that looks like in real terms.

There are some new shooting modes, with 8:7 (full sensor) recording now available across the board, including TimeWarp and the Night Effect modes for the first time. Recording in 8:7 allows you to “punch out” different aspect ratio content from the same source material while maintaining a high resolution. The camera’s HDR mode has also been tuned for even better handling of mixed lighting conditions. Hypersmooth, GoPro’s in-camera stabilization is now on its sixth iteration —- but it’s been solid right from the start, so we’re interested to see what difference this makes in practice.

For the pros (or the aspiring ones) two new additions will be of particular interest. First there’s “GP-Log” which is GoPro’s take on logarithmic shooting mode — which makes color grading in post much more flexible. Secondly, there’s the addition of Timecode Sync, so if you’re recording with multiple GoPro Hero 12’s, they can easily be synchronized for airtight edits in post.

As for creators, again there’s a brace of updates that will be of interest. Interestingly, the Hero 12 Black now works with Bluetooth headsets for both playback and recording — including AirPods. Now, videos can use Bluetooth headphone microphones which can be blended with the in-camera mic recordings as you wish. You can even use your headset to use GoPro’s voice activation, opening the door for more creative shots taken without having to be near the camera or use the app/remote accessory.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

The second creator-friendly feature is vertical capture. You’ve always been able to hold a GoPro at 90 degrees, and on later models the menus would also rotate for ease of use. This time around, you can simply activate vertical mode even while the camera is mounted horizontally. It takes advantage of the new sensor introduced with the Hero 11 that’s big enough to punch out a full 9:16 vertical video at 4K/30FPS without having to re-mount or re-orient the camera.

If it’s important to you for other people to know you have the newest camera, this year that’ll be a little easier as the Hero 12 Black has a speckled faceplate in a break from the usual monochrome design. But there’s one other physical change that will elicit a small peep of joy from long-time users: The camera now has a regular tripod mount (1/4 inch 20 thread ) built-in on the bottom, nestled right between the fold out mounting fingers. No more adapters needed for all those other camera accessories you might have lying around.

One last change this time around is that GoPro seems to have dropped the need to sign up for its cloud subscription service to get a better price on the camera — the Hero 12 Black will simply cost $400 for everyone. Pre-orders open today and the camera lands in retail September 13.

Samsung is pushing forward the idea that bigger is better with the announcement of its new 98-inch Class QN990C Neo QLED 8K TV. It joins 2023's 65-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch 8K QN900C Neo QLED TVs, with the latest addition debuting at the CEDIA Expo 2023 alongside its 4K counterpart (available in sizes ranging from 43-inch to 85-inch). 

The 98-inch Class QN990C Neo QLED 8K TV is made up of Quantum Mini LEDs to produce over a billion colors and uses AI to enhance any content you watch up to 8K quality. It's also equipped with an Anti-Glare screen and Ultra Viewing Angle technology, which Samsung says should allow you to see what's going on from any angle without the need to block out light. The TV's structure is made with a 360-degree All-Metal Design and has a Slim Fit Wall Mount to give the TV more of an appearance of being flesh to the wall. As for audio quality, the new 98-inch Class 8K TV has Dolby Atmos and Cinema Object Tracking Sound built in.

While the 98-inch 8K TV's price has yet to be revealed, it's likely to be nearing the $10,000 mark. Samsung priced the 65-inch Neo QLED 8K TV at $5,000, the 75-inch at $6,300 and the 85-inch at $8,000. In contrast, the Neo QLED 4K TVs start at $1,200 and still offer features like Quantum Mini LEDs and Dolby Atmos. 

It's been almost exactly four years since Sonos first introduce the Move, the company's first portable speaker. The Move was a solid speaker when it was first introduced, but in the years that have passed, things like its lower-than-average battery life have made it harder to recommend. But even with the summer quickly fading, Sonos has a new portable speaker for powering autumn days outside, the Move 2. On the surface, the Move offers the same formula as the original. It's a relatively large, loud speaker that you can lug around with you; it's also quite durable, able to withstand drops, bumps, extreme temperatures, rain and snow. 

But unsurprisingly, Sonos has taken some inspiration from the recent Era 100 and Era 300 speakers here for some improvements. The new top panel touch controls are the same as you'll find on those speakers. There's a volume slider as well as dedicated forward and back buttons. It also has a USB-C line-in jack, so you can connect the Move 2 to a turntable or other audio equipment. 

Perhaps most importantly, its internal speaker design is similar to that of the Era 100, with two angled tweeters providing stereo sound, unlike the mono, single-tweeter design of the original Move. In my testing of the Era 100, I didn't find that the two tweeters really give you a stereo experience like you'll get with multiple speakers, but it's still a definite improvement. 

Sonos

The other most significant change is that Sonos has more than doubled the quoted battery life on the Move 2, from about 11 hours to more than 24 hours. That's a huge jump and should be enough to silence those who were unhappy with the original Move's rather pedestrian longevity. 

Oh, and there's a new color this time, olive green. I wish that it also came in the lovely blue and orange shades you can get the smaller Sonos Roam in, but alas. 

Like the original Move, this new speaker supports audio over Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi for when you're away from your network. It's also a quick way to let friends play music over the speaker, and there's a Bluetooth sharing feature that pipes audio the Move receives over Bluetooth to the rest of your Sonos speakers. Of course, you can also group and share audio across other Sonos devices using the traditional multi-room audio controls, as well. 

The Move 2 has microphones built in for automatic speaker tuning using the company's Trueplay software — this adjusts the sound quality based on where you place the speaker. The microphones also work with the Sonos voice assistant as well as Amazon Alexa, and there's a physical mute switch on the back that disconnects power to the mics entirely. And if you get two Move 2 speakers, you can pair them together in stereo. That should make for a potent audio setup, though you'll need to re-pair the speakers if you take one on the go and remove it from your Wi-Fi network. 

Unfortunately, Sonos is bumping up the price of its gear again — the Move 2 costs $449, up from the $399 it asked for the original model. For that price, Sonos is also including the handy ring-shaped wireless charger that lets you easily pick up the Move 2 and get going. Yes, there are a number of improvements here, but Sonos can't go on raising the prices of its products every time it releases a new model, can it? We haven't had a chance to hear the Move 2 yet, so it's too soon to say whether it'll be worth the cash, but hopefully the improvements here merit the price premium. The Move 2 goes on sale on September 20. 

Duolingo is best known for its language learning app, but it recently branched into teaching math and will soon offer music learning, the company announced. Through a series of "hundreds of bite-sized lessons," users will be able to learn notes and how to play tunes from a library of over 200+ songs. Using the app's gamified learning experience, the Music course "teaches you to read and play music anytime, through interactive lessons," according to Duolingo. 

"We know math and music, much like language, transcend cultures and connect people," Duolingo cofounder and CTO Severin Hacker. "Soon you will be able to learn math and music in the same Duolingo app — all with the same fun, engaging, and effective experience you know from learning languages with us."

Duolingo

Several screenshots show musical notation paired with piano keys (above), along with games like "fill in the blanks" and "match the pairs." The app will appear alongside languages and math at the top of the main Duolingo screen. The math app is already available for iOS, with levels ranging from elementary to more advanced, all using interactive, gamified lessons. 

A job posting spotted earlier this year provided hints that the company was working on a music app. Duolingo didn't give many details other than a few screenshots, but did say that "the course is free, fun and effective. It plans to reveal the app fully at its Duocon conference on October 11th. 

“We are engaged in a race against time to protect the children of our country from the dangers of AI,” the attorneys general wrote in an open letter to Congress, asking for increased protective measures against AI-enhanced child sexual abuse images.

Using image generators like Dall-E and Midjourney to create child sexual abuse materials isn’t a problem, as the software has guardrails to stop those prompts. However, when open-source versions of the software and similar tools without guardrails or oversight arrive, it could be a major issue. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stated that AI tools would benefit from government intervention to mitigate their risk.

– Mat Smith

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United Airlines grounded flights for an hour after a bad software update

A ‘widespread slowdown’ paused departures.

United Airlines issued a nationwide ground stop because of a "computer issue." "United Airlines asked the FAA to pause the airline’s departures nationwide," the Federal Aviation Administration told Engadget. United said a software update "caused a widespread slowdown" in its technology systems, but airborne flights still carried on to their destinations during the pause.

United had a similar issue in the UK just last week. An air traffic control glitch led to the cancellation of a fifth of UK departures and 27 percent of flights due to arrive the day of the issue.

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The Android logo gets a new look and a 3D bugdroid

Google's quarterly Android update adds some useful accessibility features.

Android

Android 14 is fast approaching. But before Google releases the next big version of the mobile operating system alongside its latest Pixel devices, the company has revealed a refreshed Android logo. Yeah, it hasn’t exactly reinvented the wheel, or the droid, as it were. Android consumer brand management director Jason Fournier said the company wanted the bugdroid to "appear as dynamic as Android itself." Sounds like a self-burn The plan is to ensure the bugdroid looks consistent across digital and real-world environments.

There's also a useful-sounding accessibility feature coming to Android soon. It's called Image Q&A on Lookout. You'll be able to use voice commands or type questions to find out more details about AI-generated audio descriptions of visual content. A new widget called Assistant At a Glance is also inbound, to bring weather alerts, event reminders and travel updates.

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The best cameras for 2023

Compacts, DSLRs, action cams and, of course, mirrorless cameras.

Since smartphones obliterated the casual photography market, camera manufacturers are focusing on building models designed for very specific uses. Mirrorless cameras continue to improve in autofocus, video and more, while lens ranges expand yearly. Action cams provide sharp, fluid video, compact cameras target both tourists and vloggers and DSLRs are available at some of the best prices we’ve seen. If you’re considering a camera upgrade, this is a particularly good time to do so. Engadget’s Steve Dent walks you through the options.

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Those firing up Airbnb to look for a short-term rental in New York City right now may find the pickings a bit slim. Officials in the city have started enforcing new regulations mandating that hosts will have to file a registration application — and meet a set of requirements — to be able to rent homes to guests for less than 30 days. Hosts can only rent out homes for short-term stays if they're also staying there, and only two guests are allowed at a time. These requirements are part of old and existing rules on rentals, however, and only the Short-Term Rental Registration Law itself is new.

NYC's Office of Special Enforcement said on its website that on September 5, it started collaborating with booking platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to ensure that they're honoring the city's verification system. These companies will now have to check whether hosts listing their homes for stays less than 30 days have been approved by authorities. According to The New York Times, only 257 application registrations have been approved so far out of the 3,250 that were lodged as of August 28. That would mean thousands of listings could be removed from Airbnb, seeing as the company estimates that almost 15,000 hosts had short-term rental listings across NYC as recent as last month. 

Airbnb called the law a "de facto ban" on short-term rentals and filed a lawsuit, which was dismissed last month, to try and block its enforcement. Theo Yedinsky, the company's global policy director, said the rules "are a blow to [NYC's] tourism economy" and that "[t]he city is sending a clear message to millions of potential visitors who will now have fewer accommodation options when they visit New York City: you are not welcome." 

The city's authorities argued that enforcing the new law would help prevent housing "being lost to the practice of illegal" short-term rentals. Hosts renting out homes for short periods contributes to the housing shortage, they said, and makes it more expensive to live in the city as a result. 

Airbnb told The Times and CNN that reservations with a check-in on or before December 1 will not be cancelled, but the company will refund the fees it received related to those stays to comply with the new rules. Meanwhile, all bookings starting on December 2 will be cancelled, and guests will be refunded. In addition, hosts will find their listings converted to long-term rentals only if they allow bookings of 30 days or more on the platform. All listings that only allow short-term bookings will be deactivated. 

Google has tentatively settled with the alliance of attorneys general that filed a lawsuit in 2021 alleging the search giant abused its dominance on Android app distribution through the Google Play store. Officials claimed Google was leveraging “its monopoly power with Android to unlawfully maintain its monopoly,” saying that 90 percent of all app sales took place through Google Play. Bloomberg reports that the matter has been referred to a judge who, if happy, can confirm the settlement and cancel the pending courtroom battle. It’s a smart move on Google’s part as it has faced a number of antitrust lawsuits over its dominance and power in recent years, with outcomes including a €4.3 billion ($4.6 billion) fine and threats to break up its advertising business.

Not everyone is pleased about the latest deal, with Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney tweeting Epic isn’t included in the settlement. The games developer sued Google in 2020, alleging the latter had made deals with other big games publisher to box out rival app stores. Sweeney is also, as usual, grumbling about other stores asking a cut of each transaction to pay for the running costs of those stores.

Epic's trial against Google is set for November 6th, but Sweeney tweeted: "If Google is ending its payments monopoly without imposing a Google Tax on third party transactions, we'll settle and be Google's friend in their new era. But if the settlement merely pays off the other plaintiffs while leaving the Google Tax in place, we'll fight on. Consumers only benefit if antitrust enforcement not only opens up markets, but also restores price competition." The exact amount Google must pay and any necessary changes required have yet to be disclosed, but could be made public at an October 12th hearing.

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With yet another self-own (intentional or otherwise), Google has revealed its upcoming Pixel 8 Pro again, putting it into a special pantheon of leaked phones that includes, well, every otherPixelmodel. This time, the leak comes via Google's own 360-degree simulator that lets you see the device from every angle, with little yellow dots showing different sensors and ports. It not only confirms features like a new temperature sensor and physical SIM slot, but also three of the available colors. 

The simulator (since shut down), was originally noticed by X user José Rubén, and others then posted their own images taken from the tool, as The Verge reported. It reveals blue, porcelain and black colors, along with a home screen that looks similar to the previous Pixel 7 Pro. It also shows a SIM card slot and confirms the temperature sensor we saw in an earlier leak.  

It doesn't list any specs, but we already have a pretty good idea about those thanks to (yes) past leaks. The Pixel 8 Pro's camera array should include a 50-megapixel main camera that lets in 50 percent more light and a 64-megapixel ultrawide Sony camera. It's also rumored to have a flat display instead of curved ones similar to the Pixel 6 Pro's and Pixel 7 Pro's. In addition, it's expected to come with a 5,000 mAh battery and a 27W max charging speed.

The Pixel 8 Pro should be revealed at Google's next launch event, set for October 4 at 10AM ET — the leaks come just ahead of the iPhone 15 launch on September 12th, surely a coincidence. On top of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, we may see the Pixel Watch 2 and other hardware.