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Uber launched its Uber One subscription service in 2021 with the promise of various perks like free deliveries, but the main benefit was a five percent discount on eligible rides. Now, the company is eliminating that in favor of six percent cashback (in the form of Uber Cash) to be used toward rides, Uber Eats and more, TechCrunch has reported. This despite the fact that Uber One doubled its subscriber base to 12 million last year with the discount marketed prominently on the app.

"As Uber One is the best way to save across Uber and Uber Eats, we're making it even easier to use your benefits on Uber's full suite of products," Uber's consumer communications lead Becky Katz Davis told TechCrunch. In a letter to subscribers, the company suggested that consumers use their Uber Cash on fancier vehicles or Uber Eats orders. 

The move appears to be a way to help Uber boost its ride count and margins. Uber One subscribers now make up 27 percent of total booking, and over 50 percent in some markets, the company said recently. In addition, the service is "profitable," Khosrowshahi said in an earnings call earlier this year. "And what we find is it’s a very, very effective way, essentially, to draw frequency and higher engagement with our customer base." 

Uber One arrived effectively as a replacement for Uber Rewards, the company's airline-like rewards program that was dropped last summer. The shift from discounts to Uber Cash could be a risky play, though. Uber brags on its Uber One landing page that members "save on average $27 per month with Uber One." Now, though, riders will need to do some calculations to see if the new system is worth the $10 per month or $100 annual subscription price. 

Logitech already makes some of the best productivity peripherals around, but with a few key upgrades, the company may have just created an almost perfect travel mouse. And after using the new $80 MX Anywhere 3S for the last week and a half (including on a trip of my own), I’m not sure I want to use anything else ever again.

On the outside, the MX Anywhere 3S features the same basic design as its predecessor, including a similar palette of color options (graphite, pale gray, and rose). The differences are on the inside, where the mouse features a new 8K DPI optical sensor that’s more accurate than before and works on practically any surface you can think of (wood, cloth, glass, et cetera). You also get a new set of super quiet mouse buttons similar to what you find on its larger sibling – the MX Master 3S – which might not sound all that important, but it’s very a welcome feature for families where multiple people are studying/working from home. Finally, as part of Logitech’s efforts to increase the sustainability of its products, the MX Anywhere 3S is made from up to 78 percent post-consumer recycled plastic (though that figure is around 61 percent for the gray and pink models).

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engagdet

Between its new features and the already fantastic foundation, the MX Anywhere 3S is simply a delight to use. Weighing just 95 grams, it's lighter than pretty much everything aside from a handful of gaming mice while boasting a rechargeable battery that lasts up to a whopping 70 days. You still get the ability to pair the mouse with up to three different devices (PCs, laptops, tablets and more), and thanks to a very travel-friendly ambidextrous design, it works great in tight situations. And while Logitech’s free-spinning MagSpeed mouse wheel isn’t new, scrolling actually feels a tiny bit smoother than before too.

The one big departure from previous MX Anywhere mice is that the 3S doesn’t come with a dongle. Instead, for this model (and likely going forward), Logitech is relying entirely on Bluetooth. One reason for this change is that Logitech believes modern Bluetooth connectivity has gotten good enough that a dedicated wireless receiver simply isn’t necessary, and after using this thing for more than 10 days, I get it. I haven’t had a single laggy mouse stroke or delayed reaction the entire time I’ve used it and even on Bluetooth you still get support for Logitech’s multi-device Flow software. Besides, for frequent travelers, a dongle is just one more thing to keep track of (or lose entirely).

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, the main reason why the MX Anywhere 3S doesn’t come with a dongle is because Logitech’s Bolt receiver is still only available as a USB Type-A receiver, and with most new laptops these days only having USB-C, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to include something requires an adapter to use. Logitech says that because USB-C ports are so small, there isn’t enough room to fit the electronics without making the whole thing unusually bulky. Meanwhile with USB-A, Logitech is able to build tiny circuit boards that fit inside the connector itself. So while the company is still trying to figure out a solution, we’ll have to wait a little longer for a USB-C version of Logitech’s Bolt receiver. That said, while there are situations where having one would be useful, I haven’t missed having a physical dongle at all when using the MX Anywhere 3S.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Aside from its new mouse, today Logitech also has a couple of other refreshed devices. On the $110 MX Keys S, new features include more control over backlighting brightness and automatic activation settings, an updated function row with additional videoconferencing controls (and that always handy emoji key), and a fresh pale gray model to match the rest of the MX family. Alternatively, for people who need a new suite of office peripherals, Logitech has created a productivity bundle called the MX Keys S Combo which includes the MX Keys S, an MX Master 3S mouse and the MX Palm Rest – all in one box for $200. And while the MX Master 3S and the wrist wrest aren’t new, considering that those three devices would typically cost $230 if purchased separately, this bundle is a nice way to get a discount.

Screenshot by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Lastly, while it’s been in beta for some time, today alongside the MX Keys S, Logitech’s Smart Actions feature is finally getting an official release. Available inside the Logi Options+ app, Smart Actions is a neat tool for automating various repetitive tasks across multiple programs with a single keystroke. That means you can create a silence command that will do stuff like mute zoom, turn off your microphone and pause your favorite music app all with a single tap. By default, there are a number of basic templates you can browse, though they can also be customized as needed. And while I’m still testing out the limits of Smart Actions, so far my favorite way to use it has been creating what I call my “game time” command, which opens apps like Steam, Discord, Battle.net and more all with a single shortcut. And the nice thing is that if you don’t want to create your own Smart Actions, Logitech made them easy to share and import. So if you see someone else with a shortcut you like, you can just ask them to send it to you.

The MX Anywhere 3S, the MX Keys S and the MX Keys S Combo are all available today priced at $80, $110 and $200, respectively.

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Microsoft has deployed a critical troubleshooter update for Surface Pro X devices that will give users access to their camera again. On May 23rd, plenty of Surface Pro X owners reported that their cameras had stopped working entirely. Based on stories posted on Reddit, Twitter and the company's own support forums, reinstalling the camera's driver didn't work. Tweaking the device's date and rolling it back to May 22nd did, but it came with its own set of potential issues, such as authentication and scheduling problems. 

In its new patch notes, the tech giant said the affected devices are powered by Qualcomm 8cx Gen 1, Qualcomm 8cx Gen 2, Microsoft SQ1 and Microsoft SQ2 processors. The troubleshooter update will be automatically applied to affected devices, and owners can check if it has been installed by going to their "hardware and devices troubleshooter" history and then looking for an entry that says "[a]utomatically change system settings to fix a problem on your device."

As Ars Technica notes, users are reporting on the Microsoft support forum that the troubleshooter worked sufficiently, save for some posters saying that their cameras were working in slow motion outside of Teams or Zoom. Microsoft admitted in its announcement this workaround isn't perfect — it is, after all, only meant to be a temporary fix. It might "disable some features of the camera or lower the image quality," but it will make the camera functional until Microsoft comes up with a permanent fix. The tech giant is currently working with device manufacturers to release updated camera drivers expected to restore full camera functionality. It doesn't have an ETA for the driver rollout yet, but it promised to share more information when it becomes available. 

What complaints you had about the Pixel Watch's battery life might disappear with its sequel. Sources speaking to 9to5Google claim the Pixel Watch 2 will switch from Samsung's 2018-era Exynos 9110 to one of Qualcomm's much newer Snapdragon W5 models. Although the battery in the new smartwatch isn't supposed to be significantly bigger, the longevity is supposed to be much-improved — reportedly, it can last over a day with the always-on display enabled where that simply wasn't possible before.

The Pixel Watch 2 is also said to use the same health sensors as the Fitbit Sense 2. That could introduce ways to measure stress (that is, electrodermal activity) and skin temperature. Many other details remain a mystery, but it won't be surprising if the new model is one of the first devices to run Wear OS 4. The new platform should boost performance, add backup support and increase accessibility.

A previous rumor hinted the Pixel Watch will debut 2 alongside the Pixel 8 this fall. If the wristwear does use Snapdragon hardware, it'll represent an unusual twist. Google has so far leaned heavily on Samsung-based chips for recent mobile devices, including the Tensor G2 found in phones as recent as the Pixel 7a. This suggests Google is willing to break with recent tradition in the name of a better product.

As AI-generated images and video become more prominent on Twitter, the company is testing out a new feature that could make it easier for people to identify potentially “misleading media.” The company is experimenting with Community Notes for media, which will apply the site’s crowd-sourced fact checks to specific photos and video clips.

The feature allows for Community Notes contributors who have high enough ratings to apply notes to images shared within tweets. Like notes on tweets, the labels could add additional "context" to images, like indicating if a photo was created using generative AI or is otherwise manipulated.

The feature could also address the viral spread of such photos. According to Twitter, the goal is for notes to automatically appear on “recent and future” copies of the same image even if they are shared by separate users in new tweets. However, Twitter notes that it will take some time to perfect its image matching. “It’s currently intended to err on the side of precision when matching images, which means it likely won’t match every image that looks like a match to you,” the company shared. “We will work to tune this to expand coverage while avoiding erroneous matches.”

It’s also worth pointing out that Community Notes’ track record is far from perfect. While the feature can sometimes result in nuanced fact checks or debunks of false claims, Community Note contributors themselves have pointed out that the feature “is not impervious to errors or perpetuating common misconceptions.”

For now, Twitter is testing out notes for media for tweets with a single image only, but the company says it plans to expand the feature to tweets with multiple images and videos in the future. Twitter isn’t the only platform grappling with how the rise of generative and AI and the spread of misinformation. Google also recently introduced features that will help users track an image’s history in search, which could help searchers intuit whether or not a photo was faked.

Apple Music Classical launched on Android today, bringing the company’s dedicated orchestral app to a non-Apple platform for the first time. It follows the iPhone debut of the service in March.

Apple’s classical music app is separate from the mainline Apple Music app, with plenty of similarities but also distinctive navigation, font and metadata handling for easy searching. (Apple Music has been available for Android since 2015.) However, 9to5Macnotes that Apple Music Classical’s Android arrival means the company launched it on a rival platform before fleshing out its own hardware ecosystem, as it still lacks a dedicated iPad or Mac app. Although the Apple faithful are accustomed to the company rewarding their hardware loyalty, it’s an understandable move given that phones are more common streaming sources than computers or tablets. As a result, Apple can likely reel in more subscribers by stepping outside its walled garden before (presumably) expanding availability for its remaining in-house devices.

The app is the fruit of Apple’s 2021 acquisition of Primephonic, a Netherlands-based classical streaming service known for its superior search capabilities. Apple shut down the service soon after buying it.

Apple Music Classical offers over five million tracks, including “thousands of exclusive albums.” The search feature, carrying over from Primephonic, lets you find pieces based on composer, work, conductor or catalog number thanks to the library’s “complete and accurate metadata.” In addition, it streams in up to 192 kHz / 24-bit Hi-Res Lossless while supporting spatial audio and Dolby Atmos for select tracks. Of course, the service requires an Apple Music subscription; supported plans include individual, student, family or Apple One — but not the voice-only plan aimed at HomePod users.

The Android version requires Android 9 or later. It’s available “worldwide where Apple Music is offered,” except in China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Taiwan. You can download it now from the Play Store.

Wireless earbuds aren't usually your best choice for PC gaming audio between the lag and the lack of Bluetooth on some desktops. Razer thinks it has a simple solution, though: throw in a dongle. The company has introducedHammerhead Pro HyperSpeed buds that include a 2.4GHz RF adapter to plug into the USB-C port (there's an included USB-A adapter) on your computer or console. This expands support to more devices, of course, but it also drops latency to 40ms versus 60ms for the Bluetooth-based Gaming Mode. And yes, you can still connect to your phone over Bluetooth if you need to take a call.

These are otherwise similar to the plain Hammerhead Pro earbuds you saw before. They still offer THX-certified sound with customizable active noise cancellation (ANC) levels. This being Razer, there's Chroma RGB lighting to flaunt your choice of personal audio. How long they last on battery depends on how you're connected and what you're using. You can manage up to 6.5 hours of listening on Bluetooth with ANC and lighting disabled, with 24 hours of extra power from a wireless charging-capable case. That drops to 3.5 hours with ANC and lighting enabled, and using the dongle shrinks that runtime to between three and four hours (plus 11 to 14.5 hours from the case).

The Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed earbuds are available now for $200. That's a solid price if you're looking for do-it-all earbuds that can work with both your phone and your home gaming PC. With that said, there are options that can sound better or last longer if you're happy to stick to Bluetooth. Razer's latest option is more for those who'd rather not buy a separate gaming headset.

If you’ve been saving up to integrate Shaq’s voice into your Alexa devices, you’ve officially blown it. Amazon is ditching all of its Alexa-enabled celebrity voices, including Shaquille O’Neal, Melissa McCarthy and, say it ain't so, Samuel L. Jackson. The distinct voice options will no longer be available for purchase and will no longer function even if you made a purchase a while back, as reported by The Verge.

That brings us to the topic of refunds, and it looks like there won’t be any. This isn’t earth-shattering news, as the voice options launched for just $1 before moving up to $5 in recent months. Still, buying something and having it vaporize into nothing is never fun for consumers. We’ve reached out to Amazon for clarification on these refunds and will update when we hear back.

Samuel L. Jackson has already flown the coop, with an official announcement on the purchase page about his voice avatar’s early retirement. Melissa McCarthy and Shaq still work, but only until September.

To the uninitiated, this feature was an add-on for Alexa that transformed its usual chirpy tones into that of a celebrity. This was all fairly limited when compared to Alexa’s full feature set, as the celebs won’t do reminders and don’t integrate with many skills. They do, however, tell jokes, answer questions and complete simple voice-assisted tasks. The service started with Jackson in 2019 but extended to include Shaq and McCarthy shortly thereafter.

So why did Amazon shut the feature down? Alexa’s no longer the hottest thing in the universe and the company’s hardware division recently laid off thousands of people involved with designing and manufacturing Echo speakers, so that could be part of it. Again, the feature set with these voices was on the anemic side, so maybe not enough people bought them to offset the licensing costs. Finally, there’s the AI elephant in the room. Reports indicate that Amazon is building its own large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT to radically transform Alexa, and celebrity voices may no longer fit into that vision.

If you’ve been saving up to integrate Shaq’s voice into your Alexa devices, you’ve officially blown it. Amazon is ditching all of its Alexa-enabled celebrity voices, including Shaquille O’Neal, Melissa McCarthy and, say it ain't so, Samuel L. Jackson. The distinct voice options will no longer be available for purchase and will no longer function even if you made a purchase a while back, as reported by The Verge.

That brings us to the topic of refunds, and it looks like there won’t be any. This isn’t earth-shattering news, as the voice options launched for just $1 before moving up to $5 in recent months. Still, buying something and having it vaporize into nothing is never fun for consumers. All is not lost, however, as Amazon told Engadget it'll process refunds upon request. 

"After three years, we’re winding down celebrity voices. Customers will be able to continue using these voices for a limited time, and can contact our customer service team for a refund," wrote a spokesperson for the company. 

Samuel L. Jackson is leaving any day now, with an official announcement on the purchase page indicating the feature will officially stop working next week. Melissa McCarthy and Shaq will function until sometime in September. 

To the uninitiated, this feature was an add-on for Alexa that transformed its usual chirpy tones into that of a celebrity. This was all fairly limited when compared to Alexa’s full feature set, as the celebs won’t do reminders and don’t integrate with many skills. They do, however, tell jokes, answer questions and complete simple voice-assisted tasks. The service started with Jackson in 2019 but extended to include Shaq and McCarthy shortly thereafter.

So why did Amazon shut the feature down? Alexa’s no longer the hottest thing in the universe and the company’s hardware division recently laid off thousands of people involved with designing and manufacturing Echo speakers, so that could be part of it. Again, the feature set with these voices was on the anemic side, so maybe not enough people bought them to offset the licensing costs. Finally, there’s the AI elephant in the room. Reports indicate that Amazon is building its own large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT to radically transform Alexa, and celebrity voices may no longer fit into that vision.

Update, May 30th, 2023, 2:50 PM ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from Amazon.