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Apple's 10.9-inch 2022 iPads are improved in almost every way, including the design, performance, battery life, front facing camera and more. One of the biggest knocks is the price, so if you've been holding out for a deal, Amazon now has them on sale at prices matching all-time lows. You can grab the 64GB model in silver for just $399 and the 256GB version in multiple colors for $549, saving $50 on both. 

Despite a few caveats, the 2022 iPad scored a solid 85 score in our Engadget review. Apple redesigned its entry-level tablet to give it thinner bezels, a bigger display and USB-C charging. It’s also the first iPad to include a landscape-oriented front-facing camera, a feature that makes the tablet more useful for video chatting. The 2022 model’s A14 Bionic processor is also a highlight. Other notable features include USB-C charging and a keyboard folio with function keys.

The main downsides revolve around the price, as this tablet is a full $120 more expensive than its 9th-generation predecessor, the keyboard folio is also expensive and it only supports the first-generation Apple Pencil. However, Amazon's sale helps ease the pricing issues, making this a very solid buy.  

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We were left impressed with Oppo's Find X5 Pro last year, so naturally, we have high expectations for its successor. As announced earlier, the upcoming Find X6 Pro meets the basic requirements you'd expect from a 2023 flagship: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, Sony's IMX989 "1-inch" sensor for the main camera, a bright 6.82-inch 3,168 x 1,440 AMOLED screen, a generous 5,000mAh battery, an IP68 ruggedness rating and up to 16GB of RAM plus 512GB of storage. As a bonus, Oppo also brought back a periscopic telephoto camera — a missing feature since the Find X2 Pro from 2020 — to make full use of its photopgrahy partnership with Hasselblad, as well as its very own MariSilicon X imaging neural processor.

The Find X6 Pro features what's arguably the largest external redesign since the Find X3 Pro, with the three rear cameras — all with a 50-megapixel resolution plus optical stabilization — residing within a large circular island. The glass-covered upper part houses the main camera (23mm equivalent), the ultra-wide camera (15mm equivalent), the LED flash and Hasselblad's logo, while the lower part features the periscopic camera with 3x optical zoom (65mm equivalent) or 6x "in-sensor" zoom — we'll get to that later. As for video recording, you can get up to 4K at 60fps, though the 32-megapixel punch-hole selfie camera (21mm equivalent) on the other side is limited to 1080p at 30fps.

Richard Lai/Engadget

While the 3x optical zoom on this new periscopic camera may sound less exciting than the 5x counterpart on the Find X2 Pro, it does offer a 6x "in-sensor" zoom. This is thanks to the relatively large Sony IMX890 sensor (1/1.56-inch), which still offers a good amount of pixels even when cropped natively. With a pre-release firmware, I was able to capture impressively clean and sharp shots even at 6x. Of course, any other 10x optical zoom camera would beat this hybrid solution, but this is still a viable alternative, especially given how handy the 3x optical zoom comes in for food photography and the new Hasselblad Portrait Mode — the latter claiming to simulate "the colors and depth of field of Hasselblad’s classic XCD30 and XCD80 lenses."

As for the ultra-wide camera, it also uses an IMX890 sensor, which is apparently the largest offering to date in this category. Like before, this camera packs a freeform surface lens to minimize distortion, along with a relatively large f/2.2 aperture.

Of course, there are plenty other non-photography goodies on the Find X6 Pro. The 5,000mAh battery is now paired with a new 100W SuperVOOC fast charging, which goes from zero to 100-percent charge in just 28 minutes. Or you can go with 50W AirVOOC wireless charging, which takes 52 minutes to reach a full charge. Oppo also claims to double the battery lifespan with its Battery Health Engine from last year.

In addition to the usual stereo speakers, Oppo implemented a design dubbed "Active Privacy Protection for Voice Calls" to the earpiece, which is apparently "capable of improving sound insulation by up to a factor of 3.5 to reduce audio leakage." In other words, people stood around you are less likely to eavesdrop on your calls.

Last but not least, while not all flagship phones come with an infrared remote control, some may still appreciate this feature on the Oppo Find X6 Pro to control things like TVs, air conditioners and lights.

Richard Lai/Engadget

The Oppo Find X6 Pro will be available in China from March 24th, with design options including a dual-tone brown (glass plus vegan leather), black (glass) and green (glass). Prices range from 5,999 yuan or about $873 (12GB RAM with 256GB storage) to 6,999 yuan or about $1,018 (16GB RAM with 512GB storage).

There's also a similar-looking but more affordable Find X6, which swaps out the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with MediaTek's Dimensity 9200. Also, its main camera uses an IMX890 instead of the 1-inch IMX989, whereas its ultra-wide camera uses a Samsung JN1 sensor and, sadly, lacks a freeform lens. That said, this phone still packs a generous 4,800mAh battery with 80W fast charging, and it comes with an IP64 ruggedness rating. It'll be offered in green, gold and black, with prices going from 4,499 yuan or around $654 (12GB RAM with 256GB storage) to 4,999 yuan or about $727 (16GB RAM with 512GB storage).

We'll be keeping an eye out for international availability, even though it'll likely be limited to Europe for the west. Stay tuned.

You most likely know Duolingo as an app you can fire up when you want to learn a new language or at least familiarize yourself with the local tongue of a place you're visiting. It has ventured into other subject matters over the years, though, and now it looks like the company is also hoping to be the one people turn to when they want to learn about music. According to a job posting (seen by TechCrunch), Duolingo has a small team that's currently working to build an app for teaching music. 

The job ad is for an "expert in music education who combines both theoretical knowledge of relevant learning science research and hands-on teaching experience." Whoever gets the job will be in charge of making sure that the app is "well-grounded in learning science." They have to translate "research findings into concrete ideas" that can be used for "learning by doing" activities that Duolingo is known for. They also have to take the lead on curriculum development, which signifies that the app is still in its very early stages. 

If and when Duolingo's Music app comes out, it will join the company's growing list of learning applications that include its ABC app, which teaches kids how to read and write. It also has an English Test app for language certification and a Math app that uses colorful animations and interactive exercises to help people learn multiplication, division, fractions, geometry and measurements. As TechCrunch notes, the company is most likely diversifying to ensure its survival and income growth in the future. And its plan seems to be working so far: In its earnings report (PDF) for the fourth quarter of 2022, Duolingo revealed that it enjoyed a 67 percent increase in paid subscribers from the year before. 

Microsoft is preparing to launch an Xbox store on iOS and Android as early as next year, according to Phil Spencer. The head of the company’s gaming division shared the timeline in a Financial Times interview published on Monday, noting the plan is dependent on regulators approving Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

“We want to be in a position to offer Xbox and content from both us and our third-party partners across any screen where somebody would want to play,” Spencer told the outlet. “Today, we can’t do that on mobile devices but we want to build towards a world that we think will be coming where those devices are opened up.”

Microsoft first revealed it was working on an Xbox store for mobile devices in regulatory documents the company filed with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last year. At the time, the tech giant didn’t provide a timeline for the plan, noting only its proposed merger with Activision Blizzard would play a critical role. Spencer was more direct on Monday. “The Digital Markets Act that’s coming — those are the kinds of things that we are planning for,” he said. “I think it’s a huge opportunity.”

Under the Digital Markets Acts (DMA), major platforms the European Union designates as “gatekeepers” will be required to open their devices to competing app stores. Last fall, a Bloomberg report said Apple was already at work preparing to make iOS compliant with the legislation ahead of its March 2024 deadline. The EU will allow companies it labels as gatekeepers to appeal the designation, a carveout that could delay enforcement of the law. Additionally, with challenges from the Federal Trade Commission and CMA, there’s no guarantee Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard will close before the new rules apply to Apple and Google, a fact Spencer seemed to acknowledge when interviewed by the Financial Times. However, he said it would be “pretty trivial” for Microsoft to adapt its existing Xbox and Game Pass apps to sell games and subscriptions through mobile devices.

You no longer need to pass on 8BitDo's gamepads if you use Apple products. 8BitDo has confirmed that its controllers now officially support iPhones, iPads and Macs thanks to both firmware upgrades and Apple's recent iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, tvOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2 updates. The compatibility is limited to the Lite SE, Pro, Pro 2, SN30 Pro+, SN30 Pro for Android and Ultimate Controller 2.4g, but more models are "incoming."

The company's offerings are already some of our favorite mobile gaming controllers, and for good reason. They promise good ergonomics, substantial customization and (in some cases) a tinge of nostalgia. It's relatively easy to switch between your Apple devices and other hardware, such as consoles and PCs. That makes them particularly handy if you're playing action games away from home, or just don't want to poke at a touchscreen.

These aren't the only strong options for mobile controllers. SteelSeries' Nimbus and Stratus models are well-suited to enthusiasts who want an Xbox-style pad. And if you want a makeshift Switch or Steam Deck, the Razer Kishi is your pick. Still, it's good to have more choices for Apple-friendly input — particularly if you like 8BitDo's priorities.

LG announced pricing and availability today for its sleek 2023 Gram Style laptops announced at CES. The Windows-running ultra-portables are available now, ranging from $1,499 to $1,999.

The 14-inch LG Gram Style costs $1,499 for 512GB storage and 16GB memory; you’ll pay $1,799 to make it a 1TB SSD and 32GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the larger 16-inch variant costs $1,799 for 1TB and 16GB RAM, while $1,999 will stick with 1TB but move up to 32GB RAM. In addition, LG is currently offering a deal that will get you a 32GB memory model for the price of a 16GB one (with the same screen size) if you order from LG’s website between now and April 16th.

We were intrigued by LG’s stylish new notebook during our CES demo. Its lid and keyboard deck are made with iridescent Gorilla Glass 3 (with a nano-magnesium alloy base). It has a vanishing trackpad that visually and tactilely blends into the keyboard base when you aren’t using it. They’re light, too: Even the larger model weighs a mere 2.7 lbs (Engadget’s Cherlynn Low had no problem doing a bunch of bicep curls with it). However, we were less sure about its build quality, as the 16-inch model yielded a bit during our lifting tests on the CES floor — and we've run into build-quality issues with past LG Gram models.

The LG Gram Style has a 3,200 x 2,000 OLED with a 120HZ refresh rate for the 16-inch model and a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED at 90Hz for the 14-inch variant. It runs on Intel’s latest 13-generation Core processors.

Amazon may not be done widening the scope of its layoffs. Amazon chief Andy Jassy has sent a memo to staff indicating the company will cut another 9,000 jobs in the "next few weeks." The reductions will primarily affect Twitch, advertising and cloud computing divisions like Amazon Web Services, according to the message. The CEO also warns that the final cuts aren't likely to be finalized until mid-to-late April, and that Amazon won't inform affected workers until that point.

Jassy says the expanded layoffs follow a "second phase" of operational planning focused on trimming costs. Some teams weren't ready for the initial round of layoff announcements in November, and the company wanted to announce decisions early to provide information "as soon as possible," Jassy adds. The online retailer is promising severance pay, transitional health insurance coverage and help finding jobs elsewhere.

Amazon confirmed the memo's existence to Engadget following a leak by CNBC. As before, Jassy attributes the cutbacks to an "uncertain economy" and lingering doubts about near-future performance. The firm wants to be "more streamlined" while still having the resources to invest in better experiences, the executive claims.

The company said it would lay off 10,000 employees last fall, but adjusted that to 18,000 in January. At the time, most of the cuts focused on retail and recruiting. Last year, Amazon shuttered some of its physical stores and wound down some business units.

Developing...

Amazon's Echo Show 8 is our pick for the best smart display for Alexa users, and it's now on sale for $75 at various retailers. While we've seen this deal before, it's still about $20 below the 8-inch display's typical street price and $55 off Amazon's list price. For reference, the device's all-time low is $70.

We gave the Echo Show 8 a review score of 87 when it launched a couple of years ago, and we currently recommend it in our guides to the best smart displays and best smart home devices. It generally offers the best blend of price and performance within Amazon's smart display lineup; the Echo Show 5 is a bit too small for general-purpose use, while the Echo Show 10 and its rotating display are much pricier and bulkier. The 8-inch, 1,280 x 800 resolution display here, on the other hand, is sizable enough to make video calls and photo viewing comfortable but not so large that it'll look out of place in a kitchen or bedroom. Its built-in speakers are capable of filling a room, and the whole thing is powerful enough to pull up the weather, control your smart home gear, stream video and do other Alexa tasks without much sluggishness. And while no smart speaker or display is really ideal for those protective of their privacy, the Echo Show 8 has a physical camera shutter and mic mute button for when it's not in use.

Like all Echo devices, the Echo Show 8 will work best if you've already invested in other gadgets that work with Alexa. If you're not in that ecosystem but still want a smart display, the 7-inch Google Nest Hub might be a better buy in this price range, as it integrates better with common Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar and YouTube. (The latter only works through a web browser on the Echo Show.) It lacks a camera for video calls, though that might be a good thing for the more privacy-conscious. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer an Alexa-based smart display, this is a decent deal.

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This is a good moment to snag Apple's wireless earbuds for your springtime excursions. Amazon is once again selling the third-generation AirPods for $150. That's near the all-time low price, and could make them a safe choice if you're looking for easy-to-use buds for casual listening and calls. Just be prepared to wait a little while. As of this writing, Amazon is estimating delivery in roughly three weeks.

The third-gen AirPods are clearly Apple's best "default" wireless earbuds to date. As we noted in our review, they sound much better than their predecessors while delivering extra battery life and a comfier fit. Toss in spatial audio support and they're a reliable pick if you're an iPhone owner and want no-nonsense audio for your daily commute. They integrate well with the Apple ecosystem, and you may even prefer them over higher-end options if you want to hear some of the outside world.

They're not as ideal if you're an Android user, of course. More importantly, though, you may want to consider Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro — they're currently on sale for $200, and worth the extra outlay if you want active noise cancellation, a more secure fit or gym-friendly water resistance. With that said, there's no need to pay for more than the base AirPods if you're listening to podcasts or otherwise aren't fussy about sound.

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