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Handheld PCs have been around for years, but the arrival of the Steam Deck brought renewed interest and demand to the category — much like what the Nintendo Switch did for consoles back in 2017. And while the amount of engineering and tech that went into the Steam Deck is certainly impressive, Valve's mission to make a portable and affordable PC for gaming on the go means there's plenty of room in the handheld space for something with a bit more giddyup — which brings us to the Ayaneo 2.

Design: Like a Steam Deck, but fancier

While the Ayaneo 2 doesn’t deviate too much from the Steam Deck's basic blueprint, right from the get-go it's also apparent that this thing isn't some cheap knock-off either. It features a big 7-inch 1920 x 1200 LCD display with strong brightness (just under 400 nits in our testing) that's flanked by an Xbox-style controller layout. There are also handy buttons on each side for opening menus or functioning as shortcuts, along with some more customizable controls crammed in on top that by default serve as left and right mouse clicks. Even the power button has a built-in fingerprint sensor, which is a welcome bonus not available on the Steam Deck.

One of the things that impresses me the most is Ayaneo's attention to detail. The whole setup feels well-built. The PC's case is smooth and sturdy and has a very reassuring heft. In front, there's a single sheet of glass that goes across the face of the system (with cutouts for the joysticks and buttons), which gives it a slick, streamlined appearance. The company even went out of its way to ensure that there aren't any visible screws. Though if you do want to get inside, there's an included pick you can use to pry off the little covers on each side. Just be careful so you don't mess up the finish like I did.

Among other premium upgrades compared to the Steam Deck, the Ayaneo 2 sports magnetic hall sensor joysticks and shoulder triggers that feel crisp and snappy. There’s basically no dead zone, unlike what you get with Valve’s handheld. But my favorite thing about the Ayaneo 2’s design is that its touchscreen doesn't have any bezels, and almost looks elegant.

Finally, while I don't think either machine is truly pocketable, the Ayaneo 2 is definitely the more compact of the two. The Steam Deck measures nearly a foot across (11.7-inches) versus a more manageable 10.4-inches for the Ayaneo 2.

Ports and accessories: So many options

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Another quality that elevates the Ayaneo above its rivals is a wealth of ports. Not only do you have a 3.5mm audio jack and a microSD card slot for expandable storage, you also get three USB-C ports, two of which can be used for charging. That flexibility came in handy more often than I expected, because it gave me the freedom to plug in a power cable to either the top or bottom, which makes it easier to keep the cord out of the way no matter how you're holding the system.

On top of that, while Ayaneo makes a dock for its handhelds, because there are three USB-C ports along with two USB-A adapters in the box, you don't really need to buy one at all. Even without any additional dongles or hubs, you still have enough connectivity to plug in a mouse, keyboard and an external display, so it's really easy to use this thing as a standard PC in a pinch. And if that wasn't enough, Ayaneo even includes a charging brick, a couple of international power adapters, a USB-C cable and an extra set of screw covers.

Performance: Zen3 makes a big difference

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The other major advantage the Ayaneo 2 holds over the Steam Deck is raw performance. While Valve worked with AMD to create a custom chip based on the company's Zen2 architecture, the Ayaneo 2 sports a newer Ryzen 7 6800U chip built on the Zen3+ platform. That's a jump in processing power that you can really feel.

In benchmarks, the Ayaneo 2 scored 4,282 on 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme test, which is comparable or slightly better than what we've seen from similarly-priced laptops like the Surface Laptop 5 (3,848) or the XPS 13 Plus (3,505). And when gaming, the Ayaneo 2 is between 25% to 40% faster than the Steam Deck depending on the title. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider on high settings at 800p, the Ayaneo 2 averaged 54 fps versus 40 fps for the Steam Deck. And when I increased the game’s resolution to take advantage of the Ayaneo 2's full HD+ screen, it still managed to pump out a playable 35 fps at 1920 x 1200 ( in SotTR), despite pushing nearly twice as many pixels. It's a similar story in Elden Ring, where the Ayaneo 2 hovered around 55 fps in 800p at medium settings, compared to 48 fps for the Steam Deck, or at 40 fps at 1200p.

In use: A more luxurious way to game on the go

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Ok ok, enough about the design and specs, what is this thing actually like to use? Well, in short, the Ayaneo 2 addresses some of my biggest complaints about the Steam Deck, but in a smaller, more compact and better-performing chassis. Its screen is way brighter, more colorful and higher-res making everything look sharper too. And thanks to its Ryzen 7 6800U CPU, you can get similar framerates with the Ayaneo 2 at 1920 x 1200 versus 800p for the Steam Deck. I should also mention that, while the Valve's portable PC tops out with just 512GB of onboard storage, the Ayaneo 2 can be specced with up to a 2TB SSD, while still having a microsD card slot (with a neat protective cover) for extra room if you want it.

The Ayaneo 2's control setup is excellent too. That's because even without built-in touchpads, like you get on the Steam Deck, you can still easily navigate Windows 11 using the left stick, which doubles as a way to move your mouse cursor. Sure, that means you're probably not going to want to play Civilization 6 or an RTS on the Ayaneo 2, but even with more optimized controls, those games still feel clunky on the Steam Deck. Ayaneo's magnetic hall sensors in the analog sticks and shoulder triggers also deliver an incredibly responsive experience. And while I wouldn't call it a quiet system, when its fans spin up the whir isn't nearly as loud or annoying as what I get from my Steam Deck. (Note: For what it's worth, my Deck has the slightly whinier sounding Huaying fan.)

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, there are still more than a few awkward aspects about the Ayaneo 2. The first is that Windows 11 is kind of annoying to use with touch controls, though simply booting into Steam's Big Picture mode lets you sidestep much of that. Second, while I appreciate the included Ayaspace app, which serves as the company's consolidated game launcher and performance monitoring tool, the user experience feels a bit unpolished.

Changing the system's resolution from the AyaQuickTool window was often hit-or-miss. On top of that, when I installed an update to the AyaSpace app, its language setting reverted back to Chinese. That’s not a huge pain to fix, but I'd rather be playing games than diving through menus repairing something that shouldn't have changed. Then there are other little quirks like its weak rumble motors and not knowing what makes the lights underneath the joysticks change colors. That’s because aside from a couple of short quick-start manuals, Ayaneo doesn’t provide much documentation for the device, so you’re kind of on your own when it comes to figuring out the system’s more hidden features. (There’s a link to a FAQ doc in the AyaSpace app, but the whole thing is in Chinese, so it's not much help for many of us in the west.)

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now I should note that the company says it’s already working on a second version of the AyaSpace app, and in the month I've had the system, there have been multiple patches, so it's clear the company is committed to improving the situation. Still, while the Ayaneo 2's specs are top-notch, some of its software still feels like a work in progress.

However, a lot of the Ayaneo 2's weak points are made up for by the fact that it runs Windows, which means almost every game just kind of works. Don't get me wrong, I have a huge appreciation for what Valve is trying to do with SteamOS and for Linux gaming as a whole, but even with thousands of games that have been verified to run on the Steam Deck, there are thousands more that aren't (and in some cases, may never run right). With the Ayaneo 2, you simply have a lot more confidence that the next game you buy won't have issues when you boot it up.

And now let me turn things over to my colleague James, who has been testing out the Ayaneo 2’s emulation capabilities.

James' retro corner

James Trew

It would be decadent to recommend buying something like the Ayaneo 2 as an emulation-first device. But, it's worth talking about its performance here as it really does expand the potential library of games. Of course, if you want to rip ROMs from games you already own, you'll need to figure that side out yourself.

Obviously, with the power to run some fairly demanding PC games, the Ayaneo 2 will be more than capable of running everything up to the 5th or 6th generation of consoles without too much trouble. You'll be able to go beyond this, but with mixed results. Skate 3 on the PS3, for example, runs on the Ayaneo 2 at 60fps with almost no special configuration. The Last of Us, on the other hand, was only able to muster between 13-23fps, with the odd flicker above and below that.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Theoretically, you can almost come right up to the present day, with some industrious YouTubers getting Nintendo Switch games to run with varying levels of success. Of course, for now at least, this is the limit but if you had a library of old games and were hoping they might have a second life on the Ayaneo 2, the answer is that, unsurprisingly, it's a very capable emulator that benefits from built-in controls (which saves a surprising amount of meddling around).

Battery life: Could be better

One of the few shortcomings of the Ayaneo 2 is its battery life. That's because when compared to the Steam Deck which typically lasts three to four hours on a charge (depending on the title), the Ayaneo 2's longevity is closer to two or three. That said, you can adjust the power draw of the system if you want to improve energy efficiency, but in the end, this is the price you pay for increased performance.

Wrap-up

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

As I look back, I still think the Steam Deck was one of the most important gadgets of 2022. Putting premium laptop specs with great controls and surprisingly good battery life in a handheld PC that starts at just $400 is an unbeatable deal. But for people who want something a bit more premium, the Ayaneo 2 has a lot to like. It's got a cleaner, more compact design with a way better screen. Its joysticks and buttons also feel tighter and more luxurious. And on the inside, it's got a significantly more powerful chip that not only delivers solid performance at FHD+, [the decision to go] with Windows instead of Steam OS also means much wider game compatibility. Unfortunately, with the cheapest version of the Ayaneo 2 starting at around $850, you're also paying a premium for all those fancy upgrades. But if you've been searching for something that is essentially a Steam Deck Pro, the Ayaneo 2 is it.

One of Amazon's home security companies, Blink, unveiled its first wired floodlight camera during the e-commerce giant's fall event last year. Now, the smart security camera is finally available, and you can get it from Amazon's website for $100. While most of Blink's products are small, battery-powered devices, this one connects to your home's existing outside wiring. Its LED floodlights are also much brighter (2,600 lumens) than the lights (700 lumens) that come with the brand's older wireless model. 

The camera itself provides 1080p HD live view through the Blink app, as well as two-way audio, which gives you a way to talk to people or call any pets outside your house. Blink says the model features enhanced motion detection aided by Amazon's AZ2 Neural Edge Processor, and you can choose to get notifications on your phone if it detects any movement. The device also comes with the ability to sound a 105-decibel siren if you ever need it. And, yes, Blink's wired floodlight camera works with Alexa, allowing you to access its live view and other features with voice commands. 

You can save and share video clips captured by the camera, as well, but it will cost you extra. To do so locally, you'll need a Blink Sync Module with a USB drive attached, both of which are sold separately. But you can store clips in the cloud instead through the $10-a-month Blink Subscription Plan, which will also give you access to the company's new person detection feature.

It's already been over two years since Meta extended former President Donald Trump's "indefinite" suspension from Facebook. Now, the company has reinstated his account. In a statement, Meta said Trump would be able to access his Facebook and Instagram accounts in the "coming weeks," but there would be "new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses."

Trump's campaign had reportedly pushed for the former president to be allowed back on Facebook ahead of the upcoming presidential primaries. This decision from Meta comes just months after Elon Musk restored the former president's Twitter account. Trump has so far declined to restart his Twitter habit – he's been a Truth Social user since last year.

Another reason he's back could be Meta's handling of Trump's initial suspension, which it quickly extended from a 24-hour ban to an "indefinite" suspension. It was heavily criticized, even by its own Oversight Board, which chastised Meta for not following its own rules and trying to "avoid its responsibilities." Trump was initially booted from Facebook for publicly praising the rioters in the aftermath of the attack on the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

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'GoldenEye 007' will hit Switch and Xbox on January 27th

If you have Switch Online's Expansion Pack or Game Pass, it's free.

Nintendo

One of the best-loved Nintendo 64 games is coming to Switch Online's Expansion Pack this week. You'll be able to play the game on your Nintendo Switch on January 27th. The game will be available on Xbox on the same date. It's unusual to see a licensed game arrive on Nintendo's subscription service, but GoldenEye 007 is one that many fans have been looking forward to replaying (or even playing for the first time). It remains to be seen how well Rare's classic first-person shooter will hold up almost 26 years after its debut. Xbox owners will get some updates: dual analogue stick support, 4K resolution and "a consistent refresh rate." Oddly, there's no online multiplayer on the Xbox version.

Continue reading.

Senator Manchin tries to close battery loophole around $7,500 EV tax credit

He's trying to halt credits from being offered to foreign-sourced batteries before March.

Senator Joe Manchin, chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has introduced a new bill that squashes a small loophole around the Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) $7,500 EV tax credit. The new credits are restricted to cars with final assembly in the US, as well as those with a certain amount of North American battery content.

"It is unacceptable that the US Treasury has failed to issue updated guidance for the 30D electric vehicle tax credits and continues to make the full $7,500 credits available without meeting all of the clear requirements included in the Inflation Reduction Act," Manchin wrote in a statement. He added: “EV tax credits were designed to grow domestic manufacturing and reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains for the critical minerals needed to produce EV batteries."

Continue reading.

‘NBA All-World’ hands-on: Taking basketball video games back to the streets

Niantic's latest AR app might be the best use of its location-based tech yet.

Engadget

Niantic, creators of Pokémon Go, is launching a new title called NBA All-World, which might be the best application of its location-based tech to date. That said, the formula appears pretty similar: You get a starter player and use the in-game map to collect items, earn cash or battle other players. The big twist for NBA All-World is you'll need to visit real-world basketball courts to earn your spot on local leaderboards.

Continue reading.

Multiple Microsoft services, including Teams, Outlook and Xbox Live, go down across the world

It was apparently a network issue.

Multiple Microsoft 365 services went down for thousands of users worldwide, prompting the tech giant to investigate the incident affecting several of its products. In an update, Microsoft said it "isolated the problem to a networking configuration issue." By 4:26 AM ET, Microsoft "rolled back a network change" it believed was causing the outage, and it was monitoring its services as they started coming back online.

Continue reading.

IK Multimedia has launched the iRig Stream Mic Pro designed to be more versatile than typical multimedia mics from Blue and others. It combines a multi-pattern condenser microphone with a 24-bit, 96 kHz audio interface for iOS, Android, Mac and PC. That lets creators do things like marry their voice with music from a phone or tablet or connect easily to a media player, keyboard or other device. 

The company promises "crisp, clear and detailed" sound thanks to dual mic capsules that let you select from cardioid, figure 8, omnidirectional or stereo pickup patterns. The 24-bit, 96kHz converters allow for high quality output, which you can check through a headphone output with direct monitoring.

As for the audio interface, you can connect devices like a turntable, soundboard or keyboard directly using the stereo 3.5mm audio input. With the monitoring mix control, you can blend the director or recorded audio via the headphone output. 

IK Multimedia

It also features the company's Loopback+ that lets you not only add music from a smartphone or other device, but route the mic signal to a separate app to add reverb, EQ or noise-reduction. From there, you can send the signal to an app like TikTok, allowing for easier output "on apps that don't normally allow audio processing or adding background music," IK Multimedia said in a press release.

Settings can be selected and operated with a single control knob, and levels monitored via LED level indicators. It can run in stereo or multichannel modes , and includes cables for iPhones, iPads, Android devices and Macs/PCs. It's powered by its host and is MiFi certified.

All of the features are reflected in the price. Where Blue's Yeti is $100 and there are a bunch of good streaming mics under $100, the iRig Stream Mic Pro costs $170. That could actually be cheaper than the cost of a mic and interface together, however. It ships with some free apps including iRig Recorder 3 LE for mobile devices as well as MixBox CS (iPad) and MixBox SE (Mac/PC). It's now available for $170 at IK Multimedia's online store and select retailers. 

Joshua Browder, the CEO of New York startup DoNotPay, recently announced that his company's AI will represent a defendant fighting a traffic ticket in the courtroom on February 22nd. "[H]istory will be made," Browder wrote in his tweet. "DoNotPay A.I will whisper in someone's ear exactly what to say. We will release the results and share more after it happens," he added. We may never know how the "robot lawyer" will fare in court, though, because a few days later, Browder announced that DoNotPay is postponing its court case after he received threats of jail time from state bar prosecutors if he goes through with his plan. 

The CEO told NPR that multiple state bar associations had threatened his company, and one even said he could be imprisoned for six months. He told the media organization: "Even if it wouldn't happen, the threat of criminal charges was enough to give it up. The letters have become so frequent that we thought it was just a distraction and that we should move on." While the State Bar of California refused to talk about DoNoPay's situation, it told NPR that it has a duty to investigate potential instances of unauthorized law practice. 

Browder originally created DoNoPay as a free AI-powered chatbot that can help you draft letters and fill out forms for various legal matters. The company's "robot lawyer" is powered by several AI text generators, including ChatGPT and DaVinci, re-trained to know the law. A defendant using the technology in court would have worn smart glasses to record the court proceedings, as well as a headset that would give the AI a way to tell them what to say. 

As CBS News said in a previous report, though, the tech isn't legal in most courtrooms. Also, in some states, all parties must consent to being recorded. That's why of the 300 cases DoNotPay looked at, only two were viable candidates. In the end, Browder decided to put off the company's court ambitions and to focus on using AI to help people with issues related to consumer rights, specifically lowering medical bills, cancelling subscriptions and disputing credit reports, among others.

NPR said, however, that the CEO is still hoping that artificial intelligence could eventually help people in the courtroom. "The truth is, most people can't afford lawyers. This could've shifted the balance and allowed people to use tools like ChatGPT in the courtroom that maybe could've helped them win cases," he told the organization.

Following the recent announcement of the HomePod and new M2 MacBook Pros, as noted by MacRumors Apple has quietly adjusted the trade-in values it offers for its own devices. In the US, iPhone models are now frequently worth less than before. For instance, if you plan to trade in an iPhone 13 Pro Max anytime soon, Apple says it will offer up to $570 towards purchasing a new device. Previously, you could get as much as $650 for the company’s 2021 flagship. Other iPhone 13 models have similarly decreased in value. As of this week, an iPhone 13 Pro will net you up to $470 toward a new purchase, down from the up to $550 you could expect before. Meanwhile, iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini trade-ins are now valued at a max of $400 and $350, down from $450 and $380, respectively.

Not every iPhone has seen its trade-in value decline. For example, you can get up to $200 for an iPhone 11, just like you could before this week. The same is true of even older models like the iPhone X and iPhone 8. The value of iPad trade-ins hasn’t declined either. Bring an iPad Pro to your nearest Apple Store and the company will offer you up to $445. Interestingly, Apple is now offering more for most Mac trade-ins. Specifically, an old MacBook Pro model can now net you up to $670 on your next purchase, up from $630 previously, while you can expect up to $460, up from $440, for an older MacBook Air. You can find the complete list of trade-in values on Apple’s website.

Between its ongoing supply chain constraints, brutal rounds of layoffs and a plummeting stock price, the past year has been a glass case of emotion for Tesla and its embattled CEO, Elon Musk. Still, the company managed to produce nearly 440,000 vehicles and delivered over 405,000 of them — year over year increases of 47 and 40 percent, respectively — Tesla announced on Wednesday during the Q4 2022 earnings call. Those are both records for Tesla, as was the full-year deliveries of 1.31 million. Profits for the year totaled $12.6 billion.

"Despite the fact that 2022 was an incredibly challenging year due to forced shutdowns, very high interest rates, and many delivery challenges," Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, said during the call. "It's worth noting that all these records were in the face of massive difficulties. a credit to the team for achieving that."

The final quarter of 2022 was especially volatile for the electric automaker following the finalization of Musk's Twitter acquisition in late October. While the billionaire sought to split his attention between his EV company, his spaceship company and his new social media platform, Tesla shareholders revolted, furious that the automaker had lost some $620 billion in market capitalization that year. Musks antics at Twitter combined with his sale of Tesla stock to fund the acquisition sent the EV company's ticker tumbling, resulting in drastic price cuts — by as much as $20,500 in some cases. This, in turn, saw customers in China, angry that they had just purchased their vehicles at a higher price, raid Tesla showrooms to demand answers and restitution.  

"The most common question we've been getting on investors is about demand," Musk said. "I want to put that concern to rest. Thus far in January, we've seen the strongest orders here today then ever in our history, we currently are seeing orders at Almost twice the rate of production."

Those price cuts will continue into the new year. "In the near term we are accelerating our cost reduction roadmap and driving towards higher production rates," the company announced Wednesday. "In any scenario, we are prepared for short-term uncertainty, while being focused on the long-term potential of autonomy, electrification and energy solutions."    

Despite the turbulence, Tesla continues to expand its regional production capacities. In January, the company announced its $3.6 billion investment in two new factories, one of which will produce the long-awaited, repeatedly-delayed Semi electric 18-wheeler. The company aims to produce 1.8 million vehicles in total this coming year.

Developing...

More than two years after Meta extended former President Donald Trump’s “indefinite” suspension from Facebook, the company has opted to reinstate his account. In a statement, Meta saidTrump would be able to new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses.access his Facebook and Instagram accounts in the “coming weeks,” but that there would be "new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses.”

The decision comes after Trump’s campaign had reportedly pushed for the former president to be allowed back on Facebook ahead of the upcoming presidential primaries.

Trump was originally booted from Facebook in the aftermath of the attack on the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021, after publicly praising the rioters. Meta’s handling of the initial suspension, which it quickly extended from a 24-hour ban to an “indefinite” suspension, was heavily criticized, including by its own Oversight Board. In its decision weighing in on Trump’s suspension, the board slammed Meta for not following its own rules and trying to “avoid its responsibilities.”

Meta then revisited the suspension, and said it would last for at least two years. However, the company confirmed that Trump would eventually be allowed back on Facebook. Nick Clegg, Meta’s top policy official, said at the time the former president would be “subject to new enhanced penalties” for future policy violations.

Developing...

It's arriving several months later than expected, but Arkane's next big game is (relatively) close at hand. The studio has confirmed that Redfall will be available on May 2nd for Xbox Series X/S and Windows PCs, with launch day access through Game Pass. As before, the vampire-slaying shooter is an expansion of the formulas behind Dishonored and Prey — it's a stealth-friendly game built with multiplayer and unpredictability in mind.

Like other Arkane titles, Redfall hinges on player choice. You can directly fight the vampires taking over the game's namesake town, but you'll also be rewarded if you take the stealthy approach or make clever uses of your gear. The open world concept isn't strictly new (Prey had it), but the choice of characters and online play are. You can choose a hero that reflects your play style, and up to four people can take down the villains in co-op mode. Certain tactics only work when you're playing as a team.

The free-ranging gameplay adds some variety, but you can also expect weapons with randomized stats and customization. Some mechanics will be familiar. You'll find activities beyond the main story missions (such as rescuing survivors), skill trees and other systems that encourage doing more than the essentials.

It's too soon to say if Redfall will maintain Arkane's reputation. However, it's evident the developer is happy to build on its better-known gameplay mechanics rather than take some chances like it did with Deathloop. If you tried Prey and wished your friends could join in, though, you might be happy.

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is developing a new system to help military personnel perform complex tasks. Perceptually-enabled Task Guidance (PTG) technology uses sensors to see and hear what the user sees and hears, guiding them through AI-produced instructions displayed in augmented reality (AR).

PTG combines sensors (a microphone and head-mounted camera) with AI and AR headsets to integrate into the user’s environment. The idea is to help soldiers and other military personnel enhance their skills, complete complicated tasks and perform them better. DARPA has narrowed its focus to three areas: battlefield medicine (like untrained personnel helping medics in the field), sustainment (keeping military equipment up and running) and co-piloting (especially helicopters).

However, DARPA’s training demos use something more pedestrian: cooking. Dr. Bruce Draper, the program’s manager, describes it as the ideal proxy task. “[Cooking is] a good example of a complex physical task that can be done in many ways. There are lots of different objects, solids, liquids, things change state, so it’s visually quite complex. There is specialized terminology, there are specialized devices, and there’s a lot of different ways it can be accomplished. So it’s a really good practice domain.” The team views PTG as eventually finding uses in medical training, evaluating the competency of medics and other healthcare services.

DARPA

The personnel demoing the tech appear to be using a variant of Microsoft HoloLens. The government recently halted plans to buy more “AR combat goggles” from Microsoft, instead approving $40 million for the company to develop a new version. The reversal came after discovering that the current version caused issues like headaches, eyestrain and nausea.

DARPA is the Department of Defense’s “mad science” division. Founded by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1958 to develop cutting-edge tech for the US, many of the agency’s projects have trickled down into non-military products, including GPS, speech recognition, self-driving cars and robotics. Oh, and a minor technology called “the internet” also stemmed from DARPA’s late 1960s ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) program. It’s easy to imagine some form of PTG eventually following their lead into our everyday lives.