Intel is bowing out of making its own mini PCs. The chip designer has confirmed to Engadget that it's ending its "direct investment" in its Next Unit of Compute (NUC) business. Instead, the company will rethink its approach to help partners foster the NUC PC market. The firm will honor its existing commitments, including support for NUC systems already in customers' hands.

The company doesn't explain why it's ending production of first-party NUC machines. However, there's little doubt the company is reeling from a bleak computer market prompted by both a rough economy and the early pandemic surge in sales. Intel's revenue has plunged by more than a third in the past two quarters, and its PC-oriented Client Computing Group has been one of the worst-hit divisions. As ServeTheHomenotes, a move like this lets Intel offload a non-essential business and focus on making chips. The company sold its server business to MiTAC earlier this year.

Intel launched the first NUC in 2013 as a tiny, barebones PC kit meant to showcase both the latest processors as well as the possibilities for compact desktops. Over time, they evolved into more complete systems with robust performance and, in some later incarnations, dedicated GPUs. You could use them at home, but they also had a following in business — they were useful for compute clusters and other situations where size and simplicity mattered.

The NUC faced a number of challenges, however. While some models were better-suited to gaming and other demanding tasks, it became a challenge to stuff increasingly power-hungry CPUs and GPUs into compact cases. Intel also faced increasingly stiff competition. In the home market, the Mac mini is arguably the best-known mini computer. At work, brands like Dell and Lenovo offer more flexible configurations and stronger support for the corporate crowd. Simply put, there's not as much reason for the NUC to exist as there was a decade ago.

Nothing has finally unveiled the Phone 2 after plenty of teasers, and it's likely what you're looking for if you thought the Phone 1 was underpowered — or if you simply couldn't buy the earlier model where you live. The new device offers performance much closer to a flagship thanks to a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip versus the mid-tier 778G+ from last year's hardware. While that's still not cutting edge, the company claims it's 80 percent faster. It enables 4K video at 60 frames per second, too, and RAW HDR photography captures eight frames (and thus more overall scene detail) instead of three frames like its predecessor.

Accordingly, Nothing says it has upgraded the Phone 2's camera quality. The updated 50MP primary and 50MP ultra-wide rear cams now have 2X "super-res" digital zoom, object tracking and other imaging updates. The front camera, meanwhile, jumps from a 16MP sensor to 32MP. As with some competitors, there's now an "Action Mode" to deliver extra-stable video recording.

There are some more conspicuous changes. You can expect a larger 6.7-inch, 120Hz LTPO OLED (if still 1080p) screen with a higher 1,600-nit peak brightness and thinner bezels. There's a tapered "2.5D" glass back. And yes, the signature Glyph lighting on the back is more advanced. In addition to more LED segments, you can create different lighting sequences for every contact and notification type. You can also have persistent lights for must-see notifications, and some lights now double as progress trackers for delivery and ride hailing services like Uber.

Nothing

Software plays a considerably more important role. Where the first model only had a few modest customizations, Nothing OS 2.0 on the Phone 2 lets you tweak considerably more. You can now have multiple home screens with custom color themes, grid sizes and app labels. You'll likewise find customizable folders, and a more advanced widget set includes shortcuts to quick settings. Those widgets are available on the lock screen as well.

The Phone 2 is billed as longer-lasting thanks to its 4,700mAh battery, and you'll get a complete charge in 55 minutes. The 15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging aren't surprising, but they're not always present in this upper-midrange phone segment.

Crucially, the Nothing Phone 2 will be priced right when it arrives in North America. It will be available in the US and Canada on July 17th at 4AM Eastern starting at $599 (and an oddly high $929 CAD) for a version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Pay $699 ($999 CAD) and you'll get 12GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, while the top-end 12GB/512GB configuration sells for $799 ($1,099 CAD). Pre-orders are available now, and there will be early sales on July 13th through physical "Nothing Drops" in New York City (69 Gansevoort Street) and London (4 Peter Street).

There's no mention of North American carrier deals as of this writing, so this sequel might not be as easy to find as more mainstream offerings. However, the launch in the region remains a big deal. The Phone 2 significantly expands the audience for Nothing's handsets, and provides fresh competition to bang-for-the-buck phones like Google's similarly-priced Pixel 7.

Don't fret if you need to upgrade your computer's peripherals. Logitech is offering discounts of up to 50 percent on gaming and productivity gear for Prime Day, including keyboard, mice and other accessories. Most notably, this includes enthusiast hardware. The minimalist G915 TKL gaming keyboard is down to $150, or 30 percent off, while the number pad-equipped G915 Lightspeed is $170 (32 percent off). The eSports-friendly G Pro X Superlight mouse has dropped to $110 (31 percent off), while the more affordable G305 Lightspeed mouse has dipped to $30 (40 percent off). And if you're mainly interested in getting work done, the original MX Keys keyboard is on sale for $105 (13 percent off).

Other gaming peripherals on sale include the G535 headset at $80 (38 percent off) and the G29 racing wheel combo for $200 (50 percent off). Recent iPad Air owners can snap up the Folio Touch keyboard case for $110 (31 percent off), and creators can buy the Litra Glow light for $50 (17 percent off).

We like the G915 TKL for gaming in unconventional environments, such as on your lap. It's thin, light and takes up little space, but it still offers quality mechanical switches and flashy lighting. Our only major objection was pricing, which isn't as much of an issue at this price. The MX Keys, meanwhile, is excellent for typing and packs a full keyboard into a surprisingly small footprint.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Samsung widened its OLED TV range early this year, but it didn't include any sets larger than 77 inches — you still had to turn elsewhere if you wanted a bigger set. That won't be an issue after today. The company has introduced an 83-inch model to its relatively affordable S90C series. The 4K screen shares the smaller models' 144Hz QD-OLED panel technology, AI-powered HDR mapping, Dolby Atmos support, soundbar syncing and "lite" object tracking audio.

As with other S90C variants, you only miss a few features compared to the top-end S95C. You won't get the slightly better display, external connection box or almost-flush wall mounting, and you'll want the S95C if you insist on more advanced built-in speakers with full object tracking. In that sense, the S90C is a sweet-spot offering that delivers nearly all of the experience for considerably less money.

The 83-inch S90C is available now for $5,400. That's significantly more than the 77-inch TV's normal $3,600 price. There's no S95C equivalent as we write this, though, so this is your only choice from Samsung if you want OLED's deep blacks and vivid picture while insisting on the largest display possible.

The catch, of course, is that Samsung doesn't exist in a vacuum. LG already has very large OLED sets, and this year's 83-inch C3 officially sells for $5,300. It includes Dolby Vision HDR support you won't find on Samsung TVs, for that matter. You'll want the S90C if you prefer Samsung's interface and specific feature bundle.

The constant pressure to treat TikTok as a national security threat appears to be working, albeit only on some people. A Pew Research Center survey indicates that 59 percent of American adults see TikTok as a danger, but that this perception varies based on whether or not someone uses the service. Only nine percent of TikTok users see the social network as a major threat, while 36 percent of non-users feel the same. In all, 42 percent of users see the service as any kind of risk where 65 percent of outsiders are worried.

It won't surprise you to hear that age plays a significant role in the perception of TikTok. Only 49 percent of users under 30 see TikTok as any threat (just 13 percent as a major threat), but those figures climb higher with older demographics. About 65 percent of those over 65 are nervous about TikTok, and 46 percent of that group sees it as a critical threat. Politics are also a factor. A whopping 76 percent of conservatives are concerned where 49 percent of liberals share that sentiment.

Roughly 64 percent of American adults are at least somewhat worried about TikTok's data handling practices, Pew adds. Again, the figures change based on age. Only 54 percent of people under 30 feel that way, while 75 percent of those over 65 are concerned.

The study was taken just as Montana enacted a law banning TikTok in the state, and long after politicians from both major US parties called for national bans. The platform is already banned on most federal devices. The reasoning is frequently similar. Officials are concerned that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, might feed American users' data to the Chinese government or influence algorithms to spread pro-China propaganda.

TikTok has repeatedly denied Chinese government influence, and has taken a number of steps to reassure US politicians. It's storing US data domestically, offering transparency into its code and firing staff that improperly access sensitive data. However, those measures haven't done much to assuage government representatives — and the Pew data suggests the public is similarly wary.

If you've been eying Google's midrange phone but felt it was a tad too expensive, now's the time to act. Amazon is selling the Google Pixel 7a at a new low price of $449, or $50 off. The savings apply regardless of color. The discount makes it a considerably better value, and puts it on par with rivals like Samsung's Galaxy A54.

The Pixel 7a remains our favorite midrange Android smartphone for a good reason. It's as fast as its higher-end counterparts thanks to the Tensor G2 chip. Moreover, it delivers features that aren't always easy to find in this price class, including a 90Hz display, wireless charging and IP67 water resistance. Combine that with Google's usual top-tier photography and this might be all the phone you need.

There is one reason for pause. Google's standard Pixel 7 is down to $499 as of this writing, and it still offers a few advantages over the 7a. It packs a slightly larger and higher-quality screen, more advanced camera sensors and faster wireless charging. You also have the option of 256GB of storage if the 7a's 128GB isn't enough. You may prefer the 7a's smaller screen, though, and the $50 you save could be rolled into accessories like a case and earbuds.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Microsoft might be raising the price of Xbox subscriptions in most countries, but it's sweetening the deal for newcomers. The company is once more running a promo that offers the first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1. The PC Game Pass is also discounted to $1. You'll have to pay the usual monthly rate afterward ($17 for Ultimate on console, $11 for PC), but the introductory price could help you get a feel for the services without making a full commitment.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes a catalog of "hundreds" of games you can play on console, PC and through cloud gaming. First-party titles arrive as soon as they launch, and there are member-only perks that include discounts, in-game DLC and a handful of EA games. PC Game Pass doesn't include streaming or the EA selection but is otherwise similar.

This comes just weeks after Microsoft raised the price of Game Pass Ultimate for new subscribers from $15 to $17. This is the first time the price has gone up since Ultimate debuted in 2017. Microsoft pins the increase on changing "competitive conditions," but it's also a reflection of an evolving strategy. Both Microsoft and its rival Sony are increasingly dependent on subscriptions for revenue, and the Game Pass Ultimate hike could help on that front.

Yuji Naka likely won't face prison time over his insider trading. Tokyo judge Madoka Hiruta has given the Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator a suspended 2.5-year prison sentence, deferred for four years, as well as two fines worth the equivalent of $1.1 million and $14,000. Naka's actions hurt the "fairness and soundness" of the stock market while wounding investors' trust, Hirtua says.

Naka pleaded guilty in March to violating Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. While working at Square Enix, he bought shares in the game studio Aiming before its partnership with on Dragon Quest Tact became public knowledge. He made about $150,000 in profit after selling his shares. The developer also faced insider trading charges for buying shares in Ateam, the developer of the short-lived mobile battle royale game Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier.

Two other former workers, Taisuke Sasaki and Fumiaki Suzuki, were also arrested for buying Aiming shares. Square Enix previously said it was cooperating with investigators and had instituted safeguards to prevent insider trading.

This kind of activity isn't new in the technology space. It's rare in the gaming world, however. and surprising when it involves a successful developer like Naka. While this won't necessarily hurt the Sonic franchise, it certainly doesn't help his reputation.

Another European car manufacturer is adopting Tesla's charging technology. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will use the North American Charging Standard (NACS) on new North American EVs starting in 2025. Drivers will initially get access to the Tesla Supercharger network before through a CCS-to-NACS adapter arriving in 2024.

This won't affect Mercedes' plans to deploy a high-speed charging network of its own starting this fall, according to the company. The company expects to build over 400 "Charging Hubs" in North America by 2030, with a total of 2,500 chargers available. The first installations are now set to include both CCS and NACS connectors, and will be open to non-Mercedes EVs.

Executives are clear about the reasoning. This expansion makes sure drivers have "fast, convenient and reliable" charging that improves the overall EV experience, Mercedes board chairman Ola Källenius says. Supercharger support provides access to many more charging points (over 12,000 Superchargers) — you're more likely to buy an EQB or EQS if you know you can travel cross-country and minimize charging times.

Mercedes is the first German automaker to adopt NACS, and the third European badge following Volvo and its sibling Polestar. Volkswagen is considering a switch, but hasn't committed to the idea apart from adding NACS to Electrify America chargers. In the US, companies like Ford, GM and Rivian have pledged support for Tesla's technology. The mobility association SAE is producing a standardized version of the plug that could help other vendors use the format.

This isn't a worldwide transition, and Mercedes' upscale focus will limit its reach compared to more affordable makes like Ford and GM. The switch to NACS increases pressure on VW and other rivals still using CCS in North America, though. They risk clinging to a less common EV plug that might hurt long-distance driving and, by extension, car sales.

Volkswagen is no stranger to testing self-driving cars, but now it's finally bringing those experiments stateside. The car maker is rolling out its first US fleet of autonomous test vehicles in Austin this month. The 10 modified ID.Buzz electric vans will use longtime partner Mobileye's Level 4 self-driving system (that is, full autonomy in some conditions) to collect driving data that will "validate and refine" technology. These early machines will include safety drivers.

The German brand plans to both expand its Austin fleet and grow testing to "at least" four more US cities. If all goes well, VW will launch commercial self-driving service in Austin by 2026. It will court third parties, too, by offering fleets of driverless ID.Buzz EVs to other mobility and transportation companies. The company also expects to employ people who previously worked with the defunct autonomous driving startup Argo AI.

The deployment isn't surprising. Although Ford shuttered Argo to focus on semi-autonomous features in the short term, full self-driving remains a hot category in the US. GM's Cruise is bringing its robotaxis to more cities, and Waymo is rapidly expanding its service areas. American testing is vital if VW expects to compete with these robotaxi rivals.

The emphasis on self-driving tech also reflects VW's ongoing transformation into an all-encompassing mobility company. It's adapting to an era where ridesharing and robotaxis will reduce the need for personal car ownership. Ride hailing and fleet deals could help VW thrive even if its car sales decline over time. Of course, that depends on driverless tech being ready in a timely fashion. Level 3 autonomy (hands-off motoring where the driver must be ready to take control) is only just reaching passenger cars in the US, and then only in limited circumstances. It could be a while before these platforms are advanced enough that autonomous taxis are practical on a large scale.