It looks like Elon Musk isn’t the only billionaire who doesn’t like having their private jet tracked. Pop star Taylor Swift has threatened legal action against a Florida student who set up multiple social media accounts that release real-time information as to the whereabouts of her personal aircraft, according to The Washington Post.

This is eerily reminiscent of the whole ElonJet scandal of late 2022, in which Twitter banned an account that was tracking Musk’s jet. As a matter of fact, the student facing legal action by Swift’s team is the same guy who ran that account. Jack Sweeney, 21, runs various social media pages that log the takeoffs and landings of aircraft owned by billionaires, politicians and, of course, pop stars.

Back in December, Swift’s attorneys wrote Sweeney a cease-and-desist letter that said the pop star would “have no choice but to pursue any and all legal remedies” if he did not stop publishing details as to her jet’s whereabouts, likening it to “stalking and harassing behavior.”

The letter went on to say that Sweeney’s actions had caused Swift and her family “direct and irreparable harm, as well as emotional and physical distress,” and had heightened her “constant state of fear for her personal safety.” It’s worth noting that Swift has had numerous stalkers and harassers throughout her career. Just last month, a man was arrested for stalking her at home on several occasions.

“While this may be a game to you, or an avenue that you hope will earn you wealth or fame, it is a life-or-death matter for our client,” the legal team wrote. The letter added that there is “no legitimate interest in or public need for this information, other than to stalk, harass, and exert dominion and control.”

Tree Paine, a spokesperson for Swift, made a direct line from Sweeney’s social media accounts to Swift’s harassers, saying that the pop star’s team couldn’t “comment on any ongoing police investigation but can confirm the timing of stalkers suggests a connection.”

Sweeney told The Washington Post that this is just an attempt to scare him away from sharing public data, noting that all of his jet-tracking accounts draw location information from the Federal Aviation Administration and volunteer hobbyists. Aircraft regularly broadcast their locations via transponders so air traffic controllers can see what’s going on. Anyone on the ground can pick up these signals by using a device called an ADS-B receiver, which are widely available online. “This information is already out there,” Sweeney said. “Her team thinks they can control the world.”

Swift’s team wrote that Sweeney is “notorious for disregarding the personal safety of others in exchange for public attention and/or requests for financial gain”, citing an incident in which he asked Elon Musk for $50,000 to take down the ElonJet account.

Facebook and Instagram banned Sweeney’s accounts that track Swift’s air travel late last year, but they’re still live on Bluesky, Mastodon, Telegram and other social media sites. His live-tracking accounts have been banned on X, but he’s allowed to post location data with a 24-hour delay. In addition to the world’s biggest pop star, Sweeney also tracks people like Donald Trump, Jeff Bezos, Kim Kardashian and Mark Zuckerberg.

It doesn’t look like Sweeney's planning to stop tracking the pop star's jet anytime soon. He's lawyered up to defend himself from legal action.

Apple Pay is one of the most popular digital payment services in the world, allowing users to buy stuff on iOS apps, the web and in real life. You can use it to pay with your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac, and it's accepted by thousands upon thousands of retailers. The cool thing about Apple Pay is that it actually digitizes debit/credit card chips, giving people the option of contactless payments. All you have to do is put your phone or watch up to the terminal.

However, you can’t do any of that stuff until you set up Apple Pay on your device. Here’s how to do just that.

How to set up Apple Pay on an iPhone

Apple Pay was originally envisioned as a mobile-only platform, so getting it set up on your iPhone will help you with every other device you own. To set up Apple Pay on your phone, add a debit or credit card to the Wallet app.

1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone. Look for a colorful wallet icon or search the phone’s contents to find it.

Engadget/Lawrence Bonk

2. Tap the Add Card button. You may be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID, so do that.

3. Select the card. The app will ask you what kind of card you’re entering, so click on Debit or Credit.

4. Enter the card information. You can do this manually or by positioning the card so that it appears in the camera frame. This enables the phone to snap a photo of the card. 

5. You can also click on Previous Cards. Clicking on Previous Cards lets you choose any cards you’ve used in the past to bring them into Apple Pay. You’ll get a list of possible cards via purchases made with your Apple ID and Safari AutoFill. Once you tap on a card, authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID.

Apple

6. Consider other options. Apple Pay also lets you enter driver’s licenses, state IDs and transit cards.

7. Finish up. Once finished, head to Settings to make final adjustments. Tap your preferred option as to how you want your card to appear. You can make it so cards show up on the screen when you double-click the side button or the home button.

8. That’s it. Now you can buy stuff by pulling up a digital replica of your card.

How to set up Apple Pay on an Apple Watch

Apple Watch integrates with Apple Pay for an incredibly convenient payment option, as you don’t even need your phone nearby. Here’s how to get set up on your smartwatch.

1. Grab your phone. This process is quicker if you already have a card entered into your iPhone, but we’ll walk you through both procedures.

2. Head to the Watch app. If you already have a card stored, open up the Watch app. Tap My Watch and then Wallet & Apple Pay.

Apple

3. You should see a list of available cards. Tap Add next to the card you want and then enter the CVV, which is the number on the back. That’s it. You should be able to use your watch to make payments.

4. Open the Wallet app on your watch. If you’re entering a card manually on the actual watch, start by opening up the Wallet app. Tap the More Options button and then Add Card.

5. Enter card details. Follow on the on-screen prompts to enter your various card details.

6. Finish up. Once finished, head back into the Wallet app. Tap More Options, followed by Default Card. Look for the card you just entered and tap it to set it as the default. You’re good to go.

How to set up Apple Pay on an iPad

The iPad is basically a big iPhone, so the set-up process is similar. You can’t use Apple’s tablet at a physical payment terminal, but it’s a great option for making online purchases.

1. Open up Settings. Head to Settings and tap Wallet & Apple Pay.

Engadget/Lawrence Bonk

2. Tap Add Card. You may be asked to sign in with your Apple ID. Have your login credentials handy. 

3. Tap Debit or Credit Card and then Continue. Just like with the iPhone, you can enter card details manually or let the tablet’s camera snap a photo of the card.

4. Consider previously-used cards. You can also click on Previous Cards and select cards that you’ve used in the past. This will bring up a list of possible cards. Tap on a card and authenticate with Touch ID.

How to set up Apple Pay on a Mac

Mac laptops and desktops are also a no-go for physical sales terminals, for obvious reasons. However, it’s still useful to have Apple Pay as an option when buying stuff online. Here’s how to get set up.

Engadget/Lawrence Bonk

1. Head to System Settings. On your Mac, head to System Settings. Next, click Wallet & Apple Pay.

2. Click on Add Card. You’ll be asked to sign in with your Apple ID. Enter your credentials and then return to Wallet & Apple Pay.

3. Enter card details. Click Enter Card Details Manually and input your payment information in the appropriate fields, or position the card in front of your computer’s camera so it appears in frame. The computer will snap a photo and record all relevant data. Double-check to make sure everything looks right.

4. You can also use a card that’s already on file with Apple. You should see a list of cards you previously entered for use on the iTunes Store or the App Store. Click on the desired card and enter the security code when asked.

5. That’s all there is to it. Keep an eye on your Apple ID account. If you sign out of your account to let someone else use the computer, you may have to set up Apple Pay again.

That’s it. Apple Pay is set up and ready to go. We also whipped up a guide on how to use the service once set up.

The popular MMO game Final Fantasy 14 is finally heading to Xbox Series X/S consoles, but there’s a major caveat. The full release will require an Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate subscription, according to publisher Square Enix. This will be in addition to the monthly fee to actually play the game.

Let’s break down the cost. A 30-day subscription to the game will set you back $15, while 90 days costs $42 and 180 days comes out to $78. Xbox Game Pass Core costs $10 per month or $60 for a year. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $17 per month. So Xbox players will have to shell out a minimum of $18 each month and a maximum of $32 per month to travel the magical world of Eorzea. The download itself is free, for whatever that's worth.

This is slightly unusual for a couple of reasons. Back in April of 2021, Microsoft removed subscription requirements for free-to-play multiplayer games. Final Fantasy 14, however, is not quite free-to-play, though it’s free-to-download. Also, PlayStation players have long been able to adventure through the game without having to purchase a PlayStation Plus Subscription. To Sony, the game falls into the free-to-play category, but not for Microsoft.

It’s worth noting that the subscription requirement has been lifted for beta players. The open beta test for the Xbox Series X|S version of Final Fantasy 14 starts on February 21 at 12AM PT.

The full game will be released when the beta finishes up, but there’s no concrete information yet. It should be available by the time this summer’s Dawntrail expansion hits. The open beta’s reserved for new players, so you won’t be able to participate if you’ve already had access to a free trial or a license registered to your Square Enix account.

Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, is laying off 10 percent of its workforce, according to an SEC filing and confirmed by a company spokesperson. The company reported a total number of 5,367 employees at the end of 2023’s third quarter, so the layoffs should impact around 540 people.

Snap discussed the decision in the SEC filing, saying the layoffs would “best position our business to execute our highest priorities” and ensure it has “the capacity to invest incrementally” over time. The company told us the layoffs were necessary to “reduce hierarchy and promote in-person collaboration.” None of those sentences really mean anything, so let's just go with "corporate restructuring." 

Snap said in the filing that it would be issuing severance packages to the impacted employees, but there's no specific information regarding package details. A Snap spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that it's “focused on supporting our departing team members.”

These layoffs are happening just one day before Snap is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings for 2023. The company actually did pretty well in Q3, beating out Wall Street expectations by about five percent, according to Variety.

If tomorrow's earnings report is bad, it'll show why these layoffs are necessary. On the other hand, if it's better than expected, Snap may be announcing these layoffs now to avoid doing so after a quarter of financial gains. Nobody likes to see a big company massively reduce its headcount after bragging about earnings. Snap told us the company’s in a “quiet period” until tomorrow’s Q4 financial report drops.

This follows another round of layoffs in November, in which Snap let go of 20 product managers. However, both of these news items pale in comparison to Snap’s massive culling in 2022, which eliminated over 1,300 employees.

Everyone’s favorite former Fear Factor host Joe Rogan has signed a new deal with Spotify that's likely to be worth $250 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. That's even more money than his first deal back in 2020, which was estimated to give the comedian $200 million. There’s no information as to the length of Rogan’s new contract, but it has been defined as a “multiyear” continuation of his various podcast ventures. 

Even better for Rogan’s bottom line? The deal allows Spotify to distribute Rogan’s podcasts on additional platforms, including a video version for YouTube. The contract stipulates a revenue-sharing agreement based on ad sales, so this will likely put a lot more money into the comedian's pocket. There’s also an upfront minimum guarantee for the world’s preeminent expert on all things Covid, but the financial amount remains undisclosed. 

Spotify is reportedly angling to renegotiate expiring contracts with existing content creator to offer lower minimum guarantees, but that may not apply to Rogan. The company’s also planning on revising these contract terms to allow for publication on other platforms, like YouTube, which is exactly what it's doing with Rogan here. 

There’s also likely an audience number target threshold, as was the case with his 2020 deal. He’ll sail right past that, however, as The Joe Rogan Experience continues to be Spotify’s most popular podcast, even beating Travis Kelce talking about Taylor Swift and, sigh, The Tucker Carlson Podcast. That’s the current top three.

Despite bringing in a metric ton of ears to Spotify, Rogan has been a regular source of controversy. He’s pushed a whole lot of ill-informed Covid nonsense throughout the years, which prompted doctors and scientists to call for an update to Spotify’s misinformation policy. This led to boycotts from both users and creators. Most famously, Neil Young pulled his songs from the streamer in protest. 

Spotify has long excused this stuff by calling itself a platform and not a publisher. However, this new deal quite literally has the company publishing Joe Rogan’s podcasts on other platforms. It's also, of course, been publishing Rogan on its own platform for years. 

There’s also the ever-present issue of how Spotify pays artists. The company is notorious for paying musicians very little, or even nothing at all. This leads one to dream of a world where musicians get a tiny piece of that Rogan pie, but, alas, that’s not in the cards. Spotify did set aside $100 million to foster diversity in podcasts and music, but ended up not really spending any of it. Hey, it’s the thought that counts.

Apple’s 10th-gen iPad is on sale via Amazon as part of a bundle that includes two years of AppleCare+ warranty coverage. The discount brings the price of the 64GB model down to $409 from $518, which is a savings of more than $100. Apple sells the basic iPad for $449, so it’s like getting two years of warranty coverage for free, plus a little bit of walking around money.

If the 64GB model doesn’t do anything for you, the sale extends to just about every SKU available for Apple’s entry-level tablet. You have your pick of multiple 256GB models and a range of tablets with cellular connectivity. All of the discounts are in the $110 range, just like with the 64GB model.

As for the tablet itself, the iPad doesn’t exactly need an introduction. This is considered the most “basic” of Apple’s tablet lineup, but it’s still a fantastic choice for streaming content, checking on the dumpster fire that is social media, playing games and doing all kinds of other stuff. This is the 10th-gen version, so you get some features that were formerly reserved for its higher-priced cousins. There’s USB-C, a large display with thin bezels and a front-facing camera on the landscape edge.

This tablet is powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, which is surprisingly speedy, considering it's not one of the newer M-class chips. The battery life is solid, lasting anywhere from ten to 12 hours per charge, depending on what you’re using it for. Otherwise, it’s an iPad. You know what to expect.

Of course, this isn’t a perfect tablet. It doesn't come with any accessories, like the Apple Pencil, and the display isn't the sharpest on the block. It’s also usually on the expensive side, given the internal specifications, but this discount assuages that a bit. The other major caveat is that new iPad models are expected later this year, but this one is still plenty capable. 

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You can grab a pair of the well-reviewed Google Pixel Buds Pro earbuds for $140 via Wellbots. Just enter the code “60ENGDGT” at checkout to get that sweet discount of $60, which is 30 percent off the MSRP. This isn’t the lowest price ever for these earbuds, but it’s close.

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro made our list of the best wireless earbuds, and for good reason. These are likely the best choice for Android and Pixel phone users. To that end, you’ll get access to Google Translate’s conversation mode, which translates conversations in near-real-time. These transcriptions are read in the language of your choice and piped right into the earbuds. We also noted that the audio drivers are much-improved over its predecessor, delivering deep and punchy bass.

In our official review of the earbuds, we called out the impressive active noise cancellation (ANC) performance, which was missing from the previous generation. We also liked the Bluetooth multipoint connection option and the reliable touch controls, which is something that earbud manufacturers often struggle to get right.

Not everything’s rosy in Pixel Buds Pro land, however, as the spatial audio feature still needs some work. Another major complaint was the price, an issue that this limited-time sale pretty much solves. As for other specs, the Google Pixel Buds Pro earbuds last up to 11 hours per charge, with up to 31 hours when including the charging case. These earbuds offer IPX4 water-resistance and wireless charging.

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Apple has made spatial video capture and playback a key selling point of its headset, but it won’t be the only device in town that can handle stereoscopic videos. Meta Quest virtual reality headsets are getting spatial video playback capabilities, perfectly timed to coincide with tomorrow’s Apple Vision Pro launch.

You can upload spatial videos via the Meta Quest mobile app directly from your iPhone, but you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max to make the videos. The content will be stored in the cloud, and not the headset, to preserve all-important hard drive space. Once uploaded, you’ll be able to relive precious memories over and over again, as the increased depth that spatial videos provide is pretty engrossing.

Meta has made several demo videos available for users so you can see what all the fuss is about. This feature is not exclusive to the recently-released Meta Quest 3. You’ll be able to view spatial videos via the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro. As usual, the OG Meta Quest is left out in the cold. It’s worth noting that the Viture One and One Lite XR glasses can also play spatial videos.

The video viewer is part of a larger system update that brings several other upgrades to Quest users. The headset’s web browser will now be able to play web-based games, with support for external gamepads. Additionally, Facebook live streaming is now available for everyone, after a limited rollout. Finally, there are some new single-gesture quick actions. You can, for instance, mute the microphone or take a photo just by looking down at your wrist and performing a short pinch. Hey, wait a minute. That also sounds suspiciously like Apple Vision Pro’s control scheme. Shots fired.

Pokémon Go creator Niantic is bringing an AR skateboarding game to the Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. The company teamed up with Reality Crisis, another player in the AR gaming space, to create Rodney Mullen’s SKATRIX. For the uninitiated, Mullen is a professional skateboarder who is credited with creating a number of iconic tricks, including the ollie and the kickflip.

This is the first augmented-reality skateboard game ever, unless you count using an actual skateboard to speed around town catching pocket monsters in Pokémon Go. Niantic says the gameplay will involve players navigating the real world to “explore and collect skatepark elements.” The game will use the same AR precision elements as the company’s other titles to “turn the world into an endless skatepark.” A gameplay demo shows an avatar skating in real-world locations like parking lots and inside of washing machines. However, there’s one really expensive elephant in the room.

The Apple Vision Pro costs $3,500 and isn’t exactly suited to removing from the living room, let alone the home. You’ll also look pretty stupid wearing Apple’s bulky ski goggles while out and about, not to mention it’d be mighty easy to snag it from your head and race away, perhaps on a real-life skateboard. 

To that end, Niantic and Reality Labs are also bringing the game to standard mobile devices, including iOS and Android smartphones. Much of the gameplay is still under wraps, but Niantic promises that players will be able to share custom-made skateparks with other users on both mobile devices and mixed-reality headsets.

Rodney Mullen’s SKATRIX will be released sometime this year. As for the Apple Vision Pro, the device looks to be getting all kinds of apps. The headset will have access to Microsoft’s entire 365 productivity suite at launch, along with a Zoom app. All told, Apple says there will be 600 apps available for tomorrow’s release.

Elgato’s going all-in on HDMI 2.1. The company just announced a pair of capture cards that support the latest display technology specification. The 4K X and 4K Pro offer true HDR10 support, USB 3.2 connectivity, VRR and can capture 4K gameplay at 144fps.

Also, this card actually works with newer USB-C iPad models. This is the first time a capture card has ever offered native support for iPads, according to Elgato and parent company Corsair. The 4K X is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers and captures 4K gameplay at 144fps, you need a native display that supports these metrics. Otherwise, you’ll capture 4K at 120fps. You shouldn’t get any screen tearing with this device, due to the magic of HDMI 2.1.

Also, this card actually works with newer USB-C iPad models. This is the first time a capture card has ever offered native support for iPads, according to Elgato and parent company Corsair. The 4K X is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.

The 4K Pro goes even further. This is a capture card in the traditional sense, as it resides inside of your PC. You get all of the features provided by the 4K X, but the passthrough spec bumps up to 8K and 60fps. Elgato claims this card will transform “your high-end single or dual-PC setup into a live-streaming powerhouse.”

To that end, the 4K Pro offers low-latency passthrough support up to 240fps in 4K, all while capturing 4K content at 1080p and 240fps. As you can see, this card boasts a wide range of specs, so you can adjust to find the best fit for your live-streaming needs. The card also integrates with the company’s Multi App tool, allowing you to send capture feeds to multiple apps at the same time. Elgato gives an example of recording raw gameplay while streaming simultaneously in OBS, Discord and Zoom. The 4K Pro is only compatible with Windows machines via a PCIe 2.0 x4 connection.

To that end, both cards work with most popular broadcast apps, including OBS Studio, Twitch Studio, Streamlabs Desktop, vMix and others. You also get access to the company’s capture management app, which exports content as AAF files for editing in Adobe Premiere, Vegas Pro and related software.

Both of these capture cards are available right now. The portable 4K X costs $230, while the PCIe-adjacent 4K Pro costs $280. In related news, Samsung just inserted HDMI 2.1 support into its Q990D soundbar.