We’ll get into Samsung’s bigger foldable below, but first let’s talk about a new, kind of, PS5. You might have struggled to get a PS5, though anecdotal evidence suggests a lot of us have been able to find consoles as stores stock up, but that hasn’t stopped Sony sneaking out a slightly new model. According to a teardown of the digital (no disc-drive) PlayStation 5 by Austin Evans, there seems to be a smaller, lighter heatsink and a new screw to attach the console to its stand.

So no, this isn’t like the smaller PlayStation consoles the company likes to roll out during a console’s midlife — it’s way too early for that. It does show that the company is looking for ways to shave production costs and get these consoles into profitability.

Interestingly, Sony already stated it’s selling the disc-based PS5 at a profit. Games consoles typically sell at a loss for the first couple of years after launch. Hopefully, that smaller heatsink will still handle the bigger, more lavish titles on their way to the PS5.

— Mat Smith

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

Doing the most and yet not enough

David Imel for Engadget

The Z Fold 3 is an impressively refined foldable, with water-resistant hardware that feels sturdier than before. It offers nifty S Pen support — important when this is a fallow year for Samsung’s Galaxy Note series — smoother screens, capable cameras and some helpful software. Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low, however, isn’t quite sold. Using its outside screen as a regular smartphone remains uncomfortable, and its internal display — a technical marvel — isn’t great for casual texting or browsing.

Continue reading.

A $600 e-ink typewriter inches an Engadget editor towards writing a novel

But the Freewrite's price and quirks make it impractical for most.

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

News Editor Nathan Ingraham is looking to flex his creative writing skills, and the Freewrite helped him do exactly that, avoiding all distractions associated with writing (well, typing) on PCs.

The Freewrite combines a mechanical keyboard with an e-ink display and is meant purely for drafting text. There aren’t even arrow keys, so editing anything more than a few words back is a non-starter. It has WiFi, so you can sync your drafts to Dropbox, Google Drive or Evernote, but that’s about the only concession it makes to the internet age. 

Read on for how he fared.

Apple Watch Series 7 will reportedly offer larger cases and screens

New watch faces may take advantage of the bigger displays.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims Apple’s Watch Series 7 will come in larger 41mm and 45mm case sizes (up from 40mm and 44mm) with bigger screens to match. As with the Series 4 launch, when the watch faces also changed, there will reportedly be new watch faces to take advantage of the added visual real estate.

Apple normally updates its smartwatches alongside its iPhones in September. In short, it won’t be long before we know if the rumors are true.

Continue reading.

Google reportedly offered Netflix a special discount on Play Store fees

It might also have charged more than necessary.

A newly unsealed consumer lawsuit against Google alleges the company offered to take a "significantly reduced" cut of Netflix's Play Store revenue to quell the streaming giant's "displeasure." Netflix, Spotify and Tinder all supposedly tried to get around the requirement to use Play Store's in-house billing system, and deals like this were meant to keep Netflix using Google's payment platform.

The same filing also includes a claim that Google's normal revenue share is arbitrary. The company typically asks for a 30 percent cut of Play Store purchases, but it apparently could break even with a mere six percent. Internal communications suggest Google chose the 30 percent share for no reason "other than copying Apple," according to the lawsuit.

Continue reading.

The biggest news you might have missed

Apple Workers say they've collected almost 500 toxic workplace stories

GoPro's next Hero action camera might offer a leap in image quality

Clubhouse adds spatial audio to create more immersive audio chats

Google Pixel 5a teardown shows that it's still a challenge to repair

Rumor hints the next iPhone might boast satellite communication

Following the class-action lawsuit between Apple and app developers, the company has agreed to change several App Store rules, including allowing developers to email users “about payment methods outside of their iOS app” — think Netflix and Spotify offering subscription setups through the internet browser, all without Apple taking a cut. This was a key part of the Epic vs. Apple trial.

The company is also promising more transparency around its app review process and offer more price points to app makers from “fewer than 100 to more than 500.” The agreement also includes a $100 million payout, split among smaller developers who earned $1 million or less. It’s not money for Spotify, Epic and the bigger, most vocal, app owners. There are a few more wrinkles to the App Store changes. Engadget’s Karissa Bell elaborates on what's going on.

— Mat Smith

The Rock has some new Under Armour headphones

Noise cancellation and 45-hour battery life.

Under Armor

Hollywood's busiest man Dwayne Johnson has found time to release another pair of headphones with Under Armour branding and, well, JBL tech. The cans are essentially an updated version of the durable over-ears released in 2018, but now with adaptive noise canceling and 45-hour battery life. With speed charging, you should get two hours of playback time in five minutes.

Continue reading.

Amazon Prime Gaming's free titles for September include 'Knockout City'

Subscribers will also get new loot for 'Genshin Impact' and other games.

Amazon is adding some more free titles for Prime Gaming subscribers. One of the latest additions is Knockout City, a recent release from Velan and EA. It's a cross-platform dodgeball brawler launched in May that's already available through Xbox Games Pass Ultimate and EA Play. Anyone addicted to Genshin Impact — which is free to play everywhere — can get a nice grab bag of loot if they’re a Prime Gaming subscriber.

Continue reading.

After nearly 40 years, the designer of the NES and SNES retires from Nintendo

Lance Barr also helped shape the Wii.

Jason Leung on Unsplash

NES and SNES designer Lance Barr has retired from Nintendo after 38 years and eight months at the company. Although relatively few know his name, he played a role in the rise and rise of Nintendo.

Barr made his biggest mark when he was asked to design the outside of the NES to make the Famicom more palatable for American audiences. As requested, he made it look like it belonged next to a stereo system (complete with a VHS-style cartridge loader) compared to the "soft" Japanese model.

His influence continued at Nintendo, and in more recent times he helped design the Wii and its nunchuk controller.

Continue reading.

HP Pavilion Aero review

It's an affordable laptop that punches well above its own weight.

Daniel Cooper / Engadget

HP’s use of AMD’s speedy mobile processors means this machine can do a lot more than other ultraportables in its class. Available for less than $1,000, the cost alone will let you see past some of its more pedestrian features. There are plenty of ports, and while it’s not exactly an inspirational design, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Continue reading.

Finally, all iOS users will get YouTube’s picture-in-picture mode

Only for Premium users to start with.

YouTube is promising picture-in-picture (PiP) viewing to all iPhone and iPad users in the US, starting with volunteers using Premium. You'll have to opt into the test through the experiments website on your computer, but you're all set after that — you can watch clips in a floating window. It’s just the first step: The company hasn't said when it plans to enable PiP for non-Premium subscribers.

Continue reading.

The biggest tech news you might have missed

Apple will take a smaller cut of in-app fees from publishers who use Apple News

Engadget Deals: Apple Watch SE (44mm with cellular) is down to $300 at Amazon

Electrify America's charging station app finally supports Android Auto and CarPlay

'Star Trek: Lower Decks' wants you to know it's OK to like 'Voyager'

Tesla's redesigned iPhone app features two new home screen widgets

Palantir glitch allegedly granted some FBI staff unauthorized access to a crypto hacker's data

Google's YouTube Music app for Wear OS only works with Samsung's upcoming smartwatches

OnlyFans is back. Or at least, business will continue as usual for now. Best known for its adult videos and images from independent creators, the site decided to bring the ban hammer down on adult content last week, citing that big banking was to blame for the sudden shift in policy. Apparently, as of yesterday, OnlyFans has found a way forward. It says it’s “suspended” the ban on pornography for now, but has otherwise left creators and the rest of us in the dark as to the details. In an email to creators, OnlyFans said it’s got “banking partners’ assurances” that it can support the whole gamut of content hosted on the site.

The next challenge for the company are the issues highlighted in a recent BBC investigation of its activities. The report outlined how illegal content from some creators was able to make it onto the site, and how banning policy seemed to contort to fit its most popular creators.

— Mat Smith

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review

Still the best Android smartwatch.

David Imel for Engadget

Samsung features a new OS, body composition measurement and sleep-tracking features as well as upgraded sensors and processor in its Galaxy Watch 4. According to Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low, while those are helpful, it’s the core smartwatch experience (what used to be known as Tizen) that shines. Unfortunately, battery life suffers as a result of all those new features.

Continue reading.

The next Marvel game is a turn-based RPG from the creators of XCOM

Apparently, no perma-deaths.

Firaxis Games/2K

XCOM developer Firaxis has unveiled Marvel's Midnight Suns, a turn-based role-playing game based on the Midnight Sons team from 1990s crossover issues. The modern take has you play a new Marvel co-created superhero, The Hunter, with help from Midnight Sons members, like Blade, Ghost Rider and Wolverine, and Avengers including Captain America and Iron Man.

Midnight Suns comes to PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch and Windows PCs in March 2022.

Continue reading.

A Discord music bot is going offline after YouTube crackdown

It's shutting down on August 30th.

If you're a Discord user, there's a good chance you've benefited from Groovy Bot, which lets people jam together with music from YouTube, Spotify and others. But it turns out Google didn't appreciate its ability to rip music out of YouTube. The company has sent a cease and desist letter to Groovy Bot's owners, and against the might of Google, they're not putting up a fight: Groovy Bot will go offline on August 30th.

A YouTube spokesperson noted that Groovy Bot violated its terms of service, particularly because it modified the way YouTube worked and charged for the privilege. If Groovy Bot were merely free, it may have been able to live on — the premium subscription might be what killed it.

Continue reading.

Kanye West's new album 'Donda' comes on a remix-it-yourself gadget

You’ll be able to split up the elements of each song.

Kanye West

West and electronics design firm Kano have introduced a Donda Stem Player that, as the name implies, lets you remix music from Kanye's upcoming album Donda (plus your own tunes) using song stems. The gadget can apparently isolate song parts and control aspects like bass, drums, samples and vocals, though it’s unlikely to be able to perfectly lift out separate elements. You can order the Stem Player now for $200. 

Continue reading.

'Halo Infinite' is launching on December 8th

It was confirmed at Gamescom.

After a year-long delay, Halo Infinite will arrive on December 8th. Developer 343 Industries confirmed the timing during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live event yesterday. However, this date was leaked just hours before the show started. To celebrate, however, we did get a new multiplayer gameplay trailer. 

Take a look here.

The best wireless headphones you can buy right now

Sony, Bose, Apple and even Razer have headphones worth considering.

In the last two years, true wireless earbuds have made quite the leap. There’s no doubt the popularity of Apple’s AirPods helped make these headphones a mainstay, but companies’ ability to offer reliable connectivity, great sound and active noise cancellation (ANC) in an increasingly smaller form factor has hastened widespread adoption. Here’s our updated guide to the best options out there.

Continue reading.

The big news you might have missed

Fitbit's Charge 5 packs an ECG and stress response sensor

How to clean and organize your Mac

Facebook is reportedly mulling a commission to advise on elections

Special-edition 'Halo Infinite' Xbox Series X and controller arrive on November 15th

President Biden is meeting with Apple, Google and Microsoft on cybersecurity

Lucid is offering two variants of its Air Dream Edition luxury EV

South Korea to end its controversial gaming curfew

Saints Row gets a gritty reboot set in the 'weird west'

Marvel's 'What If…?' turns grim in its third episode with mixed results

Were you ready to be underwhelmed? Microsoft really didn’t have all that much to reveal, it seemed, despite the 90-minute run time. (Thankfully, we’ve shaved it down to an 11-minute highlight reel you can watch here.)

The problem with Xbox’s show was that it was so heavy on developer interviews. There really weren’t many headline announcements, either, besides further expansion of Xbox Cloud Gaming — more on that below. Wringing the gaming news towel dry, Psychonauts 2 got a new launch trailer, and we got a better look at the Xbox-bound version of Microsoft Flight Simulator and some shiny vehicles for Forza Horizon 5.

I guess we go back to playing Hades on our Xboxes for now.

— Mat Smith

Peloton's newer, safer Tread will be available to buy on August 30th

Its cheaper treadmill is back.

Peloton

Last year, Peloton introduced its new lower-cost Peloton Tread to the market, which was around $1,800 cheaper than the original Tread+ ($4,295). However, the company had to recall both its treadmills after reports of several injuries and one fatality. The Tread had to be recalled because its touchscreen console could detach and fall.

There are, of course, improved safety features, including Tread Lock, a mandatory four-digit digital passcode to stop children from activating the treadmill. Tread Lock will be available for both All-Access members as well as those without. There’s also a physical safety key that a runner can pull to quickly stop during a class.

Continue Reading.

Xbox Cloud Gaming will bring streaming games to its consoles

Just in time for 'Halo Infinite.'

Starting this holiday season, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will have access to cloud gaming on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One consoles. It could be a huge deal as you'll be able to fire up more than 100 games without having to download them at all. At some point in the future, Xbox One owners will be able to play some Series X/S games through the cloud, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator. Naturally, you won’t get the full next-gen experience on last-gen consoles, but Microsoft is targeting 1080p gameplay at 60 frames per second.

Continue Reading.

Pint-sized 'Pac-Man' and 'PAW Patrol' arcade machines for kids are on the way

The Arcade1Up Jr. machines each feature a trio of games.

Arcade1Up

Arcade1Up’s latest arcade cabinets are aimed at a younger crowd. Much younger. The first two machines in the Arcade1Up Jr. line center around the Pac-Man and PAW Patrol franchises. The former includes a trio of arcade classics: Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug. The PAW Patrol system also features three games: Chase is in a Race, PAW Patrol Off Duty and PAW Patrol Pups on the Go! Prices will start at $280.

Continue Reading.

‘Destiny 2’ The Witch Queen expansion heads to PC and consoles on February 22nd, 2022

It’s the fourth expansion for ‘Destiny 2’.

Bungie’s new expansion will have players facing off against the long-teased witch queen. There will be new crafting mechanics — which you’ll need to make new custom weapons and mods. The expansion was first expected to land earlier this year, but as the headline says, the new release date is currently early 2022.

Continue Reading.

Sorry I missed your 30th birthday, Super NES

My unhealthy obsession with Nintendo's finest enters a fourth decade.

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

The SNES wasn’t Nathan Ingraham’s first console. Like many kids of the ‘80s, he started with the NES. But that system never quite felt like his. But the Super NES, that console was his. After saving his allowance, finally, at some point in 1992, he had the console, two controllers and Super Mario World. And he never looked back.

Continue Reading.

The best student discounts we found for 2021

And the best gaming laptops for students.

Today’s Back to School guide features the best discounts for students. Like Amazon Prime, for $60 a year if you’re in college, with everything the regular package offers. Apple, meanwhile, will throw in free AirPods when you buy selected Macs or iPads to embark upon your educational dreams. On the laptop front, we’ve also scrubbed through the best gaming laptops for the most affordable machines we could find.

Continue Reading.

The big news you might have missed:

Waymo opens its self-driving taxis to 'Trusted Testers' in San Francisco

Xiaomi is slowly phasing out its Mi branding

SpaceX has already shipped 100,000 Starlink satellite internet terminals

Yamaha's $500 wireless ANC headphones pack 3D sound and head tracking tech

Movies Anywhere is using AI to create lists of the movies you own

Engadget Deals: August's WiFi smart lock drops to $179 at Wellbots

Oculus update lets Quest headsets auto-sync VR media to mobile

You can now buy the $299 Oculus Quest 2 with 128GB of storage

EA pledges not to sue over its accessibility patents and technologies

It’s the weirdest cryptocurrency heist so far. On Monday, Poly Network, a cryptocurrency finance platform, was hacked by “Mr. White Hat” who exploited a vulnerability in its code to steal $610 million in Ethereum, Shiba Inu and other cryptocurrencies. The company now says it has recovered all the money it lost in the theft.

Less than a day after stealing the digital currencies, the hacker started returning millions saying they were “ready to surrender.” They subsequently locked more than $200 million in assets in an account that required passwords from both them and Poly Network. They said they would only provide their password once everyone was “ready.” At that point, Poly Network offered the hacker a $500,000 reward — a fraction of what they had stolen.

It’s not entirely clear why the hacker surrendered, but it may have been difficult to cash out the millions. The hacker says they were trying to contribute to the security of Poly Network. Maybe they just didn’t want to get caught. Poly will breathe a sigh of relief as will those that were doing their crypto trading through the platform.

— Mat Smith

A Razer mouse can bypass Windows security just by being plugged in

The company says it's fixing the flaw.

Security researcher Jon Hat posted on Twitter that after plugging in a Razer mouse or dongle, Windows Update will download the Razer installer executable and run it with SYSTEM privileges. It also lets you access the Windows file explorer and Powershell with "elevated" privileges, which means nefarious types could install harmful software — if they can get to your USB ports.

Since this vulnerability requires someone plugging in a mouse, it's not nearly as dangerous as a remote attack, but it's still not great for Razer. The company's security team said it’s working on a fix. 

Continue reading.

Finally, the ‘Stardew Valley’ esports tournament is a thing

Farm, mine and fish your way to glory on Labor Day weekend.

ConcernedApe

Esports is most commonly associated with high-octane competitive games, usually with guns. That’s not the vibe in Stardew Valley, where you literally tend to crops. It’s more agrarian, less aggro.

But soon, some of the world's finest Stardew Valley players will face off for thousands of dollars. Creator Eric Barone said the first official Stardew Valley Cup event will take place on September 4th. “It’s a competition of skill, knowledge and teamwork, with a prize pool of over $40k.”

More than 100 challenges have been created for competitors to tackle, with four teams of four players each having three hours to complete as many of the tasks as they can. Best start sharpening that hoe.

Continue reading.

NASA’s latest video from Mars looks like ‘Dune’

A new video from the Curiosity rover is here.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory released a breathtaking panorama of the inside of the Gale Crater, as snapped by the Curiosity Rover. It shows off where the rover has been and where it’s going. Apparently, on a clear day when there’s no dust in the air, you can see up to 20 miles away.

Continue reading.

PayPal brings its cryptocurrency trading feature to the UK

Even in small units.

PayPal is bringing the ability to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrencies across to the other side of the pond, the better part of a year after it launched in the US. In a statement, the company said that UK-based users would be able to buy, hold and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash via their PayPal account. The company adds that users can buy as little as £1 of cryptocurrency, and while there are no fees to hold the currency, users will have to pay transaction and currency conversion fees. And hey, it’s not Poly.

Continue reading.

'Twelve Minutes' ruins a compelling game concept

I’ve been waiting a while for this, too. 

Annapurna Interactive

Twelve Minutes managed to hook several Engadget editors when it was revealed back in 2015. Even before it gained an all-star cast including Daisy Ridley, James McAvoy and Willem Dafoe, the pitch was easy to understand: a time loop point-and-click adventure. I made a note to keep an eye on the title, and Devindra Hardawar, who reviewed the game, did the same.

Unfortunately, the need to push the story in any — most! — directions leads to some grim choices by the player, and what Devindra calls “mind-numbingly dumb” twists. Tell us how you really feel.

Continue reading.

Apple employees are organizing to push for 'real change' at the company

“We’ve exhausted all internal avenues,” the group says.

A group of current and former Apple employees are calling on colleagues to publicly share stories of discrimination, harassment and retaliation at the company. The collective has started a Twitter account called Apple Workers.

"For too long, Apple has evaded public scrutiny," the group says on its website. "When we press for accountability and redress to the persistent injustices we witness or experience in our workplace, we are faced with a pattern of isolation, degradation and gaslighting." In August, the company put Ashley Gjøvik, a senior engineering program manager, on paid administrative leave. Apple hasn’t yet commented.

Continue reading.

The best streaming gear for students

It’s not just laptops and keyboards.

Being a student is hard, but just because you’re holed up in a dorm room doesn’t mean you should settle for mediocre entertainment. Our updated Student Buyer’s Guide has everything you could possibly need to upgrade from mindlessly watching Netflix on your laptop. That includes deals for TVs, audio gear and the best streaming devices.

Continue reading.

Take a first look at the live-action ‘Cowboy Bebop’

It’s coming November 19th.

Netflix

Netflix's live-action adaptation of classic anime Cowboy Bebop has been a long time coming, and the show finally has a release date. The 10-episode first season will start streaming on November 19th. There’s still no trailer, but we get some stills of the iconic crew, played by John Cho (Spike Spiegel), Mustafa Shakir (Jet Black) and Daniella Pineda (Faye Valentine). There’s a corgi, too.

Continue reading.

Virgin Orbit plans to go public

It’ll go on the Nasdaq exchange to fund its space satellite project.

Mike Blake / Reuters

Virgin Orbit, the less glamorous half of Virgin’s space adventures, has announced plans to go public on the Nasdaq stock exchange through a special purpose acquisitions company (SPAC) merger. The deal with NextGen Acquisition Corp. II values Virgin Orbit at $3.2 billion.

The combined company is expected to pull in up to $483 million in cash when the deal closes, and it plans to scale up its rocket manufacturing. The first spaceflight company to go public through a SPAC, and the company that really kicked off the SPAC trend was Virgin Galactic back in 2019, which sought to fund its tourist trips to space. Yeah, the more exciting facet of space companies.

Continue reading.

The biggest stories you might have missed

The best laptops for college students

'Outriders' is perfectly average, making it ideal for Xbox Game Pass

Teardown shows the Playdate won't suffer from controller drift like the Switch

Rare commemorative Game & Watch handheld sells for $9,100 at auction

T-Mobile is giving customers a free year of Apple TV+

Data leak exposed 38 million records, including COVID-19 vaccination statuses

The OnePlus Buds Pro feature smart ANC and a white-noise mode

WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption requirements demand a “main device,” which seemed to halt the kind of seamless messaging you’d get with Apple’s messaging app and other third-party options. In July, WhatsApp said it was working on next-generation encryption that would enable a true multi-device connection without requiring a connection to a smartphone. Part of that might include a dedicated tablet app, according to tweets from WABetaInfo, an account that often reveals incoming WhatsApp features ahead of time.

Dado Ruvic / reuters

The update will apparently be part of a multi-device beta, with both iPads and Android tablets usable as "linked devices" to a WhatsApp account, with a native app in tow.

I’m a WhatsApp user. Apple’s iOS Messages never caught my attention, and let’s just ignore Android’s equivalent. I know I should be using the more secure, less ‘Facebook’ Telegram app, too,but I always come back to WhatsApp, probably because it took so long to coax my family and international friends across from SMS and email years earlier.

Along with the web app, meaning I can use WhatsApp from my work laptop (sorry, boss), it’s another bid to keep WhatsApp seamlessly working across my life. And make it harder to leave the Facebook-owned messaging app, even if I want to.

-Mat Smith

The best SSD for your PlayStation 5

And how to install one.

Aaron Souppouris/Engadget

If you’re eager to expand the storage on your PS5, you’ll need access to the early beta — easy enough to do — and the confidence to open up your new console and install a speedy SSD yourself.

Fortunately for you (and me) Executive Editor Aaron Souppouris, who knows a little too much about hard drives, has done the research and even installed a new SSD, sharing the process with the rest of us.

Continue reading.

Four new games land on... the Atari Lynx

What you got, Game Gear?

James Trew / Engadget

If you’re a retro gamer, it’s hard not to ignore the Atari Lynx. While it was the first color hand-held console, its small library of games (under 100 official titles) and general mishandling by Atari itself earned it little more than a walk-on role in gaming history. A few dedicated folks still hold a candle for it, however, with new titles now more common than they were a decade ago. Here are four new games you can play on original hardware, complete with cartridge and box. 

Continue reading.

The best study-from-home essentials for students

These tools may actually make you want to hit the books.

It’s time to upgrade your study-at-home setup so you’re not crushing essays from a corner of a couch and giving yourself neck pain. Yep, we’ve got several ergonomic posture savers alongside decent wireless keyboards, mice and more.

Continue reading.

Google has already discontinued the Pixel 5

The Pixel 6 should be here soon.

Chris Velazco / Engadget

Google just released the excellent and relatively inexpensive Pixel 5a, and the company has taken the opportunity to clean house, shedding the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G from its online store. On Google's store in the US, both phones are out of stock currently, which means the only Pixel phones currently available are the Pixel 5a (which doesn't arrive until August 26th) and the Pixel 4a, which doesn't have 5G.

Google announced the Pixel 5 on September 30th last year, so it seems likely that we'll get an official release date (and price) for the Pixel 6 sometime in the next month. 

Continue reading.

Apple is reportedly releasing a redesigned, more powerful Mac mini this fall

It might run on the same "M1X" processor rumored to come to the MacBook Pro.

A redesigned Mac mini with an "M1X" chip could arrive in "the next several months." The M1X hasn't been announced, but it's been the shorthand over the last year or so for a chip that can outperform the M1 that Apple currently offers. This timeline comes from the reliable Mark Gurman at Bloomberg.

Apple is also expected to redesign the Mac mini and add more ports to the small desktop computer. This Mac mini might be more focused on power users and will also likely cost more than the current models Apple offers. The company may keep the M1 model around as a more basic and affordable option.

In addition to the Mac mini, Apple is also expected to introduce redesigned MacBook Pro models this fall. 

Continue reading.

The biggest stories you might have missed

ICYMI: We open (and close) the Galaxy Z Flip 3

Facebook releases Q1 'widely viewed content' report following criticism

Apple is reportedly releasing a redesigned, more powerful Mac mini this fall

Hitting the Books: How Tesla engineers solved the problem of exploding EV batteries

Cadillac’s luxury EV debut seems like a winner

Google is shutting down the Android Auto phone app

Bethesda is releasing a 10th anniversary edition of 'Skyrim'

In a surprising twist, OnlyFans, a video site best known for its adult videos and images from independent creators, is banning, well, explicit videos and images. The site has exploded in popularity over the last few years, with more than two million creators offering content to their paid subscribers. Many of the top creators on the platform share adult content.

In a statement, OnlyFans said the move was “to ensure the long-term sustainability of our platform.” The company said it was due to pressure from banking and payment partners, but a damning BBC investigation revealed that OnlyFans had let a lot of illegal content from creators make it on to the site.

The BBC tested whether OF would allow users to promote themselves as young teenage creators with photos. It apparently did, until the BBC asked the video-sharing site about these accounts. The report makes this sudden direction shift seem less, well, sudden.

OF will ban users from uploading photos and videos of "sexually explicit conduct" as of October 1st. Nudity will apparently still be allowed, as long as creators stick by OnlyFans' Acceptable Use Policy.

Could the site suffer a similar fate to Tumblr? When that social network instituted a ban on adult content, it saw popularity plummet. OnlyFans is a little different in a few ways. The major difference is how it offers a way for creators to directly make money from its audience.

After the company’s 20 percent cut, that is.

— Mat Smith

Tesla is working on a humanoid robot

Of course it is!

Tesla

While Tesla’s AI Day was a relatively dry tour through the company’s AI tools and ambitions, there had to be One More Thing. That thing was the Tesla Bot.

Tesla boss Elon Musk said it would be a “friendly” humanoid robot, slow and weak enough for you to outrun and overpower it — just in case the robot uprising.

Musk said the company plans to have a prototype of the Tesla Bot ready by next year. I’m taking bets on which year we’ll actually see it.

Continue reading.

Galaxy Z Flip 3 review

The best foldable yet is still a tough sell.

David Imel for Engadget

Ready for a foldable? The Z Flip 3 is a satisfying upgrade from the original, thanks to water resistance and a larger, more useful Cover Display. According to Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low, its $1,000 starting price puts it in the same class as flagships from Apple, Google and Samsung itself, too. However, the Flip 3 is held back by battery life and potential durability issues.

Continue reading.

Watch Apple's latest 'Foundation' trailer, with a giant space elevator

The blockbuster sci-fi series premieres on September 24th.

Apple has offered another look at its latest sci-fi saga, Foundation. The latest trailer doesn't reveal too much about the story — based on a series of Isaac Asimov novels — but it has some impressive visuals, including an elevator that, according to showrunner David S. Goyer, stretches around 26 miles into space.

Continue reading.

'Quake' 4K remaster is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC

Only ten bucks.

QuakeCon may not have happened last year due to the pandemic, but id Software is hoping a Quake remaster might help distract its fans. Out now for $10 on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, the game now has support for widescreen resolutions up to 4K, dynamic lighting and anti-aliasing. Regardless, it still looks like Quake to me.

Continue reading.

'Call of Duty: Vanguard' first look

Taking the series back to WWII

Sledgehammer Games / Activision

Call of Duty: Vanguard, the next entry in Activision's long-running first-person shooter series, arrives November 5th. Like 2017's Call of Duty: WWII, the studio's previous project as lead developer on the franchise, Vanguard takes the series back to where it all started: the Second World War. According to the game’s creators, the game is pitched as a “filmic blockbuster,” with characters, set pieces and everything you might expect from a war movie. 

Continue reading.

All the big news you might have missed

'Lower Decks' is an indictment of Abrams and Kurtzman-era Star Trek

Twitter's latest round of updates are about to hit your DMs

Dell's new monitor lineup includes a $350 portable second screen

Facebook took hours to remove livestream of Library of Congress bomb threat suspect

Microsoft announces a $60 wired Xbox Stereo Headset

Cricket customers will get free HBO Max, if they don't mind ads

After a bit of a break from the headlines, the Pokémon juggernaut is back. A Nintendo Direct event yesterday gave us a better look at Pokémon: Legends, a new kind spin-off title from the Pocket Monster universe. Combining the cute monsters with feudal Japan aesthetics is a fun twist, and it looks like Legends will offer a different kind of battle system. Battles are still turn-based, but rather than Pokémon each taking a turn and trading blows, their stats and equipped items dictate the order of actions.

Each Pokémon's four moves has two styles: agile style and strong style. The former speeds up your action speed and might bump up your next turn in the queue, but the move will be weaker than unusual. It appears this action queue will be core to battles in Legends.

And if you’re just here for Pokémon silliness, you’ll be able to ride your Pocket Monsters around like steeds and, well, jet skis.

— Mat Smith

Holoride’s in-car VR gaming system leaves the track for the real world

Cruising in San Francisco, shooting drones.

Engadget

Holoride’s VR gaming system for passengers caught our attention a few years back at CES when we were given a track ride in an Audi and had the game react to the movement of the vehicle while we played. Well, the company is back, and this time it demoed two games and threw off the shackles of the track for the real world. Roberto Baldwin tackles a new kind of in-car entertainment.

This tiny robot delivers insulin to your body without external needles

The device lives in your abdomen.

Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

Researchers from Italy have created a robot that deals with diabetes without needles. PILLSID involves two separate parts: an internal insulin dispenser that a doctor would surgically implant in your abdomen and a magnetic capsule loaded with the hormone. When you need to top-up, you swallow the capsule, which makes its way to the dispenser.

In a test involving three diabetic pigs, the research team found the system could successfully manage insulin levels for several hours. In some instances, they found bodily fluids from the pigs would leak into the robot. It’s early days for now.

Continue reading.

Website mapping DC’s tunnel network warned FBI of suspicious traffic ahead of Capitol riot

The obscure online resource saw a spike in activity.

The Washington Post via Getty Images

The FBI received a tip-off about suspicious activity ahead of the Capitol Riot on January 6th from a surprising source: a recreational mapmaker. Elliot Carter contacted law enforcement after his site about Washington, DC's underground infrastructure got a spike in activity from suspicious websites. His warning eventually made it to the highest ranks of the Capitol Police.

His "online tip" to the FBI was even mentioned in the US Senate Rules and Homeland Security committees' June 2021 review of the US Capitol insurrection.

Continue reading.

Facebook has banned 3,000 accounts for COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation

It removed more than 20 million individual posts.

Since the start of the pandemic, Facebook has taken a much tougher stance on health misinformation than it had in the past, removing millions of posts for sharing misinformation. Now, we know how many accounts, groups and pages have been banned from the platform for repeatedly breaking those rules: just 3,000.

But the relatively low number of bans tracks with findings by researchers who say that only a few individuals are responsible for the vast majority of vaccine mistruths on social media. Facebook’s VP of Content Policy, Monika Bickert, told reporters that the company has had to continually evolve its policies, noting that some groups have used “coded language” to try to evade the company’s detection. 

Continue reading.

The big news you might have missed

DTS will integrate TV speakers into WiFi surround sound setups

T-Mobile confirms data breach affects over 47 million people

Laser-powered fusion energy inches closer to reality

Jabra's latest earbuds are for people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss

Samsung is removing ads from its own Android apps

The Roku Channel adds free content from IGN, the Tribeca Film Festival and more

Audio-Technica's updated M50x wireless headphones have multi-device support

Roku devices are back on sale at Amazon, including the Streambar for $99

The best Switch controllers for every player level

Epic Games’ latest addition to Fortnite is called Imposters, and it helps players scratch their Among Us itch without, well, playing Among Us. Each match features two teams of eight agents and two imposters. There’s a new level to play — one that looks incredibly similar in structure to an existing Among Us level. Hmmm.

This is Fortnite’s second attempt at an Among Us-ish mode — remember last year’s The Spy Within? — but it’s a smart move because it doesn’t center on gunplay or shooting skills. For those reasons, Among Us swiftly became one of my favorite games to play online during the pandemic with non-gamer friends. Anything but more Zoom quizzes, right?

As an imposter (aka the fun part of the game), you can make agents and imposters temporarily look like Fortnite’s mascot, Peely, as well as teleport everyone to a different location on the map. And, like in Among Us, you have the power to freeze any assignments other players are working on.

The developers of Among Usreacted as you might expect.

— Mat Smith

Swiss university claims it broke the record for Pi calculation​​

62.8 trillion digits of Pi.

Most people know the value of Pi as 3.1416, but it's gotten longer and longer over the years. Now, a team from the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden in Switzerland claims it has broken the world record for computing the mathematical constant. If confirmed it’d blow the current record holder, Timothy Mullican, out of the water. He calculated up to 50 trillion digits and was recognized for his work last year. The team in Switzerland, however, reached 62.8 trillion digits. Guinness has yet to confirm the new record, but after it does, the university plans to publish the new and expanded value of Pi.

Continue reading.

Activision drops 'Call of Duty: Vanguard' teaser ahead of official reveal

It will launch within 'Warzone' on August 19th.

Activision has released a teaser trailer for its upcoming Call of Duty installment, Vanguard. It features elements clearly indicating the game is set during World War II. It shows old weapons, a German forest and a beach littered with the remains of planes from the era. Activision plans to officially launch Vanguard during an in-game event within Call of Duty: Warzone, its free-to-play battle royale title. The event, Battle of Verdansk, starts at 10:30 AM PT/1:30 PM ET on August 19th — that’s tomorrow. 

Continue reading.

Watch these robots tackle parkour

Boston Dynamics’ robots are learning parkour now.

Boston Dynamics

The now-Hyundai-owned robot company has shared a new video showing its humanoid bots successfully completing a parkour routine that included vaulting beams and even a backflip.

Watch here.

Google Pixel 5a review: The 4a 5G wasn't broken, so Google didn't fix it

It’s a lot of the same stuff.

Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

Before the Pixel 6 breaks cover, how about a newer midrange Pixel phone? Yes, as predicted, Google’s Pixel 5a has appeared, and we’ve given it a full review. If you liked what you heard about its predecessor, the Pixel 4a 5G, then there are not many surprises. It’s largely the same phone, but this time packing water resistance. Terrence O’Brien tests everything out — including what seems to be a very impressive battery life.

Continue reading.

Scuf Gaming’s new Xbox Series X/S controllers might beat Microsoft’s own

They’re not cheap, though.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

Welcome to the world of luxury gamepads. Scuf, a brand that once collaborated with Microsoft on an official high-end gamepad, has now tackled the Xbox Series X/S with the new $170 Instinct and $200 Instinct Pro controllers. They bring back fan-favorite features like an interchangeable faceplate while also improving the buttons and switches. Kris Naudus tests out some luxurious controllers aimed at the professional gamer — or at least the very serious ones. 

Continue reading.

Watch the trailer for the new ‘Star Wars’ anime anthology

It hits Disney+ on September 22nd.

Lucasfilm

Disney previously offered a behind-the-scenes look at its anime series, and now it has revealed the first trailer. You can watch it in either the original Japanese with subtitles or an English dub. Expect to see droids, lightsabers, Stormtroopers and more. The nine-episode run starts next month.

Watch here.

The best Nintendo Switch accessories you can buy

We cover the Switch Lite, too.

So you have a Switch. You’ve got the games, but you need a case. Or another controller, or simply more storage space? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s the best ways to upgrade Nintendo’s hybrid console — before that OLED option even lands.

Continue reading.

The big news you might have missed

Nura's newest wireless earbuds are only available through a subscription

Qualcomm unveils its first 5G-capable reference drone

Timbuk2 made some dedicated gamer bags with Astro

Loupedeck Live is a compelling alternative to Elgato's Stream Deck

Engadget Deals: Apple's MacBook Pro M1 is $200 off right now at Amazon

'Carpool Karaoke' is returning from a pandemic hiatus (and moving to Apple TV+)

We knew Google was readying another phone ahead of its new own-chip Pixel 6 flagships, but the company’s cheaper A series might reappear earlier than we thought. The Pixel 5a could appear any day now, according to the latest reports from, of all places, repair shops. The latest rumors include a larger battery (4,680mAh battery up from 3,800mAh) and an August 17th release date — which would be tomorrow.

Cherlynn Low/Engadget

We’re already expecting the Pixel 5a to land with a dual-camera system and a headphone jack, the latter of which is rare in 2021. Older rumors suggested the 5a might cost $450, a hair less than the Pixel 4a 5G but well above the $350 of last year’s Pixel 4a.

I’ve said it before, but Google’s Pixel A series is often a more compelling device than its highest-priced phones, striking a good balance between specs and performance — especially when it comes to camera performance. Similarly priced phones may look the same on paper, but the Pixel’s imaging capabilities, which lean hard on AI and software, typically produce great images in most situations. I’m sure the Pixel 5a is likely to continue this winning formula — even if it lacks that homemade Google chip.

— Mat Smith

NASA sends a 3D printing system for lunar soil to its space station

It could help plan for future Moon and Mars habitats.

NASA

NASA's latest International Space Station resupply mission included a machine meant to demonstrate 3D printing regolith (loose soil or rock) on the Moon and similar extraterrestrial surfaces.

The Redwire Regolith Print (RRP) project will work in tandem with an existing printer system (ManD) to try 3D printing simulated regolith. If that succeeds, the ISS crew will gauge the strength of the resulting material to see if it can handle the harsh conditions beyond Earth and work as a possible building material for future habitats. 

Continue reading.

Warner Bros. 'Reminiscence' promo puts you in the trailerYou can watch yourself on screen with Hugh Jackman, kind of.

Warner Bros.

The promo for Warner Bros.’ upcoming Reminiscence movie uses deepfake technology to embed you into a short video sequence with its star, Hugh Jackman. You can upload the photo of anybody you want, and the experience will conjure an animation for the face in it. You might have to wait your turn, however. When I tried it out, I got stuck at the waiting screen for a while. Test it for yourself here.

Continue reading.

Matter smart home networking standard delayed to 2022

The one smart home standard to rule them all.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance has delayed Matter's rollout from late 2021 to the first half of 2022. Smart home standards (and a lot of smart home news) can be a snoozy affair, but Matter could be what we need to get anything with WiFi and/or Bluetooth to speak to each other in our homes. Amazon, Apple, Google and many smart home device makers (such as Nanoleaf and Signify) are already committed to it, so you can see why a smart home standard like this might… matter.

Continue reading.

The Switch sweeps Japan's game sales chart

The first time this has happened in 33 years.

Every game on Famitsu's August 8th weekly Top 30 chart was a Switch title, ranging from Super Mario Maker 2 in 30th place to Minecraft at the top. It's reportedly the first time a platform has swept the chart since November 1988, when Nintendo's own Famicom (the NES for the rest of us) dominated the list.

Continue reading.

The big news you might have missed

These 'vaccine passports' are why we can have nice things

Disney says it found ways to compensate talent in the wake of 'Black Widow' lawsuit

ICYMI: We listened to Samsung's $150 Galaxy Buds 2

How a radio telescope cost this West Virginia town its modernity

Engadget Deals: Apple's AirPods Pro fall back to $180

Huawei accused of pressuring US firm to install a data backdoor