I’m not sold on foldable phones. They’re expensive, have questionable durability and — at least so far — don’t offer a compelling reason for the form factor. Having said all that, the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Samsung’s new clamshell foldable, is almost enough to change my mind.

Revealed alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which unfurls into a squarish almost-tablet display, it’s the $1,000 Flip 3 that had me considering buying a foldable.

Maybe it’s because Samsung seems to be trying to address those issues I have. Both phones are cheaper (if not cheap) compared to their predecessors, with the Z Fold 3 now $200 less than the Z Fold 2 was at launch.

Engadget, Mat Smith

After the broken screen debacle of the original Galaxy Fold, Samsung is keen to stress the hardiness of its new premium phone, which it says is 80 percent stronger. I’m not sure how that increase was so precisely measured, but with IPX8 water resistance, a new stronger aluminum hinge and frame and a Gorilla Glass Victus coating, on paper at least, it sounds tougher.

The Z Fold 3 might have the tech advances, with S Pen support and an in-screen selfie camera that can camouflage itself, but the Z Flip 3 is the one that caught my attention when I had the chance to play with the phones at a London preview event. The Flip series seems like the foldable device for now, melding how we use our smartphones in 2021 with foldable screens that are, let’s be honest, still not quite perfect. 

Samsung has expanded the external screen so it functions better for checking notifications or using the cameras without opening the Flip 3. Not that I need an excuse to flip open the satisfying hinge on the thing. I’ll wait for Cherlynn Low’s full review on both phones, however, before I start getting into preorders. Expect those very soon. 

We do have a full review on Samsung’s newest true wireless earbuds to keep you occupied for now.

-Mat Smith

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 hands-on

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 hands-on

Here's everything Samsung announced at its August Unpacked event

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review: Premium features at an affordable price

Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic hands-on

Samsung’s new wearable has a built-in body composition scanner.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Alongside the foldables, Samsung also had two wearables to reveal. These are the fruits of its renewed collaboration with Google. For the sake of clarification, Samsung’s getting rid of the “Active” branding from its existing lineup — the Watch 4 is the spiritual successor to the Watch Active 2 (there wasn’t an Active 3), while it’s adding the “Classic” moniker to the previous “regular” Watch line. The big differences between the two? A rotating bezel and a hundred bucks.

Continue reading.

Apple drops its lawsuit against maker of iPhone emulation software

The move comes after Apple suffered a major court loss in the dispute.

Apple has settled its 2019 lawsuit with Corellium, a company that builds virtual iOS devices used by security researchers to find bugs in iPhones and other iOS devices. The terms of the settlement weren't disclosed, but the agreement comes after Apple suffered a major court loss in the dispute in late 2020.

Corellium’s software allows users to run virtual iPhones on a computer browser, giving them deep access to iOS without the need for a physical device. In addition to accusing Corellium of infringing on its copyright, Apple claimed the company was selling its product indiscriminately, and compromising the platform’s security.

Continue reading.

The hacker behind a giant cryptocurrency heist is returning stolen funds

The intruder stole about $611 million thanks to an exploit.

A hacker stole about $611 million in Ethereum, Shiba Inu and other digital currencies from the decentralized Poly Network finance platform on August 10th, by exploiting a vulnerability. Less than a day later, however, the intruder sent a token indicating they were "ready to surrender" and started returning millions in funds. Second thoughts? 

Continue reading.

iOS 15 will offer Find My support for AirPods

At least, if you’re rocking a pair of AirPods Pro or Max.

Code inside the iOS 15 beta better explains how you’ll be able to locate any missing AirPods from your iPhone, at least if you have the Pro or Max versions.

9to5Mac says that those AirPods will be linked with your Apple ID and use Bluetooth to help you locate them when they go missing. Even if they’re not connected to your phone, you should still be able to find them on the map via the Find My network.

Continue reading.

T-Mobile is selling fiber internet in a 'very limited' pilot program

It's promising 940 Mbps upload and download speeds and a WiFi 6 router.

T-Mobile has launched a pilot offering fiber optic home internet service in New York City. It's testing the service in select Manhattan residential buildings, offering 940Mbps upload and download speeds along with a WiFi 6 router. It appears to be a third-party service, and not T-Mobile’s own.

Continue reading.

Finally, WhatsApp will let you transfer your chat history between Android and iOSIt's coming to Samsung phones first.

Facebook piggybacked on Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event to introduce the option of importing your WhatsApp chat history between Android and iOS. It'll initially reach Android devices, starting with Samsung phones running Android 10 or newer (including the new foldables), but it'll eventually be available on both operating systems. The transfer includes photos and voice memos, and should reach users in the "coming weeks." What’s a few weeks after waiting years? 

Continue reading.

But wait there's more

Audi's Skysphere concept EV roadster can transform into a grand tourer

1Password's latest major update is now available in early access on Macs

How to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G and the Z Flip 3 5G

Microsoft files complaint after Amazon scores $10 billion government contract

As summer comes to a close, for the tech launch calendar we’re getting into new iPhone season. Before we even know, officially, what Apple will reveal, the question I’m always asked by friends, family and readers returns: Is it worth upgrading to the new iPhone?

I don’t know yet. Hah. The rumors, however, converge on hardware changes to the iPhone screen, which will probably arrive in the same sizes we saw on the iPhone 12 series. — something noted in Bloomberg’s latest report.

We might get always-on screen tech, utilizing a battery-efficient 120Hz display that should look smooth, while offering information and notifications on a lock screen without having to wake the iPhone up. Otherwise, so far at least, we expecting refinements to software-based camera features, a (predictably) faster mobile chip and perhaps stronger MagSafe magnets to keep your peripherals locked on. 

We’ll have to wait and see how much the rumors get right — will Apple call it the iPhone 13? 

Before all that, however, it's Samsung's day in the spotlight. Its Galaxy Unpacked event kicks off later this morning. We'll be streaming the full event, with analysis right after it wraps. It all kicks off at 9:40AM ET — join us on YouTube right here.

-Mat Smith

Xiaomi’s robot dog looks like a beefier version of Spot.

Watch out Boston Dynamics.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi has today announced the CyberDog, an open-source quadruped robot intended for developers to “build upon” and create applications for. Xiaomi says that this technology is good enough to enable CyberDog to follow its owner and navigate around obstacles. It is also capable of identifying posture and tracking human faces, enabling it to pick out and track individuals in a group. The path to mainstream robotics is paved with ‘dogs’ and humanoids that didn’t quite work out and for now, rather than selling this as a general-sale product, the company will produce 1,000 Cyberdogs for “Xiaomi fans, engineers and robotics enthusiasts.” Continue reading.

AMC theaters will start accepting Bitcoin this year

The chain’s newest shareholders are enthusiastic about crypto.

AMC announced that it will accept Bitcoin as payment for tickets and snacks at all US theaters by the end of 2021. Company chief Adam Aron didn't say how you'd make those payments, but he did hint that AMC was also researching other ways it could join the "burgeoning cryptocurrency universe." Continue reading.

Google removes Bluetooth from its Titan security keys

All-NFC keys.

Google

Google is streamlining its security key family. The search giant will now only offer two editions; one with USB-A and USB-C, both of which will pack NFC to enable it to be used by most mobile devices. That should reduce any confusion that would-be purchasers had with the current lineup, where some models didn’t work contactlessly. Continue reading

Xiaomi's Mi Mix 4 packs an under-screen selfie camera

The first smartphone with a Snapdragon 888+ processor.

Xiaomi

If it’s not robot dogs, it’s another smartphone. The Mi Mix 4 is Xiaomi’s slimmest ceramic unibody smartphone yet, with a 6.67-inch 2,400 x 1,080 screen that hides a 20-megapixel selfie camera underneath the glass. Notably, the patch that hides the camera has the same 400ppi density as the rest of the panel, albeit with smaller pixels and transparent circuitry. In-screen cameras usually offer sub-par photos and often stand out from the rest of the smartphone screen, due to reduced pixel density. Xiaomi might have solved that issue, but we’ll have to see it in person to confirm. It’s the dawn of hidden selfie cameras, and Xiaomi and Oppo are leading the pack. Continue reading.

NYPD secretly spent $159 million on surveillance tech

The department paid millions for facial recognition, vans equipped with X-ray machines and more.

The New York City Police Department has spent over $159 million on surveillance systems and maintenance since 2007 without public oversight, according to newly released documents. As reported by Wired, The Legal Aid Society (LAS) and the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP) obtained the documents from the NYPD, which include contracts with vendors.

The NYPD made the purchases through a Special Expenses Fund, which meant it didn't need to gain the approval of the NYC Council or other city officials before signing the contracts. Continue reading.

All the news you might have missed

Parallels 17 promises better M1 Mac performance and Windows 11 support

Samsung's new 5-nanometer chip is designed for smartwatches

Retro Games is making a mini version of the Amiga 500

Engadget Deals: Apple's Mac Mini M1 is back down to $600 at Amazon

'The Green Knight' will be available to stream August 18th for one night only

Idris Elba will play Knuckles in 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2'

Facebook caught a marketing firm paying influencers to criticize COVID-19 vaccines

Sony officially owns both Crunchyroll and Funimation. Its Sony Pictures division completed the $1.175 billion acquisition yesterday and the plan now, according to CEO Tony Vinciquerra, is to "create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible."

For anime fans, it might be a relief that Sony’s purchase has gone through. Funimation pulled most of its content from Crunchyroll when Sony acquired a majority stake. This move should mean all this content can happily coexist on the same service (again). 

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Sony might have made a smart purchase. In an era of streaming services everywhere, it gets a dedicated audience that continues to grow. When Sony first announced the acquisition, Crunchyroll had 3 million subscribers. Less than a year later, there are 5 million paying for the service and 120 million registered users. 

-Mat Smith

'Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice' gets a surprise Xbox Series X/S patch

The update adds a ray-tracing mode and a chapter select screen.

Ninja Theory

A surprise Xbox Series X/S optimization patch for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice has appeared, three years after the action-adventure game arrived on Xbox One. Along with enhanced visuals, you can take advantage of ray-tracing on your next playthrough. A PC update is also in the works, although no word on a PS5 upgrade. Lest we forget, Ninja Theory is now a Microsoft studio. Continue reading.

Facebook adds Photobucket and Google Calendar to its data portability options

Can I move those birthdays across?

Facebook has added two new destinations for when you want to move your data from the social network. In a blog post, the company said that users will be able to move their images to Photobucket and event listings to Google Calendar. It also promises a simpler and more intuitive process to move your data across. Continue reading.

UN report says most climate change effects are 'unprecedented' and 'irreversible'

Drastic reductions to greenhouse gas emissions are needed to avoid even more warming.

David Swanson / reuters

According to a new report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it's no longer possible to prevent the planet from heating over the next 20 to 30 years. Since the mid-19th century, the planet's temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius, or 2 degrees Fahrenheit, as a direct result of greenhouse gas emissions related to humans burning coal, oil and other fossil fuels for energy. "We can expect a significant jump in extreme weather over the next 20 or 30 years," climate scientist Piers Forster told The New York Times. "Things are unfortunately likely to get worse than they are today." Continue reading.

Microsoft will host a Gamescom Xbox event on August 24th

Ahead of the all-digital gaming event.

Before Gamescom 2021 gets officially underway on August 25th, Microsoft will kick off the all-digital event with a livestream of its own. The company will share an update on its holiday Xbox lineup on August 24th at 1PM ET/10AM PT. “Holiday lineup” will probably translate to more details on two of its biggest upcoming games, Starfield and Halo Infinite. Continue reading.

But that's not all

Roku will release most of Quibi's remaining library on August 13th

SpaceX is buying an Internet of Things smallsat company

Record labels sue Charter over copyright infringement claims

Engadget Deals: Beats Studio Buds drop to a new record low of $130

Engadget Deals: Apple's AirPods with the wireless charging case are on sale for $130

Tesla’s electric pickup isn’t going anywhere this year. The company has quietly pushed the release of the electric pickup to next year. That's according to its configuration page, telling you that you'll get to customize your truck when "production nears in 2022." This applies regardless of model — single-motor trucks were always going to arrive later, but a new 2022 launch seems to for the dual- and tri-motor machines, too.

Tesla delivering on its promises has been a rare feat recently. Just last month, its semi truck was also pushed back to 2022, due to supply constraints, both in sourcing batteries and the general mayhem that is COVID-19. Oh, and then there’s the Tesla Roadster, delayed until, yep, 2022.

Elon Musk said in January that there would only be a "few deliveries" of Cybertrucks in 2021, and that volume production was set for 2022. While the company stuck to that claim in its July quarterly report, the company only recently finished the engineering design for the EV, which would have made for an extremely tight production schedule.

-Mat Smith

Razer’s high-tech face mask needs beta testers

Its face mask is no longer a project.

Project Hazel is now the Razer Zephyr and you can sign up to test the device ahead of its launch later this year. Since we first saw the mask at CES 2021, Razer has added internal lighting and a silicon face seal. However, we still don’t know how much it’ll cost.

Continue reading.

Spotify ‘clarifies’ that its iOS app will support AirPlay 2 streaming

It claims there was a mixup over the music streaming feature.

No, no, no, it was all just a misunderstanding.

Continue reading.

Rocket Lab will launch its first Moon mission in late 2021

Take off from New Zealand.

The private spaceflight firm has revealed that its CAPSTONE mission will lift off from the company's original launch complex in New Zealand sometime in the fourth quarter of 2021. The mission was originally slated to launch in early 2021. However, the launch will represent a technical breakthrough for Rocket Lab. While the Electron rocket will serve a familiar role in carrying the mission into space, this will be the first time the company uses its Photon platform to put a satellite on a lunar trajectory.

Continue reading.

Microsoft starts publicly testing an Xbox night mode

Even your controller can dim for late-night game sessions.

Microsoft has started publicly testing an Xbox night mode that should make it more comfortable to play after dark. The feature can dim the screen, power button and even your controller light. An optional blue light filter theoretically helps reduce eye strain, and you can disable HDR to avoid extra bright images. The mode is currently limited to testers in the very early Alpha Skip-Ahead ring.

Continue reading.

Even a social network for doctors is struggling with vaccine misinformation

Doximity has trouble in its comments sections.

CNBChas found a deluge of bogus anti-vaccine claims on Doximity, an industry networking tool for doctors. While shared stories are from well-established news outlets and scientific publications, the comments are apparently rife with misinformation on vaccine safety, mask effectiveness and natural immunity. Doximity told CNBC it had rules barring material that contradicts public health guidelines, adding that it had a "rigorous" comment review process where physicians screened content. The company didn't explain the glut of anti-vaccine comments, however, or say when it might remove them.

Continue reading.

But wait, there’s more...

Engadget Deals: Apple Watch Series 6 Product Red drops to $300 at Woot

NASA's Perseverance rover fails to collect its first Mars rock sample

Gigabyte is the latest major PC maker to suffer a ransomware attack

Hitting the Books: How our lying eyes trick the brain into seeing motion during movies

China sues Tencent over WeChat's 'youth mode'

Facebook restores policy it 'lost' three years ago

Disney's Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is going to cost you. For two guests in a standard cabin for a two-night adventure, you’ll have to set aside just shy of $5,000.

Disney is promising it as "part live immersive theater, part themed environment, part culinary extravaganza, part real-life role-playing game." The company offers more details on how your story might unfold, with the ability to choose to side with the First Order (boo), or ally with the resistance.

Disney

There will also be lightsaber lessons, optional missions and the chance to interact with iconic SW characters who will, well, behave like video game NPCs. According to reports, each Starcruiser adventure is several months of salary one-of-a-kind, so if you can afford one journey on the cruiser, you can probably book a second, different, adventure.

The posit sounds very Westworld, and like that fictional theme park, it seems unashamedly aimed at only the wealthiest Star Wars fans. It also sounds like there will be no Star Wars experience like it. Temptation, however, might be outweighed by economic reality. Then again, it seems positively cheap compared to a ticket to actual space.

— Mat Smith

Google's upgraded Nest Cam and Doorbell are here

Floodlight options and battery-powered devices.

Google

Google’s first battery-powered Nest Cam and Doorbell can be installed just about anywhere around your home, and you can even connect them to a wired power source, if you prefer. The battery life depends on how many recorded events the devices detect and factors like the temperature and settings. Google says the Doorbell’s battery will run for up to six months on a single charge, while the Nest Cam can run for up to seven months before you need to recharge it over USB. Continue reading.

Apple announces new iPhone features to detect child sex abuse

The Messages, Photos and Siri features will also come to watchOS and macOS.

Apple has detailed new features focused on child safety. With the release of iOS 15, watchOS 8 and macOS Monterey later this year, the company says it will introduce a variety of child safety features across Messages, Photos and Siri.

To start, the Messages app will include new notifications to warn children, as well as their parents, when they either send or receive sexually explicit photos. When someone sends a child an inappropriate image, the app will blur it and display several warnings. Apple will also introduce new software tools in iOS and iPadOS that will allow the company to detect when someone uploads content to iCloud that shows children involved in sexually explicit acts. Rather than scanning photos when they're uploaded to the cloud, the system will use an on-device database of "known" images. These features and more will come to devices later this year. Continue reading.

President Biden wants half of new vehicles to be zero-emissions by 2030

Some carmakers and states want an even faster transition.

Leah Millis / reuters

President Biden’s latest executive order sets a target for half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 to have some form of zero-emissions driving, whether it's a pure EV, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. The move is meant to not only promote clean transportation and limit climate change but help the US "outcompete" a Chinese car industry that's quickly shifting toward electrified vehicles. It could be an ambitious target: EVs have represented about 2 percent of US car sales for the past three years, according to the International Energy Agency and Pew Research. Continue reading.

Nintendo's sales can't keep up with last year's lockdown boom

The success of ‘Animal Crossing’ makes business as usual look worse by comparison.

In Nintendo’s latest financial report, it posted an operating profit of 119 billion yen, roughly $1.1 billion. That is, however, a 17.3 percent drop compared to the 144 billion yen ($1.3 billion) posted this time last year, when Switch consoles were consistently sold out and most of us were trapped indoors, isolating. Nintendo didn’t release a game that could match the success of Animal Crossing the year before. Amusingly, the company made a graph to show that, if you remove the Animal Crossing spike, its software sales have constantly increased since at least 2018. Continue reading.

But wait, there’s more...

Senior Apple employee alleges sexism at work, is put on indefinite leave

Inside the sexual harassment lawsuit at Activision Blizzard

Paramount+ is getting 14 South Park movies starting with two this year

Elon Musk confirms Walter Isaacson is writing his biography

What you'll get in the 'Back 4 Blood' open beta

Amazon launches new resale programs following backlash over stock destruction

Virgin Galactic starts selling tickets to space again for $450,000 per seat

Peloton treadmill owners will be able to run again without a subscription

For years, Samsung’s Galaxy Note was the centerpiece of the company’s summer phone launches, but times have changed. There’s no new Note this year, and Samsung will instead focus on the new Galaxy Z Flip and Fold, as well as a stylus to work with these devices. We’ll also see a new flagship wearable (and a new OS to go with it) and a new pair of true wireless stereo earbuds. At least, that’s what the rumor mill says, so peer through our latest guide on what’s going to make its debut next week.

— Dan Cooper

Sony might have shown off its next-gen VR headset already

Optional VR support for all major PS5 games?

On Tuesday, Sony reportedly revealed more specifics about the headset at a developer's summit, teasing details beyond performance, resolution and streamlined cabling.

Apparently codenamed next-gen VR (NGVR), it may feature controllers with capacitive touch sensors that sense the distance to your fingers — like the sensor on Nintendo’s JoyCon — but far more sophisticated. The headset will apparently offer a bigger 110-degree view, with flexible scaling resolution and tapping eye-tracking to improve resolution where you're looking.

Sony told developers it's planning optional VR support for all AAA releases, so you could play them either in VR or on your TV, although it’s not clear whether this would mean a first-person perspective, like Resident Evil 7 or Hitman, or simply a headset-based view of what you’d see on your TV. Continue Reading.

Heatworks opens pre-orders for its plumbing-free countertop dishwasher

The company is offering a $100 discount for early birds.

Heatworks

Heatworks’ Tetra tabletop dishwasher was initially unveiled in the before times, back at CES 2018, and it’s taken until now for the machine to arrive on the market. Its (not-so) novel concept is to do your dishes from your kitchen counter, no need for plumbing. Just fill its onboard water tank, add a custom detergent cartridge and set it going, with the company saying it uses a lot less water and energy than washing dishes.

Unfortunately, its small size means you’ll only be able to clean three place settings’ worth of crockery per cycle, but if your home can’t accommodate a full-size unit, this one may be worth a look. Continue Reading.

Facebook disables accounts of NYU team looking into political ad targeting

Researchers say they examined ‘systemic flaws’ in how Facebook’s ad library worked.

Sundry Photography via Getty Images

Facebook, once again, finds itself in deep waters after shutting down accounts used by a team of NYU researchers looking into political advertising. The project was designed to examine, by trawling through the company’s extensive ad libraries, how political advertisers target individual users. The social network said it had no choice but to lock the team out after it had violated the site’s rules on data-scraping. NYU, meanwhile, said Facebook was prompted to act because it didn’t want third parties finding problems in its systems. Continue Reading.

Nissan's Leaf S is now the cheapest EV in the US

It's cheaper with more range.

Nissan has unveiled its 2022 Leaf with more standard features and a lower base price that makes it the cheapest EV in the US. The new basic model, the Leaf S with a 40-kWh battery, costs $27,400 or $28,375 including the destination charge — that’s $20,875 if you qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit.

Compared to its closest competition, that’s cheaper than the $29,900 Mini SE and can go farther, too, with 149 miles of range versus 114. Continue Reading.

Amazon delays 'New World' MMO again, this time to September 28th

‘New World,’ old news.

Amazon has delayed New World mere weeks before its previously announced August 31st release date. It will now arrive about a month later, on September 28th, so Amazon Game Studios can spend an extra few weeks polishing, fixing bugs and improving stability. For those keeping count, this is New World's fourth delay.

Amazon announced the game's first major delay after taking the unusual step of rolling back the availability of Crucible, its first AAA title. It later ended the development of that game. Before taking over as CEO of Amazon, Andy Jassy told employees he was committed to the studio. Continue Reading.

Intel has a plan to go beyond 3nm chips

It’s aiming to recover its ‘unquestioned leadership’

Intel

Intel has not had a great five or six years, with its own processes failing just as competitors leap ahead with new manufacturing processes. The company’s new CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has a plan to get Intel back to where it was, with some ambitious new chip plans. In the latest episode of Upscaled, our silicon expert Chris Schodt delves into what’s going on, and explains why, if Gelsinger succeeds, we’ll all be talking about 20-Angstrom chips in the near future. Continue Reading.

But wait, there’s more...

T-Mobile to shut Sprint's LTE network by June 30, 2022

A star fragment is flying out of our galaxy at nearly two million miles per hour

Samsung's 12.4-inch Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G will cost $669

Vudu and FandangoNow merge into a single streaming service

Tencent limits how long kids can play its flagship game, 'Honor of Kings'

The 2021 New York International Auto Show is canceled

Ghost of Tsushima's co-op multiplayer mode is getting a standalone release

When will see the end of the notch or the hole-punch camera? The fight continues to make in-screen smartphone cameras a viable option. Last year's ZTE Axon 20 5G was the first phone to attempt the hidden selfie camera, but it struggled with image quality. It’s a predictable issue: The camera has to face out through the screen, affected by whatever the pixels are displaying.

Oppo has announced its third-gen under-screen camera which, based on a sample shot, shows a lot of promise. Even if it’s a company’s own sample, there’s no noticeable haziness nor glare. The company explains this is possible through a combination of electronic engineering and AI smarts. Oppo says it trained its own AI engine "using tens of thousands of photos" to achieve more accurate corrections on diffraction, white balance and HDR.

Oppo

Then there’s the display. Earlier designs lowered the pixel density in the area above the camera to let more light into the sensor. This, however, made a noticeable patch above the camera. But now, Oppo — or whichever company is making its smartphone displays, possibly Samsung — figured out a way to boost light transmittance by shrinking each pixel's geometry. In other words, it keeps the same pixel density, but more light can reach the camera sensor.

Oppo hasn’t mentioned a date — or new phone — for the under-screen camera, but ZTE claims to feature an improved version of its under-screen camera in its new Axon 30 5G, which launched in China last week. The timing is all a little too coincidental.

— Mat Smith

Apple's new Mac Pro GPUs promise a major performance boost

Probably the best you’ll get this year.

Apple

While it’s no Mac Pro with in-house silicon, Apple has updated the Mac Pro with new high-end GPU options. AMD's Radeon Pro W6800X, W6800X Duo and W6900X cards tout 50 percent improved performance per watt over their Vega II predecessors. All of them include four Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2 connector, with support for Infinity Fabric Link that lets up to four GPUs (such as two W6800X Duo modules) talk to each other five times faster than PCIe.

That performance will, of course, cost you: $2,400 extra to configure a new Mac Pro with the W6800X inside, $4,600 for the W6800X Duo and $5,600 for the W6900X. Go all-out and you can spend $9,600 on two W6800X Duos or $11,600 on two W6900X modules. Continue reading.

Boeing and NASA delay Starliner launch due to unexpected valve problem

Expect an update later today.

Joe Skipper / reuters

Boeing will have to wait yet again to test its Starliner spacecraft. The company and NASA had planned to launch the capsule on Tuesday on top of an Atlas V rocket at 1:20 PM ET yesterday, but the company had to delay the launch due to "unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system" that engineers spotted during pre-launch preparations. Continue reading.

The Krispy Kreme Xbox donut taste test.

It doesn’t taste like Mountain Dew.

Engadget, Mat Smith

As promised, we bought Krispy Kreme’s celebratory Xbox donut, with powdered sugar nexus design. Do we own an Xbox? No. But do we like donuts? Yes. Continue reading.

Halo's Master Chief is your new Waze navigation voice

For a limited time, but probably until ‘Halo Infinite’ actually arrives.

Microsoft and 343 Industries have partnered with Waze to bring the Master Chief and Escharum, his Banished foil in Infinite’s upcoming story campaign, to the navigation app. It’s also possible to change your car’s live map icon to either a Warthog or Ghost and update your profile “mood” to feature the visage of the Spartan or alien war chief. Continue reading.

Amazon is offering $10 in credit for your palm print

The retailer's contactless payments system is available at 53 of its physical stores.

Amazon is offering $10 in promotional credit to get people to sign up to its palm print payments system, according to an offer spotted by TechCrunch. The retailer launched Amazon One last fall as a contactless way of authenticating purchases and allowing entry into stores using a biometric device. The sign-up process is the only part that requires you to touch the device. After that, you just hover your palm over the scanner to enter a store and complete purchases.

Amazon is aware of privacy concerns and promised to secure palm data using encryption and dedicated secure zones with restricted access controls. For those worried their data could be monetized, Amazon also committed to keeping palm data separate from its other customer data. That said, a $10 voucher may not sway those already put off by the horror stories around the company’s facial recognition tech and Alexa voice recordings. Continue reading.

But wait, there’s more...

Logitech's latest wireless earbuds are certified by Zoom, Microsoft and Google

Realme's 'MagDart' is an Android take on MagSafe, but faster

AT&T finalizes spinoff of DirecTV into its own company

JLab debuts $20 true wireless earbuds with 8-hour battery life and touch controls

Netflix is making a documentary about SpaceX's upcoming Inspiration4 civilian flight

The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID goes on sale for $149

Blizzard president 'steps down' amid sexual discrimination and harassment lawsuit

I’m ambivalent about cross-brand synergy — typically hollow business deals borne from some misguided belief that yes, these two things work together and will sell more... something. Microsoft — more specifically, Xbox — loves to tie its onyx consoles to food companies, soft drinks and the rest. While promoting the Xbox One X in the US alone, there were collaborations with Taco Bell, Doritos, Mountain Dew and, er, Totino’s pizza rolls.

On the other hand, I also like doughnuts.

Engadget, Mat Smith

In the UK, American doughnut company Krispy Kreme is celebrating the Xbox’s 20th anniversary with an iced donut decorated to look like the console’s nexus symbol. If you’re willing to buy a box of 12, you’ll also get a code with a chance to win a Series X. However, I live alone and have poor self-control, so I bought a box of three — for the photos, of course.

I don’t think green is a particularly appetizing color for pastry treats, but it sells Xbox the brand — sort of? The color seems closer to Krispy Kreme’s shade of green, and not quite as vivid as the almost-lime Xbox logo. The thin layer of green icing doesn’t have a flavor, and there’s a dusting of powdered sugar to indicate the collaboration. Otherwise, yes, it’s a filled Krispy Kreme, puffy delicious yeast-raised donut. I’m not here to debate cake versus yeast donuts — please take it out on me over on Twitter.

Then I bit in deeper. Maybe it’s the Mountain Dew tie-ins with video gaming's past, but I feared some sort of aggressive citrus jam/jelly or neon fondant nonsense. Thankfully, instead: thick, rich chocolate brownie fondant that’s pretty delicious but not excessively cloying. 

The limited-edition doughnuts are on sale in the UK until August 22nd.

Google revealed its latest smartphones all of a sudden — and surprisingly quietly. Two new devices appeared on the company’s online store and we have deep dives on both phones and Tensor, a new system-on-chip that’ll power the next-gen of Pixel devices.

Google

What’s the most exciting part? New colors? A new Cyclops-esque visor that houses the camera sensors? That new chip? Even more AI smarts across the entire device might be a little predictable, but it didn’t stop Google from explaining exactly what its new SoC will offer.

We go into plenty of detail on Google’s new “four years in the making” chip right here, but expect more AI-based processes running simultaneously without overheating your phone. Improvements are teased across voice and speech processing — think Google Assistant — as well as photography and video recording, which all sounds like the sixth addition will continue to play to the Pixel series’ strengths.

Rick Osterloh, in conversation with Engadget, explained — but without getting specific — that the Pixel 6 series will include larger imaging sensors than before. He said the Pixel 6’s main camera will let in about 150% more light than previous Pixels. The Pro alone gets an extra telephoto option with 4x optical zoom, which will certainly help me decide between the two. All that’s really left to hear is the price and the release date.

- Mat Smith

Amazon's Lord of the Rings series arrives on September 2, 2022

Just over a year to wait.

Amazon Studios

Amazon's long-awaited The Lord of the Rings series finally has a release date. The show will premiere on the company’s Prime Video platform on September 2nd, 2022, with new episodes dropping on Prime Video each week. Filming on the as-yet-untitled series wrapped up yesterday. It takes place thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. A cast of familiar and new characters will fight an undisclosed evil in Tolkien’s fantasy world. Continue reading.

Scientists spot light behind a black hole

The discovery seems to confirm Einstein's prediction.

For the first time, scientists have seen the phenomena that takes place behind a black hole. Researchers were able to capture the light from the back of a supermassive black hole 800 million light-years away.

Stanford astrophysicist Dan Wilkins says this is a "key part of the puzzle to understanding" how the universe came to be. While studying the bright flares of x-rays emanating from the black hole, researchers spotted fainter flashes of light. These were the "luminous echoes" of the flares bouncing off the gas behind the black hole. These phenomena were first predicted by Einstein in his theory of relativity, published in 1916. Continue reading.

YouTube tests a cheaper subscription that only removes ads

Trials are happening in Europe.

YouTube is testing a lower-priced subscription plan that forgoes offline downloads and background playback but nixes all ads across videos. A Resetera user first spotted the new YouTube Premium Lite tier in Netherlands, Finland and Sweden while trying to cancel the paid-for service. The plan costs €6.99 ($8.32) per month, the same as the student tier. Continue reading.

R2-D2 is now a Tamagotchi

Coming November 11th.

Bandai/Disney

Instead of pooping, it gets dusty.

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If it’s not lamps that are smart speakers, it's artwork that doubles as a speaker. IKEA now thinks it’s time to play spot the air purifier.

It’s introducing a family of smart air purifiers, and the first two Starkvind models are a standalone air purifier and a side table, which cost $129 and $189. They contain a three-filter system, which IKEA says will capture bigger particles, like hair and dust, 99.5 percent of smaller airborne particles that measure less than 2.5 micrometers (or one 400th of a millimeter) as well as dust, pollen, pollutants, like formaldehyde, and even bad odors.

IKEA

The designs are simple and subtle, but you’ll need IKEA’s smart hub to use all the features, like scheduling and remote activation. Both models will arrive in October — enough time to get rid of your not-smart side table.

— Mat Smith

Say hello to your next ‘Fornite’ concert superstar

Thank you, next.

Epic Games

Fornite’s Rift Tour concert series is its latest musician showcase, and on August 6th, Ariana Grande will take to the virtual stage. The game developer is warning concertgoers to arrive an hour early to the show, with a Rift Tour playlist going live 30 minutes beforehand.

The battle royale juggernaut has already played host to Travis Scott and J Balvin concerts — and there was even a rumor of a Lady Gaga collaboration that didn’t quite pan out.

It wouldn’t be a Fortnite event without some in-game cosmetics — you’ll be able to grab an Ariana outfit to play as the pop star and rock the pony look. This is set to go live on August 4th. Continue reading.

YouTube suspends Sky News Australia uploads over COVID-19 misinformation

A rare instance of a major news network facing a YouTube ban.

YouTube has banned Sky News Australia from uploading new videos for a week over accusations it spread COVID-19 misinformation. Multiple Sky videos reportedly violated rules denying the existence of new coronavirus variants or claiming that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin were effective treatments.

The clips didn't provide "sufficient countervailing context" to indicate the claims were false, YouTube told The Guardian. The TV network has come under fire for its stance on COVID-19, particularly from host Alan Jones. He falsely claimed the SARS-CoV-2 virus was "not a pandemic" back in 2020, and in July, incorrectly maintained that the virus' Delta variant was neither dangerous nor affected by vaccines.

This is just one "strike" against Sky — two more would lead to a permanent channel ban. Continue reading.

Apple Watch titanium models seem to have sold out

There might have been surprising demand for its luxury smartwatch.

Apple

If you wanted the titanium Apple Watch Series 6, you might be too late. The pricier model is largely unavailable through the company's online stores across the US and other countries.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman speculated in his Power On newsletter that Apple underestimated demand. It likely made a small number of titanium Apple Watches and stopped production "months ago" in anticipation of switching focus to Series 7, according to Gurman. Units now seem to have dried up. This might not mean the titanium Series 6 was a huge hit, but Apple's luxury wristwear might have fared better than expected. Will there be a Series 7 titanium model? Continue reading.

Zoom will pay $85 million to settle 'zoombombing' lawsuit

You could also receive a payout.

Zoom has agreed to pay $85 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the video chat giant of violating privacy and enabling "zoombombing" (that is, trolls dropping into otherwise private videocalls). The preliminary settlement also demands tougher security measures, such as warning about third-party apps and offering further privacy-oriented training to Zoom staff.

Judge Lucy Koh, who you might remember from the epic Apple–Samsung lawsuit years ago, said the company was largely protected against zoombombing claims thanks to the Communications Decency Act's Section 230, which safeguards against liability for users' actions.

The settlement could also lead to payouts for you, dear reader, if the lawsuit achieves a proposed class-action status. Subscribers would receive a refund of either 15 percent or $25, whichever was larger, while everyone else would receive as much as $15. Continue reading.

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