Gamers looking for a more immersive VR experience in their own home might finally get it with Virtuix's Omni One. Virtuix has been developing the treadmill-like gaming machine for years and, following crowdfunding campaigns, Omni One recently started making its way to backers. Now, Virtuix is kickstarting another round of funding which it has announced will parlay into Omni One being released for sale to the general public later this year.

You might remember the Omni, which launched on Kickstarter in 2013 and was backed within 24 hours. The Omni One is modelled after the Omni Pro, a larger but similar version available in entertainment venues worldwide. The round — or omni directional — treadmill is four feet wide by five feet long, and it weighs about 250 pounds. The safety bit comes in through a vertical bar that holds a shoulder and waist strap, with the latter having a controller positioned on either side of it. It allows users to run, walk, kneel and even jump through a video game. The Omni One can also be folded away when not in use. 

Omni One will retail starting at $2,595 plus shipping for the treadmill and a Pico Neo 3 VR headset — customized specifically for Omni One. The price is a bit higher than Virtuix's initial projection of $1,995. Investors receive a 30 percent discount off the listed price. 

It should be noted that while the company says compatibility with other VR games may come further down the line, Virtuix plans to offer first-party games via its own store. There will be 30 titles available at launch, but the company shared in a Facebook post that it has a 'shortlist' of around 200.

While the Omni One should be available for customers later this year, it's unclear how many models will be produced. According to Virtuix, 900 "investors" applied to buy beta units and there are currently 35,000 general subscribers on a waiting list. 

Anyone looking to keep track of all their devices is in for a little treat. Apple's AirTag four-pack is currently on sale for $90. It equates to a 9 percent discount, knocking off a bit, but the lowest we've seen was $80. Still not a bad deal now, though, if you've been hesitant to spring for the four-pack. A single AirTag is available for $29, making the four-pack sale almost into a buy three, get the fourth free affair.

AirTags are one of the best Bluetooth trackers on the market, seamlessly pairing to your iPhone and clearly visible in the Find My app. Newer phones provide detailed directions to your lost items, and everyone has the ability to make an AirTag chime. 

AirTags are small at about an inch and a quarter in length and width. A slight downside to them is their lack of a keyring area, which many rival devices offer by default. You'll have to buy a pouch or accessory if you want to hook one to your keys, but AirTags can easily slip into a suitcase or bag with ease.

Acer is making a serious left turn in its product offerings with today's announcement of the ebii e-bike. The Taiwanese company — typically known for its PCs, laptops and accessories — touts ebii as a bike designed for cities, with AI features used to learn riders' personal preferences and change gears depending on road conditions. Weight wise, it's about 35 pounds, making it lighter than most e-bikes. Acer claims it has a maximum assist speed of 20 MPH and can go just under 70 miles on one charge. 

The bike takes about two and a half hours to reach full battery life. In this area, Acer connects back to its roots, as the power brick can also be used as a portable charger for your laptop or phone. Riders must download the ebiiGO app for information on battery life, recommended routes, speed checks and to lock and unlock the bike. However, ebii will also auto-lock anytime the linked phone leaves the immediate area. Plus, it has an anti-theft alarm. 

Additional features of the ebii include collision detection sensors, lights in every direction and airless tires to avoid a flat. 

Acer hasn't specified how much the ebii costs or when it will be released. It's hard to make an estimated guess as e-bikes can range tremendously in price, from the $800 Lectric XP Lite to Audi's new electric mountain bike at over $10,000. 

There's a global race happening to put humans back on the moon, with the United States, Japan and China among the countries working to get astronauts there as soon as possible. However, infrastructure is needed for astronauts to have a place to live and work.

To that end, today, the UK Space Agency announced funding for Rolls-Royce to build a nuclear reactor that would support a future moon base. The current £2.9 billion (~$3.52 billion) given by the UK Space Agency follows £249,000 (~$302,000) provided last year for Rolls-Royce's initial study. 

Engineers and scientists at Rolls-Royce are working to build a nuclear micro-reactor due to its small size and ability to function regardless of sunlight available or location. Currently, Rolls-Royce estimates the micro-reactor will go to the moon in 2029.

The funding announcement comes only two days after NASA and AXIOM Space released the new prototype spacesuit Artemis III astronauts will wear on the moon. Currently, NASA aims for the Artemis III mission to launch in December 2025. NASA also plans to build a base camp on the moon's surface. 

In the next decade we will likely see greater progress in all areas surrounding travel to the moon. Last month, the UK Space Agency announced £51 million (~$61.89 million) available for UK companies to build communication and navigation systems to use in future moon missions. The initiative comes as part of the goal of the European Space Agency’s Moonlight program to have satellites around the moon aiding future astronauts and rovers with communication and safety. 

For decades, car makers have positioned all of their instrumentation below the steering wheel, resulting in drivers needing to subtly take their eyes off the road to see their speed and associated gas levels. However, with its new 'Panoramic Vision' display, BMW is looking to bring that important data up to eye level. The company has announced a heads-up display that spans the entire width of the windscreen to give drivers and passengers all the information they need without having to take eyes off the road.

As the driver, you can choose what you want to see across the Panoramic Vision display, with options including speed, time, and current song playing. The display uses bright crisp lights to display information clearly against a dark background.

BMW first alluded to a new heads-up display when it announced the i Vision Dee concept at CES 2023 back in January. However, in that iteration, the information appeared digitally right onto the windshield. In contrast, the Panoramic Vision display is a raised lip built-in across the bottom of the windshield. 

There's no word yet if any of the other features shown in the i Vision Dee will make their way to production anytime soon. These included interactive communication in which BMW stated, "a natural and emotional relationship between human and machine is developed," and animated facial expressions. 

The Panoramic Vision display will begin rolling out in the first NEUE KLASSE (or New Class) models — BMW's range of battery and e-motor vehicles — from 2025. According to BMW, additional features of the BMW iDrive will be included in the NEUE KLASSE. However, we'll likely have to wait until the IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich this September to learn more.

You might need one less app — and forego a headache — next time you're out driving and need to find an EV charging station. Google will now provide Waze users with the locations of charging stations tailored to their specific car. 

Google has offered Waze users the ability to find charging stations along their drive since the end of 2021. But, this update is a small though significant change. Just share your car model and charging connectors with Google and Waze will thene show charging stations compatible with the given information. No more watching your battery dip precariously low only to reach an incompatible charging port. 

Google

EV sales are growing exponentially worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency, only 120,000 EVs sold globally in 2012. Within a decade, the same number of electric cars were being sold per week. Last September, President Biden set a goal that 50 percent of cars sold across the United States in 2030 will be electric. In line with this shift, US companies put over 700 million dollars towards electric vehicle charging in 2022. On top of that, they've put 13 billion dollars into domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles. 

The feature will roll out globally over the next few weeks. Local Map Editors within the Waze community will continue to review and make necessary changes to charging station information in real-time.

How many times have you experienced this scenario? You go shopping online for a new shirt, speaker or other item. You click on the same one a few times and then decide against it. Suddenly every website you visit has an ad featuring that item, imploring you to reconsider. In an effort to create greater privacy online, Mozilla is now rolling out Total Cookie Protection (TCP) as the default setting on the Firefox app for Android after initially making it available for Firefox users on Windows, Mac, and Linux. 

So, what does TCP do? TCP ensures that your cookies aren't being shared across sites. Typically, third-party cookies collect information about you from across the internet to build your virtual identity. Data brokers then sell your information to businesses that will provide you with targeted ads.

Instead, with TCP, the cookies you create while browsing only belong to the site you're on. This feature limits companies from learning any information you enter or behavior you exhibit anywhere else on the internet. So, a store may know you looked for a blue laptop case in their online shop, but they won't know you also searched for size 11 shoes in another one. 

As part of today's Android update, Mozilla says it's also promoting its Firefox Relay protection to become a dedicated part of the app. Relay, which initially launched as an addon and provides users with email and phone number masks for online signups, comes with a limited free tier but requires a subscription to get the most from the service.

Calling anyone who has been wanting an Apple Watch but not wanting to break the bank. The Apple Watch SE 2nd gen is already the cheapest option on the market, but it's currently at an all-time low price. The 40mm model is down 12 percent, to $219 from it's usual $249. Comparatively, currently the Series 8 is $329 (also on sale) and the Ultra is $769. 

The Apple Watch SE has most of the same features of its counterparts for a much lower price tag. It's swimproof, has fall and crash detection, and provides heart rate notifications — to name a few. The SE is available in midnight, starlight, and silver colorways with matching bands. It's a good choice for someone who wants the look and benefit of a smart watch without paying for any extras. Plus, you can use your savings to get an Apple Watch screen protector or case. 

Depending on what you want an Apple Watch for, you may never even notice the few perks missing from the SE. Unlike the Series 8 or Ultra, it doesn't have a blood oxygen or ECG app. The two higher level watches also offer temperature sensing and IP6X dust resistance. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

If you're looking to purchase a decent speaker, now may be the time. The Anker Soundcore Motion+ Speaker is currently 30 percent off on Amazon — down from $107 to $75 — as part of a wider Amazon sale on Anker's portable speakers. 

Engadget rated the Soundcore Motion+ as one of the best portable speakers for 2023 thanks to its level of sound quality for the price. It creates a clear bassy sound while also allowing for customization with six EQ modes controllable from your phone. The Bluetooth 5.0 speaker has a battery life of 12 hours, long enough for any late nights. Plus, it also offers with a 3.5mm AUX input for further listening options. The Motion+ is IPX7 waterproof, meaning it can keep pumping out tunes even if submerged in water for a half hour.

It's round, thin frame certainly makes it one of the sleeker options of the Anker Soundcore family. Though right now only the black style is on sale, with the red and blue editions each available for $111. 

Two other Anker Soundcore speakers are also on sale if you're looking for something a bit cheaper. The Anker Soundcore Mini has a small discount, down from $24 to $20. Its features include 15 hours of playtime, FM-radio, and a noise-cancelling microphone. Plus, it's size makes transporting it a little more convenient than the Motion+ if you plan to regularly be on the go. 

For a little more money you can get the Anker Soundcore Flare Mini at $30. For an extra $10, it's probably the better option of the two if you plan on having a lot of outdoor parties this summer, especially near water, since this speaker is also IPX7 waterproof. Plus, it has nice LED lights and 360 degree sound. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

It's International Women's Day 2023 and women worldwide still earn an average of 77 cents for every dollar men make. The United Nations predicts it will take 257 years at the current rate of progress to close the gender pay gap. This is a deeply rooted societal issue with many organizations that claim to lift women up also guilty of paying them less. 

These companies have long gotten away with posting a photo of a smiling woman or an inspirational quote about girl power on IWD to appear gender equitable. This was until last year when Francesca Lawson decided it was well past time they were exposed. Lawson, a freelance copywriter and social media manager, co-created the Gender Pay Gap Bot with her partner, Ali Fensome, a software consultant.

The Twitter bot uses data publicly available through the UK government's gender pay gap service. It analyzes the pay gap of organizations with at least 250 employees working in the UK. They represent a variety of sectors including education, government, healthcare and sports. Since 2017, organizations of this size have been required to submit their gender pay gap annually.

Lawson and Fensome created the bot after seeing companies post about empowerment or use IWD as an excuse for a sale without following through internally. "What the gender pay gap data shows is that behind employers' supportive words, all-women photoshoots, and inspirational quotes, there's still a lot of work to do,"Lawson, also the creative strategist behind the bot, tells Engadget. The pair also realized many people weren't aware this information was available for public knowledge.

The Gender Pay Gap Bot aptly aligns with this year's IWD theme 'DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality' in it's quest for pay equity. As the UN states, "the digital age represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality."

The bot works in three steps. It searches Twitter for to match companies' accounts with their government profile then scans for keywords related to International Women's Day. Once it matches a company with a relevant post, it's time to publish their gender pay gap.

The Gender Pay Gap Bot automatically quote tweets the organization's initial post to its account. It typically uses modifications of the same two sentences: "In this organisation, women's median hourly pay is X% lower/higher than men's. The pay gap is X percentage points smaller/wider than the previous year. The bot has nearly 250K followers and usually tweets multiple times per minute." 

The results are disheartening but not surprising. Most companies' pay gaps reflects the global trend of women making less than men. 

A nominal number of tweets show cases in which women are paid more than men. Rare tweets also highlight companies who are doing it right: Equal pay for everyone.

However, for most organizations, it's a reminder they need to make serious changes. But, today, instead of taking accountability, some of them are choosing to run and hide. After the bot's call out, a few companies have deleted their initial tweet. Turns out you can be embarrassed into doing something, maybe even also fairly paying your workers.  

Twitter

Beyond shamefully deleting a tweet, Lawson hopes the Gender Pay Gap Bot gets organizations thinking about and taking action towards gender equity. "By putting the data back in the spotlight, I'd hoped to inspire companies to approach their International Women's Day activities differently this year — the overwhelmingly positive response we've had shows that women are tired of being 'celebrated' and labelled 'inspirational' for one day a year while experiencing discrimination and inequality on the other 364," Lawson says. "They want honesty, and accountability — not hollow marketing gestures."