A couple months after Microsoft revealed plans to increase Game Pass subscription prices, Sony is getting in on the act. The company is bumping up the annual prices of all three PlayStation Plus plans on September 6th.

An annual Essential subscription will soon cost $80 per year, up from $60. The Extra plan is going up by $35 to $135 per year, while an annual Premium plan will soon cost $40 more at $160. The price changes won't take effect for current PS Plus users on an annual plan until their next renewal date that's on or after November 6th. If you make any changes to your plan between September 6th and then (such as changing tiers), the new pricing will apply.

Sony has not announced changes to the monthly ($10 for Essential, $15 for Extra and $18 for Premium) or quarterly ($25 for Essential, $40 for Extra and $50 for Premium) for the time being. It notes that the annual plan is still less expensive than a monthly or quarterly subscription in the long run.

You still have a few days to stack an extra year (or two or three) onto your existing PS Plus plan at the current prices. It's too early to tell whether it will be worth waiting until Black Friday in case there are better deals, so if you have the cash to spare, now might be the time to add extra time to your plan.

Sony notes that it's bumping up PS Plus plans globally to "enable us to continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service." That's maybe a difficult case to make given the three monthly games that will be available for all three tiers in September: the reboot of Saints Row, Black Desert – Traveler Edition and (a game I'm admittedly interested in) Generation Zero, all of which have received middling or poor reviews.

Although they're somewhat different offerings, it's worth noting that PS Plus is generally less expensive than the equivalent Game Pass tiers. An annual PS Plus Essential plan is $52 less than a year of Xbox Game Pass, while a 12-month PS Plus Premium membership is $44 less expensive than Game Pass Ultimate over the same timeframe.

That said, Microsoft offers access to all of its first-party games via Game Pass upon their release, an enticing offering that Sony can't match. The new Game Pass Core tier (which is replacing Xbox Live Gold) is $60 per year and includes full online multiplayer access and an initial library of 25 games.

It looks like Instagram is about to significantly increase the maximum length of Reels posts, according to reputable mobile developer and leaker Alessandro Paluzzi. The current hard limit for these videos is three minutes, but screenshots provided by Paluzzi indicate a forthcoming leap to 10 minutes. This would effectively transform the social media site into a more robust video-sharing platform like YouTube.

This move would also allow Meta’s Instagram to further compete with rival TikTok, as the latter already lets users post videos up to ten minutes in length. TikTok and Instagram seem to be caught in some sort of ouroboros of mimicry, with one app regularly adopting features originally unveiled by the other.

As TikTok and Instagram vie for a share of the long-form video pie, YouTube’s moving in the opposite direction. It’s been making a push to gain more ground in the short-form video space, recently adding a suite of creator tools and a TikTok-esque music-discovery feed. The days when you could easily label Instagram as the “photo one”, TikTok as the “short video one” and YouTube as the “long video one” are gone. It looks like they all want to be “does everything one.”

Engadget reached out to Meta for clarification regarding the move toward long-form video content and will update this post when and if we receive a substantive response.

Google has revealed more details about how you'll be able to use the Duet AI assistant to help you rapidly whip up emails and documents. In Gmail, the tool builds on existing AI-powered features such as Smart Reply. Click or tap the "help me write" button and you'll have several options at your disposal.

Select "write your draft" and you can detail the type of message that you'd like Duet AI to generate. The tool will be able to draw from previous messages in the thread to make the draft response more relevant, Google says. If Duet AI creates a message in a tone that's perhaps too casual, you can ask the assistant to make it more formal. There are options to make the draft more elaborate or condensed, and if you're feeling adventurous, you can slap the "I'm feeling lucky" option. This, Google says, will "introduce fun variations on tone and style for content you’ve drafted."

The options are pretty similar in Google Docs, though you'll be able to make the tone of Duet AI's screed more casual if you wish. There are options to generate a summary for a section or an entire document, use bullet points (for those Axios fans out there) and to create a different draft based on your initial description. Additionally, Google says you can use a custom instruction to "refine the generated content." The "help me write" tool for Docs can pull in smart canvas features.

For now, the new virtual assistant is only available to organizations who pony up an extra $30 per user per month for the Duet AI for Google Workspace Enterprise add-on. Duet AI will be available for small- and medium-sized businesses as well as consumers in the coming months, but Google hasn't revealed pricing as yet.

Games have the power to connect people across the world in enjoyment and teamwork, but they can also create a space ripe for toxic speech and hatred. Activision is attempting to minimize the latter, announcing a new collaboration with Modulate, a company using technology to identify these issues, for direct voice chat moderation in Call of Duty. 

Modulate's AI system, ToxMod, attempts to identify threats like hate speech, radicalization and self-harm in real-time. It claims to work in three steps: triage, analyze and escalate. ToxMod listens to all voice chats and pinpoints which warrant a further look. This flagged data is stored in their servers, while all other data will be processed right on the initial device. The company says it then evaluates everything from tone to emotion, analyzing not only "what is being said, but also how it is said and how other players respond to it." Finally, it attempts to alert moderators about the most toxic incidents and leaves it up to them to take action. The company claims it's the "only voice-native moderation solution" currently available, having protected "tens of millions of players." 

The integration of ToxMod could aid in preventing toxic responses as a whole, working alongside existing text-centric and reporting systems. "Tackling disruptive voice chat particularly has long been an extraordinary challenge across gaming," Activision's chief technology officer Michael Vance said in a statement. "With this collaboration, we are now bringing Modulate's state of the art machine learning technology that can scale in realtime for a global level of enforcement. This is a critical step forward to creating and maintaining a fun, fair and welcoming experience for all players." Last year, Activision started allowing games' moderation teams to mute players using toxic language in voice and text chats. 

ToxMod is now available as an English language beta release in North America for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone. It will be released globally — with the exception of Asia — when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III releases on November 10th. 

Most of us could stand to learn a new trick or two in the kitchen. Getting to grips with a new technique doesn't have to be difficult though, especially if you have the right equipment on hand. To wit: we reckon the Anova Precision Cooker 3.0 is the best sous vide machine you can buy right now, and best of all, it's on sale. The device has dropped by 25 percent to $149 at Amazon.

This is the latest standard model of Anova's sous vide machines. It's one of the best prices we've seen for it to date — it has dropped a little lower in the past but this is still a solid deal all the same.

The Precision Cooker 3.0 is a great all-rounder that's easy to use. It can handle all the basics of cooking things like meats and eggs. The latest model includes digital touch controls, a stainless steel and water-resistant IPX7 design and a longer power cord than previous iterations. There's WiFi connectivity, while the eight-liter-per-minute flow rate means it can bring water to the correct temperature faster than a lot of rival gizmos.

Anova teamed up with highly regarded chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt to feature a wealth of fully tested sous vide recipes in its app. And hey, if you're not exactly sure how to get started with sous vide, you're in luck: we have a handy guide just for that.

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Sonos may be synonymous with WiFi-equipped multi-room speakers, but plenty of companies have introduced their take on those products since the Play:1 arrived in 2013. Today, JBL announced its new Authentics series, a lineup of three connected speakers that offer a lot of what we've come to rely on from Sonos. All three support multi-room audio and automatic self-tuning alongside Bluetooth, WiFi and Ethernet connectivity. While only the most expensive has Dolby Atmos immersive sound, the entire trio can run Google Assistant and Alexa at the same time, a feat JBL says it's the first to achieve. 

For the design of the Authentics series, JBL took inspiration from its L100 speaker that debuted in the 70s. That bookshelf unit featured a grid-patterned Quadrex grille as a prominent aesthetic element, one that the company has carried through a few of its pricier products over the years. That square layout graces the speaker cover on the Authetics series too, while a leather-wrapped aluminum frame and black and gold color scheme complete the look. 

JBL is touting its new speaker line as the first units capable of running both Google Assistant and Alexa simultaneously on the same device. Plenty of speakers and headphones support multiple voice assistants, but you have to select one at a time. Here, you can set up these two in the JBL app and use either one (without diving into the settings menu) for hands-free control of connected devices, music and more. Simply say "Hey Google" or "Alexa" and the Authentics speakers summon the assistant you need. The company explains that it designed the integration in collaboration with Google and Amazon so that "customers have the choice and flexibility to communicate seamlessly with both voice assistants and take advantage of their different capabilities."

At the top of the lineup is the Authentics 500. This model packs in three one-inch tweeters, three 2.75-inch mid-range woofers and a single 6.5-inch downfiring subwoofer. The company explains that this driver arrangement cranks out "crystal clear sound" with "tight, accurate bass." The 500 is the only unit in the series that supports Dolby Atmos audio, delivering 270 watts of 3.1-channel sound for a virtualized 3D effect. As you might expect, this is the biggest and priciest option at $700. 

JBL

The Authentics 300 is the only portable speaker in JBL's new series. Priced at $430, this model is capable of 360-degree audio with a user-replaceable battery that offers eight hours of listening time. The 300 also has a built-in handle to increase portability, although the company is clear that the unit's audio performance, including "distinctive highs and deep bass," does well indoors too. 

The Authentics 200 houses two one-inch tweeters with a five-inch woofer and six-inch passive radiator. JBL claims that this more compact option can "fill any space — big or small — with stereo sound," including "deep bass" and "perfect balance" across all genres. It seems clear JBL is aiming to take on the Sonos One and Era 100 here, although the 200 is more expensive than those at $330.

All three of the Authentics speakers will be available in black on September 17th. The entire lineup is compatible with the JBL One app which allows you to sync music services, fully customize the EQ and adjust other settings as you see fit.

If you're looking to up your Mac's processing power by forking out $600, now's your chance. Apple's Mac Mini M2 is marked down 17 percent right now at B&H, dropping its price to $500. This is about the best price we've seen since it went on sale back in January.

The Mac Mini M2 is a top-performing addition to any Apple computer (we gave it an 86 in our review), coming a long way since the first Mini debuted back in 2005. The first big upgrade came via the Mini M1 in 2021, but the M2 took things to another level with eight CPU cores, 8GB of RAM and ten graphic cores. Its aluminum box frame mirrors its predecessor, but it has a slightly lifted base to allow for greater airflow.

The processor is also loaded with usable ports, including two USB-A, two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, HDMI 2.0, a headphone jack and gigabit Ethernet. However, it is lacking any front-facing options. You have a couple of days to decide whether to make the leap and pick up a Mac Mini M2, as the sale is on through Friday, September 1st.

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If you’ve recently bought an iPad and now use it for everything, you probably have run into a case where you’ve needed to take a screenshot. You can do that on any iPad, but the steps are different depending on the model you have. If your iPad has a home button (or not), there are a couple of tricks to remember for taking screenshots. If you have an Apple Pencil, it’s easy to take a screenshot with it and quickly edit the image — and there’s even a virtual home button that can help you, too. Here are all of the ways you can take a screenshot on an iPad.

How to take a screenshot on an iPad without a home button

Like the latest iPhones, most of the newest iPad models like the iPad mini don’t have a home button. So how do you take a screenshot? You can still use the physical buttons on the iPad to do this: press the power button and either of the volume buttons at the same time. The screen will flash and a preview of the screenshot will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen.

To edit the image, tap on the preview and work from there. Otherwise, you can find the screenshot in your Photos app.

How to take a screenshot with a home button

Older iPads come with a physical home button, so taking a screenshot on these devices is a little different. Press the power and home buttons at the same time, the screen will flash and the screenshot will appear in your Photos app.

How to take a screenshot with AssistiveTouch

There’s also a way to take a screenshot on an iPad without using any buttons. Go into Settings > Accessibility > Touch and turn Assistive Touch on. Click on Double Tap and customize that setting to take a screenshot. A virtual home button will then appear on the right side of your screen. Quickly tap that button twice to take a screenshot.

Photo by Julia Mercado / Engadget

A bonus for Apple Pencil users

With an Apple Pencil, swipe up from the bottom left corner of your screen to take a screenshot. An editing menu will open automatically and from there, you can annotate and mark up the image with the Pencil using several brush options. Tap Done and Save to finish editing.

Apple has set a date for its annual September iPhone event, so it’s almost time to see the iPhone 15. All models (save for perhaps a new SE) could ditch the notch and start using the Dynamic Island cutout that debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. There’s no word on the return of the iPhone mini, and we may have to wait until next year to see the rumored iPhone Ultra.

Apple

Apple may finally phase out the Lightning port with the iPhone 15, making a long-awaited switch to USB-C. The company doesn't have much of a choice there, since all tablets and smartphones sold in the European Union will need to use that charging port starting next year. Apple has also inched towards USB-C on its iPad device family. It might finally be time.

– Mat Smith

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When Foxconn announced its plans to open facilities in Wisconsin back in 2017, it promised to invest $10 billion into bringing production to the US, which was expected to lead to as many as 13,000 jobs. That never came to fruition.

In 2021, Foxconn massively altered the scale of the project and told the local government it would invest $672 million instead of the intended $10 billion. It also reduced the number of potential jobs to 1,454 from 13,000 positions. The Taiwanese supplier is selling two properties in Eau Claire and Green Bay, purchased for almost $12 million in 2018.

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The 'Gran Turismo' movie can't help but be cringe

It’s a decent sports movie stifled by Sony’s marketing machine.

Based on an improbable true story, the movie follows Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), a 20-something Gran Turismo fanatic who wins a Nissan-sponsored contest to race professionally. Even more improbable, he manages to hold his own in the racing world. The film constantly reminds you it's meant to sell you Sony products in a reality where Apple doesn't exist. At one point, a character is inexplicably attached to his Walkman cassette player, and he only moves on when he's gifted a modern Walkman digital music player. Yeah, you’ll wince.

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Samsung's 85-inch outdoor Terrace TV costs $20,000

Its Neo QLED screen should be ideal for direct sunlight.

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Meta's avatars finally grow some legs

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It's been nearly a year since Meta announced it’d give its metaverse avatars some legs to make them appear slightly more human. Now, Quest Home avatars sport extra limbs in the latest beta version of the Quest software, but you won't see legs on your avatar when you look down, as UploadVR points out. They'll only be visible in third-person or when you're looking at a virtual mirror (much like in many first-person shooter games).

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Garmin is launching the Venu 3 and smaller Venu 3S smartwatches today with a greater focus on sleep-tracking and personalization. In particular, it's adding a proactive sleep coaching feature and nap detection. The latter is noteworthy, considering most modern smartwatches from companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google can track your sleep, but only at night. With the Venu 3 series, you'll be able to rest easy knowing your daytime slumber can also be tracked, if that's your kind of thing.  

The company's new sleep coach considers factors such as a user's daily activity levels, sleep history, and heart rate variability (HRV) – which is a sleep metric new to the Venu series. The coach will provide recommendations on the amount of sleep you’ll need to make it through the next day. The naps that the Venu 3 detects will also go towards replenishing energy levels as tracked by the company’s “Body Battery” tool, which quantifies energy levels on a scale of 1-100 depending on activity expenditure.

Aside from sleep-tracking upgrades, the Venu 3 has a host of other improvements over its predecessor. Notably, it introduces a wheelchair mode that will track pushes rather than steps, as well as handcycle activities and pre-loaded workouts for wheelchair users, offering more inclusivity. The new watch also offers expanded insights on how workouts can affect a user and how much time is needed to recover after every gym session. 

Additionally, Garmin is bringing a “rate of perceived exertion” feature, which enables users to report how challenging a workout felt. With this, the company is trying something new in the fitness arena. Instead of just crunching numbers, it’s dipping its toes into subjective data – the kind of information that's all about personal judgment and individual experiences. The Venu 3 also introduces “interval creation,” which gives a runner or biker the option to build interval workouts from the watch face.

Garmin

Beyond expanding health and fitness tracking features, Garmin says this watch will have a built-in speaker and microphone that will allow a wearer to make calls from the watch. The Venu 3 can also display photo messages on its AMOLED touchscreen. You'll be able to make contactless payments using Garmin Pay and stream music from Spotify and Amazon Music, as well.

The Venu 3 will start at $449.99 and offers up to 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. It features a light stainless steel bezel and has silicone bands in either white or black, while five strap color options are available for the smaller 3S.

It’s still unclear if older Venu models will receive software updates that will bring these new features over. But for a mainstream smartwatch from a company that mostly caters to a fitness-focused audience, the Venu 3 appears to be a step forward.