Samsung's 1TB T7 Shield SSD not only offers solid read/write speeds but has a rugged exterior that helps it withstand drops, water and dust. It's now on sale for a record low price of $75, offering significant savings over the original $160 price tag. It's part of a Samsung storage sale that also feature the 980 Pro SSD 2TB drive down to just $140 ($20 off) and the 256GB EVO Select microSD memory card on sale for $18 ($22 off). 

While there are plenty of portable SSDs out there, the T7 Shield's claim to fame is the durable design. It can survive up to a 9.8-foot drop, and the IP65-rated chassis resists dust and water while offering a rubberized grip to stay in your hands. That makes it a solid choice for content creators and others that are constantly transferring data in the field and throwing drives into their bags.

While it's not the fastest model out there, the T7 Shield drive can hit 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s read/write speeds, respectively. That's more than fast enough to back up most memory cards, and the peace of mind from the hardened design could be worth any tradeoffs.

Samsung also has deals on memory cards and NVMe SSDs. A couple of notable deals are the 980 Pro 2TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD priced at $140, for a savings of 13 percent. You can also grab the 256GB EVO Select microSD memory card + adapter for just $18 and save $22. 

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

Apple finally has professional creative software to match the iPad Pro. The company is releasing both Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad on May 23rd. The two tablet apps now feature a touch-friendly interface and other iPad-specific improvements, such as Pencil and Magic Keyboard support (more on those in a moment). At the same time, Apple wants to reassure producers that these are full-featured apps that won't leave Mac users feeling lost.

The apps also represent a change in Apple's pricing strategy. Where Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for Mac are one-time purchases, you'll have to subscribe to the iPad versions for either $5 per month or $49 per year. There's a one-month free trial. The move isn't surprising given Apple's increasing reliance on services for revenue, but it may be disappointing if you were hoping to avoid the industry's subscription trend.

Developing...

Artiphon, the company behind the Orba handheld synth and MIDI controller, launched a new AR music creation app today that you don’t need a musical background to enjoy. Minibeats for iOS uses gestures, dance moves and facial expressions to craft songs played on 12 virtual instruments with colorful visual effects.

You could view the Minibeats app as a phone camera equivalent to Artiphon’s music-creation hardware. Here, instead of tapping touchpads on top of an orb-like device, the app lets you wave your hands, smile, frown and bust a move; the camera will capture your gestures and turn them into corresponding music.

The app is an extension of the company’s mission to make music creation a fun and simple activity that anyone can do. “With an intuitive interface and zero learning curve, Minibeats allows you to make music in innovative ways using simple gestures,” Artiphon’s announcement reads. “Dance to the beat as Minibeats tracks your movements and mixes the music. Wave your hands to draw across the sky with sparkles, lasers, and ripples. And even play music by smiling and frowning as Minibeats detects your emotions and scores it with a mood that matches the moment.”

Artiphon

The app taps into the Snapchat CameraKit SDK, which Artiphon already used in custom lenses it launched earlier this year in collaboration with electronic artists San Holo and LP Giobbi. “The iOS app will take this idea even further with more music to choose from and even more exciting ways to play it,” the launch video below states.

Although the app is tailored for simplicity, it provides hint videos to show you the ropes and learn the subtler details of AR music creation. Additionally, it includes “dozens” of visual effects corresponding to your gestures and sounds. And, of course, the app makes it easy to share your creations, letting you download your makeshift music video to your iOS Photos library or share with friends through text, email or social apps.

Bluesky, the Jack Dorsey-backed decentralized social network, isn’t publicly available yet, but it’s already become one of the hottest Twitter alternatives. Grabbing an invite to the service, which has been in a closed beta for barely two months, has become a digital status symbol, with invite codes selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay. The iOS app has been downloaded more than 375,000 times, according to analytics from data.ai – which is interesting considering the app only has about 65,000 users. Bluesky isn’t the first Twitter alternative to take off and see a surge in interest from former Twitter power users. Read on for a closer look at the latest attempt to replace Twitter in your life.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

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Bank of Canada asks for public feedback about a national digital currency

Although it says ‘a digital Canadian dollar is not needed’ right now.

The Bank of Canada wants the public’s opinions on a potential digital Canadian dollar. Although the country’s central bank says a national digital currency isn’t yet needed, it wants to remain flexible and ready should that ever change. The bank cites the diminishing use of cash, potential competition with cryptocurrencies and national economic stability as reasons to prepare for the potential shift. “A digital Canadian dollar would ensure Canadians always have an official, safe and stable digital payment option issued by Canada’s central bank,” the bank says. But it also emphasized that, even if it eventually launched a national digital currency, it would still issue bank notes for anyone who wants them. “Cash isn’t going anywhere,” it unequivocally states.

Continue reading.

Watch the first trailer for Chris Nolan's 'Oppenheimer'

The movie focuses on the birth of the atomic bomb.

Universal

Universal has released a trailer for Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan's biopic of the physicist who played a key role in developing and testing the first atomic bomb. While the team hopes nuclear weapons will end World War II and usher in a new era of peace, they're also worried about sparking an apocalyptic arms race. The adaptation of Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin's American Prometheus book stars Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders) as its namesake scientist, with Emily Blunt as Oppenheimer's wife, Katherine.

Continue reading.

The Ayaneo Air Plus is the next would-be Steam Deck killer

Great hardware can't hide that this isn't a pure console experience.

Ayaneo, a relatively unknown player, has become one of the more prolific names in the handheld gaming PC world. Its newest handheld, the Air Plus, is the third iteration of Ayaneo’s Air series, and it has a choice of either AMD or Intel chipsets. The model we tested is the Ryzen 6800U processor, meaning it’s technically very similar to the Ayaneo 2 we reviewed a few months ago. The Air Plus is a shade smaller than a Nintendo Switch (albeit somewhat thicker), unlike the Ayaneo 2, which has a profile closer to the Steam Deck. While the entry-level 64GB Steam Deck will set you back $400, the base Ayaneo Air Plus costs $790 for early birds before it eventually retails for $979.

Continue reading.

Sony's latest portable party speaker also works with your TV

The SRS-XV800 lasts up to 25 hours and has karaoke features.

Sony

Sony's X-Series party speakers typically have a few tricks up their sleeves to power your gatherings. The company's latest model, the SRS-XV800, packs in a lot, but it also has an additional handy tool. Besides a built-in light show, karaoke mode and more, this speaker can connect to your TV through its optical port. Sony says you can expect up to 25 hours of battery life on the XV800, but that's with the customizable built-in light show turned off. This speaker may be portable, but it's also a beast. Sony added wheels and a handle, so you don't have to carry this behemoth when you need to move it.

Continue reading.

VanMoof’s newest e-bikes, the S4 and X4, are two attempts at a mid-range e-bike. The company is trying to deliver its premium features and build quality, for substantially less money. At $2,498, that’s $1,000 less than the company’s top-of-the-range S5 and X5 bikes, but they're still not exactly cheap.

VanMoof co-founder Ties Carlier said in a press release that this was an attempt at a “more simple, more accessible and more reliable” e-bike. One major simplification is the transition to adaptive motor support and a two-speed gear hub. The SX5 series had a three-speed gear system, and while it had a torque sensor to assist, adaptive motor support is new for these cheaper e-bikes. While the gear system may be different, the company expects the range to be equivalent to both the SA5 and older SX3 e-bikes, 60-150 km, depending on riding conditions and rider. There’s still turbo-boost on board, with a button on each side of the handlebars.

Security-wise (and where VanMoof has excelled in the past) there’s an integrated fourth-generation Kick Lock (SA5 e-bikes have Gen 5 lock), which locks the rear wheel with a tap. It’s still packed with anti-theft tech, including onboard alarms and location tracking, although there’s no integrated support for Apple’s Find My item tracking.

The design hasn’t changed hugely, but there are some differences worth noting. The team has nixed the halo ring lighting and USB-C charging port for the SX4, while the frame itself is closer, both in looks and height, to the older SX3 e-bikes. Possibly the biggest difference is a punchier range of colors: the SX4 will come in Evergreen, Sunbeam Yellow, Purple Fog and Foam Green – a far cry from the mostly monochrome of previous rides – and demonstrating different tastes to rival Cowboy’s latest e-bike colorways.

VanMoof

Both the VanMoof S4 and X4 are available to preorder now, at VanMoof’s official site. In Europe, the Evergreen model is on sale starting today, while it will go on sale in late May in the US, with other color options following after. Stay tuned for impressions once we get to test-ride.

One of the largest apps in the world is coming to Wear OS watches, 9to5Google and WaBetaInfo have reported. WhatsApp is now testing an app for Wear OS 3 on devices like the Galaxy Watch 5, Pixel Watch and others. It offers much of the functionality of the mobile versions, showing recent chats and contacts, while allowing you to send voice and text messages. 

To set up the app, you'll need to have the Beta version of WhatsApp on your phone. After installing the app on your watch, it will display an eight-digit alphanumeric code that you punch in to the mobile app.

WhatsApp

From there, a list of recent conversations will pop up, along with "Settings" and "Open on phone." Clicking any of the conversations will bring up individual or group chats, showing messages, images sent, etc. At the bottom of each chat, you can choose to send a voice or text message, using the system keyboard for the latter. Similarly, you can view or listen to any existing or received messages. 

WhatsApp offers a circular complication that shows unread messages on your watch's home page. There are also two tiles for contacts and voice messages, to let you quickly access people or start a voice message recording. 

It's a significant release for Wear OS 3, offering an ultra-popular app that most people have on their phones — in turn fulfilling Google's aim of getting more developers on the platform. To get the app, you'll need to sign up for the WhatsApp beta and be running version 2.23.10.10+ on both your smartphone and watch. 

"[Y]ou will probably see follower count drop," Twitter owner Elon Musk has warned the website's users, because the company is purging accounts that has "had no activity at all" for several years. Musk's announcement was quite vague, so we'll have to wait for Twitter to announce more specific rules, such as how long "several years" actually is.

His announcement also comes after he reportedly threatened to reassign NPR's handle on the website due to inactivity. According to the media organization, the executive sent one of its reporters an unprompted email that reads: "So is NPR going to start posting on Twitter again, or should we reassign @NPR to another company?" NPR left the social network after it was labeled "state-affiliated media" along with state-run outlets like Russia's RT. Musk apparently told NPR in their email exchange that Twitter's policy is to "recycle handles that are definitively dormant" and that "same policy applies to all accounts." It's worth noting that it's been less than a month since NPR quit Twitter and that it definitely hasn't been "several years" yet. 

At the moment, though, the website has yet to update its inactive account policy page, which only states that users need to log in every 30 days to keep their account active. That part of the policy is pretty new, because Twitter had only required users to log in every six months as recently as April 19th. Twitter's policy still also states that it "cannot release inactive usernames at this time," but Musk hinted in a follow-up tweet that the company will be changing that rule. "[I]t is important to free up abandoned handles," he wrote. 

When urged to rethink his decision, because killing inactive accounts will also delete tweets by deceased users, Musk responded that their accounts will be archived. What that means exactly remains to be seen. 

Volvo has revealed the name for its upcoming fully electric small SUV in a teaser showing its official launch date. The vehicle is called EX30, and a previous report from the Auto Express suggests that it's targeting MINI's electric vehicles. Volvo first teased the compact SUV when it announced the EX90, which the company calls its "safest car ever," last year. Apparently, it shares several design components with the EX90, including its sharply angled hatchback form factor and its tail light. 

The EX30 will reportedly use the electric vehicle platform developed by Volvo parent company Geely. Smart, an automative brand established as a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, already used the platform for its compact electric SUV called the #1. That's why Auto Express expects the EX30 to be available as a 268-horsepower single-motor vehicle like the #1 or as a 400-horsepower four-wheel drive vehicle similar to Volvo's older EVs.

Like other automakers, Volvo Cars aims to go fully electric by 2030 and unveiled its first electric vehicle, the XC40 Recharge SUV, back in 2019. It also launched a curvier version of it, the C40 Recharge, in 2021. The automaker will officially unveil the EX30 on June 7th, when the vehicle will also be available for pre-order in select markets. 

After selling 23 million Switches two years ago and 18 million in the last year, Nintendo expects demand for the aging console to continue to fall. It's forecasting sales of 15 million for next year (fiscal year 2024) and isn't even confident of that figure, the company announced in its latest earnings report. "Sustaining the Switch’s sales momentum will be difficult in its seventh year," said President Shuntaro Furukawa in a call. "Our goal of selling 15 million unit this fiscal year is a bit of stretch." 

To achieve that, the company said that it will focus on selling second and even third consoles to people who already own one. "We try to not only put one system in every home, but several in every home, or even one for every person." 

For the last full year (fiscal 2023 for Nintendo), the company saw sales drop 5.5 percent from 1.695 trillion yen ($12.57 billion) to $1.601 trillion yen ($11.87 billion), while profit dropped 14.9 percent to 504.3 billion yen ($3.74 billion). Net sales for its last quarter were down 18 percent year-over-year to 306.5 billion yen ($2.27 billion), indicating that it's on a slippery downward slope. 

Switch sales for the quarter were 3.06 million (with exactly half being OLED Switch units), one of the company's worst sales quarters for the console to date. However, Nintendo did predict this would happen, saying last year at this time that it expected sales of the console to keep slowing down. 

That's to be expected for a six-year-old console that has sold extremely well in its lifetime (125.62 million units, third best of all time) and effectively saturated the market. Consumers may also be waiting for the company's next-gen console, whatever that turns out to be.

Luckily for Nintendo, we're just days away from the new Zelda release, which will likely drive game sales and inspire extra console demand. It's not looking too good for the Switch overall though, especially next to Sony which just had a second consecutive blockbuster quarter, selling 6.3 million PS5s and easily beating its forecast of 18 million for the year. 

VIZ Media has launched a new service that will make English versions of the latest chapters of select manga titles available to subscribers as soon as they're released in Japan. The service, called VIZ Manga, features manga published by Shogakugan and Shueisha and costs $2 a month. Its current "simulpub" or simultaneous publication catalogue has 15 titles that include Inuyasha sequel Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon and Mao by Rumiko Takahashi. Fans can even read their three most recent chapters for free. The subscription service also gives fans access to a library with over 10,000 chapters, including Junji Ito's GYO and Uzumaki, Yuu Watase's Fushigi Yuugi, Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 and Ai Yazawa's Nana. 

"Due to the explosive success of the Shonen Jump digital service, this new development will exponentially expand VIZ Media’s digital offering," the company said in its announcement. The Shonen Jump subscription service came out in 2018 and offered fans the chance to read its latest releases as soon as they come out in Japan. VIZ Media said this is the first time English-speaking fans can get titles from the publishers — legally, that is — at the same time Japan does. The hope is likely to steer fans away from unauthorized translations, which could come out as soon as a few hours after a chapter is published in Japan, and to ultimately address the industry's piracy problem. 

According to the Tokyo-based Content Overseas Distribution Association, the Japanese manga industry lost 395.2 billion (US$2.9 billion) to 831.1 billion Yen (US$6.2 billion) in 2021 due to online piracy. Korean webtoons have also been steadily rising in popularity over the past few years while the Japanese manga industry has been shrinking. Webtoons are digital comics optimized for smartphones, and their publishing format makes them much easier to consume in this day and age. Manga has always been a print-first industry, but publishers have been looking for ways to expand their digital presence. 

At the moment, VIZ Manga is only available in the US and Canada, accessible through the company's Android or iOS app and its website. (Subscriptions, however, can only be purchased through the app.) VIZ Media plans to expand the service's availability to other regions, though, so fans outside those two countries may want to keep an eye out for future announcements.