This is a good moment to buy wireless earbuds as a Mother's Day gift, or just as a treat for yourself. After a month, Amazon is once again selling third-generation AirPods for $150, or $20 off. That's near the best price we've seen, and makes them easier to choose if you're looking for mid-priced personal audio. You can also get the second-gen model for $99 if you're just looking for the fundamentals.
The third-gen AirPods represent a major improvement over their predecessors. They sound dramatically better, with a more open sound that delivers clearer highs and richer bass. They're more comfortable to wear for prolonged periods, and the longer six-hour battery life can help you get through a longer flight or a long stretch of the workday. Water resistance also makes them better-suited to use in the rain or certain workouts.
They're not for everyone. This model won't sound as good or fit as snugly as the AirPods Pro. You also won't get active noise cancellation (ANC) to shut out the rest of the world. And while you can use them with Android, they're still best-suited to Apple devices. The tight ecosystem integration makes them extremely convenient if you have Apple gear, though, and you might even prefer the lack of ANC if you need to pay attention to coworkers or traffic.
When it comes to earbud innovation, these days advances typically come in reduced size, longer battery life and improved audio. Rarely does a company offer something truly unique. But JBL seems to think there’s room for improvement in the charging case. With the Tour Pro 2, JBL has installed a touch screen display, giving you access to settings and tools without having to dive into its app. On top of that, these are a feature-packed set of true wireless earbuds, with a ton of options for sound customization, hearing assistance and more. But with everything the $250 set offers, JBL might’ve been too ambitious.
Design
JBL’s product range features a mix of “traditional” earbuds, stick buds and sport models with an over-the-ear loop. The Tour Pro 2 fits in that middle category with a design akin to Apple’s AirPods. These certainly have a more refined look, though, with a mix of matte and gloss black plastic. The shape of the inner part of the earbud is ovular, which is, again similar to the AirPods Pro.
The curves here combine with lower weight to make for a comfy fit. The Tour Pro 2 are one of the few sets of true wireless earbuds I can wear for hours at a time without it becoming a chore. There’s a touch panel on the outside of both buds that can accept single, double and triple taps, in addition to long presses, for a variety of on-board controls. Plus, you can reconfigure those to your liking inside the JBL Headphones app.
The headline feature though, is undoubtedly the case. Most earbuds come with a charging case, the feature list basically ends at charging. Some companies have added wireless transmission for use on planes, but nothing too crazy. The Tour Pro 2 comes with a “smart case,” complete with a touch screen on the outside. As you might expect, it’s larger than what we typically see, but it’s not huge by any means. It’s equipped for wireless charging and there’s a USB-C port on the button for wired top ups.
Software and features
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
The Tour Pro 2 offers a ton of features for audio setup, convenience and customization. All of which are accessible inside the JBL Headphones app and some are available via the charging case display. When you pair the earbuds to the app for the first time, the software will prompt you to complete a few steps for initial setup. Those include an ear tip fit and ear canal tests for ANC performance, voice assistant setup and a quick feature tour. The main section of the app displays battery status for both earbuds individually and the case right up top.
Everything else is situated on that main screen, accessible with a simple scroll. Ambient Sound Control is up top, giving you the ability to choose between active noise cancellation, Ambient Aware (transparency mode), TalkThru for IRL conversations and off. There’s the option to further tweak ANC by opting for Adaptive, automatic adjustments or by enabling leakage and/or ear canal compensation. Ambient Aware allows you to adjust the level of environmental sound the earbuds pick up with a slider.
Next on the list is Personi-Fi. This is JBL’s take on personal audio profiles. After completing a hearing test, the app creates a sound profile that also takes into account your listening preferences. Personi-Fi considers gender, age and more to build its custom preset. Before completing the process, the audio on the Tour Pro 2 was… fine. After the five-minute bout with tones at various volumes and frequencies, my sound profile produced improved bass response from the earbuds and what felt like a slightly wider soundstage. However, the tailored setting did lose some detail in things like softer background vocals, guitar distortion and subtle noise.
Sound options follow Personi-Fi. Here, JBL gives you a collection of audio presets as well as the ability to manually adjust the EQ curve. Any tuning you create can be saved for future use. You also have the option of enabling Spatial Sound on the Tour Pro 2, JBL’s take on spatial audio. Once you turn it on, the company offers three options based on what you’re listening to: movie, music and game.
The app gives you the ability to change the gestures for the on-board controls from this menu too. There’s a limit to the fine-tuning here as JBL has grouped all the options under Ambient Sound Control, Volume Control or Playback & Voice Assistant Control. Those are self-explanatory and you can choose to put one on the left and a different one on the right. The only consistent behavior is that a long press will summon your voice assistant on all three gesture options.
Three of the most useful features on the Tour Pro 2 are VoiceAware, SilentNow and Personal Sound Amplification. VoiceAware is an adjustable tool that allows you to tweak how much of your voice you hear during calls. JBL describes SlientNow as a quiet bubble, a feature that disconnects Bluetooth and turns on ANC. The company goes a step further by allowing you to schedule when the mode will turn on, how long it will be active and if you want an alarm when it ends (in case you’re planning to nap). Personal Sound Amplification is designed for hearing assistance, boosting environmental sound by 15-20dB and helping with conversations. When it’s enabled, you can adjust left/right balance and gain to fit your needs.
The smart case
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
While the main purpose of the smart case is to give you easy access to the Tour Pro 2’s features. I’m happy to debate the utility of putting everything on the charging accessory instead of leaving it in an app – software that takes only a couple more taps to open. But, if you find the entire concept convenient, I’m happy to report that the touch screen works well. You swipe from side to side to scroll through the myriad options available on the case and that panel is receptive to taps without issue. Plus, JBL decided to put battery levels, a clock and handy icons on the top edge, giving you crucial info at a glance. What’s more, when you’re on a call, those controls pop-up on case too.
The JBL Headphones app includes a section for customizing the smart case. Here, you can adjust the display brightness, select a screensaver, enable message notifications/previews and choose which features will be accessible on the touch screen. By default, the case shows Ambient Sound Control, Spatial Sound, EQ presets, VoiceAware and auto play/pause (when you remove the buds from your ears). That’s in addition to the lock screen wallpaper selector, screen brightness, timer, volume, playback controls, flashlight and Find My Buds that can’t be removed. The only additional feature that isn’t enabled by default that you can add to the case is SilentNow.
Sound quality and noise cancellation
The default tuning on the Tour Pro 2 is pretty average. There’s some decent clarity and detail, but the soundstage feels compressed despite a good amount of bass and a smidge of punch in the treble. Overall, things converge on the midrange, leaving the extra oomph on the table with tracks like Better Lovers’ “30 Under 13” and boygenius’ “$20.” Personi-fi helps open things up a bit, but as I mentioned, it comes at the cost of lost detail. You lose some of the texture of the vocals and guitars in that boygenius song, for example.
Another prime example of the lack of space in the sound profile is on Nickel Creek’s Celebrants. That album was recorded in a way that sounds like you’re in the room getting a private performance. Guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bass surround you with vocals sprinkled around to complete the vibe. On the Tour Pro 2, you lose the sense of the virtual room, so the songs just become music in your earbuds instead of capturing the atmosphere and energy of the tracking session. Personi-fi makes no noticeable difference here.
While there are a number of audio customization options in JBL’s app, they don’t do much to improve things. In fact, some make the sound worse. Spatial Sound’s effectiveness can vary depending on the genre. Sometimes there’s a noticeable improvement in the immersive nature of the audio. But with some content, like that Nickel Creek album, it seems like positioning is just moved up slightly, like it's trying to simulate up-firing drivers in a soundbar. In those cases, the sound is just relocated, not improved. I found it best to leave Spatial Sound off.
In terms of ANC performance, the Tour Pro 2 does a solid job in most circumstances. They’re very good at blocking the constant roar of a dishwasher, clothes dryer or white noise machine – things that conspire for the daily droning at my house. However, the earbuds struggle with human voices, especially if the person is closeby. Listen to anything relatively quiet and you’re sure to hear the chatty person behind you.
One note on noise isolation that’s worth pointing out. Despite the ear tip fit test determining that all was well with the Tour Pro 2, there was a lot of sound leakage so the people around me could clearly hear what I was listening to. My wife was the first to notice, and while she says it happens occasionally while I’m testing, it has never been this bad. Sure enough, when she popped in the earbuds, I could clearly hear the tunes at volumes above 60 percent or so. It’s something to consider if you like to blast heavy metal in the office.
For calls, the Tour Pro 2 is a mixed bag. Confusingly, the TalkThru option in the Ambient Sound Control menu can’t be activated here. You can enable ambient sound mode, but that doesn’t pick up a considerable amount of your chatter. Instead, there’s that separate VoiceAware feature and it only works during calls. Again, it’s adjustable, so you can select the amount of your speech you want sent back through the earbuds. It works okay, but it’s nowhere near as natural sounding as what you get on the AirPods Pro. While TalkThru is meant for in-person conversations, it doesn’t pipe in much more of your voice than the transparency mode Ambient Aware. So, even if you could use it for calls, it’s not a great option for them. In the end, it just feels like different features here do variations of the same thing. Overall, call quality is just okay here, despite JBL’s promise of “perfect calls” via six on-board mics.
Battery life
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
JBL says you can expect up to eight hours on a charge with ANC on, plus another three full charges in the case. Turn noise cancellation off and you could muster two additional hours on both the buds and per charge in the case. During tests consisting of “normal” use – a mix of ANC, transparency mode, calls and leaving the buds to power off automatically – I got seven hours before having to dock the Tour Pro 2 in the case.
Oddly, I started getting low battery notifications when the case was still showing 25 percent left on both earbuds. Power plummeted quickly from there and after less than 30 minutes the pair was dead. I mention this to point out that the battery estimates on the case don’t seem to be entirely accurate, especially when you hit 25 percent. If you unexpectedly encounter a faster-than-expected drain, there is a 15-minute quick-charge tool that will give you up to four hours of use.
The competition
When it comes to premium true wireless earbuds, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 are the best you can buy right now. The company includes just as many features as JBL, if not more. You won’t find a smart case, but you will find handy tools like Speak-to-Chat automatic pausing when you start talking and the ability to automatically change sound settings based on location or activity. Plus, the M4s offer better sound quality and more effective noise cancellation on top of all the conveniences. They’re starting to get some age on them as they debuted in mid-2021, but that means you’re currently privy to a discount: they’re currently going for $200.
Wrap-up
JBL threw every feature it could at the Tour Pro 2. And that’s without even considering the smart case. That touch-screen-enabled accessory is the main draw but I’m not sold on the concept just yet. Sure, there’s something to be said for easy access to settings, but that only works if you leave the case sitting out on your desk. Otherwise, you can probably get your phone out just as quickly. JBL isn’t the only company putting a display on a charging case, so who knows, maybe it will become standard. Tour Pro 2 do offer handy tools like VoiceAware, SilentNow and Personal Sound Amplification. But overall they’re an average set of earbuds with okay sound, decent ANC and so many features you might not use some of them more than once.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jbl-tour-pro-2-review-130009659.html?src=rss
This week, Senior Editor Jessica Conditt joins to discuss what went wrong with Redfall, Microsoft’s latest Xbox exclusive that launched to middling reviews. Jess says it’s good enough for Game Pass, but that’s pretty disappointing for a game from Arkane, the studio behind Dishonored and Prey. Also, they chat about Star Wars: Jedi Survivor and its horrendous PC port, and weigh in on how AI and streaming affects the WGA strike. Stay tuned at the end for an interview with Nida Manzoor, the director of Polite Society, who talks about how she lives with tech.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
AI Updates: Microsoft opens Bing AI testing to all, Google AI researcher George Hinton warns the world on rapid AI adoption – 35:55
Working on – 43:36
Pop culture picks – 47:23
Devindra’s interview with ‘Polite Society’ director Nida Manzoor – 53:57
Livestream
Credits Hosts: Jessica Conditt and Devindra Hardawar Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos Graphic artist: Luke Brooks and Joel Chokkattu
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-podcast-redfall-star-wars-jedi-survivor-123010304.html?src=rss
Google now routinely uses its I/O developer conference to launch or preview a flurry of new hardware, and that’s likely to be true for 2023. Company chief Sundar Pichai even teased news about Pixel devices during an earnings call in April, along with the requisite “exciting new developments” for Android. Just what can you expect when Pichai and others take the stage on May 10th, however? From all indications, it may be one of the busiest events yet.
Pixel Fold
After years of offering support for foldable phones, Google will unveil one of its own at I/O. The company has confirmed it will introduce a Pixel Fold that, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series, unfolds like a book. Rumors suggest it will have a 5.8-inch 120Hz external screen for quick interactions, and a 7.6-inch 120Hz internal display when you want more visual real estate. It has thicker bezels than the Z Fold, but it’s supposed to feature a durable, almost-gapless hinge and a battery that lasts 24 hours in normal use.
Unlike past Pixels, the Fold might not offer tremendous value for the money. The foldable is reportedly shipping in June for around $1,700, and it may come with the Pixel 7’s Tensor G2 chip using 12GB of RAM. Camera rumors also suggest varying levels of quality. CNBC hears the Fold could have old cameras that predate the Pixel 6, while Front Page Tech and 91Mobiles, respectively, believe it will jump to a 48MP or 64MP main sensor. Regardless of the exact specs, you’re really buying the Fold for the software — including a ‘clean’ take on Android foldables and AI-driven features like Clear Calling.
Pixel 7a
Photo by OnLeaks/Smartprix
Don’t worry if the Pixel Fold turns out to be well beyond your budget. Google is rumored to be launching the Pixel 7a at I/O, and it could address some of the shortcomings of the 6a. While the design that surfaced in Zing News’ hands-on photos isn’t wildly different from its predecessor, it might include a faster 90Hz display, wireless charging and a 64-megapixel main camera. Add a possible Tensor G2 chip with 8GB of RAM and you might not be in any rush to get a pricier phone, especially if you prefer a 6-inch screen over the Pixel 7’s larger panel.
Unfortunately, all those additions might come at a cost. Google reportedly plans to begin taking orders for the Pixel 7a on May 10th at a price of $499, or $50 higher than the 6a. If true, the A-series is now focused more on relative performance, rather than pricing first and foremost (as with the $350 Pixel 4a). Think of it as an alternative to the Galaxy A54 that trades screen size for a few creature comforts.
Pixel Tablet
Google
Google previewed the Pixel Tablet at last year’s I/O and again in the fall, so there’s a real chance the Android slate will finally launch this time around. There’s not much mystery left at this point; outside of pricing and exact specs, the company has shared most of what you’ll get.
If you need a primer, the Pixel Tablet is really two devices in one. You can use it handheld, but it also doubles as a smart display thanks to a speaker dock. It can stay in your kitchen while you’re cooking, but come to the living room when you’re ready to unwind. It uses the same Tensor G2 chip as the Pixel 7, and offers a unique nano-ceramic finish that promises to be grippy while feeling premium.
Leaks suggest this Pixel is a mid-sized 11-inch tablet with 8GB of RAM, and may start at €600 (about $660) in Europe with 128GB of storage and an included dock. That could translate to $600 in the US. It might not blow away the Galaxy Tab S8 or iPad Air in terms of raw power, but you could ultimately save money if you were already planning to get a smart display like the Nest Hub.
Android 14
Google
If there’s anything certain about I/O 2023, it’s the formal debut for Android 14. Test versions have been available since February, and Google plans to release the finished operating system in late summer. If there’s any prime moment to share more, this is it.
The confirmed features to date are modest additions like improved accessibility, stronger app security, longer battery life and custom sharing features. There haven’t been any major upgrades so far, but that’s not surprising. Android developer previews and early betas are usually meant to help creators prepare their apps — it’s not until I/O that Google typically shares interface changes or other significant public-facing improvements.
There are a few hints of extra changes thanks to sleuthing by Esper’s Mishaal Rahman. Health Connect, the hub for data from fitness apps, may come with Android 14. A previously optional predictive back gesture, which shows where you’ll go when you swipe, might be standard. Neither of these are earth-shaking, but they imply that Google is making numerous small refinements on top of any more noticeable changes.
Pixel 8 preview
Photo by OnLeaks/Smartprix
Google used I/O 2022 to offer a brief glimpse of the Pixel 7. While there’s no guarantee of a repeat, we wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a Pixel 8 preview at the 2023 gathering. Provided OnLeaks renders are true to the finished product, this will be a subtle evolution with more rounded corners and a slightly different camera cutout.
After that, details are murky. WinFutureclaims the Pixel 8 series will use a next-generation Tensor chip (presumably the Tensor G3) with 8GB of RAM in the standard model and 12GB in the Pro. The camera array might not change much, but code indicates Google could bring its unblur tool to videos for the first time.
If there is a Pixel 8 preview, you’ll probably be waiting a while to get a device in your hands. Google usually waits until the fall to deliver flagship Pixel phones, and we expect that to be the case here. You may not have to wait as long to hear more, though. Given Google’s historically poor track record for preventing leaks, there could be a flurry of scoops in the next few months.
Wildcards: Pixel Watch 2 and experimental tech
Photo by Cherlynn Low/Engadget
It seemingly wouldn’t be I/O without a seemingly leftfield hardware announcement. Google teased next-generation augmented reality glasses in 2022, for instance. As such, we can’t rule out surprises this year.
A sequel to the Pixel Watch is one option. Google hasn’t said how often it will refresh its first in-house smartwatch, but the current model has ample room for improvement. There’s only one case size, and the circa-2018 Samsung Exynos processor does no favors to the battery life or performance. There aren’t any substantive leaks as of this writing, though, so we wouldn’t bet on a preview.
The more plausible possibility is an update on those previously mentioned AR glasses. Google only showed a rough prototype last time and could easily have more to say if work has progressed well in the months since. That’s a big “if,” mind you. Even Meta isn’t believed to be releasing its first true AR eyewear until 2027, and there’s no certainty Google has solved technical challenges following initial field tests. If the glasses appear, they may only be slightly further along.
Don’t be surprised if there are genuine surprises, too. Google caught more than a few people off guard with its pandemic-friendly Project Starline video chat booth at I/O 2021, and the decision to preview the Pixel Tablet a year early was more than a little unusual. This is a tech giant that isn’t afraid to tease devices long before they’re viable.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/what-to-expect-at-google-io-2023-120024438.html?src=rss
Google has confirmed the Pixel Fold, its first foldable smartphone, with video teasers on both YouTube and Twitter. The company was expected to reveal the Pixel Fold at Google I/O next week, but leaks ruined that surprise. The device has a vertical hinge that unfolds into a tablet-like 7.6-inch display. There’s also an exterior screen, measuring 5.8 inches.
Rumors suggest the price could be around $1,700, fetching a premium far beyond Google’s flagship Pixels. However, I could be convinced – if the foldable can deliver a rumored 24-hour battery life. Expect to hear everything you need to make up your mind on May 10th, which is next Wednesday.
– Mat Smith
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It has received approval to expand the Vegas Loop even further.
The Boring Company (TBC) is expanding its tunnel network underneath Las Vegas by 25 miles, which will add 18 new stations to its original plan. According to TechCrunch, the commissioners voted 6-to-1 after TBC's lawyer, Stephanie Allen, assured them that the company and not the taxpayers will be funding the project entirely. Currently, the Vegas Loop is still just about 2 miles long with five stops around the Las Vegas Convention Center.
It comes hours before VP Harris meets with Silicon Valley leaders about AI risks.
The Biden Administration announced Thursday that it plans to put $140 million into launching seven new AI R&D centers. It will form a part of the National Science Foundation, extracting commitments from leading AI companies to participate in a "public evaluation" of their AI systems. Vice President Kamala Harris also met with tech leaders at the White House yesterday for what was set to be, according to an official, "a frank discussion about the risks we see in current and near-term AI development."
It's also adding rich media answers, conversation histories, and more.
Three months after debuting its revamped search engine, Microsoft announced it's now moving into open preview. You'll still need to sign in to Bing on the Edge browser (or the Bing mobile apps) to use the chatbot, but at least you no longer have to deal with a waitlist. Microsoft is also rolling out several new features to celebrate this new phase of Bing (powered by OpenAI's GPT-4). It can go beyond mere text responses to deliver charts, graphs and rich formatting. Its image generator also supports more than 100 languages.
Some indie classics have joined the service, such as 'Limbo' and 'Getting Over It.'
Apple has added another 20 new and classic titles to its Arcade service. Among the additions is an exclusive co-op Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. TMNT Splintered Fate is a roguelike brawler, so it'll be different every time you play - you can even combine the turtles' attacks with randomized powerups. Also new is What The Car?, the latest title from What the Golf? and What The Bat? studio Triband. This time, you'll control a car and participate in races. Expect some absurd twists. To start with: the car has legs.
This is not an epic end-of-Avengers CGI attack, but a star consuming one of its orbiting planets as it turns into a red giant. The star, about 12,000 light-years away, close to the Aquila constellation, became 100 times brighter over 10 days. It's believed that the Earth and other inner Solar System planets will face a similar demise when the Sun dies - roughly 5 billion years from now. Er, happy Friday!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-google-officially-reveals-its-first-foldable-phone-the-pixel-fold-111546720.html?src=rss
Google's flagship Pixel 7 Pro has been acclaimed for its excellent cameras and smooth 120Hz display, but it also carries a flagship price. Now, you can grab the 128GB model at Amazon for $700 ($200 off), the lowest price we've seen to date. The only caveat is that the deal only applies to one color, but luckily that color is black, or "Obsidian" as Google calls it.
The Pixel 7 Pro has a lot of refinements over the previous model, making it Google's most polished smartphone to date. It uses the company's own Tensor G2 chip, and while it's not quite as fast as Qualcomm's latest processors, it unlocks some nice AI camera tricks like Super Res Zoom, Photo Unblur and Cinematic Blur features.
Those cameras are among the best in the Pixel 7 Pro's price class, thanks in large part to the new 5X telephoto and ultra-wide-angle lens that has a solid macro function. Meanwhile, the 6.7-inch 120Hz display allows for smooth gaming performance. You can also expect modern features like wireless charging, strong water resistance and an improved design.
Best of all for many buyers, the Pixel 7 offers Google's bloatware-free Android experience with first crack at updates and exclusive features like Clear Calling and a free VPN. The only downside is a slightly laggy fingerprint reader and temperatures that can get a bit warm under load. If you've been waiting for a deal, $700 is an outstanding price, but it's best to act soon before Amazon's stock is gone.
Tesla has unveiled a $20,000 track package for the Model S Plaid, finally allowing it to reach the 200 MPH top speed the automaker promised when it was first announced. The Model S Plaid vehicles the company delivered after they became available could only reach around 163 MPH, which is fast, but not 200 MPH fast. Turned out Tesla put a limitation on its software to prevent it from reaching its full potential. According to Electrek, the company wanted the vehicle to have bigger brakes first, so they could slow down better from really high speeds.
When you visit the Model S Plaid order page, you'll see a note when you click the 200 MPH stop speed spec that the indicated spec requires paid hardware upgrades. The new track package will set you back $15,000 for a carbon ceramic brake kit package, or $20,000 for the brake kit and a wheel and tire package optimized for performance and track usage. You will need the ceramic brakes to be able to unlock the vehicle's top speed, but you can also purchase just the wheel and tire package for $6,000.
The automaker first started offering the ceramic brake kit for $20,000 back in 2021, but it has yet to start installing it on customers' vehicles. (While there was a company that was able to push past the Model S Plaid's software limitations last year, it had to hack into the vehicle's software and install third-party brakes.) The new track package pages have a clear date for their availability, though: They will be out in June 2023 and can be purchased from the Tesla app.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-unveils-model-s-plaid-track-package-that-unlocks-a-top-speed-of-200-mph-085856818.html?src=rss
Gamepad maker 8Bitdo unveiled a cheaper version of its beloved Ultimate Controller today. The new Ultimate C 2.4G Wireless Controller is a $30 wireless accessory in purple or green color options. It’s compatible with Windows, Android, Steam Deck and Raspberry Pi.
As its name suggests, the new gamepad connects wirelessly using an included 2.4GHz USB dongle. 8Bitdo describes it as a “simplified” version of the popular Ultimate series of controllers while “offering the same ultimate quality.” As for what “simplified” means, the company appears to have helped scale back production costs by skipping the charging dock (using cable charging instead) and the profile-toggling switch from the more expensive variants. It also doesn’t support the company’s Ultimate Software for customizations.
8BitDo says the gamepad can last up to 25 hours of playtime and recharge fully in two hours. In addition, it supports asymmetrical rumble, although vibration feedback only works on Windows. The controller also works in wired mode and is plug-and-play on PC.
The company expanded into modern console-style controllers last year after making its bones on nostalgic gamepads mimicking classic NES and SNES inputs. The Ultimate line’s design is much closer to today’s Xbox controllers, including asymmetric stick layouts. The more expensive 2.5GHz version is still available for $50, while the Bluetooth variant costs $70. You can pre-order the new model from Amazon ahead of its scheduled May 31st release date.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/8bitdo-launches-a-30-version-of-its-ultimate-controller-214509427.html?src=rss
The Biden administration may be funding AI research, but it's also hoping to keep companies accountable for their behavior. Vice President Kamala Harris has met the CEOs of Alphabet (Google's parent), Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic in a bid to get more safeguards for AI. Private firms have an "ethical, moral and legal responsibility" to make their AI products safe and secure, Harris says in a statement. She adds that they still have to honor current laws.
The Vice President casts generative AI technologies like Bard, Bing Chat and ChatGPT as having the potential to both help and harm the country. It can address some of the "biggest challenges," but it can also be used to violate rights, create distrust and weaken "faith in democracy," according to Harris. She pointed to investigations into Russian interference during the 2016 presidential election as evidence that hostile nations will use tech to undercut democratic processes.
Finer details of the discussions aren't available as of this writing. However, Bloombergclaims invitations to the meeting outlined discussions of the risks of AI development, efforts to limit those risks and other ways the government could cooperate with the private sector to safely embrace AI.
Biden's officials aren't waiting for companies to act. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is asking for public comments on possible rules for AI development. Even so, the Harris meeting sends a not-so-subtle message that AI creators face a crackdown if they don't act responsibly.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vice-president-harris-tells-tech-ceos-they-have-a-moral-responsibility-to-safeguard-ai-211049047.html?src=rss
Apple had its second "bad" quarter in a row. Bad, of course, is a relative term — the company's revenues declined again, but Apple is still making a positively massive amount of money. Specifically, the iPhone and Services categories, both of which have been Apple's biggest money-makers for years now, saw revenue gains year-over-year. But this wasn't enough to offset declines everywhere else: the Mac, iPad, and Wearables / Home / Accessories divisions all shrank compared to this time a year ago. As such, Apple's overall revenue dropped a modest three percent year-over-year to $94.8 billion, while net income of $24.2 billion was down less than one percentage point. Like I said, not exactly a bad quarter, but given that the company's sales and profits almost always are up, it's worth noting when they aren't.
The strong iPhone sales (up two percent to $51.3 billion) marked a record the March-ending quarter, despite the fact that the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro arrived last September. And Apple's services business, which has been growing steadily over the past five years to surpass all other products the company offers (besides the iPhone, of course) hit another record with $20.9 billion in revenue (up five percent year-over-year).
Mac sales plummeted from $10.4 billion a year ago to only $7.2 billion this quarter past, down 31 percent overall. That's less than IDC predicted a month ago when it said Mac sales dropped by 40 percent, but the general forecast of hugely diminished interest still rings true. iPad sales weren't hit as hard but still dropped 13 percent to $6.7 billion for the quarter despite major updates to the product lineup last fall. Finally, the wearables / home category, which encompasses products like AirPods, the Apple Watch and the HomePod lineup, dipped less than one percent, so there aren't any significant red flags around that.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is kicking off the usual call with investors at 5PM ET, and we'll update this story with anything we learn.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/strong-iphone-sales-arent-enough-to-offset-a-big-downturn-in-mac-shipments-210358753.html?src=rss
