The human hand is a marvel of evolutionary development, offering 27 degrees of freedom and unrivaled touch sensitivity. But it's the same aspects that make our hands so, well, handy, that also make them an absolute nightmare to recreate robotically. That's why one team of researchers has abandoned human-derived gripper design in favor of woodlice.

Look, at least they're not the desiccated and re-inflated tarantula corpses that a team of Rice University researchers created in 2022. Those manipulators were a novel proof of concept in that they exploited the natural mechanisms spiders use for locomotion — specifically that their limbs move through a combination of fluid pressure and flexor muscles, rather than the antagonistic pairs that mammals have — though the system was really only good for as long as the corpses held together. 

Tohoku University via NewScientist

The new system designed by Dr. Josephine Galipon and her team at Japan's Tohoku University builds on the earlier work with "necrobotic" spiders but relies on bugs that are still alive. "To our knowledge, there is no prior example of whole living organisms being used as end effectors for robotic arms, which we propose here," Galipon points out in Biological Organisms as End Effectors. The team relies on both captured woodlice (aka rolly-pollies) and captive chitons (small marine mollusks) to temporarily serve as a robot's hands.

They first 3D printed tiny seats for the animals to sit on at the end of the robot's manipulator arm, then set the woodlice and chitons to task, picking up tufts of cotton and submerged cork, respectively. The results were about as promising as one could really hope for: the woodlice futzed around with the cotton for about two minutes before losing interest, while the chiton's grabbed hold of their prizes and had to be actively separated from them. Still, the fact that the chiton got a grip at all was promising, given existing difficulties in using suction cups and similar mechanical methods underwater. Granted, much more work needs to be completed before these early concepts can even potentially be adapted into functional and efficient robotics systems.

The team's work also raises ethical questions about the test animals' welfare, such as whether they are being forced to perform against their will and how such motivations are delivered. “Especially for sentient animals, we would like to establish a kind of mutual interaction with a cooperative relationship,” Galipon told New Scintist. “It’s a little bit different from domestication, but just a cooperation, where the animal can then go about its day." To be fair, it's certainly less invasive than your average cyborg cockroach research.

It seems that Meta has a fully fledged Twitter alternative that ties into Instagram on the way. In the meantime, Instagram still has its own Notes feature, which is getting an upgrade today as it now supports music and translation.

Since December, the feature has enabled users to share short status updates including text and emoji on their profiles. Friends and followers can see these mini missives in the inbox. Adding music to your notes will help you express yourself, Meta says. You'll be able to include a 30-second clip of a song along with a caption. You might think of this as a souped-up version of an AIM away message, where you can post a clip of a song alongside a lyric that vaguely hints at your feelings about a certain someone or takes a passive-aggressive shot at one of your enemies.

Instagram

In addition, you'll be able to translate notes with a tap. This could be handy if one of your friends tends to post their notes in a language you may not know well. 

Meta says that many teens have taken to Notes. More than 100 million teen accounts have posted a note in the last three months. Music and translation are both solid additions to the feature and they'll likely go over well with teens. 

Instagram

Meanwhile, Meta has confirmed it's working on a "standalone decentralized social network" that's focused on text-based updates. According to reports, you'll be able to log in with your Instagram credentials and populate your profile with details from your existing account. The service will hook into ActivityPub, the networking protocol that powers Mastodon, while Meta's said to be trying to convince high-profile users such as Oprah and the Dalai Lama to use it.

It’s easy to groan when Apple describes the Vision Pro as a “spatial computer.” Isn’t it just a high-end mixed reality headset? To a degree, yes. You can play games, create content and be productive on a much cheaper device like the $299 Meta Quest 2. And if you’re a professional who needs to get serious work done, wearables like the Quest Pro and Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 can already handle some of those duties. There’s not much point to buying Apple’s offering if you just want a refinement of the status quo.

However, it would be wrong to say that the Vision Pro is just a faster, prettier version of what you’ve seen before. In many ways, Apple’s headset concept is the polar opposite of Meta’s — it’s building a general computing platform that encompasses many experiences, where Meta mostly sees its hardware as a vehicle for the metaverse. And Microsoft’s HoloLens is courting a completely different audience with different needs. So, Apple already stands out from the herd simply by embracing a different mixed reality philosophy.

Software: A complete platform

Apple

The mixed reality headsets you’ve seen to date, including Meta’s, have typically centered around hop in, hop out experiences. That is, you don the headgear to accomplish one thing and leave as soon as it’s done. You’ll strap in to play a round of Beat Saber, meet your friends in Horizon Worlds or preview your company’s latest product design, but switch to your computer or phone for almost everything else.

That’s fine in many cases. You probably don’t want to play VR games for long periods, and you might rarely need an AR collaboration tool. But that also limits the incentive to buy a headset if it’s not for general use. And while Meta envisions Quest users spending much of their time in the metaverse, it hasn’t made a compelling argument for the concept. It’s still a novelty you enjoy for short stints before you return to Facebook or Instagram. You may come for a virtual party or meeting, but you’re not going to hang out for much longer. And that’s backed up by data: The Wall Street Journalreported last fall that most Horizon Worlds users don’t come back at all after the first month, and only nine percent of worlds have ever had more than 50 visitors.

The interface is barebones, too. While there’s a degree of multitasking, Meta’s front-end is largely designed to run one app at a time. There’s not much flexibility for positioning and resizing your apps, and you can’t really run 2D and 3D programs side-by-side. This helps make the most of modest hardware (more on that later), but you aren’t about to replace an office PC with a Quest Pro.

Meanwhile, Apple’s VisionOS is precisely what it sounds like: a general-purpose operating system. It’s clearly designed for running multiple apps at once, with a sophisticated virtual desktop that can juggle 2D and 3D software placed throughout your physical space. It includes familiar apps like the Safari web browser, and it can run hundreds of thousands of iPad and iPhone titles. That’s critical — even if you rarely need mixed reality apps, you can still take advantage of a vast software library without connecting to a computer. Meta has just over 1,000 apps in its store, and while all of those are designed with headsets in mind, they just won’t cover as many use cases.

Even at this early stage, the Vision Pro offers a greater breadth of possibilities. Yes, you can watch videos, make video calls or access your computer like you would on other headsets, but you also have enhanced versions of key apps from your phone or tablet, like Messages and Photos. You can play conventional video games on a virtual display. And since you have an extra-sharp view of the outside world, it’s easier to interact with others than it has been with past wearables — during the keynote, Apple showed people talking to coworkers and friends. My colleague Devindra says the Vision Pro interface is Minority Report-like in its sheer power and ease of use, and that’s no small compliment given how that movie’s portrayal of holographic computing is considered a Holy Grail.

And before you ask: While Microsoft’s HoloLens could easily be seen as the parent of Vision Pro-style spatial computing, Apple isn’t just following the lead. Aging hardware notwithstanding (HoloLens 2 has been around since 2019), Microsoft’s headset and interface are aimed primarily at business customers who need specialized mixed reality apps and only occasionally dip into semi-conventional software like Teams. Apple’s platform is simply more comprehensive. It’s meant to be used by everyone, even if the initial device is best-suited to developers and pros.

Hardware: A computer on your head

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The technology in mixed reality headsets like Meta’s Quest line is frequently optimized for battery life and light weight at the expense of performance. Their mobile-oriented chips aren’t usually powerful enough to handle multiple demanding apps or render photorealistic visuals, and even the Quest Pro’s Snapdragon XR2+ chip has its roots in the 865 that powered the three-year-old Galaxy S20. There are advantages to this (you wouldn’t want a heavy headset during a Supernatural workout), but there’s also no question that Meta, HTC and others are making deliberate tradeoffs.

If Meta’s mixed reality proposition revolves around lean, focused headsets that get you into the metaverse, Apple’s Vision Pro is a do-it-all machine. The M2 inside is a laptop-class chip that can easily run multiple apps at once with rich graphics, and the 4K per eye resolution ensures you won’t have to squint at a web browser or spreadsheet on a virtual desktop. It’s also one of the few headsets that can capture 3D photos and videos, although that’s admittedly a novelty at the moment.

Apple is also taking a very different approach to input than Meta, or even Microsoft. While eye and hand tracking aren’t new, Apple is relying on them exclusively for navigating the general interface. You only want to use physical controllers if you’re playing conventional games or prefer the speed of typing on a real keyboard. And unlike HoloLens, you don’t need to point or otherwise make conspicuous gestures. You just look at what you want and pinch your fingers to manipulate it, even if your hands are on your lap. The Vision Pro is meant to be intuitive and comfortable for extended periods, like a computer, even if that means giving up the conveniences of buttons and triggers.

A new strategy doesn’t solve everything, but it might help

Apple

This isn’t to say that Apple has addressed all of mixed reality’s problems just by taking a different approach. Headsets still create solitary, isolating experiences. While you could more realistically wear a Vision Pro all day than a Quest Pro due to the stronger app selection and higher-resolution display, you’re still putting a screen between yourself and the outside world. It’s heavier than you might like. Apple also hasn’t solved the too-short battery life that’s common in this category, so you won’t be free to roam during the workday.

The $3,499 price underscores one of the biggest challenges: It’s difficult to make technology that lives up to the promises of mixed reality while remaining accessible to everyday users. Apple may have found a way to put a fast, easy-to-use computer on your head, but it hasn’t figured out how to make that computer affordable. It’s a much riskier strategy than Meta’s in that regard. Meta is undoubtedly cost-conscious (it even dropped the Quest Pro’s price to $999), and is gradually upgrading its hardware to make mixed reality more viable at a given price. See the $499 Quest 3’s pass-through cameras as an example. Apple, meanwhile, is betting that it’s more important to nail the execution first and think about affordability later.

Is Apple’s overall strategy better? Not necessarily. Meta may be struggling to popularize the metaverse, but it’s still the current frontrunner in mixed reality hardware for a reason: It offers well-made, reasonably priced headsets with enough useful apps to appeal to enthusiasts. As alluring as Apple’s spatial computing debut might be, it’s also untested. There’s no guarantee people will take a chance on the Vision Pro, even if rumors of an eventual lower-cost model prove true.

With that said, Apple’s different direction is notable. Mixed reality is still a niche industry, even as much as Meta and other companies have done to expand its appeal. Even if Apple fails with the Vision Pro, it will at least show more of what’s possible and provide lessons that could improve the technology at large.

With its seal broken by the release of ChatGPT last November, generative AI has erupted into mainstream society with a ferocity not seen since Pandora’s famous misadventure with the misery box. The technology is suddenly everywhere, with startups and industry leaders alike scrambling to tack this smart feature du jour onto their existing code stacks and shoehorn the transformational promise of machine-generated content into their every app. At this point in the hype cycle you’d be a fool not to shout your genAI accomplishments from the rooftops; it’s quickly become the only way to be heard above the din from all the customizable chatbot and self-producing Powerpoint slide sellers flooding the market.

If Google’s latest I/O conference or Meta’s new dedicated development team were any indication, the tech industry’s biggest players are also getting ready to go all in on genAI. Google’s event was focused on the company’s AI ambitions surrounding Bard and PaLM 2, perhaps even to the detriment of the announced hardware including the Pixel Fold and 7a phones, and Pixel Tablet. From Gmail’s Smart Compose features to Camera’s Real Tone and Magic Editor, Project Tailwind to the 7a’s generative wallpapers, AI was first on the lips of every Alphabet executive to take the Shoreline stage.

If you’d been drinking two fingers every time Apple mentioned it during its WWDC 2023 keynote, however, you’d be stone sober.

Zero — that’s the number of times that an on-stage presenter uttered the phrase “artificial intelligence” at WWDC 2023. The nearest we got to AI was 'Air' and the term “machine learning” was said exactly seven times. I know because I had a chatbot count for me.

That’s not to say Apple isn’t investing heavily into AI research and development. The products on display during Tuesday’s keynote were chock full of the tech. The “ducking autocorrect” features are empowered by on-device machine learning, as are the Lock Screen live video (which uses it to synthesize interstitial frames) and the new Journal app’s inspirational personalized writing prompts. The PDF autofill features rely on machine vision systems to understand which fields go where — the Health Apps’ new myopia test does too, just with your kid’s screen distance — while AirPods now tailor your playback settings based on your preferences and prevailing environmental conditions. All thanks to machine learning systems.

It's just, Apple didn’t talk about it. At least, not directly.

Even when discussing the cutting-edge features in the new Vision Pro headset — whether it’s the natural language processing that goes into its voice inputs, audio ray tracing, the machine-vision black magic or that real-time hand gesture tracking and Optic ID entail — the discussion remained centered on what the headset features can do for users. Not what the headset could do for the state of the art or the race for market superiority.

The closest Apple got during the event to openly describing the digital nuts and bolts that constitute its machine learning systems was its description of the Vision Pro’s Persona feature. With the device’s applications skewing hard toward gaming, entertainment and communication, there was never a chance that we’d get through this without having to make FaceTime calls with these strapped to our heads. Since a FaceTime call where everybody is hidden behind a headset would defeat the purpose of having a video call, Apple is instead leveraging a complex machine learning system to digitally recreate the Vision Pro wearer’s head, torso, arms and hands — otherwise known as their “Persona.”

“After a quick enrollment process using the front sensors on vision pro, the system uses an advanced encoder decoder, neural network to create your digital persona,” Mike Rockwell, VP of Apple’s Technology Development Group, said during the event. “This network was trained on a diverse group of thousands of individuals, it delivers a natural representation which dynamically matches your facial and hand movement.”

AI was largely treated as an afterthought throughout the event rather than a selling point, much to Apple’s benefit. In breaking from the carnival-like atmosphere currently surrounding generative AI developments, Apple not only maintains its aloof and elite branding, it also distances itself from Google’s aggressive promotion of the technology, and also eases skittish would-be buyers into the joys of face-mounted hardware.

Steve Jobs often used the phrase “it just works” to describe the company’s products — implying that they were meant to solve problems, not create additional hassle for users — and it would appear that Apple has rekindled that design philosophy at the dawn of the spatial computing era. In our increasingly dysfunctional, volatile and erratic society, the promise of simplicity and reliability, of something, anything, working as advertised, could be just what Apple needs to get buyers to swallow the Vision Pro’s $3,600 asking price.

Not everyone ones (or needs) to speed a boatload of money on a new laptop. Depending on how you use your notebook — if you’re a student, creative professional or anything in between — it may not be necessary for you to drop thousands on the latest model with top-of-the-line specs. Budget laptops do exist, even if they don’t get as much attention as their flagship counterparts. If you’re looking to spend only what you absolutely must on your next laptop, we’ve got a number of top picks for you to consider, plus some shopping advice that can help you choose the best budget laptop for you.

What to look for in a budget laptop

First, we at Engadget consider anything under $1,000 to be “budget” in the laptop space. The reason for this is twofold: even the most affordable flagship laptops typically start at $1,000 or more, and if you go dramatically lower than that (say, $500 or less), that’s where you’ll really start to see compromises in performance. You’ll typically find the best balance of power and price in the $500 to $1,000 range. But in this guide, we’ll cover top picks at a wide range of prices — there are a number of options on the low and high end of the budget spectrum.

Arguably the biggest thing to look for in a budget laptop is a decent spec sheet. You might be able to find options with the latest generation CPU chipsets, or you may have to go for one that has a slightly older processor. We recommend trying to find a notebook with the most up-to-date internals as possible, but know that if you pick a machine with a CPU that’s one generation behind, it probably will not significantly affect performance.

Along with processors, you should also consider the amount of memory and storage you need in a daily driver. For the former, we recommend laptops with at least 8GB of RAM; anything with less than that will have a hard time multitasking and managing all those browser tabs. The latter is a bit more personal: how much onboard storage you need really depends on how many apps, files, photos, documents and more you will save locally. As a general rule of thumb, try to go for a laptop that has at least a 256GB SSD (this only goes for macOS and Windows machines, as Chromebooks are a bit different). That should give you enough space for programs and files, plus room for future operating system updates.

After determining the best performance you can get while sticking to your budget, it’s also worth examining a few different design aspects. We recommend picking a machine with a mostly metal body, a screen that has at least a 1080p resolution and a keyboard and trackpad area that’s relatively spacious. Any laptop worth purchasing will have a built-in webcam, but most of them top out at 720p. A few of the latest models have 1080p webcams, but you may want to consider a standalone peripheral if you spend a ton of time on Zoom meetings.

Be sure to check out the port situation as well. Many laptops closer to $1,000 will have fewer ports than their more affordable counterparts (as counterintuitive as that may seem). You’ll find at least one or two USB-C ports on the newest machines, which means you may need a separate dongle if you frequently have to connect to SD cards.

A note about refurbished laptops

Refurbished laptops are another option to consider if you need a new machine and don’t want to spend a ton of money. Buying refurbished tech can be tricky if you’re unfamiliar with a brand’s or merchant’s policies surrounding what they classify as “refurbished.” But it’s not impossible — for laptops, we recommend going directly to the manufacturer for refurbished devices. Apple, Dell and Microsoft all have official refurbishment processes that their devices go through before they’re put back on the market that verifies the machines work properly and are in good condition. Third-party retailers like Amazon and Walmart also have their own refurbishment programs for laptops and other gadgets as well.

The best budget laptops

Best overall: MacBook Air M1

There’s a reason Apple kept the MacBook Air M1 in its lineup even after coming out with the 13-inch and 15-inch Air M2 laptops. The first machine with Apple’s custom system-on-a-chip, the Air M1 was released at the end of 2020 and proved that the company didn’t need Intel to power its notebooks anymore. The M1 processor gave the Air blazing fast performance, with a responsiveness akin to that of an iPad Pro. That hasn’t changed even after the launch of the M2 chipset and the latest Air powered by it. You’re still going to get impressive performance from the MacBook Air M1 that will be just right for most people as a daily driver.

The Air M1 has the classic wedge design we’ve seen in this family of notebooks for years, which some will appreciate. It may not be the refined profile that the M2 machine has, but it’s still thin and light, and since it lacks a fan, it’ll be super quiet as well. The 13.3-inch Retina display is lovely, and it’s accompanied by a comfortable keyboard (sans TouchBar) and a spacious trackpad. Battery life clocked in at nearly 16.5 hours in our testing, which will be more than enough for a full day’s work. It may be at the top end of our budget price range, starting at $999, but it will be money well spent. Also, we’ve frequently seen the MacBook Air M1 drop to $800 or $900 when it goes on sale at Amazon and other retailers.

Read our full review of the Apple MacBook Air M1

Best budget Windows laptop: HP Pavilion Aero 13

If you like the general aesthetics of machines like Dell’s XPS 13 but don’t want to pay $1,000 or more, the HP Pavilion Aero is your best bet. We gave it a score of 87 in our review and compared it to Dell’s flagship laptop. It’s certainly not as sleek as that machine, but it comes pretty close with its angled profile, 2.2-pound weight and its anti-glare 13.3-inch display. Despite its keyboard being a little cramped, it’s a solid typing machine and we appreciate all of its connectivity options: one USB-C port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI connector and a headphone jack. You can currently pick an Aero 13 up for as low as $800, but they have gone on sale for even less. All of the prebuilt models available from HP directly come with Ryzen 5 processors, and you can customize the laptop to have up to a Ryzen 7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

Read our full review of the HP Pavilion Aero 13

Best Chromebook: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i

It’s been a couple of years since we named Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5i our favorite Chromebook and it remains our top pick today. That’s because it still has the best mix of specs and features that will suit most Chrome OS lovers. It runs on an 11th-generation Core i3 processor, has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Plus its bright 13.3-inch 1080p display is great for working in Google Docs and streaming on Netflix.

While not a standout in the design department, this convertible is relatively lightweight and we appreciate that it comes with a backlit keyboard — something you don’t often see in laptops at this price point. It should also last around eight hours on a single charge, or long enough to get you through a typical work day. You’re getting a solid port collection here, too: two USB-Cs, one USB-A, a microSD card slot and a headphone jack. All of that keeps the Flex 5i ahead of the Chromebook pack, and its affordable price tag makes it even better.

Read our full review of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i

Best under $500: Acer Aspire 5

Acer’s Aspire 5 family is a solid Windows option if you have less than $500 to spend on a new laptop. The most recent models hit a good middle ground for most people, running on Intel 11th-gen CPUs and supporting up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. Of course, the higher specs you get, the more expensive the machine will be — not all Aspire 5 laptops come in at under $500. But you can currently pick up a model with a 15.6-inch 1080p display, Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for about $380 (or less if it’s on sale). Design is pretty basic here, but you do get a handy number pad and a variety of ports, including one USB-C connector, three USB-A ports and an Ethernet port. We also appreciate that the latest Aspire 5s support WiFi 6, and Acer upped the estimated battery life to 10 hours.

Apple's iOS 17 makes it easier to share content, but it also has new safeguards to prevent abuses of that newfound power. The company has revealed that its upcoming software will add a Sensitive Content Warning feature that helps adults avoid unsolicited nude photos and videos. If you receive something potentially concerning, you can either decline it, agree to see it or learn about ways to get help.

Communication Safety also protects kids beyond the Messages app. The feature will use machine learning to detect and blur sexually explicit material sent and received through AirDrop, Contact Posters, FaceTime messages and the Photos picker. The technology can now recognize videos in addition to still shots. If this content arrives, children can message trusted adults for help or find useful resources.

Both Sensitive Content Warning and Communication Safety process media on-device. Apple also says it doesn't have access to the material. Communication Safety requires that you enable Family Sharing and mark certain accounts as belonging to children.

Apple unveiled its plans to curb unsolicited nudes in 2021 alongside a plan to flag photos uploaded to iCloud when they contained known child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The company scrapped this plan at the end of 2022 amid concerns governments could pressure it to scan for other image types, not to mention risks of false positives. Communication Safety and Sensitive Content Warning don't have those issues — they're only meant to prevent creeps from traumatizing others.

Legislators have aimed to criminalize unwanted nudes, and individual services have their own anti-nude detection tools. In that light, Apple is mainly filling gaps in the deterrence system. In theory, shady characters won't have much success blasting iPhone users with rude texts and calls.

More than two years after it formed, the Oversight Board says that its recommendations have helped make Meta’s rules more transparent to its users, though the company still needs to improve in some key areas. The board, which is made up of nearly two dozen experts in human rights and free speech, published its annual report covering its work and interactions with Meta over the last year.

While last year’s report sharply criticized Meta for not being transparent enough, the latest report highlights the impact the board’s recommendations are starting to have on the company. “In 2022, it was encouraging to see that, for the first time, Meta made systemic changes to its rules and how they are enforced, including on user notifications and its rules on dangerous organizations,” the board wrote in a statement.

The report also highlights areas where its members believe Meta can improve. According to the report, Meta reversed its initial moderation decision in almost two-thirds of cases they were picked for the Oversight Board’s shortlist, which “raises wider questions both about the accuracy of Meta's content moderation and the appeals process.”

The board also points out that it’s been more than two years since it first recommended the company better align its policies between Instagram and Facebook, but that the company has “repeatedly pushed back the deadline” for doing so. The group also takes issue with Meta’s refusal to translate internal guidelines for its content moderators into their native languages. Meta has contended that all its moderators are fluent in English so the step is unnecessary. But the board says “English-only guidance may cause reviewers to miss context and nuance across languages and dialects,” which can cause errors in enforcement.

The report also describes a lack of transparency over some aspects of Meta’s “newsworthiness” exception, which allows for some rule-breaking posts to remain online if the company determines there is a “public interest value” in the content. The Oversight Board says there is still “little is known about the process it [Meta] uses to decide whether content is newsworthy” and that the company’s responses to questions about the policy side-stepped direct answers.

The board’s report suggests there are other frustrating moments in its interactions with Meta. At one point, the board notes that it took eight months for its members to gain access to the company’s analytics tool CrowdTangle. The board also notes that many of its decisions over the last year were published after the 90-day timeframe set out in its rules. The board cites a few reasons for these delays but says that in some cases delays were due to “negotiations with Meta about how much information, which was originally provided by the company on a confidential basis, we could include in our final decision” that took “longer than anticipated.”

It’s also notable just how few cases the Oversight Board ends up weighing in on. In the report, the board says that in 2022 it published 12 decisions — a tiny fraction of the nearly 1.3 million requests it received from users hoping to overturn one of Meta’s moderation decisions. The board notes that it purposely chooses cases its members believe will have a large impact on Meta’s user base. Even so, numbers underscore the fact that that board will never be able to address the vast majority of requests it receives, despite more than $280 million in funding from Meta. That said, the Oversight Board has said that it intends to move faster on some cases, and that it will issue fast-tracked “summary decisions” in some cases beginning this year.

Interestingly, the report also touches on Meta’s suggestion that other social media companies should consider using the Oversight Board. “We are interested in working with companies that share our belief that transparent and accountable content governance, overseen by independent bodies, is an essential part of creating an online environment that respects freedom of expression and other human rights,” the report says.

It’s still unclear how Meta’s peers would start working with the group — or if they have any desire to do so — but the board clearly thinks it has learnings other companies could benefit from. “We’re not seeking to be the board for the whole industry,” Oversight Board Director Thomas Hughes says in the report. “But we are seeking to share what we’ve learned, and work with companies interested in setting up different bodies to set standards and oversee content governance.”

"Wow, wow, wow. Bellissimo." That was the first thing I heard from one excited WWDC attendee as I waited to test Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset. That level is excitement is exactly what Apple is hoping for. Realistically, not everyone will be able to afford a $3,499 device. But if Apple can get mainstream consumers excited about the idea of spatial computing, then it'll be able to make a bigger splash when it inevitably unveils a more affordable follow-up.

After spending thirty minutes with the Vision Pro, my reaction is more tempered than that excitable attendee. It's undoubtedly the best mixed reality (VR/AR) experience I've had yet, delivering an unparalleled sense of immersion, displays sharp enough to read text on websites, and an intuitive gesture-based user interface. And yet... it's still ultimately a VR headset, with many of the issues endemic to the entire category.

But let's start at the beginning: Before I was anywhere near the Vision Pro, I had to jump through a few setup hoops on an iPhone. First I rotated my head around to map my face, then I gave the phone a full view of my ears for it to personalize the headset's spatial audio. I hopped into another room, took off my glasses, and an Apple representative used a machine to detect my prescription. The Vision Pro can't be used with glasses, so anyone who needs vision correction will have to order additional lenses.

After a few minutes of admiring Apple's meticulously designed corporate campus, I entered a room to see the Vision Pro in action. It looked even more impressive than when I first caught a glimpse of it in the morning, but that's probably because I didn't have to fight off desperate Apple media at the same time. I slipped it on like any other VR headset: I held the front lenses in my left hand, pulled the rear headstrap back a bit, and gently guided the device over my head.

The Vision Pro's stretchy rear headband felt better on my noggin than any of Meta's VR devices, but the headset still placed a bit of pressure against my eyes and around my nose once I securely tightened it with a rear dial. The prototype unit also had a velcro strap going over my head, just like the Meta Quest. That's not visible on any of Apple's promotional materials, but the company tells me that the headset's modular design supports additional straps if necessary.

Even without the overhead strap, though, I'd wager the Vision Pro would still feel noticeable against your eyes. You probably won't forgot you're wearing it, which would ultimately cut into its sense of immersion.

But I'll admit, I mostly forgot about that slight discomfort once I saw the Vision Pro in action. When the screen lit up, I was confronted with the same posh meeting room I initially entered, except this time I could also see an array of app icons hovering in front of me. Thanks to the headset's high-resolution front cameras, I had a clear view of my surroundings, along with the Apple representatives guiding my demo. It wasn't a perfect representation of reality, but it was better than any VR or AR product I've seen yet.

After a bit of eye tracking training, which involved following dots moving around the screen with just my eyes, it also felt like I gained a superpower. A mere glance at an app icon, or a specific menu or button, would instantly highlight it. Then I learned two key gestures, a finger pinch for selecting things, and a pinch-slide motion for scrolling up/down, or left/right. Unlike the Quest, you can also make those hand gestures comfortable on your lap, you don't have to hold your hands up like an amateur symphony conductor.

It may be a cliche to say this, but after just a few seconds of learning those gestures, I felt like Tom Cruise in Minority Report. A glance and a pinch is all it took for me to open up apps and breeze through the interface. I also figured out a flick and pinch motion could quickly scroll through websites, a genuinely intuitive gesture that simply felt delightful. After years of living with touchscreen interfaces on iOS and iPadOS, I don't think anyone is going to have trouble learning how to use the Vision Pro.

With the basics down, I was ready to experience the Vision Pro's most wondrous bits of hardware: Its dual 4K micro-OLED displays. They look sharper than any screen I've seen before, be it a VR headset or a TV. Photos look incredibly crisp, especially panoramic pictures, which completely fill your entire field of vision. And 3D videos shot with the Vision Pro's front cameras look eerily lifelike — almost as if you were replaying a perfectly captured memory.

I was most impressed with how the Vision Pro handled a 3D clip of Avatar: The Way of Water. The movie looked crisp and clear with all of the 3D depth I remembered from the theater. At times, the 3D looked even better than in cinemas, since I didn't have to reduce the brightness of the film with shaded 3D glasses. Apple wouldn't confirm if the Vision Pro could play The Way of Water in in a 48fps high frame rate — the film initially swapped between 24fps and 48fps footage in theaters — but even without that capability, it's something I'd still prefer to watch on headset instead of a 2D 4K TV.

Apple

Like other VR headsets, you can also hop into a virtual cinema to watch videos. By default, that mode puts you in the middle of a theater, but as a dedicated front row sitter, it wasn't nearly close enough for me. (Fight me, I don't care.) Thankfully, the Vision Pro gives you options: I was able to virtually move much closer to the screen, while back row weirdos can also create that experience. Seeing Avatar: The Way of Water projected in clear 3D, at a size close to my local multiplex, felt miraculous. Just imagine slipping this thing on during a long flight and having a movie marathon.

The Vision Pro's side speakers also do a great job of recreating cinematic spatial sound. Since they're basically just tiny speakers, though, other people can also hear them. For a truly private experience, you'll have to slip in a pair of AirPods or AirPods Max.

While I'm mainly dreaming of the private cinema possibilities of the Vision Pro, Apple is positioning it as a next-generation computing platform. You can launch many of the company's native apps from its home screen, including Safari, the aforementioned Photos, and Messages. Keeping the dream of Minority Report alive, you can also drag windows to specific spots in your room. As you open new windows, apps also reposition themselves to make room, as you'd expect.

Apple's visionOS, which powers the headset, feels like a cross between iOS and macOS. Apple fans will be right at home. Tapping the Digital Crown on the upper right side of the headset brings you to the home screen, which is organized into Apps, People and Environments. The latter includes 3D captures of scenic spaces, like Oregon's Mount Hood.

When I loaded that space, I found myself sitting in front of a peaceful lake, but I could still see the Apple meeting room around the edges of my vision. As I rotated the Digital Crown, the 3D environment completely overtook what I was seeing, transforming into a fully VR experience. That seamlessness was astonishing — it's even better than a similar feature I saw on the Magic Leap 2.

I was similarly impressed with a glimpse at Apple's new video format, Apple Immersive Video, which delivers razor-sharp 180-degree videos in 3D. While 360-degree VR videos are nothing new, even the best of them look fuzzier than real life. Apple's tech, which relies on 8K footage from a new camera developed by the company, looks startlingly real. It captured the wonder of flying through the air, as well as the thrilling moment of a well-placed soccer goal. If Apple's spatial vision tech gains some traction, I'm sure plenty of sports fans would be eager to have a field-level view of the action. Notably, the footage still managed to feel immersive, even though it didn't fully wrap me in 360-degrees of video.

A Mindfullness app demo also showed off how effortlessly the Vision Pro can take over your reality. As I worked through a calm breathing exercise for a minute, my field of vision was slowly filled with a virtual flower, which blocked out my view of the meeting room. 

As impressed as I was by much of the Vision Pro, it's clear that Apple's mixed reality universe isn't fully baked. While it was fascinating to have a FaceTime chat with another Apple representative wearing her own headset, I found the computer-generated "Persona" avatar to be strangely off-putting. It looked human, but it was stiff and robotic, the uncanniest of valleys. If you were to FaceTime your parent, I'd bet they'd rather see your actual face, with all of its imperfections, instead of a cold CG simulacrum.

I thought back to that 3D video that initially wowed me: It showed a child blowing out their birthday candles and having fun with their siblings. But to take that video, a parent had to be wearing the Vision Pro headset, effectively separating themselves from fully experiencing that moment. Is a moment captured in time worth not being present for the actual moment? (It also brings to mind another scene from Minority Report, where a broken Tom Cruise finds a brief moment of solace by watching a hologram of his missing son.) Perhaps the Vision Pro could be placed on a stand to shoot 3D video, but that doesn't fully solve the odd inhumanity of Apple's initial pitch.

I ended my Vision Pro demo with an encounter with a dinosaur. When I launched the experience, the far wall of my meeting room transformed into an enormous prehistoric portal. I could see small reptiles crawling around the grown, and in the distance, I could hear an enormous dinosaur approaching. After asking if I was comfortable with being up close with a dino, the Apple reps suggested that I get up out of my seat and walk towards the wall. The dinosaur approached end eventually walked through the portal and partially entered the meeting room. It sniffed my hand when I held it out. Its scales looked impossibly real. 

But, like so many VR experiences, it was a completely solitary endeavor. Maybe someone could have joined me if they had their own Vision Pro headset nearby, but how many people will actually buy this $3,499 device? Apple is positioning the headset as an alternative to an expensive home theater, but that's also something you can enjoy with other people. I'm pretty sure my wife would rather see Avatar: The Way of Water in 2D on our TV, instead of just hearing me wax about how great it looks in the Vision Pro. (More than one Apple representative suggested that problem could eventually be solved by buying multiple headsets. I laughed.)

Apple is still straddling the line between immersion and isolation with the Vision Pro. Some features, like EyeSight, which projects your eyes onto an OLED screen on the front of the device, can connect the headset's users with others nearby. I also thought the ability to see your hands in mixed reality, as well as to see others when they got close, was all pretty thoughtful. But those hands you see aren't real. The eyes on the headset are just a replication of your own. They're efforts to solve some of the more annoying issues with VR, but they aren't complete fixes. 

Perhaps I'd be more enamored with the Vision Pro as a computing platform if I saw more of its capabilities. I couldn't try out the virtual keyboard, or its integration with Bluetooth keyboards, trackpads and mice. I couldn't see what it was like to project my MacBook's screen into a virtual display — something I predicted we'd see last week.

At the very least, Apple has succeeded in crafting the most impressive pitch for spatial computing yet. It's not just about games or forcing people to care about the metaverse. The Vision Pro wants to bring the things you already do on your computers into mixed reality. Perhaps this will lead to cheaper and more consumer-friendly headsets down the line. Maybe it sets Apple up for a hologram-filled future, where you don't even need to wear glasses to see digital elements. So much is uncertain. But for Apple, jumping into spatial computing could be worth the risk.

Follow all of the news from Apple's WWDC 2023 right here.

Police have arrested a South Carolina man after he allegedly robbed a convenience store armed with a Nintendo light gun primarily used in the 1980s to play Duck Hunt, Hogan’s Alley and Gumshoe, as originally announced by York County deputies. The 25-year-old suspect allegedly made away with $300 in cash after donning a mask, wig, hoodie sweatshirt and the aforementioned Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Zapper gun accessory.

Police allege the suspect waved the fake gun at a clerk and demanded money from the cash register. Authorities found him down the street in a Dollar General parking lot with the fake pistol in his pants. The original 1984 accessory is famously bright orange and gray, but authorities say the suspect spray-painted his black, likely so it would resemble a functional firearm. The York County Sheriff’s Department released an image of the doctored gaming accessory on its Twitter account.

The original light gun accessory, called the Zapper, shipped with the NES and used an internal optical sensor to translate trigger presses to on-screen action. The primary use was Duck Hunt, though it worked with a handful of titles throughout the console’s lifespan.

Using a fake gun to commit a crime is no joke and has been a serious issue for decades. A 1990 study conducted by Congress found that fake guns were used in more than 15 percent of robberies. It’s worth noting that in most parts of the country, using a fake gun to commit a crime carries similar penalties to that of a real firearm, as the threat of danger is very real to victims. After all, these toy or replica guns look nearly identical to the real thing. To that end, New York State recently passed legislation banning toy guns unless they are clearly fake, such as those painted with bright colors.

Meta announced a slate of upcoming games today for its standalone VR headsets (including the upcoming Meta Quest 3). Apple is expected to enter the virtual headset space next week, so Meta is hoping to make a lasting impression with its lineup of upcoming VR titles from beloved franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Stranger Things, Ghostbusters and Attack on Titan — along with some VR remakes of old-school classics.

In addition to Asgard's Wrath 2, the most enticing game may be the one we know the least about. Although it was little more than a tease, Meta confirmed that Assassin’s Creed Nexus VRisn’t vaporware after all: The next VR installment in the long-running series will launch in the Meta Quest Store later this year. Unfortunately, further details must wait for its official reveal at Ubisoft Forward on June 12th.

We first learned about an upcoming Stranger Things VR game late last year, and today we got a closer look. The title lets you play as season four villain Vecna as you “invade the dreams and memories of fan-favorite characters and harness telekinetic powers to possess minds and battle creatures.” Gameplay includes grabbing, crushing and throwing opponents using telekinesis and opening and closing portals “at your peril.” Meanwhile, the story will allow you to tap into Vecna’s more human past to “relive memories from [Henry Creel’s] time at Hawkins Lab with Dr. Brenner as you explore an otherworldly, interconnected hive mind.” Stranger Things VR is developed by Tender Claws and will launch this fall on “major VR platforms,” including Meta Quest Pro / 3 / 2.

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord is another previously announced VR game in the pipeline from an iconic IP. The trailer focuses on the backstory of Gustav Hookfaber, a disgruntled and morally confused scientist who has transformed into the villainous Ghost Lord to wreak havoc on San Francisco. You’ll wield proton packs and other classic equipment for solo or co-op ghost-busting. “Continue the Ghostbusters’ legacy, protect the city from fiendish ghosts, and experience all the humor and frights from the beloved franchise,” the game’s description reads. Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord will launch on Meta headsets this fall.

Although it may not be as familiar to younger audiences, The 7th Guest was one of the coolest spectacles to fire up on your cutting-edge CD-ROM in the mid-90s. About three decades later, you’ll be able to play an updated version of the atmospheric adventure / puzzle game in virtual reality. “[Developer Vertigo Games] is using volumetric video capture to recreate the FMV (full-motion video) storytelling of the original game, bringing the classic adventure to life like never before,” the description reads. “And for the first time ever, the iconic mansion is being recreated in full 3D — though don’t be surprised if it starts shifting around you. After all, it’s haunted.” The 7th Guest arrives later this year for Quest.

Another remake, the ultraviolent 2011 first-person shooterBulletstorm is also getting a VR makeover. And the game’s creatively gruesome “Skillshots” are in tow. “Kick an enemy into a cactus?” the game’s teaser asks rhetorically. “Skillshot. Crush one under a hot dog cart? Skillshot. Grab one with your Energy Leash and fling ‘em into a burner? Definitely a skill shot.” Developer Incuvo and publisher People Can Fly (the original game’s developer) created the VR refresh, which appears to stay true to the title’s over-the-top indulgence. Bulletstorm launches later this year on Quest Pro / 3 / 2.

Manga and anime fans may want to heed the upcoming Quest title Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable. The game places you in the Scout Regiment for solo and co-op play. “[Players] will need to combine entirely free three-dimensional movement through use of their Omni-directional Mobility (ODM Gear with cross-range combat in order to defend themselves against killer titans,” the game’s blurb reads. “As players progress, the battle difficulty will increase, so only those with determination and skills critical to making it through to the final battle will survive.” Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable arrives “this winter” for Quest.

In a slightly less epic and mythological (but perhaps just as fun) gaming world, PowerWash Simulator is getting a VR variant. “With 1:1 accuracy and control of the Quest Touch controllers, blasting away every speck of dirt and grime is a breeze,” the description says. “Reach up, get down and lean-in to tackle those pesky hard-to-reach spots or sit back and wash your worries away.” In addition, the cleaning sim supports solo play and online multiplayer as you “Absorb the relaxing atmosphere and stress-free pace as you take the pressure off and strip dirt from patios, pavements, vehicles, and public parks.” PowerWash Simulator VR launches later this year on Quest headsets.

Owners of Meta headsets may already be familiar with Schell Games' I Expect You to Die. Dating back to the Oculus Rift launch lineup in 2016, Schell Games’ series combines seated gameplay with clever puzzles in a James Bond-like atmosphere laced with wit and satire. The third installment, I Expect You to Die 3: Cog in the Machine, has you again taking on the evil Dr. Zor. It promises an “expanded narrative” with new levels and “more hours of gameplay” compared to the series’ first two installments. The third game in the series launches this summer for Quest, and the developer says pre-orders will get 10 percent off the game’s full price.

In addition to these familiar franchises, Meta announced several other upcoming games and updates for existing titles. For example, tactical FPS Onward is getting a big 1.11 update that adds new player animations, a redesigned lobby, shooting-range revisions and more. Other new or upcoming Quest titles include the roguelike Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game, mech-fighter Underdogs, jumpscare horror game Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire and a remake of the arcade / Dreamcast rhythm game Samba de Amigo. You can read more about all of the big Quest VR announcements in Meta’s recap.