Lego has already gone to the Sonic the Hedgehog well for a nifty recreation of the original game’s iconic Green Hill Zone, but now the toy brick company is preparing even more Sonic-inspired play sets. Even cooler for true-blue fans? One set is built around speed, a concept the zippy hedgehog is intimately familiar with.

Sonic’s Speed Sphere Challenge ships with something called the speed sphere launcher and it's exactly what it sounds like. You pop Sonic, or any other character, into the plastic sphere and use the velocity mechanism to send it careening through the course, loops and all. In other words, this playset seeks to recreate the actual feel of playing through an old-school 2D Sonic level. The set ships with nearly 300 pieces to rearrange how you like.

Other sets include Tail’s Worksop and Tornado Plane, which ships with nearly 400 pieces, and Amy’s Animal Rescue Island. Like all Lego sets, they are designed for mix-and-match scenarios in the hopes that you buy them all to create a glorious Franken-stage that takes up your entire house. To that end, you can use the speed sphere launcher with any of these sets, so long as there's enough room for the Blue Blur to do his thing.

Lego’s new Sonic-inspired play sets begin shipping on August 1st and range in price from $35 to $50. The dashing hedgehog with the extreme 1990s attitude is not the only Lego star pulled from a video game. The company has made playsets based on Mario, Overwatch, Minecraft and more.

Google may be close to launching its long-rumored foldable Pixel phone. CNBCclaims to have seen internal communications revealing that the Pixel Fold will be announced at the I/O conference on May 10th, and ship in June. The device will reportedly cost around $1,700, or close to the $1,800 Samsung asks for the Galaxy Z Fold 4.

The company may tout a few advantages over its rival. The Pixel Fold will have a book-like design with a 5.8-inch external screen and 7.6-inch folding display, but will supposedly have the "most durable hinge" of any foldable, according to Google. It should also be water-resistant and pack a larger battery that lasts up to 24 hours in normal use, and 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver.

Don't expect performance gains. The Pixel Fold will apparently use the same Tensor G2 chip as in the Pixel 7 series, and previous leaks suggest it might have cameras that predate the Pixel 6. As with other Pixels, the draw may be the 'pure' Android experience — this will be the first opportunity to see Google's own approach to foldable devices.

The price is still steep compared to regular Pixel phones, which top out at $899 for the Pixel 7 Pro. Google may sweeten the deal by encouraging trade-ins, however. The company may even offer a free Pixel Watch to Fold buyers.

If the details are accurate, the foldable Pixel may not be an easy sell. Google is expected to debut the Pixel 8 this fall, and that's likely to include upgrades like a third-generation Tensor chip. With that in mind, North Americans have had few options for foldable phones beyond the Galaxy Z Fold series and previous-gen Moto Razr models. The Pixel Fold may stand out simply by providing real competition in a small category.

We've previously found the Beats Studio Buds to be a well-rounded and relatively affordable set of true wireless earbuds for most people. If you've been thinking about picking up a pair, they're currently on sale for $100 at multiple retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy. That's $10 more than the earbuds' all-time low but still about $30 below their average street price in recent months. For reference, they originally launched at $150. The deal applies to each color finish.

We gave the Studio Buds a review score of 84 when they launched in mid-2021. The best thing they have going for them is their design: They're small, lightweight and more than comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time. The shape is cleverly angled so that inserting and removing the earbuds feels natural. They're not as stable for jogging as Beats' Fit Pro, but their IPX4-rated water resistance means they can survive workouts all the same. Their case isn't oversized, either, and it charges over USB-C.

The Studio Buds have a mellow and fairly well-balanced sound profile with bass that's punchy but not overbearing. They underemphasize the treble range a bit, so things like vocals can sound less detailed, but in general it's a pleasant listen with most types of music. There are active noise cancellation and transparency modes as well; neither is as effective as higher-end models like Apple's AirPods Pro or Sony's WF-1000XM4, but they're passable. (If you want superior ANC for less than $100, Anker's Soundcore Space A40 is a better buy.) Like other Beats earbuds, the Studio Buds pair quickly with iPhones and support Apple-friendly perks like Find My device tracking and hands-free Siri access. But they also play well on Android, with similar fast-pairing and device-finding features.

There are some caveats, though. The Studio Buds' battery life is just OK, lasting around eight hours with ANC off and around five hours with it on. Call quality is similarly middling, and while the design is comfortable, it lacks features like wireless charging, automatic pausing when you remove an earbud and multipoint connectivity. Though the earbuds are easier to use with iPhones than most, they don't use one of Apple's proprietary wireless chips — ignore the Amazon listing that says otherwise — so they lack some features that you'd get with the Fit Pro or AirPods Pro, such as audio sharing and automatic switching between Apple devices. On the plus side, Apple has added support for onboard volume controls and instant iCloud pairing since the Studio Buds launched.

The other possible hang-up is that Apple seems likely to launch a revised model of the Studio Buds in the near future. Reports from 9to5Mac and The Verge say that these will be called the Studio Buds+ and feature improved ANC and transparency modes in a largely identical design. Exactly how much these will cost and whether they'll replace the current pair is unclear, but we may know soon, as FCC filings for the device were spotted just this week. Nevertheless, if you want a stylish pair of lightweight earbuds, the existing Studio Buds remain a solid value when they're discounted to this extent.

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Meta has started the layoffs it announced in March. The company has confirmed that it's letting go of the first wave of the roughly 10,000 affected employees. CNBCnotes that this initial round of job cuts focuses on technical roles, such as software engineer, AR/VR gameplay programmers and user experience designers. Business positions (such as finance and legal) will be cut in May. Other tech workers may be affected next month.

Company chief Mark Zuckerberg outlined the schedule for the cuts upon revealing them last month. This comes after Meta laid off 11,000 people last fall. The two rounds of cuts represent Meta's first mass layoffs, and Zuckerberg has characterized 2023 as a "year of efficiency" where the company narrows its focus and is theoretically more productive.

Meta is dealing with a rough economy like other big tech firms laying off staff, but is also struggling to pivot to the metaverse. The social media pioneer has continued to pour billions of dollars into the Reality Labs unit responsible for its VR headsets and virtual platforms like Horizon Worlds, but these have yet to translate to major revenue growth. Ad revenue for Meta's main social platforms fell in 2022.

The company's outlook for its just-ended quarter suggests the worst of the downturns may be at an end. Results will be announced next week. Reality Labs isn't expected to turn a profit, though, and it may be some time before Meta's social businesses return to meaningful growth.

WhatsApp users could soon have access to a feature that may brighten up their group chats. Meta appears to be working on animated emoji for an upcoming beta of the WhatsApp desktop app.

A GIF posted by WABetaInfo shows the feature in action. It depicts the Face with Party Horn and Party Hat emoji (🥳) bouncing and spinning around. It seems that when an animated version of a specific emoji is available, WhatsApp will share that one instead of the static image.

It's unclear whether you'll be able to switch off animated emoji if and when WhatsApp rolls out the feature more broadly. Animated emoji are reportedly on the way to beta versions of the mobile apps too. Engadget has asked Meta for comment.

WhatsApp seems to be using the Lottie library of animated emoji. Those emoji are said to have small file sizes and to be scalable without losing image quality.

An animated emoji feature is unlikely to lead to an influx of new users by itself, but it could make WhatsApp a bit more enjoyable to use. Google's Messages app and iMessage have supported animated emoji for years, so WhatsApp is playing catch up to a certain degree.

The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a visual novel that ties together nine (don’t ask) Japanese folktales, spirits, curses and, well, ukiyoe block prints. You’ll hop between several protagonists, trying to figure out who’s holding magical killer trinkets and who’s trying to collect them all from reviving the dead.

It’s the usual visual novel style of play: you talk to people, click on interesting things in the background, try to choose the right dialogue options, fail and try again. Paranormasight uses 360-degree environments to keep things relatively immersive. Each character illustration has frayed red, blue and green outlines that imitate old TVs – this was a time before OLED.

Nintendo

What makes Paranormasight so much fun to play through is a rich vein of subversion — which I am not going to spoil. When you first begin the game, there’s a host of sorts, with a mysterious mask, who explains the game you’re about to play, how the menus work and other administrative fun.

When you (inevitably) meet your end due to poor decisions (or someone attacking you with cursed stones), it’ll cut back to the host, who will often hint at something that you’d have never guessed before – there are several ‘game overs’ that are inevitable for the early beats of the game to make sense. Fortunately, the game ‘logic’ settles in pretty quickly. You’ll hop between each character’s quests, with narrative paths unlocking further as the story unfolds and characters, curses and misunderstandings get messy.

In the first few chapters, you must confront others who may or may not be curse holders, unaware of how their curse “works”. This turns into an anime-style stand-off, like a fight in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure or Naruto, as you either try to sneak your way out of danger or get other curse-bearers to fall into your trap, so you can claim their cursed stone and inch closer to the Rite of Resurrection.

It gets surprisingly tense at times. One confrontation occurs between a woman that wields a pyromaniac curse, while another character with a bludgeoning curse that can tell when you lie. This stand-off all happens in an innocuous living room, with a private investigator, dressed like a villain from the ‘70s looking on, baffled and powerless.

The player can jump between the overlapping timelines, even redoing very early decisions to see if they can change how the story progresses. I did find at one point that I was a little ahead of the story, but couldn’t continue with what I thought was the logical way forward until I’d clicked/tapped absolutely everything on a particular 360-degree scene.

Nintendo

Everyone is seemingly hunting the Rite of Resurrection, which can supposedly bring anyone back from the dead – one character isn’t even looking to resurrect a friend or loved one, but Katsushika Hokusai, arguably the most famous Japanese artist of all time – the ‘tsunami’ guy. The characters have plenty of delightful quirks, which reminds me of Capcom’s Phoenix Wright series, but Paranormasight feels a little smarter. Some of the twists and solutions break the fourth wall brazenly and I loved it. My only criticism is that The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a little short – I finished it in 16 hours. Hopefully, more games will expand on this formula.

My spoiler-free advice is: listen to the masked host, keep an eye on your notes database as you learn more about the legends and don’t be afraid just to guess what might work. Often it does.

The game is available on Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android and Steam.

This is a prime moment to buy a high-powered Mac laptop for a grad, or as a treat for yourself. Amazon is offering steep discounts for 14-inch MacBook Pro models with the M2 Pro chip. The base version with a 10-core CPU and 512GB of storage is available at an all-time low price of $1,799, or $200 off. The biggest bargain, however, is a 12-core CPU variant with 1TB of storage that's selling for $2,249, or a sizeable $250 off. At these prices, there's little reason to get a MacBook Air — the Pro delivers considerably more features for a slightly larger outlay.

The 2023 revision of the 14-inch MacBook Pro is an iterative upgrade, but that still makes it an excellent laptop. It maintains the superb display, speakers, input and connectivity of its predecessor, but the M2 Pro improves performance and extends battery life. This is a compact powerhouse for creative work, particularly if you tend to work away from a wall outlet — Apple Silicon-based Macs sustain their speed while on battery power, unlike many competitors. It's quiet, too.

This is still an expensive computer that may be pricier than some competitors, and you'll want a Windows-based machine if you either crave a gaming rig or have certain must-run apps that aren't Mac-native. If those aren't issues, though, this is a very well-rounded portable with few shortcomings.

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The best kitchen gadgets make certain cooking tasks easier without taking over your drawers. What’s more, some of the most useful ones won’t break the bank. All the recommendations on this list are either products I use currently, or more affordable versions of something I decided to splurge on after years of cooking. Not every item is essential, but they’re all things I’ve come to appreciate when I need to get dinner on the table quickly.

Victorinox Honing Steel

There are few things worse than cooking with a dull chef’s knife. It’s unsafe and a waste of time. You need a way to maintain your blades, and a good place to start is with a honing steel. Contrary to popular belief, a honing steel won’t sharpen your knives; what it will do is realign the blade. With consistent use of one, you can get away with actually sharpening your blades once every six months to a year. Almost any model will do the job, but for an affordable option, consider the 10-inch Swiss Classic Honing Steel from Victorinox. It comes with a comfortable handle that makes mastering the motion of honing a knife easy. Best of all, it costs less than $30.

Lavatools Javelin

If you cook meat, you need to get yourself an instant-read thermometer. It will take all the guesswork out of braising, searing and roasting animal protein, making those dishes safer to eat and more delicious.

There are plenty of affordable instant-read thermometers out there, but I like the $27 Lavatools Javelin. It’s not the fastest thermometer on the market – taking about four to five seconds to deliver a temperature reading – but it’s accurate to within a single degree Fahrenheit. The Javelin is also magnetic, so you can stick it on your fridge or knife holder for easy storage. Best of all, the casing is IP65-certified against water and features an antimicrobial coating Lavatools claims will inhibit 99.9 percent of pathogen growth. Oh, and you can buy the Javelin in nine different colors, including a cheerful “Wasabi” green hue.

OXO Good Grips Food Scale

After an instant-read thermometer, one of the few items I think everyone should have in their kitchen is a food scale. I know what you’re thinking: aren’t food scales only useful for baking? The answer is no. They will streamline every aspect of your cooking by allowing you to do away with measuring cups, while also giving you more accurate measurements overall. A scale is also essential if you’re calorie counting or tracking your macros.

After trying a few different scales, I like this OXO Good Grips stainless steel model. At under $60, the OXO model is a bit pricier than other food scales but it comes with a few features that set it apart. The first is a handy pull-out display that makes it easy to read the scale even when you have a large bowl on top. Plus, it also comes with an imperial/metric toggle. It’s handsome, too, with a design that’s easy to clean.

Prepworks by Progressive Magnetic Measuring Spoons

I’ll admit, sometimes it’s not practical to use a food scale to sort out ingredients, and you need to turn to a measuring spoon. After owning a few different models over the years, I’ve come to swear by magnetic ones. They’re easier to separate and subsequently easier to clean. Prepworks by Progressive makes a thoughtfully designed set where each spoon features both a round and narrow end. The latter is perfect for measuring spices since it can fit in most jars.

Microplane Professional Series Grater

If you’re like me, you probably bought a box grater at the start of your cooking journey only to find out it’s terrible. I’m here to tell you there’s a better way to grate cheese and zest limes, and it’s called a Microplane. There are a few different variants, but they all offer the same advantages over a box grater. Being smaller, a Microplane is easier to maneuver over bowls and other dishes. As for what model to buy, I like the Professional Series line for its wide blade and clean design. For zesting, you want to go for the “Fine” model. The “Ribbon” variant is also great if you want to shave chocolate and cheese.

Zwilling Handheld Vacuum Sealer Machine

In the last few years, vacuum sealers have become affordable enough that most home cooks can add one to their kitchen. They’re a great way to reduce waste since meat and produce stored in airless bags will last longer. The right one can also help you reduce plastic waste. Zwilling makes an affordable handheld model that supports an ecosystem of reusable bags and containers that are also on the budget-friendly end of the spectrum. The bags are freezer- and dishwasher-safe, so you can easily sanitize them after storing meat in them. The only thing to complain about the Zwilling vacuum sealer is that it charges over micro-USB(!).

Zulay Silicone Utensil Rest

Before moving to Portugal, my neighbor gifted my partner and I a silicone utensil rest. Since then, this simple tool has been an indispensable part of my kitchen arsenal. Once you start cooking at the stove, it helps to have all your tools right in front of you. A utensil rest helps with that while reducing the amount of cleanup you have to do afterward. Once you’re done, you can just toss it into the dishwasher. Best of all, you can buy one for about $10.

Cuisinart Electric Kettle

While an electric kettle is nether essential for cooking or preparing tea and coffee, it can make both those tasks faster, safer and easier. You can spend a lot to buy a kettle with multiple temperature settings, but unless you’re a tea connoisseur, I don’t think that’s a feature most people need. Cuisinart’s JK-17P1 boils water faster, looks nice on a countertop, and best of all, won’t break the bank.

Crate and Barrel Salt Cellar

Shortly after reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, and learning the importance of salting dishes from within, I bought my first box of kosher salt. I didn’t have a good way to store it at the time, so I used a small bowl whenever I went to cook. The problem with that approach was that the salt would dry out if I left the bowl out. A salt cellar solves that by adding a lid to the bowl. Crate and Barrel makes a nifty (and attractive) acacia wood model that comes with an attached lid so that the two parts never get lost or separated.

Android users in the UK may get the choice to pay for apps and services on the platform through a billing system other than Google's. Ten months after the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into the tech giant's payment system for in-app purchases, Google offered to give developers in the region the choice to use alternative options. The probe came following a separate investigation in which the CMA found Apple and Google held an "effective duopoly" on mobile ecosystems, and that Google's Play Store in particular could potentially lead "to higher prices and reduced choice for Android users."

At the moment, the CMA is asking for feedback on Google's proposals and will continue accepting them until May 19th. If the organization decides to make the proposals legally binding based on people's feedback, then developers will be able to offer a payment system of their own choosing, known as "Developer-only Billing" or DOB, in the UK. They could also offer an alternative payment system next to Google's in a scheme known as "User Choice Billing" (UCB). 

That said, Google will still collect service fees from developers, which typically cost them between 15 to 30 percent of their earnings — it will just be a bit lower than usual. When developers don't offer Google Play billing at all, their service fee will be reduced by 3 percent. If they choose to offer an alternative payment method alongside Google's, and a customer chooses that, their service fee will be lowered by 4 percent.

The tech giant explained in a post about its proposals: "The service fees for distributing apps via Android and Google Play will continue to be based on digital sales via our platform. The service fee is how we support our ongoing investments in Android and Google Play, reflects the value provided by Android and Google Play, and is how we earn money as a business."

Last year, Google allowed Android app developers to use third-party payments in several European Union states. The company also collects service fees in the EU no matter the billing system a user chooses, though the rates are also reduced if they pay using the alternative billing method.

Google says its commitments will be implemented in phases if the CMA decides to adopt them. The ability to add non-Google billing will initially be available to developers of non-gaming apps. Gaming app developers will be able to add alternative billing systems no later than October 2023.

Since February, Netflix has offered paid account sharing in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. The add-on allows primary account holders to pay an additional fee every month to share their Netflix service with up to two people outside of their household. Now, it’s coming for US subscribers – or non-subscribers. The company wrote in its Q1 letter to shareholders: “In Q1, we launched paid sharing in four countries and are pleased with the results.” It added: “We are planning on a broad rollout, including in the US, in Q2.” Netflix has estimated more than 100 million non-paying households have access to its service – and it wants them to pay something.

Netflix will also close its DVD rental business in September. Yes, that’s still a thing.

– Mat Smith

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Polestar

Polestar has revealed its coupe-style electric SUV at the Shanghai Auto Show, and as expected, the Polestar 4 is a head-turner – but not for the driver. There's no rear window, so a camera provides the driver's rear view. With a large 102kWh battery, it has a 300-plus mile targeted range and $60,000 starting price, with both all-wheel and rear-wheel drive versions. It'll go on sale starting in China by the end of the year and launch in North America in 2024.

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Apple’s debut VR Headset might include workouts and fitness features

The company has reportedly been working with ‘a small number of developers.’

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s mixed reality headset (maybe named Reality One or Reality Pro) will focus heavily on gaming, fitness, sports and collaboration tools. The headset is rumored to switch between virtual and augmented reality. It may even run Apple Fitness+ workouts in VR as well as support for immersive sports viewing, which could include 360-degree views at live events. It has the technology: Apple bought VR sports startup NextVR back in 2020. We’re expecting the company to announce the headset at WWDC 2023 – which isn’t far off.

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The best e-ink tablets for 2023

Scribble to your heart’s content.

Engadget

Is it time to replace your notebook with something high-tech? There’s been a boom in e-ink tablets to replace your myriad notebooks with something that can connect to the internet, detect your handwriting and more. We tested a bunch of the most popular e-ink tablets available now – and we have recommendations.

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Xiaomi's 13 Ultra features four Leica-tuned cameras

These cover focal lengths across 12mm, 23mm, 75mm and 120mm.

After debuting the first "1-inch" mobile camera sensor with the 12S Ultra last year, Xiaomi is back with a familiar-looking new phone with some significant upgrades. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra packs not three but four rear Leica cameras, with the main camera using the same "1-inch" 50-megapixel sensor, but with variable aperture to toggle between f/1.9 and f/4.0. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is already available for pre-order in China, starting from 5,999 yuan (around $870). While it’s unlikely to launch in the US directly, we’ve been told the phone will reach international markets at some point. If you’re tempted, you may be able to import one.

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Paramount+ greenlights Star Trek film starring Michelle Yeoh

The recent Oscar winner will reprise her ‘Discovery’ character.

Paramount+ is finally making the long-rumored Star Trek Section 31 project, starring recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh. However, this won’t be a TV show, but a feature-length movie. A Yeoh-led Star Trek: Section 31 has been in development since 2019, transitioning from a series to an “event film” with this latest announcement, according to Variety. Star Trek: Section 31 joins multiple forthcoming Trek projects, including a just-announced Starfleet Academy show and upcoming seasons of Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Star Trek: Picard finishes its three-season run this week, and Star Trek: Discovery returns for a final season sometime next year.

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