The base model Galaxy S23 with 128GB of storage has dropped back down to a record low of $700 at Amazon and Best Buy. It's dropped to this price a few times before, which is a full $100 off the list price after a 13 percent discount. The deal applies to all four colorways, too, so you can pick between Cream, Green, Lavender or Phantom Black. The bigger 512GB size is also $100 off, making that configuration $760 after a 12 percent discount. If you play a lot of games or take a lot of pics, you may want to go that route. The sale also applies to the larger Galaxy S23+ and the S23 Ultra, which are $150 and $225 off, respectively. 

The Galaxy S23 has a 6.1-inch screen with an extra bright, full-HD display and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Three cameras on the back include a 50MP wide-angle, a 10MP telephoto and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The front-facing selfie cam captures 12MP. It uses the latest generation octa-core Snapdragon 8 processor and has a battery that can handle up to 22 hours of video playback.  

You get a larger, 6.6-inch screen on the S23+ along with a bigger battery that Samsung says can get up to 27 hours. We clocked 25 hours in our rundown tests but that's still an impressive life for a smartphone — and even beats the S23 Ultra. Our deputy editor Cherlynn Low also called out the vibrant display and fast performance from the Snapdragon 8 gen 2 chip in her review, ultimately saying it "ranks up there as one of the best Android phones around." The S23+ is currently down to $850 for the 256GB size and $970 in the 512GB capacity. 

As for the S23 Ultra, we named it one of the best Android smartphones and one of the best smartphones in general in our guide. Usually $1,200, the 256GB model is currently $975 after a 19 percent discount at either Amazon or Best Buy. The model with a 512GB storage capacity is down to $1,155 or $225 off the list price. The Ultra received a review score of 89 from our senior review writer, Sam Rutherford. He gave props to the brilliant display, long battery life and overall speedy performance. But what really stood out was the S23 Ultra's photographic capabilities. Sam has no doubt that the 200MP camera could potentially "film Hollywood-grade movies" but that to get the most out of the impressive cameras and accompanying software, you really need to know what you're doing. 

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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.

Yoto has revealed its latest audio playback device for kids. The third-generation Yoto Player includes a slew of upgrades and improvements, according to the company. For one thing, it will play music, audiobooks and podcasts with the help of acoustically engineered stereo audio.

The device has a battery that will last three times as long as the one in the previous model, Yoto claims. There are USB-C fast charging and wireless charging options as well. The third-gen Yoto Player has 32GB of storage, which will enable users to save more than 600 hours of content for offline use.

The pixel display, seven-color night light and WiFi connectivity have all been upgraded. The device has a durable case that should help protect it against daily rough and tumble, Yoto says. The Yoto Player also has a built-in sleep timer and alarms.

Yoto

Last but by no means least, Yoto has incorporated a room thermometer this time around. The company notes that parents can monitor temperatures from the Yoto App. They may receive notifications if their baby's room starts to get too hot or cold for comfort.

The third-gen Yoto Player will be available on June 15th. It costs $120.

Following an early access period, Minecraft is now more broadly available on Chromebook. You can snap up Minecraft: Bedrock Edition from the Google Play Store for $20. Doing so will grant you access to the Android version of Minecraft, which typically costs $7, at no extra cost. If you have already bought the game on Android and use the same Google account on Chromebook, you can snag the latest port for $13.

Mojang started offering this version on Chromebook in early access in March. At the time, it was only accessible on certain models that met the minimum specifications.

Minecraft will work on any Chromebook from the last three years along with other models that meet the minimum specifications, according to Google. It includes full cross-play support, so you can explore and create with friends who use the Bedrock Edition on mobile, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Windows. Other versions of Minecraft were previously available on Chromebook, namely the older Java version and the Education Edition. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers are also able to access the game on Chromebook via Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The latest Chromebook version also includes access to the Minecraft Marketplace and the new Trails & Tales update. The latter allows you to, among other things, encounter new mobs and blocks, and leave messages for friends on editable hanging signs.

It’s not always easy (or affordable) to wrangle kids together for a trip to the cinema. And for new parents, it’s often tough to find childcare for a date night. A better option for dads and moms is a home entertainment upgrade – something that can help them relax once the kids are asleep, or to have a fun family movie night. Here are some of our favorite gift options to elevate any parent’s viewing experience.

Sonos Beam

There are plenty of soundbars out there, but few are as versatile as the Sonos Beam. It's a sleek box that'll instantly upgrade any TV with expansive and detailed sound. But, it's also a smart speaker with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. That makes it a viable alternative to devices like the Echo. Being able to shout "Play some Sesame Street songs!" comes in really handy for new parents. Trust me.

LG C2 OLED

There’s no better home entertainment upgrade than a new TV, and LG’s C2, like the company’s previous flagship OLEDs, remains one of the best. It’ll deliver astounding 4K HDR and Dolby Vision content, with all of the eye-searing contrast and inky blacks you’d expect from an OLED panel. While LG has a newer C3 model, we think the C2 remains a better option for most people, especially since it costs far less.

PlayStation 5 Media Remote

If your entertainment runs through a game console, and dad just wants to kick back to watch a game or some Blu-ray discs, then he’ll appreciate navigating things with a remote instead of a gamepad. The PS5 Media Remote matches the console aesthetically, and includes shortcut buttons for several popular apps. Plus, its batteries will last longer than the one in a DualSense so it will always be ready to go. Your biggest problem could be probably finding one in stock, although if you managed to snag the console then we think you’ll be able to figure this out too. For Xbox owners, the PDP Media remote works for systems from the One through the new Series X/S. Instead of shortcut keys it includes a fairly standard universal remote setup so that there’s not a lot of re-learning involved.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Anyone with an older TV set would appreciate Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K. It’s a $50 dongle that’ll do just about everything you’d want from a streaming device: Access a vast library of apps, offer fast performance and play content in 4K (and on supported TVs, it can also handle HDR and Dolby Vision). Even if a TV already has built-in apps, there’s a good chance the Streaming Stick will be faster, especially if the set is a few years old. Roku’s stick also makes for a great travel companion: Instead of logging into services on a hotel TV, dad just needs to plug this in.

Apple TV 4K 2022

The latest version of the Apple TV 4K is, unsurprisingly, the best. It’s faster than ever, it’s far more affordable and it includes Apple’s revamped Siri Remote, which has a responsive (and clickable) circular trackpad. The new version is a solid upgrade for anyone with the original 4K model, and it’s even a bigger leap for owners of the company’s older set-top boxes. Sure, Apple’s TV app is also available on many competing devices, but we still prefer the user experience of the Apple TV 4K. Consider it a must buy for any iPhone-toting parents in your life.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony’s latest pair of noise-canceling headphones are among the best we’ve ever seen. The XM5 are supremely comfortable, offer excellent sound quality, and have far more powerful noise-blocking capabilities than before. While they’re not great for group watching, they’re the perfect pair of cans for a new dad who wants to fully immerse themselves in the latest Fast and Furious movie.

Philips Hue White + Color Starter Kit

Whether the house is already leaning into automation or not, this starter kit of Philips Hue White and Color lights should be a good fit. It comes with three bulbs that can glow in millions of colors, as well as a button for easy manual control and a Hue bridge. The latter will be important if dad eventually wants to add to its lighting system as it supports up to 50 connected lights. He’ll be able to control his lights from anywhere using the companion mobile app, set schedules and routines and use Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri commands to change the lighting in the house as he sees fit. That means it’ll be easier than ever for dad to get the right ambiance for his next movie night.

BenQ HT2050AA projector

For the biggest and best screen possible, you’ll always want a projector. The BenQ HT2050A is as good of an option as you’ll find, and your dad can brag about how much of a deal it was at under $750. What this 1080p projector lacks in resolution and dynamic range it more than makes up for in value, and is a perfect choice to get someone started on live the projector lifestyle. Just find a blank wall and pop this on a table for an incredible movie or game night with a few vaccinated friends. A proper projection screen, blackout shades and seating upgrades are follow-up gifts that everyone will get to use.

Wordpress is getting an AI writing assistant of its own called Jetpack AI, and it's built into the content management system's editor. For Wordpress blogs hosted elsewhere, owners will still be able to access the tool through the Jetpack plugin. Like any other generative AI tool, Jetpack can spit out content based on the prompt users type in, whether it's a traditional article, a list or a table. The assistant can also switch the tone of the post, depending on what the user is going for: It could sound informative, optimistic, humorous or even sarcastic. 

If the user wants to write their own post, they could still ask Jetpack for help. They could either make the tool generate a headline based on what they'd written or use it to automatically check their grammar or correct any spelling mistakes. And if they want to include a translation of their article, they can use Jetpack AI to quickly translate it into any of its 12 available languages, including Spanish, French and Korean. According to TechCrunch, Jetpack is free to use for all WordPress.com customers for the first 20 requests as sort of a free trial period. After that, users will have to pay $10 per month to be able to access the tool. 

While Jetpack AI can be especially useful for people already using Wordpress, it's just one of the AI-powered writing tools that have recently popped up. The Microsoft 365 Copilot, for instance, can create a proposal on Word based on spreadsheet data or change a written report's tone. Google also recently imbued its Workspace apps with AI capabilities and gave Docs the power to generate text based on the topic written on the page.

Receiving an unsolicited image is an unpleasant experience at the best of times, and one that technology has made all too common. At WWDC, Apple announced iOS 17 will use an on-device machine learning model to scan both images and videos for nudity. When detected, you’ll get a pop-up, telling you the system thinks the file may be inappropriate.

I wonder how much of this is a response to the practice of AirDropping inappropriate images to an unsuspecting person’s phone. One notable incident from 2022 saw a person removed from a flight after they had shared an image of themselves with other passengers. That AirDrop images have visible previews, too, currently makes it harder for people to avoid catching an eyeful.

– Dan Cooper

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The biggest stories you might have missed

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Apple bought the AR company behind the tech in Nintendo’s ‘Mario Kart’ ride

Mira also had several military contracts.

Universal Studios / Nintendo

Apple has bought Mira, the company that built the AR headsets used in Super Nintendo World’s Mario Kart-themed ride. It had previously built its own smartphone-based headset, which we tried in 2017. Back then, it garnered some praise despite its low price and low tech. As well as the Mario headsets, the startup was also supplying heads-up display gear for the US military. It’s not clear when the deal happened, or if any of Mira’s technology went into the Vision Pro. But it’s likely, if it hasn’t already, Apple will be quietly scooping up plenty of small AR and VR startups in the coming years.

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Twitter's ad sales have reportedly dropped by 59 percent since last year

Advertisers are nervous about the content Twitter is happy to host.

Twitter has reportedly seen ad revenue fall by 59 percent in the last year as brands flee the platform. After Elon Musk bought the company to remake it in his own image, advertisers have backed off due to the surge in hate speech and adult content. In 2021, under the old regime, Twitter cleared annual revenue of $5.1 billion, while the first year of Musk’s tenure is expected to make just $3 billion. Maybe, just maybe, gutting the moderation and ad-sales staff of a platform reliant on moderation and ad-sales wasn’t the smartest business move.

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Western Digital's first Xbox Series X/S storage cards start at $80

No more are users locked into Seagate’s storage options.

Western Digital

If you wanted to expand the storage of your Xbox Series X or S, you had the choice of any manufacturer you wanted, so long as it was Seagate. Now, however, Western Digital has launched its own range of expansion cards to boost the size of your local library. The WD Black C50 starts at $80 for a 500GB model, with a 1TB card costing $150, a fair bump cheaper than Seagate’s offerings. Not to mention it’s just nice to have a choice.

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Chinese startup says its new EV battery doesn’t lose range in the cold

It says the Phoenix cell has a top range of 621 miles.

EVs have countless benefits over their gas-powered rivals, but battery degradation in low temperatures isn’t one of them. It’s an issue Chinese company Greater Bay Technology says it’s now fixed, claiming its new Phoenix battery can reach ideal temperature in six minutes. It added Phoenix has a potential range of 1,000km (621 miles) and will be in a new EV made by (Chinese manufacturer) Aion at some point next year. If true, this could be the quantum leap that will see EVs trounce the competition once and for all.

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If you're in the market for some serious storage add-ons, now might be your chance. Samsung's 1TB 980 Pro SSD is down to $66.49, a new all-time low. Its counterpart, the 980 Pro SSD with Heatsink, is also at the best price we've seen yet at $80. 

Samsung's 980 Pro SSD supports read speeds up to 7,000MB/S, comes as a compact M.2 2280 form factor and uses a special thermal control algorithm to control heat levels with extended use. The SSD also includes Samsung Magician so you can monitor its health over time and includes a two-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography with your purchase. 

If you're a PS5 owner looking to upgrade, the heatsink will offer better performance and reliability. Heatsink keeps the device from overheating and performance dropping on the PS5 or your PC by dispersing heat as it occurs. 

If you prefer Western Digital's storage options, its WD_Black SN850X SSD is still part of a big sale, with a 57 percent discount bringing the 4TB model from $700 to $300. The smaller memory options also have significant price cuts, with the 2TB option down to $140 from $290 and the 1TB down to $78 from $160.  

Amazon's Blink doorbells and cameras are an inexpensive way to get into smart home security, and now it's running a sale that makes them significantly cheaper. In one key deal, the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2 is priced at $57, a savings of 40 percent and one of the lowest prices we've seen. You can also pick up the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera for just $42 (30 percent off), a three-pack of the Blink Mini indoor cam for $54 (45 percent off) and the Blink Outdoor (3rd Gen) for $60 (40 percent off). 

The Blink Video Doorbell offers live video at 1080p resolution with infrared capabilities for nighttime use and two-way audio. You don't need to worry about wires, and it'll run for up to two years on a pair of AA batteries. It's also weather resistant thanks to a seal that offers protection against water, Amazon says. Alexa can manage the doorbell by operating the two-way audio function, arming and disarming the device and giving you chime and motion alerts. You can get a live display on an Alexa-powered device or your smartphone. 

The Sync Module 2, meanwhile, enables users to control Blink devices from the Blink Home Monitor app. Plug a USB storage drive into the Sync Module 2, and you'll be able to save recordings of motion-activated video clips. You'll be able to view the footage via the Blink app or by plugging the flash drive into your computer.

Beyond the Video Doorbell, other notable deals include a three-camera kit of Blink's indoor security cam for $54 and the Blink Outdoor Cam, another pick from our best smart home device guide, for $60 ($99 for a two pack). And if you're looking for a flexible indoor camera, the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt model is on sale for $42, or $18 off the full price. Those are just several of a large number of deals in Amazon's big Blink sale. 

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Today, Apple updated its developer program to allow anyone access to the beta operating systems. Pointed out by user iSoftware Updates on Twitter and confirmed by Apple’s developer program comparison page, OS beta releases can be installed without needing to pay the annual $99 fee for the Apple Developer Program. This means that eager users will be able to install the various betas starting today, including iOS 17, for free versus having to wait until July for the public beta.

Earlier today, Apple "accidentally" released the iOS 17 beta to the public, allowing those who weren’t part of the developer program access. This may have been an intentional move by Apple to prepare for the bigger change, allowing anyone access to the beta program.

​​Earlier this year, Apple made a change to how it distributes betas to developers. Previously, developers had to download and install a configuration profile on a per-device basis. But the system now allows users to install betas by simply checking an option within the software update settings directly on their devices. Despite the change, Apple still required you to pay $99 per year in order to gain access to the developer betas. Now, users that don’t want to pay the fee won’t have to wait for the public beta, which was always available for free but typically is released later than developer betas. This year, Apple says the public betas should arrive in July.

We highly discourage running betas on your main devices as there can be bugs and issues, especially early on in the cycle. These betas are intended for developers, who typically have secondary devices to test their applications against the new software. Certain betas, such as watchOS 10, tvOS 17, HomePod 17, and AirPods betas prevent you from rolling back to public, stable software. For those platforms, as soon as you install the beta, you’ll be stuck on it until the next public release comes out, which is typically available later in the fall. Definitely install these betas at your own risk. But those who aren’t risk-averse can download these now.