Google's latest accessibility features include a potentially clever use of AI. The company is updating its Lookout app for Android with an "image question and answer" feature that uses DeepMind-developed AI to elaborate on descriptions of images with no captions or alt text. If the app sees a dog, for example, you can ask (via typing or voice) if that pup is playful. Google is inviting a handful of people with blindness and low vision to test the feature, with plans to expand the audience "soon."

It will also be easier to get around town if you use a wheelchair — or a stroller, for that matter. Google Maps is expanding wheelchair-accessible labels to everyone, so you'll know if there's a step-free entrance before you show up. If a location doesn't have a friendly entrance, you'll see an alert as well as details for other accommodations (such as wheelchair-ready seating) to help you decide whether or not a place is worth the journey.

Google

A handful of minor updates could still be helpful. Live Caption for calls lets you type back responses that are read aloud to recipients. Chrome on desktop (soon for mobile) now spots URL typos and suggests alternatives. As announced, Wear OS 4 will include faster and more consistent text-to-speech when it arrives later in the year.

Google has been pushing hard on AI in recent months, and launched a deluge of features at I/O 2023. The Lookout upgrade might be one of the most useful, though. While AI descriptions are helpful, the Q&A feature can provide details that would normally require another human's input. That could boost independence for people with vision issues.

Razer is today announcing an update to its Nommo gaming desktop speakers. As is the case with most of the company's other products, these speakers are equipped with RGB lighting to fully match your other Razer gear.

The Nommo V2 Pro starts at $450 and delivers a wireless 2.1 sound system with one new trick up its sleeve: THX's Spatial Audio surround sound experience. Razer claims that the inclusion of THX spatial audio is a first for any set of 2.1 desktop speakers. Several titles, including Grand Theft Auto V, Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Genshin Impact already support the spatial audio experience, with more titles to come in the future.

The speakers also include a downward-firing subwoofer, which could make it easier to hear enemy footsteps or roaring lightning. The updated RGB array now shines through the top of the speakers, making it easier for the lights to reflect off of a wall.

Razer is also announcing a new Wireless Control Pod, which comes included with the Nommo V2 Pro (but can be bought separately for $50). It's highly customizable and supports rotation, single click and double click. For example, you could rotate the dial to adjust the brightness of your RGB rig, single-click to crank your mouse's DPI for Call of Duty or double-click to lower your DPI when surfing the web.

If this all sounds enticing to you but you'd prefer a cheaper setup, Razer has another option. The Nommo V2 offers the same exact listening experience, just wired. It also excludes the Wireless Control Pod, and costs $300. For those of you who are math ninjas, that's a savings of $150. Of course, without the Pod, you're looking at physical volume and power buttons on the speakers.

Both the Nommo V2 and V2 Pro will be available in the US starting in June, and the Wireless Control Pod will be available worldwide starting in August.

Apple makes some of the best earbuds around for iOS users and now you can pick up a pair of AirPods for less than they'd usually set you back. The second-generation AirPods Pro have dropped back down to their lowest price to date. You can currently snap up a pair for $200, which is $50 off the usual price.

We found that the latest AirPods Pro, which Apple released last year, boast better audio quality than the original model. Thanks to the more powerful H2 chip, they have an excellent transparency mode and good active noise cancellation (ANC). Being able to move between Apple devices seamlessly is a plus point as well. On the downside, we found that the new touch controls took a bit of getting used to, while the so-so battery life didn't blow us away. Overall, we gave the second-gen AirPods Pro a score of 88 in our review.

Meanwhile, you can pick up standard AirPods for less cash than usual. The second-gen AirPods are $99 ($30 off), while the third-gen model is $159 ($10 off). We feel that the third-gen AirPods are better than the previous model in almost every respect thanks to features such as improved fit and audio quality, as well as a longer battery life. Water resistance is definitely welcome too. As a result, we gave the third-gen AirPods a score of 88.

Although they're four years old, the second-gen earbuds shouldn't be dismissed entirely, especially if you're budget conscious. These AirPods can still pair with your iPhone in a snap and switch to other Apple devices with ease when you need them to. As with the third-gen AirPods, there's support for hands-free Siri.

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Human-computer interaction company Sightful is releasing its first product, Spacetop, a screen-less “augmented reality laptop” projecting tabs across a 100-inch virtual screen. The laptop — if you can call it that — is a hardware deck and full-size keyboard with a pair of tailored NReal glasses. The glasses project tabs directly in front of whatever the user is looking at while remaining invisible to anyone else.

Specs-wise, Spacetop is running a Snapdragon 865 paired with an Adreno 650 GPU, 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, putting it in the same class as some of the smartphones that are already capable of driving AR glasses. It’s not smartphone-sized, however, measuring 1.57-inches high, 10.47-inches wide and 8.8-inches deep, and it weighs in at 3.3 pounds, the same as plenty of laptops we could choose to mention here.

Sightful is clearly gunning for a crossover hit in the the work-from-home-or-anywhere market. “Laptops are the centerpiece of our daily working lives, but the technology has not evolved with the modern, work from anywhere, privacy matters, ‘road warrior’ mentality. Meanwhile, augmented reality is full of potential and promise but is yet to find its daily use case,” said Tamir Berliner, Sightful co-founder who previously worked at both Leap Motion and Primesense. “We are at the perfect moment for a significant paradigm shift in a device we all know and love.”

For now, Spacetop is only available to buy for 1,000 early adopters through an application-based program. Right now, we don’t have word on how much this will cost you, or when you’ll be able to pick it up, but we’ll watch this project with interest to see if it’ll succeed where so many others have failed. 

Technics is updating its range of true wireless earbuds with two new models, one of which bears the weighty promise of carrying the company’s “greatest sound quality ever.” That’s the slogan tied to the flagship EAH-AZ80, which packs new 10mm, free-edge aluminum diaphragms. That kit, so we’re told, will extend its high and low-frequency response while, at the same time, cutting out unwanted resonance and distortion.

The new diaphragm is the one major difference between the new flagship AZ80 and its junior sibling, the romantically-named EAH-AZ60M2. Technics says that both units come with a unique “acoustic box design” optimizing airflow for more natural-sounding vocals, better bass and smoother trebles. You’ll also get three-point Bluetooth connectivity to save you the effort of unpairing your phone to listen to your laptop. Oh, and as usual for Technics' earbuds, you'll find support for both Bluetooth and LDAC to get your hi-res audio fill.

Both new models ship with ANC, ambient sound mode and a new, improved version of Technics’ JustMyVoice technology, which reduces background noise during calls. The Panasonic-owned company says the new version deals better with wind noise and the variable sound you get in, for instance, a busy coffee shop. In addition, the system will now adjust the volume levels of your voice to make sure you’re understandable by whoever you’re speaking to.

Naturally, all of those features will impact the buds’ battery life, with Technics saying there’s a maximum capacity of around 25 hours’ worth of playback in the buds and cradle. Expect to lose an hour from that time if you have ANC activated, and for that figure to slice in half if you’re using both ANC and JustMyVoice at the same time. Thankfully, both units now have Qi support for wireless charging, and you’ll get battery information inside the companion app, too.

Both units are available to buy today from Technics’ own website and Amazon, with the AZ80 costing you $299, and the AZ60M2 $250.

If you watch YouTube videos primarily on your TV, you may soon come across 30-second ads you won't be able to skip, just like commercials on traditional TV channels. The video platform has announced during its Brandcast event for advertisers that it's bringing 30-second unskippable ads to connected TVs. It will make the option available through YouTube Select, which is a targeting option open to eligible clients who want to reach the audiences of the website's most popular channels.

YouTube says 70 percent of Select impressions land on TVs, so the new format will give advertisers the chance to show more of their services or products in a way that allows "for richer storytelling." If you already regularly see two 15-second ads consecutively, then the new format wouldn't make that much of a difference for you — unless they show up more frequently, of course. The format is now generally available in the US and Canada and will expand worldwide later this year.

In addition to introducing longer non-skips, YouTube is also bringing "pause experiences" to connected TVs as an experiment. Pause experiences are ads that show up when you hit pause on what you're watching, similar to the promos Hulu launched in 2019. They're expected to be highly visual and even interactive, and they could include QR codes you can scan to perhaps visit the brands' website or social media channels. In the image below, for instance, you'll see an ad encouraging you to scan a QR code to get a 15 percent discount.

YouTube

In a striking move of innovation, Uber is opening a toll-free phone line (1-833-USE-UBER, so 1-833-873-8237) for scheduling immediate or future ride in English or Spanish – just like a typical taxi. It’s part of several new features, including group grocery shopping for people living at the same address and upgraded Uber Eats gifts, with the ability to attach a video message to your present.

In addition, Uber announced teen accounts with safety features. Uber says that only screened drivers who are experienced and highly rated will carry out trips with teen Uber users. Drivers will be able to opt out of such rides. Teen accounts have a series of built-in safety features, including audio recordings, RideCheck (which checks in with riders if the vehicle has stopped for a while) and the option to use a PIN to ensure young users are getting in the right car.

– Mat Smith

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

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Nicolas Cage is coming to ‘Dead by Daylight’

Even if it doesn’t look much like him.

Dead by Daylight

Nicolas Cage will soon appear in Dead by Daylight. The actor will bring his delightful eccentricity and Billy Mays-style beard to the multiplayer survival game. Cage says in the appropriately campy teaser, “It can shape the fabric of reality, transforming everything you may think you know.” Cage will play himself in the role of a Survivor, according to Eurogamer.

Continue reading.

Logitech joins the growing list of companies with self-repair programs

It’s teaming up with iFixit to offer support for two popular mouse models.

iFixit

Logitech and iFixit announced a new partnership today to let customers repair their devices. iFixit will supply spare parts and out-of-warranty support for “select products” while developing guides for DIY repairs on Logitech gear. The program will kick off this summer in the US with support for two popular accessories: the Logitech MX Master and MX Anywhere mouse. iFixit says you can order parts a la carte or in kits with everything you need for a specific repair, including parts and tools.

Continue reading.

‘The New York Times’ built a standalone app for audio journalism

News subscribers can access the app on an iOS device.

The New York Times has launched a dedicated app for its audio projects: NYT Audio. Only available on iOS for now, it includes long-form audio as well as podcasts from the Athletic and Serial Productions, under one roof. The NYT first previewed the app back in 2021. It billed the software as a way to give its journalists more freedom to experiment outside of the limits imposed by platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Continue reading.

Beats Studio Buds + headphones review

A little bit better in every way.

Engadget

Beats has officially debuted its latest true wireless earbuds. That premature appearance was mostly accurate: The Studio Buds + have a familiar design with loads of improvements on the inside. Those upgrades include better battery life, retooled call performance and updated noise cancellation. There’s also a new transparent design option – in a blatant bid to get this Engadget newsletter editor to buy another pair of wireless buds. With the price increase, these have crept out of the midrange and are approaching premium status. They’re less obvious value than the original model, but that’s far from a dealbreaker. Check out the full review.

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Analogue’s universally compatible TurboGrafx-16 console, the Duo, will finally be available for preorders later this week, on May 19th. The company made the reveal on Twitter and also noted that preorders begin sharply at 8AM PDT. These kinds of niche gaming consoles tend to sell out of preorders quickly, so set your alarm.

There’s a spot of bad news to go along with the announcement. The Analogue Duo was first revealed all the way back in 2020 and was set to launch for $200. The updated price tag is now $250.

For the price, you do get an all-in-one system that promises to play every single TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine title, thanks to dual media readers that play both the originally manufactured cartridges and the compact discs that came later. The console even runs games that require the Arcade RAM add-on that comprised the unsuccessful SuperGrafx console that was only released in Japan.

The Duo includes some modern bells and whistles, like an HDMI port, 1080p resolution, an SD card slot, two USB ports for wired controllers and Bluetooth for wireless accessories. The console doesn’t come with a controller, though it works with plenty of budget-friendly offerings by 8BitDo and others.

To the uninitiated, the TurboGrafx-16, called the PC Engine in Japan, was a competitor to the NES and SNES that saw some success in its home country but only modest sales in the US. Despite never reaching the heights of Sega and Nintendo, the console holds a place in the hearts of retro gamers, thanks to a robust library of hundreds of titles.

Just like all Analogue consoles, the Duo isn’t an emulation machine, as it features near-identical internal components that integrate with physical media. The company has made popular recreations of many iconic consoles, including the Pocket device that plays games from nearly every retro portable console.

The New York Times is doubling down on podcasts. The outlet announced Tuesday the launch of its long-awaited NYT Audio app. Available to download only on iOS at the moment, the software collects all of the Gray Lady’s audio journalism, including podcasts from the Athletic and Serial Productions, under one roof.

The Times first previewed the app back in 2021. At the time, it billed the software as a way to give its journalists more freedom to experiment outside of the limits imposed by platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. "This is a canvas for all of those audio stories the newsroom wants to tell but didn't quite have outlets for it before," Times Deputy Managing Editor Sam Dolnick told Axios at the time.

In addition to the outlet’s entire back catalog of podcasts, the NYT Audio will feature new content, including short audio pieces where journalists from The Times will retell how they reported a story they wrote recently. Home cooks can also look forward to listening to recipe advice from the outlet’s Cooking section. You need a digital News or All Access subscription to access the app. If you’re like me and only subscribe to the Cooking section, that won’t cut it, unfortunately. The good news is podcasts like The Daily and The Coldest Case in Laramie aren’t leaving Spotify, Pocket Casts and other platforms.

The release of the NYT Audio app comes as other companies that bet big on podcasts during the pandemic are reducing their investments. Spotify, most notably, cut 11 original podcasts, including the highly acclaimed How to Save a Planet, at the end of last year.

Logitech and iFixit announced a new partnership today to let customers repair their devices. iFixit will supply spare parts and out-of-warranty support for “select products” while developing guides for DIY repairs on Logitech gear. The program will kick off this summer in the US with support for two popular accessories: the Logitech MX Master and MX Anywhere mouse models.

The self-repair program, found on a new Repair Hub website, will use genuine Logitech replacement parts and batteries. iFixit says you can order parts a la carte or in kits with everything you need for a specific repair, including the requisite part(s), tools and a precision screwdriver bit set. The companies haven’t yet announced pricing for the bundles or replacement parts.

The initiative is part of a broader trend in recent years. Apple launched an iPhone repair program last year; it’s since added support for Macs and the Apple Studio Display. Google and Samsung have added similar programs for some of their flagship devices. Cutting down on e-waste by extending product lives is the most obvious advantage, as well as potentially saving repair-minded customers a few bucks. However, the companies may be motivated even more by Right to Repair legislation passed in New York and Massachusetts — while perhaps trying to head off potential federal legislation requiring them to offer self-repairs for a broader array of products.

“Consumers often struggle to find avenues to repair and extend the life of their product,” said Prakash Arunkundrum, chief operating officer at Logitech. “More can be done by brands and by broader value chains who wish to play an active role in the shift to a more circular economy. I am excited that we are able to collaborate with iFixit to develop better designs and make it easier for consumers to have a self-repair option to extend the life of our products.”