I’ve become increasingly infatuated with old video games. Lord knows I still play lots of new stuff, but more and more, the loudest parts of modern gaming – the live services explicitly designed to monopolize your attention, the market-tested blockbusters devoid of any edge, the constant stream of power fantasies – bore me. Being old doesn’t make a game good, but when I go back to my favorite retro games, I find a focus and honesty in their design that I don’t see in many of the more acclaimed games of today.

I took to collecting old games and consoles a couple of years ago – in just one of the many ways the pandemic broke my brain – but actually enjoying those on a modern TV is notoriously annoying. And while I could always emulate the classics on my phone or PC, I liked the idea of keeping my retro library on a distinct machine, something I could fire up when I’m in the mood but just as easily walk away from when I’m not.

So, recently I took my first dip into the world of retro handhelds – portable, often Chinese-made devices designed to house and run emulated games wherever you’d like. I settled on the Retroid Pocket 3, an Android-based model that starts at a relatively affordable $119 and comes from a series that had received mostly positive word of mouth in the past. (It has also been available on Amazon for $160, typically with faster shipping.)

Three months later, I’m still happy with it. The Retroid Pocket 3 is one of those “for the price” situations, but, for the price, it’s a fine piece of hardware. If you’ve ever held a Nintendo Switch Lite, the Retroid Pocket 3 will feel like a slightly smaller version of that. It doesn’t have the ergonomic grips of a Steam Deck, but it’s a smooth slim slab, light and small enough to not feel seriously fatiguing over time, and easily portable.

Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Its 4.7-inch display is big and sharp (750x1334) enough for something I hold a foot from my face, and it has a 16:9 aspect ratio that plays nice with remote streaming and more recent platforms like PSP. (It does result in some hefty black bars with older games originally designed for 3:2 or 4:3 displays, but I got used to those quickly enough.) The LED panel isn’t as vibrant as the OLED screens on newer smartphones, but it’s never come off as noticeably compromised either. Its color saturation and brightness is excellent for a cheap handheld, and it’s not impossible to see outside. Plus, it’s a touchscreen, which makes getting around Android easier.

All the requisite buttons for modern gaming are here as well. There are trade-offs: The four face buttons are beady and on the clicky side, the start/select buttons are placed weirdly on the side, and the triggers aren’t analog, so they can’t respond to different levels of pressure. But everything is fast to actuate and spaced well enough to avoid accidental inputs. The joysticks work as clickable L3 and R3 buttons, too, which isn’t a given with devices like these. I did have an issue with the R1 button sticking down, but that seemed to resolve itself after a couple of days. I’ll chalk that up to the pains of buying from a little-known company.

If you want the D-pad and face buttons to have a softer feel, Retroid actually includes alternative switches in the box. It sells other replacement parts on its website, too. That’s commendable for a worst-case scenario, but the default should be good enough for most to avoid taking on any DIY risks. One thing that isn’t included, though, is a case; I dug around and bought this old one for the PS Vita instead, and it’s done the job.

Retroid sells the Pocket 3 with either 2GB or 3GB of RAM. The latter only costs $10 more, so there’s little reason not to take the memory boost. The processor in this thing is far from a powerhouse; it’s built to emulate old games that don’t need a ton of processing power and last for 5-6 hours while doing that. Pretty much everything from the 8- and 16-bit eras runs perfectly smooth here, as do lower-power handhelds like the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and even the Nintendo DS. I’ve had few issues with early 3D games from the PlayStation 1 or Sega Dreamcast, too. Getting Nintendo 64 games to work requires a bit of control mapping in your emulator – I mean, look at this thing – but once that’s settled, that one is basically perfect as well.

Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Things start to get spottier once you get to the most demanding PSP games – think God of War: Chains of Olympus – but even then I was able to play stuff like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (which isn’t purchasable on any modern platform) at double its native resolution with only the occasional slowdown. The cut-off here is PlayStation 2 and GameCube – those generally require just a bit more resources than the Retroid Pocket 3 can supply. But that still leaves decades of gems. Having Super Mario RPG or the original Metal Gear Solid playable in my hand, with higher-resolution textures and instant save states, is still kind of surreal.

The catch, as with many Android handhelds, is actually getting everything to work. When you first load up the Pocket 3, Retroid helpfully suggests a few recommended emulators you can install right away. If you’re new to this, though, you’ll then have to go through a labyrinthine maze of reading massive tutorials, watching 30-minute YouTube videos, tweaking dozens of settings across multiple apps, customizing hotkeys, cross-checking box art, and actually downloading the proper ROM and BIOS files for your games. And that’s not to mention how owning ROM files exists in a legal gray area. (Engadget does not condone piracy.) I spent more time optimizing RetroArch and organizing Retroid’s (attractive) launcher in my first two days with the Pocket 3 than actually playing games. There’s a reason people like this are mocked.

With the busywork done, though, I’ve found digging into my curated selection of the past refreshing. When I go back to NHL ‘94, I see a sports game that respects my time (and wallet). When I revisit Ridge Racer Type 4, I see a driving game intently focused on one pleasure (cruising around). When I play Link’s Awakening, I see a sequel in a wildly popular series that isn’t afraid to be weird and take risks. When I return to Shenmue, I see a game that revels in patience and refuses to constantly coddle me. It’s not that no modern games do these things, but it’s fascinating to see what some developers valued with far fewer resources. Here, I can get these history lessons on one handheld, in the span of one night.

Jeff Dunn / Engadget

My only major complaints have less to do with the Pocket 3 than Retroid itself. Between the time I started writing this article and the time you’re reading it, Retroid launched a new Pocket 3+ handheld just three months after releasing the Pocket 3. There were suggestions that Retroid was using the Pocket 3 to clear out inventory at launch, so to see a follow-up so soon feels scuzzy. The new model has a similar design but 4GB of RAM and a faster processor; it's still not great for GameCube and PS2 emulation by most accounts, but it can run more of those games, and it's better with borderline systems like the PSP. At $149, it's now the superior value, though the Pocket 3 remains a fine option for slightly less cash.

That said, new hardware launches at a breakneck pace in this market, and there’s long been a million different ways to play old games. Among handhelds alone, options like the Steam Deck, Analogue Pocket, Miyoo Mini, Anbernic RG353M and RG505, Ayn Odin Pro and Aya Neo 2 all promise retro gaming goodness at varying price points. But the Retroid Pocket 3 works for me. It required a good chunk of homework at first, but it’s since become a capable emulator and my own personal museum to classic game design.

Fujifilm recently launched the best, albeit most-expensive, APS-C camera yet – the X-H2S. But it wasn’t done. Today, we’re looking at its stablemate, the 40-megapixel X-H2. It’s the highest-resolution APS-C camera ever released and boasts impressive video powers.

You can shoot 15 fps RAW photos at full resolution, and it’s the first APS-C mirrorless camera with 8K video. It also offers improved in-body stabilization, an upgraded autofocus system with new AI subject recognition, and more.

At $2,000, it’s a full $500 less than the X-H2S, but that’s still a lot for an APS-C camera. With that in mind, I wanted to see if it’s that much better than rivals like Canon’s $1,500 32.5-megapixel EOS R7, and even how it stacks up against full-frame cameras like the Sony A7 IV or original Canon EOS R6 that cost just a bit more.

Body and handling

Other than the fact that the X-H2S has an “S” logo painted on the front, the X-H2 looks identical. It even weighs the same at 660 grams, or slightly more than the X-T4. That’s up there in full-frame territory, so it’s not exactly a pocketable street camera like other Fuji models.

Most Fujifilm cameras also have multiple dials for shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation, but not the X-H2. Instead, it’s more like Canon, Sony and Nikon models, with front and rear dials, a mode selector, a joystick and a D-pad control. As a nod to street photographers who shoot from the hip, it does have a top screen that displays aperture, shutter speeds and other key info.

I was never a huge fan of the classic Fujifilm layout because it’s not ideal for video, so I like the X-H2 layout – but I know that many Fuji fans don’t.

I also love the fully articulating 3-inch, 1.5 million dot display, which makes it easier to shoot low and high-angle photos or selfies. The new X-T5, which packs the same 40-megapixel sensor, has a display that’s limited to tilting. Meanwhile, the 5.76-million dot, 120Hz EVF is nice and sharp and offers blackout-free shooting in silent electronic shutter mode.

Like its namesake, the X-H2 has a high-speed USB-C port with power delivery, along with microphone and headphone ports. You also get a full-sized HDMI port, which should be more robust than the fiddly micro-HDMI inputs found on rival cameras. That was a smart decision by Fujifilm, because external RAW video is a key feature on this camera.

Battery life is slightly reduced compared to the X-H2S, with 680 shots per charge instead of 720 – not surprising considering the extra resolution. And it has both UHS-II and high-speed CFexpress memory card slots. The latter is required for high-resolution ProRes video and to reduce buffering when shooting 15 fps, 40-megapixel bursts.

Performance

Steve Dent/Engadget

Normally, high-resolution cameras are among the most expensive models. However, the 26.2-megapixel X-H2S actually costs more than the 40-megapixel X-H2. That’s because it has a stacked sensor that delivers extra speeds and reduces rolling shutter in silent shooting mode.

Rolling shutter isn’t a huge issue on the X-H2 for photos, though. It’s actually faster in mechanical than electronic shutter mode, with full-resolution RAW bursts up to 15 fps compared to 13 fps. That’s impressive, considering it’s designed more for detail than speed.

What’s more, you won’t need silent mode often because the mechanical shutter is among the quietest I’ve ever heard. And if you really do need the electronic shutter, rolling shutter is present for fast moving subjects, but surprisingly well controlled. It’s considerably better than other APS-C cameras like Sony’s A6600 or the Canon EOS R7.

The autofocus system can keep up with the burst speeds as well. It sticks tenaciously to subjects, giving a decent hit rate even if they’re moving quickly. It’s not quite as accurate as Sony’s AF, though, particularly when light levels drop.

Steve Dent/Engadget

Like the S model, the X-H2 has new AI smarts, with the ability to track birds and animals, along with cars, motorcycles, bikes, airplanes and trains. Face and eye detection is much improved over past models like the X-T4 too, tracking subjects smoothly and reliably.

I’d certainly choose the X-H2S over the X-H2 for sports and wildlife, as the stacked sensor lets you shoot at an awesome 40 fps. Sony and Canon’s latest cameras beat them both, though, as they have superior AI and the autofocus is smoother and more reliable. Still, the X-H2 offers good autofocus and burst performance considering the high resolution.

The 7-stop in-body stabilization also worked well, letting me capture sharp shots handheld down to about a quarter second. And if 40 megapixels isn’t enough, you can take 160-megapixel photos with a tripod using Fuijfilm’s Pixel Shift Combiner feature.

Image quality

The X-H2’s 40-megapixel X-Trans backside-illuminated sensor may not be stacked, but it’s a new state-of-the-art sensor. And it really delivers where it counts in terms of image quality.

To start with, the extra pixels give you more detail that’s useful if you need to crop in or make large prints. And yet, the extra resolution doesn’t hurt image quality in low light at higher ISO settings. Noise is well controlled at ISO 6400, and images are usable at up to ISO 12800 if exposure is set correctly.

In-camera processing of JPEG and 10-bit HEIF files is impeccable, with pleasant, accurate colors and a nice balance of noise reduction and detail. If I wanted to share photos right away, I could often do it with no need for any processing.

The X-H2 can take uncompressed, lossless or compressed RAW photos with 14 bits of color. That gives plenty of room for fine-tuning, even in bright or dark areas. However, if you underexpose shots and try to boost levels, noise can get out of hand. That’s one of the main drawbacks of APS-C compared to full-frame sensors, of course.

And of course, the X-H2 offers Fujifilm’s full array of film simulation modes. You can experiment with popular looks like Velvia, Eterna or Acros black and white, and still have a full-color RAW backup. They’re not for everyone, but I love them.

Video

The X-H2S is still the best APS-C camera for video, mostly because of the extra speed and reduced rolling shutter. But the X-H2 is superior in a couple of ways. It gives you more resolution, up to 8K at up to 30 fps, along with supersampled 6.2K 16:9 (no 3:2) and supersampled 4K HQ at up to 30 fps. Subsampled 4K can also be shot at up to 60 fps with some loss of detail, while 240 fps super slow-mo is available at 1080p.

All of these resolutions can be saved in three 10-bit ProRes codecs, HQ, standard and LT. These offer more quality and are easier to edit than the 8-bit H.264 and 10-bit H.265 codecs. And the choice of three gives users the choice between quality and smaller, more manageable file sizes. They use high data rates that peak at an enormous 3,520 MBps, though, so you must record them to high-speed CFexpress cards.

F-Log and F-Log2 picture modes are also on tap, though processing is done at 12-bit rather than 14-bit as with the X-H2S – so the latter offers a bit more dynamic range. And you can save either ProRes or Blackmagic RAW video to Atomos or Blackmagic external recorders at up to 8K for more robust files that are easier to adjust later on.

Steve Dent/Engadget

Even with regular ProRes or H.265, I had plenty of room for creative color correction and shot adjustments. Color reproduction favors accuracy on the X-H2, with pleasant and accurate skin tones. Shooting at ISOs down to 6400 is feasible, with noise becoming an issue beyond that.

As with the S model, autofocus is much improved over other Fujifilm cameras, though still not up to par with Canon and Sony. It generally tracked subjects well, but could occasionally lose focus. While bird and animal tracking tended to be erratic, eye and face tracking was reliable.

Rolling shutter for video is more of an issue on the X-H2 than the X-H2s due to the lack of a stacked sensor. It’s especially pronounced with full shutter readouts at 8K, 6.2K and 4K HQ. You’ll want to be careful to avoid fast pans, and you’ll see a fair amount of skew when shooting objects that move rapidly across the frame. Still, it’s not actually not nearly as bad as I expected, and far better than on Sony’s A6600 and other APS-C cameras.

Overheating can be an issue at 8K with the X-H2, though Fujifilm hasn’t said exactly how long you can shoot at that resolution. If you’re planning to do that, though, you can buy a small fan that screws to the back to allow 8K filming for extended periods.

Finally, as with most cameras, the in-body stabilization is really only good for stationary handheld video. Video can jolt while vlogging or doing other rapid actions, even with the electronic assist turned on.

Wrap-up

Steve Dent/Engadget

After testing both of Fujifilm’s latest cameras, I think the X-H2 is a better option for most people simply because it’s a better value. While not as fast as the X-H2S, it offers an ideal balance between image quality and speed. And for video, it’s better if you need the highest resolution and sharpest video possible.

$2,000 is a lot for a crop-sensor camera, though. For that, you could get a full-frame camera like Canon’s $2,100 EOS R6 or spend $500 less on the EOS R7 APS-C camera. It’s also a tough sell against Fujifilm’s own $1,700 X-T5, which uses the same 40-megapixel sensor but has manual dials that many fans of the brand prefer.

Still, it’s a better video camera than either the A7 IV, EOS R6 and X-T5, thanks to the 8K, RAW output, fully-articulating screen and more. And with Fujifilm’s deep lens lineup that’s considerably cheaper than full-frame glass, the X-H2 will likely cost you less than any full-frame camera in the long run.

If you've been waiting for deals on Bose's popular headphones, earbuds, Bluetooth speakers and more, now's the time to act thanks to a sale at Amazon. You can pick up Bose's popular QuietComfort 45 wireless ANC headphones at an all-time low price of $229 ($100 off), the QuietComfort Earbuds II for $249 (17 percent off) and the highly rated SoundLink Flex Bluetooth portable speaker for just $129, or 13 percent off. 

The Bose QuietComfort 45 earned a strong Engadget review score thanks in part to the excellent sound quality. They offer crisp highs, robust mids and deep bass when a song demands it. At the same time, the active noise cancellation is highly effective in a wide range of environments like a train, office or coffee shop. They also come with handy onboard controls for playing/pausing music, and battery life is an impressive 22.5 hours. We've seen them as low as $249 in the past, but you can grab them today for just $229. 

Engadget

Another popular Bose product is the new QuietComfort Earbuds II. They garnered an excellent 87 Engadget review score thanks to the world-beating active noise cancellation and solid sound quality that you can tweak to your liking with a graphic EQ tool. Even though they only just came out in September, you can pick up a pair for $249, or $50 off the regular price. 

Finally, if you're looking for a rugged Bluetooth speaker that delivers on sound quality, Bose's SoundLink Flex is on sale for $129, or 13 percent off. It's water, dust and dirt resistant, and even floats to the surface if you drop it in water. Bose promises "astonishing audio performance" thanks to custom transducers and dual-opposing passive radiators that deliver clarity and "bass you can feel in your chest." 

Those are just a few of the many items on sale; you'll also find discounts on other Bluetooth speakers like the Soundlink Revolve+, the high-end Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, Solo 5 TV Soundbar and more. 

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Microsoft's latest update for the HoloLens 2 makes it easier for users to collaborate with colleagues. One of the biggest additions is perhaps the full integration of Microsoft Teams, because users will no longer have to hop on a computer or a phone to attend meetings with the rest of their organization. While the headset has had the capability to make and receive Teams video calls for years, its collaborative features were still pretty limited. 

With this new update, Microsoft is giving HoloLens 2 users the capability to display an array of holographic windows with Teams calls, chats and calendars. Since the update also adds OneDrive integration, users will be able to access their cloud-based folders and see Word documents, PDFs and videos shared during calls. 

Microsoft has also combined its two Dynamics 365 Mixed Reality apps, namely the Dynamics 365 Guides app that provides step-by-step holographic instructions to users and the Dynamics 365 Remote Assist app that lets frontline workers show colleagues what they're seeing in the field. The company said the combined application was a priority request from Toyota, which has been providing feedback for the headset since 2016. 

David Kleiner, who leads Toyota North America's Applied Technology & Research Lab, explained that giving frontline workers laptops won't work, because they don't have desk jobs and that using a device they can wear with all the tools they need is much more practical. "Someone can grab a HoloLens, start a Guides session, and literally have a trainer in their head," Kleiner said. "If they do need help, they can call an expert right from the app."

In addition to discussing the headset's new capabilities, Microsoft also said that it would release a successor to the current iteration. Reports earlier this year claimed that the tech giant scrapped its plans for the HoloLens 3 and that it was going to be the end for the device. Microsoft, however, denied that it was killing the HoloLens and called it "critical part of [the company's] plans for emerging categories like mixed reality and the metaverse." Now, Microsoft mixed reality VP Scott Evans said that the company is "just looking for the right design point to make it a meaningful update" because "[customers] want a successor device that's going to enable an even higher return on investment."

The Nothing Phone 1 is heading to the US, although not yet to the entire public. Founder Carl Pei tweeted this morning that the US will be part of a “testing program” for Nothing OS 1.5 Beta, the handset maker’s custom Android 13 software.

It’s Pei’s second public statement this month teasing a US phone release. Earlier this month, he said his company was “in discussions with some carriers in the US to potentially launch a future product there,” citing US wireless companies’ “unique customizations” for initially skipping it. Earlier this year, the company said the phone wouldn't be coming to North America, and it isn’t clear if that changed or if he's targeting an unannounced smartphone for the US market. With Nothing saying it’s sold 500,000 phones without stateside availability, it may be in a stronger position than it was a year ago to negotiate with Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T.

While US residents wait for more news about the program, those who already own the Phone 1 can sign up for the beta today, which includes Android 13 features like finer privacy controls and new Material You themes. Nothing says its beta software can load apps up to 50 percent faster.

The Nothing Phone 1 was launched earlier this year in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In Engadget’s review, Mat Smith praised its unique design, Glyph interface and solid specs for a mid-range price. The Phone 1 costs £399, which currently translates to $487.

Last year, Dell intrigued us with Concept Luna, its attempt at making a sustainable laptop with fewer screws, using components that are easier to upgrade and recycle. It felt like a breath of fresh air compared to ultraportables that trade repairability for thinness. This year, Dell is pushing the concept even further. Its latest Luna device can be fully disassembled in around 30 seconds using just a push-pin tool and a bit of elbow grease. There aren't any cables or screws to worry about.

How can Dell achieve this sorcery? By developing a completely modular design, wherein every component can be snapped into place without much fuss. And it's not just marketing hype: As you can see in the video above, it doesn't take much effort for a Dell representative to deftly disassemble a Luna device. After unlocking the keyboard with a pin tool, he removed two speaker units, the battery, a CPU fan and a slim motherboard. The display was a cinch to remove as well, after unlocking the laptop's center bezel.

When it's all put together, the new Concept Luna looks like one of Dell's 13-inch laptops (more a Latitude than a slim XPS, to be clear). You'd have no idea there was a genuine revolution going on under the hood. Dell's sustainability angle is a lot more clear this time around. Whereas the previous concept still required a bit of technical maneuvering, it wouldn't take much for a general user to get under the hood of a fully modular laptop like this. It's about as hard as ejecting a SIM card.

Dell

The new Luna laptop also has room for a CPU fan, allowing it to house more powerful processors. Additionally, Dell worked with a micro-factory while developing Luna, allowing the company to automate the ordeal of assembling and tearing Luna devices apart. That process also involves testing individual components — after all, it's easy to imagine some aspects of a computer getting far more use than others. If you primarily used your laptop on a desk with an external keyboard, its built-in keyboard probably has a lot of life left.

Dell

"By marrying Luna’s sustainable design with intelligent telemetry and robotic automation, we’ve created something with the potential to trigger a seismic shift in the industry and drive circularity at scale," Glen Robson, CTO for Dell Technologies’ Client Solutions Group, said in a blog post. "A single sustainable device is one thing, but the real opportunity is the potential impact on millions of tech devices sold each year, and optimizing the materials in those devices for future reuse, refurbishment or recycling. "

While it's unlikely we'll see a Luna-like consumer laptop anytime soon, its mere existence could influence the way Dell designs future systems. The company is also pushing its sustainability initiatives in a variety of other ways, for example by dramatically reducing packaging waste, or exploring recycled materials for some PC cases. When it comes to true DIY repairability, Dell already has some competition from Framework (which just unveiled a DIY Chromebook). Still, it's nice to see one of the world's biggest PC makers taking sustainability seriously.

Brian Oh/Engadget

Back in August, Xiaomi showed us how to make a thinner horizontal folding phone with its Mix Fold 2, but now it's Oppo's turn to demonstrate how to make them lighter. The new Find N2 shares a similar landscape screen design with its predecessor, yet it weighs as little as 233 grams. That's 42 grams lighter than before, around 30 grams lighter than the likes of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4 and even a few grams lighter than an iPhone 14 Pro Max. Oppo therefore claims it's new device is the "industry's lightest horizontally folding phone." Both the green and white versions of the Find N2 weigh an extra 4 grams due to their glass back, but still come in lighter than the competition.

Oppo uses a smaller second-generation flexion hinge, as well as its carbon fiber underframe (instead of aluminum) for its flexible screen. According to TÜV Rheinland's certification, the Find N2 can apparently withstand over 400,000 folds under normal conditions (doubling Find N's record), and over 100,000 folds at 50°C (122°F ) or down to -20°C (-4°F). The same company also gave a green tick to the phone's 1.2-meter drop test. The battery is about the same size as before, bumping slightly up to 4,520mAh, but now supports faster 67W SuperVOOC charging, which takes 10 minutes to go from zero to 37 percent, or 42 minutes for a full charge.

This Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1-powered foldable phone has a slightly larger 5.54-inch external display, and while its 7.1-inch flexible screen has kept the same 9:8.4 "golden" aspect ratio (1,792 x 1,920), it apparently has a less visible crease along with improved visibility. To make full use of this big landscape screen, the company is also releasing the Oppo Pen, which supports 4,096 levels of pressure and has a battery life of 11 hours. You can also use the pen's button as a camera remote, which comes in handy when you prop up the camera for "FlexForm Capture."

Speaking of, the Find N2 has a new set of cameras that have benefitted from some extra help from Hasselblad. You'll find a 50-megapixel f/1.8 main camera (24mm equivalent) with optical stabilization, a 48-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (14mm equivalent) and a 32-megapixel f/2.2 telephoto camera (47mm equivalent) on the back. There's also a 32-megapixel f/2.4 front-facing camera tucked into the top-left corner of the foldable screen. With Oppo's very own MariSilicon X imaging neural processor, the Find N2 can also capture 4K ultra night video and 4K ultra HDR video.

Oppo also unveiled the Find N2 Flip which, as you can tell from the name, is a direct competitor of Samsung's pocket-sized Galaxy Z Flip 4. The 3.26-inch external display here is apparently the "largest cover screen in any flip" device, which is handy for taking selfies, checking calendars and previewing messages. This device also packs the "biggest" battery in this form factor — 4,300mAh as opposed to Samsung's 3,700mAh, along with 44W fast charging support. Chief Product Officer Pete Lau added that the Find N2 Flip supports dual SIM dual 5G standby, which is apparently also a first for a small foldable phone, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor. Like the Find N2, the 50-megapixel f/1.8 main camera, 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and 32-megapixel f/2.4 front-facing camera all get the Hasselblad treatment.

The Find N2 comes in two price tiers: the 12GB RAM with 256GB storage model is asking for 7,999 yuan (around $1,150), and the more advanced 16GB RAM with 512GB storage version costs 8,999 yuan (around $1,290). As for the Find N2 Flip, it starts at 5,999 yuan ($860) with the 8GB RAM plus 256GB storage version, and it maxes out at 6,999 yuan ($1,000) with the 16GB RAM plus 512GB storage variant.

Both phones are available for pre-order in China today, ahead of the December 23rd launch for the Find N2 and then the December 30th launch for the Find N2 Flip. Oppo reps also told Engadget that the Flip will launch in international markets, but they are still evaluating whether to do the same with the bigger Find N2.

The No TikTok on Government Devices Act that was introduced by Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) has just crossed a major milestone. Members of the US Senate have unanimously voted to approve the bill, which will ban the TikTok app on all government-owned phones and other devices. Its approval emphasizes authorities' concerns that the app's China-based parent company ByteDance could share information gathered from US users with the Chinese government. Just last month, FBI Director Chris Wray warned lawmakers that the Chinese government could use TikTok to launch "influence operations" or to "technically compromise" millions of devices.

While the bill aims to prohibit the installation of TikTok on government devices, it carves out exceptions for "law enforcement activities, national security interests and activities, and security researchers," according to Bloomberg. Hawley called the app a "Trojan Horse for the Chinese Communist Party" and said it has no place on government devices until it completely cuts ties with China. Meanwhile, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter told Bloomberg that Hawley "has moved forward with... a proposal which does nothing to advance US national security interests." Oberwetter added: "We hope that rather than continuing down that road, he will urge the administration to move forward on an agreement that would actually address his concerns."

Just a few days ago, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) filed a separate bill that aims to ban TikTok in the US completely. Unlike Hawley's bill, theirs also targets all social media companies in or influenced by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela. Rubio criticized the administration for having "yet to take a single meaningful action to protect American users from the threat of TikTok."

Individual states, including Maryland and South Dakota, have already prohibited the installation of TikTok on government devices. As for Hawley's bill, the US House will still have to approve it before it can become a law. 

Apple's recent flurry of software updates also includes a big upgrade for the living room. The newly released tvOS 16.2 adds a Recognize My Voice feature that customizes Siri searches on the Apple TV 4K and TV HD for up to six family members. Once you've trained the set-top to know who's speaking, you can ask for video recommendations and music without worrying that you'll mess with someone's play history. You can also ask to "switch to my profile" instead of navigating the on-screen switcher.

You can also change the Siri language to be different than the one your device shows. Accordingly, the Apple TV also has expanded language support in Denmark, Luxembourg and Singapore.

This is also the update you want if you're eager to host a karaoke party. As on other platforms, you can now use Apple Music Sing to croon over "tens of millions" of songs. You'll need the new third-generation Apple TV 4K, but you won't have to buy a dedicated machine or look for specific karaoke-friendly albums.

Personalized voice recognition certainly isn't a novel concept. Rival assistants have had comparable functionality for years, and Recognize My Voice has been available on HomePod speakers since 2019. Still, this is a notable upgrade if you share an Apple TV box and would rather not switch profiles just to use Siri the way you'd expect.

After discounting its over-ear QuietComfort 45 headphones earlier this week, Bose has kicked off a similarly notable sale on its QuietComfort Earbuds II. The wireless earbuds are now on sale for $249 at several retailers, matching the all-time low we previously saw around Black Friday. The pair has typically retailed at its MSRP of $299 since launching in September, though it's sold for $279 for most of this month. Either way, Bose's product listing says this deal will run until January 1.

We gave the QuietComfort Earbuds II a review score of 87 at launch, and we currently recommend them as the "best noise cancellation" pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. As that title would suggest, Bose's active noise cancellation (ANC) is the main reason you'd buy this pair: It's the single most powerful ANC mode we've tested on a pair of wireless earbuds, almost totally muting low-end rumbles and muffling mid- and high-frequency sounds better than most. The earbuds automatically attune their ANC to the acoustics of your ear canals as soon as you put them on, but you can also raise or lower the intensity of the effect by creating custom listening modes in Bose's companion app.

In terms of audio quality, the QuietComfort Earbuds II have a smooth sound with a slight but noticeable bass boost. It's not world-beating like the ANC, but our review found the low-end to be richer than past Bose earbuds, and there's a graphic EQ tool in Bose's app that lets you tweak the sound more to your liking if needed.

There are a few trade-offs worth noting here. The earbuds themselves are soft and secure in the ear, but they're on the larger side, which may be fatiguing for smaller ears over time. The included charging case is similarly bulky. Beyond that, battery life is just decent at roughly 6-7 hours, there's no wireless charging and call quality is mediocre. You can't connect to multiple devices at once, either. Our guide recommends Sony's WF-1000XM4 as a more well-rounded option for most. Still, if all you want is the most effective ANC possible in a pair of wireless earbuds, the QuietComfort Earbuds II are the way to go, and this deal makes them at least a little more affordable.

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