More than a million Tesla owners will have yet another recall notice to deal with in the coming weeks. On Tuesday the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filed a safety recall notice for numerous late model vehicles from across the EV maker's lineup because "the window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction," and as such, "a closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury," per the notice.
The following models and years are impacted: 2017-22 Model 3s as well as 2020-21 Model Y, X and S vehicles. Tesla has until mid-November to contact affected owners and plans to push an OTA software update to correct the issue.
I have the exact same problem and have had two service appointments for it. It’s still happening. Tesla service says they don’t have a fix for it. Are you kidding me?
Per the Associated Press, Tesla first identified the issues during product testing in August and has incorporated the update into newly built vehicles since September 13th. However, multiple Twitter users have sounded off in response to Tuesday's announcement, noting that their vehicles have been having nearly identical issues since at least 2021.
If you had been using Instagram's Android app in the past hour or so, you might have noticed that an error had been causing it to crash seconds after launching, rendering it almost unusable. You weren't alone: users from multiple regions flooded Twitter with complaints about this phenomenon. According to Downdetector, this bug first appeared around 12:44PM EDT today (September 23rd) — roughly matching the time when this author also started scratching head over the seemingly random crashes. At the time of writing this article, there were still fresh tweets grumbling about this issue.
A Meta representative confirmed to famed software engineer Jane Wong that the company is aware of the outage and it's working to restoring service "as quickly as possible." While this bug appeared to be exclusive to Instagram's Android app, Wong told Engadget that the iOS counterpart was also loading very slowly for her, indicating a backend issue.
At present, users who are able to open the app have noted limited functionality, including an inability to access Reels or DMs. We'll be monitoring the situation as service gradually resumes, and will update if Meta provides additional details on what went wrong.
Update 9/22/22 2:29PM EDT: Meta says Instagram is back to normal as of 2:25PM EDT, though it stopped short at sharing what went wrong. We will share more if we hear back.
And we’re back! We resolved the issue that caused today’s outage, and apologize for any inconvenience. https://t.co/2Av4sC4C5B
Nothing is preparing to release its second set of true wireless earbuds and it's given a first peek at what it has in store. The company started teasing the Ear Stick with images of the cylindrical charging case, which made an appearance on the runway at London Fashion Week.
Details are still scant, though the Ear Stick is an "entirely new product" with a fresh bud and case, Nothing told The Verge. Nothing also says the earbuds have a "feather-light" ergonomic design, which is “molded to your ears.” Leaked images of Nothing's next earbuds indicated that they have a similar design to the company's first attempt, Ear 1. As for the new charging case, Nothing said it was "inspired by classic cosmetic silhouettes" to build a product that can easily slip into users' pockets.
The Ear Stick earbuds are slated to arrive later this year. Given its track record, expect Nothing to tediously drip feed more info about the product in the coming weeks.
Moog has brought back its pioneering Model 10 synth for a second time, and you might have a better chance of owning this one. The "compact" modular device has reentered production and is available worldwide through dealers. It's a slight improvement on the limited-run 2019 version, too, with an updated onboard power supply (friendlier to musicians outside the US), a revised rear panel and more reliable calibration.
You can expect 11 analog modules and three 900 Series oscillators. The company hadn't provided pricing as of this writing. We've asked for more details. With that said, the 2019 Model 10 started at $9,950. This is for creators who fully intend to use the synth in their productions and performances.
If nothing else, it's another chance to revisit an important instrument. The original Model 10 arrived in 1971 and was the first relatively compact modular synth — before that, it wasn't uncommon to see giant modular arrays that didn't always fit into studios, let alone onstage. Moog's smaller design made the technology more accessible and was influential in shaping the early days of electronic music. Wendy Carlos used it to create her milestone album Switched-On Bach (still not available on streaming, we'd add), as did Isao Tomita with Snowflakes are Dancing.
Verizon (Engadget's former owner) is finally overhauling TracFone's service following the 2020 acquisition, and the reborn service might pique your interest in the right circumstances. The newly launched Total appears built to compete against big prepaid carriers like AT&T's Cricket and T-Mobile's Metro. In addition to more competitive rates than Verizon's self-branded option (more on that later), you'll also get a few new perks. Every plan offers 5G and unlimited calling and texts to Canada and Mexico, while unlimited plans now include a Disney+ subscription at either six months for the $50 plan or indefinitely with the $60 tier.
Service starts at $30 per month (you get 5 percent off with auto-refills) with 5GB of fast data and 5GB of hotspot data. A $0 plan provides 15GB of speedy data with matching hotspot support. The $50 unlimited plan caps you at 10GB of hotspot data, but the $60 offering bumps that to 20GB while also providing ultra-wideband 5G. Additional lines are $35 each, and international roaming is available if you have two or more lines on at least the $40 plan.
Whether or not this is a good value depends on what you're looking for. Total is a better overall bargain than Verizon's self-branded prepaid service. That doesn't dip to $30 per month unless you've been with the carrier for three months ($25 after nine months), and Verizon is generally stingier with freebies. No plans include Disney+ for longer than six months, and you have to spend at least $50 per month ($35 after nine months) to get unlimited calls and texts with Canada and Mexico. Video streaming is typically limited to 480p, but you can contact support to remove that ceiling.
Rival providers are another story. Total is usually more enticing than Cricket, with greater benefits even at $30 per month — Cricket doesn't even enable 480p video streaming until you spring for the $55 unlimited plan. The bundled HBO Max and 150GB of cloud storage in Cricket's $60 level ($55 with auto-pay) might reel you in. With Metro, it's more complicated. While the $30 5GB package is no-frills, you only need to shell out $40 to get unlimited data and a year of Spanish-language ViX+ streaming. Metro asks you to spend a minimum $50 per month to get hotspot data (and just 5GB at that), but that outlay also gives you a 100GB Google One subscription. Jump to $60 and you also get an Amazon Prime membership that could easily pay for itself.
Total isn't a surefire hit as a result. However, it does make Verizon considerably more attractive to the no-contract crowd than before. It may also be alluring if you want Disney+ and don't expect to switch carriers any time soon, particularly in light of upcoming price hikes for standalone subscriptions.
ByteDance subsidiary Pico has unveiled its latest virtual reality headset. The Pico 4 will initially be available in Japan, South Korea, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and eight other European countries. Pico hasn't revealed US release plans as yet, but it aims to bring the device to Singapore and Malaysia by the end of the year, and China at a later date.
The headset — which has a Qualcomm XR2 processor, an Adreno 650 GPU and 8GB of RAM — can be used as a standalone device. Pico claims the battery, which is in the rear strap to help keep things balanced, offers around three hours of use on a single charge, as The Verge notes. The device weighs 295 grams without the strap and 586 grams when it's attached.
You can also connect Pico 4 to a gaming PC for higher-end VR experiences. That might be necessary to make full use of the dual displays, which offer higher than 4K resolution at 4,320 x 2,160 resolution for each eye. The displays have a 90Hz refresh rate and 105-degree field of view, according to Pocket-lint.
The Pico 4 uses inside-out tracking with no need for external beacons. It comes with Pico 4 motion controllers (which have vibration features) and there are four external cameras, as Road to VR points out. According to the Pico website, the device will offer full-color passthrough — something Meta is working on for its Project Cambria headset.
Pico
Given that ByteDance also owns TikTok, it shouldn't be surprising that there's a way to view videos from that app. You'll be able to share VR experiences to TikTok as well. There will be hundreds more things to watch in VR and 360 formats. Pico is working to bring live sports and "avatar-based concerts" to the platform as well.
As for games, there are 165 of them in the Pico store and more being added each week. The headset will support the likes of Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom, Demeo, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, All-in-One Summer Sports VR and Just Dance VR (which will arrive in 2023 as a Pico exclusive). There will also be SteamVR support.
Meanwhile, there are plans to launch a metaverse-style experience called Pico Worlds next year. Unlike in Meta's Horizon Worlds, Pico's avatars appear to have legs.
Considering the price and specs, it's Pico is trying to compete with Meta Quest 2 (Meta recently bumped up the price of that product). Whether the brand can hang with Meta on the content front remains to be seen. Users are unlikely to be able to play Beat Saber, for instance. Pico also revealed its latest device just a few weeks before Meta will show off at least one VR headset, likely to be the higher-end Project Cambria model, at Connect.
A Pico 4 with 128GB of storage costs €429 (around $422). A model with double the storage capacity will run you €499 (approximately $491). Preorders open next month and the headset will ship on October 18th. Pico also plans to release some accessories next year. A more accurate fitness tracker, a wireless dongle for PC connectivity and a carrying case will each cost €50 (or around $49).
You no longer need to live in the US to use Affirm's buy-now-pay-later services for much of your online shopping. Affirm is expanding to Canada through a partnership with Amazon. Spend $50 or more at Amazon.ca and you can choose Affirm's pay-over-time option at checkout to split the bill into monthly payments. As in the States, there aren't any late fees or surprise charges.
The payment option will be available within a month. The Canadian rollout comes roughly two years after Affirm bought local equivalent PayBright — this is effectively a rebranding. Affirm serves Australia as well, but only for people buying Peloton exercise equipment.
This won't help if you prefer to shop beyond Amazon, and might prove expensive if your purchase amount and pay schedule involve significant interest rates (they range from zero to 30 percent, Affirm says). As with a car or house, you're paying more overall to make the price easier to swallow. Still, this could be useful if you can't afford to buy a computer or TV outright and need to spread the costs.
It's long been possible to make extremely small robots, but they usually need some form of direct external control just to operate. Cornell scientists may have solved that problem on a basic level, however. They've created microrobots (no more than 250 micrometers across) with basic electronic "brains" that let them walk autonomously. Two- and six-legged robots move relatively simply, while a four-legged "dogbot" changes speed when an operator sends laser pulses.
The trick was to build a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (or CMOS, as computer enthusiasts know it) clock circuit whose signal produces phase-shifted square wave frequencies that set the gait of the robot's platinum-based legs. Photovoltaics control both the legs and the circuit. The design is far from complex at just 1,000 transistors (for context, a GeForce RTX 4090 has 76.3 billion), and it's still large enough that it effectively serves as the robot's body. However, even that is an achievement — the exceptionally low power demands saved Cornell from having to use relatively gigantic photovoltaics.
These inventions are a far cry from the more sophisticated large-scale autonomous robots you see today. They can move forward, but not much else. The researchers see this as just a beginning, though. They believe future microrobots could be crucial to healthcare, where they could perform internal surgery and clean your arteries. Elsewhere, they could detect chemicals and eliminate pollutants. Any such bots are likely years away, but this project suggests they're technically possible.
Three years ago, Apple finally gave the people what they wanted: active noise cancellation (ANC) in a set of AirPods. That first-generation model retained the overall look of the company’s classic earbuds, but added an ear tip for noise isolation along with a better fit. After a total redesign of the “regular” AirPods last year and introducing some over-ear noise-canceling headphones in 2020, Apple finally unveiled its latest premium earbuds alongside the iPhone 14: the second-generation AirPods Pro ($249).
For version 2.0, Apple hasn’t totally re-written the formula. If you were hoping for an updated design for the new AirPods Pro, Apple surely left you disappointed. Instead of a complete overhaul, the company focused instead on the internals, adding several new features and refining what was already there with the help of some new silicon. So, even though Apple didn’t abandon its aesthetic, these AirPods Pro are still vastly different from the previous edition.
Design
We’re now on our fifth set of earbuds from the company and so far it has only tweaked the look of the “regular” AirPods – and that wasn’t until gen three. Even then, the company kept its stickbuds look, a polarizing design element that has become the hallmark of Apple’s true wireless lineup. Expecting the folks in Cupertino to ditch the stem at this point is likely an exercise in futility, but hey, I welcome Apple to prove me wrong.
Even with the familiar look, there are some small but significant changes. First is something you can’t see: the new swipe gesture. The AirPods Pro stem is still clickable for the core controls (play/pause, skipping tracks, sound modes and Siri), but now the side of that panel accepts swipes. This touch gesture is used to control volume and is mirrored on both sides. Unfortunately, you can’t just swipe it or the earbud will fall out of your ear; you have to use your thumb to brace the stem, just like you would if you were going to press the main button. One addition you can see is the extra small (XS) ear tip size that will improve the fit (not to mention passive noise reduction) for even more people. It’s notable Apple is adjusting these AirPods for small ears in an effort to boost overall performance and comfort.
The other key design changes have to do with the AirPods Pro charging case. First, it has a built-in speaker this time around, making it easier to hear pings when you’re looking for the earbuds or activate tones for low battery, charging and pairing. Accordingly, the grille is now visible on the bottom edge. The case is IPX4 rated just like the AirPods Pro, meaning it, too, is sweat and water resistant. Additionally, there’s now a lanyard loop on one side. In true Apple fashion, there isn’t one included in the box, so the added convenience will cost you more money. The company currently sells a lanyard in its online store from Incase for $13, but you can expect other accessory makers to offer alternatives soon enough.
Software and features
Billy Steele/Engadget
All of the features for the AirPods Pro are baked into iOS, so there’s no need to download a separate app to make changes. For this reason, the earbuds seamlessly pair with your phone when you open the case and tap the on-screen pop-up. Just like before, you can quickly access noise cancellation, transparency, spatial audio and head tracking with a long press on the volume slider in the Control Center.
In iOS 16, there’s now a shortcut in the main view of your iPhone settings, saving you the extra taps through the Bluetooth menu. Once you make it to the AirPods Pro settings page, you’ll see battery figures for the earbuds and the case (one number for both). Noise control options for ANC, transparency and turning both off are just below with the ability to reconfigure the long press to activate Siri rather than cycle through those sound modes. Apple’s ear tip fit test also lives in this menu, as do sliders for disabling Adaptive Transparency, in-ear detection, charging case sounds optimized charging and Find My.
Apple has offered Adaptive EQ before, but a new feature for the second-generation AirPods Pro is Adaptive Transparency. This helps when you’re in ambient sound mode by applying a level of noise reduction to loud noises like a siren or a jackhammer. When you sync the AirPods Pro with your Apple Watch, the Noise app will show you how many decibels the earbuds are suppressing in real time. What’s more, that info is then sent to the Health app so you can track auditory exposure levels. Indeed, the AirPods Pro allows you to still hear these things (you’ll want to know about an approaching siren after all), but it noticeably reduces their harshness in the best interest of your ears.
Billy Steele/Engadget
Another new feature Apple introduced on the AirPods Pro is Personalized Spatial Audio. From this main settings menu, you can initiate the process of tuning the device to your ears, which Apple says will improve the immersive quality of Spatial Audio with more accuracy and clarity for dirational elements in movies, TV shows and videos. To set it up, you create a personal profile with the front-facing TrueDepth camera on an iPhone. After taking a scan of your face and ears, your phone does the rest.
It’s similar to setting up FaceID, only you capture the sides of your head too. Sony does a similar thing to tailor 360 Reality Audio to each person with a phone camera and a quick scan. Personalized Spatial Audio will also be available on the first-gen AirPods Pro in addition to third-gen AirPods and AirPods Max. And once you configure it, the sound profile syncs across your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV
The upgraded charging case houses a U1 chip that enables Precision Finding in Find My. Until now, you got a general location for a missing AirPods case. But with the AirPods Pro, Apple offers direction and distance info like it does for AirTags. As a refresher, U1 is the company’s ultra wideband chip that’s been in every iPhone since the 11 for precise location capabilities. The component does the same thing it’s doing for the new AirPods Pro case on AirTags.
H2 chip
Billy Steele/Engadget
Apple’s H1 chip has powered its earbuds and headphones, including Beats products, for years now. The component handles everything Adaptive EQ and active noise cancellation to hands-free Siri. However, every good piece of tech runs its course and on the new AirPods Pro, Apple is introducing the H2. The company says that the new chip not only offers improved sound quality and improved ANC, but it handles new features like Adaptive Transparency.
H2 is more powerful, but it’s also more efficient. With Adaptive Transparency, for example, the chip is capable of on-device processing 48,000 times per second to recognize and quiet those harsh noises you may encounter. For ANC, Apple says H2 can run algorithms that weren’t possible before on devices as small as AirPods. So, when coupled with the drivers, vents and microphones, AirPods Pro cancels double the noise as the first-gen model. H2 also boosts Adaptive EQ with algorithms for improved and more consistent audio performance and works to help you sound more natural when you’re hearing yourself speak in transparency mode.
I know, that’s several claims of performance boosts in a variety of areas. But all you really need to know is that the new H2 chip makes everything possible that Apple has either added, improved or refined since the 2019 model.
Sound quality
Billy Steele/Engadget
Inside the new AirPods Pro, Apple says new algorithms, amplifier, driver and transducer combine for “richer” sound, increased clarity and consistent performance across volumes and frequencies. It’s a lot of audio jargon, but what you need to know is that the overall sound quality of the second-gen model is massively improved from the first version. Apple wasn’t lying when it promised music would sound better at lower volumes. Even when I turn down the levels, the spacey shoegaze and post-hardcore riffs of The Darling Fire still cut through clean. The band’s atmospheric sound remains intact rather than being compressed down to a muffled murmur. It’s seriously impressive what this new model can do with quieter volume, right down to the bass.
What Apple has done with regular volume is great too. The overall sound is indeed richer with more depth, clarity and a wider soundstage to create a fuller listening experience. The echo on the snaps and the sustain on the low, boomy synth on Lorde’s “Royals” are on equal footing, but at opposite ends of the frequency range. This keeps the track airy and dimensional, showcasing subtle nuance in both sounds. The sound isn’t just immersive, it’s more detailed too.
When it comes to Personalized Spatial Audio, I actually prefer what the AirPods Pro offer out of the box. Once I scanned my face and ears, the customized sound profile was too heavy on the treble for my taste. Music sounded a bit less immersive and thundering or bombastic elements of movies were slightly muted. Spatial Audio benefits movies and shows more than music anyway, unless you’re listening to one of Apple’s live concerts that was specifically captured for the format. Switch on dynamic head tracking and Luke Combs’ recent Apple Music performance sounds much more lifelike. Songs are noticeably louder and clearer in Spatial Audio even without head tracking, but the directional element gives things more of a “live” feel with a band on stage.
The new personalization feature can’t be turned on with a tap either. Once you set up Personalized Spatial Audio, it’s always active, and if you want to stop using it, iOS deletes your profile. To use it again, you have to repeat the scanning process. Apple argues you won’t need to go back and forth because you’ll want it on all the time. I think it would be good to have the option of toggling it on for movies, for example, but being able to use regular Spatial Audio for music.
I also have to mention Apple’s transparency mode. I don’t understand why no other company comes close to AirPods on ambient sound, but the truth is Apple has the most natural sounding audio here. I first noticed it on the AirPods Max, but the new AirPods Pro are just as impressive. You can keep these in during a meeting and it sounds like you’re not even wearing them. You’ll notice the AirPods Pro when you start to speak because your ears are plugged, but that’s about it. It’s the best transparency mode you’ll find on earbuds, and the closest competition is still a ways behind.
Apple has also improved SharePlay audio, so when you’re watching something with a friend, you can now expect 48kHz “cinema quality” audio. I don’t recall any issues with how things sounded like before, but I can tell you that House of the Dragon remains pristine when the audio is beaming audio to two sets of AirPods.
Call quality
Billy Steele/Engadget
Most earbuds can only muster speakerphone-quality audio for calls, and the AirPods Pro do a slightly better job that most of the competition. You won’t sound crystal clear, but the voice performance doesn’t immediately indicate you might be speaking into a phone that’s resting on your desk. The AirPods Pro also do a decent job with background noise, quieting but not all-out silencing things like white noise machines. The best call quality I noticed with Apple’s new is in FaceTime, which shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Group FaceTime calls already had Spatial Audio, but Apple has added dynamic head tracking to the video chat app too. With the newer AirPods models, you can get an even more realistic sense of being in the room with people instead of just conversing virtually. Personalized Spatial Audio also works in FaceTime, so if you enjoy that bit of customization, it will also be applied to your group chats. When you pair Apple’s immersive sound with the natural audio in transparency mode, you only really notice you’re wearing earbuds when you’re speaking. Again, that’s due to your plugged ears.
Battery life
When it comes to battery life, Apple says you can expect up to six hours with ANC on or up to seven hours with noise cancellation disabled. There are three additional charges in the new case which can now be replenished with an Apple Watch charger in addition to MagSafe and Qi-certified accessories or a Lightning cable. If you find yourself in a pinch, five minutes in the case will give you up to one hour of use. The company explains that Personalized Spatial Audio and dynamic head tracking decrease overall listening time by 30 minutes and that you can expect up to 4.5 of purely talk on calls.
During my tests, I managed six hours and fifteen minutes of use with a mix of noise cancellation, transparency mode and calls. That’s more than the previous generation (4.5 hours) and it’s on par with most of the competition these days. Sure, some companies offer 10-plus hours on a charge, but the average is around five to seven for the noise-canceling products I’ve tested. More battery life would always be nice, but the six or seven hours Apple musters is enough to get you through the workday if you take a short break.
The competition
Billy Steele/Engadget
Like Google and Samsung, Apple reserves the best features on the AirPods Pro for the iPhone, iPad and Mac faithful. You can use these earbuds on other devices, but you won’t have access to things like hands-free Siri and Spatial Audio. For that reason, Apple’s buds aren’t really in direct competition with Pixel Buds and Galaxy Buds as all three companies have created a walled garden that rewards loyal customers with the best their audio products have to offer.
If supreme ANC is your goal, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are your best bet. Bose’s latest true wireless product is smaller and more comfortable, with massive upgrades to both overall audio and noise canceling performance. They’re pricey at $299 and they lack basic features like multipoint connectivity and wireless charging. For pure sound quality, look at the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3. The company is consistently at the top in terms of audio performance and that continues with its latest model that debuted this spring. Lastly, if a load of convenient features are what you’re after, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 has a full suite of tools. Other headphone companies have started to ape Sony’s spec sheet, but things like Speak-to-Chat automatic pausing when you speak and location-based sound settings still come in handy.
Wrap-up
Apple’s noise-canceling earbuds were way overdue for an update. While the company didn’t see the need to change the overall design, it did extensive upgrades on the inside, introducing new features and improving performance along the way. Importantly, it made all of these changes while keeping the price at $249. Things like improved audio, more powerful ANC, Adaptive Transparency and even the upgrades to the charging case make the new AirPods Pro a worthwhile update to a familiar formula. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another three years for a full redesign.
We've already written about the convenience of Yale's smart locks. But now after five years on the market, Yale is updating its flagship product with a brand new design, a wider range of connectivity options and even more styles to suit your home.
Priced between $160 to $260, the new Assure Lock 2 will be available in four main variations: two touchscreen models (both with and without a key cylinder) and two keypad models (one keyed and one key-free). By default all models with include Bluetooth connectivity, though you can also upgrade to a version with built-in WiFi. But perhaps most importantly, because users will be able to buy and install add-on modules that enable additional wireless connectivity, it's easy to upgrade your lock post-purchase. Additionally, Yale says the Assure Lock 2 will be one of the first Matter-compatible smart locks on the market when it releases its Matter add-on module sometime later this fall (after the Matter spec officially goes live).
Yale
Alongside a wide range of connectivity options, Yale also says WiFi models will no longer require the use of a dedicated Connect Bridge, which should help streamline installation. And as for the lock itself, the company claims that the Assure Lock 2 is 30 percent smaller than its predecessor while still being compatible with most standard door sizes used in the US and Canada. Meanwhile, to ensure the lock blends in better with your door, customers will be able to choose from three different finishes including black suede, oil rubbed bronze and satin nickel. And as before, on models without a physical key cylinder, if your lock runs out of juice, you can still unlock the door by tapping a 9-volt battery to the contacts on the bottom of the device's housing.
Once installed (which Yale says can be done using only a standard screwdriver), users can enable a number of security functions ranging from voice controls (via Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri), two-factor authentication and even the ability to unlock your door by using biometric verification on your phone. Other standard features include auto lock and unlocking, virtual keys/entry codes for shared access and more.
So while we haven't had the chance to test out Assure Lock 2 just yet, it really seems like Yale has covered all the bases with its new flagship smart lock. The Assure Lock 2 is available today starting at $160 for the key-free Bluetooth/Apple HomeKit model, with WiFi models starting a bit higher at $240. Sometime later this year, there will also be a version that supports Z-Wave out of the box starting at $190, with additional modules (including the upcoming Matter add-on) slated to cost $80 each.
