Apple is working to simplify how users interact with Siri, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The company has reportedly spent the past few months training the digital assistant to respond to “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri.” On the surface, that’s a simple change, but one that Gurman says involves a “significant amount of AI training and underlying engineering work.” The reason for that is that a two-word trigger phrase like “Hey Siri” increases the likelihood of the software responding to a request.
The change would make it easier to string together multiple commands one after another. Critically, it would help Apple catch up with Amazon and Google, which offer digital assistants with more robust capabilities. Alexa, for instance, is already capable of responding to just its name instead of “Hey Alexa.” Google Assistant, meanwhile, still requires you to say “Hey Google” or “Ok Google,” but can register back-to-back commands without the need for you to repeat a wake word every time.
According to Gurman, Apple is also working to integrate Siri more deeply with third-party apps and services. All those changes could take some time to roll out, with Gurman noting the tweak to Siri’s wake phrase likely to come either next year or in 2024.
Twitter will soon include a feature allowing users to append long-form text to their tweets, company owner and CEO Elon Musk announced on Saturday. Musk didn't say when the functionality would arrive, but promised it would end the "absurdity of notepad screenshots." He added that the company also plans to work on additional tools for creator monetization and enhancements to the platform's search functionality. "Search within Twitter reminds me of Infoseek in '98! That will also get a lot better pronto," he wrote.
Twitter will soon add ability to attach long-form text to tweets, ending absurdity of notepad screenshots
The announcement comes on the same day that the company began putting in place some of the features needed to support its revamped Twitter Blue subscription. The service will allow users to pay $8 per month to verify their account and gain access to a handful of other features, including the ability to post longer videos and see fewer ads.
Folks who access Xbox Cloud Gaming through a browser on ChromeOS and Linux systems (including Steam Deck) will likely now have an improved experience. The game-streaming service should be available at a higher resolution on those platforms. It should run more smoothly as well.
As spotted by Windows Central, an Xbox employee who goes by CohenJordan wrote on Reddit that the update marks the end of a transition to a different type of streaming tech, though they didn't explain exactly what that entails. According to CohenJordan, the good news is that, if you use a browser to access Xbox Cloud Gaming on any device (such as iOS), you should have a more consistent experience.
Along with Linux and ChromeOS, Xbox Cloud Gaming (which is still in beta) works on Xbox consoles, smartphones, tablets, computers and some smart TVs. Microsoft and Meta are bringing it to Meta Quest 2 headsets as well.
Microsoft is eager for Steam Deck users to access Xbox Cloud Gaming. It hasn't released an Xbox app for the system (or Linux) as yet, but the company has published a guide that should help you set up the service on Steam Deck.
Black Friday doesn't officially arrive for a few more weeks, but we're already starting to see retailers run early holiday sales on several gadgets we recommend. Roku's Streaming Stick 4K, for instance, has fallen to a new low of $25, while Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones are back down to the price we saw during Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale last month. There are offers on Amazon and Google devices beyond that, plus discounts on Roombas, MacBooks, Logitech gaming mice, and Samsung storage gear, among others. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
Roku
This drop to $25 represents a new low for Roku's Streaming Stick 4K, which is currently the top streaming stick in our guide to the best streaming devices. The streamer has normally retailed closer to $40 in recent months. While it's not as luxurious as a new Apple TV 4K, the Streaming Stick 4K still gives you the essentials in a more affordable package. It's fast enough, it supports all the major streaming services (apart from Twitch), and it works with the big HDR standards (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG). Its tile-based interface is relatively basic and not devoid of ads, but it remains dead-simple to navigate and not as intense about pushing you toward certain services as other streamers. The device also works Apple's AirPlay protocol, so you can beam video to it straight from an iPhone or iPad.
Note that Roku also sells a Streaming Stick 4K+ with an upgraded remote that adds hands-free voice search, a built-in headphone jack for private listening, a rechargeable battery and a lost remote finder function. That device retails for $70, however, and it's not on sale as of this writing. You can still use the Roku app for private listening with the non-Plus model, too. If you prefer a set-top box design and need an Ethernet port, the Roku Ultra is currently discounted to a new low of $70 from its usual $95. And if you prefer the more personalized interface and (far) superior search capabilities of Google's 4K Chromecast, another streamer we recommend, that one is still on sale for $40.
Sony headphone sale
Billy Steele/Engadget
Sony has discounted a number of its most popular wireless headphones ahead of Black Friday, including deals on its best noise-cancelling and true wireless models. Perhaps most notably, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are back down to $348. That's a roughly $50 discount, matching the lowest price to date for what we consider the best wireless headphones you can buy. We gave that pair a score of 95 in our glowing review, but if you want something a bit more affordable, the older but still-capable WH-1000XM4s are available for $228, which also matches an all-time low. (Yes, the names of these things still aren't great.)
The active noise cancellation on both pairs is still among the most effective you can buy, and both headsets come with useful features like a "Speak to Chat" function that automatically pauses your music when you start speaking to someone. The battery on both headphones lasts around 30 hours per charge, which is good, and the two each come with a fun, bass-heavy sound profile out of the box that can be adjusted to something more neutral through an EQ in Sony's companion app.
That said, the XM5s are generally more comfortable to wear for extended periods, and they have a better microphone for making calls. We also found the newer pair to be a bit better at muting out higher- and mid-range noises like human voices, though some may not like that its automatic adjustment system — which re-optimizes the headphone's ANC profile based on your surroundings — can't be turned off. If you prefer physical control buttons to touch inputs or a more neutral default sound, we'll also note that the similarly comfortable Bose QuietComfort 45 is still on sale for $250, though that pair trades away some battery life and extra features by comparison.
If you're looking for noise cancellation in a true wireless form factor, the WF-1000XM4 are available for $178, which again matches the lowest price we've tracked. While Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds II have this pair beat when it comes to raw ANC strength, Sony's earbuds are still far from ineffective, and our review found them to be more well-rounded when it comes to overall features and sound quality. Plus, the Bose earbuds cost $300, and we don't expect them drop this low for Black Friday. Sony's LinkBuds S, meanwhile, are on sale for an all-time low of $128; that model's ANC is a step down from the others noted here, but its design is lighter and more comfortable in the ear.
At $75, this isn't the all-time lowest price we've seen for Amazon's 10.1-inch tablet — the device briefly dropped to $55 at Target earlier this year — but it does match the deals we saw during last year's Black Friday sales and this year's pair of Prime Day events. Discounts on the Fire HD 10 haven't been uncommon over the past year, but most of those sales have dropped the device to either $100 or $110.
When it's discounted to this extent, the Fire HD 10 is a strong value for those who just want a competent tablet for media consumption on the cheap. Amazon's Fire OS still omits access to the Google Play Store and heavily steers you toward the company's own services, but the Fire HD 10's general performance and 1920 x 1200 resolution display are perfectly solid for the money. The device gets a good 12 or so hours of battery life per charge, and a useful "Show Mode" feature lets it double as an Alexa smart display if desired. This deal comes as part of a wider sale on Amazon slates, but of those, the Fire HD 10 should provide the best blend of price and performance for most people.
Apple iPad Air (2020)
Dana Wollman/Engadget
The 256GB variant of Apple's fourth-gen iPad Air is currently on sale for $499 at Walmart, which marks the lowest price we've seen. Now, hear us out on this one. If money is less of a concern, then no, you shouldn't get the 2020 iPad Air when the 2022 model is right there (and still on sale) with its faster M1 chip, upgraded camera, and improved USB-C port. The entry-level 10.2-inch iPad is still a better value for those who just want the essentials, too. However, if you were specifically thinking of getting the new 10th-gen iPad, the last-gen Air packs the same A14 Bionic chip and a nearly identical design (save for a camera on the landscape edge) without giving up support for the second-gen Apple Pencil or a laminated display with a wide color gamut.
The 256GB version of the 10th-gen iPad is priced at $599, so if you must have more than the base 64GB of storage and you can't afford to step up to the current Air, this last-gen model is the better buy despite being two years older. Just note that this deal only applies to certain colorways. Since this looks to be an inventory-clearing situation, we wouldn't be surprised if stock runs dry sooner rather than later, either.
Samsung storage device sale
Samsung
If you're running out of space on your PC, game console, camera or whatever else, Amazon is still running a sale on various Samsung storage devices. Not every deal in the sale is a winner, but the highlights include the 1TB T7 Shield, a ruggedized and water-resistant version of the T7 portable SSD we recommend, marked down to a new low of $90. Though Samsung recently launched a faster 990 Pro internal SSD, the prior 980 Pro is still a fine PCIe 4.0 drive for newer PCs or a PlayStation 5 (with a heatsink), and it's back down to a low of $120 for 1TB. If you need a speedy microSD card, meanwhile, the 256GB Evo Select is a decent buy at $23; that doesn't quite match the all-time low of $20 we saw earlier this year, but it's the best price we've tracked otherwise.
Though no cloud gaming service feels quite as fluid as playing a game locally, NVIDIA's GeForce Now is one of the better takes on the concept, particularly if you already own a hefty library of games on PC. Right now, NVIDIA is running a promotion that doles out a six-month subscription of the "Priority" tier of the service for $30. Normally, that would cost $50. NVIDIA says the deal is only available to new members, free-tier members, Priority members currently on a 1-month subscription plan and "users on an active promotion or gift card," so the idea is to upsell customers who aren't on one of the service's higher-end plans already. This promo is set to run through November 20.
As a refresher, "Priority" is GeForce Now's middle tier: you don't get the 4K/120 fps support of the pricier "RTX 3080" subscription, but you can still stream in resolutions up to 1080p and frame rates up to 60 fps. You're also allotted up to six hours per session instead of the one-hour session length of the service's free tier. (The RTX 3080 tier, meanwhile, allows up to eight-hour sessions.) It's also worth remembering that GeForce Now doesn't follow the same model as other cloud services like Google Stadia (RIP) or Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming: The idea is that you bring games you already own on platforms like Steam or the Epic Games Store, then GeForce Now will let you stream them elsewhere when you're away from your gaming PC. Just make sure enough of your games are actually supported before you take the plunge, and note that your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.
Google Pixel 6a
Engadget
A quick PSA for anyone looking to buy a good Android phone on a budget: the unlocked Google Pixel 6a is still on sale for $299, which matches the lowest price we've tracked. The handset has a list price of $449, but we've typically seen it float between $350 and $400 over the past few months.
We recommend the Pixel 6a in our best smartphones guide, and we gave it a review score of 89 back in July. Like past Pixel phones, the main perks here are stellar camera performance and a clean take on Android, with OS and security updates guaranteed into 2025 and 2027, respectively. The first-gen Google Tensor chip and 6.1-inch OLED display compare favorably to most phones in this price range, and while its back is made of plastic, the design doesn't look cheap. It's also IP67-rated for dust and water resistance. The 6a isn't without flaws: There's no headphone jack or wireless charging support, the display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, and the battery life, while good, isn't top-of-the-line. Still, for less than $300, it's difficult to do better.
Amazon Echo Show 5
Nicole Lee/Engadget
It's a good week to be in the market for a smart display, as nearly all of Amazon's Echo Show devices are on sale. Among the highlights, a two-pack of the diminutive Echo Show 5 is down to $60 when you use the code SHOW52PK at checkout. That's about a $20-25 savings off a two-pack's usual street price in recent months. Individual models are on sale for $35, which is a price we've seen a handful of times lately but still a solid value. We gave the 5.5-inch display a review score of 85 last year: You won't want to use it for more involved smart home tasks or video calls, but it works particularly well when used as a smarter alarm clock.
If you'd prefer something bigger and faster, both the 10.1-inch Echo Show 10 and 15.6-inch Echo Show 15 are still available for a low of $170, though our reviews for those devices had a few more reservations by comparison. If you prefer to use the Google Assistant instead of Alexa, meanwhile, Google's seven-inch Nest Hub also plays nice on a bedside table, adding a modicum of sleep tracking functionality and removing any built-in camera. We gave that one a score of 89 last year, and it's currently back to its usual deal price of $50.
At $179, this deal matches the best price we've seen for iRobot's Roomba 694, the top pick in our guide to the best budget robot vacuums. We've seen this price a few times over the course of the year, though over the past few months the device has retailed closer to $225 on average.
We've found the Roomba 694 to be a dependable and easy-to-manage robovac, with decent battery life of at least 45 minutes per charge — and potentially longer depending on the mix of surfaces in your home — and a sturdy design that'll survive its inevitable bumps into your furniture. Since it's WiFi-enabled, you can turn it off and on, and set cleaning schedules, through the iRobot app. You still get what you pay for: Pricier robovacs will be more robust at cleaning larger spaces, and they'll do so in a more orderly fashion than the semi-random, "bump and run" style of the 694 here. (A couple of higher-end Roombas are also on sale as of this writing.) If you only need to clean a smaller area, though, or if you're willing to trade some cleaning smarts for something a bit more affordable, the 694 should do the job at this deal price.
Logitech G Pro X Superlight
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget
Logitech's G Pro X Superlight is a high-performing gaming mouse we like for both work and play, and right now it's down to its all-time low of $110, or about $25 off its usual street price. That's still not cheap, but G Pro X Superlight stands out for being exceedingly light (at roughly 63 grams), quick to glide (with its PTFE feet), and consistently responsive in faster-paced games. It has a particularly comfortable scroll wheel, too. You only get a couple of customizable shortcut buttons, and the whole thing only connects over a USB dongle, not Bluetooth. Still, we've found the design comfortable for most hand sizes and grip types. You should still only get a mouse like this if you're serious about PC gaming, but if that's the case, this one should serve you well in and out of those twitchy FPS games. Note that this discount is just one of a handful of deals currently available for mice we recommend.
We've seen Apple's M1 MacBook Air fall to $799 a few times in recent weeks, but if you missed out before, this is still a nice opportunity to save on what remains a commendable laptop for lighter work and casual use. The average street price for this SKU has sat around $920 in recent months.
If you can afford to step up to the newest MacBook Air model based on Apple's M2 chip, you still should: it packs a refreshed design, a bit more performance, a vastly superior webcam and speaker system and a brighter display, among other upgrades. But if you could use the savings, the M1 chip in found in the 2020 MacBook Air is still plenty performant for most tasks, while the notebook's battery life, keyboard, trackpad and overall build quality remain excellent. The 720p webcam, on the other hand, is a disappointment, and the 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage in this specific SKU aren't well-suited to heavier-duty work. But for everyday browsing, streaming and word processing, the M1 Air remains a solid value at $799.
48-inch LG A2 OLED TV
LG
The 48-inch version of LG's A2 OLED TV is still available for $570 at Best Buy, which is the best price we've tracked and matches the lowest price we saw for last year's A1 model in the same size. This is LG's entry-level OLED TV, so it's limited to 60 Hz and lacks gaming-friendly features like a variable refresh rate or HDMI 2.1 ports. If you're looking for a secondary TV away from the living room, though, the A2 still gets you the deep contrast, vibrant colors, and wide viewing angles you'd expect from a good OLED TV. Best Buy is advertising this offer as part of an ongoing "early Black Friday" sale, so we'd expect this to be the lowest price we'll see for this model over the holidays. If you're willing to trade some picture quality for a more striking design, meanwhile, we're still seeing sales on Samsung's The Frame TVs as well.
You won't have to visit a specific website to use DALL-E 2 for much longer. OpenAI has publicly released a beta framework that lets apps and other products use the AI art generator. This includes the natural language descriptions that define DALL-E as well as moderation to filter out hate, gore and similar extreme content.
A handful of customers are already using the technology. Microsoft's new Designer app uses DALL-E to create artwork for social media, documents and invitations. The AI image tool is coming to Bing and Edge to help you make art when you can't find what you need. Cala, meanwhile, is a "fashion and lifestyle operating system" that uses the tool to produce new designs. Mixtiles can use the system to produce one-of-a-kind wall art.
OpenAI is using this launch to further expand your control over your art. You now have full ownership rights to the images you make, not just usage rights — the company is more comfortable handing over control now that its technology minimizes the potential for content policy violations. Whatever you build, you can now organize it into public and private collections. If you make a lot of space-themed pieces, for instance, you won't have to sift through the rest of your gallery to find them.
The toolkit and increased rights won't settle the question of whether or not AI-generated art is borrowed or stolen. They may even lead to more friction as DALL-E is used in more places. While companies like Shutterstock are working with OpenAI to sell AI-generated images, others are banning the technology over fears of copyright disputes. It may be a while before app developers can use offerings like DALL-E without some ethical or legal concerns.
I’ve reviewed consumer tech professionally for a little over a decade now, and in that time I’ve worn hundreds of headphones. I’ve tested reference pairs that cost as much as $4,000, played with tons of gaming headsets, and seen firsthand (first-ear?) as the industry has shifted toward wireless models with increasing computer-like functionality.
And yet, for people who real5ly care about how their music sounds, the easiest recommendation I can give is still a 17-year-old pair of wired “clip-on” headphones that cost $20 and look like something you’d get for free on a flight in the ‘90s. I purchased my first pair of Koss KSC75s many years ago, but for my money, they remain the best-sounding audio thing you can buy for $20. In a market that regularly uses the power of #branding to get you to pay more for basic functionality, the KSC75 are an honest anomaly. They promise quality sound at a consumer-friendly price and nothing more, and they deliver on that.
A brief history lesson: The KSC75 arrived in 2005 as a more affordable follow-up to the Koss KSC35, a similar set of ear-clip-style headphones that launched in 1995 and cost $45. Wisconsin-based Koss has long held a reputation among audio enthusiasts for good value plays, specifically with a series of headphones all based around the same 60 ohm driver, which the company has produced for decades. The most well-known of these is probably the near-40-year-old Koss Porta Pro — which still holds up itself, but is pricier and a bit flimsier in design — though other retro-style pairs like the Sporta Pro and KPH30i are built around it as well. The KSC75 (and a few others) use a version of the driver coated in titanium, however; this, combined with their lightly-clamping fit and open-back design, gives the KSC75 their own sort of sound by comparison.
And that sound is great. The emphasis here is on the midrange, which largely comes off as balanced and natural. There’s a bit of extra brightness to the treble, but not so much that higher-frequency sounds are overly sharp. The open nature of the design lends everything a pleasing sense of space, and the various elements of a given track generally always sound like they’re in the right place. The design does mean there’s practically zero sub-bass, so you don’t get any of that feel-it-in-your-chest thump from lots of hip-hop or dance tracks, but the upper-bass range that is present has enough juice to keep most songs from sounding too thin.
Jeff Dunn/Engadget
All told, this is an agreeable sound, one that’s ideal for those looking to get into more critical listening. The KSC75 doesn’t go all-in on the bass like many popular headphones these days, and while it’s a pleasure with all types of music, it plays especially nice with folksy rock or richer recordings. Beyond that, its light weight and emphasis on the vocal range makes it a natural option for podcasts and audiobooks. When I’m not in a party chat, it’s also my go-to for gaming, since its balanced tuning and wide soundstage are ideal for, say, accurately locating other players in an FPS like Overwatch or Halo.
Now, I don’t want to sound naïve. There’s a perfectly decent amount of detail here, but a good set of modern, higher-end headphones will still pick up more of a track’s nuances. And again, the utter lack of sub-bass should make it a no-go for bassheads.
Plus, since this design was something of an outlier even in 2005, it forgoes basically all of the conveniences of a modern headphone. There’s no microphone, no built-in controls, and no sweat resistance rating. Because the design is open, it blocks next to no outside noise, and everyone around you will hear whatever you’re listening to if you turn things up to even a moderate volume. None of this is ideal for travel or working out.
The KSC75’s clip-on shape is light and comfy to my ears, but it won’t be for everyone. (Lots of people buy these earpads from Japanese company Yaxi to heighten the comfort, but I wouldn’t say they’re necessary for most.) The build mostly consists of cheap silver plastic, and there are many stories of its non-detachable cable breaking over time. (Though Koss’ lifetime limited warranty effectively lets you replace them ad infinitum for $9 a pop.) These are also wired headphones in a world that is actively eradicating the headphone jack, so if you want to use them on the go, chances are you’ll need a dongle.
But that $20 price goes a long way. Saying the KSC75 is a great value is practically a meme among audio enthusiasts at this point — not in the “lol funny photo” sense, but in the “symbolic idea that spreads and embeds itself within a culture” way. Still, it’s true: the KSC75’s sound quality is practically unmatched in its price range and competitive with many headphones that cost $100 or more. They’ve gotten me through many hours of working from home. If all you want is an affordable headphone that helps you better savor your music, I bet you’ll enjoy them too.
Sony's latest flagship noise-canceling headphones and their predecessors, along with their earbud counterparts, are on sale right now on Amazon. Some of them are even back to their old Prime Day pricing, while others are down to a new all-time low. The WH-1000XM5, which we think are the best headphones you can buy right now, are probably the crowning glory of this sale. They're back to their Prime Day and all-time low pricing of $348, or $52 less than their retail price. We gave the headphones a score of 95 in our review and praised Sony for giving their exterior a big redesign that massively increased their comfort.
Sony has upgraded sound quality for the new flagship headphones and made bass punchier, gave it more depth and more clarity. Everything seemed more immersive as a result. The company has doubled the number of processors and the number of microphones for noise canceling, as well, making the model better at blocking higher frequency sounds, such as voices.
If you're looking for something a little more affordable, Sony's previous flagship headphones are also on sale for $228. That's how much the WH-1000XM4 went for during Amazon's Prime Day sale in July, and that represents 35 percent or $122 in savings. While we believe the WH-1000XM5 are the best headphones you can get at the moment, the WH-1000XM4 were our top pick before their successor came out. We praised them for having powerful ANC, immersive sound, automatic pausing when you speak and multi-device connectivity.
Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds are also on sale, in case you're looking for in-ear headphones instead. They're down to a new low of $178 or 36 percent lower than their retail price. The earbuds come with Sony's Noise Isolation Earbud Tips made of spongy foam instead of silicone, which never felt quite comfortable for us. That said, we found the earbuds to have great sound clarity and praised them for having wireless charging and support for high-res audio.
Outside of Sony's high-end models, Amazon is also selling Sony's WH-XB910N ANC headphones for $123 or 51 percent off their retail price of $250. They're not quite as advanced as the company's flagship models, but they're a solid noise-cancelling headset with extra bass. Need something even cheaper? The WHCH710N wireless noise-canceling headphones are now available for only $68, as well. That 55 percent lower than their typical price. Finally, the LinkBuds S are now being sold for $128, which is a new low for the mid-range ANC earbuds that typically go for $200.
I’ve always wanted an Apple TV, but the high price and locked-down features made me opt for Roku’s ecosystem instead. And while I appreciate the freedom Roku offers, Devindra Hardawar’s review of the new TV 4K almost turned my head.
The 2022 model is cheaper, smaller and runs more efficiently than its predecessor, and it still packs that fancy Siri remote as standard. The box’s speed is its greatest strength, letting you leap between video streaming apps in the time it takes for your cable box to wake up.
Of course, there’s always a fly or two in the ointment, like the $129, 64GB model has a compromise or two. If you, for instance, want a built-in Ethernet port, or Thread IoT integration, you’ll need the $149, 128GB model. Never change, Apple.
It would be great if we could simply 3D-print parts of our bodies that we’ve damaged or worn out through overuse. It’s something NASA will try out with a bioprinter designed to do just that, in the hope of using it for soldiers. During its stay in the heavens, the printer will craft a human meniscus for study, to treat – without the use of inorganic implants – one of the most common knee injuries.
When Square Enix registered Symbiogenesis as a trademark, a small legion of fans got very excited. They, not unreasonably, believed the company was working on a follow-up to Parasite Eve, a beloved horror RPG from 1998. Imagine their dismay when the project turned out to be little more than an NFT grift from a games giant who should know better.
When NVIDIA launched the teeth-meltingly powerful RTX 4090, everyone waited to see what AMD would offer in return. The company has now shown off a pair of Radeon RX cards, the 7900 and 7900 XTX, powered by its new RDNA 3 architecture. AMD says these cards won’t melt your power supply (unlike its rival) and, at $999, won’t hollow-out your wallet (unlike… you get the idea).
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a system to track WiFi-enabled devices through walls. The technique relies on the protocol’s automatic contact response and can pinpoint equipment to within three feet of its location. To demonstrate the need for better WiFi security, the team equipped an off-the-shelf drone with a WiFi scanner that cost just $15 to make. They flew it around the outside of a house, pinpointing the home’s occupants and WiFi-enabled hardware, such as security cameras. There are several worrying uses for such technology, including looking for unguarded areas of a home for burglary or unauthorized surveillance, none of which are particularly good.
PayPal has revealed in its latest earnings report (PDF) that merchant users in the US will be able to accept payments using their iPhones in the near future without the need for dongles and card readers. The payment solution will be integrating Apple's Tay to Pay technology "soon." That means businesses and sellers will easily be able to receive payments made via contactless debit or credit cards, as well as via mobile wallets including Apple Pay, through the PayPal or Venmo app. They simply have to make sure that they're using an iPhone XS or a newer model.
Apple first announced the Tap to Pay feature on iPhone in February this year. A few months later, staff members at the Apple Park visitor center in Cupertino were seen testing the the feature. Since it makes payments as easy as bumping phones together, it seemed like it could be a threat to payment companies like Square. However, Square quickly got on board and launched Tap to Pay integration in September after running an early access program.
In addition to its Tap to Pay news, PayPal has also revealed that it's adding Apple Pay as a payment option to its checkout solution for merchant platforms. And starting next year, customers in the US will be able to add their PayPal and Venmo credit and debit cards to their Apple Wallets. In a statement sent to Bloomberg, PayPal Chief Executive Officer Dan Schulman said the company is "very pleased to be working with Apple to enhance [its] offerings for... PayPal and Venmo merchants and consumers." It's also worth noting that PayPal briefly touched on making Venmo available as a checkout option for some Amazon users in the US in its earnings report. The company reiterated that the feature will roll out to everyone in the country this coming holiday season.
Have you ever wanted to use your luggage as a workstation? No? Don't tell T-Mobile that, then. The provider and Samsara have unveiled a smart carry-on suitcase, the "Un-carrier On" (sorry about the pun), whose stand-out feature is the ability to double as a desk. Like a handful of other bag makers, T-Mobile thinks you'll rest your laptop on your baggage while you finish a must-send work email. That strikes us as potentially uncomfortable if the case sits on your lap, especially if you have to stare at T-Mobile's eye-searing magenta — did we mention that's the only color option?
There are some practical features. T-Mobile claims this is the only carry-on suitcase with wireless charging for your phone, and there's USB-C charging if you prefer cables. You can track the case when it invariably gets sent to the wrong airport, and an eight-bag packing set (with conspicuous T-Mobile branding, of course) keeps your toothpaste safely away from your shirts.
The limited edition Un-carrier On will ship later in November, or just in time for that Thanksgiving family visit you may or may not be dreading. However, the scariest part is the price — T-Mobile is asking $325. That's a lot to pay for a carrier promo on wheels, even if the functionality might come in handy at the gate. You might want to slip an item tracker into a conventional carry-on instead.
