Audi owners can now play Apple Music through their infotainment systems without having to connect it to their iPhones via Bluetooth or USB. The luxury automaker has rolled out Apple Music integration for almost all of its newer vehicles in Europe, North America and Japan, starting with the 2022 model year. Even cars already on the road will get the feature through an automatic over-the-air update. 

After getting the app on their infotainment systems, Audi owners simply need to fire it up, follow the onscreen instructions and type in the Apple ID login they use for Apple Music. The system will send a verification code to their phones that they have to key in, but that's pretty much it for the setup process. In Europe, owners can enjoy the first 3GB of streaming free of charge and will be billed the subsequent cellular data streaming costs through a data package available from Cubic-Telekom. 

Audi vehicles already come with Apple's CarPlay — it started bundling the software with its European vehicles in 2015 and with its North American vehicles a year later. Through CarPlay, users can connect their phones to their infotainment systems to get directions optimized for traffic, make calls, send and receive messages and play Apple Music onscreen. This standalone Apple Music rollout, however, makes it a lot easier to access their playlists and all the other available tracks on the service.

If you've got a bunch of items you need to protect from theft or loss, you can now pick up a four-pack of Apple's AirTags at Amazon and Best Buy for $89, or $10 (10 percent) off. We've seen them a little bit cheaper recently, but it's still a good time to act if you missed the last deal. 

For Apple users, AirTags deliver significant advantages over Tile and other trackers. The ultra-wideband feature offers precise tracking with iPhone 11 or later devices when you're reasonably close, so you can narrow your search between a bed and night table in the same bedroom. Over wider distances, the Apple device AirTag networks lets you track down an object you might have misplaced in a bar, for instance.

AirTags use a simple coin-sized design and offer a seamless experience via the Find My app. You can also force an AirTag to emit a chime to help you pinpoint an object's location, and that chime is now loader than ever thanks to a recent update.

It does lack a built-in keyring like rival trackers, so you'll need to pay extra for that. And it only works with Apple devices, so Android users will need to look elsewhere. However, if you're in Apple's ecosystem, you can pick up four at a discount — just remember that the deal ends today.

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YouTube Music on Wear OS now works the way you'd expect. As The Vergenotes, Google's music service now streams directly from its Wear OS app, whether you're on LTE or WiFi. You'll need to pair with an Android phone for full functionality (cellular streaming isn't an option for iPhone users), and a Premium subscription is necessary regardless of platform. If you meet those criteria, though, you can leave your phone at home knowing you'll still have access to all your tunes.

The upgrade also lets you add a YouTube Music tile for quick access to the browse section or your most recently played playlist. If you do need offline listening, Smart Downloads will automatically refresh your on-watch library whenever you're connected to WiFi. The streaming upgrade should finish rolling out this week.

First-party music streaming on Wear OS has been problematic, to put it mildly. Google Play Music was available on the platform, but the app didn't carry over when the company shut down the service in 2020 and transitioned to the YouTube offering. YouTube Music came to Wear OS (with offline-only playback) in summer 2021, but it was initially restricted to the Galaxy Watch 4 and didn't come to Wear OS 2 devices until September that year. You've had to turn to Spotify and other third-party services for streaming, and in some cases it wasn't an option at all.

There's plenty of pressure to add streaming, though. Google is releasing the Pixel Watch this fall with optional LTE, and it wouldn't look good if you couldn't stream the company's music service on its official smartwatch. The improved YouTube Music app should ensure a consistent experience when the Pixel wristwear arrives, at least if you're determined to use an all-Google setup.

Last fall, Twitter began testing a dedicated Spaces tab within the iOS version of its mobile app. The tab, as you can probably guess even if you don’t have access to an iPhone, allows users to see a curated list of active live audio rooms, with the option to filter them based on your interests.

On Wednesday, Twitter announced it was expanding the test to include Android users. If you have access to the trial, you can open the Spaces tab by tapping the newly added microphone icon at the bottom of the interface. As before, the tab is only available in English for the time being.

Since Twitter began testing live audio in late 2020, the company has gone on to iterate on the format at a fast clip. What started as a relatively sparse offering has in recent months gained features like audio recording. This past, Twitter also added the option for users to share co-hosting duties. Those all came as the company worked to give all users the option to host a Space.

TikTok is rolling out a feature that will make it easier for users to give appropriate credit to a creator who inspired one of their videos. A new button that's rolling out over the next few weeks will allow you to tag, mention and credit a video in the description.

Users have long been able to tag each other, but this is a bigger push to encourage them to give proper credit to the original work. When you riff on someone else's dance move, joke, meme or audio, adding attribution for their TikTok will be more straightforward.

After you create or edit a TikTok, you'll see a new "video" icon on the posting page. Tap that, and you'll be able to choose a video that you've favorited, liked or posted, or that shares the same sound as your TikTok. Once you pick a video that inspired you, TikTok will add it as a mention in the caption. The app will explain the crediting feature after you tap the video icon for the first time. Users will also be notified when one of their videos is tagged in this way.

TikTok

"Today, we're introducing new tools to better enable creator credit and equitable attribution for our creator community and content originators," Kudzi Chikumbu, TikTok's creator community director, wrote in a blog post. "These features are an important step in our ongoing commitment to investing in resources and product experiences that support a culture of credit, which is central to ensuring TikTok remains a home for creative expression."

Attribution (or lack thereof) is a thorny issue on TikTok and other platforms. Last June, many Black creators on TikTok went on strike. They stopped sharing dance challenges and instead called out the lack of credit they were receiving in an attempt to gain more recognition.

Rick Lewis, for instance, appeared in one TikTok as though they were about to share a dance they created for a Megan Thee Stallion song, before flipping the bird at the camera and switching to a caption that read "Sike. This app would be nothing without Black people." Their TikTok, inevitably, was co-opted by another creator, who racked up nearly a million views (twice as many as Lewis' original) with their spin on it.

The move follows the rollout of the YouTube Shorts remix feature, which automatically includes attribution for the original video's creator. TikTok's approach, however, will require users to manually add credit for the original work.

Meanwhile, Chikumbu says TikTok is working to lift up the creators of trends through initiatives like its Originators series. The Creator Portal also stresses the importance of including proper attribution for trend originators, including tips on how to find them.

It hasn't been a great spring for Sony in terms of new product leaks. The company's new flagship headphones, the WH-1000XM5, broke cover early, as did its latest earbuds. Today, the company officially announced the LinkBuds S: a set of $200 true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) and a host of handy features. Sony says they're designed for a "never off wearing experience," with transparency mode allowing you to tune into your surroundings as needed. 

Joining the open wear LinkBuds that debuted earlier this year, the LinkBuds S have a more "traditional" closed design. The shape is similar to Sony's other recent earbuds, the flagship WF-1000XM4 and the $100 WF-C500. The LinkBuds S are much smaller though, making them more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time, which also serves Sony's mission of all-day use. In fact, the company claims the LinkBuds S are "the world's smallest and lightest, noise-canceling, hi-res" true wireless earbuds. And the IPX4 rating means they can withstand workouts too. 

Inside, 5mm drivers deliver "powerful bass and stunningly clear vocals," according to Sony. The company's Integrated Processor V1, which is also on the WH-1000XM5 headphones, works to maintain sound quality, minimize distortion and bolster noise cancellation. The LinkBuds S also support high-resolution listening via Sony's LDAC codec and DSEE Extreme upscaling. The latter technology recovers finer details that are typically lost to compression of digital audio content. A low-latency mode is on the way for gaming and Sony is working with Niantic to bring spatial audio and head tracking to the AR mobile game Ingress.

Another key difference from the first set of LinkBuds is the addition of ANC. On the LinkBuds S, there's enough noise-blocking ability to reduce background clamor, but Sony is clear the tech isn't as robust as the WF-1000XM4. While this new model doesn't let the outside world in by design, it's equipped with transparency mode to get that job done. What's more, the company's Adaptive Sound Control can be configured to change noise canceling and ambient sound settings based on your activity or location. Plus, Sony's handy Speak-to-Chat feature is available here, which automatically senses your voice, pauses the audio and activates ambient sound mode when you begin to talk. 

Sony

The main feature Sony is hyping for the LinkBuds S is called Auto Play. True to the rumors, this tool automatically plays or resumes audio based on your activity when you put the earbuds in or complete a call. If you're on a walk, for example, you can have a specific playlist selected for that behavior. Auto Play is limited right now in two ways. First, it's only available in the Sony Headphones Connect app on Android right now. The company plans to bring it to iOS in early June. Second, it only works with Spotify and soundscape app Endel. 

For calls, Sony says its Precise Voice Pickup Technology "optimally controls the microphones on both earbuds." Combined with a mesh cover for the mics, the company explains that you can expect clarity walking down a busy street or on a windy day. These claims vary widely from product to product, so we'll be sure to put this through its paces during our review. Other convenience features include compatibility with voice assistants, a full suite of customizable touch controls and support for both Google Fast Pair and Windows Swift Pair. 

In terms of battery life, Sony says you can expect up to six hours of use with active noise cancellation enabled. There's another 14 hours in the charging case too, but the company didn't specify any non-ANC listening times. The case doesn't support wireless charging, but it does offer a quick-charge option. Just five minutes will give you an hour of use. 

The LinkBuds S are up for pre-order starting today with general availability starting May 20th. You'll have black and white color options to choose from at most retailers, but Best Buy will carry an exclusive beige (Ecru) version. This $200 model will sit in the middle of Sony's true wireless lineup, with the flagship WF-1000XM4 at the top and the affordable WF-C500 below. The open design LinkBuds also occupy the mid-range for $20 cheaper, and Sony plans to deliver the Auto Play functionality to that model via firmware update. 

As one of the leading makers of Chromebooks, this spring Acer is refreshing its lineup with two new offerings in the Chromebook Spin 714 and the Chromebook Tab 510.

Starting at $750 (or $1,100 for the enterprise model), the Chromebook Spin 714 is the more premium of the two, featuring up to a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU and a 14-inch 2560 x 1600 display. And as an added bonus, the Gorilla Glass used on its display includes an antimicrobial coating designed to resist stains and bacteria. At the same time, the screen's 16:10 aspect ratio gives you a little extra vertical screen space for productivity. 

Acer

Meanwhile, because the Spin 714 is part of Intel's Evo platform, the laptop includes good connectivity thanks to support for Wi-Fi 6E, an HDMI jack and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports. As for battery life, Acer is claiming up to 10 hours on a single charge, with fast charging that can add four hours of additional runtime after being plugged in for 30 minutes. And for people who want a quick and easy way to login to their laptop, there's also an optional fingerprint reader. 

But the feature that sets the Spin 714 apart from a lot of other Chromebooks is its stylus, which features 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and has a built-in garage for easy storage. And despite having a flexible 360-degree hinge, the laptop has MIL-STD 810H durability designed to guard against drops and splashes. 

Alternatively, for people looking for a more affordable convertible Chromebook, there's the $400 Chromebook Tab 510. Instead of sporting a 360-degree hinge, the Tab 510 features a detachable 2-in-1 design powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip. That said, for those wanting to use the Tab 510 as a laptop-like hybrid, just remember its Keyboard Folio Case is an optional accessory. 

Acer

Sporting a 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 screen, the Tab 510 is a lot more portable than the Spin 714, and it gets slightly better battery life too, with Acer promising 11 hours on a single charge. And in addition to its front-facing 5-MP webcam, there's 8-MP camera in back. However, even with its lower price, the tablet also supports MIL-STD 810H durability, along with bumpers on each corner and a reinforced chassis for even more rugged credibility. And similar to the Spin 714, the Tab 510 also comes with a built-in stylus.

In North America, the Chromebook Tab 510 is slated to go on sale sometime in July starting at $400, with the Chromebook Spin 714 arriving slightly later in August starting at $750. 

You don't need to pay a hefty sum (or go large) to get OLED in a laptop. Acer has unveiled a refreshed laptop line headlined by the Swift 3 OLED, an enhanced version of its thin-and-light mainstream portable. The highlight, as you'd guess, is a 14-inch "2.8K" display that promises OLED's signature high contrast, accurate color (100 percent of DCI-P3) and 500-nit HDR. Add in a 92 percent screen-to-body ratio and it might be a good fit if you want lush visuals without buying an exotic PC.

The Swift 3 OLED runs on 12th-gen Intel Core H-series chips with Iris Xe integrated graphics, PCIe Gen 4 SSDs and as much as 16GB of LPDDR5 memory. It ships to the US this July starting at $900. While we wouldn't call it a budget laptop, that's a relative bargain given the display tech.

Acer

The are upgrades for convertible machines, too. The 14-inch Spin 5 (shown at middle) comes with a 1600p display and configurations that offer up to a 12th-gen Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. You'll also get two Thunderbolt 4 ports and an improved cooling system that should net more performance under heavy loads. Opt for the Spin 3 and you'll get 'just' a 1080p 14-inch display, but you'll also have the twin Thunderbolt 4 ports, SSD storage and a range of 12th-gen Core CPUs.

The updated Spin 5 arrives first, shipping in July with a $1,350 starting price. Acer delivers the new Spin 3 in August at an $850 base sticker.

And yes, Acer is expanding its eco-friendly Vero line. You'll find new 14- and 15-inch Vero laptops that meld 12th-gen Core, Thunderbolt 4 and 1080p displays with bodies made partly from recycled and ocean-bound plastic. Desktop users can spring for a 24-inch Veriton Vero all-in-one with up to a 12th-gen Core i9 and GeForce MX550 graphics. The Vero portables ship to the US in September starting at $750 regardless of size, while the Veriton Vero will wait until October to sell for $799.

3D TVs may be dead, but Acer isn't giving up on the dream of going beyond 2D just yet. It's spent years hyping up its SpatialLabs technology, which lets you view stereoscopic 3D content without any clunky glasses. Now that innovation is headed to the company's gaming laptops, starting with the new Predator Helio 300 SpatialLabs Edition. The company says you'll be able to play more than 50 modern and classic games in 3D, including Forza Horizon 5, No Man's Sky and God of War (no Halo Infinite yet, sadly).

Naturally, though, you'll have to pay a huge premium to be an early glasses-free 3D adopter. The Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition will start at $3,400 when it arrives in the fourth quarter. You'll get some killer hardware under the hood, like Intel's latest 12th-gen CPUs, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and up to NVIDIA's RTX 3080, but it's clearly not meant for the typical gamer. It weighs a hefty 6.6 pounds, and the small amount of supported 3D titles makes this laptop seem even more like a niche product.

Acer

Still, the display nerd in me is eager to see how Acer actually implements this technology. I was impressed by some early SpatialLabs demos years ago, but it's another thing to transform a game into a fully 3D experience. The technology relies on a combination of eye tracking (which helps the image stay in focus without additional glasses), real-time rendering and a stereoscopic 15.6-inch screen. Acer is also bringing SpatialLabs' 3D hardware to its ConceptD7 laptop this year.

If you're just looking for a thin gaming laptop, without any fancy 3D screens, Acer is also updating the Predator Triton 300 SE with 12th-gen Intel chips, RTX 3000-series GPUs and 16:10 OLED panels. A 16-inch model with a 240Hz 1,440p display is joining the existing 14-inch version, giving the company options for gamers who want the lightest possible machine or something with a bit more breathing room. The smaller model tops out with an RTX 3060, but the larger one can squeeze in a beefier 3070 Ti.

We've generally liked Acer's gaming hardware over the years (except when they introduce useless concepts like swiveling screens). Based on my brief hands-on time with the Triton 300 SE, it seems like yet another solid option for a stylish-yet-portable gaming rig. The new OLED screen is clearly the star of the show, delivering deep black levels and glorious colors in a few Halo Infinite matches, but its 90Hz refresh rate may disappoint gamers used to faster LCDs. Those folks can just opt for the 165Hz 1080p and 1,440p LCDs, instead. The 14-inch Triton 300 SE is lighter than the Razer Blade 14, clocking in at 3.7 pounds instead of 3.9, and its overall build quality feels just as premium.

You'll find the 14-inch Triton 300 SE in July starting at $1,600, while the 16-inch version will arrive in August for $1,750.

Acer's creativity-oriented ConceptD laptops are joining the wave of OLED upgrades. The PC maker has updated its ConceptD 5 and ConceptD 5 Pro portables with a 16-inch, 3,840 x 2,400 OLED screen that promises very high contrast while preserving the all-important color accuracy for visual editing. You can expect 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage, Pantone Matching System colors and Delta E<2 calibration. Acer also promises HDR support, although the display's 400-nit brightness will limit that output.

Both systems promise up-to-the-minute specs, including 12th-gen Intel Core chips (up to the i7-12700H), up to 32GB of LPDDR5 memory and as much as 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1 and a full-size SD card reader should also help creatives. The differences largely come down to GPUs. The ConceptD 5 is more mainstream with GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics, while the Pro version uses the workstation-focused RTX A5500.

The ConceptD 5 comes to North America in August with a $2,500 starting price. The Pro edition will only be available in Europe and the Middle East this September, when it will sell for €2,599 (about $2,740). That's not a small expense, but it could be easy to justify if your livelihood depends on a powerful laptop.