Over the past two decades, iRobot has steadily evolved its Roombas from being fairly dumb robotic dirt suckers to devices that are smart enough to unload their own bins. Now with the $849 Roomba j7+, the company is ready to take on its greatest challenge yet: Pet poop. It's iRobot's first vacuum that can recognize and avoid obstacles, like cables or a pile of clothes, in real-time. And for pet owners, that could finally be reason to adopt a robot vacuum.

After all, you can't exactly trust your bot to clean up while you're away if they could run into surprises from your furry friends. That's a disaster that could lead to poop being spread around your home, not to mention gumming up your expensive bot. To alleviate that concern, iRobot is making a Pet Owner Official Promise (yes, P.O.O.P.): If your j7+ runs into poop within your first year of ownership, the company will replace your vacuum. That should go a long way towards making pet parents feel more comfortable with a Roomba. (It would be nice to see that offer extended beyond just one year, though.)

While the j7+ is technically the smartest Roomba yet, it's not the company's most powerful cleaner. That honor still belongs to the $1,299 s9+. This new model is basically the Roomba i7+ with a more powerful camera, better sensors and far more processing power. It can also automatically empty its bin into a redesigned Clean Base, which is shorter and sleeker than the previous models we've seen. Now you should be able tuck it into an inobtrusive corner, or under a table, instead of dedicating floorspace to a tall iRobot monolith.

With its "PrecisionVision Navigation" — iRobot's marketing term for AI-driven computer vision — the j7+ can detect specific objects, as well as alert you to obstalces in the iRobot app after a cleaning job. You can label them as permanent or temporary obstructions, which helps the vacuum learn how to deal with similar issues in the future. If there's a pile of cords that will always be in one corner, the j7+ will just stop cleaning around that area for good. But if it's just a headphone cord that you've dropped onto the floor, the robot can give that area another go on future jobs. And since it can actually see and interpret your rooms, the j7+ will also be able to clean more gently along walls and furniture.

As it's relying on computer vision, iRobot had to train new models to help the j7+ recognize objects from floor level (there aren't too many other devices with a camera down there). At this point, CEO Colin Angle tells us that it can recognize and a pair of corded headphones on the ground, but eventually it'll handle shoes and socks as well. When it comes to recognizing pet poop, the company captured photos using playdough models, as well as images from employees, to build what's surely one of the most unique machine learning models around.

iRobot plans to bring the j7+'s sensors to future models, Angle says, but it wanted to introduce them in something more people could buy. As much as I like the pricey s9+, it's not a wise purchase when there are cheaper self-cleaning Roombas around.

iRobot

The j7+ is powered by iRobot's new Genius 3.0 software, which will also roll out to the rest of the company's connected vacuums. That builds on the features introduced last year — which includes a better mobile app, smarter scheduling and routine triggers — by adding cleaning time estimates, as well as the ability to automatically clean while you're away. The new OS smarts will also let Roombas automatically suggest room labels as they map out your home. And if you send you intrepid bot to clean one room, it'll be able to move throughout your home quietly until it reaches the work zone.

While I haven't tried out the j7+ yet, it's clear that iRobot is targeting a persistent issue with robot vacuums: trust. Early Roombas required plenty of babysitting, otherwise they could easily get stuck or jammed. These days, I habitually clear out my floors before I start a vacuum run, because even newer models can get into trouble. If iRobot can actually develop a vacuum bot that can deal with obstacles on its own, it may finally have the ideal device for people who hate cleaning. At the very least, it'd be nice to have something I can trust to avoid my cat's poop.

Piranha Games is bringing MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries to Sony consoles. The studio will release the game and its Heroes of the Inner Sphere expansion to PlayStation 4 and PS5 on September 23rd, it announced on Wednesday over on the PlayStation Blog. The release marks a significant milestone for the franchise. The last time you could play a BattleTech game on a PlayStation console was back in 1997 when Activision released MechWarrior 2: Arcade Combat Edition on PSone.

In addition to a handful of PlayStation-specific features, including support for the adaptive triggers on Sony’s DualSense controller, the PS4 and PS5 release will feature all the previously released enhancements for MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries. That means you’ll be able to play the game with people on other platforms and check out the DLC campaign if you join a co-op match hosted by someone who owns the expansion.

Back in January, Moog updated its Model 15 app to support Macs running Big Sur, marking the first time one of the company’s soft synths had come to desktop. It was a significant step forward in terms of accessibility. However, the synth ran as an Audio Unit v3 plugin, meaning you couldn’t use it in conjunction with non-Apple digital audio workstations like Abelton.

That’s changing today with the Model 15 app now available within a VST wrapper. Short for Virtual Studio Technology, VST is the most widely supported standard for DAW synthesizer and effect unit plugins. As such, you’re no longer limited to GarageBand, Logic and MainStage if you want to dabble with the modular synth. Unfortunately, if you're a Windows user, you still can't install the software on your computer. You will have to look to either Moog's iOS app or one of the many other modular synths you can download online.

You have one last chance to try Android 12 before its official debut. Google has released the fifth and final beta for Pixel phones (including the Pixel 5a) and several third-party devices, giving you one more look before the finished version arrives. Beta 5 is a release candidate build with the usual last-minute fixes and performance improvements, so don't expect major changes from beta 4 or even beta 3.

The completed software is due sometime in the "weeks ahead," Google said. If history is any indication, only Pixel owners will get Android 12 first — you'll have to wait for third parties to customize and deploy their releases in the months to come.

The Material You design scheme remains the most conspicuous change in Android 12, including an overall interface refresh, more fluid animations as well as color themes that adapt to your wallpaper. You'll also see more privacy features, including a dedicated Privacy Dashboard as well as toggles and in-use indicators for cameras and microphones.

There are subtler under-the-hood improvements, too, such as camera-based auto-rotation and an on-device search engine that helps find content within your apps. This isn't a gigantic leap in some respects, but it could help revitalize Android if you've felt that previous releases were a little stale.

If you’re in the market for a baby monitor, now would be a good time to snap up a Eufy Spaceview set. The company has discounted its popular single-camera kit to $125 — just clip the on-page coupon for $15 off and use the code eufybbm20 at checkout to get the sale price.

That’ll get you the 720p HD camera plus the 5-inch 720p display. The camera has night vision and can pan 330 degrees and tilt 110 degrees so you can see your entire nursery. The default field of view is 50 degrees, but the kit comes with an additional 110-degree lens that you can install when your little one starts exploring.

While the SpaceView camera doesn’t support WiFi, that’s not a bad thing. Instead, it uses a FHSS connection to let you check out your kiddo’s activities securely in real-time, regardless of if your home’s internet is a bit spotty. The set-up supports a range of up to 1,000 feet so you can check in on them from anywhere in the house, and the 2,900mAh battery runs for 15-hours so the display won’t run out of juice overnight. It will also provide you with sound alerts and two way audio, and since it’s not connected to WiFi, you don’t have to worry about anyone hacking into it.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Google is keen to make Gmail your go-to hub for more than just messages. As The Vergenoted, Google is rolling out a larger Workspace update (more on that shortly) that will add direct calling via Google Meet to the Gmail mobile app. You'll get to ring up your coworkers and other contacts for a quick one-on-one when email or a scheduled meeting won't do. The feature will also send a "chip" to your computer if you'd rather answer on the larger screen.

The company has pitched the feature as a rough equivalent to "spontaneous" office chats in a hybrid work environment where some staff are at home. And before you ask — yes, the Meet app will eventually add this calling feature as well.

Google

The Workspace changes also include a broader redesign of Gmail that makes it a hub for other activities. You'll now see Google's promised "spaces," a renamed and expanded version of Rooms chat channels with full threaded messages and the option of making spaces visible in search. You can accordingly expect easier navigation between email, chats, spaces and Meet, not to mention improved admin and security tools to help manage communications. Enterprise users should see these changes starting today, but everyday Gmail owners will see updates later on.

Other tweaks include options to specify whether you're in-office or virtual on a given day (important for planning meetings) and a Companion mode for Meet that lets you use a conference room's audiovisual hardware. Google is expanding its Meet hardware ecosystem, too. There are two new Series One devices (third-party equipment made to fit Google's goals), including the Series One Desk 27 all-in-one and Series One Board 65 4K collaborative board. More gadgets are Meet-certified, too, such as Logitech's Rally Bar and Rally Bar Mini room solutions as well as the Rayz Rally Pro speaker dock.

Google's ambitions for Gmail are fairly clear. Much like Microsoft Outlook, it's becoming a gateway for all office communication, not just email and the occasional meeting. That's not surprising when Google is directly competing with Office. At the same time, it does raise questions about support for dedicated apps. What need is there for other clients when Gmail theoretically does it all? Still, you might not mind if it saves you from switching apps and potentially losing focus.

I thought BMW’s bizarre crystal sculpture car dash was going to be the weirdest vehicle of the week, but Hyundai thought otherwise. Not only does it involve next-gen fuel cell technology — a car fuel system that’s struggled in the face of EVs — but it also introduces Trailer Drone to the world. This cab-less "hydrogen-powered container transportation system” can apparently function entirely autonomously, according to Hyundai.

Hyundai

On arrival, the trailer could automatically unload itself by lifting on to legs, yes like a real-life Transformer, while the e-Bogie driving frame below dashes off to its next task. And yet, I think betting on hydrogen fuel cell tech still seems the most outlandish part, at least right now.

— Mat Smith

It’s time for the next iPhone event

September 14th.

Apple has announced a "California Streaming" event on September 14th at 1 PM ET. The invitation doesn't offer many clues, but there are already plenty of rumors about what you can expect for the new iPhone, updated Apple Watch. Those have so far included a smaller notch, an always-on display and improved cameras across the line. We might also get new ultra-wide sensors and more camera stabilization. It would include the seemingly obligatory chip upgrade and a slightly larger battery. That last one would be music to my ears.

Continue reading.

Four new iPhones are on their way, according to FCC filing

Interesting.

An FCC filing for a revised MagSafe charger, spotted by MacRumors and 9to5Mac, suggests four "New Phone" items will work with it, alongside last year’s iPhone 12 family.

Unfortunately, this FCC filing doesn't identify the four "New Phone" items it used for testing, but it's very much possible they're the current generation's direct successors, meaning the iPhone mini — my favorite — gets another shot at glory.

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Impossible's plant-based nuggets are now available in select restaurants

It'll be in a few restaurants this week and in grocery stores later this month.

Impossible Foods’ plant-based “chicken” nuggets are now available to buy and gorge on. Mostly made of soy protein and sunflower oil, the Impossible Chicken Nuggets will initially be available in select restaurants across the country, and then sold in grocery stores in the frozen aisle later this month.

Notable restaurants that will be serving them include David Chang’s Fuku in New York City, Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster in Harlem and Miami, Sean Brock’s Joyland in Nashville, Tal Ronnen’s Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles.

Read our taste test here.

'The Matrix Resurrections' teasers keep changing with different clips from the film

It’s like a trailer, but on shuffle.

Warner Bros.

Ahead of September 9th, when the first full trailer for The Matrix Resurrections is set to appear, Warner Bros. has launched a teaser for the upcoming film. The website, whatisthematrix.com, offers a first look at Neo's latest adventure.

In a call back to the first film, you'll see a red and blue pill on the screen when you first visit the website. Each offers a different narration of several cuts from the movie. But, refresh the site and you get a different barrage of clips and cuts. Time to start sleuthing.

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Don’t you want a rideable robot unicorn?

Just like a unicorn, it doesn't exist. Yet.

Xpeng

Chinese EV maker Xpeng has teased a robot unicorn for children to ride. As SCMP notes, the quadruped will take advantage of Xpeng's experience with autonomous driving and other AI tasks to navigate multiple terrain types, recognize objects and provide "emotional interaction."

The company is shy on most other details, but the design looks and trots like a cuter, more kid-friendly version of Boston Robotics' Spot. It's about as tall as a child, which I read as meaning I won’t be able to ride it.

Continue reading.

The biggest news stories you might have missed

Bose's high-end Smart Soundbar 900 includes Dolby Atmos support

Engadget Deals: Apple's iPad Air drops to $500 at Amazon

Polestar made a working version of its electric cargo sled

Technics made a black version of its SL-1200 turntable you can actually buy

How to make the most of that Instant Pot you just bought

The fight to study what happens on Facebook

Attackers are actively exploiting a Microsoft remote code execution vulnerability using malicious Office files, the tech giant has warned. The vulnerability known as CVE-2021-40444 affects Windows Servers from version 2008 and Windows 7 through 10. What attackers are doing is sending potential victims an Office file and tricking them into opening it. That file automatically opens Internet Explorer to load the bad actor's web page, which has an ActiveX control that downloads malware onto the victim's computer.

Several security researchers reported the zero-day attacks to Microsoft. One of them, Haifei Li of EXPMON, told BleepingComputer that the method is 100 percent reliable — all it would take to infect a system is for the victim to open the malicious file. In Li's case, the attack they came across used a .DOCX document. Microsoft has yet to roll out a security patch for the vulnerability, but it has published mitigation methods to prevent infection. 

The tech giant says Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can both detect the vulnerability and prevent infection, so users need to keep them updated and running. Further, it advises disabling all ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer to render it inactive for all websites. Microsoft's security warning contains information how to do that, which involves updating IE's registry and rebooting the computer.

Lenovo has announced a new lineup of PCs, tablets and monitors at Tech World 2021. The most notable of the bunch is the IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon — a 14-inch Windows 11 laptop that weighs 2.37 lbs and is equipped with an OLED display made by Samsung. As its name implies, the device's chassis is made of carbon fiber and magnesium alloy for lightness and strength. Its display has a QHD+ resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio, with features that include a 90Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and true black certification. Customers can also opt to get a touchscreen version that's strengthened with Gorilla Glass. 

Lenovo

The device is powered by AMD's Ryzen 7 5800U Series Mobile Processors (up to 8-core) with AMD Radeon Graphics, and customers can get the NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics card as an optional install. Buyers can also equip the laptop with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. Other features include up to 14.5 hours of battery life, WiFi 6 and built-in Alexa support with an Alexa Show experience. It will be available in Cloud Grey starting in October 2021 with prices starting at $1,290.

Another notable device in the brand's new lineup is the Chromebook Duet 5. It's a 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid running Chrome OS with access to Google Play. The device has a laptop-grade keyboard that can be detached from its 13.3-inch OLED display and is powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 SoC. It comes with 256GB of SSD storage and up to 8GB of memory. The Duet 5 will also be available in October in Storm Grey or Abyss Blue for at least $430.

Those who prefer a larger laptop could get the ldeaPad Slim 7 Pro instead. It's a 16-inch Windows 11 laptop with a QHD IPS screen, powered by AMD's Ryzen 7 5800H Mobile Processors. The device can be equipped with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU and can have up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. It will be out in October for at least $1,449.

Microsoft's latest acquisition could add an easy-to-use video editing experience to its software suite. The tech giant has purchased a startup called Clipchamp, which is known for its in-browser video creation and editing tool. In its announcement, Microsoft says Clipchamp's approach combines "the simplicity of a web app with the ability to process video using the full computing power of a PC with graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration," which is "something that was formerly limited to traditional video applications."

Clipchamp specifically targets non-professionals and non-creatives — people who don't have or know how to use specialized software for videos, in other words. "Our mission is to empower anyone to tell stories worth sharing and millions of people around the world... We will continue to make video creation even easier, more accessible and fun," company CEO Alexander Dreiling wrote in a post announcing the acquisition. 

Neither party has disclosed the terms of their agreement, but as CNBC notes, Clipchamp said in July that it has 17 million registered users with an adoption rate that's up 54 percent year over year. The service saw huge growth in 9:16 aspect ratio exports, in particular, which are commonly used for TikTok and Instagram or Facebook Stories. Microsoft was one of its clients before the acquisition, along with Google. While Microsoft has yet to announce how it will offer Clipchamp to its customers, it called the tool a "natural fit" for its cloud-powered productivity experiences in Microsoft 365. A spokesperson also told CNBC that the tech giant will eventually introduce a process to convert existing Clipchamp users to Microsoft subscribers.