Of all the devices Samsung launched at its Unpacked event today, I find the Z Flip 3 the most interesting. It’s a smartphone that folds in on itself to become half its size and features a new external display that’s four times larger than the one on its predecessor. Though it lacks the S Pen support offered on the Z Fold 3, the Flip 3’s bendable screen still delivers a 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling and animation rendering smoother. It’s also water resistant and can process contactless payments when it’s shut, making it more useful in its smaller mode. Just as important, it now costs $1,000, down from $1,300, making it not affordable, exactly, but on par with other flagship smartphones. At a brief hands-on event in New York, I was able to check out the Flip 3’s upgrades and am cautiously hopeful that this is the first foldable I’m ready to buy.

The Flip 3’s non-sequential name might be slightly baffling (the last two models were the Z Flip and Z Flip 5G), but for the most part, all of its upgrades feel self-explanatory. The most obvious is the larger external screen — or, as Samsung calls it, the Cover Display. Instead of the 1.1-inch sliver from the original Flip, the new Cover Display measures 1.9 inches diagonally, giving users four times the screen real estate. This means you can see more of your notifications or widgets at once (up to four lines, according to Samsung). You can also swipe through up to six widgets on this screen, and the options available include things like Samsung Pay, Weather, Alarms, volume control, media playback and step count.

As before, you can tap and swipe to interact with this screen, and I scrolled vertically on the Flip 3’s Cover Display to toggle through clock, volume control and Samsung Pay widgets. It was nice being able to drag the slider on this screen to make the phone louder, but I could also use physical keys on the side. Other widgets are probably more useful, and Samsung will need to encourage developers to create them for their apps. There weren’t any notifications on my demo unit, though, so I didn’t get to see how that would look. Side-swiping on this panel also didn’t do anything, though this likely depends on what the widgets themselves are designed to support.

The other benefit of a larger Cover Display is when you’re using it to frame a selfie with the Flip 3 closed. Of all the nostalgic value that using a flip phone brings, snapping a selfie with a tiny outside screen and camera is the one thing that immediately brings me back to the 2000s. (I was one of many who used a pink Motorola Razr V3 circa 2003-4.)

Mat Smith / Engadget

Of course, I’m not suggesting you rely on the Flip 3’s relatively cramped Cover Display and 10-megapixel selfie camera as your primary means of shooting portraits. But in a pinch, the new larger window is more useful than its predecessor’s in gauging what you’re snapping. I used it to capture a couple of selfies at my demo session using the volume buttons on the phone’s edge as triggers. Though I couldn’t see all of the scene in the viewfinder, it was enough to get my colleague and I centered in the frame.

Open up the Flip 3, set it up in a half-folded mode, and you’ll see the Camera app expand to take up the whole 6.7-inch screen. Samsung calls this view Flex Mode, and compatible apps automatically rearrange themselves so that their layouts align with the top and bottom halves of the display. In the Gallery app, for example, the bottom section becomes sort of a navigation pad where you can swipe sideways to scroll through your pictures in a carousel. In the Camera app, the viewfinder takes up the top half while controls sit on the bottom.

I didn’t have time at our briefing to try out every app, but so far I’ve noticed that Camera and Gallery supports Flex Mode while Photos, Maps and Chrome do not. The ones that do also switch between Flex Mode and full-screen very quickly, which is a promising sign of the Flip 3’s processor’s performance. The device will have the same chipset as the Fold 3, which in the US is the Snapdragon 888, and it’ll come with 8GB of RAM along with 128GB or 256GB of storage.

Samsung said it’s working with developers to optimize more apps for Flex Mode and that it has already enabled at least 50 percent of the most popular options. Thankfully, it’s not like you can’t use your favorite app if it’s not optimized for Flex Mode; it just won’t be laid out as nicely.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

In addition to the larger cover display, the Flip 3’s upgrades over its predecessors include support for adaptive 120Hz refresh rate on its internal screen. This made quickly scrolling through the list of articles on Engadget’s homepage look smooth, and will likely make the system feel faster overall. Though the 22:9 aspect ratio is taller than most phones today, I didn’t find it too jarring. Meanwhile, images looked colorful and crisp on the Full HD+ display.

One more improvement that Samsung made on the Flip 3 is its water resistance rating of IPX8. There weren’t any setups at the demo event for me to test this out, so we’ll have to take Samsung at its word for now.

Like the Z Fold 3, the new Flip features some overall durability improvements. Samsung used a new “Armor Aluminum” in its metal frame and hinge that makes the phone 10 percent stronger, while the company said the Gorilla Glass covering the device is 50 percent more durable than previous models. The main screen also uses a new protective film that’s said to be stronger and more scratch resistant. These durability claims aren’t something I can vouch for yet as I didn’t try dropping or scratching our demo units, but I can say that the Flip 3’s hinge moved smoothly and stayed open at various angles. I was also able to close the phone with one hand, albeit without the same satisfying thunk that Razrs made.

Despite all its durability upgrades, the Flip 3 is about just as light and thin as the Flip 5G, though the new phone is slightly smaller. Samsung is offering the Flip 3 in seven colors this time around, and while I still love the purple version, the green option is also gorgeous. Oh, and don’t forget the Thom Browne edition that will also be available in a Team USA color scheme in a nod to the Olympics.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Everything else about the Flip 3 is pretty much the same as before. You’ll still get a 3,300mAh battery, a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 10-megapixel one for selfies, which produced nice enough samples during my hands-on. But battery life and image quality are among the many things we’ll need proper review units to test out in the real world.

Though I’m excited that Samsung has managed to drop the Z Flip 3’s price down to $1,000 while adding water resistance, improving the overall build and Cover Display, I’d like to see how the software updates add to its experience as a daily driver. But from my brief preview, the Z Flip 3 might be the first foldable device I’m ready to invest in and could finally make the category ready for the mainstream.

Follow all of the news from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event right here!

It’s hard to believe that in just a matter of years, foldable devices have gone from the stuff of science fiction to actual usable daily drivers. Here we are today, checking out the third generation of Samsung’s foldables, which the company just launched at its Unpacked event. The Fold 3 is the bigger, more premium of the new pair of bendy offerings, and the Fold series has been around longer than any other folding phone. Since launching the original, Samsung has worked to improve durability and software, which continue to be the two biggest challenges for foldables.

The Z Fold 3 is also the first of its kind to support Samsung's S Pen, meaning you can write or draw on the larger canvas without breaking the screen.

In addition to stylus support, the Z Fold 3 features water resistance, a new under display camera in the larger screen and a stronger build that Samsung says brings an 80-percent increase in durability. Best of all, it starts at a cheaper $1,800. At a socially distanced preview event in New York, I was able to check out the Z Fold 3 and am so far pleased with what I've seen.

S Pen support

Given my limited time with the device, I focused on checking out things that are new, starting with the $50 S Pen Fold Edition and $100 S Pen Pro. For these versions, Samsung made the nib rounder than on older styli, so they’re less likely to tear into the screen. If you apply too much force with the pen, its nib will retract. For those who are concerned that the nib might be too sensitive and slide back into its housing at the slightest touch, I can say that it took a fair amount of effort for that to happen during my hands-on.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Though the 1.5mm nib is rounder and more than twice as thick as older S Pens, I didn’t find it too large and it was still very precise. I was able to draw fine lines and sketch thicker ones by applying more force, thanks to the 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Samsung said the durability and latency on this screen are better than any other pen-compatible device it offers, and while I can’t make a direct comparison yet, the stylus did feel responsive and fluid in my brief preview. You can spend a little more to get the S Pen Pro, which also works with the Fold 3. It’s bigger, longer and supports Bluetooth for remote controls. Unlike the Fold Edition, the Pro model needs power and has a USB-C slot at the top for charging.

You can only use either S Pen on the internal screen, by the way — the cover display does not support pen input. There's also no slot for the stylus so you'll have to find a way to make sure you don't misplace it.

Multitasking software and under display camera

With the unfolded display, you can use multiple apps at once. The 22.5:18 aspect ratio is uncommon, which is why on previous Folds, many apps like Instagram and Netflix didn’t completely fill the screen and were awkwardly flanked by empty space.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Samsung has worked on a few experimental features to make Android apps work better on the roomier canvas. Under Labs in settings, you'll find options to choose 16:9, 4:3 or fullscreen as the default aspect ratios that apps launch in. You can also enable Multi Window for all apps, which allows them to open in floating panels or split screen, even if they weren’t designed for those layouts. There are also options to auto rotate apps and use a Flex mode panel that makes better use of the screen space when the system detects that the Fold is half-open.

At my demo session, I launched the Camera app on the Fold 3 and it expanded to take up the whole screen when I opened the device all the way till the hinge clicked in place. When I folded it slightly, the app split in half, with thumbnails of photos in my camera roll on the left side and the viewfinder and controls on the right. As I snapped more pictures, they quickly showed up on the carousel on the left. I was impressed with how responsive the system was — the app switched between Flex and fullscreen modes with no delay.

There aren’t many apps that support Flex Mode at the moment, but Samsung said it’s working with developers to encourage adoption. One more thing the company did to make multitasking on the Fold 3 easier is add an option to pin the Edge panel on the side to get a taskbar-like experience a la Windows or Chrome. I can’t vouch for how useful this will be in the real world yet but I like the idea in theory.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

To make the larger screen feel more immersive, Samsung used a new Under Display Camera (UDC) on the Fold 3 that camouflages the 4-megapixel sensor under some pixels. At least, that’s the theory. I was confused at first when I looked at the Fold 3’s main screen with a dark wallpaper and could clearly see the camera. Then I opened Google Maps and the small dark circle that’s the sensor disappeared under the blues and greens of the world. Well, sort of. There was still a ring of pixelation, but it was only obvious because I was looking for it.

The distortion is there because that part of the display has spaces between its pixels to let light through to the sensor underneath. It was noticeable in Maps, but less so in Chrome, where the top row of the screen was more evenly colored. I didn’t find it too distracting when I jumped between apps or browsed the Engadget website, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I got used to it over time.

The sample photos I got with the UDC were decent, although I’d still prefer using the main sensors on the other side of the Fold 3 for selfies or landscapes. This under-screen option is mostly there for video calls.

Updated screens and stronger build

Software and a UDC aren’t the only improvements to the Fold 3’s screens. Both the 7.6-inch interior display and the 6.2-inch external one now support adaptive 120Hz refresh rates. For the cover screen, that’s twice what it was before. The front panel is still somewhat low-res at 2,268 x 832, while the bigger one inside is 2,208 x 1,768. At least they’re both AMOLEDs. That means colors look richer, blacks are deeper and contrast ratios are higher than on LCD smartphones.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

To support the S Pen, Samsung also redid the Fold 3’s display stack and added a Wacom layer. While it did that, it also used a new stretchable PET5 (Polyethylene terephthalate) material in the Fold 3’s factory-installed screen protector. Compared to its previous foldables, Samsung claims this screen is 80 percent more durable.

The Fold 3 also features a stronger build than previous versions, and for the first time since Samsung started selling foldables, this year’s Z-series phones are rated IPX8 for water resistance. I didn’t get to test this at our demo, but I appreciate the peace of mind that will give me when I inevitably get caught in the rain or accidentally spill water all over a review unit.

The company also used something it calls “Armor Aluminum” in the Fold 3’s frame and hinge. That’s “the strongest aluminum ever used on a Galaxy smartphone,” Samsung said. It also covered the Fold 3 in Gorilla Glass Victus, which it said is 50 percent hardier than what it used on its older devices. Again, I didn’t want to drop or scratch the demo unit under the watchful eyes of Samsung reps at my preview, so I can’t say how well these will withstand the bumps of daily life yet. But the hinge did feel sturdy as I opened and shut the device repeatedly. Plus, as I pushed my thumb into the middle of the edge to close the Fold 3, I didn’t feel like I was going to damage it.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Although it made the device more durable, Samsung was still able to shave off a few grams and millimeters. The Fold 3 weighs 271 grams (0.6 pounds) and measures 6.4mm (0.25 inches) thick, which is thinner and lighter than the Z Fold 2 (282 grams, 6.9mm). These are subtle enough differences that the new Fold doesn’t feel much smaller than its predecessor, but even an 11-gram weight loss can make it easier to use the device for longer.

A more noticeable change is the new slate of colors. The Fold 3 is available in silver, green or black, and my favorite of these is the green. It’s a muted forest green, unlike the pastel hue on the iPhone 12 or the understated jade of the Pixel 5. Compared to these shades, the Fold 3’s looked the classiest.

Wrap-up

Three generations in, Samsung has clearly learned a lot and the Z Fold 3, at least based on this preview, feels very refined. Plus, its lower starting price of $1,800 is more palatable than the Fold 2’s $2,000. But does that mean Samsung has perfected its foldable formula, and is the Fold 3 ready for the average consumer? Even at its new price, it’s probably still too expensive for most people. For early adopters curious about things like battery life and camera performance, I can’t gauge these till I can test the Fold 3 out in the real world. But for the first time since the original Fold, I can see a future where foldable phones will be embraced by a mainstream audience.

Follow all of the news from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event right here!

Samsung's two most recent sets of true wireless earbuds included an "open-type" design that elicited a bevy of bean jokes and a full-featured noise-cancelling option. The company's more affordable Galaxy Buds+ debuted in early 2020 and Samsung is introducing the follow-up to that model today with the Galaxy Buds 2. The new entry-level option in the Galaxy Buds lineup remains $150, but the company added active noise cancellation (ANC) to a design that's similar to pricier Galaxy Buds Pro. 

Samsung ditched the triangular design from the Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds+ in favor of a more ergonomic egg-shaped earbud. The Galaxy Buds 2 are also 15 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter than the Galaxy Buds+, and those were already quite small. Of course, the smaller size helps keep things comfy and it means that there's less earbud to stick out from your head. However, like the Galaxy Buds Pro, the Galaxy Buds 2 are only IPX2 rated against water droplets. That means you should be okay if you get caught in the rain, but extra sweaty workouts and splashes could be a problem. 

The company's curvy square charging case returns as well, though this time the case is white no matter which color earbuds you choose. Only the interior of the case and a small band around the seam matches the buds inside. Quick pairing is back for compatible devices, where all you need to do is open the case and follow the pop-ups on your phone to get started. If you need to switch to another phone, tablet or computer, an easy pairing mode is activated by touching and holding both earbuds for three seconds while they're in the case. 

Samsung

Inside, Samsung says two-way drivers offer "crisp, clear high notes and a deep bass" when it comes to music. The company also included ANC for the first time on its most affordable earbuds, which it claims can reduce background noise by up to 98 percent. There's an adjustable ambient sound mode as well, giving you the option to select from three different levels of environmental noise. This configurable ambient audio feature has become a staple on the Galaxy Buds line as we've seen it on previous models. 

Those changes are accessible inside the Galaxy Wearable app on Samsung and Android devices. There's also a Galaxy Buds app for Windows on PCs. Like before, this software allows you to see battery levels, choose an audio preset, adjust ambient sound and reconfigure the long press touch controls. Plus, a handy Find My Earbuds tool can help you locate a misplaced bud and a fit test will ensure you're getting the best seal for audio quality and ANC performance. If you also have a Galaxy Watch 4, a new Buds Controller feature allows you to toggle between ambient sound and active noise cancellation alongside battery level info and an option for disabling touch controls — all right on your wrist. 

As always, Samsung is making big promises about call quality on the Galaxy Buds 2. The company says the combination of machine learning, a three-mic setup per earbud (two beamforming) and a voice pickup unit (VPU) "maximizes call clarity in all conditions." This is something we'll have to test the merits of ourselves as claims of pristine call quality can vary widely from the real-world results. 

Samsung says the Galaxy Buds 2 will last up to five hours with ANC on and up to 7.5 hours with noise cancellation turned off. The case holds three additional charges and can power up wirelessly via Qi-certified accessories. The earbuds are also equipped with a quick-charge feature that will give you an hour of non-ANC play time in five minutes. 

The Galaxy Buds 2 will be available August 27th for $149.99 in white, grey, green and light purple. 

Follow all of the news from Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event right here!

It’s been more than three years since 1Password released its last major update for Mac. That’s not to say the company has been idle. Far from it, in fact, but macOS users haven’t had a significant refresh to look forward to until now. Following early access previews on Linux and Windows, you can now try 1Password 8, the latest version of the company’s desktop app, on Mac. The update brings with it a host of improvements to the password manager.       

One of the first things you’ll notice is how categories have moved from the sidebar to a dropdown menu you can access from below the search bar. 1Password co-founder David Teare told Engadget that’s a decision the company made to highlight different accounts and vaults without forcing users to access a separate mode. 

A goal the developer set out for itself when it started work on 1Password 8 was to make the app better at highlighting all the ways you can share different vaults and login credentials between family members and co-workers. You’ll see that approach reflected throughout the app, starting with when you first open it.

1Password

The lock screen now includes icons that display what accounts you will open. Moreover, once you’re in the main interface, you’ll see more contextual information throughout. For example, when you’re about to move a login, a pop-up window will appear to tell you who will gain access to that information as a result.

With the emphasis on sharing, 1Password is doubling down on paid memberships. While the writing has been on the wall for a while, 1Password 8 won't allow you to sync your accounts and vaults over Dropbox, iCloud or any other services aside from 1Password. According to Teare, the company decided to discontinue support for third-party syncing for a handful of reasons. “It’s hard to do sharing using a platform for syncing that doesn’t have a concept of other users,” he said. 

1Password

One of the other goals 1Password set for itself with this new app was to keep things familiar. However, there are areas where the company experimented. It’s most apparent in the new Watchtower view. That section of the software will still warn you if you have weak, reused and compromised passwords, but will do so using a new dashboard view that’s similar to how competitors like Dashlane and LastPass present the information in their products. Teare said 1Password debated making Watchtower the first screen you see after opening 1Password 8 but ultimately decided that was “too big of a jump for one release.” However, he noted the updated Watchtower represents a new direction for 1Password, one where the company has the capabilities to allow its designers to tweak things more freely.

In a way, that’s the unifying theme of 1Password 8. It’s a significant milestone for 1Password not because of the new features involved but due to the work the company did behind the scenes to put systems in place for future releases. “With 1Password 8, we really wanted to tie everything together,” Teare said. Previously, the company had separate teams working on its different apps, with little in the way of shared code and resources between them. To help them work together, 1Password built a common code base using Rust, a programming language Teare said allowed the company to create a more cohesive experience across its apps while still catering to what makes each operating system different.

1Password

The way 1Password 8 works in conjunction with Safari is one example of that. You’ll now see the browser extension open inline with the username and password field on a website. If you have the app configured to handle two-factor authentication requests for you, it will also automatically fill that field once you get to it.

Once it's done testing the app, 1Password expects to release 1Password 8 for Mac and Windows later this year. According to Teare, the company also plans to bring the improved experience to Android, iPhone and iPad users "in the near future."     

As summer comes to a close, for the tech launch calendar we’re getting into new iPhone season. Before we even know, officially, what Apple will reveal, the question I’m always asked by friends, family and readers returns: Is it worth upgrading to the new iPhone?

I don’t know yet. Hah. The rumors, however, converge on hardware changes to the iPhone screen, which will probably arrive in the same sizes we saw on the iPhone 12 series. — something noted in Bloomberg’s latest report.

We might get always-on screen tech, utilizing a battery-efficient 120Hz display that should look smooth, while offering information and notifications on a lock screen without having to wake the iPhone up. Otherwise, so far at least, we expecting refinements to software-based camera features, a (predictably) faster mobile chip and perhaps stronger MagSafe magnets to keep your peripherals locked on. 

We’ll have to wait and see how much the rumors get right — will Apple call it the iPhone 13? 

Before all that, however, it's Samsung's day in the spotlight. Its Galaxy Unpacked event kicks off later this morning. We'll be streaming the full event, with analysis right after it wraps. It all kicks off at 9:40AM ET — join us on YouTube right here.

-Mat Smith

Xiaomi’s robot dog looks like a beefier version of Spot.

Watch out Boston Dynamics.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi has today announced the CyberDog, an open-source quadruped robot intended for developers to “build upon” and create applications for. Xiaomi says that this technology is good enough to enable CyberDog to follow its owner and navigate around obstacles. It is also capable of identifying posture and tracking human faces, enabling it to pick out and track individuals in a group. The path to mainstream robotics is paved with ‘dogs’ and humanoids that didn’t quite work out and for now, rather than selling this as a general-sale product, the company will produce 1,000 Cyberdogs for “Xiaomi fans, engineers and robotics enthusiasts.” Continue reading.

AMC theaters will start accepting Bitcoin this year

The chain’s newest shareholders are enthusiastic about crypto.

AMC announced that it will accept Bitcoin as payment for tickets and snacks at all US theaters by the end of 2021. Company chief Adam Aron didn't say how you'd make those payments, but he did hint that AMC was also researching other ways it could join the "burgeoning cryptocurrency universe." Continue reading.

Google removes Bluetooth from its Titan security keys

All-NFC keys.

Google

Google is streamlining its security key family. The search giant will now only offer two editions; one with USB-A and USB-C, both of which will pack NFC to enable it to be used by most mobile devices. That should reduce any confusion that would-be purchasers had with the current lineup, where some models didn’t work contactlessly. Continue reading

Xiaomi's Mi Mix 4 packs an under-screen selfie camera

The first smartphone with a Snapdragon 888+ processor.

Xiaomi

If it’s not robot dogs, it’s another smartphone. The Mi Mix 4 is Xiaomi’s slimmest ceramic unibody smartphone yet, with a 6.67-inch 2,400 x 1,080 screen that hides a 20-megapixel selfie camera underneath the glass. Notably, the patch that hides the camera has the same 400ppi density as the rest of the panel, albeit with smaller pixels and transparent circuitry. In-screen cameras usually offer sub-par photos and often stand out from the rest of the smartphone screen, due to reduced pixel density. Xiaomi might have solved that issue, but we’ll have to see it in person to confirm. It’s the dawn of hidden selfie cameras, and Xiaomi and Oppo are leading the pack. Continue reading.

NYPD secretly spent $159 million on surveillance tech

The department paid millions for facial recognition, vans equipped with X-ray machines and more.

The New York City Police Department has spent over $159 million on surveillance systems and maintenance since 2007 without public oversight, according to newly released documents. As reported by Wired, The Legal Aid Society (LAS) and the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP) obtained the documents from the NYPD, which include contracts with vendors.

The NYPD made the purchases through a Special Expenses Fund, which meant it didn't need to gain the approval of the NYC Council or other city officials before signing the contracts. Continue reading.

All the news you might have missed

Parallels 17 promises better M1 Mac performance and Windows 11 support

Samsung's new 5-nanometer chip is designed for smartwatches

Retro Games is making a mini version of the Amiga 500

Engadget Deals: Apple's Mac Mini M1 is back down to $600 at Amazon

'The Green Knight' will be available to stream August 18th for one night only

Idris Elba will play Knuckles in 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2'

Facebook caught a marketing firm paying influencers to criticize COVID-19 vaccines

Apple has settled its 2019 lawsuit with Corellium, a company that build virtual iOS devices used security researchers to find bugs in iPhones and other iOS devices, the Washington Post has reported. The terms of the settlement weren't disclosed, but the agreement comes after Apple suffered a major court loss in the dispute in late 2020.

Corellium’s software allows users to run virtual iPhones on a computer browser, giving them deep access to iOS without the need for a physical device. In addition to accusing Corellium of infringing on its copyright, Apple said the company was selling its product indiscriminately, thereby compromising the platform’s security.

Specifically, Apple accused the company of selling its products to governments that could have probed its products for flaws. When he was employed by another company, Corellium co-founder David Wang helped the FBI unlock an iPhone used by a terrorist responsible for the San Bernardino attacks. 

However, a judge dismissed the copyright claims, calling them "puzzling, if not disingenuous." He wrote in his ruling that “the Court finds that Corellium has met its burden of establishing fair use," adding that its use of iOS in that context was permissible. 

Corellium started offering its platform to individual subscribers earlier this year, after previously only making it available to enterprise users. Each request for access is vetted individually so that it won't fall into the wrong hands for malicious purposes, according to the company. 

T-Mobile has launched a pilot offering fiber optic home internet service in New York City, according to a report from T-Mo confirmed by The Verge. It's testing the service in select Manhattan residential buildings, offering 940Mbps upload and download speeds along with a WiFi 6 router, according to the company's new fiber product page. 

It's using a third-party provider's fiber rather than its own lines and running the program on a "very limited pilot," the company told The Verge. It added that it would offer more information "when and if" it rolls out more widely. 

The fiber service is being marketed alongside T-Mobile's 5G wireless home internet launched in April. T-Mobile said that service would deliver average download speeds greater than 100Mbps for most new customers, with a minimum 50Mbps speeds. The service is available for around $60 per month to 30 million Americans across 49 states (not including Alaska), and the company recently told investors it was on track to sign 500,000 customers by the end of 2021. 

The fiber offering is a new twist, though it's not clear how widespread T-Mobile plans to go with it. We've also yet to learn pricing, but rival Verizon charges around $80 per month for similar speeds with its Fios service. 

Pokémon Go developer Niantic Labs has acquired Scaniverse, the company announced on Tuesday. According to creator Keith Ito, the iOS 3D scanning app will remain available on the App Store, with all the features previously part of its $17 annual subscription now included for free. What’s more, Niantic will continue to support the software with future feature updates.

Much like its other recent acquisition, it sounds like Niantic hopes Scaniverse will help in its goal to build a 3D map of the world. As part of the deal, Ito will join the company's augmented reality engineering team. “Together, we plan on taking 3D scanning to new heights by combining Niantic’s dynamic mapping with Scaniverse’s LiDAR reconstruction,” he said.

Meanwhile, the company notes, “Scaniverse will make multi-OS scanning easier and more accessible to the Niantic Explorer community who contribute to this effort every day.” It says that will allow it to create more immersive AR experiences in Pokémon Go, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and its upcoming games.

If the Mac Mini with Apple's M1 chip has been on your radar as your next desktop machine, it's worth checking out the latest deal on the system. The base model with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM is once again available for $600 on Amazon. That's $100 off the regular price. The discount includes a $49 coupon that's automatically applied at checkout.

Buy Apple Mac Mini (256GB) at Amazon - $600

The Mac Mini is perhaps the most cost-effective way to get your hands on an M1-powered system at the minute. The M1 is a powerful chip designed by Apple that can handle most day-to-day tasks with ease and speed. The chip boasts an eight-core CPU (with four performance and four efficiency cores) and an eight-core GPU. There's also an 16-core Neural Engine to handle machine learning tasks.

The system runs on macOS Big Sur and you'll be able to upgrade to the latest version of the operating system, Monterey. On the connectivity front, there are two Thunderbolt ports and a pair of USB-A ports, along with HDMI 2.0, WiFi 6 and gigabit Ethernet support. There's a 3.5mm headphone jack too.

Unlike with an M1 MacBook or iMac, you'll need to connect your own display, keyboard and mouse, which might not leave a lot of space among those ports for other peripherals. You won't be able to upgrade the storage or RAM either. However, the base Mac Mini should still be capable enough for many users.

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

Xiaomi has today announced the CyberDog, an open-source quadruped robot intended for developers to “build upon” and create applications for. The machine, which resembles a beefier version of Boston Dynamics’ Spot, is a showcase for Xiaomi’s engineering know-how, including its proprietary servo motors.

Xiaomi

Running the show is a version of NVIDIA’s Jetson Xavier NX, which has been dubbed the world’s smallest AI supercomputer. In terms of being able to experience the world, CyberDog has 11 sensors over its body, including touch and ultrasonic sensors, cameras and GPS to help it “interact with its environment.”

Xiaomi says that this technology is good enough to enable CyberDog to follow its owner and navigate around obstacles. It is also capable of identifying posture and tracking human faces, enabling it to pick out and track individuals in a group.

XIaomi

Rather than selling this as a general-sale product, the company is for now going to release 1,000 of these things to “Xiaomi fans, engineers and robotics enthusiasts to jointly explore the immense possibility of CyberDog.” This will be facilitated by an open-source community, hosted by Xiaomi, which may be followed by the construction of a robotics laboratory to lay a pathway for “future innovations.”

Of course, this thing isn’t cheap, and those folks willing to get involved will need to shell out 9,999 yuan or around $1,540 to get one of these for themselves.