All the News that Matters

• Ubuntu 25.10 FFmpeg Critical Memory Issues Denial of Service USN-7982-1
  Several security issues were fixed in FFmpeg.

• Critical Fix for Race Condition in Fedora 42 Chromium CVE-2026-1220
  Update to 144.0.7559.96 * CVE-2026-1220: Race in V8

• Fedora 42 curl Severity Important TLS Fix for CVE-2025-14017
  fix broken TLS options for threaded LDAPS (CVE-2025-14017)

• Fedora 42 FreeRDP Update 3.21.0 Addresses Serious Heap Buffer Overflow
  Update to 3.21.0

• Fedora 42 Assimp Critical Heap Overflow Fix CVE-2025-11277 2026-7069f6c1c8
  Backport fix for CVE-2025-11277.

• Fedora 42 harfbuzz Critical Fix for Null Pointer CVE-2026-22693
  Backport security fix for CVE-2026-22693 (fix RHBZ#2429278)

• TUXEDO Computers Unveils Intel-Powered InfinityBook Max 15 Gen10 Linux Laptop
  Linux hardware vendor TUXEDO Computers unveiled today the Intel variant of the InfinityBook Max 15 Linux-powered laptop, which was previously only available for purchase with an AMD processor.

• Transmission 4.1 BitTorrent Client Released With Performance Improvements
  Transmission 4.1 BitTorrent client is out with faster downloads, lower CPU usage, improved IPv6 support, and hundreds of fixes.

• Proton 10.0-4 Released with Support for Drop Dead: The Cabin, Quantum Threshold
  Valve released today an updated Proton 10 version, Proton 10.0-4, as the latest stable release of this open-source compatibility tool for Steam Play based on Wine and additional components for playing Windows games on Linux.

• Updated Linux Patches For Managing Out-Of-Memory Behavior Via BPF
  Being worked on since last year by Google engineer Roman Gushchin was the latest attempt for the Linux kernel to support managing the out-of-memory "OOM" behavior using BPF programs. It's been a while since there has been anything new to report on that front but published overnight is the latest iteration of those patches...

• Solseek TUI Package Manager Is Now Officially Available in Solus
  Solus has added Solseek to its stable repositories, bringing a fast, keyboard-driven TUI package manager to users.

• Succession: Linux kernel community gets continuity plan for post-Linus era
  Conclave doc outlines path to eternal releasesThe Linux kernel project has finally answered one of the biggest questions gripping the community: what happens if Linus Torvalds is no longer able to lead it?…

• Godot 4.6 Open-Source Game Engine Released With Workflow Improvements
  Godot 4.6, a free and open-source game engine, is out with improvements to the editor, performance optimizations, and usability enhancements across everyday game development tasks.

• ASRock Rack PAUL PCIe IPMI Card Sees DT Patches For The Mainline Linux Kernel
  ASRock Rack's PAUL is a low-profile PCIe IPMI card built around the widely-used ASPEED AST2500 controller for providing IPMI/BMC capabilities for any platform. New patches provide mainline Linux kernel support for ASRock Rack PAUL with the necessary Device Tree bits...

• Dabao Evaluation Board to Showcase Open-RTL Baochip-1x RISC-V MCU
  Baochip has previewed the Baochip-1x, a mostly open RTL, RISC-V–based microcontroller fabricated on TSMC’s 22 nm process. Designed with openness and verifiability in mind, the MCU integrates a VexRiscv application core running at up to 350 MHz, alongside a quad-core I/O accelerator cluster clocked at 700 MHz. The Baochip-1x uses a VexRiscv RV32IMAC processor with […]

• Just the Browser is just the beginning: Why breaking free means building small
  Privacy tools are a start, but real freedom lives in the digital outskirts of the webOpinion The Net is born free, but everywhere is in chains. This is a parody of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 1762 book The Social Contract where he said the same about humans, but it's nonetheless true. The Net is built out of open, free protocols and open, free code. Yet it and we are bound by the rulemakers who build the services and set the laws of the places we go and the things that we do, not to our advantage.…

• Seven Years After, Stallman Is Still Stallman
  Nearly seven years after Richard Stallman left MIT under pressure and resigned the presidency of the Free Software Foundation he founded, he’s back on a U.S. campus giving a talk that is pure RMS — and fundraising for FSF in the process.

• GParted 1.8 Partition Editor Improves FAT Handling
  GParted 1.8 partition editor is out with multiple crash fixes, improved FAT handling, and safer file system copying.

• How one developer used Claude to build a memory-safe extension of C
  Robin Rowe talks about coding, programming education, and China in the age of AIfeature TrapC, a memory-safe version of the C programming language, is almost ready for testing.…

• AMD Radeon Linux Driver Introduces Low-Latency Video Decode Option
  AMD's RadeonSI Gallium3D driver for next quarter's Mesa 26.1 release is introducing a new low-latency video decode mode. This lower-latency video decoding comes with a trade-off of increased GPU power consumption...

• How to Make Persistent Changes to Docker Images Instantly
  Learn how docker commit captures changes in a running container, make it persistent and create new images without altering the original Docker image.

• Challenger+ T3217 Packages 8-bit ATtiny3217 in a Compact, Battery-Ready Board
  The Challenger+ T3217 is a compact development board based on Microchip’s ATtiny3217, combining the tinyAVR 1-series platform with a small, battery-ready form factor for low-power embedded applications. The board is based on the ATtiny3217, an 8-bit AVR microcontroller running at up to 20 MHz from its internal oscillator. It integrates 32 KB of Flash, 2 […]

• KDE Plasma 6.6 beta ships a login manager that won't log in without systemd
  Bad luck, BSDs – although alternatives still workKDE Plasma 6.6 is approaching, and one of its more controversial changes is a new login screen that depends on systemd – meaning that it won't work on the non-Linux operating systems KDE still nominally supports.…

• Intel Panther Lake / Arc B390 Linux Benchmarks Still Coming
  Ahead of tomorrow's official availability of new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" laptops, the review embargo lifted on Panther Lake and its much anticipated Arc B390 graphics. There have been several Windows 11 reviews of Panther Lake out today, but what about Linux?..

• GParted 1.8 Open-Source Partition Editor Released with Many Enhancements
  GParted 1.8 has been released today as the latest stable version of this open-source partition editor software, which addresses several bugs to improve support for various filesystems.

• Revisiting The Linux 6.19 Performance With "NEXT_BUDDY" Now Disabled
  Back at the start of the Linux 6.19 kernel cycle I ran benchmarks showing some scheduler performance regressions with the new kernel. Fortunately, two weeks out from the Linux 6.19 stable release, merged this weekend was disabling the scheduler's NEXT_BUDDY feature due to performance regressions. Here are some fresh benchmarks looking at the latest Linux 6.19 Git state with/without NEXT_BUDDY and comparing it to Linux 6.18 stable for reference.

• Android's Full Desktop Mode Surfaces in Accidental Chromium Leak
  A bug report filed on the Chromium Issue Tracker inadvertently exposed Google's desktop Android interface for the first time, revealing a system codenamed "Aluminum OS" running on existing Chromebook hardware. The report, ostensibly about Chrome Incognito tabs, included screen captures from an HP Elite Dragonfly 13.5 Chromebook running Android 16. The status bar has been redesigned for large screens -- taller than the tablet version, displaying time with seconds, date, battery, Wi-Fi, a notification bell, keyboard language indicator and a Gemini icon. The taskbar remains identical to the current implementation, though the mouse cursor now features a subtle tail. Chrome's interface includes an Extensions button, a feature currently exclusive to the desktop browser. Window controls mirror ChromeOS, placing minimize, fullscreen, and close buttons at the top-right.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• 'Clawdbot' Has AI Techies Buying Mac Minis
  An open-source AI agent originally called Clawdbot (now renamed Moltbot) is gaining cult popularity among developers for running locally, 24/7, and wiring itself into calendars, messages, and other personal workflows. The hype has gone so far that some users are buying Mac Minis just to host the agent full-time, even as its creator warns that's unnecessary. Business Insider reports: Founded by [creator Peter Steinberger], it's an AI agent that manages "digital life," from emails to home automation. Steinberger previously founded PSPDFKit. In a key distinction from ChatGPT and many other popular AI products, the agent is open source and runs locally on your computer. Users then connect the agent to a messaging app like WhatsApp or Telegram, where they can give it instructions via text. The AI agent was initially named after the "little monster" that appears when you restart Claude Code, Steinberger said on the "Insecure Agents" podcast. He formed the tool around the question: "Why don't I have an agent that can look over my agents?" [...] It runs locally on your computer 24/7. That's led some people to brush off their old laptops. "Installed it experimentally on my old dusty Intel MacBook Pro," one product designer wrote. "That machine finally has a purpose again." Others are buying up Mac Minis, Apple's 5"-by-5" computer, to run the AI. Logan Kilpatrick, a product manager for Google DeepMind, posted: "Mac mini ordered." It could give a sales boost to Apple, some X users have pointed out -- and online searches for "Mac Mini" jumped in the last 4 days in the US, per Google Trends. But Steinberger said buying a new computer just to run the AI isn't necessary. "Please don't buy a Mac Mini," he wrote. "You can deploy this on Amazon's Free Tier."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Amazon Cuts Another 16,000 Jobs
  Amazon announced on Wednesday that it is eliminating approximately 16,000 roles across the company as part of organizational changes that began in October 2025 and are only now being finalized by certain teams. Senior Vice President Beth Galetti shared the news in a memo to employees, framing the reductions as an effort to reduce layers, increase ownership, and remove bureaucracy. The memo follows another memo that the company accidentally sent to employees.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Asteroid 2024 YR4 Has a 4% Chance of Hitting the Moon
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Universe Today: There's a bright side to every situation. In 2032, the Moon itself might have a particularly bright side if it is blasted by a 60-meter-wide asteroid. The chances of such an event are still relatively small (only around 4%), but non-negligible. And scientists are starting to prepare both for the bad (massive risks to satellites and huge meteors raining down on a large portion of the planet) and the good (a once in a lifetime chance to study the geology, seismology, and chemical makeup of our nearest neighbor). A new paper from Yifan He of Tsinghua University and co-authors, released in pre-print form on arXiv, looks at the bright side of all of the potential interesting science we can do if a collision does, indeed, happen. If Asteroid 2024 YR4 were to hit the Moon, researchers would be able to watch a large lunar impact unfold in real time and collect data on extreme collisions that usually exist only in computer models. Telescopes could follow how a newly formed crater and its pool of molten rock cool and solidify, while the resulting moonquake would offer a clearer picture of its internal structure via the seismic waves it sends through the Moon. Furthermore, researchers could compare the fresh crater to older ones to improve our understanding of the Moon's long history of impacts. Debris blasted off the surface could even deliver small lunar samples to Earth. Altogether, it would be a once-in-a-generation chance to learn more about how the Moon/rocky worlds respond to powerful impacts.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Ancient Martian Beach Discovered, Providing New Clues To Planet's Habitability
  alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org: New findings from NASA's Perseverance rover have revealed evidence of wave-formed beaches and rocks altered by subsurface water in a Martian crater that once held a vast lake -- considerably expanding the timeline for potential habitability at this ancient site. In an international study led by Imperial College London, researchers uncovered that the so-called 'Margin unit' in Mars's Jezero crater preserves evidence of extensive underground interactions between rock and water, as well as the first definitive traces of an ancient shoreline. These are compelling indicators that habitable, surface water conditions persisted in the crater (home to a large lake around 3.5 billion years ago) further back in time than previously thought. "Shorelines are habitable environments on Earth, and the carbonate minerals that form here can naturally seal in and preserve information about the ancient environment," said lead author Alex Jones, a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering (ESE) at Imperial. The findings have been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Amazon Inadvertently Announces Cloud Unit Layoffs In Email To Employees
  Amazon appears to have prematurely acknowledged layoffs inside AWS after an internal email referencing "organizational changes" and "impacted colleagues" was mistakenly sent to cloud employees. CNBC reports: "Changes like this are hard on everyone," Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president of applied AI solutions at Amazon Web Services, wrote in an email viewed by CNBC. "These decisions are difficult and are made thoughtfully as we position our organization and AWS for future success." The note also references a post from Amazon's HR boss Beth Galetti and said the company notified "impacted colleagues in our organization." The subject of the email mentions "Project Dawn," and the email says it was "canceled," possibly indicating it was recalled by the sender after the fact. It's unclear what Project Dawn refers to. The job cuts come after Amazon announced in October that it would lay off 14,000 corporate employees. At the time, the company indicated the cuts would continue in 2026 as it found "additional places we can remove layers." Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the layoffs were meant to reduce management layers and bureaucracy inside the company. He also predicted last June that efficiency gains from AI would shrink Amazon's corporate staff in the coming years.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• US Government Lost More Than 10,000 STEM PhDs Last Year
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Science.org: Some 10,109 doctoral-trained experts in science and related fields left their jobs last year as President Donald Trump dramatically shrank the overall federal workforce. That exodus was only 3% of the 335,192 federal workers who exited last year but represents 14% of the total number of Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) or health fields employed at the end of 2024 as then-President Joe Biden prepared to leave office. The numbers come from employment data posted earlier this month by the White House Office of Personnel Management (OPM). At 14 research agencies Science examined in detail, departures outnumbered new hires last year by a ratio of 11 to one, resulting in a net loss of 4224 STEM Ph.D.s. The graphs that follow show the impact is particularly striking at such scientist-rich agencies as the National Science Foundation (NSF). But across the government, these departing Ph.D.s took with them a wealth of subject matter expertise and knowledge about how the agencies operate. [...] Science's analysis found that reductions in force, or RIFs, accounted for relatively few departures in 2025. Only at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where 16% of the 519 STEM Ph.D.s who left last year got pink RIF slips, did the percentage exceed 6%, and some agencies reported no STEM Ph.D. RIFs in 2025. At most agencies, the most common reasons for departures were retirements and quitting. Although OPM classifies many of these as voluntary, outside forces including the fear of being fired, the lure of buyout offers, or a profound disagreement with Trump policies, likely influenced many decisions to leave. Many Ph.D.s departed because their position was terminated.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Apple Updates iOS 12 For the First Time Since 2023
  Apple quietly released its first update to iOS 12 since 2023 to keep iMessage, FaceTime, and device activation working on older hardware through January 2027. The update applies to legacy devices like the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6/6 Plus, and 2013-era iPads. Macworld reports: The update appears to be related to a specific issue. According to Apple's "About iOS 12 Updates" page, iOS 12.5.78 "extends the certificate required by features such as iMessage, FaceTime, and device activation to continue working after January 2027." Meanwhile, the iOS 16 update says it "provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all users." When iOS 13 arrived, it dropped compatibility for the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the 2013 iPad Air and iPad Mini 3, so users of those phones should specifically take note. To update to the latest version, head over to the Settings app, then General and Software Update, and follow the instructions. Further reading: Apple Launches AirTag 2 With Improved Range, Louder Speaker
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Scientists Launch AI DinoTracker App That Identifies Dinosaur Footprints
  Scientists have released DinoTracker, a free AI-powered app that identifies dinosaur footprints by analyzing shape patterns rather than relying on potentially flawed historical labels. "When we find a dinosaur footprint, we try to do the Cinderella thing and find the foot that matches the slipper," said Prof Steve Brusatte, a co-author of the work. "But it's not so simple, because the shape of a dinosaur footprint depends not only on the shape of the dinosaur's foot but also the type of sand or mud it was walking through, and the motion of its foot." The Guardian reports: [...] Brusatte, [Dr Gregor Hartmann, the first author of the new research from Helmholtz-Zentrum in Germany] and colleagues fed their AI system with 2,000 unlabelled footprint silhouettes. The system then determined how similar or different the imprints were from each other by analysing a range of features it identified as meaningful. The researchers discovered these eight features reflected variations in the imprints' shapes, such as the spread of the toes, amount of ground contact and heel position. The team have turned the system into a free app called DinoTracker that allows users to upload the silhouette of a footprint, explore the seven other footprints most similar to it and manipulate the footprint to see how varying the eight features can affect which other footprints are deemed most similar. Hartmann said that at present experts had to double check if factors such as the material the footprints were made in, and their age, matched the scientific hypothesis, but the system clustered prints with those expected from classifications made by human experts about 90% of the time. The findings have been published in the journal PNAS.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• SoundCloud Data Breach Impacts 29.8 Million Accounts
  A data breach at SoundCloud exposed information tied to 29.8 million user accounts, according to Have I Been Pwned. While SoundCloud says no passwords or financial data were accessed, attackers mapped email addresses to public profile data and later attempted extortion. BleepingComputer reports: The company confirmed the breach on December 15, following widespread reports from users who were unable to access SoundCloud and saw 403 "Forbidden" errors when connecting via VPN. SoundCloud told BleepingComputer at the time that it had activated its incident response procedures after detecting unauthorized activity involving an ancillary service dashboard. "We understand that a purported threat actor group accessed certain limited data that we hold," SoundCloud said. "We have completed an investigation into the data that was impacted, and no sensitive data (such as financial or password data) has been accessed. The data involved consisted only of email addresses and information already visible on public SoundCloud profiles." While SoundCloud didn't provide further details regarding the incident, BleepingComputer learned that the breach affected 20% of all SoundCloud users, roughly 28 million accounts based on publicly reported user figures (SoundCloud later published a security notice confirming the information provided by BleepingComputer's sources). After the breach, BleepingComputer also learned that the ShinyHunters extortion gang was responsible for the attack, with sources saying that the threat group was also attempting to extort SoundCloud. This was confirmed by SoundCloud in a January 15 update, which said the threat actors had "made demands and deployed email flooding tactics to harass users, employees, and partners."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Supreme Court To Decide How 1988 Videotape Privacy Law Applies To Online Video
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The Supreme Court is taking up a case on whether Paramount violated the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) by disclosing a user's viewing history to Facebook. The case, Michael Salazar v. Paramount Global, hinges on the law's definition of the word "consumer." Salazar filed a class action against Paramount in 2022, alleging that it "violated the VPPA by disclosing his personally identifiable information to Facebook without consent," Salazar's petition to the Supreme Court said. Salazar had signed up for an online newsletter through 247Sports.com, a site owned by Paramount, and had to provide his email address in the process. Salazar then used 247Sports.com to view videos while logged in to his Facebook account. "As a result, Paramount disclosed his personally identifiable information -- including his Facebook ID and which videos he watched—to Facebook," the petition (PDF) said. "The disclosures occurred automatically because of the Facebook Pixel Paramount installed on its website. Facebook and Paramount then used this information to create and display targeted advertising, which increased their revenues." The 1988 law (PDF) defines consumer as "any renter, purchaser, or subscriber of goods or services from a video tape service provider." The phrase "video tape service provider" is defined to include providers of "prerecorded video cassette tapes or similar audio visual materials," and thus arguably applies to more than just sellers of tapes. The legal question for the Supreme Court "is whether the phrase 'goods or services from a video tape service provider,' as used in the VPPA's definition of 'consumer,' refers to all of a video tape service provider's goods or services or only to its audiovisual goods or services," Salazar's petition said. The Supreme Court granted his petition (PDF) to hear the case in a list of orders released yesterday. [...] SCOTUSblog says that "the case will likely be scheduled for oral argument in the court's 2026-27 term," which begins in October 2026.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• OpenAI Releases Prism, a Claude Code-Like App For Scientific Research
  OpenAI has launched Prism, a free scientific research app that aims to do for scientific writing what coding agents did for programming. Engadget reports: Prism builds on Crixet, a cloud-based LaTeX platform the company is announcing it acquired today. For the uninitiated, LaTeX is a typesetting system for formatting scientific documents and journals. Nearly the entire scientific community relies on LaTeX, but it can make some tasks, such as drawing diagrams through TikZ commands, time-consuming to do. Beyond that, LaTeX is just one of the software tools a scientist might turn to when preparing to publish their research. That's where Prism comes into the picture. Like Crixet before it, the app offers robust LaTeX editing and a built-in AI assistant. Where previously it was Crixet's own Chirp agent, now it's GPT-5.2 Thinking. OpenAI's model can help with more than just formatting journals -- in a press demo, an OpenAI employee used it to find and incorporate scientific literature that was relevant to the paper they were working on, with GPT-5.2 automating the process of writing the bibliography. [...] Later in the same demo, the OpenAI employee used Prism to generate a lesson plan for a graduate course on general relativity, as well as a set of problems for students to solve. OpenAI envisions these features helping scientists and professors spend less time on the more tedious tasks in their professions.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Amazon To Pay $309 Million To US Shoppers In Settlement Over Returns
  Amazon has agreed to pay $309 million and provide additional remedies in a class-action settlement over claims that customers were wrongly denied refunds after returning items. Plaintiffs say (PDF) the deal delivers over $1 billion in total value, including more than $600 million in refunds and operational changes. Reuters reports: Amazon denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement. "Following an internal review in 2025, we identified a small subset of returns where we issued a refund without the payment completing, or where we could not verify that the correct item had been sent back to us, so no refund had been issued," an Amazon spokesperson said, adding that the company had taken steps to resolve the issue. The lawsuit, filed in 2023, said Amazon caused "substantial unjustified monetary losses" for consumers who in some instances properly returned an item but were still charged for it. In a court filing, Amazon said customers accepted the terms of the company's return policies, including the possibility they would be recharged for failing to return the product within a specified time frame. The proposed settlement class covers U.S. purchasers of goods on Amazon from September 2017 who allegedly did not receive timely or correct refunds, or who were later charged despite returning items. Class members are expected to recover the full amount of any incorrectly denied refund or retrocharge, plus interest, the plaintiffs told the court.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Internal Messages May Doom Meta At Social Media Addiction Trial
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: This week, the first high-profile lawsuit -- considered a "bellwether" case that could set meaningful precedent in the hundreds of other complaints -- goes to trial. That lawsuit documents the case of a 19-year-old, K.G.M, who hopes the jury will agree that Meta and YouTube caused psychological harm by designing features like infinite scroll and autoplay to push her down a path that she alleged triggered depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidality. TikTok and Snapchat were also targeted by the lawsuit, but both have settled. The Snapchat settlement came last week, while TikTok settled on Tuesday just hours before the trial started, Bloomberg reported. For now, YouTube and Meta remain in the fight. K.G.M. allegedly started watching YouTube when she was 6 years old and joined Instagram by age 11. She's fighting to claim untold damages -- including potentially punitive damages -- to help her family recoup losses from her pain and suffering and to punish social media companies and deter them from promoting harmful features to kids. She also wants the court to require prominent safety warnings on platforms to help parents be aware of the risks. [...] To win, K.G.M.'s lawyers will need to "parcel out" how much harm is attributed to each platform, due to design features, not the content that was targeted to K.G.M., Clay Calvert, a technology policy expert and senior fellow at a think tank called the American Enterprise Institute, wrote. Internet law expert Eric Goldman told The Washington Post that detailing those harms will likely be K.G.M.'s biggest struggle, since social media addiction has yet to be legally recognized, and tracing who caused what harms may not be straightforward. However, Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center and one of K.G.M.'s lawyers, told the Post that K.G.M. is prepared to put up this fight. "She is going to be able to explain in a very real sense what social media did to her over the course of her life and how in so many ways it robbed her of her childhood and her adolescence," Bergman said. The research is unclear on whether social media is harmful for kids or whether social media addiction exists, Tamar Mendelson, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told the Post. And so far, research only shows a correlation between Internet use and mental health, Mendelson noted, which could doom K.G.M.'s case and others.' However, social media companies' internal research might concern a jury, Bergman told the Post. On Monday, the Tech Oversight Project, a nonprofit working to rein in Big Tech, published a report analyzing recently unsealed documents in K.G.M.'s case that supposedly provide "smoking-gun evidence" that platforms "purposefully designed their social media products to addict children and teens with no regard for known harms to their wellbeing" -- while putting increased engagement from young users at the center of their business models. Most of the unsealed documents came from Meta. An internal email shows Mark Zuckerberg decided Meta's top strategic priority was getting teens "locked in" to Meta's family of apps. Another damning document discusses allowing "tweens" to use a private mode inspired by fake Instagram accounts ("finstas"). The same document includes an admission that internal data showed Facebook use correlated with lower well-being. Internal communications showed Meta seemingly bragging that "teens can't switch off from Instagram even if they want to" and an employee declaring, "oh my gosh yall IG is a drug," likening all social media platforms to "pushers."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Citigroup Mandates AI Training For 175,000 Employees To Help Them 'Reinvent Themselves'
  Citigroup has rolled out mandatory AI training for all 175,000 of its employees across 80 locations worldwide, a sweeping initiative that CEO Jane Fraser describes as helping workers "reinvent themselves" before the technology permanently alters what they do for a living. The $205 billion bank sent out an internal memo last year requiring staffers to learn prompting skills specifically. Fraser told the Washington Post at Davos that AI "will change the nature of what people do every day" and "will take some jobs away." The adaptive training platform lets experts complete the course in under 10 minutes while beginners need about 30 minutes. Citi reported last year that employees had entered more than 6.5 million prompts into its built-in AI tools, and Q4 2025 data shows a 70% adoption rate for the bank's proprietary AI tools.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Build the skills you need for 2026
  Mix, match, and save 35% on learning that scales—now through January 27. *Offer ends Jan 27th SAVE NOW
  
  The post Build the skills you need for 2026 appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Celebrating the Second Year of Linux Man-Pages Maintenance Sponsorship
  Sustaining a Core Part of the Linux Ecosystem The Linux Foundation has announced a second year of sponsorship for the ongoing maintenance of the Linux manual pages (man-pages) project, led by Alejandro (Alex) Colomar. This critical initiative is made possible through the continued support of Google, Hudson River Trading, and Meta, who have renewed their [0]
  
  The post Celebrating the Second Year of Linux Man-Pages Maintenance Sponsorship appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Lab Demo and Performance Insights  Part Two
  In Part One of this series, we examined how the SONiC control plane and the VPP data plane form a cohesive, software-defined routing stack through the Switch Abstraction Interface.` We outlined how SONiC’s Redis-based orchestration and VPP’s user-space packet engine come together to create a high-performance, open router architecture. In this second part, we’ll turn [0]
  
  The post Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Lab Demo and Performance Insights  Part Two appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Architecture and Integration  Part One
  The networking industry is undergoing a fundamental architectural transformation, driven by the relentless demands of cloud-scale data centers and the rise of software-defined infrastructure. At the heart of this evolution is the principle of disaggregation: the systematic unbundling of components that were once tightly integrated within proprietary, monolithic systems.` This movement began with the separation [0]
  
  The post Disaggregated Routing with SONiC and VPP: Architecture and Integration  Part One appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Kubernetes on Bare Metal for Maximum Performance
  When teams consider deploying Kubernetes, one of the first questions that arises is: where should it run? The default answer is often the public cloud, thanks to its flexibility and ease of use. However, a growing number of organizations are revisiting the advantages of running Kubernetes directly on bare metal servers. For workloads that demand [0]
  
  The post Kubernetes on Bare Metal for Maximum Performance appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• How to Deploy Lightweight Language Models on Embedded Linux with LiteLLM
  This article was contributed by Vedrana Vidulin, Head of Responsible AI Unit at Intellias (LinkedIn). As AI becomes central to smart devices, embedded systems, and edge computing, the ability to run language models locally — without relying on the cloud — is essential. Whether its for reducing latency, improving data privacy, or enabling offline functionality, local AI [0]
  
  The post How to Deploy Lightweight Language Models on Embedded Linux with LiteLLM appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Automating Compliance Management with UTMStacks Open Source SIEM 8 XDR
  Achieving and maintaining compliance with regulatory frameworks can be challenging for many organizations. Managing security controls manually often leads to excessive use of time and resources, leaving less available for strategic initiatives and business growth. Standards such as CMMC, HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC2 and GDPR demand ongoing monitoring, detailed documentation, and rigorous evidence collection. Solutions [0]
  
  The post Automating Compliance Management with UTMStacks Open Source SIEM & XDR appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• A Simple Way to Install Talos Linux on Any Machine, with Any Provider
  Talos Linux is a specialized operating system designed for running Kubernetes. First and foremost it handles full lifecycle management for Kubernetes control-plane components. On the other hand, Talos Linux focuses on security, minimizing the user’s ability to influence the system. A distinctive feature of this OS is the near-complete absence of executables, including the absence [0]
  
  The post A Simple Way to Install Talos Linux on Any Machine, with Any Provider appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Using OpenTelemetry and the OTel Collector for Logs, Metrics, and Traces
  OpenTelemetry (fondly known as OTel) is an open-source project that provides a unified set of APIs, libraries, agents, and instrumentation to capture and export logs, metrics, and traces from applications. The project’s goal is to standardize observability across various services and applications, enabling better monitoring and troubleshooting. Read More at Causely
  
  The post Using OpenTelemetry and the OTel Collector for Logs, Metrics, and Traces appeared first on Linux.com.
  

• Project Tazama, A Project Hosted by LF Charities With Support From the Gates Foundation, Receives Digital Public Good Designation.
  Exciting news! The Tazama project is officially a Digital Public Good having met the criteria to be accepted to the Digital Public Goods Alliance ! Tazama is a groundbreaking open source software solution for real-time fraud prevention, and offers the first-ever open source platform dedicated to enhancing fraud management in digital payments. Historically, the financial [0]
  
  The post Project Tazama, A Project Hosted by LF Charities With Support From the Gates Foundation, Receives Digital Public Good Designation. appeared first on Linux.com.
  

Engadget"Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics"

• Apple TV offers first look at Ted Lasso season 4
  Last year fans of Ted Lasso received the good news that the show would be returning for a fourth season, despite having referred to its third season as its "final" one. Now Apple TV has shared some still images and further confirmation that production is underway.
  
  As first shared by The A.V. Club, this latest batch of still images depicts the eponymous coach back in action, this time coaching a women’s soccer team. A description of the upcoming season shared with the outlet reads, “In season four, Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.”
  
  The images also feature returning cast members such as Hannah Waddingham, who plays Greyhounds owner Rebecca Welton, and Annette Badland, who plays pub owner Mae Green. Also shown are newcomers Grant Feely as Ted9s son and Tanya Reynolds as an assistant coach.
  
  Apple shared that the show is returning this summer, but no specific date has been announced.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-tv-offers-first-look-at-ted-lasso-season-4-141538177.html?src=rss

• Get the Disney+ and Hulu bundle for one month for only $10
  The peak time for deals on streaming services — the holiday shopping season — has come and gone, but Disney is back with a fresh offer for the new year. New and eligible returning subscribers can get one month of the ad-supported Disney+ Hulu bundle for just $10. That9s $3 off the usual monthly rate for the bundle, and more than 58 percent off if you consider the prices for each service individually (Disney+ at $12 per month and, separately, Hulu also at $12 per month).
  
  We9d be remiss if we didn9t mention that this isn9t quite as good as the Black Friday deal we saw last year, which offered the same bundle for $5 per month for one year. However, if you missed that offer or just want to try out Disney+ and Hulu for a brief period of time, this is a good way to do so.
  
  
  
  Disney+ and Hulu make one of the most balanced streaming pairs available, blending family-friendly favorites with acclaimed originals and network TV staples. Disney+ brings a vast library of animated classics, blockbuster franchises and exclusive content from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic. It’s the place to stream nearly every Star Wars film and series, plus the full Marvel Cinematic Universe lineup and Disney’s most recent theatrical releases.
  
  Hulu balances things out with a more adult-oriented lineup of current TV shows, next-day network episodes and a growing roster of award-winning originals. The platform hosts series like The Bear, The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building, alongside comedies, thrillers and documentaries that regularly feature in awards conversations. It’s also the home for next-day streaming of ABC and FX shows, making it especially useful if you’ve already cut the cable cord but still want to keep up with primetime TV.
  
  The Duo Basic bundle ties these two services together under a single subscription, offering a simple way to expand your library without juggling multiple accounts. This tier includes ads on both platforms, but the trade-off is significant savings compared with paying for each service separately. For many households, that’s an acceptable compromise when it means access to such a wide range of content.
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-the-disney-and-hulu-bundle-for-one-month-for-only-10-192814129.html?src=rss

• Snap is spinning off its AR glasses into a separate business
  Snap’s augmented reality glasses business will now be its own entity, with the company establishing Specs Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary. It will enable Snap to more easily secure investors and partnerships for its wearables, as well as to grow Specs into a distinct brand while running it within Snap Inc. As over 100 roles around the world. The new subsidiary is expected to launch Snap9s next generation of standalone AR glasses sometime this year. Company CEO Evan Spiegel previously said that the model will be lighter, have a much smaller form factor and have more capabilities than its older smartglasses, which are mostly developer-focused.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/snap-is-spinning-off-its-ar-glasses-into-a-separate-business-140000659.html?src=rss

• LinkedIn will let you show off your vibe coding expertise
  LinkedIn has long been a platform for showing off professional accomplishments. Now, the company is leaning into the rise of vibe coding by allowing users to show off their proficiency with various AI coding tools directly on their profiles.
  
  The company is partnering with Replit, Lovabl, Descript and Relay.app  on the feature and is working on integrations with fellow Microsoft-owned GitHub as well as Zapier.  LinkedIn has always allowed users to add various skills and certifications to their profiles. But what makes the latest update a bit different is that users aren9t self-reporting their own qualifications. Instead, LinkedIn is allowing the companies behind the AI tools to assess an individual9s relative skill and assign a level of proficiency that goes directly to their profile. 
  
  For example, AI app maker Lovabl could award someone a "bronze" in "vibe coding," while the platform Replit uses numerical levels and Relay.app may determine that someone is an "intermediate" level "AI Agent Builder," according to screenshots shared by LinkedIn. These levels should dynamically update as people get more experience using the relevant tools, according to LinkedIn.
  Lovabl9s vibe coding rating system.LinkedIn
  Of course, the update also comes at a time when companies have used these same kinds of AI tools to lay off thousands of workers. So while there9s may be value in showing off your vibe coding skills, there are still many workers who likely aren9t as excited about  ceding more ground to AI. When I asked, LinkedIn9s head of career products Pat Whealan about this he said that 
  
   AI-specific skills are an increasingly important signal to recruiters and the latest update will make it easier for them to assess candidates9 skills. But he added that the intention isn9t to make AI-specific skills the sole focus. "This is less about replacing any of those other existing signals, and more about showing new ways that people are doing work," he tells Engadget. "And how do we give a verifiable signal to both hirers and other people looking at their profile, that they actually are using these tools on a regular basis."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/linkedin-will-let-you-show-off-your-vibe-coding-expertise-140000776.html?src=rss

• The 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is $40 off right now
  If you9re looking to expand the storage on your Switch 2, the 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is on sale right now for 33 percent off, marked down to $80 from $120. With component prices skyrocketing these days, it9s getting increasingly rare to see good storage on sale, and 512GB for $80 is a much better deal than you9ll currently find directly from Nintendo.
  
  
  
  The P9 boasts transfer speeds of up to 800MB/s, making moving games to the card that much faster. As for load times, in our testing we found that any microSD Express, the standard the Switch 2 requires, will offer roughly the same performance. This format is pretty new, so there aren9t a ton of cards on the market. As such, the P9 makes our list of best microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2.
  
  The P9 microSD Express is also compatible with the Steam Deck or any other gaming console that accepts the format, as well as cameras and more. If you were hoping to spend a bit less, the 256GB version of Samsung9s card is on sale for $40, while this 256GB Lexar microSD Express card is on sale for $50.
  
  
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-512gb-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-is-40-off-right-now-143849385.html?src=rss

• Our first look at Google's Android for PC interface leaks in a bug report
  Last summer, Google announced that Android 16 would include a desktop interface built from Samsung DeX, a mirroring and phone integration tool for PC. Thanks to a (now permissions-restricted) bug report discovered on Google9s Issue Tracker, we have what is almost certainly a first look at the Android-on-desktop project, codenamed Aluminium OS.
  
  First spotted by 9to5Google, the bug report was about Chrome incognito tabs and included two screen recordings. The description said the recordings were from an HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. The video shows a 9chrome://version/9 page where one can see the OS listed as Android 16. 9to5Google also said the bug report listed "ALOS" as the operating system, understood to stand for Aluminium OS, along with a corresponding build number that matches the one seen in the screen recordings.
  
  The UI looks like a clear blend of ChromeOS and Android aesthetics, with an Android-style taskbar across the bottom and status bar across the top, with familiar battery and Wi-Fi indicators. The videos also show the Play Store, windowed apps, split-screen multitasking and a version of Chrome with an extensions button, which is currently only available on the desktop version. Google has yet to comment on the leak, so users may have to wait for future Android 16 updates for a more in-depth look at the upcoming desktop experience.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/our-first-look-at-googles-android-for-pc-interface-leaks-in-a-bug-report-133006008.html?src=rss

• UK wants to give web publishers a 'fairer' deal with Google's AI overviews
  The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is recommending measures to give publishers more control over how their content is used in Google’s AI overviews. The aim is to “provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organizations,” the CMA’s chief executive Sarah Cardell said in a press release.
  
  With Google accounting for more than 90 percent of search inquiries in the UK, the CMA recently designated the company with “strategic market status” for search under the Digital Market Act. That allows the regulator to apply “conduct requirements” on Google to promote competition and avoid antitrust issues.
  
  With those new powers, the CMA proposed a number of measures today. The first is a set of controls that would allow publishers to opt out of their content being used for features like AI Overviews or to train AI models. Google would also need to properly attribute publisher content.
  
  Another measure would require Google to apply fair search result rankings for businesses, with an “effective process for raising and investigating issues.” Google would also need to provide a “choice screen” for alternative search options on Android mobile and Chrome browsers.
  
  “These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google’s search services — as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy,” Cardell said in a statement.
  
  In response, Google wrote that it’s “exploring updates to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features.” The aim, it said, is to keep search helpful for people who want information quickly while allowing publishers to better manage content. “Any new controls need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people,” the company wrote, adding that it’s “optimistic” it can meet the CMA’s requirements.
  
  When its new designation was announced in October 2025, Google complained that some of the proposed interventions would inhibit UK innovation and growth. Citing a study, the company said that similar measures imposed by the European Union produced “negative results” that “have cost businesses $114 billion.”
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/uk-wants-to-give-web-publishers-a-fairer-deal-with-googles-ai-overviews-132742850.html?src=rss

• Anker's new 45W Nano charger with smart display is on sale for $10 off
  Anker introduced a nifty little charger at CES 2026, which is a refresh of the pre-existing Nano Charger. It's already on sale for $30, which is a discount of $10 when you clip the on-page coupon on Amazon.
  
  The 45W charger includes a smart display that shows real-time data like power flow, temperature and charging status. It also features "fun animations to keep things cheerful." Anker says it can recognize what's being charged and automatically adjust certain metrics to ensure a longer battery lifespan.
  
  To that end, it works with just about everything. The company advertises that this charger is a good fit for the iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and Samsung devices, among others. The new Nano Charger is on the smaller side, with dual folding prongs that rotate to fit most outlets.
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-new-45w-nano-charger-with-smart-display-is-on-sale-for-10-off-160707585.html?src=rss

• Apple Creator Studio is now available: What's included, how much it costs and what it means for creators
  Apple has been leaning harder on services for several years now. That part of the business brought in tens of billions of dollars in revenue last year alone, and the company says 2025 was a record year. With Apple Creator Studio, Apple is extending that strategy further into professional creative software.
  
  Apple Creator Studio is a new subscription bundle that packages several of the company’s pro apps under a single monthly or yearly fee. It launches on January 28 and includes a one-month free trial. The key shift is that some of these apps are now subscription-only on iPad, even as Apple continues to offer one-time purchases on the Mac – albeit with slightly different feature offerings. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple Creator Studio and the programs it includes.
  What Apple Creator Studio includes
  At its core, Apple Creator Studio gives subscribers access to Apple’s professional video, music and imaging apps. The bundle includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage. Pixelmator Pro (which Apple acquired in late 2024) is also coming to iPad for the first time, with a touch-optimized interface and Apple Pencil support.
  
  A Creator Studio subscription also unlocks premium content and features inside Apple’s productivity apps. Keynote, Pages and Numbers remain free, but subscribers get access to premium templates and themes, plus a new Content Hub with Apple-curated photos, graphics and illustrations. Similar paid features are coming to Freeform later this year, the company says.
  
  Apple is also using the bundle to introduce new “intelligence” features across several apps. In Final Cut Pro, the new Beat Detection feature can analyze a music track and show a beat grid so you can line edits up to the rhythm. The app is also getting tools like transcript search and visual search designed to make it easier to find moments across footage.
  
  Logic Pro is gaining new AI-assisted Session Players and workflow features on Mac and iPad. Pixelmator Pro continues to rely heavily on machine learning for tasks like background removal, image repair and image upscaling. Note that some of these features require an Apple Intelligence-capable device.
  Which devices are supported
  Apple Creator Studio works across multiple Apple platforms, though not every app is available everywhere.
  
  On the Mac, subscribers get access to all six apps: Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage.
  
  On the iPad, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro are included. Motion, Compressor and MainStage remain Mac-only.
  
  On the iPhone, Creator Studio does not include full versions of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro or Pixelmator Pro. Instead, it unlocks premium features and content inside Keynote, Pages and Numbers, and eventually Freeform.
  
  Apple says the best experience is on macOS 26, iPadOS 26 and iOS 26 or later, with individual app requirements varying by device and chip. 
  Apple Creator Studio apps Apple Pricing and subscription options
  Apple Creator Studio costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year, and new subscribers can try the service free for one month. College students and educators get a steep discount: the education plan costs $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year, and it also comes with a one-month free trial.
  
  A standard subscription can be shared with up to five other people using Family Sharing, allowing six users total. Education subscriptions are limited to individual use and cannot be shared. Apple is also offering three free months of Creator Studio to customers who purchase a qualifying new Mac or iPad around launch.
  
  But Creator Studio isn’t the only way you can access most of these apps. Apple says all of the major apps included in Creator Studio will continue to be available as one-time purchases on the Mac App Store.
  
  Final Cut Pro remains priced at $299.99, Logic Pro at $199.99, Pixelmator Pro at $49.99, Motion at $49.99, Compressor at $49.99 and MainStage at $29.99. Users who already own these apps can keep using them and re-download them from the App Store as usual.
  
  On the iPad, however, things are different. Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro for iPad are only available through the Creator Studio subscription. There is no standalone purchase option for those apps on iPadOS.
  
  Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform remain free for everyone to download and use. Apple says those apps will continue receiving updates, including the upcoming visual design changes tied to iOS 26 and iPadOS 26.
  
  Without a Creator Studio subscription, you can still create, edit and collaborate in those apps. What you will not get are the paid templates, Content Hub assets and certain intelligence features.
  What happens to your projects if you cancel
  Apple says projects and content you create with an active subscription remain licensed as part of your original work.
  
  Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro projects remain on your devices and can be copied or shared elsewhere. But you will need an active subscription to open or edit projects in those paid apps.
  
  Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform documents remain editable without a subscription. However, you will not be able to make new edits that rely on paid features once your subscription ends.
  Other information about the new bundle
  Apple Creator Studio also comes with some immediate trade-offs. Alongside the bundle, Apple confirmed that the older Pixelmator app for iPhone and iPad, now described as Pixelmator Classic, will no longer receive updates. Apple says it will remain functional, but development is shifting to Pixelmator Pro, including the new iPad version included with Creator Studio.
  
  But don9t expect the standalone versions of the apps to maintain feature parity with their Creator Studio counterparts. Per Apple9s FAQ, "The Apple Creator Studio version of Pixelmator Pro includes access to the Warp Tool feature," which implies that feature isn9t present on the standalone version. 
  
  More broadly, the bundle puts Apple more directly in competition with Adobe and other subscription-focused creative platforms, especially for people who are looking for a lower monthly entry point. At the same time, Apple is keeping one-time purchases on the table for Mac users, even as iPad access moves behind a subscription.
  
  Apple Creator Studio will be available January 28. Whether it makes sense will likely come down to which device you work on and whether you would otherwise pay upfront for one or more of Apple’s pro apps.
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-creator-studio-is-now-available-whats-included-how-much-it-costs-and-what-it-means-for-creators-130000182.html?src=rss

• China finally approves the first batch of NVIDIA H200 AI GPU imports
  China has agreed to import its first batch of NVIDIA’s H200 AI chips after the government initially rejected the idea, visit there last week, according to two people familiar with the matter.
  
  The US government allowed the sale of NVIDIA’s H200 processors to vetted and approved companies in China late last year. The first sales have been allocated mainly to three unnamed Chinese internet companies and the government is accepting applications for future approvals, according to the sources.
  
  NVIDIA’s most powerful AI chip, the Blackwell B200, is still restricted for export to China. Despite that, over $1 billion worth of those and other high-end NVIDIA chips made their way to China via black market sales, according to previous reports.
  
  The H200 is NVIDIA’s second most powerful AI GPU behind the B200, which is reportedly 10 times faster for some jobs. However, the H200 is still far more capable than NVIDIA’s H20, which was the only chip approved for export to China prior to the Trump administration’s H200 approval in December. Initially, China’s government rejected that chip in favor of domestically developed semiconductors.
  
  China is trying to become self-reliant for its AI chips and infrastructure, with Huawei currently offering the best processors domestically. However, AI chip experts have said NVIDIA9s tech is still far ahead of anything that Huawei or other Chinese companies can currently produce.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/china-finally-approves-the-first-batch-of-nvidia-h200-ai-gpu-imports-130000335.html?src=rss

• Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Reducing distractions while keeping your ears open
  Rarely does a set of open-fit earbuds actually impress me. I tend to find them underwhelming because overall sound quality is subpar compared to the more “traditional” in-ear models. Any promise of noise reduction, or a far-fetched claim of noise cancellation, usually doesn’t hold true. The first time I used the Shokz OpenFit Pro ($249.95) I was immediately met with better audio performance than I’d just experienced on Sony’s new LinkBuds Clip and noise reduction technology that actually lessened some distractions. These aren’t the perfect set of open earbuds, but they have a lot more to offer than most of the competition. 
  
  
  Design
  Shokz has a number of over-the-ear hook earbud designs under its belt, and they all carry the OpenFit name. That is also an apt description of these products since they all sit outside of your ear canal, which inherently allows you to remain aware of your surroundings. The company currently offers the OpenFit 2 and 2+ in addition to the OpenFit Air, at prices ranging from $120 to $200. The OpenFit Pro looks similar to its predecessors, albeit with a slightly smaller main housing and more pops of silver. Those ear hooks have a titanium wire inside and are wrapped in “ultra-soft” silicone. They’re plenty flexible and provide a secure yet comfortable fit for daily wear and workouts. 
  
  Both earbuds of the OpenFit Pro have tiny physical controls for media playback, volume adjustments, calls and noise settings. The various actions are customizable through the Shokz app. During several weeks of testing, these buttons responded quickly to my clicks and using them didn’t cause the OpenFit Pro to shift out of place. 
  
  The OpenFit Pro comes with a charging case that9s larger than most other earbuds, which is understandable since Shokz had to accommodate that ear hook. However, the case is quite flat, so it doesn’t take up too much room and easily fits in a small pocket. There’s a USB-C port around back for charging and a Bluetooth pairing button inside. The case also supports wireless charging, if your charging pad is large enough. 
  Noise reduction vs. noise cancellation
  The OpenFit Pro is the first set of Shokz earbuds with what the company calls Open-Ear Noise Reduction. This is essentially the company’s take on active noise cancellation (ANC), but it’s designed to be effective with earbuds that don’t enter your ear canals. Since your ears aren9t completely sealed off from the noise of the outside world, Shokz is limited in just how much sound it can reduce. But I’m happy to report the company’s microphone and algorithm combo is actually quite effective. 
  
  Shokz says its noise reduction works best in moderately loud environments, like offices and cafes. I’ve found the OpenFit Pro does well to reduce the distraction of constant noise sources like HVAC systems, fans and white noise machines. The earbuds completely silenced a particularly raucous HVAC fan in my hotel room during CES. It9s not the most effective at cutting down environmental noise, but in exchange you get a more comfortable set of earbuds while also remaining somewhat alert and aware of your surroundings
  Other OpenFit Pro features The rectangular housings of the OpenFit Pro hold larger drivers Billy Steele for Engadget
  The OpenFit Pro is Shokz’ most premium set of earbuds, so the features don’t end at noise reduction. Head tracking, customizable EQ, multipoint pairing, find my earbuds and wear detection are also available here. The company’s app displays battery percentages for each earbud and the case right at the top of the main screen with access to the rest of its tools just below. You don’t have to go searching and tapping through menus until you’ve found what you’re looking for. As someone who has to contend with a lot of headphone apps, I appreciate when all of the options are quickly available from the home screen. 
  
  Like other companies offer on their open-type earbuds, Shokz has given the EQ settings a few presets specifically designed for the open nature of the product. Those include a Vocal option that boosts mids for audiobooks or calls and a Private mode that reduces high frequency sounds to prevent leakage. I usually kept the OpenFit Pro around 70 percent volume, which is loud enough that a nearby neighbor in a quiet room could hear the muffled rage of Incendiary’s “Echo of Nothing.” 
  
  Another audio feature that’s worth mentioning is Dolby Atmos support. More specifically, the OpenFit Pro is “optimized for Dolby Atmos,” thanks in part to the aforementioned Dolby Head Tracking. You can disable the enhanced audio and head tracking individually in the Shokz app, but I found leaving Atmos on all the time, even when I wasn’t listening to Dolby Atmos music, gave the earbuds a more immersive, more detailed sound profile. 
  Sound quality and calls
  Overall sound quality is another area where the OpenFit Pro shines. Many open-design earbuds struggle to manage much bass or detailed highs, both of which Shokz has addressed with its driver design. Dual 11x20mm diaphragms power a larger, rectangular driver that’s the equivalent of a 16.7mm round driver in a “normal” set of earbuds. For comparison, most in-ear models typically use 10-12mm drivers, with smaller designs housing 6-8mm units. Shokz says it tuned the OpenFit Pro with what it calls OpenBass 2.0 and DirectPitch 3.0, features that provide better bass performance and audio that’s beamed more directly into your ears. 
  
  All of that combines for some truly impressive audio performance in a set of open earbuds. The OpenFit Pro still doesn’t muster the bombastic bass that earbuds like the WF-1000XM5 offer, but the low-end performance here is greatly improved over other open models like the LinkBuds Clip. While Thrice’s “Silhouette” still has enough driving kick drum, bass guitar and riffs to do the track justice, there isn’t as deep of a growl as the song has on flagship options from Bose, Sony and Sennheiser. 
  The OpenFit Pro case is large, but it9s not overly bulky Billy Steele for Engadget
  There’s also more clarity and detail in the tuning here than on other open models, which is on full display when listening to albums like Wet Leg’s alternative masterpiece moisturizer. I love how I can hear the texture of the guitars and drums, and even the vocals, which are the kind of subtle details open earbuds typically lack. 
  
  I should also mention that overall sound quality will depend on how the OpenFit Pro sits on your ears. I can easily improve the bass tone if I slightly push the earbuds in closer to my ear canals, but all of the observations I just made were with the earbuds in their natural resting position. 
  
  Shokz says the three-microphone setup that assists with its noise reduction tech also helps with calls. That configuration, combined with AI-powered voice recognition, should be able to block over 99 percent of background noise and deliver sharper vocal clarity overall. While that first part holds true — the OpenFit Pro does a great job canceling any ambient roar — the overall voice quality here is below average. It will certainly work for casual chats, but I wouldn’t recommend it for regular work calls or any scenario where you might need to record what you’re saying. My voice sounded muffled during calls and voice memos, more like I would over speakerphone than a set of carefully tuned earbuds. 
  OpenFit Pro battery life
  Shokz promises up to 12 hours of battery life on the OpenFit Pro with up to 50 hours of total use when you factor in the charging case. That’s with noise reduction disabled though; you can expect up to six hours with that turned on (24 hours total with the case). During weeks of testing, I never encountered any issues hitting those figures and the OpenFit Pro never struggled to get through a full work day of music, podcasts and calls using a combination of the default Open Mode and Noise Reduction mode. 
  
  As I mentioned, the charging case can be topped up wirelessly if you have a compatible accessory that’s large enough. And if you find yourself with a pair of completely dead earbuds, Shokz includes a quick-charge feature that gives you up to four hours of use in 10 minutes. 
  The competition The OpenFit Pro earbuds sitting in their charging case Billy Steele for Engadget
  If you’re looking for something that closely resembles the design of the OpenFit Pro, Shokz’ other OpenFit models are likely your best alternatives. The $200 OpenFit 2+ offers 11 hours of battery life and Dolby Audio with both physical buttons and touch controls. The most affordable option, the OpenFit Air ($120), lasts up to six hours on a charge but doesn’t have enhanced audio or wireless charging. As you step down from the OpenFit Pro, you’re missing out on noise reduction, Dolby Atmos and longer battery life. 
  
  JBL will soon have three models of its own to rival the Shokz OpenFit line. The Soundgear Sense is currently available for $165 and the Sense Pro and Sense Lite are coming in March for $200 and $150, respectively. These all have a variety of seemingly handy features, but none of them offer any kind of noise reduction and they all have shorter battery life than the OpenFit Pro and OpenFit 2+. I also cannot vouch for them as I haven’t tested any of JBL’s open designs yet. 
  Wrap-up
  Shokz has achieved a rare feat. The company managed to build a set of open-fit earbuds that retain all of those inherent benefits while also providing some relief from distractions with noise reduction. No, the over-the-ear hook design isn’t for everyone — especially if you wear glasses — but the comfy, secure fit and IP55 rating make these a great choice for workouts. The OpenFit Pro is also good enough to be your all-around set of earbuds, and that noise reduction can be beneficial in the office or your favorite work from home space. Sound quality is better than you’ll find on most open earbuds as well, but you’ll probably enjoy not having anything crammed into your ears most. And you don’t have to make too many sacrifices here for that satisfaction.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/shokz-openfit-pro-review-reducing-distractions-while-keeping-your-ears-open-130000443.html?src=rss

• Amazon's latest round of layoffs will affect 16,000 workers
  Amazon has confirmed that it’s letting go of 16,000 workers and employees across its organization. In an announcement by company SVP Beth Galetti, she explained that Amazon was going through organizational changes to reduce layers and remove bureaucracy. Affected employees in the US will be given 90 days to look for another internal role and will receive severance pay if they do not find any. Galetti also said that Amazon doesn’t have plans to announce “broad reductions every few months” but admitted that the company could “make adjustments as appropriate.”
  
  News about the layoffs was leaked in an email mistakenly sent out early to workers, along with a calendar invitation for a meeting dubbed internally as “Project Dawn.” In the email seen by eliminated 14,000 roles back in October 2025 across its games, logistics, payment and cloud computing divisions, with the availability of AI technologies being one of the main reasons for the layoffs. “This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it9s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before,” Amazon said in its announcement back then. This new round of layoffs is just a continuation of the previous one, as Amazon was reportedly looking to let 30,000 people go from the start.
  
  The announcement comes shortly after Amazon revealed that it was shutting down its remaining Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores and will focus on grocery deliveries instead. To note, Amazon’s year-over-year net sales grew by 13 percent in the third quarter of 2025 alone. Its net income increased to $21.2 billion compared to the $15.3 billion it posted in the third quarter of 2024.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazons-latest-round-of-layoffs-will-affect-16000-workers-120000702.html?src=rss

• Windscribe review: Despite the annoyances, it has the right idea
  Windscribe is a virtual private network (VPN) with intense "How do you do, fellow kids?" energy. It has servers in 69 countries and an annual plan that costs $69, an obsession with the sex number that rivals Elon Musk9s. I9m shocked that it doesn9t have a subscription costing $4.20 per month.
  
  But there9s another side to Windscribe9s cringe: an obsession with independence and a Bernie Sanders-like anger on behalf of an exploited public. In a market where the best VPNs aim for professionalism, Windscribe aspires to be punk. Its iconoclasm may have led it to develop an app that looks like ExpressVPN in a trash compactor, but it also spurred Windscribe to offer a strong free plan and forgo financial relationships with VPN reviewers. That attitude earned it a spot on my list of the best free VPNs.
  
  Although Windscribe9s heart is in the right place, my job is to figure out whether that translates into a good product. I used our rigorous VPN testing procedure to rate Windscribe in 11 categories. You can find my results in the table below and a final verdict at the end of the review.
  
  Editor9s note (1/27/26): We9ve overhauled our VPN coverage to provide more detailed, actionable buying advice. Going forward, we9ll continue to update both our Private Internet Access had a similar problem of tightening its app design to the point of being incomprehensible.
  
  The problems persist when you get to the settings page. It9s easy to make sense of a VPN without technical knowledge, but Windscribe9s preferences menu does everything it can to obscure that truth. Highly technical features are mixed in with options for casual users, and the explanatory blurbs usually cloud the issue even further.
  
  Even the "Look & Feel" settings somehow manage to be confusing. What is the difference between the Stretch, Fill and Tile modes for aspect ratio? What the heck is a Bundled background, and what does it matter whether it9s Square, Palm, Ripple, Drip or Snow? The answers to all these can be found by playing around or looking in the knowledgebase, but a VPN really shouldn9t require that for its most basic toggles.
  
  Once you get used to Windscribe and learn where to find the features that actually matter, it runs quite smoothly. Connections are never delayed and there are none of the random error messages that have dogged me on other VPNs. In a world of VPNs that look great but run clunkily, Windscribe has built one that looks terrible but runs great. I can9t complain about how well it works, but is it too much to ask for a provider that does both? (Oh, wait, that9s Proton VPN.)
  Mac
  Windscribe9s macOS app is almost identical to its Windows app. That deserves praise in itself — you9ll get much the same experience no matter which type of computer you use. But it also means the Mac app shares the same problems.
  Windscribe9s app for Mac desktops and laptops. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  There9s the same overly compact design cluttered with too much information. The same technobabble-filled options menu. And the same fundamental solidity underlying it all: a VPN that does the job beautifully but has no interest in being accessible. It would be a mistake to write Windscribe off because of its app design, but it9s important to know what you9ll have to work through.
  Android
  One thing I can9t fault Windscribe for is a lack of consistency. The Android app looks a lot like the Windows and Mac apps, only lightly adapted for the mobile format. On these devices, the design decisions make more sense — the UI writing is still impenetrable for casual users, but the compact pages look a lot more normal on a phone screen.
  A comparison of Windscribe9s extremely similar apps on Android and Mac. Sam Chapman for Engadget iOS
  There9s not a lot to say about Windscribe on iOS that I haven9t already said about the other three main platforms. Looking over all my screenshots, it seems fairly clear that Windscribe9s problems — much like PIA9s — come from starting on mobile and trying to make that same design work on desktop. It9s still not great to look at, but I can at least see where they9re coming from.
  Windscribe9s iOS app. Sam Chapman for Engadget Browser extensions
  Windscribe9s extensions for Chrome and Firefox look a little like its desktop and mobile VPN apps, but they act a little differently. They serve the same basic purpose as the standalone apps — changing your IP address and location — but they9re also customizable ad blockers for the web page you9re currently on.
  Windscribe9s Google Chrome extension. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  For example, in the image above, I can control what location Google perceives me to be in. But I can also control what gets blocked by choosing to let Google bypass certain features. Clicking the leftmost button makes the current website skip the VPN tunnel. The central button shuts off the ad blocker and the right-hand button shuts off the features on the Privacy section of the preferences menu. Like everything else about Windscribe, it9s unintuitive but works great once you figure it out.
  Windscribe speed test
  I used VPN protocols currently known to be secure: WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, plus a few other options all based on OpenVPN. With those options, you can be sure you9re getting encryption that9s currently uncrackable.
  
  It also passed two batteries of tests I ran on its security. The first set of tests looks for DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks and other slip-ups that might reveal your real IP address. The second checks whether data packets sent through the VPN tunnel are actually getting encrypted. Check each section below for details on how Windscribe did.
  VPN protocols
  A VPN protocol determines how exactly a VPN makes contact between its own servers, your device and your ISP. Certain protocols can make your VPN run faster, stabilize a shaky connection or get into websites other protocols fail to unlock. If you9re having a problem with your VPN, changing the protocol is one of the first troubleshooting steps.
  
  Windscribe makes a total of six protocols available, though it9s really just three, since four of the six are variations on OpenVPN. WireGuard works on every platform, and is currently the fastest and most stable — its drawback used to be that it was new, but with the passage of time, it9s no longer new enough to make it suspect.
  
  IKEv2 is a connection protocol that uses the separate IPSec protocol for its security. This double team9s main strength is reconnecting to the VPN when a device switches networks; it9s also good at not draining phone batteries. Windscribe supports IKEv2 on Mac, iOS and Windows.
  
  OpenVPN is the oldest open-source VPN protocol, refined by over a decade of repeated probing by volunteers. It9s not only relatively fast and highly secure, but comes in two flavors: TCP, which makes connections more stable, and UDP, which is usually faster and should be your first resort with OpenVPN. Windscribe supports OpenVPN on all platforms.
  
  Windscribe rounds out the selection with two unique protocols, both focused on hiding your VPN traffic from firewalls and censors. Stealth uses the same connection ports as HTTPS, so it can9t be blocked by shutting certain ports down entirely. WStunnel obfuscates connections even further by using the extremely common WebSocket technology to establish VPN connections. Both these proprietary protocols are much slower than the other options, but can save you if you find yourself repeatedly blocked while using Windscribe.
  Leak test
  I started my leak tests by using Norton VPN and many others.
  I couldn9t find any holes in Windscribe9s armor. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  Windscribe automatically blocks IPv6 traffic while connected, so IPv6 leaks weren9t going to be a thing. I finished the test by checking five servers using browserleaks.com/webrtc, finding no issues each time.
  Encryption test
  The final step is to make sure Windscribe is applying encryption properly through its VPN protocols. For this test, I used a free packet sniffer app called Wireshark to look directly at what my computer was sending out.
  Windscribe9s encryption looks solid. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  It9s a bit hard to tell what9s going on, but to summarize, I9ve loaded a website without HTTPS protection and checked whether Windscribe managed to apply that protection. The lack of readable information in the data stream proves that its encryption is indeed working as expected.
  How much does Windscribe cost?
  Windscribe has three subscription options (not counting its free plan, which I9ll discuss in a moment). One month of Pro service costs $9.00 — after Mullvad, the second-cheapest monthly subscription to a top-tier VPN. You can also pay $69 for a 12-month Pro subscription, working out to $5.75 per month. Both of these tiers give you the exact same set of Pro features and can be used on unlimited simultaneous devices.
  The cost of Windscribe Pro at publication time. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  The third option is to build your own plan. Build-A-Plan is an interesting beast that9s unique to Windscribe. When you choose a custom plan, you must spend at least $3 per month. Gaining access to all the Pro servers in a country costs $1. For each country you add, you get an additional 10GB of data per month on top of the 10GB already included for free.
  
  If you9d rather not budget your data at all, you can pay another $1 for unlimited data, plus 10 custom rules for the R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker (I9ll untangle the tortured acronym soon). It9s a little convoluted, but wonderfully flexible. You can even change your Build-A-Plan in the middle of the subscription period.
  
  Windscribe also offers shared static IPs for an extra fee. You can add a datacenter IP to any plan for $2 per month or a residential IP (usually better at getting around restrictions) for $8 per month. Team billing is also available through ScribeForce at $3 per seat per month, including a centralized management panel.
  The Windscribe free plan
  Windscribe isn9t the overall best free VPN — here and don9t require a Windscribe subscription to use.
  The five members of Windscribe9s gang. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  There are currently five allies in the gang. Control D offers DNS filtering for organizations to block unwanted websites; the Windscribe coupon gives you 50 percent off. You can get 25 percent off a one-year subscription to the policy is short, succinct and obviously written to be read by the users themselves. It9s also fantastic that you can sign up without an email address (though you will need one to get the full data allotment on the free plan).
  
  Windscribe gathers information on its website using Piwik, an open-source analytics tool that it manages itself; no third parties are involved. The Windscribe app itself collects no information except for the amount of data used in a month, the time of your last connection and the number of devices you have online at once. When actively connected, it also gives you an anonymized username necessary for the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols.
  
  My only quibble is that Windscribe is oddly reluctant to identify which third-party payment processors it uses. The information does exist elsewhere — an article in the knowledgebase states that payments are handled by "trusted third party processors such as PayPal and Stripe," and another page says that CoinPayments handles cryptocurrency transactions. It9s a small thing, but the rest of the policy is so airtight that it stands out.
  Independent privacy audits
  Windscribe9s apps are fully open-source (you can find them on Github here). In addition to this general exposure, it9s also undergone three intensive audits from security firms. Leviathan Security looked into its desktop apps in 2021 and its mobile apps in 2022. The auditors made a total of five high-severity recommendations, all of which Windscribe claims to have addressed.
  
  More recently, Windscribe had its entire codebase audited by PacketLabs. The auditors9 June 2024 report found that some of Windscribe9s code was storing more user information than it strictly needed to. Windscribe also claims to have handled this risk. More importantly, PacketLabs found no intentional subversions of Windscribe9s no-logs policy, so its privacy statements can likely be trusted.
  
  Further corroboration of the latter came from a 2025 court case in which Windscribe founder and CEO Yegor Sak was indicted in Greece and charged with a crime committed by a Windscribe user through an IP address in Finland. This case is obviously absurd — like charging the head of GM with a single instance of vehicular manslaughter committed by someone driving a Buick — but Sak was obliged to appear in court anyway.
  
  As Sak writes in the linked post, he could have turned over the logs and shown who actually committed the crime, but he couldn9t since Windscribe doesn9t keep that information. Had there been an alternative to waging an expensive and inconvenient legal campaign in another country, Sak would surely have taken it. The fact that he didn9t is strong proof of Windscribe9s no-logging policy.
  Can Windscribe change your virtual location?
  Changing your IP address with a VPN can do more than just anonymize your internet activity. A service like Windscribe can give you an IP address associated with a certain country or region, letting you use the internet like you were there. This has applications ranging from the serious (break out of a nationwide firewall to document human rights issues) to the fun (get new titles on streaming platforms without paying for a new subscription).
  
  Netflix is a great tool for testing whether a VPN can change your virtual location. Like most streamers, it tries to block all VPN access to protect the copyrights it holds. Consequently, if a VPN can crack Netflix, it must be serious about keeping its server network fresh to foil any potential blockers.
  A successful location change on Netflix using Windscribe. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  For this test, I tried to access Netflix three times each through five different Windscribe server locations, refreshing the connection to use different servers each time. I looked for successful Netflix access, plus different content to prove my location had actually changed.
  
  Server location
  
  Unblocked Netflix?
  
  Changed content?
  
  Vancouver, Canada
  
  3/3
  
  3/3
  
  Queretaro, Mexico
  
  3/3
  
  3/3
  
  Tokyo, Japan
  
  3/3
  
  3/3
  
  London, UK
  
  3/3
  
  3/3
  
  Auckland, NZ
  
  3/3
  
  3/3
  
  Windscribe got a perfect score. Netflix loaded easily every time, and the content was always localized to the country I chose. With this performance combined with its fairly consistent speeds over long distances, Windscribe makes a nearly perfect streaming VPN. The only downside is that the data limits on the free plan mean you9ll probably have to pay for serious streaming time.
  Investigating Windscribe9s server network
  Windscribe has 193 server locations in 71 countries, which it insists on listing as "69+" (again, hilarious). Although 193 sounds like a lot, many of them are duplicate locations in the same city. This isn9t necessarily a problem, but for accuracy9s sake, the total number of cities with Windscribe servers is 122.
  
  Region
  
  Countries with servers
  
  Cities with servers
  
  Total server locations
  
  Virtual server locations
  
  North America
  
  6
  
  40
  
  61
  
  0
  
  South America
  
  7
  
  7
  
  9
  
  0
  
  Europe
  
  38
  
  47
  
  75
  
  0
  
  Africa
  
  3
  
  3
  
  5
  
  0
  
  Middle East
  
  2
  
  2
  
  2
  
  0
  
  Asia
  
  12
  
  16
  
  28
  
  1
  
  Oceania
  
  2
  
  6
  
  12
  
  0
  
  Antarctica
  
  1
  
  1
  
  1
  
  1
  
  Total
  
  71
  
  122
  
  193
  
  2 (1 percent)
  
  The bigger story here is Windscribe9s spurning of virtual servers. A virtual server location is physically located in a different region than the one it outwardly displays. For example, a server with an Indian IP address might really be in Singapore. Throughout the entire Windscribe network, only two servers are virtual: one in India and one in Antarctica.
  
  This is both good and bad. On the positive side, the near-total lack of virtual servers means you can be sure of how any server will perform. If it says it9s in Buenos Aires, it9ll run like it9s in Buenos Aires — you won9t be surprised with lagging speeds because it9s really in Miami. This also makes it clear that Windscribe isn9t interested in pumping up its network size for marketing purposes.
  Windscribe9s server selection list on the Mac app. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  On the other hand, virtual locations aren9t an inherently bad thing. Windscribe acts as though advertising hype is the only reason any VPN would employ them, but there are real use cases. Virtual servers can be used to place locations inside countries where real servers would risk confiscation by the government, like Russia, India and China. Windscribe chooses instead to place real servers in Russia and India, both of which have data retention laws that directly conflict with its own privacy policy.
  
  Does this mean that using Windscribe9s Russian servers will earn you a midnight visit from the FSB? Probably not. Assuming Windscribe is following its no-logs policy (which appears to be the case), there won9t be any user data on those servers if the government seizes them. But it does mean they9re effectively running illegal data centers which could be raided and shut down at any time. Be aware of this if you depend on Windscribe9s locations in Russia or India.
  Extra features of Windscribe
  As covered in the UI section, Windscribe has a lot going on in its apps. The Connection tab alone has 13 different features, including two submenus with several options of their own. With this many options, and so many of them highly situational, I won9t be able to cover every nook and cranny without this review getting seriously bloated. I9ve instead chosen some of the most important and illustrative features to give you a clear sense of the whole picture.
  Network Options
  You9ll find this feature at the top of the Connection tab. When you click Network Options, you should see the name of your current Wi-Fi network and all the others your Windscribe account has discovered. This feature lets you control how the VPN reacts to each network it encounters, not unlike CyberGhost9s Smart Rules.
  Just switching around a few terms would make this a lot less confusing. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  The app does a remarkably poor job of explaining how this works, so I9ll break it down for you here. When the Auto-Secure Networks switch is turned on, Windscribe will automatically mark each new network as Secured — a word which here means "Windscribe turns on when it encounters the network."
  
  So far, so good. But if you turn Auto-Secure Networks off, things get weird. Without it, Windscribe tags every network you encounter as Unsecured. Whenever you connect to an Unsecured network, Windscribe immediately disconnects itself. This means it secures all Secured networks and does not secure any Unsecured networks.
  
  It feels backwards until you realize that Windscribe is referring entirely to itself here. "Secured" doesn9t mean that the Wi-Fi network is password-protected or otherwise considered safe, and "Unsecured" doesn9t mean that it9s open to the public without a password. All that matters is whether or not you want Windscribe to activate or deactivate on that network. It9s a useful feature that even lets you choose a VPN protocol for each network, but it would help to bring it more in line with mainstream terminology.
  R.O.B.E.R.T.
  This mouthful of a feature name allegedly stands for Remote Omnidirectional Badware Eliminating Robotic Tool. This is perhaps the apex of the VPN industry9s unfortunate habit of saddling perfectly good features with word-salad names (yes, I9m aware it9s supposed to be funny).
  
  R.O.B.E.R.T. is perhaps the most customizable content blocker on any VPN right now. To start with, it includes eight lists of sites it blocks at the DNS level: Malware, Ad + Trackers, Social Networks, Porn, Gambling, Clickbait, Other VPNs and Crypto. These vary in usefulness, and you can9t determine the contents of each list, but it9s nice to have such a range of choices.
  It eliminates all the badware, remotely AND omnidirectionally! Sam Chapman for Engadget
  Where R.O.B.E.R.T really shines, though, is in its browser-based customization dashboard. Each Free user can make three custom rules, and Pro upgrades that to 10. Each custom rule can be used to block a specific website or network or allowlist it from one of the other general blocklists. You can also set it to spoof a domain, though there9s no practical reason to do this (Windscribe9s idea of a "useful" application is making your friends think your post made the front page of Reddit).
  Split tunneling
  Split tunneling sends some of your internet requests through the VPN tunnel while others go unencrypted as normal. This can be useful if you get worse-than-usual speeds and want to minimize the amount of traffic going through the VPN, or for certain websites that refuse to work with any VPN server.
  
  You can split tunnel on Windscribe9s apps for Windows, Mac and Android. Windows and Android users can split by app or website, while Mac users can only split by website. Windscribe lets you choose whether your split tunnel will be inclusive (only apps and IPs on the list will go through the VPN) or exclusive (the apps and IPs on the list will not go through the VPN). Note that R.O.B.E.R.T. rules apply to the entire system, even excluded apps and domains.
  Firewall and Always On VPN
  Instead of a kill switch, which it derides as an incomplete solution, Windscribe includes a Firewall feature on desktop and an Always On VPN feature on mobile. The Firewall can be considered a strong kill switch that prevents any internet traffic from going outside the VPN tunnel — something doesn9t have to go wrong for the blocks to activate. Always On VPN on iOS and Android is functionally the same.
  
  A more proactive defense has its advantages, but it would be nice if Windscribe included the weak kill switch option. Kill switches and firewalls can be overactive, and sometimes, you don9t want the strongest level of security.
  Circumvent Censorship
  This feature is designed to let you access Windscribe on networks that don9t want you to use a VPN, from school and work systems to entire censorious countries like China. Windscribe isn9t forthcoming about how it works, but it9s probably a deep-packet obfuscation that makes VPN traffic look like regular traffic. I didn9t have time to pop over to China and test Circumvent Censorship, but I9m glad it exists.
  Windscribe customer support options
  Clicking the question mark tab on the Windscribe app shows you the full list of support options. You can peruse the knowledgebase, ask their chatbot Garry, talk directly to a human or check out their user communities on Reddit and Discord.
  Most of these lead back to Garry. Sam Chapman for Engadget
  I started with the written FAQs. At the top of the knowledgebase, there9s a row of buttons you can click to see only articles relating to a particular operating system. This is a good idea in theory, but it9s not implemented very well — there9s no visible tagging system, so we can9t see how it9s deciding which articles to filter.
  
  The search bar is much more likely to get you where you need to go. It works instantaneously and always turns up relevant articles, though it9s weirdly insistent on showing exactly 10 results. I have few complaints about articles themselves, which are written in a way any user should find useful (give or take yet more attempted humor).
  
  I tested the chatbot, Garry, by asking it about the mysterious Advanced Parameters tab of the Windscribe app. It explained each feature on that tab (none of which should be touched except by users with technical knowledge) in a spiel that was clearly pre-written but nonetheless useful. Garry was launched in 2018, when IBM Watson was the biggest thing in AI, and recently revamped into "Garry 2.0" — whether this is based on OpenAI or another platform is anyone9s guess at the moment.
  Live support
  Windscribe appears to handle all of its own support, without outsourcing to Zendesk or a similar third party. If you decide not to go through Garry, Windscribe does have the option of connecting directly to a human. However, the Contact Humans option on the app sends you directly back to Garry. It9s eventually possible to get Garry to connect you to a real person, but that doesn9t excuse Windscribe building an outright lie into its app.
  
  The Contact Support button on the knowledgebase, which I expected to lead to a ticket submission, also sends you straight to Garry. Windscribe really, really wants you to use Garry, in case that wasn9t clear. You might have a better time going straight to the Windscribe Discord server or the r/Windscribe subreddit, both of which are linked to in the app.
  Windscribe background check
  Windscribe eschews a lot of the things we9ve come to expect from a VPN provider. It doesn9t pay for ads anywhere. It has no affiliate relationships with news sites. The only thing resembling a Windscribe ad campaign is the free-plan data reward for Xeeting about it. It doesn9t even have any venture capital investors — it9s completely self-funded and self-hosted.
  
  As a jaded and cynical reviewer who was already annoyed by Windscribe9s memelord attitude, I was prepared to sniff out any hypocrisy in its background, which makes it all the more impressive that I didn9t find any. Since its founding in Canada in 2016, Windscribe has never once been involved in any public doings that contradict its statements of ethics. It9s even given free unlimited VPN access to every journalist working in Ukraine.
  
  The only thing I could find resembling a controversy was an incident in July 2021 when Ukrainian police confiscated two servers that weren9t fully encrypted. Although this would only have posed a risk to users running a customized connection profile under very specific conditions, it was still a lapse. Windscribe responded appropriately in my view, ending the legacy OpenVPN implementation that caused the problem.
  Canadian headquarters
  Windscribe is based in Canada, which is one of the Five Eyes nations (along with the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand). This sounds scary, but it9s not actually an issue, as Yegor Sak himself points out in a blog post I reference frequently.
  
  Five Eyes is not an organization, but an agreement between five allied countries to share necessary intelligence with each other. This can absolutely be misused. If the U.S. government wants to spy on someone without running into the 4th Amendment, it can ask the Brits to spy on that person instead and tell them what they find, knowing the Constitution can9t determine what other countries do to our citizens.
  
  As bad as that is for our civil liberties, it doesn9t actually change anything where VPNs are concerned. If a VPN isn9t logging user data, there shouldn9t be anything for any of the Five Eyes (or Nine Eyes or Fourteen Eyes) nations to find. And if it is keeping logs, you shouldn9t be using it no matter where its headquarters are.
  Final verdict
  You might wonder, at this point, why my distaste for Windscribe9s tryhard sense of humor has featured so prominently in this review. One reason is that I had to read a lot of it this week, and you must suffer as I have suffered. But it also makes Windscribe look very good by implication. Having no patience for the discount-4chan act that pervades Windscribe9s brand, I was primed to dislike the VPN itself — and I simply couldn9t.
  
  This is not to say I had no problems at all with Windscribe. Its physical servers in Russia are difficult to trust. Its help options lean way too heavily on Garry the chatbot. Its app design and UI writing are significant faults. The free plan doesn9t give you enough data for streaming.
  
  Having said all that, though, Windscribe does everything else right. It changes virtual locations and unblocks Netflix without breaking a sweat. Its servers keep latencies low, and download speeds remain solid across the world. The apps may look bad, but they never break down. Some features, like R.O.B.E.R.T. and Auto-Secure, are both useful to everybody and deeply customizable for power users.
  
  Windscribe may be best for privacy nerds who know how all its doohickeys work, but it9s a VPN I recommend for everybody. In a world of predatory software, it9s a relief to use an app that9s unabashedly on the customer9s side.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/windscribe-review-despite-the-annoyances-it-has-the-right-idea-120000837.html?src=rss

• The best robot vacuums on a budget for 2026
  If vacuuming is your least favorite chore, employing a robot vacuum can save you time and stress while also making sure your home stays clean. While once most robo-vacs landed on the higher end of the price spectrum, that’s not the case anymore. Sure, you could pick up a $1,000 cleaning behemoth with mopping features, but it would be incorrect to assume that you need to spend that much money to get a good machine.
  
  Now, you can get an autonomous dirt-sucker with serious cleaning chops for $500 — sometimes even $300 or less. But you get what you pay for in this space; don’t expect affordable robot vacuum cleaners to have all of the bells and whistles that premium machines do, like self-emptying capabilities or advanced dirt detection. After testing dozens ofrobot vacuums at various price points, I’ve narrowed down our top picks for the best budget robot vacuums you can buy right now.
  Best budget robot vacuums for 2026
  
  
  
  
  
  Are robot vacuums worth it?
  Since I9ve tested dozens of robot vacuums, I9m often asked if these gadgets are "worth it" and I9d say the answer is yes. The biggest thing they offer is convenience: just turn on a robot vacuum and walk away. The machine will take care of the rest. If vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores, or you just want to spend less time keeping your home tidy, semi-autonomous robotic vacuum is a great investment. Many models, albeit more expensive ones, even come with features like a self-empty station to further reduce maintenance.
  
  There are plenty of other good things about them, but before we dive in let’s consider the biggest trade-offs: less power, less capacity and less flexibility. Those first two go hand in hand; robot vacuum cleaners are much smaller than upright vacuums, which leads to less powerful suction. They also hold less dirt because their built-in bins are a fraction of the size of a standard vacuum canister or bag. Fortunately, some models include features like an auto-empty station, which helps with dirt capacity, especially in homes with pet hair.
  
  When it comes to flexibility, robot vacuums do things differently than standard ones. You can control some with your smartphone, set cleaning schedules and more, but robo-vacs are primarily tasked with cleaning floors. On the flip side, their upright counterparts can come with various attachments that let you clean couches, stairs, light fixtures and other hard-to-reach places.
  What to look for in a budget robot vacuum
  When looking for the best cheap robot vacuum, one of the first things you should consider is the types of floors you have in your home. Do you have mostly carpet, tile, laminate, hardwood? Carpets demand vacuums with strong suction power that can pick up debris pushed down into nooks and crannies. Unfortunately, there isn’t a universal metric by which suction is measured. Some companies provide Pascal (Pa) levels and generally the higher the Pa, the stronger. But other companies don’t rely on Pa levels and simply say their bots have X-times more suction power than other robot vacuums.
  
  So how can you ensure you’re getting the best cheap robot vacuum to clean your floor type? Read the product description. Look for details about its ability to clean hard floors and carpets, and see if it has a “max” mode you can use to increase suction. If you are given a Pa measurement, look for around 2000Pa if you have mostly carpeted floors. Pay attention to the brush roll mechanism as well, especially if you9re dealing with dog hair or other stubborn debris that can cause tangles. Many budget models use bristle brushes, while others offer tangle-free designs to minimize maintenance.
  
  You may find some budget robot vacuums also offer vacuum/mop combo capabilities. These bots feature a water tank, which means they can offer mopping functionality, enhancing debris pickup, and resulting in shiny floors. However, these are less common when you’re shopping in the lower price range.
  
  Size is also important for two reasons: clearance and dirt storage. Check the specs for the robot’s height to see if it can get underneath the furniture you have in your home. Most robo-vacs won’t be able to clean under a couch (unless it’s a very tall, very strange couch), but some can get under entryway tables, nightstands and the like. As for dirt storage, look out for the milliliter capacity of the robot’s dustbin — the bigger the capacity, the more dirt the vacuum cleaner can collect before you have to empty it.
  
  You should also double check the Wi-Fi capabilities of the robo-vac you’re eyeing. While you may think that’s a given on all smart home devices, it’s not. Some of the most affordable models don’t have the option to connect to your home Wi-Fi network. If you choose a robot vac like this, you won’t be able to direct it with a smartphone app or with voice controls. Another feature that’s typically reserved for Wi-Fi-connected robots is scheduling because most of them use a mobile app to set cleaning schedules.
  
  But Wi-Fi-incapable vacuums usually come with remote controls that have all the basic functions that companion mobile apps do, including start, stop and return to dock. And if you’re concerned about the possibility of hacking, a robot vac with no access to your Wi-Fi network is the best option.
  
  Obstacle detection and cliff sensors are other key features to look out for. The former helps the robot vacuum navigate around furniture while it cleans, rather than mindlessly pushing its way into it. Many also offer no-go zones, letting you block off areas you don’t want the robot to enter. Meanwhile, cliff sensors prevent robot vacuums from tumbling down the stairs, making them the best vacuum for multi-level homes.
  How we test robot vacuums
  When we consider which robot vacuums to test, we look at each machine’s specs and feature list, as well as online reviews to get a general idea of its capabilities. With each robot vacuum we review, we set it up as per the instructions and use it for as long as possible — at minimum, we’ll use each for one week, running cleaning cycles daily. We make sure to try out any physical buttons the machine has on it, and any app-power features like scheduling, robot mapping and more.
  
  Since we test robot vacuums in our own homes, there are obstacles already in the machine’s way like tables, chairs and other furniture — this helps us understand how capable the machine is at avoiding obstacles, and we’ll intentionally throw smaller items in their way like shoes, pet toys and more. With robot vacuums that include self-emptying bases, we assess how loud the machine is while emptying contents into the base and roughly how long it takes for us to fill up the bag (or bagless) base with debris.
  Robot vacuum maintenance tips
  First and foremost, always empty your robot vacuum’s dustbin after every cleaning job, or use a self-empty station if the model supports it. Simply detach and empty the dustbin as soon as the robot is done cleaning, and then reattach it so it9s ready to go for the next time. It’s also a good idea to take a dry cloth to the inside of the dustbin every once in a while to remove any small dust and dirt particles clinging to its insides.
  
  In addition, you’ll want to regularly examine the machine’s brushes to see if any human or pet hair has wrapped around them, or if any large debris is preventing them from working properly. Some brushes are better than others at not succumbing to tangled hair, but it’s a good idea to check your robot’s brushes regardless — both their main brush and any smaller, side brushes or corner brushes they have. These parts are often easy to pop off of the machine (because they do require replacements eventually) so we recommend removing each brush entirely, getting rid of any tangles or other debris attached to them and reinstalling them afterwards. If you have a robot vacuum with mopping capabilities, you’ll need to wash the bots’ mop pads too, to avoid any unpleasant smells or tracking mess around your home. Similarly, if your robot vacuum has a water tank, it’s worth washing this out regularly to keep it clean.
  
  Robot vacuums also have filters that need replacing every couple of months. Check your machine’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website to see how long they recommend going in between filter replacements. Most of the time, these filters cannot be washed, so you will need to buy new ones either directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers like Amazon or Walmart.
  Budget robot vacuum FAQs Are budget robot vacuums good for pet hair?
  Yes, budget robot vacuums can be good for pet hair. Just keep in mind they generally tend to have lower suction power and smaller dustbins than more expensive (and larger) robot vacuums. If pet hair is your biggest concern, we recommend getting as expensive of a robot vacuum as your budget allows, or consider investing in a cordless vacuum since those tend to be more powerful overall.
  How long do budget robot vacuums last per charge?
  Budget robot vacuums typically last 40-60 minutes per charge, and the best ones will automatically return to their charging dock when they need more power.
  Do budget robot vacuums work on carpets and hardwood floors?
  Yes, budget robot vacuums work on both carpets and hardwood floors.
  Which budget robot vacuums have mapping features?
  Home mapping features are typically exclusive to more expensive robot vacuums. Check the product description of any robot vacuum you9re thinking of buying and look for "smart mapping" or "smart home mapping" in the feature list if you want a device that supports it.
  
  Check out more from our spring cleaning guide.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-budget-robot-vacuums-133030847.html?src=rss

• The best E Ink tablets for 2026
  E Ink tablets have always been intriguing to me because I’m a longtime lover of pen and paper. I’ve had probably hundreds of notebooks over the years, serving as repositories for my story ideas, to-do lists, meeting notes and everything in between. However, I turned away from physical notebooks at a certain point because it was just easier to store everything digitally so I always had my most important information at my fingertips.
  
  E Ink tablets seem to provide the best of both worlds: the tactile satisfaction of regular notebooks with many of the conveniences found in digital tools, plus easy-on-the-eyes E Ink screens. These devices have come a long way in the past few years, and we’re just starting to see more color E Ink tablets become more widely available. I tested out a number of different E Ink tablets to see how well they work, how convenient they really are and which are the best tablets using E Ink screens available today.
  Best E Ink tablets for 2026
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Are E Ink tablets worth it?
  An E Ink tablet will be a worthwhile purchase to a very select group of people. If you prefer the look and feel of an e paper display to LCD panels found on traditional tablets, it makes a lot of sense. They’re also good options for those who want a more paper-like writing experience (although you can get that kind of functionality on a regular tablet with the right screen protector) or a more distraction-free device overall.
  
  The final note is key here. Many E Ink tablets don’t run on the same operating systems as regular tablets, so you’re automatically going to be limited in what you can do. And even with those that do allow you to download traditional apps like Chrome, Instagram and Facebook, E Ink tablets are not designed to give you the best casual-browsing experience. This is mostly due to the nature of E Ink displays, which have noticeable refreshes, a lack of vibrant colors and lower picture quality than the panels you’ll find on even the cheapest iPad.
  
  Arguably the biggest reason why you wouldn’t want to go with an iPad (all models of which support stylus input, a plethora of reading apps, etc) is because it’s much easier to get distracted by email, social media and other Internet-related temptations.
  What to look for in an E Ink tablet Writing and latency
  Arguably the most important thing to consider when looking for an E Ink tablet is the writing experience. How good it is will depend a lot on the display’s refresh rate (does it refresh after every time you put pen to “paper,” or at a different regular interval) and the stylus’ latency. Most of the tablets I’ve tested have little to no latency, but some are certainly better than others. Finally, you should double check before buying that your preferred E Ink tablet comes with a stylus, or if you need to purchase one separately.
  Reading
  How much will you be reading books, documents and other things on this tablet? E Ink tablets come in many sizes, but most of them tend to be larger than your standard e-reader because it makes writing much easier. Having a larger display isn’t a bad thing, but it might make holding it for long periods slightly more uncomfortable. (Most e-readers are roughly the size of a paperback book, giving you a similar feeling to analog reading).
  
  The supported file types for e-books can also make a big difference. It’s hard to make a blanket statement here because this varies so much among E Ink tablets. The TL;DR is that you’ll have a much better reading experience if you go with one made by a company that already has a history in e-book sales (i.e. Amazon or Kobo). All of the titles you bought via theKindle or Kobo store should automatically be available to you on your Kindle or Kobo E Ink tablet.
  
  Also with Kindle titles, specifically, since they are protected by DRM, it’s not necessarily the best idea to try tobring those titles over to a third-party device. Unless the tablet runs an operating system like Android that supports downloads for apps like Kindle and Kobo, you’ll be limited to supported file types, like ePUB, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, PNG and others.
  Search functionality
  Most E Ink tablets have some on-device search features, but they can vary widely between models. You’ll want to consider how important it is to you to be able to search through all your handwritten notes and markups. I noticed in my testing that Amazon’s and Kobo’s E Ink tablets made it easy to refer back to notes made in books and files because they automatically save to the specific pages on which you took notes, made highlights and more.
  
  Searching is less standardized on E Ink tablets that have different supported file types, but their features can be quite powerful in their own right. For example, a few devices I tested supported text search in handwritten notes along with handwriting recognition, the latter of which allows you to translate your scribbles into typed text.
  Sharing and connectivity
  While we established that E Ink tablets can be great distraction-free devices, most manufacturers understand that your notes and doodles aren’t created in a vacuum. You may want to access them elsewhere, and that requires some form of connectivity. All of the E Ink tablets I tried have Wi-Fi support, and some support cloud syncing, companion mobile apps and the ability to export notes via email so you can access them elsewhere.
  
  None of them, however, integrate directly with a digital note taking system like Evernote or OneNote, so these devices will always be somewhat supplementary if you use apps like that, too. I’d argue that, if you already lean heavily on apps like OneNote, a standard tablet with a stylus and screen protector might be the best way to go. Ultimately, you should think about what you will want to do with the documents you’ll interact with on your E Ink tablet after the tablet portion is done.
  Price
  E Ink tablets aren’t known for being cheap. They generally fall into the $300-$800 price range, which is what you can expect to pay for a solid regular tablet, too. A key factor in price is size: cheaper devices with E Ink displays are likely to have smaller screens, and stylus support isn’t as much of a given. Also, those types of devices are generally considered e-readers because of their size and may not be the best for note-taking, doodling and the like.
  
  E Ink tablets have gone up in price recently. Supernote and Onyx Boox increased prices, as did reMarkable. The former said it was due to "increased costs,” and a reMarkable representative confirmed this to Engadget and provided the following statement: "We regularly review our pricing based on market conditions and operational costs. We9ve communicated an upcoming adjustment for the US market effective in May to provide transparency to our customers. Multiple factors influence our pricing decisions, including supply chain dynamics and overall operational costs in specific markets.”
  
  As a result, the reMarkable Paper Pro jumped from $579 to $629 (that9s for the bundle with the standard Marker and no Folio). This isn9t great, considering the Paper Pro was already on the expensive side of the spectrum for E Ink tablets. It9s also worth noting that Supernote and Onyx Boox have raised prices in the past few months as well.
  Other E Ink tablets we9ve tested Onyx Boox Tab X C
  The Boox Tab X C is a color-screened version of the Tab X, the company’s all-purpose e-paper Android tablet. The Tab X C has a lovely 13.3-inch Kaleido 3 E Ink color display, an octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM and it runs on Android 13, making it one of the most powerful tablets in Boox’s lineup. I’ve used the Tab X in the past and this color version runs similarly, if not better, and at 5.3mm thick, it’s impressively svelte even when you pair it with its folio keyboard case. As someone who loves legal-pad sized things to write on, I also like how the Tab X C is most akin to A4-size paper. But at $820 for the bundle with the standard case (or a whopping $970 for the tablet and its keyboard case), it’s really only best for those who are ready to go all-in on a premium E Ink tablet.
  Lenovo Smart Paper
  Lenovo made a solid E Ink tablet in the Smart Paper, but it9s too pricey and too married to the company9s companion cloud service to warrant a spot on our top picks list. The hardware is great, but the software isn9t as flexible as those of competitors like the reMarkable 2. It has good Google Drive integration, but you must pair it with Lenovo9s cloud service to really get the most use out of it — and in the UK, the service costs £9 per month for three months, which is quite expensive.
  Onyx Boox Tab Ultra
  The Boox Tab Ultra has a lot of the same features we like in the Note Air 2 Plus, but it’s designed to be a true, all-purpose tablet with an E Ink screen. Running Android 11 and compatible with a magnetic keyboard case, you can use it like a standard 2-in-1 laptop, albeit a low-powered one. You can browse the web, check email and even watch YouTube videos on this thing — but that doesn’t mean you should. A standard 2-in-1 laptop with a more responsive screen and better overall performance would be a better fit for most people who even have the slightest desire to have an all-in-one device. Like the rest of Onyx’s devices, the Tab Ultra is specifically for those who put reading and eye comfort above all else.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-e-ink-tablet-130037939.html?src=rss

• Mark Zuckerberg was initially opposed to parental controls for AI chatbots, according to legal filing
  Meta has faced some serious questions about how it allows its underage users to interact with AI-powered chatbots. Most recently, internal communications obtained by the New Mexico Attorney General9s Office revealed that although Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was opposed to the chatbots having "explicit" conversations with minors, he also rejected the idea of placing parental controls on the feature.
  
  Reuters reported that in an exchange between two unnamed Meta employees, one wrote that we "pushed hard for parental controls to turn GenAI off – but GenAI leadership pushed back stating Mark decision.” In its statement to the publication, Meta accused the New Mexico Attorney General of "cherry picking documents to paint a flawed and inaccurate picture." New Mexico is suing Meta on charges that the company “failed to stem the tide of damaging sexual material and sexual propositions delivered to children;” the case is scheduled to go to trial in February.
  
  Despite only being available for a brief time, Meta9s chatbots have already accumulated quite a history of behavior that veers into offensive if not outright illegal. In April 2025, The Wall Street Journal released an investigation that found Meta9s chatbots could engage in fantasy sex conversations with minors, or could be directed to mimic a minor and engage in sexual conversation. The report claimed that Zuckerberg had wanted looser guards implemented around Meta9s chatbots, but a spokesperson denied that the company had overlooked protections for children and teens. 
  
  Internal review documents revealed in August 2025 detailed several hypothetical situations of what chatbot behaviors would be permitted, and the lines between sensual and sexual seemed pretty hazy. The document also permitted the chatbots to argue racist concepts. At the time, a representative told Engadget that the offending passages were hypotheticals rather than actual policy, which doesn9t really seem like much of an improvement, and that they were removed from the document. 
  
  Despite the multiple instances of questionable use of the chatbots, Meta only decided to suspend teen accounts9 access to them last week. The company said it is temporarily removing access while it develops the parental controls that Zuckerberg had allegedly rejected using.
  
  "Parents have long been able to see if their teens have been chatting with AIs on Instagram, and in October we announced our plans to go further, building new tools to give parents more control over their teens’ experiences with AI characters," a representative from Meta said. "Last week we once again reinforced our commitment to delivering on our promise of parental controls for AI, pausing teen access to AI characters completely until the updated version is ready."
  
  New Mexico filed this lawsuit against Meta in December 2023 on claims that the company9s platforms failed to protect minors from harassment by adults. Internal documents revealed early on in that complaint revealed that 100,000 child users were harassed daily on Meta9s services.
  
  Update, January 27, 2025, 6:52PM ET: Added statement from Meta spokesperson.
  
  Update, January 27, 2025, 6:15PM ET: Corrected misstated timeline of the New Mexico lawsuit, which was filed in December 2023, not December 2024.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/mark-zuckerberg-was-initially-opposed-to-parental-controls-for-ai-chatbots-according-to-legal-filing-230110214.html?src=rss

• Meta blocks links to ICE List, a Wiki that names agents
  Meta has started blocking links to ICE List, a website that compiles information about incidents involving Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents, and lists thousands of their employees9 names. It seems that the latter detail is what caused Meta to take action in a move that was first reported by Wired. 
  
  ICE List is a crowdsourced Wiki that describes itself as "an independently maintained public documentation project focused on immigration-enforcement activity" in the US. "Its purpose is to record, organize, and preserve verifiable information about enforcement actions, agents, facilities, vehicles, and related incidents that would otherwise remain fragmented, difficult to access, or undocumented," its website states.
  
  Along with notable incidents, the website also lists the names of individual agents associated with ICE, CBP and other DHS agencies. According to tracked ICE sightings in Chicago after pressure from the Justice Department.
  
  Have a tip for Karissa? You can reach her by email, on X, Bluesky, Threads, or send a message to @karissabe.51 to chat confidentially on Signal.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-blocks-links-to-ice-list-a-wiki-that-names-agents-231410653.html?src=rss

• Adobe Photoshop upgrades its Firefly-powered generative-AI editing tools
  Adobe Photoshop introduced some new features that are rolling out for creators today. As you9d expect from any service operator in this day and age, there9s some AI involved. Adobe has improved the tools for Generative Fill, Generative Expand and Remove that are powered by its Firefly generative AI platform. Using these tools for image editing should now produce results in 2K resolution with fewer artifacts and increased detail all while delivering better matches for the provided prompts. The Reference Image option for Generative Fill has also been upgraded to deliver "geometry-aware results that better match the scene." 
  
   One of the other new updates is a beta version of Dynamic Text, which should allow simpler transformation of a text layer into a curved shape. Photoshop has also added new adjustment layers: Clarity, Dehaze and Grain. These allow non-destructive image editing on layers.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/adobe-photoshop-upgrades-its-firefly-powered-generative-ai-editing-tools-213737915.html?src=rss

• Astronomers discover over 800 cosmic anomalies using a new AI tool
  Here9s a use of AI that appears to do more good than harm. A pair of astronomers at the European Space Agency (ESA) developed a neural network that searches through space images for anomalies. The results were far beyond what human experts could have done. In two and a half days, it sifted through nearly 100 million image cutouts, discovering 1,400 anomalous objects.
  
  The creators of the AI model, David O9Ryan and Pablo Gómez, call it AnomalyMatch. The pair trained it on (and applied it to) the Hubble Legacy Archive, which houses tens of thousands of datasets from Hubble9s 35-year history. "While trained scientists excel at spotting cosmic anomalies, there9s simply too much Hubble data for experts to sort through at the necessary level of fine detail by hand," the ESA wrote in its press release.
  
  After less than three days of scanning, AnomalyMatch returned a list of likely anomalies. It still requires human eyes at the end: Gómez and O9Ryan reviewed the candidates to confirm which were truly abnormal. Among the 1,400 anomalous objects the pair confirmed, more than 800 were previously undocumented.
  
  Most of the results showed galaxies merging or interacting, which can lead to odd shapes or long tails of stars and gas. Others were gravitational lenses. (That9s where the gravity of a foreground galaxy bends spacetime so that the light from a background galaxy is warped into a circle or arc.) Other discoveries included planet-forming disks viewed edge-on, galaxies with huge clumps of stars and jellyfish galaxies. Adding a bit of mystery, there were even "several dozen objects that defied classification altogether."
  
  "This is a fantastic use of AI to maximize the scientific output of the Hubble archive," Gómez is quoted as saying in the ESA9s announcement. "Finding so many anomalous objects in Hubble data, where you might expect many to have already been found, is a great result. It also shows how useful this tool will be for other large datasets."
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/astronomers-discover-over-800-cosmic-anomalies-using-a-new-ai-tool-205135155.html?src=rss

• Sennheiser debuts new models of wired headphones and earbuds
  Wireless audio has become the industry standard, but there are still options out there for people who prefer a wired connection. Two new choices joining the market come from Sennheiser, which has released the CX 80U wired earbuds and HD 400U wired over-ear headphones. These new takes on the company9s previous models for wired listening have replaced the 3.5mm audio jack connector with a USB-C cable. Both sets support 24-bit, 96 kHz digital audio playback. They9re compatible with a broad array of devices, including iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS, MacOS, Windows and SteamOS. 
  
  Both of these items are priced at an entry level for a brand that might charge up to $500 for its higher-end headphones. The CX 80U earbuds cost $40 and the HD 400U headphones retail for $100. Both products are available starting today.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sennheiser-debuts-new-models-of-wired-headphones-and-earbuds-201245058.html?src=rss

• Pornhub will become unavailable for many UK users as of February 2
  Pornhub will stop offering full access to new users in the UK on February 2, its parent company Aylo said Tuesday, citing the nation9s Online Safety Act and its age-verification requirements. The company said users who already verified their ages before the cutoff will still be able to access the adult site through existing accounts.
  
  The move follows the Online Safety Act’s Protection of Children Codes, which took effect last summer and require adult sites to use "highly effective" methods of age verification. Aylo claims the system is backfiring and shifting both adults and minors to noncompliant porn sites that don’t verify age or moderate content according to Politico. Aylo9s lawyers argued that only device-based age verification methods sufficiently protect user data.
  
  Alexzandra Kekesi, VP of Brand and Community at Aylo, said "anyone who has not gone through that process prior to February 2 will no longer be able to access [the sites] and they9re going to be met with a wall," according to 404 Media. The adult site was similarly made unavailable in various US states after the passage of age-verification laws that Pornhub claimed put users9 privacy at risk. "These people did not stop looking for porn," Aylo said at the time. "They just migrated to darker corners of the internet that don’t ask users to verify age, that don’t follow the law, that don’t take user safety seriously, and that often don’t even moderate content."
  
  Users who wish to get around these sorts of bans typically use VPNs to mask the origin of their internet traffic, though the UK is reportedly considering a ban on VPNs for children. The nation has also been considering a social media ban for users under 16 years of age, similar to the one enacted in Australia.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/pornhub-will-become-unavailable-for-many-uk-users-as-of-february-2-194622124.html?src=rss

• Apple and Google reportedly still offer dozens of AI ‘nudify’ apps
  A recent investigation by an online advocacy organization called the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) found that the Apple App Store and Google Play Store pic.twitter.com/bShqEYMpIL
  — Tech Transparency Project (@TTP_updates) January 27, 2026
  Many of the apps named in the investigation are rated as suitable for teens and children. DreamFace, for instance, is rated suitable for ages 13 and up in the Google Play Store and ages nine and up in the Apple App Store.
  
  Both companies have responded to the investigation. Apple says it has removed 24 apps from its store, has also stated that he is "not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok. Literally zero."
  We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.
  
  Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the… https://t.co/93kiIBTCYO
  — Safety (@Safety) January 4, 2026
  X9s safety account creating sexualized images of minors.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-and-google-reportedly-still-offer-dozens-of-ai-nudify-apps-192712446.html?src=rss

• Sonos introduces Amp Multi for complicated residential installs
  Sonos has unveiled its first new product of 2026, the Amp Multi. This amplifier is a niche option for the owners of very large or complicated spaces, and it9s being billed as professional grade option for residential audio installations. The Amp Multi has eight 125W outputs and four configurable zones, and each channel can support up to three Sonos Architectural speakers. In other words, that9s a lot more audio than the average home needs. Even the Sonos Amp would probably be overkill for those of you living the apartment life.
  
  The Amp Multi will be available "in the coming months," according to the company9s press release, and there9s no pricing information yet for the product listing on its website. But given the high-end customers this is targeting, expect the Amp Multi to cost a fair bit more than the $800 Sonos Amp.
  
  Sonos has mostly been keeping its proverbial head down on the product side as it continues to address fallout from a bungled app redesign in 2024 that soured customers and put the company in dire straits. First there were layoffs, then the CEO left. Sonos9 temporary chief exec, Tom Conrad, got the position permanently last summer. Once the business9 position does stabilize at last, we will hopefully be hearing more positive updates from Sonos in the future.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/sonos-introduces-amp-multi-for-complicated-residential-installs-191000421.html?src=rss

• The French government is ditching Zoom and Microsoft Teams for a home-grown alternative
  The French government is saying au revoir to Microsoft Teams and Zoom as it embraces a home-grown alternative. By next year, civil servants across all departments will have switched to French videoconference platform Visio, as service disruptions."
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-french-government-is-ditching-zoom-and-microsoft-teams-for-a-home-grown-alternative-184747010.html?src=rss

• TikTok settles to avoid major social media addiction lawsuit
  TikTok has reached a settlement in a closely-watched lawsuit over social media addiction, narrowly avoiding a trial that9s scheduled to begin jury selection Tuesday. Terms of the deal, which was reported by The New York Times, weren9t disclosed. 
  
  TikTok9s settlement comes about one week after Snap reached a settlement in the same case. The trial is expected to move forward in Los Angeles with Meta and YouTube as the only defendants. Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiff, said in a statement to NYT that they were "pleased" with the settlement and that it was "a good resolution." TikTok didn9t immediately respond to a request for comment. 
  
  The trial stems from a 2023 lawsuit brought by a California woman known in court documents as "K.G.M." She sued Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube and alleged that their platforms were addictive and had harmed her as a child. The judge in the case previously ordered the companies9 executives, including Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri, to testify. YouTube9s top exec, Neal Mohan, is also likely to testify, according to The New York Times. 
  
  The lawsuit is the first among several high-profile cases against social media companies to go to trial this year. Meta is expected to head to court in New Mexico in early February in a case brought by the state9s attorney general, who has alleged that Facebook and Instagram have facilitated harm to children. TikTok and Snap are collectively facing more than a dozen other trials in California courts this year.
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-settles-to-avoid-major-social-media-addiction-lawsuit-183943927.html?src=rss

• Amazon Go and Fresh stores are closing as Amazon focuses on grocery delivery and Whole Foods
  Amazon is rethinking its grocery business, and as part of that, it will shut down all of its remaining Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores. The company will convert some locations into Whole Foods Market stores. 
  
  "While we9ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven9t yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion," the company wrote in a blog post. Amazon added that it would help workers at Go and Fresh stores to find positions elsewhere within the company.
  
  For now, Amazon is focusing its grocery efforts on Fresh deliveries, Amazon Now (a 30-minutes-or-less delivery option it recently introduced to compete with DoorDash and Instacart) and Whole Foods. It plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years. 
  
  Amazon also says it will introduce new types of physical locations in the coming years. One concept it9s considering is a "supercenter" that would offer a broad selection of goods from Amazon, including household items, groceries and "general merchandise." I dunno, that just sounds like a supermarket to me.
  
  Meanwhile, the checkout-less Just Walk Out tech that the company implemented in Go and Fresh stores is still in use at third-party locations, including hospital cafeterias and sports arenas. Amazon has also deployed it in break rooms in dozens of its warehouses to help "employees maximize break time by grabbing meals without checkout delays." It’s definitely not to keep closer tabs on workers, I’m sure.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/amazon-go-and-fresh-stores-are-closing-as-amazon-focuses-on-grocery-delivery-and-whole-foods-180448412.html?src=rss

• OpenAI releases Prism, a Claude Code-like app for scientific research
  OpenAI is releasing a new app called Prism today, and it hopes it does for science what coding agents like Claude Code and its own Codex platform have done for programming. 
  
  Prism builds on Crixet, a cloud-based LaTeX platform the company is announcing it acquired today. For the uninitiated, LaTeX is a typesetting system for formatting scientific documents and journals. Nearly the entire scientific community relies on LaTeX, but it can make some tasks, such as drawing diagrams through TikZ commands, time-consuming to do. Beyond that, LaTeX is just one of the software tools a scientist might turn to when preparing to publish their research.   
  
  That9s where Prism comes into the picture. Like Crixet before it, the app offers robust LaTeX editing and a built-in AI assistant. Where previously it was Crixet9s own Chirp agent, now it9s GPT-5.2 Thinking. OpenAI9s model can help with more than just formatting journals — in a press demo, an OpenAI employee used it to find and incorporate scientific literature that was relevant to the paper they were working on, with GPT-5.2 automating the process of writing the bibliography. 
  
  "None of this absolves the scientist of the responsibility to verify that their references are correct, but it can certainly speed up the process," said Kevin Weil, vice president of science for OpenAI, when asked during the demo the possibility of ChatGPT generating fake citations. 
  
  "We9re conscious that, as AI becomes more capable, there are concerns around volume, quality and trust in the scientific community," he later added. "Our view is that the right response is not to keep AI at arm9s length or let it operate invisibly in the background; it9s to integrate it directly into scientific workflows in ways that preserve accountability and keep researchers in control." 
  
  Later in the same demo, the OpenAI employee used Prism to generate a lesson plan for a graduate course on general relativity, as well as a set of problems for students to solve. OpenAI envisions these features helping scientists and professors spend less time on the more tedious tasks in their professions. 
  
  Prism is available to anyone with a personal ChatGPT account. It includes support for unlimited projects and collaborators. OpenAI plans to bring the software to organizations on ChatGPT Business, Team, Enterprise and Education plans soon. Crixet won’t be offered separately.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-releases-prism-a-claude-code-like-app-for-scientific-research-180000454.html?src=rss

• Google AI Plus is now available in the US for $8 a month
  Google AI Plus, the company’s most affordable AI subscription plan, is now rolling out in the US. It will cost you $8 a month for its features, though you can get it for $4 a month for the first two months for a limited time only. AI Plus gives you access to 200GB of storage, as well as access to the Gemini 3 Pro model, Deep Research and Nano Banana Pro inside the Gemini app. Nano Banana Pro generates images that look so realistic, they’re nearly indistinguishable from ordinary photos snapped on phones. Google even had to limit its usage due to high demand.
  
  A subscription to AI Plus also expands your access to Google’s AI filmmaking tool Flow, its image-to-video creator tool Whisk and its research assistant tool NotebookLM. In addition to the US, the plan is now making its way to 34 more countries, making it available in all regions where Google is selling its AI services. In the US, the new option costs less than half of a $20 AI Pro subscription, which comes with 2TB of storage and access to more tools like code assist. Google’s most expensive AI plan, the AI Ultra, costs a whopping $250 a month and comes with 30TB of storage, along with all the AI tools the company can offer. Take note that if you’re paying for a Google One Premium 2TB subscription, you’ll also get all of AI Plus’ features over the next few days.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-ai-plus-is-now-available-in-the-us-for-8-a-month-180000175.html?src=rss

• WhatsApp introduces an advanced security mode to protect against hackers
  Meta9s WhatsApp just introduced something called Strict Account Settings, a tool "that further protects your account from highly sophisticated cyber attacks." This is a one-click button in the settings that automatically initiates a series of defenses.
  
  So what does it do? It blocks media and attachments from unknown senders, disables link previews and silences calls from unknown senders. This results in a more restrictive experience, but hopefully a safer one.
  
  The company says this isn9t necessarily for regular users, as conversations are already protected by end-to-end encryption. Instead, this is being pitched as a tool for "journalists or public-facing figures" that "may need extreme safeguards against rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks."
  
  Strict Account Settings will be rolling out globally in the coming weeks. Users will find the tool in the Privacy settings.
  
  WhatsApp is just the latest tech platform to offer enhanced security tools for high-risk users. Apple introduced Lockdown Mode back in 2022 and Android introduced its Advanced Protection Mode last year.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/whatsapp-introduces-an-advanced-security-mode-to-protect-against-hackers-174144598.html?src=rss

• Yahoo is adding generative AI to its search engine
  Yahoo has announced a new AI-powered "answer engine", dubbed Yahoo Scout. The new tool is available now in beta and is powered by Anthropic9s Claude.
  
  The company says Scout "synthesizes" info from the web, as well as Yahoo9s own data and content when constructing responses to user9s natural-language search queries. Yahoo says the interface will include interactive digital media, structured lists and tables and visible source links aimed at making answers easier to verify. (Disclosure: Yahoo is the parent company of Engadget.)
  
  Alongside Scout, Yahoo is announcing an "intelligence platform" across its varied products. This will include features like AI summaries in Yahoo Mail, “key takeaways” in Yahoo News and game breakdowns in Yahoo Sports. Scout will also integrate into Yahoo Shopping to offer insights and shoppable links, and Yahoo Finance, where it can populate company financials, analyst ratings and explain stock moves as they occur. Yahoo says the answer engine behind Scout will become more personalized and focus on "deeper experiences" as time goes on.
  
  Google offered a glimpse of generative AI in search back in 2023, and the company9s AI Mode for search was made widely available in the US last year. The company has been similarly at work integrating its AI model across its product portfolio, including Gmail and shopping.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/yahoo-is-adding-generative-ai-to-its-search-engine-172706249.html?src=rss

• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Everything we think the company will unveil
  Samsung’s 2025 was filled with new foldables, an ultra-thin new form factor and the launch of Google9s XR platform. After making some announcements at CES 2026, the company is expected to host its first Galaxy Unpacked of the year in February to introduce the Galaxy S26 lineup.
  
  Engadget will be covering Galaxy Unpacked live, and we9ll most likely have hands-on coverage of Samsung9s new smartphones soon after they9re announced. While we wait for an official invite, here9s everything we expect Samsung will introduce at the first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026.
  Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra hands-on photoPhoto by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
  Samsung9s restrained approach to updating its phones will likely continue with the Galaxy S26. Based on leaked images of the new lineup, the company is not expected to radically reinvent the look of the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ or Galaxy S26 Ultra, and instead will stick with a similar design to what it used on the Galaxy S25. The phones will have a flat front screen and frame, with rounded corners and cameras housed in a vertical pill-shaped plateau on the back. Unlike Apple9s move from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone 17 Pro, the biggest difference here will likely be internal components like the screens, chips and camera sensors Samsung uses.
  
  Qualcomm9s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is expected to be in all Samsung Galaxy S26 phones, though Korean news site Exynos 2600 chip could be used in some phones in the lineup depending on the region, a strategy Samsung has deployed in the past. Either way the new phones should be more performant than the previous generation, and in the case of the models with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, particularly good at on-device AI processing.
  I have compiled the most accurate comprehensive parameter comparison of Galaxy S25, S25+ and Galaxy S26、 S26+. Which one do you want to buy? pic.twitter.com/aQpoSvYjOz
  — Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) November 29, 2025
  One notable difference between the Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S25 could be the phone9s screen. The new phone will reportedly feature a 6.3-inch FHD+ display according to specs shared by leaker Ice Universe, which makes it ever so slightly larger than the 6.2-inch display used on the Galaxy S25. The S26 will also allegedly come with 12GB of RAM, either 256GB or 512GB of storage and a slightly larger 4,300mAh battery. Samsung isn9t changing the cameras on the entry-level phone, though: leaks suggest it9ll feature the same 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and 12-megapixel selfie camera as the previous generation. Changes appear to be even more minor on the Galaxy S26+. Other than the new Snapdragon chip, the phone will reportedly feature the same 6.7-inch FHD+ screen, 4,900mAh battery, 12GB of RAM and the same camera array used on the base Galaxy S26.
  
  The difference between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra is reportedly a bit clearer. only technically work with the standard when a case is attached, rumors suggest Samsung will remove the S Pen digitizer layer in the phone and adopt a new method for accepting stylus input. It9s not clear what that new method will actually be, but it could let the Galaxy S26 Ultra more easily work with Qi2 accessories without losing its stylus.
  Galaxy Buds 4Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in case.Engadget
  Samsung released the Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro in 2024, with a major redesign that brought them much more in line with Apple9s AirPods. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro Samsung is rumored to be announcing soon won9t necessarily change that, though they will feature a more compact case and less angular stems, according to leaked images from the Samsung Tips app.
  
  Support for head gestures to accept and decline calls, a feature Apple includes on the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4, is also rumored to work on both versions of the new Galaxy Buds. Google9s Find Hub network.
  Galaxy Z TrifoldYes, the TriFold has a crease, two in fact. But they still don9t ruin the experience. Sam Rutherford for Engadget
  Samsung announced the Galaxy Z TriFold in late 2025 without firm details of when the new smartphone-that-folds-into-a-tablet would be available in North America. That info came on January 27, when the company announced the TriFold would be available in the US on January 30, for a whopping $2,900. Considering we’ve already seen the device in person at CES 2026 and people are most likely to have had a chance to look at, if not buy the foldable for themselves by the time Unpacked rolls around, we don’t expect Samsung to spend too much time dwelling on it, if at all.
  Galaxy S26 EdgeAt just 5.8mm thick, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is one of the thinnest smartphones ever made. Sam Rutherford for Engadget
  When the Galaxy S25 Edge was announced in 2025, it seemed possible that Samsung could replace its "Plus" smartphone with a unique form factor, just like Apple has opted to do with the iPhone Air. There have been conflicting reports on the matter, but it seems like Samsung will not be doing that with the Galaxy S26 Edge.
  
  Instead, the smartphone will reportedly remain another option, much like foldables are for customers not swayed by Samsung9s traditional smartphones. The Galaxy S26 Edge is rumored to feature a slightly different design than last year9s model, a deal with Motorola on its Razr phones, so the only thing that would make a deal with Samsung unusual is the close relationship the company already has with Google.
  
  The company also accidentally announced a new version of its Bixby AI assistant, which will likely also be integrated with Perplexity and could serve as an alternative to Google Gemini. Both a new Bixby and a deeper integration with Perplexity seem like natural new software features to show off at Galaxy Unpacked.
  
  Update, January 27 2026, 11:55AM ET: This story has been updated to reflect the latest news around the Galaxy Z TriFold’s price and availability in the US.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2026-everything-we-think-the-company-will-unveil-130000218.html?src=rss

• Gemini 3 is now Google's default model for AI Overviews
  Google has begun rolling out two upgrades for Search. Starting today, Gemini 3 is the default model powering AI Overviews. When the company debuted its new family of AI systems last November, it first deployed Gemini 3 in AI Overviews through a router that was programmed to direct the most difficult questions to the new system. Now Google is making Gemini 3 the standard for all users globally. In practice, Gemini 3 should prove better at generating more credible and relevant summaries. 
  
  As for that second upgrade, now you can jump into AI Mode conversation directly from an AI Overview. Google first previewed this feature late last year.
  
  "In our testing, we’ve found that people prefer an experience that flows naturally into a conversation — and that asking follow-up questions while keeping the context from AI Overviews makes Search more helpful," said Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google Search. "It’s one fluid experience with prominent links to continue exploring: a quick snapshot when you need it, and deeper conversation when you want it."
  
  If you9re using Google Search on a mobile device, you can jump directly into an AI Mode conversation from an AI Overview starting today. 
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-3-is-now-googles-default-model-for-ai-overviews-170000302.html?src=rss

• How to get NBC without Fubo ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics
  After more than two months of contract disputes, NBCUniversal9s lineup of channels are still not being carried by Fubo, which is a bummer for anyone hoping to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics. Once again, NBC will be the primary place to watch the Winter Games, but Fubo subscribers will need to find alternate viewing methods if they want to watch events like figure skating, ice hockey, luge or skiing this year. The Olympics will also be broadcast on the USA Network and CNBC, and those channels are similarlyblacked out on Fubo.
  
  While the two media companies continue their negotiations, subscribers have had no choice but to sign up for other services — or at least test drive the ones that offer free trials — so if you9re a Fubo subscriber and you want to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics, here are some answers to your biggest questions, including which NBC channels are missing from the Fubo lineup, where to watch them, and when to tune in for Olympics coverage. 
  Which channels are broadcasting the Olympics?
  Olympics coverage will be broadcast daily on NBC, USA, and CNBC. NBC will be the main hub for all U.S. coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, showing daily live coverage of many popular events and a primetime broadcast each night spotlighting the top moments from competition.
  How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics without Fubo
  The Olympics officially run from Feb. 6-22 and and you9ll also be able to stream every single event live on Peacock. If you want to tune in to daily coverage on NBC, USA, and CNBC, you can also find those on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV.
  Which channels are no longer available on Fubo?
  The following is a list of channels owned or licensed by NBC that are not currently available on Fubo, including NBC, USA, and CNBC:
  Local Channels:
  NBC Local Affiliates
  
  Telemundo Local/National
  Regional Sports Channels:
  NBC Sports 4K
  
  NBC Sports Bay Area
  
  NBC Sports Bay Area Plus
  
  NBC Sports Boston
  
  NBC Sports California
  
  NBC Sports California Plus
  
  NBC Sports California Plus 3
  
  NBC Sports Philadelphia
  
  NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
  National Channels:
  American Crimes
  
  Bravo
  
  Bravo Vault
  
  Caso Cerrado
  
  CNBC
  
  CNBC World
  
  Cozi
  
  Dateline 24/7
  
  E! Entertainment Television
  
  E! Keeping Up
  
  Golf Channel
  
  GolfPass
  
  LX Home
  
  Million Dollar Listing Vault
  
  MS NOW (formerly MSNBC)
  
  NBC NOW
  
  NBC Sports NOW
  
  NBC Universo
  
  True CRMZ
  
  New England Cable News
  
  Noticias Telemundo Ahora
  
  Oxygen True Crime
  
  Oxygen True Crime Archives
  
  Real Housewives Vault
  
  SNL Vault
  
  Syfy
  
  Telemundo Accion
  
  Telemundo al Dia
  
  The Golf Channel
  
  Today All Day
  
  Universal Movies
  
  USA Network
  Why are these NBC-owned channels currently unavailable?
  Per Fubo, NBC channels were pulled from the platform because of a disagreement over their long-standing content distribution agreement that has yet to be resolved.
  When will the missing channels return?
  Negotiations between the companies are ongoing, and after more than two months, there is still no projected return date.
  What are the best alternatives to watch the Olympics?
  Peacock is the most comprehensive place to see every Olympic event, and you can even find discounts and deals on subscriptions now. Every channel necessary to watch the Olympics is available on DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV, too. Here are some of your choices if you9re looking for another way to watch the 2026 Winter Games.
  Watch NBC on Peacock
  
  Get a deal on Peacock with Walmart+
  
  Try DirecTV free for 5 days, and get $30 off your first three months
  
  Try Hulu + Live TV for free
  
  
  Other services to watch NBC
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-get-nbc-without-fubo-ahead-of-the-2026-winter-olympics-163805696.html?src=rss

• Pinterest is conducting a massive round of layoffs to prioritize 'AI-powered products and capabilities'
  Pinterest is planning on laying off up to 15 percent of its workforce, pic.twitter.com/juTBCJLoa1
  — Mashable (@mashable) January 22, 2026
  Unfortunately, becoming a "leader in visual search" has created some headaches for end users. The platform has become overridden with AI-generated slop, leading the company to introduce a dial to reduce the prevalence of artificial content.
  
  Pinterest is just the latest company to downsize in favor of AI. A consulting firm found that AI was the stated blame for around 55,000 layoffs in the US last year. 
  
  
  
  This leads some to question the veracity of this reasoning, as some entities could be engaging in something called AI-washing. This is when companies exaggerate the use of AI and blame it for standard cost-cutting layoffs, leading investors to think "ooh, shiny."
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/pinterest-is-conducting-a-massive-round-of-layoffs-to-prioritize-ai-powered-products-and-capabilities-163440004.html?src=rss

• A TikTok US power outage caused a 'cascading systems failure' leading to multiple bugs
  If your TikTok feed has felt a little off lately, it9s not just you. TikTok says is still working to fix its service in the US following a power outage at one of its data centers that9s caused “multiple bugs” in the app. TikTok users have reported problems logging in and uploading videos, as well as strange behavior from the "for you" algorithm. Creators have also noticed that new uploads are seemingly getting o views or likes and that in-app earnings have disappeared.
  
  "Since yesterday we’ve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate," the company wrote in a statement Monday. "We9re working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We9re sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon."
  Since yesterday we’ve been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate. We9re working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We9re sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon.
  — TikTok USDS Joint Venture (@tiktokusdsjv) January 26, 2026
  In a subsequent update several hours later, the company said that the power outage had caused a “cascading systems failure” that is still affecting the app and leading to “multiple bugs,” including those affecting view counts and load times. “Creators may temporarily see ‘0’ views or likes on videos, and your earnings may look like they9re missing,” the company wrote in an update on X. “This is a display error caused by server timeouts; your actual data and engagement are safe.”
  An update on our work to restore and stabilize TikTok. pic.twitter.com/PZzsuFeZmj
  — TikTok USDS Joint Venture (@tiktokusdsjv) January 26, 2026
  The statement didn’t directly address reported issues with the app’s recommendation algorithm. Since Sunday, users have reported seeing a wave of generic videos flood their feeds, which are typically hyper-personalized. Other users have reported seeing the same few videos repeated over and over again. 
  
  About a day after the issues started, TikTok said that it had made “significant progress” in recovering from the issues it was facing, but that US users still may “have some technical issues,” specifically when posting new videos.
  We9ve made significant progress in recovering our U.S. infrastructure with our U.S. data center partner. However, the U.S. user experience may still have some technical issues, including when posting new content. We9re committed to bringing TikTok back to its full capacity as…
  — TikTok USDS Joint Venture (@tiktokusdsjv) January 27, 2026
  The issues come just days after TikTok finalized a deal to spin off its US business into a separate entity largely controlled by US investors. That timing hasn9t gone unnoticed by users, many of whom are already suspicious of the company pushing a terms of service and privacy policy in the hours after the deal was finalized. The problems affecting the app9s recommendation algorithm have also raised questions about TikTok USDS Joint Venture9s plans to "retrain" TikTok9s central feature.
  
  Update, January 26, 2026, 7:18PM ET: This post has been updated to include additional information from TikTok about the outage and bugs affecting users.
  
  Update, January 27, 2026, 11:22AM ET: Added TikTok’s latest statement about recovering from the issues that have hit US users.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/a-tiktok-us-power-outage-caused-a-cascading-systems-failure-leading-to-multiple-bugs-173426490.html?src=rss

• The EU tells Google to give external AI assistants the same access to Android as Gemini has
  The European Commission has started proceedings to ensure Google complies with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in certain ways. Specifically, the European Union’s executive arm has told Google to grant third-party AI services the same level of access to Android that Gemini has. "The aim is to ensure that third-party providers have an equal opportunity to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape on smart mobile devices," the Commission said in a statement. 
  
  The company will also have to hand over "anonymized ranking, query, click and view data held by Google Search" to rival search engines. The Commission says this will help competing companies to optimize their services and offer more viable alternatives to Google Search. 
  
  "Today’s proceedings under the Digital Markets Act will provide guidance to Google to ensure that third-party online search engines and AI providers enjoy the same access to search data and Android operating system as Google9s own services, like Google Search or Gemini," said Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy. "Our goal is to keep the AI market open, unlock competition on the merits and promote innovation, to the benefit of consumers and businesses."
  
  The Commission plans to wrap up these proceedings in the next six months, effectively handing Google a deadline to make all of this happen. If the company doesn9t do so to the Commission9s satisfaction, it may face a formal investigation and penalties down the line. The Commission can impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company9s global annual revenue for a DMA violation.
  
  Google was already in hot water with the EU for allegedly favoring its own services — such as travel, finance and shopping — over those from rivals and stopping Google Play app developers from easily directing consumers to alternative, cheaper ways to pay for digital goods and services. The bloc charged Google with DMA violations related to those issues last March. 
  
  In November, the EU opened an investigation into Google9s alleged demotion of commercial content on news websites in search results. The following month, it commenced a probe into Google9s AI practices, including whether the company used online publishers9 material for AI Overviews and AI Mode without "appropriate compensation" or offering the ability to opt out.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-eu-tells-google-to-give-external-ai-assistants-the-same-access-to-android-as-gemini-has-154157081.html?src=rss

• AirPods 4 with ANC drop to $119
  Every time Apple9s AirPods 4 with active noise cancelation go on sale I have the same thought: maybe I made a mistake. Don9t get me wrong, I love my regular AirPods 4, but the noise canceling aspect makes their sister pair very enticing.
  
  Take now, for instance, when the AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale for $119, down from $179. The 34 percent discount brings them to only $4 more than the standard AirPods 4 current sale price and below their usual $129. While we9ve seen the ANC model as low as $99, the $119 price tag is the best deal we9ve seen so far this year. 
  
  
  
  Apple released its fourth-generation AirPods in late 2024 and they9re still our pick for best budget AirPods on the market. We gave the ANC model an 86 in our review thanks to their effective noise canceling, better sound quality and features like adaptive audio. Overall, at $60 off, they9re a great option to pick up. 
  
  Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/airpods-4-with-anc-drop-to-119-153239093.html?src=rss

• TurboTax Deluxe has been discounted to $45 ahead of tax season
  With the spring approaching, it9s time to start thinking about how you9ll file your taxes. Unfortunately, with the recent demise of Direct File, there isn9t a free, government-provided alternative to TurboTax in 2026, and you9ll need to look to other federal programs, including IRS Free File, to file your paperwork. If you don9t qualify for Free File, chances are you9ll need to dish out cash for Intuit9s software. And while we hate to suggest you give money to a company that has spent decades lobbying to ensure America9s tax system remains a nightmare, we can at least save you some money if TurboTax is your only option.
  
  
  
  Right now, Amazon has discounted the deluxe desktop edition of TurboTax by 44 percent. That gets you $35 off software that normally costs $80, which you can use to file both your individual state and federal taxes. For most Americans, that should cover their needs.
  
  However, if you9re self-employed, you9ll need to pony up for the more expensive Business version of TurboTax, which is currently 42 percent off, or $54 off. One last thing to note: you9ll need a PC with either Windows 11 or macOS Sonoma to run the software, so an older machine won9t do, unfortunately.
  
  An alternative that9s also on sale is from H&R Block. Amazon has H&R Block9s Deluxe + State tax software for 50 percent off, bringing it down to only $30. It works on Windows and Mac devices and lets you import your previous year9s personal tax return, even from competing software like TurboTax and Quicken.
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/turbotax-deluxe-has-been-discounted-to-45-ahead-of-tax-season-204848732.html?src=rss

• The Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold will cost $2,900 in the US
  As promised, Samsung is bringing its Galaxy Z Trifold smartphone to shoppers in the US. The unique foldable goes on sale on January 30. 
  
  The phone was announced along with its select markets9 sale dates at the close of 2025. We didn9t have price information for Samsung9s domestic market at that time, and even though we were anticipating the Galaxy Z Trifold to cost a bundle, the actual cost is more absurd than we9d guessed. In reality, getting your hands on this slim triple-screen smartphone will run you $2,900. 
  
  Putting aside the ludicrous expense, this smartphone is pretty dang cool. After his hands-on experience with the phone at CES 2026, Engadget senior writer Sam Rutherford had overall positive things to say about the device, despite it demanding some tradeoffs in bulk. To borrow his own phrase: "I kind of hate how much I like the Galaxy Z TriFold."
  
  Maybe as this cutting edge design becomes easier to manufacture, prices will eventually drop into the realm of reality for the average consumer. But if you’re a person who would buy a separate smartphone and tablet, combining both into a single device might feel worth the price tag. For now, anyone willing to pay the premium in the US will receive the model that has 512GB of storage and only comes in a black color.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-samsung-galaxy-z-trifold-will-cost-2900-in-the-us-140000013.html?src=rss

• Lego has a new round of Star Wars sets that work with the Smart Brick
  Lego unveiled its Smart Play system at CES 2026 earlier this month, with a selection of sets designed for the engaging feature. Now, the toy company has announced five new compatible sets — all Stars Wars themed — available now for pre-order. Anthony Daniels, the original C-3PO, shared the news during the Nuremberg Toy Fair. 
  
  The Smart Play system, Lego's newest venture, involves a Smart Brick, Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures. Each Smart Brick has proximity sensors, an accelerometer, a speaker and more. The Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures relay what's happening to the Brick. For example, if you whoosh a spaceship through the air, the Smart Brick should make a sound that imitates that. Vader, of course, also makes his deep breathing sound. Plus, it requires no screens or apps, so the fun remains in its true, tactical form. 
  
  The five new Smart Play sets span the Star Wars universe: 
  
  Luke's Landspeeder with 215 pieces ($40)
  
  AT-ST Attach on Endor with 347 pieces ($50)
  
  Yoda's Hut and Jedi Training with 440 pieces ($70)
  
  Mos Eisley Cantina with 666 pieces ($80)
  
  Millennium Falcon with 885 pieces ($100)
  
  These sets join three initially announced Star Wars Smart Play ones: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter ($70), Luke's Red Five X-Wing ($90) and Throne Room Duel & A-Wing ($150). However, these three are "all-in-one" sets, meaning they come with the Smart Bricks. The newly announced options don't come with a Smart Brick, requiring an extra purchase, but will have the Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures that will know what to do. 
  
  All of the Smart Play Star Wars sets are available to pre-order as of today. They should be available starting March 1. 
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lego-has-a-new-round-of-star-wars-sets-that-work-with-the-smart-brick-131210482.html?src=rss

• Apple's AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $199 right now
  The AirPods Pro 3 are on sale and back at their record low price of $199. This is marked down from $250, a hefty 20 percent discount. This model was just released in September of last year, so consider this a substantial discount for such a recent product.
  
  We gave these AirPods a score of 90 out of 100 in our review and we consider them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone users. The third generation model is a substantial update to an already impressive product, bringing new features like live translation to the table.
  
  
  
  The AirPods Pro 3 also offer heart-rate tracking, allowing them to stream live data to Apple Fitness and other third-party workout apps. This lets you track your fitness and close activity rings similarly to when using an Apple Watch.
  
  Apple also improved the sound quality of this generation thanks in large part to a redesigned acoustic architecture that improves how air is delivered into the ear canal. Additionally, the company changed the angle of the drivers to help more sound get where it needs to go instead of bouncing off the sides of your ear. We felt the jump in audio quality from the last generation to this one was substantial.
  
  The ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 has also been improved. Apple claims this model filters out twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times as much as the original AirPods Pro. We found the noise cancellation to be top-notch.
  
  Live Translation is as neat as it sounds, leveraging the AirPods9 noise cancellation tech, Apple9s AI and beam-forming mics to help you understand a speaker in a different language. Right now, this is limited to a handful of languages with more being added over time.
  
  It9s not often you see one of Apple9s best and most recent products on sale for 20 percent off, so if you9re in the market for an upgrade or your first set of AirPods, consider taking advantage of this deal. If you9re looking to spend a little less, the AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale right now, too, for $119.
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-3-are-on-sale-for-199-right-now-140752286.html?src=rss

• California will investigate TikTok's alleged censorship of anti-Trump posts
  California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that his office is investigating whether TikTok is truly censoring content critical of Trump, days after ByteDance finalized a deal to spin off its business in the US. Newsom made the announcement in response to a post on X, claiming that you can no longer send messages in the app with the word “Epstein” in it. Newsom’s office, in a separate post, said it was able to independently confirm instances wherein TikTok suppressed content critical of President Donald Trump.
  
  The governor’s office told complaining about technical issues affecting TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and other features. Some claimed that they had difficulties posting videos about ICE over the weekend. TikTok blamed its issues, including bugs, slower loading times and timed-out uploads, on a power outage at one of its US data centers. It said it’s now working to restore its services.
  It’s time to investigate.
  
  I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content. https://t.co/AZ2mWW68xa
  — Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 27, 2026
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/california-will-investigate-tiktoks-alleged-censorship-of-anti-trump-posts-130000558.html?src=rss

• The Morning After: Apple's new louder, high-precision AirTag
  Between the new Macs, iPhones and rumored AI gadgets, Apple surprised us with an upgraded, second-generation AirTag. It has Apple’s latest Ultra Wideband chip — the same one used in the iPhone 17 lineup and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also uses Precision Finding to reach items up to 50 percent further away than the previous AirTag model. This feature will now work with any Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 or newer.
  cheaper options than Apple’s leather version, fortunately. I personally like Elevation Lab’sAirTag Wallet Holder.
  
  — Mat Smith
  The biggest tech stories.
  Watch the new trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, now with Yoshi
  
  The best winter tech to help get you through the coldest months��
  
  People are uninstalling TikTok and downloading an indie competitor
  Resident Evil Requiem gives series fans the best of both action and survival horror
  With its two protagonists, the game alternates between gory action and tension.
  Continue reading.
  
  
  A TikTok US power outage caused a ‘cascading systems failure’
  There were a lot of bugs.
  
  TikTok says it’s still working to fix the “multiple bugs” in its US service following a power outage at one of its data centers. Users are having issues logging in and uploading videos and are seeing strange behavior from the “for you” algorithm. Some creators have also noticed that new uploads seem to be getting no views or likes.
  
  The company released a statement yesterday saying a power outage had caused a “cascading systems failure” that is still affecting the app. The statement, however, didn’t address reported issues with the app’s recommendation algorithm. Since Sunday, users have reported seeing a wave of generic videos flood their feeds, which are usually hyper-personalized to the user.
  
  Continue reading.
  Apple may have its Gemini-powered Siri ready by February
  It will reportedly show off the revamped Siri in ‘the second half of February.’
  
  According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to reveal its new Siri in “the second half of February,” demonstrating some new Gemini-powered capabilities — whatever they may be. 
  
  After this, Gurman said the new Siri will be available in iOS 26.4, which is also slated to enter beta testing in February before its public release in March or early April. It’s been a long time coming; Apple teased its next-gen Siri back at WWDC 2024, but it’s still not made it to devices.
  
  Continue reading.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-apples-new-louder-high-precision-airtag-120500942.html?src=rss

• The best Apple Watch accessories for 2026
  The right accessories can transform your Apple Watch into the best workout companion, a stylish timepiece and everything in between. Whether you’re looking to upgrade its style, recharge its battery quickly or make it even more convenient to use on the go, there’s an accessory out there that can help. From a stylish sport loop that keeps things comfortable during workouts to a sturdy charging stand for your bedside, there are plenty of ways to enhance your experience.
  
  Apple has a few Watches at this point: the flagship model, the Ultra 2 and the Watch SE, and you can find accessories for any and all of them — many of which won’t break the bank. If you’re always on the go, a power bank with wireless charging can help keep your watch topped up without needing to hunt for an outlet. No matter which Apple Watch you own, the best accessories can make daily use more seamless and add a little extra style and functionality along the way.
  Best Apple Watch accessories for 2026
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-apple-watch-accessories-133025270.html?src=rss

• The best wireless earbuds for 2026
  Wireless earbuds are now the default option for everyday listening, whether you’re heading out for a commute, fitting in a workout or just watching videos at home. The best wireless earbuds combine reliable connectivity, comfortable fits and sound quality that holds up across music, calls and podcasts, all without the hassle of cables. Most are small enough to disappear into a pocket and pair quickly with phones, tablets and laptops.
  
  What sets one pair apart from another often comes down to priorities. Some earbuds lean heavily on active noise cancellation, while others focus on long battery life, compact charging cases or lower prices. Features like water resistance, customizable controls and app support can also make a real difference day to day. This guide breaks down the best wireless earbuds available now to help you find the right match for how you listen.
  Best wireless earbuds of 2026
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What to look for in the best wireless earbuds
  When it comes to shopping for earphones, the first thing to consider is design or wear style. Do you prefer a semi-open fit like AirPods or do you want something that completely closes off your ears? If you’re shopping for earbuds with active noise cancellation, you9ll want the latter, but a case can be made for the former if you want to wear them all day or frequent places where you need to be tuned in to the ambient sounds. The overall shape of earbuds can determine whether you get a comfortable fit, so can the size and weight, so you’ll want to consider all that before deciding. And remember: audio companies aren’t perfect, so despite lots of research, the earbud shape they decided on may not fit you well. Don’t be afraid to return ill-fitting earbuds for something that’s more comfortable.
  
  As wireless earbuds have become the norm, they’re now more reliable for basic things like consistent Bluetooth connectivity. Companies are still in a race to pack as much as they can into increasingly smaller designs. This typically means a longer list of features on the more premium sets of earbuds with basic functionality on the cheapest models. Carefully consider what you can’t live without when selecting your next earbuds, and make sure key items like automatic pausing and multipoint connectivity are on the spec sheet. You’ll also want to investigate the volume and touch controls as you’ll often have to sacrifice access to something else to make that adjustment via on-board taps or swipes. Some earbuds even offer app settings to tweak the audio profiles or firmware updates to improve performance over time.
  
  For those in the Apple ecosystem, features like auto-pairing with devices, especially with AirPods Pro 3, can be an added advantage, while Android users may want to look for models that offer similar cross-device functionality.
  
  When it comes to battery life, the average set of earbuds lasts about five hours on a single charge. You can find sets that last longer, but this is likely enough to get you through a work day if you’re docking the buds during lunch or the occasional meeting. You’ll want to check on how many extra charges are available via the case and if it supports wireless charging.
  
  Companies will also make lofty claims about call quality on wireless earbuds. Despite lots of promises, the reality is most earbuds still leave you sounding like you’re on speakerphone. There are some sets that deliver, but don’t get your hopes up unless reviews confirm the claims.
  
  Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible. This is especially true if you9re an audiophile. We understand this isn’t easy when most of us do a lot of shopping online, but trying on a set of earbuds and listening to them for a few minutes can save you from an expensive case of buyer9s remorse. If a store doesn’t allow a quick demo, most retailers have return policies that will let you take earbuds back you don’t like. Of course, you have to be willing to temporarily part with funds in order to do this.
  
  We also recommend paying attention to things like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio and other immersive formats. Not all earbuds support them, so you’ll want to make sure a perspective pair does if that sort of thing excites you, especially if you plan to use them for playback of high-quality audio.
  How we test wireless earbuds
  The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. We prefer to do this over a one- to two-week period, but sometimes embargoes don’t allow it. During this time, we listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for earbuds is typically less than a full day, we drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent).
  
  To judge audio quality, we listen to a range of genres, noting any differences in the sound profile across the styles. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To assess call quality, we’ll record audio samples with the earbuds’ microphones as well as have third parties call us.
  
  When it comes to features, we do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as we work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds we’re testing are an updated version of a previous model, we’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older buds. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of earbuds that we review.
  Other wireless Bluetooth earbuds we tested Sony WF-C710N
  The WF-C710N is a set of compact and comfy earbuds that offer several of Sony’s best features. While the ANC performance is above average for this price ($120), sound quality isn’t as good as the company’s slightly more expensive options. Battery life fell below stated figures and call performance isn’t good enough to use these buds for work.
  Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
  The newest version of the Powerbeats Pro have an improved, comfortable design, balanced bass and new H2 chips and a heart rate sensor inside. But heart rate support is currently limited on iOS.
  Samsung Galaxy Buds 3
  The Galaxy Buds 3 combine ANC with an open-type design, which renders the noise-blocking abilities of the earbuds mostly useless. Still, there’s great low-end tone with ample bass when a track demands it. There are also lots of handy features, most of which require a Samsung phone. But at this price, there are better options from Google, Beats and Sony
  Sennheiser Momentum Sport
  I really like the overall shape of the Momentum Sport earbuds. They’re more comfortable than the Momentum True Wireless 4 and fit in my ears better. What’s more, the body temperature and heart rate sensors work well, sending those stats to a variety of apps. However, that sport-tracking feature works best with Polar’s app and devices, so there’s that consideration. Also, the audio quality and ANC performance isn’t as good as the MTW4, and these earbuds are pricey.
  Beats Solo Buds
  There’s a lot to like about the Solo Buds for $80. For me, the primary perk is they’re very comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to some thoughtful design considerations. You only get the basics here in terms of features and, as expected, the overall sound quality isn’t as good as the pricier models in the Beats lineup. You will get 18 hours of battery life though, since the company nixed the battery in the case and beefed up the listening time in the buds themselves.
  Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
  Bose created something very unique for this set of earbuds that allows you to stay in-tune with the world while listening to audio content. The clip-on design is very comfortable, but sound quality suffers due to the open-type fit, especially when it comes to bass and spatial audio.
  Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7
  These stick buds have a compact design that’s comfortable to wear and the warm sound profile is great at times. However, overall audio performance is inconsistent and there’s no automatic pausing.
  Master & Dynamic MW09
  Retooled audio, better ambient sound mode and reliable multipoint Bluetooth are the best things the MW09 has to offer. They’re expensive though, and you can find better ANC performance elsewhere.
  Wireless earbud FAQs What is considered good battery life for true wireless earbuds?
  Most wireless earbuds will last five hours on a single charge, at the least. You can find some pairs that have even better battery life, lasting between six and eight hours before they need more juice. All of the best wireless earbuds come with a charging case, which will provide additional hours of battery life — but you9ll have to return each bud to the case in order to charge them up.
  Is sound quality better on headphones or earbuds?
  Comparing sound quality on earbuds and headphones is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. There are a lot of variables to consider and the differences in components make a direct comparison difficult. Personally, I prefer the audio quality from over-ear headphones, but I can tell you the sound from earbuds like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 is also outstanding.
  Which wireless earbuds have the longest battery life?
  With new models coming out all the time, tracking the hours of battery life for each this can be difficult to keep tabs on. The longest-lasting earbuds we’ve reviewed are Audio-Technica’s ATH-CKS5TW. The company states they last 15 hours, but the app was still showing 40 percent at that mark during our tests. The only downside is these earbuds debuted in 2019 and both technology and features have improved since. In terms of current models, Master & Dynamic’s MW08 offers 12 hours of use on a charge with ANC off (10 with ANC on) and JBL has multiple options with 10-hour batteries.
  What wireless earbuds are waterproof?
  There are plenty of options these days when it comes to increased water resistance. To determine the level of protection, you’ll want to look for an IP (ingress protection) rating. The first number indicates intrusion protection from things like dust. The second number is the level of moisture protection and you’ll want to make sure that figure is 7 or higher. At this water-resistance rating, earbuds can withstand full immersion for up to 30 minutes in depths up to one meter (3.28 feet). If either of the IP numbers is an X, that means it doesn’t have any special protection. For example, a pair of wireless earbuds that are IPX7 wouldn’t be built to avoid dust intrusion, but they would be ok if you dropped them in shallow water.
  Which earbuds stay in ears the best?
  A secure fit can vary wildly from person to person. All of our ears are different, so audio companies are designing their products to fit the most people they can with a single shape. This is why AirPods will easily fall out for some but stay put for others. Design touches like wing tips or fins typically come on fitness models and those elements can help keep things in place. You’ll likely just have to try earbuds on, and if they don’t fit well return them.
  What wireless earbuds work with PS5?
  PlayStation 5 doesn’t support Bluetooth audio without an adapter or dongle. Even Sony’s own gaming headsets come with a transmitter that connects to the console. There are universal options that allow you to use any headphones, headset or earbuds with a PS5. Once you have one, plug it into a USB port on the console and pair your earbuds with it.
  Recent updates
  January 2026: Updated to ensure our top picks have remained the same.
  
  September 2025: Updated to add AirPods Pro 3 to our top picks.
  
  May 2025: Updated to ensure top picks and buying advice remain accurate.
  
  March 2025: Updated the top pick for the best sounding wireless earbuds - runner up.
  
  January 2025: Updated the top pick for best sounding wireless earbuds.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-wireless-earbuds-120058222.html?src=rss

• People are uninstalling TikTok and downloading an indie competitor
  TikTok's newly formed US entity is off to a very bumpy start. As the app continues to face technical issues affecting the recommendation algorithm, view counts and other features, TikTok is also seeing a wave of frustrated users uninstalling it, according to new data.
  
  Analytics firm Sensor Tower, which tracks downloads and other app store-related metrics, told CNBC that there has been a 150 percent rise in uninstalls of the TikTok app in the United States compared with the last three months. An analyst at Sensor Tower told Engadget that TikTok's US daily active users (DAUs) have increased about 2 percent in the same time period, and are flat week-over-week. TikTok has blamed a power outage at a data center for “multiple bugs,” including those affecting view counts and load times. The company hasn't said when users can expect a fix.
  
  At the same time, an independent app called UpScrolled has seen a surge in interest over the last few days. The app is currently the ninth most-downloaded app in the US App Store and the second most popular social app (Meta's Threads is currently in the number one spot for social apps). The app has also reached the top five in the UK and Australian app stores. In the United States, its sudden popularity seems to be closely tied to recent changes at TikTok. 
  
  UpScrolled has seen 41,000 total downloads between Thursday (the day the US joint venture was formalized) and Saturday, according to estimates from App Figures. The app, which was first released last June, has been downloaded about 140,000 times between Apple and Google's app stores, according to App Figures. Prior to last Thursday, the app was averaging less than 500 downloads a day, according to the company. The rapid increase in downloads has apparently caused some issues for the company which asked users to "bear with us" on Monday.
  Well, this is new...
  You showed up so fast our servers tapped out. Frustrating? Yes. Emotional? Also yes.
  We're a tiny team building what Big Tech stopped being. Right now we're scaling on caffeine to keep up with what YOU started.
  Bear with us. We're on it. pic.twitter.com/OAlYcN6t5q
  — UpScrolled (@realUpScrolled) January 26, 2026
  Created by an Australian developer, UpScrolled looks a bit like Instagram. Users can share photos and shortform videos. The app defaults to a chronological "following" feed, though it does also recommend content to users. The app is "privately funded by its founder, Issam Hijazi, together with a small group of individual investors who share our mission and values," according to an FAQ on UpScrolled's website. It currently has no ads, though the company says it "probably" will in the future. 
  
  This isn't the first time turmoil at TikTok has benefitted a previously little-known app. Chinese app RedNote briefly became the top app in the United States early last year as TikTok faced a potential ban. RedNote's popularity proved to be short-lived, though, as the 2025 TikTok "ban" ended up lasting only a couple of hours. 
  
  But with new owners at TikTok and growing frustration over technical issues with the app, there could be an opportunity for a new shortform video service that's not controlled by a huge corporation. And that's what UpScrolled seems to be betting on. "Too often, users are left uncertain about whether their voices will be heard or quietly suppressed," the company writes on its website. "UpScrolled changes that by ensuring every post has a fair chance to be seen, creating an environment that is authentic, unfiltered, and equitable for all."
  
  Update, January 26, 2026, 4:28PM PT: This post was updated to reflect the latest details from TikTok about the ongoing issues affecting the US version of the app.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/people-are-uninstalling-tiktok-and-downloading-an-indie-competitor-233345222.html?src=rss

• Google agrees to $68 million settlement in voice assistant privacy lawsuit
  Google has agreed to a $68 million settlement regarding claims that its voice assistant inappropriately spied on smartphone users. Plaintiffs claimed that the company’s Google Assistant platform began listening to them after it misheard conversations that sounded like its wake words. The suit argued that private information that Google Assistant shouldn9t have heard was then used to deliver those individuals targeted ads. 
  
  replacing it with its Gemini tool. Not that AI chatbots should be trusted as paragons of privacy either.
  
  Apple faced a very similar allegations around its Siri voice assistant in 2019; that class-action suit ended in a $95 million settlement in January 2025. Not sure if a reward of $20 per device feels sufficient when these companies are accidentally overhearing deeply personal conversations and details, but that9s how the justice system shakes out some times.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-agrees-to-68-million-settlement-in-voice-assistant-privacy-lawsuit-222405727.html?src=rss

• Google aims to take the sting out of scheduling meetings with a new Gemini feature
  Google is rolling out a Gemini feature that could turn out to be pretty useful for many folks. It9s a Google Calendar tool that can help figure out the best time to schedule a meeting, taking into account attendees9 schedules. When creating a meeting, you can click the "Suggested times" option and Gemini will look at the availability that people have marked on their calendar and potential conflicts. You9ll then be able to choose from a list of suggested time slots.
  
  But the time you pick may not work for everyone. So if multiple people decline the meeting invite, you can reschedule by going to the event. You9ll see a time when everyone is available and you can quickly update the invite.
  
  There are a few catches here. Naturally, this will only work properly when meeting organizers have access to attendees9 calendars. It9s also limited to paid users who are on Google Workspace Business (Standard and Plus) and Enterprise (Standard and Plus) plans, as well as those with the Google AI Pro for Education add-on. The feature is available now on Rapid Release domains and it9ll start rolling out to Scheduled Release domains on February 2.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-aims-to-take-the-sting-out-of-scheduling-meetings-with-a-new-gemini-feature-204853761.html?src=rss

• Ubisoft proposes even more layoffs after last week's studio closures and game cancellations
  It looks like Ubisoft is planning even more layoffs to accompany last week9s studio closures and game cancellations, according to reporting by IGN. The company is planning a massive reduction of the workforce in its Paris headquarters. It has proposed the loss of up to 200 jobs, which is nearly 20 percent of the current staff.
  
  This will be organized under France9s Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC) process, in which staff can agree to form a collective, voluntary mutual termination agreement. It9s not a done deal just yet, with a company spokesperson saying "at this stage, this remains a proposal and no decision will be final until a collective agreement is reached."
  
  The RCC process is voluntary, which is good for Ubisoft Paris employees, but the company hasn9t made any statement regarding what it would do if it doesn9t get 200 willing participants. The company recently introduced a mandate for employees to return to the office for five days each week, which could entice staffers with one foot out the door.
  
  This is just the latest cost-cutting measure by Ubisoft, as the company has been experiencing difficulties for months. It shut down its Halifax studio just 16 days after employees entered into a unionization agreement. Last week, it shuttered its Stockholm studio and announced various restructuring efforts at several other developers under its umbrella.
  
  It also announced the cancellation of six games, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake. It didn9t reveal the other five games that were scrapped. Ubisoft did announce, however, that seven additional games were being delayed. Inexplicably, Beyond Good and Evil 2 wasn9t cancelled, so we have that to (one day) look forward to.
  
  Ubisoft9s stock has absolutely plunged in the past several years. The company was riding high at $20 per share in 2021, but now the stock rests at around $1 per share.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-proposes-even-more-layoffs-after-last-weeks-studio-closures-and-game-cancellations-192703241.html?src=rss

• How to generate AI images using ChatGPT
  Since March 2025, ChatGPT has been capable of generating images. Following a period where it briefly wasn't available to free users, you now don't even pay for one of OpenAI's subscriptions to use this feature. And while making images inside of ChatGPT is easy, there are some nuances worth explaining. For example, did you know you can ask ChatGPT to edit photos you've taken? It's more powerful than you might think. Here’s everything you need to know about generating AI images with ChatGPT.  
  How to create images with ChatGPT using text prompts To begin making an image in ChatGPT, you can start by typing in the prompt bar. Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
  You can start generating images in ChatGPT simply by typing in the prompt bar what you want to see. There's no need to overthink things; as long as you have some version of "generate an image" followed by a description of your idea, ChatGPT will do the rest.  
  
  Depending on the complexity of the prompt and whether you pay for ChatGPT, it may take a minute or two for the chatbot to complete your image request. Sometimes the process can take longer if OpenAI's servers are experiencing greater traffic than usual.
  
  At the end of last year, OpenAI updated the model powering image generation to make it faster, as well as better at rendering text and following instructions. At the same time, it added a dedicated "Images" section to ChatGPT's sidebar. Here you can see all the images you've made, alongside sample prompts and suggestions for styles to try out, making it a great place to start if you've never used an image generator before.    
  How to create images with ChatGPT using existing photosYou can also upload images to ChatGPT.Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
  In addition to generating images from text prompts, ChatGPT can modify existing photos or images you upload. This is my preferred way of making images with ChatGPT; I don't need to describe the composition, I can use an existing one to guide the chatbot. To use an existing image as a starting point for a new generation, follow these steps:    
  
  Tap the "+" icon, located to the left of the prompt bar.  
  
  Select Add photos & files. 
  
  Select the image you want ChatGPT to edit. If uploading an image from your phone, you'll first need to grant ChatGPT access to your camera roll.   
  
  Write a prompt describing the changes you want.   
  
  If generating from the Images section, tap "Add photos" instead.
  
  Keep in mind any photos you upload to OpenAI's servers may be used by the company to train future models. You can opt out of allowing your data to be used for training by following these steps: 
  
  Open the sidebar menu. 
  
  On mobile, tap the two lines on the top left of the interface; on desktop, click instead on the OpenAI logo.
  
  Tap your name to access account settings. 
  
  Tap Data controls.
  
  Toggle off Improve the model for everyone.
  How to edit the images ChatGPT generatesChatGPT gives you a few different ways to edit images.Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
  If you're unhappy with ChatGPT's output, you have two options. You can either prompt it to create an entirely new image, or edit parts of the picture it just generated. As always, the process for both involves simply typing what you want in the prompt bar. On mobile, OpenAI gives users a few different ways of accomplishing the same task.
  
  To generate an entirely new image:  
  
  Tap the three dots icon below the image ChatGPT created. 
  
  Select Retry. 
  
  To edit part of an existing image generation: 
  
  Tap the image ChatGPT created. 
  
  Tap Select area.
  
  Use your finger to mask the section of the image you want ChatGPT to tweak. The slider on the left allows you to adjust the size of the masking brush. On desktop, masking is also available if you click on an image and then click on the paintbrush icon on the top right. 
  
  Describe what you want ChatGPT to add, remove or replace through the prompt bar.
  
  ChatGPT can also blend one of your photos with an image it has generated. To do this: 
  
  Tap an image ChatGPT created.
  
  Tap Blend in a photo.
  
  Upload the photo you wish 
  
  Like all AI systems, ChatGPT is non-deterministic, meaning even if you prompt it in the same way multiple times, it won't generate the exact same response each time.  
  Tips to create better images with ChatGPT
  The best advice I can offer is to be specific when prompting ChatGPT. The more detail you can provide when describing what you want from it, the better the results. And remember: ChatGPT can hallucinate — as you may have noticed from one of the example pictures I included above. In the image of the tortoiseshell cat, not only is the tortie not sitting on the window sill as instructed, it's sitting on a table that doesn't make much sense. So, most of all, be patient. Prompting an AI model is not exact science, and it can take a few tries before it creates the result you want. 
  FAQsHow do you access ChatGPT?
  ChatGPT is available on the web, desktop and mobile. To access it on your computer, open your preferred browser and navigate to company's website. On iOS and Android, you'll need to download the ChatGPT app from either the App Store or Google Play before you can start using the chatbot.   
  
  Since ChatGPT runs on OpenAI's servers, as long as you can access the chatbot, you'll be able to use it to create images no matter the age of your phone or computer. 
  Can ChatGPT generate images for free? 
  Yes, ChatGPT can generate images for free, as long as you create an OpenAI account. However, there is a daily rate cap and GPT-5 will take longer to make a free image. Following March 27, 2025, OpenAI briefly limited free users to three image generations per day. The company has since relaxed that restriction, though it doesn't list a specific limit on its website. In my experience, you'll be able to generate about six to seven images every 24 hours.
  
  OpenAI offers three different subscription plans, each with their own set of image generation perks.  
  
  ChatGPT Go, which costs $8 per month, offers "more image creation." 
  
  ChatGPT Plus, which costs $20 per month, offers "expanded and faster image creation."
  
  ChatGPT Pro, which costs $200 per month, offers "unlimited and faster image creation."       
  
  Note: ChatGPT Go will be included in OpenAI's forthcoming ads pilot, which will see the company display sponsored content alongside organic responses from ChatGPT. The company does not plan to display ads to Plus and Pro users.   
  Can ChatGPT generate an existing photo? 
  No. For copyright reasons, ChatGPT can't replicate photos or exact real world events. For example, when I asked it to recreate the photo of Zinedine Zidane's iconic 2006 World Cup headbutt, ChatGPT refused.  
  
  "I can make an artistic reinterpretation inspired by the emotion or energy of that moment — for example, a stylized painting showing the tension and intensity of competition, without depicting real individuals," it told me.  
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/how-to-generate-ai-images-using-chatgpt-120000560.html?src=rss

• EU OS: A Bold Step Toward Digital Sovereignty for Europe
  Image
  A new initiative, called "EU OS," has been launched to develop a Linux-based operating system tailored specifically for the public sector organizations of the European Union (EU). This community-driven project aims to address the EU's unique needs and challenges, focusing on fostering digital sovereignty, reducing dependency on external vendors, and building a secure, self-sufficient digital ecosystem.
  What Is EU OS?
  EU OS is not an entirely novel operating system. Instead, it builds upon a Linux foundation derived from Fedora, with the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It draws inspiration from previous efforts such as France's GendBuntu and Munich's LiMux, which aimed to provide Linux-based systems for public sector use. The goal remains the same: to create a standardized Linux distribution that can be adapted to different regional, national, and sector-specific needs within the EU.
  
  Rather than reinventing the wheel, EU OS focuses on standardization, offering a solid Linux foundation that can be customized according to the unique requirements of various organizations. This approach makes EU OS a practical choice for the public sector, ensuring broad compatibility and ease of implementation across diverse environments.
  The Vision Behind EU OS
  The guiding principle of EU OS is the concept of "public money – public code," ensuring that taxpayer money is used transparently and effectively. By adopting an open-source model, EU OS eliminates licensing fees, which not only lowers costs but also reduces the dependency on a select group of software vendors. This provides the EU’s public sector organizations with greater flexibility and control over their IT infrastructure, free from the constraints of vendor lock-in.
  
  Additionally, EU OS offers flexibility in terms of software migration and hardware upgrades. Organizations can adapt to new technologies and manage their IT evolution at a manageable cost, both in terms of finances and time.
  
  However, there are some concerns about the choice of Fedora as the base for EU OS. While Fedora is a solid and reliable distribution, it is backed by the United States-based Red Hat. Some argue that using European-backed projects such as openSUSE or KDE's upcoming distribution might have aligned better with the EU's goal of strengthening digital sovereignty.
  Conclusion
  EU OS marks a significant step towards Europe's digital independence by providing a robust, standardized Linux distribution for the public sector. By reducing reliance on proprietary software and vendors, it paves the way for a more flexible, cost-effective, and secure digital ecosystem. While the choice of Fedora as the base for the project has raised some questions, the overall vision of EU OS offers a promising future for Europe's public sector in the digital age.
  
  Source: It's FOSS
  European Union

• Linus Torvalds Acknowledges Missed Release of Linux 6.14 Due to Oversight
  
  Linus Torvalds Acknowledges Missed Release of Linux 6.14 Due to Oversight
  
  Linux kernel lead developer Linus Torvalds has admitted to forgetting to release version 6.14, attributing the oversight to his own lapse in memory. Torvalds is known for releasing new Linux kernel candidates and final versions on Sunday afternoons, typically accompanied by a post detailing the release. If he is unavailable due to travel or other commitments, he usually informs the community ahead of time, so users don’t worry if there’s a delay.
  
  In his post on March 16, Torvalds gave no indication that the release might be delayed, instead stating, “I expect to release the final 6.14 next weekend unless something very surprising happens.” However, Sunday, March 23rd passed without any announcement.
  
  On March 24th, Torvalds wrote in a follow-up message, “I’d love to have some good excuse for why I didn’t do the 6.14 release yesterday on my regular Sunday afternoon schedule,” adding, “But no. It’s just pure incompetence.” He further explained that while he had been clearing up unrelated tasks, he simply forgot to finalize the release. “D'oh,” he joked.
  
  Despite this minor delay, Torvalds’ track record of successfully managing the Linux kernel’s development process over the years remains strong. A single day’s delay is not critical, especially since most Linux users don't urgently need the very latest version.
  
  The new 6.14 release introduces several important features, including enhanced support for writing drivers in Rust—an ongoing topic of discussion among developers—support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile chip, a fix for the GhostWrite vulnerability in certain RISC-V processors from Alibaba’s T-Head Semiconductor, and a completed NTSYNC driver update that improves the WINE emulator’s ability to run Windows applications, particularly games, on Linux.
  
  Although the 6.14 release went smoothly aside from the delay, Torvalds expressed that version 6.15 may present more challenges due to the volume of pending pull requests. “Judging by my pending pile of pull requests, 6.15 will be much busier,” he noted.
  
  You can download the latest kernel here.
  Linus Torvalds kernel

• AerynOS 2025.03 Alpha Released with GNOME 48, Mesa 25, and Linux Kernel 6.13.8
  Image
  AerynOS 2025.03 has officially been released, introducing a variety of exciting features for Linux users. The release includes the highly anticipated GNOME 48 desktop environment, which comes with significant improvements like HDR support, dynamic triple buffering, and a Wayland color management protocol. Other updates include a battery charge limiting feature and a Wellbeing option aimed at improving user experience.
  
  This release, while still in alpha, incorporates Linux kernel 6.13.8 and the updated Mesa 25.0.2 graphics stack, alongside tools like LLVM 19.1.7 and Vulkan SDK 1.4.309.0. Additionally, the Moss package manager now integrates os-info to generate more detailed OS metadata via a JSON file.
  
  Future plans for AerynOS include automated package updates, easier rollback management, improved disk handling with Rust, and fractional scaling enabled by default. The installer has also been revamped to support full disk wipes and dynamic partitioning.
  
  Although still considered an alpha release, AerynOS 2025.03 can be downloaded and tested right now from its official website.
  
  Source: 9to5Linux
  AerynOS

• Xojo 2025r1: Big Updates for Developers with Linux ARM Support, Web Drag and Drop, and Direct App Store Publishing
  Image
  Xojo has just rolled out its latest release, Xojo 2025 Release 1, and it’s packed with features that developers have been eagerly waiting for. This major update introduces support for running Xojo on Linux ARM, including Raspberry Pi, brings drag-and-drop functionality to the Web framework, and simplifies app deployment with the ability to directly submit apps to the macOS and iOS App Stores.
  
  Here’s a quick overview of what’s new in Xojo 2025r1:
  1. Linux ARM IDE Support
  Xojo 2025r1 now allows developers to run the Xojo IDE on Linux ARM devices, including popular platforms like Raspberry Pi. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for developers who want to create apps for ARM-based devices without the usual complexity. Whether you’re building for a Raspberry Pi or other ARM devices, this update makes it easier than ever to get started.
  2. Web Drag and Drop
  One of the standout features in this release is the addition of drag-and-drop support for web applications. Now, developers can easily drag and drop visual controls in their web projects, making it simpler to create interactive, user-friendly web applications. Plus, the WebListBox has been enhanced with support for editable cells, checkboxes, and row reordering via dragging. No JavaScript required!
  3. Direct App Store Publishing
  Xojo has also streamlined the process of publishing apps. With this update, developers can now directly submit macOS and iOS apps to App Store Connect right from the Xojo IDE. This eliminates the need for multiple steps and makes it much easier to get apps into the App Store, saving valuable time during the development process.
  4. New Desktop and Mobile Features
  This release isn’t just about web and Linux updates. Xojo 2025r1 brings some great improvements for desktop and mobile apps as well. On the desktop side, all projects now include a default window menu for macOS apps. On the mobile side, Xojo has introduced new features for Android and iOS, including support for ColorGroup and Dark Mode on Android, and a new MobileColorPicker for iOS to simplify color selection.
  5. Performance and IDE Enhancements
  Xojo’s IDE has also been improved in several key areas. There’s now an option to hide toolbar captions, and the toolbar has been made smaller on Windows. The IDE on Windows and Linux now features modern Bootstrap icons, and the Documentation window toolbar is more compact. In the code editor, developers can now quickly navigate to variable declarations with a simple Cmd/Ctrl + Double-click. Plus, performance for complex container layouts in the Layout Editor has been enhanced.
  What Does This Mean for Developers?
  Xojo 2025r1 brings significant improvements across all the platforms that Xojo supports, from desktop and mobile to web and Linux. The added Linux ARM support opens up new opportunities for Raspberry Pi and ARM-based device development, while the drag-and-drop functionality for web projects will make it easier to create modern, interactive web apps. The ability to publish directly to the App Store is a game-changer for macOS and iOS developers, reducing the friction of app distribution.
  How to Get Started
  Xojo is free for learning and development, as well as for building apps for Linux and Raspberry Pi. If you’re ready to dive into cross-platform development, paid licenses start at $99 for a single-platform desktop license, and $399 for cross-platform desktop, mobile, or web development. For professional developers who need additional resources and support, Xojo Pro and Pro Plus licenses start at $799. You can also find special pricing for educators and students.
  
  Download Xojo 2025r1 today at xojo.com.
  Final Thoughts
  With each new release, Xojo continues to make cross-platform development more accessible and efficient. The 2025r1 release is no exception, delivering key updates that simplify the development process and open up new possibilities for developers working on a variety of platforms. Whether you’re a Raspberry Pi enthusiast or a mobile app developer, Xojo 2025r1 has something for you.
  Xojo ARM

• New 'Mirrored' Network Mode Introduced in Windows Subsystem for Linux
  
  Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) continues to evolve with the release of WSL 2 version 0.0.2. This update introduces a set of opt-in preview features designed to enhance performance and compatibility.
  
  Key additions include "Automatic memory reclaim" which dynamically optimizes WSL's memory footprint, and "Sparse VHD" to shrink the size of the virtual hard disk file. These improvements aim to streamline resource usage.
  
  Additionally, a new "mirrored networking mode" brings expanded networking capabilities like IPv6 and multicast support. Microsoft claims this will improve VPN and LAN connectivity from both the Windows host and Linux guest. 
  
  Complementing this is a new "DNS Tunneling" feature that changes how DNS queries are resolved to avoid compatibility issues with certain network setups. According to Microsoft, this should reduce problems connecting to the internet or local network resources within WSL.
  
  Advanced firewall configuration options are also now available through Hyper-V integration. The new "autoProxy" feature ensures WSL seamlessly utilizes the Windows system proxy configuration.
  
  Microsoft states these features are currently rolling out to Windows Insiders running Windows 11 22H2 Build 22621.2359 or later. They remain opt-in previews to allow testing before final integration into WSL.
  
  By expanding WSL 2 with compelling new capabilities in areas like resource efficiency, networking, and security, Microsoft aims to make Linux on Windows more performant and compatible. This evolutionary approach based on user feedback highlights Microsoft's commitment to WSL as a key part of the Windows ecosystem.
  Windows

• Linux Threat Report: Earth Lusca Deploys Novel SprySOCKS Backdoor in Attacks on Government Entities
  
  The threat actor Earth Lusca, linked to Chinese state-sponsored hacking groups, has been observed utilizing a new Linux backdoor dubbed SprySOCKS to target government organizations globally. 
  
  As initially reported in January 2022 by Trend Micro, Earth Lusca has been active since at least 2021 conducting cyber espionage campaigns against public and private sector targets in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Their tactics include spear-phishing and watering hole attacks to gain initial access. Some of Earth Lusca's activities overlap with another Chinese threat cluster known as RedHotel.
  
  In new research, Trend Micro reveals Earth Lusca remains highly active, even expanding operations in the first half of 2023. Primary victims are government departments focused on foreign affairs, technology, and telecommunications. Attacks concentrate in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Balkans regions. 
  
  After breaching internet-facing systems by exploiting flaws in Fortinet, GitLab, Microsoft Exchange, Telerik UI, and Zimbra software, Earth Lusca uses web shells and Cobalt Strike to move laterally. Their goal is exfiltrating documents and credentials, while also installing additional backdoors like ShadowPad and Winnti for long-term spying.
  
  The Command and Control server delivering Cobalt Strike was also found hosting SprySOCKS - an advanced backdoor not previously publicly reported. With roots in the Windows malware Trochilus, SprySOCKS contains reconnaissance, remote shell, proxy, and file operation capabilities. It communicates over TCP mimicking patterns used by a Windows trojan called RedLeaves, itself built on Trochilus.
  
  At least two SprySOCKS versions have been identified, indicating ongoing development. This novel Linux backdoor deployed by Earth Lusca highlights the increasing sophistication of Chinese state-sponsored threats. Robust patching, access controls, monitoring for unusual activities, and other proactive defenses remain essential to counter this advanced malware.
  
  The Trend Micro researchers emphasize that organizations must minimize attack surfaces, regularly update systems, and ensure robust security hygiene to interrupt the tactics, techniques, and procedures of relentless threat groups like Earth Lusca.
  Security

• Linux Kernel Faces Reduction in Long-Term Support Due to Maintenance Challenges
  
  The Linux kernel is undergoing major changes that will shape its future development and adoption, according to Jonathan Corbet, Linux kernel developer and executive editor of Linux Weekly News. Speaking at the Open Source Summit Europe, Corbet provided an update on the latest Linux kernel developments and a glimpse of what's to come.
  
  A major change on the horizon is a reduction in long-term support (LTS) for kernel versions from six years to just two years. Corbet explained that maintaining old kernel branches indefinitely is unsustainable and most users have migrated to newer versions, so there's little point in continuing six years of support. While some may grumble about shortened support lifecycles, the reality is that constantly backporting fixes to ancient kernels strains maintainers.
  
  This maintainer burnout poses a serious threat, as Corbet highlighted. Maintaining Linux is largely a volunteer effort, with only about 200 of the 2,000+ developers paid for their contributions. The endless demands on maintainers' time from fuzz testing, fixing minor bugs, and reviewing contributions takes a toll. Prominent maintainers have warned they need help to avoid collapse. Companies relying on Linux must realize giving back financially is in their interest to sustain this vital ecosystem. 
  
  The Linux kernel is also wading into waters new with the introduction of Rust code. While Rust solves many problems, it also introduces new complexities around language integration, evolving standards, and maintainer expertise. Corbet believes Rust will pass the point of no return when core features depend on it, which may occur soon with additions like Apple M1 GPU drivers. Despite skepticism in some corners, Rust's benefits likely outweigh any transition costs.
  
  On the distro front, Red Hat's decision to restrict RHEL cloning sparked community backlash. While business considerations were at play, Corbet noted technical factors too. Using older kernels with backported fixes, as RHEL does, risks creating divergent, vendor-specific branches. The Android model of tracking mainline kernel dev more closely has shown security benefits. Ultimately, Linux works best when aligned with the broader community.
  
  In closing, Corbet recalled the saying "Linux is free like a puppy is free." Using open source seems easy at first, but sustaining it long-term requires significant care and feeding. As Linux is incorporated into more critical systems, that maintenance becomes ever more crucial. The kernel changes ahead are aimed at keeping Linux healthy and vibrant for the next generation of users, businesses, and developers.
  kernel

• Linux Celebrates 32 Years with the Release of 6.6-rc2 Version
  
  Today marks the 32nd anniversary of Linus Torvalds introducing the inaugural Linux 0.01 kernel version, and celebrating this milestone, Torvalds has launched the Linux 6.6-rc2. Among the noteworthy updates are the inclusion of a feature catering to the ASUS ROG Flow X16 tablet's mode handling and the renaming of the new GenPD subsystem to pmdomain.
  
  The Linux 6.6 edition is progressing well, brimming with exciting new features that promise to enhance user experience. Early benchmarks are indicating promising results, especially on high-core-count servers, pointing to a potentially robust and efficient update in the Linux series.
  
  Here is what Linus Torvalds had to say in today's announcement:
  Another week, another -rc.I think the most notable thing about 6.6-rc2 is simply that it'sexactly 32 years to the day since the 0.01 release. And that's a roundnumber if you are a computer person.Because other than the random date, I don't see anything that reallystands out here. We've got random fixes all over, and none of it looksparticularly strange. The genpd -> pmdomain rename shows up in thediffstat, but there's no actual code changes involved (make sure touse "git diff -M" to see them as zero-line renames).And other than that, things look very normal. Sure, the architecturefixes happen to be mostly parisc this week, which isn't exactly theusual pattern, but it's also not exactly a huge amount of changes.Most of the (small) changes here are in drivers, with some tracingfixes and just random things. The shortlog below is short enough toscroll through and get a taste of what's been going on. Linus Torvalds

• Introducing Bavarder: A User-Friendly Linux Desktop App for Quick ChatGPT Interaction
  
  Want to interact with ChatGPT from your Linux desktop without using a web browser?
  
  Bavarder, a new app, allows you to do just that.
  
  Developed with Python and GTK4/libadwaita, Bavarder offers a simple concept: pose a question to ChatGPT, receive a response, and promptly copy the answer (or your inquiry) to the clipboard for pasting elsewhere.
  
  With an incredibly user-friendly interface, you won't require AI expertise (or a novice blogger) to comprehend it. Type your question in the top box, click the blue send button, and wait for a generated response to appear at the bottom. You can edit or modify your message and repeat the process as needed.
  
  During our evaluation, Bavarder employed BAI Chat, a GPT-3.5/ChatGPT API-based chatbot that's free and doesn't require signups or API keys. Future app versions will incorporate support for alternative backends, such as ChatGPT 4 and Hugging Chat, and allow users to input an API key to utilize ChatGPT3.
  
  At present, there's no option to regenerate a response (though you can resend the same question for a potentially different answer). Due to the lack of a "conversation" view, tracking a dialogue or following up on answers can be challenging — but Bavarder excels for rapid-fire questions.
  
  As with any AI, standard disclaimers apply. Responses might seem plausible but could contain inaccurate or false information. Additionally, it's relatively easy to lead these models into irrational loops, like convincing them that 2 + 2 equals 106 — so stay alert!
  
  Overall, Bavarder is an attractive app with a well-defined purpose. If you enjoy ChatGPT and similar technologies, it's worth exploring.
  ChatGPT AI

• LibreOffice 7.5.3 Released: Third Maintenance Update Brings 119 Bug Fixes to Popular Open-Source Office Suite
  
  Today, The Document Foundation unveiled the release and widespread availability of LibreOffice 7.5.3, which serves as the third maintenance update to the current LibreOffice 7.5 open-source and complimentary office suite series.
  
  Approximately five weeks after the launch of LibreOffice 7.5.2, LibreOffice 7.5.3 arrives with a new set of bug fixes for those who have successfully updated their GNU/Linux system to the LibreOffice 7.5 series.
  
  LibreOffice 7.5.3 addresses a total of 119 bugs identified by users or uncovered by LibreOffice developers. For a more comprehensive understanding of these bug fixes, consult the RC1 and RC2 changelogs.
  
  You can download LibreOffice 7.5.3 directly from the LibreOffice website��or from SourceForge as binary installers for DEB or RPM-based GNU/Linux distributions. A source tarball is also accessible for individuals who prefer to compile the software from sources or for system integrators.
  
  All users operating the LibreOffice 7.5 office suite series should promptly update their installations to the new point release, which will soon appear in the stable software repositories of your GNU/Linux distributions.
  
  In early February 2023, LibreOffice 7.5 debuted as a substantial upgrade to the widely-used open-source office suite, introducing numerous features and improvements. These enhancements encompass major upgrades to dark mode support, new application and MIME-type icons, a refined Single Toolbar UI, enhanced PDF Export, and more.
  
  Seven maintenance updates will support LibreOffice 7.5 until November 30th, 2023. The next point release, LibreOffice 7.5.4, is scheduled for early June and will include additional bug fixes.
  
  The Document Foundation once again emphasizes that the LibreOffice office suite's "Community" edition is maintained by volunteers and members of the Open Source community. For enterprise implementations, they suggest using the LibreOffice Enterprise family of applications from ecosystem partners.
  LibreOffice