All the News that Matters

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Emacs Moderately Unsafe Code Execution Flaw USN-8011-1
  Several security issues were fixed in Emacs.

• SUSE glib2 Important Buffer Underflow Buffer Overflow Vuln 2026-0373-1
  An update that solves three vulnerabilities can now be installed.

• openSUSE 15.6 glib2 Important Buffer Overflow and Heap Access Patch
  An update that solves three vulnerabilities can now be installed.

• SUSE Protobuf Moderate Threat Bypass CVE-2026-0994 Advisory 2026-0374-1
  An update that solves one vulnerability can now be installed.

• Ubuntu 25 Alpha GRPC Enhanced Cycle Max Limit 2029-0689-4
  An update that solves one vulnerability can now be installed.

• SUSE libvirt Security Fix CVE-2025-12748 Addresses Access Control Risk
  An update that solves two vulnerabilities and has one security fix can now be installed.

• Linux Users, Do You Use Non-Free Software?
  The virtual Richard M. Stallman (vrms) concept lives on, helping Linux users identify non-free software via license audits.

• VS Code for Linux may be secretly hoarding trashed files
  Versions installed via Snap don't delete files when users empty system trashLinux users who installed Microsoft's Visual Studio Code as a Snap package may want to check to see whether files they sent to the trash with the app have actually been deleted.…

• Intel Panther Lake Shows Strong Linux CPU Performance & Power Efficiency With Core Ultra X7 358H Benchmarks
  For those that have been very eager to hear about the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" performance on Linux, today's the day! Last Thursday the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Evo laptop arrived that is powered by the Core Ultra X7 358H. Here is a look at how that Intel Core Ultra X7 358H competes for performance and power efficiency against a wide range of other laptops on an up-to-date Linux software stack in with around 300 benchmarks.

• Fish Shell 4.4 Released With Vi Mode Improvements and New Themes
  Fish Shell 4.4 introduces Vim-aligned word movements, operator counts, new color themes, and multiple interactive improvements.

• How to Install and Use Perl on Linux
  Learn how to install Perl on Linux and run your first Perl program. Discover why Perl remains a powerful choice for text processing, system administration, and web development.

• GNOME 50 Lands Virtual Monitor / Remote Desktop Improvements - Including HiDPI
  In time for next month's GNOME 50 release are some improvements merged today for the Mutter compositor code adding HiDPI and monitor mode emulation support to the screen-casting API and DevKit...

• Stop Using Outdated Docker Images – How I Used WUD to Track Container Updates
  What's Up Docker shows which Docker containers need updates, tracks versions, and lets you manage them safely through a simple dashboard.

• Sudo maintainer, handling utility for more than 30 years, is looking for support
  Many vital open source resources rely on the devotion of a few individualsIt's hard to imagine something as fundamental to computing as the sudo command becoming abandonware, yet here we are: its solitary maintainer is asking for help to keep the project alive.…

• The February 2026 Issue of the PCLinuxOS Magazine
  The PCLinuxOS Magazine staff is pleased to announce the release of the February 2026 issue.

• Dank Fedora MiracleWM & Other Fedora 44 Changes Approved
  The Fedora Engineering and Steering Committee "FESCo" has signed off on the latest batch of Fedora 44 change proposals as they work toward nearing the end of feature work for this spring update to Fedora Linux. Plus some early changes for Fedora 45 have also been granted...

• NVIDIA DLSS For Blender Under Review But Licensing Concerns Persist
  A few months ago at SIGGRAPH was a demo of Blender with NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) integration. The pull request is now open for landing NVIDIA DLSS support into Blender for better quality upscaling/denoising and performance but concerns persist over the licensing due to NVIDIA DLSS binaries...

• Arch Linux February ISO Is Out With Kernel, Desktop, and Security Updates
  Arch Linux has released its updated February installation ISO, bringing a new kernel, refreshed system libraries, desktop updates, and security fixes.

• Core Ultra HX powers RTX-equipped NUC 15 workstation
  SimplyNUC is shipping the Jean Canyon NUC 15 Performance, a compact 3-liter workstation that runs Linux or Windows on Intel Core Ultra Series 2 HX processors with discrete NVIDIA RTX Laptop GPUs. The Jean Canyon platform is available in two main configurations based on Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275-HX or Core Ultra 7 255-HX processors. […]

• X.Org Developers Conference 2026 Being Hosted By Arm In Toronto
  The X.Org Foundation has announced that this year's X.Org Developers Conference will be taking place in Toronto, Canada and hosted by Arm...

• System76 Releases COSMIC 1.0.5 with New Option to Show Battery Percentage
  Linux hardware vendor System76 released COSMIC 1.0.5 today as the latest stable update to this Rust-based desktop environment for Pop!_OS Linux and other GNU/Linux distributions.

• Libreboot 26.01 Open-Source Boot Firmware Released With New Board Support
  Libreboot 26.01, an open-source boot firmware, is now available, adding support for several new boards and stability fixes.

• Git 2.53 Released with New Features and Performance Improvements
  Git 2.53 has been released today as the latest stable update to this free and open-source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency.

• Linux From Scratch Drops System V Init, Calls Decision Regrettable
  Linux From Scratch reluctantly confirms a systemd-only future, ending System V init development due to mounting maintenance pressure and upstream changes.

• Loongson 3B6000 Benchmarks: How China's LoongArch CPU Compares To AMD Zen 5, Intel Arrow Lake & Raspberry Pi 5
  Recently I finally got my hands on a LoongArch processor, the ISA developed by China's Loongson Technology as an evolution from their earlier use of the MIPS64 ISA and inspired by RISC-V and other modern ISAs. The Loongson-3B6000 features 12 cores / 24 threads with dual channel DDR4 ECC memory support. Here is a look at how that latest-generation LoongArch desktop processor compares to the current generation AMD Zen 5 and Intel Arrow Lake desktop processors under Linux. Plus also tossing in the Raspberry Pi 5 (Raspberry Pi 500+) for an ARM reference point.

• The Wild-West Napster Is Gone. What’s Left Is an AI Mall
  Remember when Napster meant free music and trouble with the labels? Now it means glossy AI therapists, fake experts, and generative “content” on tap.

• Russian Spy Satellites Have Intercepted EU Communications Satellites
  European security officials believe two Russian space vehicles have intercepted the communications of at least a dozen key satellites over the continent. From a report: Officials believe that the likely interceptions, which have not previously been reported, risk not only compromising sensitive information transmitted by the satellites but could also allow Moscow to manipulate their trajectories or even crash them. Russian space vehicles have shadowed European satellites more intensively over the past three years, at a time of high tension between the Kremlin and the West following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For several years, military and civilian space authorities in the West have been tracking the activities of Luch-1 and Luch-2 -- two Russian objects that have carried out repeated suspicious maneuvers in orbit. Both vehicles have made risky close approaches to some of Europe's most important geostationary satellites, which operate high above the Earth and service the continent, including the UK, as well as large parts of Africa and the Middle East. According to orbital data and ground-based telescopic observations, they have lingered nearby for weeks at a time, particularly over the past three years. Since its launch in 2023, Luch-2 has approached 17 European satellites.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• 'Everyone is Stealing TV'
  A sprawling informal economy of rogue streaming devices has taken hold across the U.S., as consumers fed up with rising TV subscription costs turn to cheap Android-based boxes that promise free access to thousands of live channels, sports events, and on-demand movies for a one-time $200 to $400 purchase. The two dominant players -- SuperBox and vSeeBox -- are manufactured by opaque Chinese companies and distributed through hundreds of American resellers at farmers markets, church festivals and Facebook groups, according to a report by The Verge. The hardware is generic and legal, but both devices guide users toward pirate streaming apps not available on any official app store. vSeeBox directs users to a service called "Heat"; SuperBox points to "Blue TV." One user estimated access to between 6,000 and 8,000 channels, including premium sports networks and hundreds of local affiliates. A 2025 Dish Network lawsuit against a SuperBox reseller alleged that some live channels on the device were being ripped directly from Dish's Sling TV service -- Sling's logo was still visible on certain feeds. Dish has pursued resellers aggressively, winning $1.25 million in damages from a vSeeBox seller in 2024 over 500 devices and $405,000 from another over 162 devices. None of this has meaningfully slowed adoption. The market has roots in earlier Chinese-made devices like TVPad that targeted Asian expat communities and reportedly sold 3 million units before being litigated out of existence. SuperBox and vSeeBox simply broadened the audience to mainstream America.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• As Software Stocks Slump, Investors Debate AI's Existential Threat
  Investors were assessing on Wednesday whether a selloff in global software stocks this week had gone too far, as they weighed if businesses could survive an existential threat posed by AI. The answer: It's unclear and will lead to volatility. From a report: After a broad selloff on Tuesday that saw the S&P 500 software and services index fall nearly 4%, the sector slipped another 1% on Wednesday. While software stocks have been under pressure in recent months as AI has gone from being a tailwind for many of these companies to investors worrying about the disruption it will cause to some sectors, the latest selloff was triggered by a new legal tool from Anthropic's Claude large language model (LLM). The tool - a plug-in for Claude's agent for tasks across legal, sales, marketing and data analysis - underscored the push by LLMs into the so-called "application layer," where these firms are increasingly muscling into lucrative enterprise businesses for revenue they need to fund massive investments. If successful, investors worry, it could wreak havoc across a range of industries, from finance to law and coding.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Anthropic Pledges To Keep Claude Ad-free, Calls AI Conversations a 'Space To Think'
  Anthropic said today that its AI assistant Claude will not carry advertising of any kind -- no sponsored links next to conversations, no advertiser influence on the model's responses, and no unsolicited third-party product placements -- calling Claude a "space to think" that should remain free of commercial interruption. The announcement comes days after Anthropic's chief rival, OpenAI, announced plans to bring ads to some of its ChatGPT offerings. Anthropic said its internal analysis of Claude conversations found that a significant share involve sensitive or deeply personal topics. An advertising-based model would also create incentives to optimize for engagement and time spent rather than usefulness, Anthropic said, noting that the most helpful AI interaction might be a short one that doesn't prompt further conversation. Anthropic generates revenue from enterprise contracts and paid subscriptions. The company said it is exploring agentic commerce -- Claude handling a purchase or booking on a user's behalf -- but stressed that all such interactions should be user-initiated, not advertiser-driven. Anthropic has also brought AI tools to educators in over 60 countries and said it may consider lower-cost subscription tiers and regional pricing.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Pinterest Sacks Workers For Creating Tool To Track Layoffs
  Pinterest has sacked two engineers for tracking which workers lost their jobs in a recent round of layoffs. BBC: The company recently announced job cuts, with chief executive Bill Ready stating in an email he was "doubling down on an AI-forward approach," according to an employee who posted some of the memo on LinkedIn. Pinterest told investors the move would impact about 15% of the workforce, or roughly 700 roles, without saying which teams or workers were affected. But then "two engineers wrote custom scripts improperly accessing confidential company information to identify the locations and names of all dismissed employees and then shared it more broadly," a company spokesperson told the BBC. "This was a clear violation of Pinterest policy and of their former colleagues' privacy," the spokesperson added. The script written by the Pinterest engineers was aimed at internal tools used at the company for employees to communicate, according to a person familiar with the firings who asked not to be identified. The person said the script created an alert for which employee names within a tool like the team communication platform Slack were being removed or deactivated, giving some insight into who at the company was impacted by the layoffs.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Why Google's Android for PC Launch May Be Messy and Controversial
  Google's much-anticipated plan to merge Android and ChromeOS into a single operating system called Aluminium is shaping up to be a drawn-out, complicated transition that could leave existing Chromebook users behind, according to previously unreported court documents in the Google search antitrust case. The new OS won't be compatible with all existing Chromebook hardware, and Google will be forced to maintain ChromeOS through at least 2033 to honor its 10-year support commitment to current users -- meaning two parallel operating systems running for years. The timeline itself is messier than Google has let on publicly, the filings suggest. Sameer Samat, Google's head of Android, called the merger "something we're super excited about for next year" last September, but court filings describe the "fastest path" to market as offering Aluminium to "commercial trusted testers" in late 2026 before a full release in 2028. Enterprise and education customers -- the segments where Chromebooks currently dominate -- are slated for 2028 as well. Columbia computer science professor Jason Nieh, who interviewed Google engineers as a witness in the case, testified that Aluminium requires a heavier software stack and more powerful hardware to run.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Adobe Actually Won't Discontinue Animate
  Adobe is no longer planning to discontinue Adobe Animate on March 1st. From a report: In an FAQ, the company now says that Animate will now be in maintenance mode and that it has "no plans toâdiscontinue or remove access" to the app. Animate will still receive "ongoing security and bug fixes" and will still be available for "both new and existing users," but it won't get new features. Many creators expressed frustration after Adobe's original discontinuation announcement from earlier this week, and the application is still used by creators like David Firth, the person behind the animated web series Salad Fingers. Now, Adobe says that "We are committed to ensuring Animate usersâalways have access to their content regardless of the state of development of the application."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• AMD Hints the Next-Gen Xbox Console Could Launch Next Year
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Speaking during an earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Lisa Su stated that its development of Microsoft's next-gen Xbox SoC is "progressing well to support a launch in 2027." While the comment doesn't outright confirm the next Xbox will release next year, it indicates that the Microsoft could be ready to launch soon.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Say Hello To GoogleSQL
  BrianFagioli writes: Google has quietly retired the ZetaSQL name and rebranded its open source SQL analysis and parsing project as GoogleSQL. This is not a technical change but a naming cleanup meant to align the open source code with the SQL dialect already used across Google products like BigQuery and Spanner. Internally, Google has long called the dialect GoogleSQL, even while the open source project lived under a different name. By unifying everything under GoogleSQL, Google says it wants to reduce confusion and make it clearer that the same SQL foundation is shared across its cloud services and open source tooling. The code, features, and team remain unchanged. Only the name is different. GoogleSQL is now the single label Google wants developers to recognize and use going forward.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• OpenAI's Lead Is Contracting as AI Competition Intensifies
  OpenAI's rivals are cutting into ChatGPT's lead. From a report: The top chatbot's market share fell from 69.1% to 45.3% between January 2025 and January 2026 among daily U.S. users of its mobile app. Gemini, in the same time period, rose from 14.7% to 25.1% and Grok rose from 1.6% to 15.2%. The data, obtained by Big Technology from mobile insights firm Apptopia, indicates the chatbot race has tightened meaningfully over the past year with Google's surge showing up in the numbers. Overall, the chatbot market increased 152% since last January, according to Apptopia, with ChatGPT exhibiting healthy download growth. On desktop and mobile web, a similar pattern appears, according to analytics firm Similarweb. Visits to ChatGPT went from 3.8 billion to 5.7 billion between January 2025 and January 2026, a 50% increase, while visits to Gemini went from 267.7 million to 2 billion, a 647% increase. ChatGPT is still far and away the leader in visits, but it has company in the race now.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Walmart Joins $1 Trillion Club
  Walmart's market cap surpassed $1 trillion on Tuesday, putting the largest U.S. retail chain in an exclusive club dominated by tech groups. Bloomberg adds: The Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain -- a longtime favorite of bargain-hunting consumers -- has flexed its massive scale and supplier network to keep prices low and grab market share across the income spectrum. While Walmart has maintained its appeal to households looking for value, its online offerings are drawing new, wealthier shoppers seeking convenience.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Google Home Finally Adds Support For Buttons
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Google Home users, your long nightmare is over. The platform has finally added support for buttons. The release notes for a February 2 update state that several new starter conditions for automations are now available, including "Switch or button pressed." Smart buttons are physical, programmable switches that you can press to trigger automations or control devices in your smart home, such as turning lights on or off, opening and closing shades, running a Good Night scene, or starting a robot vacuum. A great alternative to voice and app control when you want to control multiple devices, smart buttons are often wireless and generally have several ways to press them: single press, double press, and long press, meaning one button can do multiple things.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Ultra-Processed Foods Should Be Treated More Like Cigarettes Than Food, Study Says
  Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have more in common with cigarettes than with fruit or vegetables, and require far tighter regulation, according to a new report. The Guardian: UPFs and cigarettes are engineered to encourage addiction and consumption, researchers from three US universities said, pointing to the parallels in widespread health harms that link both. UPFs, which are widely available worldwide, are food products that have been industrially manufactured, often using emulsifiers or artificial colouring and flavours. The category includes soft drinks and packaged snacks such as crisps and biscuits. There are similarities in the production processes of UPFs and cigarettes, and in manufacturers' efforts to optimise the "doses" of products and how quickly they act on reward pathways in the body, according to the paper from researchers at Harvard, the University of Michigan and Duke University. They draw on data from the fields of addiction science, nutrition and public health history to make their comparisons, published on 3 February in the healthcare journal the Milbank Quarterly. The authors suggest that marketing claims on the products, such as being "low fat" or "sugar free," are "health washing" that can stall regulation, akin to the advertising of cigarette filters in the 1950s as protective innovations that "in practice offered little meaningful benefit."
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• NASA Delays Artemis II To March
  ClickOnThis writes: NASA has delayed the Artemis II launch to March of this year, after a wet dress-rehearsal uncovered a hydrogen leak. From the NASA article: During tanking, engineers spent several hours troubleshooting a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface used to route the cryogenic propellant into the rocket's core stage, putting them behind in the countdown. Attempts to resolve the issue involved stopping the flow of liquid hydrogen into the core stage, allowing the interface to warm up for the seals to reseat, and adjusting the flow of the propellant. Teams successfully filled all tanks in both the core stage and interim cryogenic propulsion stage before a team of five was sent to the launch pad to finish Orion closeout operations. Engineers conducted a first run at terminal countdown operations during the test, counting down to approximately 5 minutes left in the countdown, before the ground launch sequencer automatically stopped the countdown due to a spike in the liquid hydrogen leak rate.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• Google Plots Big Expansion in India as US Restricts Visas
  Alphabet is plotting to dramatically expand its presence in India [non-paywalled source], with the possibility of taking millions of square feet in new office space in Bangalore, India's tech hub. From a report: Google's parent company has leased one office tower and purchased options on two others in Alembic City, a development in the Whitefield tech corridor, totaling 2.4 million square feet, according to people familiar with the deal. The first tower is expected to open to employees in the coming months, while construction on the remaining two is set to conclude next year. Options in the real estate industry give would-be tenants the exclusive right to rent, or in some cases buy, a property at a predetermined price within a specific time frame. It's also possible Alphabet will not exercise the option to use the additional towers. If it does take all of the space, the complex could accommodate as many as 20,000 additional staff, which could more than double the company's footprint in India, said the people, asking not to be identified because the plans aren't public. Alphabet currently employs around 14,000 in the country, out of a global workforce of roughly 190,000. [...] US President Donald Trump's visa restrictions have made it harder to bring foreign talent to America, prompting some companies to recruit more staff overseas. India has become an increasingly important place for US companies to hire, particularly in the race to dominate artificial intelligence.
  
  
  Read more of this story at Slashdot.
  

• 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]
  
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• 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]
  
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• 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]
  
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• 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
  
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• 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.
  

• Xen 4.19 is released
  Xen Project 4.19 has been officially out since July 31st, 2024, and it brings significant updates. With enhancements in performance, security, and versatility across various architectures like Arm, PPC, RISC-V, and x86, this release is an important milestone for the Xen community. Read more at XCP-ng Blog
  
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Engadget"Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics"

• Bipartisan SCAM Act would require online platforms to crack down on fraudulent ads
  Without meaningful deterrents, Big Tech companies will do what9s profitable, regardless of the cost to consumers. But a new bipartisan bill could add a check that would make them think twice, at least in one area. On Wednesday, Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) introduced legislation that would require social platforms to crack down on scam ads.
  
  The Safeguarding Consumers from Advertising Misconduct (SCAM) Act would require platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent fraudulent or deceptive ads that they profit from. If they don9t, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general could take civil legal action against them.
  The bill9s sponsors, Ruben Gallego (L) and Bernie MorenoRuben Gallego (Bluesky) / Bernie Moreno
  The backdrop to the SCAM Act is a Reuters report from last November. Meta reportedly estimated that up to 10 percent of its 2024 revenue came from scam ads. The company is said to have calculated that as much as $16 billion of its revenue that year was from scams, including "fraudulent e-commerce and investment schemes, illegal online casinos and the sale of banned medical products."
  
  Making matters worse, Meta reportedly refused to block small fraudsters until their ads were flagged at least eight times. Meanwhile, bigger spenders were said to have accrued at least 500 strikes without being removed. Executives reportedly wrestled with how to get the problem under control — but only without affecting the company’s bottom line. At one point, managers were told not to take any action that could cost Meta more than 0.15 percent of its total revenue. (See what I mean about needing meaningful deterrents?)
  
  According to the FTC, Americans’ estimated total loss from fraud in 2024 (adjusted for underreporting) was nearly $19 billion. An estimated $81.5 billion of that came from seniors.
  
  "If a company is making money from running ads on their site, it has a responsibility to make sure those ads aren9t fraudulent," Sen. Gallego said in a statement. "This bipartisan bill will hold social media companies accountable and protect consumers9 money online."
  
  "It is critical that we protect American consumers from deceptive ads and shameless fraudsters who make millions taking advantage of legal loopholes," Moreno added. "We can9t sit by while social media companies have business models that knowingly enable scams that target the American people."
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/bipartisan-scam-act-would-require-online-platforms-to-crack-down-on-fraudulent-ads-210316594.html?src=rss

• The best digital frames for 2026
  A digital photo frame shouldn’t be complicated. At its best, it’s just a good-looking screen that can be set up quickly that reliably shows the photos you care about. Unfortunately, that’s not always how things play out. The market is flooded with cheap digital frames that promise simplicity but end up delivering washed-out displays, clunky apps and a frustrating experience — leading you to abandon it after a week.
  
  That’s a shame, because a good digital frame can be really enjoyable. Most of us have thousands of photos sitting on our phones that never make it beyond the camera roll, even though they’re exactly the kind of moments worth seeing every day. A solid frame gives those images a permanent home, whether it’s family photos cycling in the living room or shared albums updating automatically for relatives across the country. We’ve tested a range of smart photo frames to separate the genuinely useful options from the forgettable junk, and these are the ones that are actually worth putting on display.
  Best digital picture frames for 2026
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What to look for in digital picture frames
  While a digital photo frame feels like a simple piece of tech, there are a number of things I considered when trying to find one worth displaying in my home. First and foremost was screen resolution and size. I was surprised to learn that most digital photo frames have a resolution around 1,200 x 800, which feels positively pixelated. (That's for frames with screen sizes in the nine- to ten-inch range, which is primarily what I considered for this guide.)
  
  But after trying a bunch of frames, I realized that screen resolution is not the most important factor; my favorite photos looked best on frames that excelled in reflectivity, brightness, viewing angles and color temperature. A lot of these digital photo frames were lacking in one or more of these factors; they often didn't deal with reflections well or had poor viewing angles.
  
  A lot of frames I tested felt cheap and looked ugly as well, which isn’t something you want in a smart device that sits openly in your home. That includes lousy stands, overly glossy plastic parts and design decisions I can only describe as strange, particularly for items that are meant to just blend into your home. The best digital photo frames don't call attention to themselves and look like an actual “dumb” frame, so much so that those that aren’t so tech-savvy might mistake them for one.
  
  Perhaps the most important thing outside of the display, though, is the software. Let me be blunt: a number of frames I tested had absolutely atrocious companion apps and software experiences that I would not wish on anyone. One that I tried did not have a touchscreen, but did have an IR remote (yes, like the one you controlled your TV with 30 years ago). Trying to use that with a Wi-Fi connection was painful, and when I tried instead to use a QR code, I was linked to a Google search for random numbers instead of an actual app or website. I gave up on that frame, the $140 PixStar, on the spot.
  
  Other things were more forgivable. A lot of the frames out there are basically Android tablets with a bit of custom software slapped on the top, which worked fine but wasn't terribly elegant. And having to interact with the photo frame via touch wasn't great because you end up with fingerprints all over the display. The best frames I tried were smart about what features you could control on the frame itself vs. through an app, the latter of which is my preferred method.
  
  Another important software note: many frames I tried require subscriptions for features that absolutely should be included out of the box. For example, one frame would only let me upload 10 photos at a time without a subscription. Others would let you link a Google Photos account, but you could only sync a single album without paying up. Yet another option didn't let you create albums to organize the photos that were on the frame — it was just a giant scroll of photos with no way to give them order.
  
  While some premium frames offer perks like unlimited photos or cloud storage, they often come at a cost. I can understand why certain things might go under a subscription, like if you're getting a large amount of cloud storage, for example. But these subscriptions feel like ways for companies to make recurring revenue from a product made so cheaply they can't make any money on the frame itself. I'd urge you to make sure your chosen frame doesn't require a subscription (neither of the frames I recommend in this guide need a subscription for any of their features), especially if you plan on giving this device as a gift to loved ones.
  How much should you spend on a digital picture frame
  For a frame with a nine- or ten-inch display, expect to spend at least $100. Our budget recommendation is $99, and all of the options I tried that were cheaper were not nearly good enough to recommend. Spending $150 to $180 will get you a significantly nicer experience in all facets, from functionality to design to screen quality.
  Digital frames FAQs Are digital photo frames a good idea?
  Yes, as long as you know what to expect. A digital picture frame makes it easy to enjoy your favorite shots without printing them. They’re especially nice for families who want to display new photos quickly. The key is understanding the limitations. Some frames have lower resolution displays or need a constant Wi-Fi connection to work properly, so they’re not a perfect replacement for a high-quality print on the wall. But if you want a simple way to keep memories on display and up to date, they’re a solid choice.
  Can you upload photos to a digital frame from anywhere?
  Most modern digital frames let you do this, but it depends on the model. Many connect to Wi-Fi and use apps, cloud storage or email uploads, so you can add photos from your phone no matter where you are. Some even let family members share directly, which is great for keeping grandparents updated with new pictures. That said, a few budget models only work with USB drives or memory cards, so check how the frame handles uploads before buying.
  
  Georgie Peru contributed to this report.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-digital-frame-120046051.html?src=rss

• Games Done Quick's Back to Black 2026 event kicks off tomorrow
  Hot on the heels of AGDQ in January, Games Done Quick is hosting its second speedrunning event of the year, Back to Black 2026, starting tomorrow, February 5. The four-day event is organized by Black in a Flash and is raising money for Race Forward, a nonprofit that works across communities to address systemic racism.
  
  Back to Black is timed to the start of Black History Month and highlights the deep bench of talent in the Black speedrunning community. A few runs, like ones for was announced last year. The full schedule has plenty of other runs worth checking out, though, like a co-op run through Twitch and YouTube channels from Thursday, February 5 through Sunday February 8.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/games-done-quicks-back-to-black-2026-event-kicks-off-tomorrow-194147068.html?src=rss

• Roblox’s '4D' creation toolset is now available in open beta
  Roblox launched an open-source AI model that generates 3D objects on the fly early last year and now that toolset is getting a massive boost. The platform has introduced a model that whips up "4D" objects. I put 4D in quotes because it doesn9t actually allow access to the fourth dimension, but rather lets users make interactive 3D objects via prompts.
  
  As suggested, these aren9t static 3D models. They are fully functional and interactive objects that move and react to players. The beta toolset can9t be used to make anything, as it9s rather limited for now. There are just two templates for users to choose from. Folks can make cars and solid 3D objects, like a box or a sculpture.
  Roblox
  The cars are fully driveable, however, and are made from five separate parts. The parts work independently of one another, allowing for spinning wheels and opening doors. The company says the physics should be accurate, so prepare for a whole lot of user-generated racing games.
  
  There9s already a game on the platform that uses the 4D tools called Wish Master. It lets players generate cars, planes and all kinds of other stuff.
  Roblox
  As for those limited templates, Roblox says it plans to eventually let creators make their own but didn9t release a timetable for this. It also says it is developing technology that will generate 3D models based on a reference image.
  
  Today9s open beta comes after Roblox found itself at the center of lawsuits and investigations related to child safety. This led the company to implement mandatory facial verification to access chat, which has reportedly not been going very well. Some countries have actually banned the platform in an effort to protect children.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/robloxs-4d-creation-toolset-is-now-available-in-open-beta-191510664.html?src=rss

• Overwatch will drop the '2' as Jetpack Cat and four other heroes arrive on February 10
  Blizzard is running a series of showcases for several of its major franchises and on Wednesday, it was time for Overwatch to step up to the plate. That’s Overwatch, by the way, and not Overwatch 2. The studio is formally nixing the number from the game9s name. 
  
  "Overwatch is more than just a digit: it9s a living universe that keeps growing, keeps surprising, and keeps bringing players together from around the world," the Overwatch team said in a statement. "This year marks a huge turning point in how the development team envisions the future of Overwatch, so we are officially dropping the 929 and moving forward as Overwatch."
  
  Blizzard made a big hullabaloo about Overwatch 2 being a sequel to the original game when it went live in October 2022 as part of a shift to a free-to-play model. There were a ton of major changes, not least a format switch from 6v6 to 5v5, with one tank being dropped from each team — a contentious decision that has been walked back with the return of 6v6 modes. 
  
  The grand vision Blizzard originally had for Overwatch 2 never quite came together. The studio canceled its planned hero missions, which were going to have RPG-like talent trees and long-term progression, but it carried some of that DNA over to the Stadium mode.
  
  We only got one round of co-op story missions as well. That paid expansion reportedly sold poorly, leading Blizzard to scrap work on the player vs. environment elements of Overwatch to focus on the competitive player vs. player modes.
  
  Over the last couple of years, though, Blizzard really seems to have steadied the ship. Overwatch is arguably in the best shape it9s been in for a long time. 
  
  This is shaping up to be a big year for Overwatch. May will mark its 10th anniversary (I have to imagine the team has something significant planned for that). Blizzard laid out much of the roadmap for 2026 during the Overwatch Spotlight showcase. We won’t have to wait long at all to see significant changes to the game. 
  New heroes
  When the next season goes live on February 10, it will be the biggest update to Overwatch at least since the Stadium mode and perks system went live last year, and arguably since the dawn of the Overwatch 2 era. That’s partly because Blizzard is adding five new heroes to the mix all at once next week.
  
  One of those is a character that the studio said in 2017 it had experimented with but ultimately, um, scratched. Jetpack Cat is alive after all, and is coming to Overwatch in a matter of days.
  
  This is a support hero with a permanent flight ability who can "tow" an ally, carrying them through the air while healing them. Jetpack Cat9s ultimate ability sees the kitty diving into the ground to knock down enemies and tether the closest one to them, she can drag them toward a pit for an environmental kill, for instance. The ultimate is called Catnapper, which is delightful. Also, Jetpack Cat’s primary weapon is called Biotic Pawjectiles.
  
  I adore her already. It’s fun to see weird Wrecking Ball-type characters coming to Overwatch again. 
  Blizzard Entertainment
  The other new heroes joining the fray next week are Domina (a zone-control tank with "long-range precision"), damage dealer Emre (a "fast‑paced, mobile soldier archetype with conflicting identity due to cybernetic modification"), Mizuki (a support who can throw a hat to heal allies) and Anran (a high-mobility hero who deals fire damage and can self-resurrect with their ultimate).
  
  As with Jetpack Cat, the latter of those is aligned with the Overwatch faction. You can try Anran out starting February 5 as part of a hero trial. The other three have ties to the villainous Talon organization. Expect another hero to join the fray every couple of months this year as each new season gets under way. That means more heroes will be added to Overwatch in 2026 than in any year since the game’s debut.
  A "story-driven era"Blizzard Entertainment
  The next season spells the beginning of what Blizzard is calling a "new story-driven era" for Overwatch, starting with a year-long narrative arc called The Reign of Talon. All of the lore, heroes, events and so on that emerge over the next 12 months will be tied to the rise of Talon.
  
  The studio says this is the "the first fully connected annual storyline in Overwatch history." A new arc will begin next year with Season 1 of 2027 (Blizzard is resetting the season counter when The Reign of Talon begins).
  
  Elsewhere, each role will be split into sub-roles, and the heroes in each will share a passive ability. For instance, "initiator" tanks heal more while they9re in the air, several damage heroes can detect enemies that are below half health through walls after damaging them and some supports have excess ultimate charge that carries over after you use their most powerful ability.
  
  Also on the way soon is a "meta event" called Conquest. This is billed as a faction war between Overwatch and Talon that will run for five weeks, with dozens of loot boxes and other rewards (such as some legendary Echo skins) up for grabs.
  Blizzard Entertainment
  Blizzard has overhauled the Overwatch interface too, with updated menus, a new hero lobby, a notification hub and the promise of faster navigation. Stadium will have some updates, such as refreshed ability icons and recommended builds based on global data that will be updated between rounds. Vendetta is joining that mode9s roster as well.
  
  Along with all the new heroes and other updates, a Hello Kitty collaboration will run for two weeks starting on February 10 with themed cosmetics for several heroes. Lots of other cosmetics are in the pipeline, including Crimson Wolf weapon skins you can unlock using competitive points, and rainy day and Valentine9s items. Shop items from the last six seasons are going into loot boxes, while mythic cosmetics for Mercy, Juno and Mei will be available in Season 1.
  Blizzard Entertainment
  Looking further ahead, a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Overwatch will arrive alongside Season 2, which will start in April. Some heroes will be getting their second mythic skins, including Ana and Genji. Genji, Hanzo and Sojourn will have mythic weapon skins in the coming months. Two new maps, including a Japan Night one, for the main modes are coming, along with the return of post-match accolades.
  
  There’s so much on the way for my go-to game. I don9t know how I9m going to be able to take a long-enough break from Overwatch to play cool indies ever again.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/overwatch-will-drop-the-2-as-jetpack-cat-and-four-other-heroes-arrive-on-february-10-184500327.html?src=rss

• The best VPN deals: Up to 87 percent off ProtonVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, NordVPN and more
  The groundhog has predicted six more weeks of winter, which means more time indoors on our devices — and that means it's a great time toimprove your cybersecurity. By subscribing to a virtual private network (VPN) and connecting every time you get online, you can keep your activity hidden from your ISP and any advertisers it may sell that data to — all while streaming sporting events and TV dramas from all across the globe.
  
  We strongly recommend using a VPN, but shopping for one takes some care. If you jump on the very first deal you see, you might get stuck with a substandard app. It's also easy to end up paying more than you meant to, since otherwise respectable VPNs sometimes frame their prices in misleading ways, with advertised deals not always as available as they seem to be.
  
  Even with all those caveats, there are some great bargains on the table. Many of the best VPNs — including our top pick, Proton VPN — have deals that save you anywhere from 70 to 87 percent on annual subscriptions. If you can believe it, there are even Valentine's Day sales running right now, because nothing is more romantic than taking care of your online privacy.
  Best VPN deals
  
  
  
  
  ExpressVPN review, it dropped my download speeds by less than 7 percent and successfully changed my virtual location 14 out of 15 times. In short, it's an all-around excellent service that only suffers from being a little overpriced — which is why I'm so excited whenever I find it offering a decent deal. This discount, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents a 81 percent savings. Be aware, though, that it'll renew at the $99.95 per year price.
  
  split its pricing into multiple tiers, but they all still come with similar discounts for going long. In addition to top-tier VPN service, advanced users get two additional simultaneous connections (for a total of 12), the ExpressVPN Keys password manager, advanced ad and tracker blocking, ID protection features and a 50 percent discount on an AirCove router. As above, note that it renews at $119.95 annually.
  
  NordVPN review that it always connects quickly and includes a support page that makes it easy to get live help. NordVPN includes a lot of cool features, like servers that instantly connect you to Tor. This deal gives you 70 percent off the two-year plan, but note that it renews at $139.08 per year.
  
  Surfshark, but it includes the entire VPN; everything on Surfshark One is an extra perk. With this subscription, you'll get some of the most envelope-pushing features in the VPN world right now. Surfshark can rotate your IP constantly to help you evade detection — it even lets you choose your own entry and exit nodes for a double-hop connection. That all comes with a near-invisible impact on download speeds. With this year-round deal, you can save 87 percent on 27 months of Surfshark.
  
  EventVPN and the free version of Proton VPN as competition. If you do want to upgrade to its paid plan, though, the two-year subscription offers great savings. Hide.me works well as a no-frills beginner VPN, with apps and a server network it should frankly be charging more for.
  
  Windscribe review, it's worth upgrading from the free service to get full access to Windscribe's all-real server network (and remove the free plan's data cap).
  
  Private Internet Access (PIA) for a little bit under $2 per month — an 83 percent discount on its monthly price. You can also get a shorter one-year subscription for $40 ($3.33 per month). Despite being so cheap, PIA has plenty of features, coming with its own DNS servers, a built-in ad blocker and automation powers to rival CyberGhost. However, internet speeds can fluctuate while you're connected.
  What makes a good VPN deal
  Practically every VPN heavily discounts its long-term subscriptions year-round, with even sharper discounts around occasions like the holidays. The only noteworthy exception is Mullvad, the Costco hot dog of VPNs (that's a compliment, to be clear). When there's constantly a huge discount going on, it can be hard to tell when you're actually getting a good deal. The best way to squeeze out more savings is to look for seasonal deals, student discounts or exclusive sales like Proton VPN's coupon for Engadget readers.
  
  One trick VPNs often use is to add extra months onto an introductory deal, pushing the average monthly price even lower. When it comes time to renew, you usually can't get these extra months again. You often can't even renew for the same basic period of time — for example, you may only be able to renew a two-year subscription for one year. If you're planning to hold onto a VPN indefinitely, check the fine print to see how much it will cost per month after the first renewal, and ensure that fits into your budget.
  
  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-best-vpn-deals-up-to-87-percent-off-protonvpn-surfshark-expressvpn-nordvpn-and-more-120056484.html?src=rss

• X's 'open source' algorithm isn't a win for transparency, researchers say
  When X9s engineering team published the code that powers the platform9s "for you" algorithm last month, Elon Musk said the move was a victory for transparency. "We know the algorithm is dumb and needs massive improvements, but at least you can see us struggle to make it better in real-time and with transparency," Musk wrote. "No other social media companies do this." 
  
  While it9s true that X is the only major social network to make elements of its recommendation algorithm open source, researchers say that what the company has published doesn9t offer the kind of transparency that would actually be useful for anyone trying to understand how X works in 2026. 
  
  The code, much like an earlier version published in 2023, is a "redacted" version of X9s algorithm, according to John Thickstun, an assistant professor of computer science at Cornell University. "What troubles me about these releases is that they give you a pretense that they9re being transparent for releasing code and the sense that someone might be able to use this release to do some kind of auditing work or oversight work," Thickstun told Engadget. "And the fact is that that9s not really possible at all."
  
  Predictably, as soon as the code was released, users on X began posting lengthy threads about what it means for creators hoping to boost their visibility on the platform. For example, one post that was viewed more than 350,000 times advises users that X "will reward people who conversate" and "raise the vibrations of X." Another post with more than 20,000 views claims that posting video is the answer. Another post says that users should stick to their "niche" because "topic switching hurts your reach." But Thickstun cautioned against reading too much into supposed strategies for going viral. "They can9t possibly draw those conclusions from what was released," he says. 
  
  While there are some small details that shed light on how X recommends posts — for example, it filters out content that9s more than a day old — Thickstun says that much of it is "not actionable" for content creators. 
  
  Structurally, one of the biggest differences between the current algorithm and the version released in 2023 is that the new system relies on a Grok-like large language model to rank posts. "In the previous version, this was hard coded: you took how many times something was liked, how many times something was shared, how many times something was replied … and then based on that you calculate a score, and then you rank the post based on the score," explains Ruggero Lazzaroni, a pHD researcher at the University of Graz. "Now the score is derived not by the real amounts of likes and shares, but by how likely Grok thinks that you would like and share a post."
  
  That also makes the algorithm even more opaque than it was before, says Thickstun. "So much more of the decisionmaking … is happening within black box neural networks that they9re training on their data," he says. "More and more of the decisionmaking power of these algorithms is shifting not just out of public view, but actually really out of view or understanding of even the internal engineers that are working on these systems, because they9re being shifted into these neural networks."
  
  The release has even less detail about some aspects of the algorithm that were made public in 2023. At the time, the company included information about how it weighted various interactions to determine which posts should rank higher. For example, a reply was "worth" 27 retweets and a reply that generated a response from the original author was worth 75 retweets. But X has now redacted information about how it9s weighing these factors, saying that this information was excluded "for security reasons." 
  
  The code also doesn9t include any information about the data the algorithm was trained on, which could help researchers and others understand it or conduct audits. "One of the things I would really want to see is, what is the training data that they9re using for this model," says Mohsen Foroughifar, an assistant professor of business technologies at Carnegie Mellon University. "if the data that is used for training this model is inherently biased, then the model might actually end up still being biased, regardless of what kind of things that you consider within the model." 
  
  Being able to conduct research on the X recommendation algorithm would be extremely valuable, says Lazzaroni, who is working on an EU-funded project exploring alternative recommendation algorithms for social media platforms. Much of Lazzaroni9s work involves simulating real-world social media platforms to test different approaches. But he says the code released by X doesn9t have enough information to actually reproduce its recommendation algorithm. 
  
  "We have the code to run the algorithm, but we don9t have the model that you need to run the algorithm," he says.
  
  If researchers were able to study the X algorithm, it could yield insights that could impact more than just social media platforms. Many of the same questions and concerns that have been raised about how social media algorithms behave are likely to re-emerge in the context of AI chatbots."A lot of these challenges that we9re seeing on social media platforms and the recommendation [systems] appear in a very similar way with these generative systems as well," Thickstun said. "So you can kind of extrapolate forward the kinds of challenges that we9ve seen with social media platforms to the kind of challenges that we9ll see with interaction with GenAI platforms."
  
  Lazzaroni, who spends a lot of time simulating some of the most toxic behavior on social media, is even more blunt. "AI companies, to maximize profit, optimize the large language models for user engagement and not for telling the truth or caring about the mental health of the users. And this is the same exact problem: they make more profit, but the users get a worse society, or they get worse mental health out of it."
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/xs-open-source-algorithm-isnt-a-win-for-transparency-researchers-say-181836233.html?src=rss

• You can pre-order the Pixel 10a on February 18
  The Pixel 10a is official, though details are limited. On Wednesday, Google posted a teaser video showing the mid-range phone dancing around colorful backgrounds. You can pre-order the Pixel 10a on February 18.
  
  Google hasn't yet revealed the phone's specs. In the short video, we can see a blue model that's virtually indistinguishable on the outside from the Pixel 9a. And alleged leaks point to a phone with few changes on the inside. That (unconfirmed) list includes a 6.285-inch display, dual rear cameras (48MP wide and 13MP ultra-wide) and a 5,100mAh battery.
  Google
  The teaser's tagline appears to be an attempt to assure Pixel fans that there will, in fact, be meaningful upgrades. "A phone with more in store, in store soon," it reads. Hopefully, its pricing and specs will be "in store" for us soon as well.
  
  In the meantime, you can visit the Google Pixel website to register for more info.
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/you-can-pre-order-the-pixel-10a-on-february-18-180712018.html?src=rss

• ExpressVPN deal: Two-year plans are up to 81 percent off
  If you're looking to up your privacy game on the internet in the new year, you can do so for a little less than usual thanks to ExpressVPN's latest deal. Its two-year plans are up to 81 percent off right now: the Advanced tier is on sale for $88 for two years, plus four additional free months. The Basic plan is where you'll see the biggest discount: it's $68 for two years, plus the same four additional free months.
  
  We’ve consistently liked ExpressVPN because it’s fast, easy to use and widely available across a large global server network. In fact, it's our current pick for best premium VPN. One of the biggest drawbacks has always been its high cost, and this deal temporarily solves that issue.
  
  
  
  In our review we were able to get fast download and upload speeds, losing only 7 percent in the former and 2 percent in the latter worldwide. We found that it could unblock Netflix anywhere, and its mobile and desktop apps were simple to operate. We gave ExpressVPN an overall score of 85 out of 100.
  
  The virtual private network service now has three tiers. Basic is cheaper with fewer features, while Pro costs more and adds extra perks like support for 14 simultaneous devices and a password manager. Advanced sits in the middle and includes the password manager but only supports 12 devices.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/expressvpn-deal-two-year-plans-are-up-to-81-percent-off-180602860.html?src=rss

• Anthropic says it won't bring ads to Claude, unlike rival ChatGPT
  Anthropic has announced that its chatbot Claude will remain ad-free. This is in direct contrast to rival company OpenAI, which recently brought ads to ChatGPT for many users.
  
  The company says that "including ads in conversations with Claude would be incompatible" with the chatbot becoming a "genuinely helpful assistant for work and for deep thinking." The reasoning here is rather simple. People tend to share personal details with chatbots, for better or for worse, and getting ads based on that stuff would be creepy. Imagine asking for mental health advice and getting an ad for St. John9s wort or something.
  
  Anthropic notes that other conversations "involve complex software engineering tasks, deep work or thinking through difficult problems. The appearance of ads in these contexts would feel incongruous—and, in many cases, inappropriate."
  
  The company said that integrating advertising would "work against" the Claude Constitution, which counts "being generally helpful" as a core principle. "Introducing advertising incentives at this stage would add another level of complexity. Our understanding of how models translate the goals we set them into specific behaviors is still developing; an ad-based system could therefore have unpredictable results," it writes in a blog post.
  
  There are some real world concerns here. AI companies gobble up all money in sight and the returns haven9t exactly been stellar. Ads are an easy way to recoup some of that investment, which is likely why OpenAI went that route. Engadget reached out to Anthropic to inquire about any kind of forthcoming financial hurdles that could force it to change course. A representative pointed to today9s blog post and said it9s "all the information we have to share at this time."
  
  We do know that Anthropic remains committed to commerce-based agentic AI. It said it will "continue to build features that enable our users to find, compare or buy products, connect with businesses and more."
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-says-it-wont-bring-ads-to-claude-unlike-rival-chatgpt-171243642.html?src=rss

• The 11 best gifts under $25 for 2026
  The most hyped tech is often also the most expensive: flagship smartphones, ultra-powerful gaming laptops, immersive VR headsets and the like. But it would be wrong to assume that those are the only pieces of technology worth gifting. You don’t have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. There are more solid, affordable gadgets out there now more than ever, but that also means you’ll discover some junk along the way. We’ve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you to stick to a budget.
  Best gifts under $25
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-11-best-gifts-under-25-for-2026-140042019.html?src=rss

• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Everything we're expecting from the S26 launch
  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. Official invites have yet to be shared, but the date is widely expected to be near the end of the month, probably on February 25 But as usual, we know a lot about what’s expected when Samsung does hold its next event.
  
  Whenever it does happen, 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.
  What is Unpacked 2026 taking place?
  But first, when is Unpacked going to happen? A recent image shared by leakster Evan Blass indicated Unpacked should be taking place on “February 25 2026.” Blass has a long history of credible leaks, which means this date is all but confirmed, and the main questions remaining would be — what time and in what timezone? We’re still waiting on Samsung for the official details, which should include answers to those questions.
  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.
  
  Android Headlines also recently shared what appear to be full image renders of the S26 series, and they generally line up with what has already been rumored, leaked and reported so far. If these pictures are accurate, they give us a clearer look at the camera bump and two color variants of the S26 Ultra.
  
  Fans of magnets may continue to be disappointed by Samsung if the latest rumors are accurate. Despite the launch of the Qi 2 wireless charging standard adding support for convenient magnetic alignment years ago, Samsung has yet to bring that feature to its phones. Though the S-series have the higher speed charging rates that the spec enables, 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.
  
  Update, January 30 2026, 12:45PM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks on the possible dates for Unpacked 2026.
  
  Update, February 02 2026, 11:30AM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks with full image renders of the S26 trio of devices.
  
  Update, February 03 2026, 11:00AM ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks about the possible lack of magnetic support on the S26 series.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2026-everything-were-expecting-from-the-s26-launch-130000556.html?src=rss

• iPhone Fold rumors: Everything we know so far, including the leaked foldable design
  Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone hasn’t been announced yet, but after years of speculation, it seems like this device could finally be coming out soon(ish). Multiple sources claim that Apple could be targeting a late-2026 launch for its first foldable phone, and new rumors suggest the company is even already thinking about its second model, which could be a clamshell-style foldable iPhone.
  
  But of course, nothing is official yet. Plans can change, features can be dropped and timelines can slip. Still, recent reports paint the clearest picture yet of how Apple might approach a foldable iPhone and how it plans to differentiate itself from rivals like Samsung and Google.
  
  Here, we’ve rounded up the most credible iPhone Fold rumors so far, covering its possible release timing, design, display technology, cameras and price. We’ll continue to update this post as more rumors and details become available.
  When could the iPhone Fold launch?
  Rumors of a foldable iPhone date back as far as 2017, but more recent reporting suggests Apple has finally locked onto a realistic window. Most sources now point to fall 2026, likely alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.
  
  Mark Gurman has gone back and forth on timing, initially suggesting Apple could launch “as early as 2026,” before later writing that the device would ship at the end of 2026 and sell primarily in 2027. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also repeatedly cited the second half of 2026 as Apple’s target.
  
  Some reports still claim the project could slip into 2027 if Apple runs into manufacturing or durability issues, particularly around the hinge or display. Given Apple’s history of delaying products that it feels aren’t ready, that remains a real possibility.
  What will the iPhone Fold look like?
  Current consensus suggests Apple has settled on a book-style foldable design, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series, rather than a clamshell flip phone.
  
  When unfolded, the iPhone Fold is expected to resemble a small tablet like the iPad mini (8.3 inches). Based on the rumor mill, though, the iPhone Fold may be a touch smaller, with an internal display measuring around 7.7 to 7.8 inches. When closed, it should function like a conventional smartphone, with an outer display in the 5.5-inch range.
  
  CAD leaks and alleged case-maker molds suggest the device may be shorter and wider than a standard iPhone when folded, creating a squarer footprint that better matches the aspect ratio of the inner display. Several reports have also pointed to theiPhone Air as a potential preview of Apple’s foldable design work, with its unusually thin chassis widely interpreted as a look at what one half of a future foldable iPhone could resemble.
  
  If that theory holds, it could help explain the Fold’s rumored dimensions. Thickness is expected to land between roughly 4.5 and 5.6mm when unfolded, putting it in a similar range to the iPhone Air, and just over 9 to 11mm when folded, depending on the final hinge design and internal layering.
  iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone AirEngadgetDisplay and the crease question
  The display is arguably the biggest challenge for any foldable phone, and it’s an area where Apple appears to have invested years of development.
  
  Multiple reports say Apple will rely on Samsung Display as its primary supplier. At CES 2026, Samsung showcased a new crease-less foldable OLED panel, which several sources — including Bloomberg — suggested could be the same technology Apple plans to use.
  
  According to these reports, the panel combines a flexible OLED with a laser-drilled metal support plate that disperses stress when folding. The goal is a display with a nearly invisible crease, something Apple reportedly considers essential before entering the foldable market.
  
  If Apple does use this panel, it would mark a notable improvement over current foldables, which still show visible creasing under certain lighting conditions.
  Cameras and biometrics
  Camera rumors suggest Apple is planning a four-camera setup. That may include:
  
  Two rear cameras (main and ultra-wide, both rumored at 48MP)
  
  One punch-hole camera on the outer display
  
  One under-display camera on the inner screen
  
  Several sources claim Apple will avoid Face ID entirely on the iPhone Fold. Instead, it’s expected to rely on Touch ID built into the power button, similar to recent iPad models. This would allow Apple to keep both displays free of notches or Dynamic Island cutouts.
  
  Under-display camera technology has historically produced lower image quality, but a rumored 24MP sensor would be a significant step up compared to existing foldables, which typically use much lower-resolution sensors.
  iPhone Fold’s hinge and materials
  The hinge is another area where Apple may diverge from competitors. Multiple reports claim Apple will useLiquidmetal, which is a long-standing trade name for a metallic glass alloy the company has previously used in smaller components. While often referred to as “liquid metal” or “Liquid Metal” in reports, Liquidmetal is the branding Apple has historically associated with the material.
  
  Liquidmetal is said to be stronger and more resistant to deformation than titanium, while remaining relatively lightweight. If accurate, this could help improve long-term durability and reduce wear on the foldable display.
  
  Leaks from Jon Prosser also reference a metal plate beneath the display that works in tandem with the hinge to minimize creasing — a claim that aligns with reporting from Korean and Chinese supply-chain sources.
  Battery and other components 
  Battery life is another potential differentiator. According to Ming-Chi Kuo and multiple Asian supply-chain reports, Apple is testing high-density battery cells in the 5,000 to 5,800mAh range.
  
  That would make it the largest battery ever used in an iPhone, and competitive with (or larger than) batteries in current Android foldables. The device is also expected to use a future A-series chip and Apple’s in-house modem.
  Price
  None of this will come cheap, that’s for certain. Nearly every report agrees that the iPhone Fold will be Apple’s most expensive iPhone ever.
  
  Estimates currently place the price between $2,000 and $2,500 in the US. Bloomberg has said the price will be “at least $2,000,” while other analysts have narrowed the likely range to around $2,100 and $2,300. That positions the iPhone Fold well above the iPhone Pro Max and closer to Apple’s high-end Macs and iPads.
  
  Despite years of rumors, there’s still plenty that remains unclear. Apple hasn’t confirmed the name “iPhone Fold,” final dimensions, software features or how iOS would adapt to a folding form factor. Durability, repairability and long-term reliability are also open questions. For now, the safest assumption is that Apple is taking its time and that many of these details could still change before launch.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/iphone-fold-rumors-everything-we-know-so-far-including-the-leaked-foldable-design-130000349.html?src=rss

• Presidents' Day sales 2026: The best tech deals from Apple, Sony, Roku and others
  You can find a lot of good deals for Presidents’ Day, but to say it’s a tech-deal boon would be an overstatement. The best Presidents’ Day deals are usually on mattresses, appliances and furniture, but you can find some decent tech sales thrown in as well. This year, Presidents’ Day comes right after Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl 2026, which means there are even more chances to save as sales and discounts overlap. If you’re looking for a new streaming device, a fresh iPad or an upgraded vacuum so you can enter the spring-cleaning season properly, we have you covered. These are the best President Day sales on tech we could find this year.
  Presidents’ Day deals under $50
  
  
  Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 for $24 (40 percent off): This is one of the most affordable ways to get 4K streaming on almost any TV set. The dongle has a sleek design, it comes with handy remote that can also control your TV’s power and volume and the device gives you access to Roku’s TV operating system, which has tons of ways to watch free content.
  
  Anker Nano 45W USB-C charger for $30 ($10 off): Anker’s latest 45W charger has a small smart display on it that can show you real-time charging stats. It’s compact design is great for travel, as are its foldable prongs.
  
  Blink Mini 2K+ — 2 cameras for $45 (50 percent off): Blink’s latest plug-in security cameras support 2K video and improved audio quality. Like previous versions, these cameras have two-way talk, motion alerts and support for Alexa voice commands.
  
  TurboTax Deluxe for $45 (44 percent off): While it pains us to recommend Intuit’s software, it may be the best (and cheapest) option for some this tax season — particularly those who don't qualify for Free File.
  
  Anker Nano 5K ultra-slim magnetic power bank for $46 (16 percent off): This Qi2 power bank measures less than a half inch thick and snaps onto the backs of the latest iPhones for wireless charging. Its 5K capacity will be enough to top up your phone when it’s close to empty, preventing you from searching for a charger or outlet.
  Presidents’ Day deals on Apple devices
  
  
  Apple iPhone Air MagSafe battery pack for $79 (20 percent off): This magnetic power bank will add up to 65 percent additional battery charge to the iPhone Air, but note that it only works with Apple’s new, ultra-slim smartphone. We’ve tested plenty of others that also work with other iPhone and smartphone models.
  
  Apple Watch Series 11 for $299 ($100 off): The latest flagship Apple Watch has excellent performance, a boosted battery life and a lightweight design that you can comfortably wear all day long — and even into the night to track sleep.
  
  iPad mini (A17 Pro ) for $399 ($100 off): The updated iPad mini runs on the A17 Pro chip for improved performance, plus it has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, a 12MP ultra wide camera with Center Stage, USB-C charging and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro.
  
  Beats Studio Pro for $170 (51 percent off): Beats updated these cans to have improved sound quality, and you can really hear the difference from models that came before it. These headphones also have solid Transparency mode, good voice performance and USB-C audio.
  
  Beats Solo 4 headphones for $130 (35 percent off): These on-ear headphones support spatial audio and dynamic head tracking, and they have up to 50 hours of battery life. The “fast fuel” feature allows them to get up to five hours of playback time with just a quick 10-minute power-up.
  More Presidents’ Day deals on tech
  
  
  Disney+ and Hulu bundle (one month) for $10 ($3 off)
  
  Shark Steam & Scrub steam mop for $125 (22 percent off)
  
  Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum for $150 (25 percent off)
  
  Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds for $179 (22 percent off)
  
  Roku 55-inch 4K smart TV for $248 (29 percent off)
  
  Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar for $369 ($130 off)
  
  Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones for $398 (13 percent off)
  
  Anker Nebula Capsule 3 projector for $540 (28 percent off)
  
  Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini-LED 4K smart TV for $548 (16 percent off)
  
  DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo drone bundle for $575 (20 percent off)
  
  Google Pixel 10 Pro for $899 (18 percent off)
  
  Sony 55-inch Bravia XR8B 4K smart TV for $998 (9 percent off)
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/presidents-day-sales-2026-the-best-tech-deals-from-apple-sony-roku-and-others-163000379.html?src=rss

• Egypt to block Roblox for all users
  Egyptian regulators have banned Roblox, a popular children9s video game, Bloomberg reports. The nation9s Supreme Council for Media Regulation is coordinating with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority on the decision to ensure its enforcement.
  
  The state-owned outlet reported that Senator Walaa Hermas Radwandid had proposed regulation of the platform to “protect children’s moral and educational values." The senator outlined his concerns with the nature of the Roblox platform, including the ability to communicate directly with strangers as well as "potential psychological and behavioral effects on young users." In a statement to Bloomberg, Roblox stated that it has "built rigorous safeguards that go beyond those of many other platforms."
  
  Egypt joins others including Iraq, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and the UAE that have banned or heavily restricted the US-based gaming platform; Turkey and Russia also enacted blanket bans on Roblox recently, citing the "promotion of homosexuality" and "LGBT propaganda."
  
  Roblox has a significant presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The company9s most recent economic impact report claims it added $15 million to total GDP across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Qatar and the UAE between 2021 and 2024.
  
  Roblox recently tightened its age verification requirements for certain in-game features following pressure from numerous US state attorneys general over child safety, though the new system is reportedly a mess.
  
  All of this comes against the backdrop of globally internet restrictions, especially for social media services. A raft of nations including Australia, Spain and Denmark have moved to ban social media entirely for children.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/egypt-to-block-roblox-for-all-users-161343443.html?src=rss

• Alexa+ is now available nationwide, with a free text-based version for non-Prime members to try
  Amazon’s next-generation AI assistant is now available to everyone in the US for $20 per month, or for free if you’re a Prime member. Amazon has also introduced a try-before-you-buy free tier for non-Prime members, but it’s limited to text-based chat.
  
  Alexa+ has been in early access since last year, and Amazon says it’s listened to user insights ahead of rolling out the update nationwide today. If you’re a Prime member, you can start using the new assistant by saying "Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+" or by heading to Alexa.com and signing into your Amazon account. The Alexa website is also where you’ll find the new free Alexa chat feature, which lets you ask questions and research various topics with usage limits.
  
  Given that a Prime membership costs less ($15 per month) than Alexa+ on its own, Amazon is no doubt hoping that the introduction of its now more conversational Alexa assistant will entice some would-be subscribers. Amazon also offers a 30-day free trial of Prime to first-time customers.
  
  As well as allowing more complex and naturally flowing interactions, Alexa+ also has new agentic capabilities, making it more effective at managing your schedule, providing recommendations, making reservations and controlling your smart home devices. It’s also a more personalized experience, with the idea being that Alexa keeps an eye on your digital activity so it gives you more useful answers.
  
  Whether the overhauled Alexa will work for everyone remains to be seen. In our preview last summer, Engadget’s Cherlynn Low wrote about her conflicted feelings on the next-gen assistant. While impressed by its ability to handle more complex tasks, she found the experience to be inconsistent and "just incompetent enough to be annoying."
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/alexa-is-now-available-nationwide-with-a-free-text-based-version-for-non-prime-members-to-try-155550342.html?src=rss

• How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl: Patriots vs. Seahawks channel, where to stream, start time, and more
  The New England Patriots are headed to the 2026 Super Bowl. (Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images) Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images
  The countdown is on, and Super Bowl LX, between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, is less than a week away. This year's game will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, and the Bay Area will be host to loads of other football events this week, too, including Thursday's NFL Honors, where we'll learn who this season's MVP is. (That event, which will be held in San Francisco, will air live on NBC and the NFL Network on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.) While we're curious to see who will snag the most prestigious awards at the NFL Honors, we're more excited for the championship game itself, which airs on Sunday, Feb. 8, with a 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff, and there will be pre-game coverage airing from 12 p.m. ET on. 
  
  Like all other Sunday Night Football games this season, the championship game will be broadcast on NBC, and will stream live on Peacock. Here's everything you need to know to tune in to Super Bowl LX on February 8, including the game channel, where to stream, and who's performing at halftime.
  How to watch Super Bowl LX
  
  
  
  
  Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026
  
  Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
  
  TV channel: NBC, Telemundo
  
  Streaming: Peacock, DirecTV, NFL+ and more
  2026 Super Bowl game time
  The 2026 Super Bowl is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Feb. 8, 2026.
  2026 Super Bowl game channel
  The 2026 Super Bowl will air on NBC, with a Spanish-language broadcast available on Telemundo. 
  2026 Super Bowl teams:
  The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will play in the 2026 Super Bowl.
  Where is the 2026 Super Bowl being played?
  The 2026 Super Bowl will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
  What teams are playing in the 2026 Super Bowl?
  The teams for the 2026 Super Bowl will be determined after the AFC and NFC Championship games are played on Sunday, Jan. 25. You can keep tabs on the post-season playoff bracket here.
  How to watch the 2026 Super Bowl without cable
  You can stream NBC and Telemundo on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV, both of which are among Engadget's choices for best streaming services for live TV. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not available on the platform.) The game will also be streaming on Peacock and on NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you're limited to watching the game on mobile devices. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Who is performing at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show?
  Bad Bunny, who holds the title as the most-streamed artist in the world, will be headlining the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance. You can expect that show to begin after the second quarter, likely between 8-8:30 p.m. ET. Singer Charlie Puth will also be at the game to perform the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile is scheduled to sing "America The Beautiful," and Coco Jones will perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
  Where to buy tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl: 
  Tickets to the 2026 Super Bowl are available on third-party resale platforms like StubHub and Gametime. 
  Find tickets on Stubhub Find tickets on Gametime More ways to watch Super Bowl LX
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-2026-super-bowl-patriots-vs-seahawks-channel-where-to-stream-start-time-and-more-175759112.html?src=rss

• iPad deal: Get $100 off the latest iPad mini right now
  Apple's smallest tablet is a great option for frequent travelers or anywho who prefers their slabs be the size of an ereader. The latest iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip is down to one of the best prices we've seen right now — $400, which is $100 off.
  
  Apple released this iPad mini in late 2024 and it was a solid update. We gave it an 83 in our review thanks to the power of its A17 Pro chip and that it comes with a minimum of 128GB of storage. The model currently on sale comes with 128GB, Wi-Fi and all four color options: Blue, Purple, Space Gray and Starlight. 
  
  
  
  We named the Apple iPad mini our favorite compact iPad — though, to be fair, its only competitor is itself. Still, it's a good iPad with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, Apple Intelligence and 12MP Wide back and 12MP Ultra Wide cameras. For 20 percent off, it's a great option for a light, useful way to entertain yourself through the rest of winter and beyond. 
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ipad-deal-get-100-off-the-latest-ipad-mini-right-now-140900989.html?src=rss

• Super Bowl 2026 TV deals: The best sales this week on OLEDs and other smart TVs ahead of the big game
  Whether you’re having people over to watch the Patriots and the Seahawks battle it out in Super Bowl 2026, or you’re more interested in the Bad Bunny halftime show, your TV will be an important part of the puzzle of putting together an excellent big-game party. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your current TV, now’s a decent time to do it. The weeks leading up to the Super Bowl are typically awash with TV deals to consider.
  
  Generally, TV prices steadily decrease after a new model comes out. Some 2026 TV models were announced at CES and are forthcoming things year, making now a good time to look for discounts on 2025 sets. Aside from the holiday shopping season, now is one of the best times of the year to save on a TV. Here, we’ve curated the best Super Bowl TV deals we could find this year, from already affordable sets discounted even further to high-end OLEDs that are hundreds of dollars off.
  Super Bowl 2026 TV deals for less than $500
  You can easily find solid 1080p and 4K TV sets within this budget-friendly price range. What you’ll be more limited in is size — most TV deals under $500 we’re seeing right now are on sets up to 55 inches. There are a few 65- and 75-inch models in there, but the pickings are slim.
  
  
  
  Roku 24-inch 720p smart TV for $100 (18 percent off)
  
  TCL 40-inch Class S3 1080p smart TV for $150 (21 percent off)
  
  Roku 55-inch 4K smart TV for $248 (29 percent off)
  
  Roku 55-inch Mini LED 4K smart TV for $348 (30 percent off)
  
  TCL 75-inch Class S5 4K smart TV for $480 (26 percent off)
  OLED TV deals
  This is where you want to look if you want your new TV to have the richest colors, deepest blacks and excellent contrast performance. Of course, that all comes at steeper prices — it can be difficult to find a good OLED set for less than $1,000, even on sale.
  
  
  
  Sony 55-inch Bravia XR8B 4K smart TV for $998 (9 percent off)
  
  Samsung 65-inch Class OLED S95F 4K smart TV for $2,298 (23 percent off)
  
  Sony 77-inch Bravia XR A95L OLED 4K smart TV for $3,498 (30 percent off)
  Super Bowl 2026 TV deals for $500 and up
  This will likely be the sweet spot for many people when it comes to TV features, performance and price. Good 4K sets are common in this price range, and you’ll also find some Mini LED sets available here as well.
  
  
  
  TCL 65-inch Class T7 4K smart TV for $500 (29 percent off)
  
  Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini-LED 4K smart TV for $548 (16 percent off)
  
  Amazon 65-inch Fire TV Omni Mini LED 4K smart TV for $920 (16 percent off)
  
  TCL 65-inch Class QM8K Mini LED 4K smart TV for $998 (33 percent off)
  Streaming and home entertainment deals
  A good TV is key, but having the right peripherals and accessories to go along with it will complete your home theater setup. Deals we’re tracking right now include discounts on streaming devices, soundbars and projectors.
  
  
  
  Sonos big game sale — up to 20 percent off home theater gear: Get the Sonos Beam soundbar for $130 off, the Era 300 speaker for $100 off and more
  
  Roku Streaming Stick HD 2025 for $16 (47 percent off)
  
  Roku Ultra streamer for $78 (22 percent off)
  
  Samsung HW B400F soundbar with built-in subwoofer for $100 (29 percent off)
  
  Anker Nebula Capsule 3 projector for $540 (28 percent off)
  
  Valerion VisionMaster Max 4K projector for $3,999 (20 percent off)
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/super-bowl-2026-tv-deals-the-best-sales-this-week-on-oleds-and-other-smart-tvs-ahead-of-the-big-game-160000415.html?src=rss

• Pick up the Apple Watch Series 11 while it's $100 off
  If you need a little help with your New Year's resolution to be more active, you can save on the latest Apple Watch right now. The Apple Watch Series 11 is on sale for $299, which is $100 off and the lowest price we've seen.
  
  We named the Apple Watch Series 11 as our choice for best smartwatch overall. It scored a 90 in our review thanks to its 24 hours-plus of battery life and a thin, light design that's easy to wear. It also offers new health metrics, including Apple's hypertension alerts system and Sleep Score. 
  
  The Apple Watch Series 11 deal is available on the 42mm case with a small/medium band. It also only includes GPS and four colorways: the Jet Black and Space Gray aluminum cases with a Black sport band, the Rose Gold aluminum case with a Light Blush sport band and the Silver aluminum case with a Purple Fog sport band.
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-the-apple-watch-series-11-while-its-100-off-151616650.html?src=rss

• Apple's iPhone Air MagSafe battery is cheaper than ever
  Despite its supremely sleek design, the iPhone Air actually has a pretty respectable battery life, lasting for somewhere in the region of 27 hours if you’re continuously streaming video. But you’re still going to be wary of it dying on you if you’re on a trip or just having a particularly screen-heavy day. That’s where Apple’s iPhone Air MagSafe battery pack comes in, and it’s currently on sale for $79.
  
  
  
  This accessory only works with the iPhone Air, but much like the phone it attaches to, it’s extremely slim at 7.5mmm, so crucially doesn’t add so much bulk when attached that it defeats the point of having a thin phone in the first place. The MagSafe Battery isn’t enormous at 3,149mAh (enough to add an extra 65 percent of charge to the Air), but it can wirelessly charge the AirPods Pro 3 as well, making it an even more useful travel companion. You can also charge your iPhone while charging the battery pack.
  
  At its regular price of $99, the MagSafe battery pack is an admittedly pricey add-on to what is already an expensive phone, but for $20 off it’s well worth considering what Engadget’s Sam Rutherford called an "essential accessory" for some users in his iPhone Air review.
  
  Many Apple loyalists will always insist on having first-party accessories for their iPhone, but there are plenty of third-party MagSafe chargers out there too, a lot of them considerably cheaper than Apple’s lineup. Be sure to check out our guide for those. 
  
  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-iphone-air-magsafe-battery-is-cheaper-than-ever-144516608.html?src=rss

• Apple AirTag (2026) review: Simply better
  It’s hard to tell the difference between Apple’s second-generation AirTag and the almost-five-year-old original just by looking at them. In fact, the only way to tell is the many scratches on my old tracker, picked up from all those years attached to my keyring, living in my pocket. 
  
  While the price is still $29, Apple’s latest tracker packs some core upgrades. The new AirTag has a second-generation ultra-wideband (UWB) chip that extends its Precise Finding range up to 50 percent, though it requires an iPhone 15 or newer to do so. It’s also apparently 50 percent louder and has a new, higher-pitched chime. Still no keyring hole, though.
  
  
  
  The new AirTag looks… the same. It’s arguably the most understated hardware design Apple has ever made, with no buttons or ports, just a company logo on one side. It’s made from a combination of a stainless steel plate and a (now 85-percent recycled) plastic enclosure. It’s like a thick coin, a little bigger than a quarter, and slips into any small pocket or wallet. The battery can be replaced by rotating the backing off, but it's still solid enough that I never felt there was a risk of coming off accidentally. 
  
  Apple’s accessories to attach the AirTag to your keys are still more expensive than the tracker itself. However, compared to when the original tracker launched, there’s now a rich collection of third-party options from the likes of Mophie, Belkin and more, many of which are more reasonably priced at around $15. A $35 keyring for a $29 tracker is a very tough sell, Apple.
  Apple's new AirTag promises increased range and a louder ring chime. Mat Smith for Engadget
  Setting up a new AirTag is just as effortless as its predecessor. Pull out the plastic tag, connecting the battery, and a notification will pop up on your nearby iPhone. You can then name it, assign it to an item and it’ll join your list of findable Apple hardware. 
  
  I’ve been testing the range of the new AirTag, and if anything, the 50 percent increase in Precision Finding range is a conservative estimate. Naturally, tracking can be affected by building structure, walls, a lack of nearby Find My network devices and other interference, but the next-generation AirTag’s “getting closer” screen consistently appeared on my phone when I was around 80 feet away. The older tracker, however, needed me to be around 30-40 feet away to do the same. The benefit of Precision Finding was limited on the debut AirTag, because its range was so tiny — especially in busy environments. The hardware upgrades now make it truly useful. The new AirTag is also faster to connect and more responsive to my movements and sudden turns, thanks, I expect, to the new ultra-wideband chip. 
  
  You can now also use newer Apple Watches (Series 9, Ultra 2 and up) with precision location detection. After updating her Apple Watch Series 11 to the latest software, my colleague Cherlynn Low reported that locating the new AirTag was pretty much the same as on an iPhone. She did find it slightly counterintuitive to have to first add the Find My shortcut to the Control Center on the watch instead of going to the Find My Items app to do so, but ultimately, once she did that, it mirrored the existing setup for Precision Finding on iPhones. 
  Apple's new AirTag promises increased range and a louder ring chime. Mat Smith for Engadget
  Apple also redesigned the AirTag’s speaker assembly, which it says makes sounds 50 percent louder. Possibly the most effective audio upgrade is a higher-pitched chime that’s easier to hear over ambient noise and in busy public spaces. I could hear it ringing out from the other side of my gym’s locker room, while inside a locker, over music playing in the background. My old AirTag was inaudible until I was a few feet away from my locker. I always thought the sound on the original AirTag was a little too low-key for something you were urgently trying to find. (I’d love to be able to customize the chime, though.)
  
  It’s the Find My network that makes the AirTag shine. Apple’s massive footprint of over a billion devices, from iPhones to Macs, continues to offer a tracking range and finer precision than GPS and Bluetooth alone. If anything, this network is even more built out since the launch of the first Apple tracker.
  
  Since we tested the first AirTag, Apple has added multiple new features, usually through iOS updates, that expanded the utility and versatility of its trackers. In iOS 17, you could share an AirTag through Family Sharing. In iOS 18.2, Share Item Location allowed you to share your tracking information with third parties (such as airlines or train companies), improving the chances of finding the AirTag. 
  
  There have also been subsequent safety upgrades, including expanding unknown tracker alerts to Android devices without needing to install an app. Apple also reduced the time an AirTag takes to emit a sound when separated from its owner, shifting the interval to a random range between 8 and 24 hours. At launch, this was a three-day span.
  Wrap-up Apple's second-gen AirTag is still $29. Mat Smith for Engadget
  Do you need the new AirTag? While improved in every way, it’s pretty much the same device. However, the AirTag’s simplicity and ease of use are second to none when it comes to Bluetooth trackers. If you already own a single AirTag for your keys or wallet, upgrading to the second-gen iteration and repurposing the old one to track, say, your luggage, makes a lot of sense. You get the more precise location tracking and sensing for your smaller item, while you can reduce your bag anxiety if your suitcase doesn’t make it to your destination.
  
  There's no doubt the second-gen AirTags are improved, and thankfully, upgrading to the new capabilities doesn’t come at too steep a cost.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/apple-airtag-2026-review-143000427.html?src=rss

• Nintendo's first Direct showcase of 2026 is scheduled for February 5
  
  Nintendo has lined up its first showcase of the year. The next Nintendo Direct is taking place on February 5 at 9AM ET, the company has announced. It will run for around 30 minutes.
  
  As previous reports suggested, it will focus on third-party titles from partners instead of first-party games from Nintendo itself. So if you were hoping for new Mario or Zelda announcements, that may not happen during this event. Still, you can expect to hear about new games that are coming to Switch and Switch 2. You can tune into the Direct via the YouTube video embedded above.
  
  FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods, a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, is slated to arrive this year, so we may get another look at that (or the Switch 2 version of Elden Ring, for that matter). Meanwhile, Resident Evil Requiem will hit the console later this month, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Capcom making an appearance during this Direct.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendos-first-direct-showcase-of-2026-is-scheduled-for-february-5-141931154.html?src=rss

• This 45W Anker Nano charger with smart display is on sale for only $30
  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 on Amazon, which is a 25 percent discount.
  
  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/this-45w-anker-nano-charger-with-smart-display-is-on-sale-for-only-30-160707474.html?src=rss

• Sonos home theater gear is on sale for up to 20 percent off right now
  Like many other companies during Super Bowl season, Sonos is discounting its home theater gear. Today, you can save $130 on the Beam (Gen 2) soundbar, bringing its price down to $369. You9ll also find deals on the flagship Arc Ultra Soundbar, Sonos subwoofers, and more.
  
  The Sonos Beam is the company9s sub-$500 soundbar. Engadget9s pick for the best midrange model, the compact speaker has impressive sound for its size. Part of that is its Dolby Atmos support. Although the soundbar lacks upward-firing speakers, it uses software tricks to compensate. Audio timing and frequency adjustments make sound seem to come from the side or slightly above.
  
  
  
  One of the biggest drawbacks is that the Beam only has one HDMI port. Regardless, that compromise may be easier to accept at Beam9s current $369 than at its usual $499.
  
  Several more home theater speakers are included in Sonos9s sale. If you have a loftier budget for a soundbar, there9s the Arc Ultra. Typically $1,099, it9s now $899. The company9s pair of subwoofers is included as well. You can get the Sub Mini for $399 (down from $499) or the Sub 4 for $759 (from $899).
  
  Although they aren9t explicitly sold as home theater products, the Era 100 ($179) and Era 300 ($379) are also included in the sale. The portable Move 2 isn9t discounted individually, but you will find it in a couple of bundles. You can check out the sale page for the complete list.
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonos-home-theater-gear-is-on-sale-for-up-to-20-percent-off-right-now-174053138.html?src=rss

• This 512GB Samsung P9 microSD Express card is on sale for 33 percent off
  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.
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-512gb-samsung-p9-microsd-express-card-is-on-sale-for-33-percent-off-143849643.html?src=rss

• How to set up an AirTag
  Apple’s AirTag makes it easy to keep tabs on everyday items like keys, bags and luggage using the Find My network. Setup is quick, requires no tools and takes just a minute or two as long as you have a compatible iPhone or iPad. Once paired, your AirTag quietly works in the background to help you locate misplaced belongings. This guide walks through how to set up an AirTag, how to name it so you can easily identify what it’s attached to and what to do if setup doesn’t go as planned.
  What you need before setting up an AirTag
  Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
  
  An iPhone or iPad signed in to your Apple Account
  
  Bluetooth enabled on that device
  
  Location Services enabled
  
  iOS or iPadOS 14.5 or later (AirTag 2nd generation requires iOS or iPadOS 26.2.1 or later)
  
  A stable Wi-Fi or cellular connection
  
  You’ll also want to ensure iCloud Keychain is enabled and that your Apple Account setup is fully completed in Settings.
  How to set up an AirTag using your iPhone or iPad
  The easiest way to set up an AirTag is directly through the on-screen setup prompt.
  
  Remove the plastic tab from your AirTag to activate the battery.
  
  Hold the AirTag near your unlocked iPhone or iPad.
  
  When the setup animation appears, tap Connect.
  
  Choose a category for your AirTag, such as Keys, Backpack or Luggage. If you select Custom Name, you can type your own label and choose an emoji.
  
  Tap Continue to link the AirTag to your Apple Account.
  
  Tap Done to finish setup.
  
  Once completed, the AirTag will appear under the Items tab in the Find My app. If you’re setting up multiple AirTags, make sure only one is near your device at a time. If more than one is detected, a notification will appear saying “More than one AirTag detected”. If this happens, move the others farther away and try again.
  How to add an AirTag using the Find My app
  If the setup animation doesn’t appear automatically, you can add an AirTag manually through Find My.
  
  Open the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad.
  
  Tap the Items tab.
  
  Tap the Add button.
  
  Select Add AirTag or Other Item (if you’re adding a compatible FindMy Network accessory).
  
  Follow the on-screen instructions to complete setup.
  
  You can add up to 32 items in Find My, including AirTags, shared items and compatible accessories. If you’ve reached the limit, you’ll need to remove an item before adding a new one.
  What to do if your AirTag won’t connect
  If setup fails or the pairing animation disappears, try the following steps:
  
  Lock your iPhone or iPad, unlock it again and wait about 15 seconds for the animation to reappear.
  
  Make sure Bluetooth and Location Services are turned on in Settings.
  
  Check that Find My has permission to use Precise Location.
  
  Ensure you’re signed in to your Apple Account and iCloud Keychain is enabled.
  
  Verify your device is running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS (iOS or iPadOS 26.2.1 or later).
  
  If the AirTag still won’t connect, the battery may need replacing. AirTags use a standard CR2032 coin cell battery, and swapping it only takes a minute. If issues persist after replacing the battery, you may need to reset the AirTag and try setup again.
  How to name and label your AirTag
  Naming your AirTag makes it much easier to identify when you’re tracking multiple items. During setup, Apple offers preset labels like Keys or Backpack, but you can customize these at any time.
  
  To rename an AirTag after setup:
  
  Open the Find My app.
  
  Tap Items and select your AirTag.
  
  Tap Add Name or Rename Item.
  
  Choose a preset label or select Custom Name.
  
  Optionally add an emoji for quick visual identification.
  
  Clear labels are especially helpful if you use AirTags for travel, work gear or shared household items.
  Apple AirTagEngadgetAttaching your AirTag to everyday items
  AirTags don’t have built-in clips or adhesive, so you’ll usually need an accessory to attach one securely. Depending on how you plan to use it, that could mean a key ring, luggage tag, wallet insert or bike mount.
  
  If you’re unsure which style works best, Engadget has rounded up the best Apple AirTag accessories, covering options for keys, bags, wallets and more. Choosing the right accessory helps ensure your AirTag stays attached and works the way you expect.
  Wrap-up
  After setup, your AirTag will automatically update its location using Apple’s Find My network. You can view its last known location, play a sound to help locate it nearby or use Precision Finding on supported iPhones to guide you directly to it. With just a few minutes of setup and a clear label, an AirTag can become a reliable way to keep track of important belongings, whether you’re at home or on the move.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/how-to-set-up-an-airtag-120000789.html?src=rss

• The best VR headsets for 2026
  Stepping into VR is about more than strapping on a headset and loading a game. The best VR headsets today are gateways to fully realized experiences, whether that’s gaming, fitness, creative work or simply spending time inside a richly rendered virtual world. As the hardware has improved, so has the sense of presence, with sharper displays, wider fields of view and tracking systems that make movement feel more natural and responsive. The result is VR that feels less like a novelty and more like a platform you can actually spend time in.
  
  That said, not every headset is built for the same function. Some prioritize ease of use and standalone play, while others demand a powerful PC in exchange for higher fidelity. Compatibility also matters more than ever, especially as VR begins to overlap with mixed reality and early smart glasses experiments. Whether you want a simple way to explore virtual spaces or a high-end rig that pushes immersion as far as possible, this guide breaks down the best VR headsets you can buy in 2026 and explains who each one is really for.
  Table of contents
  Best VR headsets for 2026?
  
  How we test VR headsets?
  
  Other VR headsets we9ve tested?
  
  VR headset FAQs?
  
  Recent updates?
  Best VR headsets for 2026
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  How we test VR headsets
  I tend to judge candidates for the best VR headset on a few basic criteria: Ergonomics, immersion and controls. It9s not that hard to shove a mobile display into a plastic headset and strap some cheap elastic headbands onto it. But it takes real design skill to craft something that9s well balanced, includes a supportive headstrap, and doesn9t feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes.
  
  My test for ergonomics is fairly simple: How long can I wear a headset until I start to feel discomfort? For the most ergonomic devices, like the Quest 3, that could easily be an hour or two. But heavier PC hardware often feels cumbersome after just 15 minutes — you won’t find those kinds of devices in our list of the best VR headsets.
  
  Immersion, meanwhile, comes from having high resolution screens with fast refresh rates, like a 120Hz refresh rate, helping users feel fully present inside a virtual world. Field of view is also a major element, as it describes how well VR screens can cover what you see. A narrow FOV makes it feel like you9re peering through a pair of binoculars, which limits your sense of “presence.” The best VR headsets aim for a wider field of view, helping virtual environments feel more natural and fully surround you.
  
  A wide field of view, on the other hand, can make it seem like you’re actually flying over the globe in Google Earth. We look at a few popular video games, like Superhot, Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, on every headset to judge how immersed we feel and how enjoyable the gaming experience is overall.
  
  The best controllers fit naturally in your hands and offer accurate tracking. The industry has basically adopted the design of Meta’s excellent touch controllers, but we9re also seeing intriguing leaps forward like Valve9s finger tracking gamepads. We judge controllers based on how easy they are to hold, how they hold up to sweaty gameplay sessions and how easily headsets can track their position in space.
  
  However, it’s important to look at a virtual reality headset’s specs as a whole, including compatibility with your existing hardware and the kind of experiences you plan to use it for. Depending on what you’re looking for in yourVR headset, you’ll want to consider factors like your PC’s CPU and graphics card if you plan to use the headset to play the best VR games. You might not need a super powerful PC, but you should check the minimum requirements for the headset you’re looking to purchase. If you’re not looking to invest in a VR headset solely for gaming, features like head tracking allow you to explore your environment just by simply moving your head in the simulator. This often results in a more immersive and realistic experience.
  Other VR headsets we’ve tested HTC Vive Focus Vision
  The Vive Focus Vision is a sleek premium standalone VR headset that can also deliver solid PC VR. But it’s also running aging hardware, it’s riddled with software issues and it’s expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3.
  Meta Quest Pro
  As great as the Meta Quest 3 is, the Quest 2 is still a very good entry-level VR headset, and it’s worth considering if it’s on sale below its current $250 list price. The Meta Quest Pro, on the the hand, is an expensive boondoggle best ignored.
  HTC Vive Pro 2
  Outside of Meta’s hardware, the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains a fantastic PC headset, but it’s far more expensive than the Valve Index, which is more comfortable and offers better audio.
  VR headset FAQs How do VR headsets work?
  At the most basic level, a VR headset is simply a high quality screen that you’re holding up to your face. For a wired headset, the actual work of rendering a game is done on either a PC or game console. For completely wireless devices, like the Meta Quest 3, that work is handled right on the headset. They rely on either external sensors, or sensors built into the headsets, to map your physical space. While you can use a traditional gamepad or keyboard and mouse in VR, they typically use motion tracking controllers to immerse you in their 3D environments.
  What VR headset is best for full body tracking?
  While we’re still waiting for a truly great haptic VR bodysuit to arrive, you can still achieve accurate body tracking with most Steam VR-compatible PC headsets. The Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 both rely on room-tracking sensors that can map your body more effectively than the built-in sensors on competitors. You can also add HTC Vive Trackers to wrist and leg straps, as well as belts, for even better coverage. The Meta Quest 3 doesn’t have any easy body tracking solutions, but you can add Vive trackers when it’s plugged into your PC to mimic a Steam VR headset.
  
  Only a few experiences, like VRChat, take advantage of full body tracking at the moment. Currently there aren’t any body tracking solutions for the PlayStation VR and VR2, but we’re intrigued by the company’s Mocopi body trackers, which were really announced in Japan.
  What VR headsets are better than Oculus?
  Oculus is the previous name for Meta’s VR hardware. Currently, Meta only supports the Quest 3, Quest 3S and Quest Pro, all of which are wireless headsets. As we explain above, PC VR headsets can generally achieve better quality virtual reality, since they rely on more powerful graphics hardware.
  What VR headsets work with Xbox?
  Currently, Microsoft’s Xbox consoles don’t support any VR headsets.
  Recent updates
  November 2025: Updated to include the Apple Vision Pro M5.
  
  April 2025: Updated to include review scores for our top picks, where applicable.
  
  November 2024: Added the HTC Vive Focus Vision to the "others we tested" section.
  
  October 2024: Updated our "best cheap VR headset" top pick to be the Meta Quest 3S.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/best-vr-headsets-140012529.html?src=rss

• How to buy a GPU in 2026
  One of the toughest parts of any new computer build or upgrade is finding the right video card. In a gaming PC, the GPU is easily the most important part, and you can limit your experience by going with the wrong model. The buying process can be frustrating, especially right now with memory shortages leading to higher prices. In this guide, we9ll help you navigate the market and find the right GPU for your needs.
  It9s all about the games
  The first question to ask yourself is what kind of games do you want to play. Competitive shooters like Valorant, Overwatch and Marvel Rivals were designed to run on older hardware. As such, even entry-level GPUs like the GeForce RTX 5060 can push those games at 120 frames per second and above at 1080p (more on why that9s important in a moment).
  
  By contrast, if you want to play modern, single-player games with ray tracing and other graphical extras, you9ll need a more powerful GPU. Just how much more powerful will depend on the resolution of your monitor.
  
  A 1440p or QHD monitor has 78 percent more pixels than a 1080p screen, and a 4K display has more than twice as many pixels as a QHD panel. In short, running a game at 4K, especially at anything above 60 frames per second, is demanding, and most GPUs will need to use upscaling techniques like NVIDIA9s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and AMD9s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) to push new games at high refresh rates.
  
  On the subject of resolution, it doesn9t make sense to spend a lot of money on a 4K monitor only to pair it with an inexpensive GPU. That9s a recipe for a bad experience. As you9re shopping for a new video card, you should think about the resolution and frame rate you want to play your games. If you9re in the market for both a GPU and display, be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming monitors.
  
  If your budget allows, a good bet is to buy a midrange card that can comfortably render all but the most demanding games at 1440p and at least 144 frames per second. Put another way, you want a GPU that can saturate a monitor at its native resolution and refresh rate in as many games as possible. That will give you the smoothest possible experience in terms of motion clarity, and allow you to dabble in both competitive shooters and the latest single-player games as the mood strikes you.
  Photo by Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetNVIDIA vs AMD and Intel
  One of the confusing aspects of the GPU industry are all the players involved. What you need to know is that there are three main players: AMD, Intel and NVIDIA. They design the cards you can buy, but delegate the manufacturing of them to so-called add-in board (AIB) partners like ASUS, XFX, Gigabyte and others.
  
  As you can imagine, this creates some headaches. The most annoying of which is that AMD, Intel and NVIDIA will often set recommended prices for their graphic cards, only for their partners to sell their versions of those GPUs for more than the manufacturer9s suggested retail price (MSRP). For example, NVIDIA9s website lists the RTX 5070 with a starting price of $549. On Newegg, there are no new 5070s listed at that price. The only models anywhere close to $549 are refurbished and open box specials. If you want one that comes sealed, that will cost you at least $630.
  
  As for what company you should buy your new GPU from, before 2025, NVIDIA was the undisputed king of the market. Specific GeForce cards may have not offered the best rasterization performance in their price range, but between their performance in games with ray tracing and the fact NVIDIA was ahead on features like DLSS, an RTX GPU was a safe bet.
  
  However, with this year9s RTX 50 series release (and excluding models like the RTX 5080 and 5090 where there9s no competition), it9s safe to say NVIDIA missed the mark this generation. If you9re in the market for an entry- or mid-level GPU, AMD and Intel offer better value, with cards that come with enough VRAM for now and into the future. That said, there are still a few reasons you might consider an NVIDIA GPU, starting with ray tracing.
  Ray tracing
  For decades, developers have used rasterization techniques to approximate how light behaves in the real world, and the results have been commendable. But if you know what to look for, it9s easy to see where the illusion falls apart. For that reason, real-time ray tracing has been a goal of industry for years, and in 2018 it became a reality with NVIDIA9s first RTX cards.
  
  In some games, effects like ray-traced reflections and global illumination are transformational. Unfortunately, those features are expensive to run, often coming at a significant frame rate drop without upscaling. Since ray tracing was optional in many games before 2025, you could save money by buying an AMD GPU. For example, even if the RX 7800 XT was worse at ray tracing than the RTX 4070, the former was often cheaper to buy, had more onboard VRAM and offered as good or better rasterization performance in many games.
  
  However, you can9t ignore ray tracing performance anymore. We9re starting to see releases like Doom: The Dark Ages where the tech is an integral part of a game9s rendering pipeline, and more are likely to follow in the future. Thankfully, AMD9s newest cards are much better in that regard, though you9ll still get an edge running an NVIDIA model. For that reason, if ray tracing is important to you, NVIDIA cards are still the way to go.
  Refresh rates and frame rates
  If you9re new to the world of PC gaming, it can be tricky to wrap your head around refresh rates. In short, the higher the refresh rate of a monitor, the more times it can update the image it displays on screen every second, thereby producing a smoother moving picture.
  
  For example, moving elements on a monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate will look better than on one with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, that9s dependent on your GPU being able to consistently render a game at the appropriate frame rates. In the case of a 120Hz monitor, you want a GPU with enough headroom to drive most games at 120 fps. Realistically, most video cards won9t be able to achieve that in every game, but it9s a good baseline to aim for when shopping for a new GPU.
  Frame generation
  Since the release of NVIDIA9s RTX 40-series GPU, the company has offered a feature called frame generation. As the name suggests, it allows NVIDIA9s latest video cards to generate an additional frame for every frame they render normally. With the 50-series, NVIDIA has since begun offering multi-frame generation, which gives those GPUs the ability to generate up to three additional frames for every rendered frame. AMD has its own take on the tech, as does Intel, though NVIDIA9s offering is considered superior to both due to how it handles frame pacing.
  
  Frame generation is nice to have, but it9s not the silver bullet it might seem. Enabling it will increase system latency, reducing how responsive your games feel. Somewhat unintuitively, high-end GPUs also benefit more from the tech than their entry-level counterparts since they can naturally render more frames. For that reason, it9s best to think of frame generation as a way to get the most out of a high refresh rate display.
  Upscaling and latency
  I9ve mentioned DLSS a few times already. Alongside FSR and Intel XeSS, DLSS is an example of what9s known as an image reconstruction technology. More and more, native rendering is going out of fashion in game design. With ray tracing and other modern effects enabled, even the most powerful GPUs can struggle to render a game at 1440p or 4K and a playable framerate. That’s why many developers will turn to DLSS, FSR or XeSS to eke out additional performance by upscaling a lower resolution image to QHD or UHD.
  
  Upscaling in games is nothing new. For example, the PS4 Pro used a checkerboard technique to output games in 4K. What’s different now is how modern GPUs go about it. With DLSS, NVIDIA pioneered an approach that uses machine learning to recreate an image at a higher resolution, and in the process, addressed some of the pitfalls of past upscaling methods. If you9re sensitive to these sorts of things, there9s still blur and shimmer with DLSS, FSR and XeSS, but it9s much less pronounced and can lead to significant performance gains.
  
  To DLSS, NVIDIA later added single and multi-frame generation. DLSS is only available on NVIDIA cards, and following the recent release of DLSS 4.5, widely considered to offer the best image quality. That9s another reason why you might choose an NVIDIA card over one of its competitors.
  
  However, if you decide to go with an AMD GPU, don9t feel like you9re missing out. The company recently released FSR 4. While it9s not quite on par with DLSS 4 and 4.5 in terms of support and image quality, it9s a major leap over FSR 3 and FSR 2.
  
  While on the subject of DLSS, I9ll also mention NVIDIA Reflex. It9s a latency-reducing technology NVIDIA introduced in 2020. AMD has its own version called Radeon Anti-Lag, but here again Team Green has a slight edge. If you9re serious about competitive games, Reflex can significantly reduce input lag, which will make it easier to nail your shots in Counter-Strike 2, Valorant and other shooters.
  Driver support
  Previously, one of the reasons to pick an NVIDIA GPU over the competition was the company9s solid track record of driver support. With one of the company9s video cards, you were less likely to run into stability issues and games failing to launch. At the start of 2025, NVIDIA9s drivers were abysmal, but the company has since corrected course.
  VRAM
  As you9re comparing different GPUs, especially those in the same tier, pay close attention to the amount of VRAM they offer. Many modern games will eat up as much VRAM as a GPU can offer, and if your card has a low amount, such as 8GB, you9re likely to run into a performance bottleneck.
  
  If your budget allows for it, always go for the model with more VRAM. Consider, for instance, the difference between the $379 RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and $429 RTX 5060 Ti 16GB. Spending an extra $50 is going to be a lot for some people, but it9s the difference between a card that is only adequate for many recent releases and one that will last you for a few years. In many cases, more VRAM is better.
  
  A slight caveat to this is when comparing models that have different memory bandwidths. A GPU that can access more of its memory faster can outperform one with more memory, even if it has less of it outright. Here, you9ll want to read reviews of the models you9re comparing to see how they perform in different games.
  Size and power draw
  Modern GPUs are big. Most new cards will take up at least two PCI slots on the back of your motherboard. They can also vary dramatically in length, depending on the number of fans the AIB has added to cool the PCB. To be safe, be sure to check the length of the card you want to buy against the maximum clearance listed by your case manufacturer. If you have a radiator at the front of your case, you will also need to factor the size of that in your measurements. The last thing you want is to buy a card that doesn9t fit in your case.
  
  Lastly, be sure to check the recommended power supply for the card you want. As a rule of thumb, unless you know what you9re doing, it9s best to just stick with the manufacturer9s recommendation. For instance, NVIDIA suggests pairing the RTX 5070 Ti with a 750 watt PSU. So if you9re currently running a 650 watt unit, you9ll need to factor in the price of a PSU upgrade with your new GPU.
  Devindra Hardawar for EngadgetShould you buy a used GPU?
  It depends. If you can find a deal on an old RTX 40 series GPU, then yes. NVIDIA9s RTX 50 series don9t offer greatly improved performance over their predecessors, and with most models selling for more than their suggested retail price, it9s not the best time to buy a new NVIDIA card.
  
  That said, I suspect finding a good deal on a used GPU will be difficult. Most people will know the value of what they have, and considering the current market, will probably try to get as much as they can for their old card.
  
  You may find better deals on older AMD and Intel GPUs, but I think you9re better off spending more now on a new model from one of those companies since the generational gains offered by their latest cards are much more impressive. Simply put, the 9070 XT and B580 are two of the best cards you can buy right now.
  
  Anything older than a card from NVIDIA9s 40 series or AMD9s RX 6000 family is not worth considering. Unless your budget is extremely tight or you mostly play older games, you9re much better off spending more to buy a new card that will last you longer.
  When is a good time to buy a new GPU?
  If you9ve read up to this point, you9re probably wondering if it9s even worth buying a GPU right now. The answer is (unsurprisingly) complicated. There are a handful of great cards like the Radeon RX 9060 XT and 9070 that are absolutely worth it. The problem is finding any GPU at a price approaching those set by AMD, Intel or NVIDIA.
  
  The AI boom, and in particular actions by OpenAI, have led to memory shortages. In turn, those shortages have caused the price of consumer GPUs, SSDs and RAM kits to skyrocket in recent months. As of our latest update to this guide, some models like the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti are selling for hundreds of dollars above MSPR.
  
  As such, if you own a relatively recent GPU, you9re probably best off trying to hold onto your current card until things settle down. But if your GPU isn9t cutting it anymore, you face a difficult decision: overpay now, or wait and potentially pay even more later.
  
  To make that decision easier, I9ve been maintaining a separate guide that lists a selection of GPU models you can buy close to MSPR. My goal is to update that article at least once per month, so be sure to check often.
  Best GPUs for 2026: Engadget ecommendationsEntry-level (1080p)
  As we mentioned above, if you9re only aiming to play basic competitive shooters like Valorant and Overwatch 2 in 1080p, an entry-level GPU may be all you need. While 1080p isn9t an ideal resolution when it comes to sharpness, many gamers prefer it since it9s easier to reach higher framerates. And it also helps that 1080p gaming monitors, like the AOC 24G15N 24-inch we recommend, tend to offer speedy refresh rates for between $100 and $200. When you9re zipping through matches, you likely won9t have time to take a breath and appreciate the detail from higher resolutions.
  
  Here are our recommendations for entry-level video cards:
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB: Surprisingly enough, you can actually find this AMD GPU for $300. While you9ll have to live with 8GB of RAM, that9s more than enough for 1080p gaming, and it also has the benefit of DLSS 4 upscaling.
  
  AMD Radeon RX 7600: While it9s a last-gen card, the RX 7600 is still powerful enough to handle basic shooters.
  Midrange (1440p)
  While entry-level cards can dabble with 1440p gaming, it9s worth stepping up to something a bit more powerful if you actually want to achieve higher refresh rates. For most gamers, 1440p is the best balance between sharpness and high frame rates. It looks noticeably better than 1080p, and doesn9t require the horsepower overhead of 4K. (And there9s a good chance you won9t really see a visual difference with the jump to 4K.)
  
  Here are our recommendations for midrange GPUs:
  
  NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti: Forget the disappointing RTX 5070, the 5060 Ti delivers excellent 1080p and 1440p performance. And best of all, you can still find it under $500. (Read our NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti review.)
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB: A step up from the 8GB model we recommend above. The 16GB 9060 XT offers excellent performance across many of the latest games, and is less expensive than the 5060 Ti.
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9070: AMD surprised us all with the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT, two midrange cards that offered similar power to and more VRAM than NVIDIA9s more expensive cards. While you won9t see the RX 9070 for its $550 launch price today, you can still snag one for a slight premium at $650. (Check out our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review.)
  High-end (4K)
  If you want the most of what modern PC games have to offer, including 4K and all of the benefits of ray tracing, then be ready to spend big bucks on a high-end GPU. If you9re going this route, though, be sure you9re also gaming on a high-end monitor that befits these powerful GPUs.
  
  Here are our recommendations for premium GPUs:
  
  NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti: The RTX 5070 Ti surprised me with excellent 4K gaming performance for a launch price that was well below the RTX 5080. It9s the best overall NVIDIA card if you want to play in 4K at 120Hz or beyond, but it9s also the hardest to find at MSRP. (Check out our NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti review.)
  
  AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: I already mentioned the RX 9070 XT. With shortages of the 5070 Ti, it9s the best GPU you can buy now without paying a ridiculous premium. (Check out our AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review.)
  
  NVIDIA RTX 5080: If the RTX 5070 Ti isn9t enough for you, the RTX 50809s additional power and 24GB of VRAM should suit your fancy. Just be prepared to pay around $1,500 for it, a 50 percent jump from its $999 launch price.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/how-to-buy-a-gpu-160100017.html?src=rss

• AMD suggests the next-gen Xbox will arrive in 2027
  Microsoft could launch the next-generation Xbox console sometime in 2027, AMD CEO Lisa Su has revealed during the semiconductor company’s latest earnings call. Valve is on track to start shipping its AMD-powered Steam Machine early this year, she said, while Microsoft’s development of an Xbox with a semi-custom SOC from AMD is “progressing well to support a launch in 2027.” While it doesn’t necessarily mean Microsoft is releasing a new Xbox console next year, that seems to be the company’s current goal.
  
  Xbox president Sarah Bond announced Microsoft’s multi-year partnership with AMD for its consoles in mid-2025. Based on Bond’s statement back then, Microsoft is embracing the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in future Xbox games. She also said that the companies are going to “co-engineer silicon” across devices, “in your living room and in your hands,” implying the development of future handheld consoles.
  
  Leaked documents from the FTC vs. Microsoft court battle revealed in the past that Microsoft was planning to make the next Xbox a “hybrid game platform,” which combines local hardware and cloud computing. The documents also said that Microsoft was planning to release the next Xbox in 2028. Whether the company has chosen to launch the new Xbox early remains to be seen, but it is possible when the Xbox X and S were released in 2020, and they haven’t sold as well as the Xbox One.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/amd-suggests-the-next-gen-xbox-will-arrive-in-2027-052707822.html?src=rss

• DOJ and states appeal Google monopoly ruling to push for harsher penalties against the company
  Google might have been officially ruled to have a monopoly, but we9re still a long way from figuring out exactly what that determination will change at the tech company. Today, the US Department of Justice filed notice of a plan to cross-appeal the decision last fall that Google would not be required to sell off the its Chrome browser. The agency9s Antitrust Division posted about the action on X. According to filed its own appeal over this part of its ongoing antitrust battle. Of course, the tech giant is hoping to get off the hook with fewer penalties rather than the heavier ones the DOJ is seeking.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/doj-and-states-appeal-google-monopoly-ruling-to-push-for-harsher-penalties-against-the-company-235115249.html?src=rss

• ChatGPT is back up after an outage disrupted use this afternoon
  If you had trouble using ChatGPT today, you aren9t alone. The AI chatbot experienced a partial outage for many users this afternoon, with Down Detector saw reports reaching more than 12,000 reports around the peak point of the issue today.. OpenAI issued a status update shortly after noting that "elevated error rates" were occurring for ChatGPT and Platform users. That problem was marked as resolved at 5:14PM ET.
  
  While the initial outage may be repaired, OpenAI does still have an active status alert up. It9s only for the fine-tuning component of its API service. But the end may also be in sight for that final issue, because the current statement from the company is "We have applied the mitigation and are monitoring the recovering.
  
  Another AI chatbot, Anthropic’s Claude, also experienced an outage today. It listed similar issues with "Elevated error rate on API across all Claude models." That status was resolved by 1PM ET.
  
  Update, February 3, 2025, 6:17PM ET: Updated to reflect the change in status and mention Claude outage.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-is-back-up-after-an-outage-disrupted-use-this-afternoon-210238686.html?src=rss

• Take-Two hit pause on the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4
  2K owner Take-Two has paused development on Borderlands 4 for the Nintendo Switch 2, the company shared during its Q3 2026 earnings presentation. The Switch 2 port was originally planned to be released on October 3, 2025, a few weeks after the game9s September 12 launch on all other platforms, but was indefinitely delayed on September 23.
  
  "We made the difficult decision to pause development on that SKU," Q2 earnings presentation on November 6, 2025, the Switch 2 port was still listed as having a "TBA" release date. The lack of mention in the company9s Q3 presentation and Take-Two9s comment to Variety pretty much confirm that if a Switch 2 version happens, it won9t be anytime soon. The official November 19 release date is still on the books, however. Rockstar Games9 next blockbuster title was originallysupposed to be released in fall 2025, before it was delayed to May 2026 last May. The game was delayed a second and final time — at least for now — in November 2025, to its current November 2026 release date.
  
  There9s still room for another delay, but in the earnings statement Take-Two projected confidence, sharing that Rockstar would start marketing the game this summer. The franchise remains a cash cow, so it’s only natural the company would want to get the rollout of Grand Theft Auto VI right. As part of its earnings presentation, Take-Two shared that Grand Theft Auto V, which was originally released all the way back in 2013, has sold 225 million units.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/take-two-hit-pause-on-the-switch-2-port-of-borderlands-4-222546776.html?src=rss

• X's Paris HQ raided by French prosecutors
  Paris prosecutors announced that a search was underway at offices belong to Elon Musk’s X platform as part of an ongoing investigation first launched in January 2025. The raid is being conducted by Paris and national cybercrime units, with support from Interpol, according to post from Paris prosecutors on X. Officials from X have yet to comment on the matter.
  
  At the same time, Paris prosecutors issued summonses to Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino for “voluntary interviews” on April 20, 2026 in Paris. The prosecutors also announced they would no longer use X and would only communicate on LinkedIn and Instagram going forward.
  
  The searches are part of an investigation that has been ongoing for nearly a year over the functioning of X’s algorithms that are “likely to have distorted the operation of an automated data processing system,” investigators said at the time. Those changes reportedly gave greater prominence to certain political content (especially from Musk) without user knowledge — something that could be a crime under French laws.
  
  An investigation was officially launched in July, with Paris prosecutors adding an additional charge: “Fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system by an organized group.” More recently, it also includes “complicity in the possession of images of minors representing a pedo-pornographic character,” due to images created by Grok between December 25, 2025 and January 1, 2026.
  
  In July, X said in a statement that the probe “egregiously undermines X’s fundamental right to due process and threatens our users9 rights to privacy and free speech. [French officials have] accused X of manipulating its algorithm for 9foreign interference9 purposes, an allegation which is completely false.”
  
  Update, Feb 3 2026, 4:00pm ET: X posted a lengthly statement on its Global Government Affairs account, calling the allegations “baseless” and stating the company “categorically denies any wrongdoing.” The company went on to describe the raid as “an abusive act of law enforcement theater designed to achieve illegitimate political objectives rather than advance legitimate law enforcement goals.”
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/xs-paris-hq-raided-by-french-prosecutors-110411170.html?src=rss

• Apple just made Xcode better for vibe coding
  Apple has just released Xcode 26.3, and it9s a big step forward in terms of the company9s support of coding agents. The new release expands on the AI features the company introduced with Xcode 26 at WWDC 2025 to give systems like Claude and ChatGPT more robust access to its in-house IDE. 
  
  With the update, Apple says Claude and OpenAI9s Codex "can search documentation, explore file structures, update project settings, and verify their work visually by capturing Xcode Previews and iterating through builds and fixes." This is in contrast to earlier releases of Xcode 26 where those same agents were limited in what they could see of a developer9s Xcode environment, restricting their utility. According to Apple, the change will give users tools they can use to streamline their processes and work more efficiently than before.
  
  Developers can add Claude and Codex to their Xcode terminal from the Intelligence section of the app9s setting menu. Once a provider is selected, the interface allows users to also pick their preferred model. So if you like the outputs of say GPT 5.1 over GPT 5.2, you can use the older system. 
  
  The tighter integration with Claude and Codex was made possible by Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers Apple has deployed. MCP is a technology Anthropic debuted in fall 2024 to make it easier for large language models like Claude to share data with third-party tools and systems. Since its introduction, MCP has become an industry standard — with OpenAI, for instance, adopting the protocol last year to facilitate its own set of connections. 
  
  Apple says it worked directly with Anthropic and OpenAI to optimize token usage through Xcode, but the company’s adoption of MCP means developers will be able to add any coding agent that supports the protocol to their terminal in the future. Xcode 26.3 is available to download for all members of the Apple Developer Program starting today, with the Mac Store availability “coming soon.”
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-just-made-xcode-better-for-vibe-coding-195653049.html?src=rss

• Obsidian has no plans to make The Outer Worlds 3, likely due to poor sales
  Developer Obsidian recently announced that it currently has no plans to make The Outer Worlds 3, according to a report by Bloomberg. Company head Fergus Urquhart didn9t give a reason as to why Obsidian won9t be working on a sequel, but he did note that the performance of The Outer Worlds 2 was "disappointing" and that it needs to "think a lot about how much we put into the games, how much we spend on them and how long they take."
  
  Urquhart also said that Avowed was something of a miss for the company, but that it remains committed to the franchise. Obsidian plans to "keep making games in the Avowed universe," but that doesn9t necessarily mean a legitimate sequel. Avowed is, after all, set in the same world as Pillars of Eternity.
  
  Obsidian is still working on DLC for The Outer Worlds 2, so fans have that to look forward to. Urquhart also confirmed the company is making some DLC for Grounded 2, which was actually a hit. It released three games last year, which Urquhart said was a bad move for support teams.
  
  “Spacing those releases helps the company manage its resources and not burn everybody out. It’s not good to release three games in the same year. It’s the result of things going wrong," he said.
  
  The developer is also making some entirely new games, of which we know nothing about. As for Avowed, it9s coming to PS5 on February 17. All versions are getting an anniversary update that includes a New Game Plus mode, new races, new weapon types and more. It9s a good game and well worth the time of PlayStation fans, especially those who have dabbled with The Elder Scrolls franchise.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/obsidian-has-no-plans-to-make-the-outer-worlds-3-likely-due-to-poor-sales-192756351.html?src=rss

• Fitbit founders launch Luffu, a way to integrate your family's health data
  Fitbit9s founders have a new startup. Two years after leaving Google, James Park and Eric Friedman announced a new platform that shifts the focus from the individual to the family. They say the Luffu mobile app "uses AI quietly in the background" to collect and organize family health information.
  
  "At Fitbit, we focused on personal health — but after Fitbit, health for me became bigger than just thinking about myself," Park said in a press release. The app is particularly focused on the "CEO of the family" — the person who manages appointments, prescriptions and other health-related tasks.
  
  But the definition of family isn9t limited to parents raising children. The company sees its tool as especially valuable for caregivers in their 40s and 50s who may be managing the needs of both aging parents and kids. It even tracks pets9 health habits.
  
  "We9re managing care across three generations — kids at home, busy parents in the middle, and my dad in his 80s who9s living with diabetes and still wants to stay fiercely independent," Friedman wrote. "And the moments that matter most are often the most chaotic: a late-night fever, a sudden urgent care visit, a doctor asking questions you can9t answer quickly because the details are scattered."
  The app9s AI includes a Morning Brief that recaps everyone9s health.Luffu
  The company claims the app9s AI "isn9t a chatbot layer." Rather, it serves as a "guardian" — proactively monitoring for changes silently in the background. The AI then provides insights and triggers alerts when something is out of whack. You can also ask the app health data questions using plain language (so, there is some kind of chatbot) and share data with family members.
  
  The company clearly wants to make entering data as easy as possible. Luffu allows family members to log info using voice, text or photos. It integrates with health platforms such as Apple Health and Fitbit. And the company eventually wants to expand into a hardware ecosystem — presumably, devices that make health data collection even easier.
  
  Speaking of data collection, Luffu says, "Users are always in control of exactly what is shared, with whom, and privacy and security are paramount for all family data." In addition, the company company website.
  
  Update, February 3, 2026, 1:14PM ET: This story has been updated to note that the Luffu public beta hasn’t started yet, but you can sign up for a waitlist to eventually get access when it starts.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/fitbit-founders-launch-luffu-a-way-to-integrate-your-familys-health-data-173251994.html?src=rss

• Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones are down to a record-low price
  Sony9s wireless WH-1000XM6 headphones are on sale for $398 via Amazon. This is a record-low price, as it drops $62 from the price tag. The sale applies to all three colorways.
  
  These easily topped our list of the best wireless headphones. They are, in a word, fantastic. The headphones are packed with premium features, like advanced ANC. There are a whopping 12 ANC microphones throughout and a brand-new chip to power the feature. The end result? It successfully blocks background noise at medium and high frequencies, including the human voice.
  
  
  
  The sound quality is extremely pleasing to the ears, thanks to new audio drivers and a team of mastering engineers that assisted with tuning. There are perforations in the driver9s voice coil, which extends high frequency reproduction.
  
  The design has been upgraded from the previous iteration and we found them extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time, which is important with headphones. The battery gets around 30 hours, which is a fairly standard metric for this type of thing. 
  
  The only real major nitpick here is the original asking price. It9s tough to recommend any pair of headphones for $460, but a bit easier at under $400.
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonys-wh-1000xm6-headphones-are-down-to-a-record-low-price-175038776.html?src=rss

• The best gifts for coffee lovers in 2026
  When it comes to making a great cup at home, us coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person you’re shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get. Spanning brewing, grinding and, of course, drinking, we’ve got a range of options that can help the java geek in your life expand their at-home setup or just try something new. And for the person that already has it all, we’ve got something for them too.
  Best gifts for coffee lovers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/the-best-gifts-for-coffee-lovers-in-2026-184515579.html?src=rss

• How much do VPNs cost?
  So you9ve decided you need a virtual private network to hide your browsing activity from your ISP, change your virtual location, stay safe on public Wi-Fi and enjoy all the other benefits. The inevitable next question is: "Should I pay for one? If so, how much?"
  
  All the best VPNs cost money, but it can be hard to tell an overpriced service apart from one that9s priced according to its value. On this page, I9ll share the costs for top VPN services, calculate the industry average and explain what makes VPNs cost as much as they do. At the end, I9ll share a few tips for making a VPN fit your budget.
  How much is a VPN?
  I9d like to start by introducing the complexity of the problem. If you just want the numbers, you’ll find those in the sections below.
  
  The main thing that makes VPNs so hard to budget for is that providers aren9t always honest about how much they9re charging. They rarely lie outright, but they often overcomplicate their pricing structures and hide increases in the fine print.
  
  Let9s take CyberGhost as an example, since I just reviewed it. A one-month subscription to CyberGhost costs $12.99 — simple enough. However, you can also get a six-month subscription by paying $41.94 upfront, though the website more prominently calls this "$6.99 per month." Finally, you can pay $56.94 for a 28-month subscription, but only once; after that, it9ll be $56.94 for a year.
  These prices are subject to change.Sam Chapman for Engadget
  As you can see in the image, the website heavily emphasizes the average monthly price, in text that dwarfs the actual price you9ll pay at checkout. This gets even worse with services like NordVPN that have multiple tiers of subscription as well as multiple durations. It9s not uncommon to see 10 or more prices quoted for the exact same VPN.
  
  The best way to cut through the confusion and shop on your own terms is to compare different VPNs at the same duration and subscription tier. For example, you could find the cost of one year of the most basic available plan, since most basic subscriptions still include full VPN service. In the next two sections, I9ll compare and average the basic tiers of my top seven VPNs at the monthly and yearly levels.
  Average monthly cost of a VPN
  Here9s what the best VPNs cost per month. The numbers below are for subscribing to one month at a time, excluding any discounts and special deals.
  
  Proton VPN: $9.99
  
  ExpressVPN: $12.99
  
  Surfshark: $15.45
  
  NordVPN: $12.99
  
  CyberGhost: $12.99
  
  Mullvad: $5.98 (depends on dollar/euro exchange rate)
  
  Windscribe.
  
  Proton VPN: $47.88
  
  ExpressVPN: $52.39 for the first subscription, $99.95 afterwards
  
  Surfshark: $47.85
  
  NordVPN: $59.88 for the first subscription, $139.08 afterwards
  
  Windscribe: $69.00
  
  Mullvad: $71.82 (depends on dollar/euro exchange rate)
  
  hide.me: $54.99
  
  Average: $57.69
  
  For one year of a VPN service, you can expect to pay somewhere between $45 and $70. Note that at least two services, ExpressVPN and NordVPN, raise prices after the first year, so account for that in your budget if you really like them.
  Why do VPNs cost so much?
  The length of the subscription is the biggest factor in determining how much you9ll pay. Beyond that, it9s all a bit fuzzy. Commercial VPNs are still a relatively new industry, so there9s not a lot of standardization in the pricing.
  
  Most of the variation in cost comes from competition: VPNs value themselves lower to offer a better deal than their rivals, or higher if they think they9ve got a unique differentiator. Astrill gets away with charging $30 a month because of a widespread belief that it9s the best VPN for China (in truth, no VPN can be sure of working in China 100 percent of the time).
  
  Another factor that might influence a VPN9s price is the cost of maintaining its infrastructure. For each new server location, the provider has to either rent space in an existing data center, build its own physical server farm or set up a virtual server with an IP address from a particular location.
  On Proton VPN, for example, you can switch locations by clicking the name of any country in the list on the left.Sam Chapman for Engadget
  Once the locations exist, they have to be maintained, including regular changes to their IP address so firewalls don9t identify and block them. Loads at locations need to be balanced between servers and technology has to be upgraded as faster solutions become available. 
  
  Since VPNs can have hundreds of server locations, all that upkeep doesn9t come cheap, and customers often eat the cost. Factor in the price of extra features outside core VPN functionality and you9ll understand why these companies are so desperate for liquidity that they9ll offer discounts over 80 percent — as long as you hand over a lump sum right now.
  What about free VPNs?
  VPNs can get pricey, especially if you want high quality. But some VPNs charge nothing at all. Is there any reason not to go with free VPNs every time?
  
  The answer is a pretty clear yes; paying for a VPN is almost always a better idea. When we rounded up the best free VPNs, only three got our unqualified recommendation. All three were paid services with free plans, and all come with strict limitations on server locations, data usage and other privileges.
  
  The unfortunate reality is that free VPNs come with downsides no matter which one you use. Plenty of them are hacked-together apps with little value, thrown together to make a quick buck. Others turn you into the product by selling your data to advertisers or renting out your home IP address. Some drop any pretense and plant malware directly on your device.
  
  These risks, which are often invisible to the end user, are the reason I almost always advise going with a free VPN funded by a paid plan, like Proton VPN, hide.me or Windscribe. Those plans may be restricted, but at least the provider9s motives are out in the open: they make money off the paid plan and they want you to switch to it.
  How to save money on a VPN
  If you9ve decided to pay for a VPN but want to stretch your budget as much as possible, the tips below can push your cybersecurity dollar a bit farther. To begin with, the general advice on choosing a VPN always applies: read expert opinions, check the reviews and use the free trial to test its speed and security.
  
  Get a long-term plan. If you9re confident that you9ll actually use the VPN for the whole duration, there9s no reason not to go with a 12-month or 24-month subscription. These are win-win deals that genuinely do save you a lot of money overall.
  
  Cancel auto-renewal. VPN accounts are set to automatically renew by default. In some cases, this can inadvertently lock you into a higher-priced long-term plan. I recommend cancelling auto-renew right after subscribing even if you9re sure you want to continue. From there, you can create a new account to get the introductory rate again — or go with a different VPN to get a better deal.
  
  Look for resubscription deals. Another perk of cancelling immediately is that the VPN will often try to woo you back with exclusive discounts. Stay strong until your subscription is a month or two from expiring, then look for emails offering better rates.
  
  Wait for seasonal discounts. If you can hold off until November, most VPNs offer steep discounts from Black Friday season all the way through New Year9s. Check around other holidays too, as VPNs will take any excuse for marketing; CyberGhost is offering a Valentine9s Day deal as I type this. We also keep track of the best VPN deals you can get at any time of the year.
  
  Use the VPN to save money on streaming. Most streaming services are more expensive than VPNs. If you use a VPN to access more content without adding a new streaming subscription, you9ll come out ahead. For example, if you only have Netflix but want to watch Schitt’s Creek, you can pay $16.99 per month for Peacock without ads — or $9.99 per month for Proton VPN to unblock Netflix Canada, which features that show.
  
  Shop for regional discounts. Like the previous point, this won9t save you money on the VPN itself, but might save you enough money on other expenses that you turn a profit. Changing your virtual location can get you discounts on purchases where prices vary by region, especially travel costs.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-much-do-vpns-cost-170000567.html?src=rss

• Disney announces Josh D’Amaro will be its new CEO after Iger departs
  Stop me if you9ve heard this one before. Disney has announced a successor to outgoing CEO Bob Iger, effective in March. Josh D’Amaro, current chairman of Disney Experiences, was tapped for the role in a unanimous vote by the company9s board of directors.
  
  D’Amaro has been at Disney for 28 years, where he oversaw theme parks, cruises and consumer products including video games. The company had previously appointed Bob Chapek, the Disney Parks chairman at the time, as successor to Bob Iger in 2020. At the time, Iger had served as CEO since 2005. But Chapek only lasted until 2022, when Bob Iger returned to take the helm once again amid company struggles. Disney formed a committee to find an appropriate successor in 2023, with Iger mentoring potential candidates along the way.
  
  Iger9s time at the helm saw the media giant make a number of significant moves such as launching the Disney+ streaming service, buying Hulu and acquiring 20th Century Fox9s film and television studios. Iger will continue to serve as a board member and senior advisor until his retirement at the end of the year.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-announces-josh-damaro-will-be-its-new-ceo-after-iger-departs-161616420.html?src=rss

• February’s Xbox Game Pass additions include High on Life 2, Madden NFL 26 and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
  Microsoft has revealed the first wave of Xbox Game Pass additions for February, and it feels like there9s a bit of something for everyone this time around. Two of the titles land on the service today across the Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass tiers: Final Fantasy II (cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC) and Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (cloud, console, handheld and PC). Final Fantasy II is a "remodeled 2D take" on the classic 1988 RPG, while Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a wild-looking spin-off of the main Like a Dragon series with pirates and naval combat.
  
  Madden NFL 26 is hitting Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass across cloud, console and PC on February 5, so subscribers will be able to get in a few virtual downs before the Super Bowl on Sunday at no extra cost. Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship will join the Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass lineups on the same day across cloud, console, handheld and PC.
  
  On February 10, a game I9ve been looking forward to, my initial hands-on with the game, but I haven9t jumped into the full version as yet. 
  
  Last, but not least, hits PlayStation 5 and a major update goes live. Avowed was one of our favorite games of 2025.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/februarys-xbox-game-pass-additions-include-high-on-life-2-madden-nfl-26-and-avatar-frontiers-of-pandora-160656985.html?src=rss

• The Dyson PencilVac is finally available and costs $600
  The Dyson PencilVac stick vacuum is finally available for purchase in the US after being revealed
  
  . It costs $600. The company says this is the "world's slimmest vacuum cleaner." We haven't broken out any rulers to confirm that statement, but it's certainly a ridiculously thin stick vac.
  
  It achieves this thinness by using a motor inspired by the company's
  
  . This is a small motor that can actually rest in the shaft, so there's not a noticeable bulge where the components have been placed. This stick vacuum is actually, well, a stick. Just take a look at it.
  A vacuum being emptied. Dyson
  It does come with attachments that increase the size a bit. For instance, the conical brush bar cleaner head makes it resemble a traditional stick vacuum. However, everything else is in the long cylinder. This includes the bin, filter and motor.
  
  Other attachments include something called the "Fluffycones" cleaner head. This has four cones in two brush bars that rotate in opposite directions to "strip and eject even long hair, preventing hair tangling around the brush bar." There are also lights at both ends to help illuminate any lingering dust particles.
  A cleaning head. Dyson
  It weighs nearly four pounds and features the same diameter throughout. This makes it easy to grip anywhere along the body, which can help with overhead cleaning. It ships with a swappable battery pack that lasts for around an hour and there's a magnetic charging dock to get things juiced up.
  
  The vacuum works with the MyDyson app, which lets users check on battery life and adjust settings. Some of this information is also displayed on the LCD screen at the top of the handle.
  
  We got a chance to try it out last year and came away impressed. The motor is plenty powerful, despite the diminished size, and the device was easy to maneuver. If you have $600 to spare and a dirty home, this could be a good purchase.
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/the-dyson-pencilvac-is-finally-available-and-costs-600-160059016.html?src=rss

• MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ review: An ultraportable for Arc Raiders, thanks to Intel's Panther Lake
  MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is a surprisingly powerful ultraportable held back by a clunky trackpad. It's a shame, really, because it's very well-designed and thanks to Intel’s Panther Lake CPU, it can even run games like Arc Raiders without breaking a sweat. It also has more ports than most thin and light machines, its OLED screen is great for productivity work and at three pounds it's easy to carry around all day. But curse its mechanical trackpad — why does it even exist when Apple, Microsoft and others have been able to implement excellent haptic touchpads for years? Come on now.
  
  
  Hardware
  With its grey case, subdued design and somewhat chunky bezels, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ doesn't exactly make a striking impression. From afar, you can tell it's certainly thin, and it's also clear that MSI made the most of its slim case by shoving in two USB-A ports, two USB-C connections, a single HDMI port and a headphone jack. It would have been nice to have some sort of SD card slot too, but at least the Prestige 14 can connect to older accessories, monitors and TVs without a USB-C hub. 
  
  Once you pick it up, though, the Prestige 14's three-pound frame feels downright remarkable. It's just a tad heavier than the 2.7-pound MacBook Air, but its screen size directly competes with the 3.4- to 3.6-pound 14-inchMacBook Pro. The "Flip" in its name also means it’s versatile, with the ability to rotate its screen into a tablet mode, or a variety of tent configurations.
  
  What makes the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ truly interesting is its Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor, which features 16 cores and a maximum speed of 4.8GHz. Specifically, it features four P-cores for speedy performance, eight efficient E-cores and four low-power E-cores. The Ultra X7 is also one of the new Panther Lake chips with gobs of graphics power in Intel's Arc B390 GPU, giving them far more gaming chops than previous ultraportable chips. The laptop also sports 32GB of RAM, which is the ideal amount for serious productivity work, and a roomy 1TB SSD. 
  MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
  The Prestige 14's stylus-friendly 14-inch OLED screen helps to distract from its mundane case design, with the typical deep black levels and excellent contrast I appreciate from OLED, together with bold 100 percent DCI-P3 color coverage. It makes just about everything look great, though I wish MSI offered more than a 60Hz refresh rate — a 90Hz or 120Hz screen would make scrolling through web pages look far smoother. 
  
  And speaking of the stylus, that’s tucked away at the bottom of the Prestige 14. I didn’t find it particularly useful for notetaking, but for those who do it’s easy to stow away. It’s just too thin for extended handwriting, and anyone doing serious notetaking or digital art would be better off with a larger stylus or dedicated drawing pad. 
  MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ in tent mode Devindra Hardawar for Engadget In-use: A stealth performer
  After seeing a relatively slim Lenovo Panther Lake laptop reaching 190 fps in Battlefield 6, using only Intel's built-in Arc B390 GPU, I was eager to see how that new hardware would perform in the real world. Simply put, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ didn't disappoint. It scored 10,169 points in PCMark 10, the highest score we've seen yet on a Windows PC. 
  
  And yes, that includes plenty of powerful gaming systems like the Alienware 16 Area 51 (8,245 points) and the Razer Blade 18 (7,703), both of which were running Intel's last-gen Core Ultra 9 275HX chip. Of course, those systems have faster GPUs, like NVIDIA's RTX 5080, but PCMark 10 doesn't lean too heavily on graphics performance. The Prestige 14 edged close to the M5 MacBook Pro in Geekbench 6's multi-threaded CPU test, scoring 16,633 points compared to Apple's 18,003. But the MacBook Pro reigned supreme in the single-threaded test, scoring 4,310 points compared to the MSI's 2,864. 
  
  Computer
  
  PCMark 10
  
  Geekbench 6
  
  Geekbench 6 GPU
  
  Cinebench 2024
  
  MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ (Intel Core Ultra X7 358H)
  
  10,169
  
  2,864/16,633
  
  56,425
  
  117/719
  
  Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5, 2025)
  
  N/A
  
  4,310/18,003
  
  48,840
  
  197/1,034 | GPU: 6,143
  
  Dell 16 Premium (Core Ultra 7 255H, NVIDIA RTX 5070)
  
  7,780
  
  2,711/15,919
  
  109,443
  
  127/1,104
  
  
  
  When it came to games, the Prestige 14 reached a surprisingly high 80-95 fps in Arc Raiders while playing in 1080p with medium graphics settings, as well as AMD's FSR3 upscaling and 2x frame generation. Without those AMD features, Arc Raiders ran at 45-50 fps, which is still respectable for an ultraportable. To my surprise, Intel's XeSS upscaling technology wasn't available in Arc Raiders during my testing, but there's a good chance that tool would eke out even more performance. (I've asked Intel about XeSS's omission, and will update when I hear back.)
  
  In Cyberpunk 2077, The Prestige 14 hit 35 fps while playing in 1080p with default settings. Flipping on Intel's XeSS frame generation bumped that to 45 fps. If you're used to the 30 fps performance of consoles, those numbers are still vaguely playable, but they certainly fall short of the 60 fps PC players typically look for. It's best to think of the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ as a laptop where you can play games sometimes, perhaps while you're away from your gaming desktop. It's certainly not a replacement for a dedicated gaming laptop.
  
  For more prosaic productivity tasks, like juggling dozens of browser tabs and editing large images, the Prestige 14 didn't break a sweat. Its healthy 32GB of RAM gave it plenty of breathing room for multi-tasking, and unlike other ultraportables, I didn't notice any serious performance dips while running on battery. On that note, the Prestige 14 also lasted a whopping 22 hours and 15 minutes in PCMark 10's battery benchmark. That's the highest figure we've ever seen from a laptop, and it's a promising sign of what we can expect from other Panther Lake systems. 
  MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ keyboard and trackpad Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
  While there's clearly plenty to love about the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, I was less impressed with its mechanical trackpad and keyboard. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the more responsive haptic trackpads from the competition, but the Prestige 14's old-school trackpad kept slowing me down with missed clicks and other annoyances. The laptop's keyboard felt similarly cheap, with a lack of depth and comfort that I've come to expect from other ultraportables in the $1,299 price range. Even after hours of testing, I had a hard time typing on the Prestige 14 at full speed without errors. It's a shame that MSI gets so much right, but is hindered by these weak components.
  MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ in tablet mode Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Should you buy the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+?
  As one of the earliest Panther Lake laptops on the market, the $1,299 Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is a solid machine, if you're willing to overlook its touchpad flaws. More than anything though, the Prestige 14 makes me excited to see what other PC makers offer with Intel's new chips. It's taken a while, but now Intel finally has some decent competition against Apple's M-series hardware. The era of gaming with ultralight machines is finally here.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/msi-prestige-14-flip-ai-review-an-ultraportable-for-arc-raiders-thanks-to-intels-panther-lake-160000606.html?src=rss

• The first BTS concert in over three years will stream live on Netflix in March
  Netflix is back with another livestream production guaranteed to excite K-POP fans worldwide. The streamer has announced that BTS will be performing live on Netflix. It marks the band's first performance after almost four years — the members took a hiatus to complete South Korea's mandatory military service. 
  
  The live concert will air on Saturday, March 21, one day after BTS releases their new album Arirang and will be aptly titled BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang. The show will physically take place in Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square and stream live at 8PM KST/7 AM ET/4 AM ET. Yes, viewers in the US will have to choose between a really early Saturday or a very late Friday night. Alternatively, you can skip out on any potential livestream glitches and likely watch it later (or catch the K-Pop group on their upcoming world tour). 
  
  Plus, come Friday, March 27, Netflix will be releasing BTS: The Return, a documentary all about the making of Arirang. As Netflix puts it: "The film offers rare behind-the-scenes access as the group comes back together and charts an unprecedented path forward together after a nearly four-year hiatus."
  
  Netflix has leaned further into livestreaming over the last few years — though the BTS concert is arguably their biggest coup. Livestreams have included everything from reality shows to sports, with some serious infrastructure issues along the way. Here's hoping the BTS concert goes off without a hitch. 
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-first-bts-concert-in-over-three-years-will-stream-live-on-netflix-in-march-155428505.html?src=rss

• Notepad++ says it was hijacked by Chinese state-sponsored hackers
  Last year, the creator of Notepad++ rolled out an update for the text and source code editor after security experts reported that bad actors were hijacking its update mechanism to redirect traffic to malicious servers. It led to users downloading compromised executables that could infect their devices. Now, Don Ho has revealed that multiple security experts investigated the breach and determined that the threat actor “is likely a Chinese state-sponsored group.” He said it explained why experts observed highly selective targeting during the campaign and why only traffic from certain users were redirected so that they would download malicious files. It’s not clear what kind of users were specifically targeted and what the files did to their devices.
  
  The attackers started redirecting traffic from Notepad++ to their servers sometime in June 2025, and that went on until December 2. Their method involved compromising the system at the hosting provider level, though the exact technical mechanism that allowed them to intercept traffic remains under investigation. In addition to releasing a security patch, Notepad++ also migrated to a new hosting provider with much stronger security practices. Ho now encourages anyone who wants to install the app to download version 8.9.1, which comes with the security update, and running the installer manually.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/notepad-says-it-was-hijacked-by-chinese-state-sponsored-hackers-153000268.html?src=rss

• Spain set to ban social media for children under 16
  Spain will join the growing list of countries banning access to social media for children, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Tuesday. The law will apply to users under 16 years of age amidst a broader push to hold social media companies accountable for hate speech, social division and illegal content.
  
  Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Prime Minister Sanchez excoriated social media, calling it a "failed state" where "laws are ignored and crime is endured." He spoke to the importance of digital governance for these platforms, highlighting recent incidents like X9s AI chatbot Grok generating sexualized images of children, Meta "spying" on Android users and the myriad election interference campaigns that have taken place on Facebook.
  
  In light of what Sanchez called the "integral" role social media plays in the lives of young users, he said the best way to help them is to "take back control." Next week, his government will enact a slew of new regulations, with a ban on users under 16 years of age among them. Social media companies will be required to implement what he calls "effective age verification systems" and "not just checkboxes." A specific timeline on enforcement of the coming ban has not been announced.
  
  Spain will also make "algorithmic manipulation and amplification of illegal content" into a new criminal offense and Sanchez says tech CEOs will face criminal liability for hateful or illegal content on their platforms. The Prime Minister further announced that Spain has formed a coalition with five other unnamed European nations to enact stricter governance over social media platforms.
  
  Sanchez said children have been “exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone,” and that it’s the government’s job to intervene. He added social media has fallen from its promise to be a “tool for global understanding and cooperation.”
  
  Australia enacted an under-16s ban on social media last year, which has prompted many nations to follow suit. It is under active consideration in the UK, while Denmark and Malaysia have announced plans to enact similar bans.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/spain-set-to-ban-social-media-for-children-under-16-151546884.html?src=rss

• Amazon's Echo Show 8 and 11 are down to new all-time lows
  Amazon is running a sale on two of its newest devices. First, there's the Echo Show 8, which is down to $150 from $180 — a 17 percent discount. Next up is the Echo Show 11, which is more or less the same device, just bigger. This model has dropped 18 percent to $180 from $220. Both deals bring the Echo Shows down to new all-time low prices. 
  
  The Echo Show 8 and 11 came out in mid-November with the main difference being screen size. The Echo Show 8 has an 8.7-inch HD screen that Amazon claims is 15 percent larger than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the Echo Show 11 is, you guessed it, an 11-inch Full-HD display that has 60 percent more viewing area than the Echo Show 8. 
  
  
  
  Both of the devices come with an AZ23 Pro chip and Omnisense technology, which Amazon describes as "our custom sensor platform designed for ambient AI." They also have Prime Video and Netflix apps, while other streamers can be reached through the browser. Each comes with spatial audio, dual full-range drivers and a 2.8-inch woofer. Plus, they have a 13MP camera with auto-framing. 
  
  
  
  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-echo-show-8-and-11-are-down-to-new-all-time-lows-150021328.html?src=rss

• Mario Tennis Fever preview: A racket-smashing blast
  New Mario sports games typically only come around once in a generation. So to get a fresh installment of tennis featuring a deep roster of characters this early in the Switch 2's lifecycle is rather exciting. And after getting a chance to play giant cactus monster it's named after onto the court, which not only blocks your view but gets in the way as you chase down shots. And just like the game's large stable of characters (38 in total), there are almost just as many different Fever Rackets (30) to choose from. 
  
  The thing I like most is that compared to special shots in previous titles, Fever Shots have built-in counterplay. Zone Shots from Mario Tennis Aces sometimes made it feel like you were playing a fighting game as people battled to conserve meter, while signature moves in Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash often turned into automatic points. If someone sends a Fever Shot at you, you can send it back simply by returning the ball before it bounces. This naturally sets up some frenetic sequences as characters try to volley back and forth without letting the ball hit the ground in order to prevent the Fever Shot from taking effect on their side of the court. This is exactly the kind of chaos that makes Mario Tennis so fun — it just feels a bit more balanced now. 
  Pokey is here to be a thorn on your court. Nintendo
  That said, if you prefer a different kind of mayhem, there are also new Wonder Court Matches, which borrow the titular blue flower seeds from Mario's most recent 2D platformer. This game mode nixes Fever Rackets in favor of changing up the rules of the sport on the fly in weird and unexpected ways. Don't be surprised when you have a hard time hitting seeds with your shots to activate wondrous effects while spike balls get tossed at you or a parade of piranha decides to have a party on top of the net. 
  
  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to play Mario Tennis Fever's Adventure mode, which is a bit of a shame as I've heard that it's deeper and more fleshed out. This is a welcome upgrade from the somewhat thin single-player campaign from Aces. Thankfully, the game still supports motion controls for younger players or anyone who'd rather swing a virtual racket instead of mashing buttons. I also appreciate that Nintendo is making it easy to get into multiplayer matches, as the game supports both online matches (ranked and unranked) and local wireless connectivity (LAN). For the latter, you can also use the Switch 2's Game Share feature to send the title to other nearby systems so people can try out Mario Tennis Fever for themselves, even if they don't own a copy. 
  Wonder Court Matches are another new way to upend the rules of Mario Tennis. Nintendo
  So if you're like me and you've always preferred sports games that are more bombastic instead of realistic, Mario Tennis Fever ($70) is shaping up to be a real grand slam. Pre-orders are live now ahead of the title's official release on February 12. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-tennis-fever-preview-a-racket-smashing-blast-140000408.html?src=rss

• The Switch 2's Virtual Boy is a tribute to Nintendo's wackiest console
  Even in 2026, VR still feels like tech that isn9t quite ready for prime time. When Nintendo released the original Virtual Boy way back in 1995, it was hard for my 10-year-old brain to comprehend a 3D console with a bipod, a facemask and a monochrome red display. Then, when you factor in weak sales that led to the system being discontinued after only a year, you end up with a gadget that felt more like a mythical creature than something you could actually buy. But that9s changing later this month when the Virtual Boy returns as an add-on for the Switch 2. After getting an early demo of Nintendo9s new accessory, I can confirm that this thing feels just as weird and quirky as it did when it first came out more than 30 years ago. 
  The biggest difference on the new model is that it uses the Switch 29s screen as its main display and processor. Sam Rutherford for Engadget
  The most impressive thing about the revamped Virtual Boy is how much it looks and feels like the original. It still features that classic red and black color scheme along with a stand for propping it up. The biggest difference is that instead of having a built-in display, there9s a slot where you can slide in a Switch 2 (with its Joy-Con detached). This brings several advantages: Since the Switch 2 has its own battery, there9s no need for cords anymore. It also means you don9t have to worry about swapping in individual game carts, as software can be downloaded directly from Nintendo9s online store. Graphics also look much sharper than I remember, though I admit that could just be me getting old. Finally, instead of reviving the Virtual Boy9s archaic gamepad, Nintendo smartly opted to let us use the Switch 29s current lineup of controllers. The end result is a design that9s faithful to the original but doesn9t suffer from many of the pitfalls that plagued so many 90s gadgets — like tangled wires, awkward controls and fuzzy displays. 
  One thing Nintendo didn9t change is Virtual Boy9s monochrome red visuals. Sam Rutherford for Engadget
  However, even with a fair bit of modernization, it9s hard to prepare your mind for the journey back in time that happens when you actually use it. Unlike every other contemporary VR headset, you still don9t strap the new Virtual Boy onto your face. Instead, you have to adjust its bipod so that its facemask is level with your face and then you kind of just lean in to immerse yourself in a world where red is the only color. It9s definitely a bit awkward, but it works. Nintendo even included a way to adjust IPD, so visuals look just as crisp (if not moreso) as they did on the original.
  
  That said, the clunkiest thing about the Virtual Boy is its games. While Nintendo updated its exterior and internals, the company didn9t really mess with its software — for better and worse. This means you get a relatively unadulterated look at where people thought VR was headed 30 years ago, which becomes immediately evident as soon as you boot into one of the console9s first seven games. Galactic Pinball is slow and trying to time when to hit the flippers to prevent the ball from getting past you is an exercise in frustration. Meanwhile, Red Alarm feels like a cheap port of Switch 2 officially goes on sale on February 17 for $100, with the caveat that buyers will need an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion pack membership. Also, in addition to the seven games available at launch, Nintendo is planning to add nine more throughout the year including Mario9s Tennis and previously unreleased titles such as Zero Racers and D-Hopper.
  
  
  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-switch-2s-virtual-boy-is-a-tribute-to-nintendos-wackiest-console-140000003.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
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  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