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Google Home has some significant new quality-of-life updates and a new AI-powered feature, the division's head honcho Anish Katturkan announced on X. Many of them, including a function called "Live Search," are powered by the company's Gemini for Home service launched in October 2025 as the official replacement for Google Assistant on smart devices. 

"We launched Gemini for Home in Early Access specifically to learn from real-world usage," Katturkaran said. "With millions of you now testing and shaping this experience every day, we're pushing regular voice improvements to address your feedback."

The Live Search feature does just what it says, letting you query Gemini about the current state of your home based on what the cameras see. For instance, you can ask things like "Hey Google, is there a car in the driveway?" However, the feature is only available for Google Home Premium advanced subscribers who pay a $20 per month ($200 per year) fee. 

Gemini for Home now uses updated models to improve the quality and accuracy of answers too and will more reliably play newly-released songs. Other key updates include better targeting for smart home devices by room, house and device, reduced instances of cutting off a speaker prematurely, better reliability for user-created automations by voice and more. Too see all those changes, check out Google Home's latest changelog,

Finally, Google Home announced "enhanced support" for the Nest x Yale lock, including comprehensive passcode management (including for guests), a more robust activity history, real-time notifications for lock events and enhanced lock settings like single touch locking. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/googles-homes-latest-feature-is-gemini-powered-live-search-for-cameras-112216551.html?src=rss

This isn’t a Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Oukitel's WP63 is a ruggedized smartphone that’s meant to set things alight. It has a built-in electric igniter, aimed at emergency response and camping, helping to start fires when you forgot matches, but you brought this beastly phone along for the adventure. It’s got several other notable features, like a 20,000mAH battery, a loudspeaker, and even its own built-in USB-C cable for charging other devices.

Still, the igniter was why I was here. The WP63 has an electric coil that heats up, similar to cigarette lighters in cars circa 1987. This is hidden away behind a protective cover at the top of the device, and once it pops out, you activate it using an app. An Oukitel spokesperson was able to light some rolled-up paper, and I was surprised how gentle and seemingly in control it was. (The paper looked like a cigarette, too.)

Unfortunately, another spokesperson told me that it can’t be used to light candles, although I can’t understand why. I don’t start campfires, but I do light candles.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

The phone will be priced at $399. and completely ignoring the tendency for thinner and thinner phones, it’s 27mm thick. Another outdoor use? If a bear decided to attack you in the woods, you might be able to concuss it with the WP63.

Update, March 4 2026, 7:30AM ET: Oukitel says the phone will be priced at $399. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/oukitel-wp630-mwc-2026-smartphone-igniter-101046023.html?src=rss

A keyboard is one of those pieces of gear you interact with constantly, yet it’s easy to overlook how much it affects your day-to-day comfort. From firing off emails to long coding sessions or late-night gaming, the right keyboard can make everything feel smoother, faster and less fatiguing.

Some setups call for slim, quiet boards that disappear into a workspace, while others benefit from chunky mechanical keyboards with satisfying switches and durable frames. You’ll also find wireless models that cut down on desk clutter, compact layouts built for travel and ergonomic keyboards aimed at reducing strain during long stretches of time.

No matter how you use your computer, upgrading your keyboard is one of the simplest ways to improve the experience. We’ve tested a wide range of options to find the best keyboards for different needs, budgets and typing styles.

Best keyboards for 2026

What to look for in a keyboard Design Size

The first thing you’ll want to consider when it comes to your next computer keyboard’s design is size. There are a number of different keyboard layouts to choose from, but the most common are full-sized, tenkeyless and those smaller than tenkeyless.

Full-sized keyboards, or 100 percent, include a function row at the top and a complete numpad with arrow keys on the right side, along with all of the rest of the alphanumeric keys you’d expect on a standard QWERTY layout. Tenkeyless, or 80 percent, removes the number pad but keeps the arrow keys and the function row, reducing the overall width measurement of the board by a decent amount. Compact keyboards keep things ultra simple by including only the alphanumeric keys and modifiers like Alt, Shift, Ctrl and others and they come in different sizes like 60 percent, 65 percent and more. These are the most popular sizes out there, but you can find plenty of other designs that include different mixes of keys along with the standard letters and numbers all should have.

Aside from size, there are two other big categories that you could use to define a keyboard: ergonomic and mechanical. Ergonomic keyboards are designed with, you guessed it, better ergonomics in mind, taking into account where you should position your fingers, hands and forearms to maintain proper posture. Separately, mechanical keyboards use mechanical switches (of which there are many types) that differ greatly from the membrane or scissor-switch keyboards you’ll find dominating most wired and wireless options widely available today. We have guides to the best ergonomic keyboards and best mechanical keyboards, but we’ll summarize what you need to know about both here.

Ergonomic keyboards

If you deal with discomfort from working at a computer all day, ergonomic keyboards can help. These specially designed boards re-orient the keys, allowing you to hold your elbows farther apart and maintain a straighter line from your forearms to hands. Some people find this subtle change more comfortable.

Ergonomic keyboards typically fall into two categories: Alice and split keyboards. The former is a single unit with an A-shaped gap in the center of the keys. Split models come in two separate pieces which you can arrange as you like on your desk. Additional ergonomic features like tenting and negative tilt can make typing feel even more comfortable, and are often available on both Alice and split boards. Tenting raises the middle of the keys up so your hands take on more of a “handshake” position. Negative tilting lowers the top of the keyboard to keep your wrists angled downward instead of back towards your forearms.

The way the keys are arranged on the keyboard may make typing easier as well. Traditionally, keyboards are staggered, with one row of letters slightly offset from the row beneath it. Columnar keyboards arrange the keys in a grid of rows and columns. This style takes a little getting used to, but some people find it allows them to type faster. You can also make the keys of some keyboards do more than just produce letters. Programmable boards let you map shortcuts and other functions, including macros, which may keep you from reaching for the mouse quite so often, saving you time and possibly strain as well.

Mechanical keyboards

Mechanical keyboards have blown up in popularity as more people have been thrust into creating their own workspaces at home. It’s easy to see why: Compared to a traditional membrane keyboard, a good mechanical board is more durable, more satisfying to press and, most importantly, infinitely more customizable. The best of them usually come with a price premium, but even some cheaper models let you “hot-swap” between keycaps, switches and other materials, letting you tinker with different typing sensations and sound profiles until you find a combination that best expresses your preferences.

Do you want each press to feel deep and full or fast and light? Do you need them to sound loud and clacky or almost totally muffled? Do you prefer your keycaps to look subdued and professional, stuffed with RGB lights or written in an Elvish language from The Lord of the Rings for some reason? With the right new keyboard, it’s all up to you — the only things really holding you back are your imagination and your wallet.

We have a dedicated buying guide that digs deeper into the key aspects to consider when buying a mechanical gaming keyboard, so we encourage you to look at that for a full rundown. To keep things high-level, the most influential part of your purchase is your keyboard’s switch type. These little mechanisms slot underneath the keycaps and generally have the biggest effect on how your keyboard feels and sounds as you type away.

You can broadly separate mechanical switches into three buckets: linear, tactile and clicky. Linear switches feel smooth all the way down; they’re often popular with gamers since they tend to be light and fast to actuate. Tactile switches create a tangible “bump” sensation partway through a press; many people who spend all day typing prefer them because they clearly confirm each press without (always) being all that loud. Clicky switches are functionally similar to tactiles but make an audible “click” sound to match the bump; your coworkers may hate them, but others love the full-throated sense of feedback they provide. To be clear, just because two switches fall within the same bucket doesn’t mean they feel or sound exactly the same. The only way to figure out which switch works best for you is to do your research and, preferably, try some out for yourself.

Other keyboards have a mechanical-style feel but are built on different mechanisms entirely. The hot new trend in gaming-focused keyboards, for example, is Hall effect switches, which use tiny magnets to register keystrokes and let you customize the sensitivity of each press. Optical switches, meanwhile, offer similar functionality by replacing the physical contact point of a typical mechanical switch with a beam of infrared light. More recently, we’ve seen a couple keyboards launch with inductive switches, which can work like magnetic switches but use inductive coils in the keyboard’s printed circuit board (PCB) to cater to all switches collectively and don’t require a sensor for each individual switch. We touch on a couple of magnetic-switch keyboards in our picks below, but for a fuller breakdown of this sort of tech, we recommend you check out our dedicated buying guide to the best gaming keyboards.

Connectivity

You’ve got two options here: wired or wireless. Wired keyboards typically have an attached cable that plugs into a USB-A or USB-C port on your computer (or docking station), although some come with cables that can be removed. Wireless mechanical keyboards connect to your machine either via Bluetooth or a wireless receiver dongle. There’s always the chance of some latency with wireless keyboards, so keep that in mind if you’re picking one up to use primarily with a gaming PC. Of course, you’ll only have to worry about battery life with Bluetooth keyboards.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-keyboard-120000018.html?src=rss

OpenAI’s Sam Altman said the company will amend its deal with the Defense Department (or the Department of War) to explicitly prohibit the use of its AI system on mass surveillance against Americans. Altman has published an internal memo previously sent to employees on X, telling them that the company will tweak the agreement to add language to make that point especially clear. Specifically, it says:

“Consistent with applicable laws, including the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, National Security Act of 1947, FISA Act of 1978, the AI system shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Department understands this limitation to prohibit deliberate tracking, surveillance, or monitoring of U.S. persons or nationals, including through the procurement or use of commercially acquired personal or identifiable information.”

Altman has also claimed in the memo that the agency affirmed that its services will not be used by its intelligence agencies, including the NSA, without a modification to their contract. He added that if he received what he believed was an unconstitutional order, he would rather go to jail than follow it.

In addition, the OpenAI CEO has admitted in the memo that the company shouldn’t have rushed to get the deal out on Friday, February 27, since the issues were “super complex and demand clear communication.” Altman explained that the company was “trying to de-escalate things and avoid a much worse outcome” but it “looked opportunistic” in the end. If you’ll recall, OpenAI announced the partnership shortly after President Trump ordered all US government agencies to stop using Claude and any other Anthropic services. To note, Anthropic started working with the US government in 2024.

The Defense Department and Secretary Pete Hegseth had been pressuring Anthropic with to remove its AI’s guardrails so that it can be used for all “lawful” purposes. Those include mass surveillance and the development of fully autonomous weapons. Anthropic refused to bow down to Hegseth’s demands and in a statement said that “no amount of intimidation or punishment” will change its “position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.” Trump issued the order as a result. The Defense Department had also taken the first steps to designate Anthropic as a “supply chain risk,” which is typically reserved for Chinese companies believed to be working with their country’s government.

Altman said that in his conversations with US officials, he reiterated that Anthropic shouldn’t be designated as a supply chain risk and that he hoped the Defense Department would offer it the same deal OpenAI agreed to. In an AMA session on X over the weekend, Altman clarified that he didn’t know the details of Anthropic’s agreement and how it differed from the one OpenAI signed. But if it had been the same, he thought Anthropic should have agreed to it.

After the news broke out about OpenAI’s deal, Anthropic climbed its way to the number one spot of the App Store's Top Free Apps leaderboard, beating out both ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Anthropic, capitalizing on Claude’s sudden popularity, launched a memory import tool to make switching to its chatbot from another company’s easier. Meanwhile, uninstalls for ChatGPT’s jumped by 295 percent day-over-day, according to Sensor Tower.

Here is re-post of an internal post:

We have been working with the DoW to make some additions in our agreement to make our principles very clear.

1. We are going to amend our deal to add this language, in addition to everything else:

"• Consistent with applicable laws,…

— Sam Altman (@sama) March 3, 2026

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-will-amend-defense-department-deal-to-prevent-mass-surveillance-in-the-us-050637400.html?src=rss

Australia's government may take a strict stance on ensuring younger users cannot access AI chatbots. Reuters reports that Australian regulators may require app storefronts to block AI services that do not implement age verification for restricting mature content by March 9. 

"eSafety will use the full range of our powers where there is non-compliance," a representative for the commissioner said in a statement to the publication. Those paths could include "action in respect of gatekeeper services such as search engines and app stores that provide key points of access to particular ‌services."

A review by Reuters found that of 50 leading text-based AI chat services in the region, only nine had introduced or shared plans for age assurance. Eleven services reportedly "had blanket content filters or planned to block all Australians from using their service," according to the report, leaving a large number that had not taken public action a week ahead of the country's deadline. Failure to comply could see AI companies face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($35 million).

The question of which parties are responsible for keeping children from accessing potentially harmful content is being debated around the world. In the US, for instance, Apple and Google have been lobbying to have the task delegated to platforms rather than app store operators. The language from the Australian regulators about all stores is hardly definitive at this stage, but given the breadth of its sweeping ban on the use of social media and some highly social digital platforms for citizens under age 16 enacted last year, an aggressive stance seems to align with leaders' priorities. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/australia-will-consider-requiring-app-stores-to-block-ai-services-without-age-verification-221714252.html?src=rss

Anthropic is bringing another paid feature to Claude's free tier. The next time you chat with Claude, you'll have the option to have it reference your previous conversation to inform its outputs. Anthropic first made its chatbot capable of remembering past interactions last August, before giving it the ability to compartmentalize memories in the fall. Making memory a free feature is well-timed; earlier today Anthropic made it easier for users to import their past conversations with a competing chatbot to Claude. If after enabling memory you decide to turn it off, you can either pause the feature, preserving Claude’s memories for use down the road, or completely delete them so they’re not saved on Anthropic’s servers.

Claude is enjoying new-found popularity, having recently jumped to the number one spot in the App Store's free app charts. This comes while Anthropic is engaged in a high-stakes contract dispute with the US government over AI safeguards. On Friday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeled the company a "supply chain risk" after it refused to sign a contract that would allow the Pentagon to use Anthropic models for mass surveillance against Americans and in fully autonomous weapons. Following Hegseth's announcement, Anthropic vowed to challenge the designation. As of right now, we’re waiting to see how things play out, and what it might mean for Anthropic.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-brings-memory-to-claudes-free-plan-220729070.html?src=rss

Call of Duty is getting a new battle royale mode later this month. The popular first-person shooter will introduce Black Ops Royale as a free game mode on March 13. 

Black Ops Royale pays homage to Blackout, the series' first foray into a battle royale game mode back in CoD: Black Ops 4. Matches will have 100 players dropping in as four-person teams. The mode takes place on the massive Avalon map, but there will be no familiar Warzone features like loadouts, the gulag, or buy stations. Instead, it's all about the scavenging the weapons from the recent Black Ops 7 game and upgrading them. 

According to the team's announcement, there will be other familiar features from the Blackout days such as the weapon handling and bullet drop that have been reimagined for modern-day Warzone players. You'll also be able to further customize your play style with an open-ended perks system, another nod to the original Call of Duty BR perk mechanic.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/call-of-duty-will-add-black-ops-royale-a-new-free-game-mode-coming-march-13-211733205.html?src=rss

Starlink is getting ready to launch its second generation of satellites, and it's expected to match the speeds of a traditional terrestrial network. During a keynote at Mobile World Congress, Starlink execs detailed the roadmap for the company's upgrade towards the next generation of satellites called V2.

"The goal of Starlink Mobile ... is to provide a terrestrial-like connectivity when you're connected to the satellite system," Michael Nicolls, SpaceX's senior vice president of Starlink engineering, said during the MWC keynote. "In the right conditions, it should look and feel like you're connected to a high-performing 5G terrestrial network."

Nicolls detailed that the V2 satellite constellation could offer download speeds up to 150 Mbps in ideal conditions, comparing it to a broadband experience. According to Starlink, next-gen satellites will offer 100 times the data density of its predecessors, which should help users with faster streaming and browsing as well as more reliable voice calls. Notably, Nicolls added that the V2 satellite constellation would offer better coverage to Earth's polar regions, which are known to have unreliable coverage with traditional networks.

Nicolls said that SpaceX is planning to send out more than 50 V2 satellites on each SpaceX launch starting in mid-2027, with a goal of building out a full constellation in six months. Outside its MWC presser, Starlink also announced a partnership with German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom. The partnership would help Deutsche Telekom address internet coverage gaps in Europe using Starlink's constellation, starting in 2028.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/starlinks-next-gen-satellite-network-could-provide-150-mbps-speeds-by-end-of-next-year-192118368.html?src=rss

X is rolling out a built-in “Paid Partnership” label that creators can apply to sponsored posts, replacing the hashtag workarounds they’ve had to rely on until now. The feature, announced by the platform’s head of product Nikita Bier, adds a toggle that places a disclosure label directly below a post’s content. It can also be applied retroactively.

The label is meant to help creators comply with years-old FTC regulations requiring clear disclosure of sponsored content. The agency sent out letters reminding influencers about this requirement in 2017, and Instagram added a disclosure feature that same year. Without a native tool, X creators had been left to use hashtags like #ad and #paidpartnership.

X has been trying to court creators for some time with tools like ad-revenue sharing and creator subscriptions, but the platform still struggles with major image issues following a string of scandals like Grok creating CSAM. The Elon Musk-owned platform is under investigation both domestically and abroad for the AI agent’s behavior.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-adds-paid-partnership-labels-so-users-can-more-easily-identify-ads-183528227.html?src=rss

The iPad Air, the middle child in Apple’s tablet lineup, has been upgraded to the M4 chip with increased RAM and… Well, there’s not a whole lot else if I’m being honest. At the very least, the new iPad Air M4 models remain at the same price as the iPad Air M3, with the 11-inch version starting at $599 and the 13-inch at $799. I would give Apple more credit if it had increased the starting storage or added literally anything else.

If you put them side by side, you might not be able to tell the difference, but this upgrade would benefit creatives and professionals more than anything. There’s a significant performance bump from the M3 to the M4, and the increased RAM is doing a lot of work, especially if you’re taking advantage of Apple Intelligence.

If you’re using an M1-powered iPad Air or something even older, though, the new iPad Air M4 should be a compelling upgrade. Pre-orders start at 9:15AM ET on March 4, with the units arriving a week later. We expect full reviews will be published by then. But in the meantime, let’s dive into what the performance gains might look like and what we’re missing out on in this year’s iteration of the iPad Air.

iPad Air M4 vs. iPad Air M3: Performance and battery life

The most significant difference between the two iPad Air generations is their chipsets. The latest iPad Air launches with the M4 chip versus its predecessor’s M3 chip, and it gets a bump in RAM from 8GB to 12GB.

I don’t give much fanfare to incremental chip increases because the performance gain is usually minimal. However, the M4 is up to 30 percent faster than the M3, according to Apple. That might be noticeable to even casual users, especially as the years go on and iPadOS becomes more demanding. For power users, it’ll mean more demanding work like video editing will be noticeably quicker.

For those in need of the fastest internet speeds, the new iPad Air is also equipped with Apple’s N1 chip, which enables Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, the latest connectivity technology. However, I really don’t imagine the average user needing up to 46 gigabits per second of internet speed compared to the iPad M3’s 9.6 Gbps on Wi-Fi 6. If you do, you’re in the tax bracket for an iPad Pro.

Now, despite the increase in speeds, the battery life between the M4 and M3 models remains the same. Apple claims all four models get up to 10 hours of battery life surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video (up to 9 hours on cellular). No complaints here.

iPad Air M4 vs. iPad Air M3: Design, display, audio and cameras

For better or worse, we’re not getting any changes in any of these departments, which is why I’m lumping them together.

The iPad Air comes in blue, purple, beige and gray. The 11-inch option measures 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and the 13 comes in at 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches. As their names suggest, they’re both rather light, at 1.01 pounds (1.02 pounds for M4) and 1.36 pounds, respectively. My only wish was that we got new colors that popped a bit more.

Then there’s the displays. All four versions of the iPad Airs sport a Liquid Retina LED display at 264 ppi. The 11-inch supports a 2,360 x 1,640 resolution with a peak brightness of 500 nits, while the 13-inch offers a 2,732 x 2,048 resolution at 600 nits. It would’ve been nice to see an OLED or even Mini-LED panel make its way to the iPad Air, which could’ve made the screen more vivid and vibrant. But it’s more disappointing that we’re stuck at 60Hz unlike the Pro models that offer 120Hz, making their visual experience smoother.

Both products feature landscape stereo speakers. The iPad Air M3’s audio quality couldn’t live up to the iPad Pro, so I doubt the M4 model will.

You won’t catch me taking photos with an iPad, but for those of you who do, the iPad Air M4 features the same 12MP cameras on the front and back as its predecessor.

iPadOS 26, Apple Intelligence and Apple accessories

Nothing huge is happening to iPadOS or the Apple accessories in the iPad Air refresh. The revamped Magic Keyboard from last year still works with these new models, as does the Apple Pencil Pro. iPadOS 26, released last fall, was a major update but will still be familiar enough to anyone who has used an iPad before. The new iPad Air M4 is getting a significant boost in AI processing speeds, though, thanks to its new chip and 50 percent increase in RAM. However, unless you’re an AI power user, you probably won’t notice a difference there.

All that said, if your love language is spreadsheets, the full specs are helpfully laid out below:

iPad Air M4 vs. iPad Air M3: Specs at a glance

Spec

iPad Air M4

iPad Air M3

Price

$599 (11-inch), $799 (13-inch)

$599 (11-inch), $799 (13-inch)

Processor

M4

M3

Display

11-inch: Liquid Retina, 2,360 x 1,640, LED display at 264 ppi

13-inch: Liquid Retina, 2,732 x 2,048, LED display at 264 ppi

11-inch: Liquid Retina, 2,360 x 1,640, LED display at 264 ppi

13-inch: Liquid Retina, 2,732 x 2,048, LED display at 264 ppi

RAM

12GB

8GB

Storage

128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Battery

Up to 10 hours (Wi-Fi), 9 hours (Cellular model)

Up to 10 hours (Wi-Fi), 9 hours (Cellular model)

Cameras

12MP Wide (rear), 12MP Center Stage (front)

12MP Wide (rear), 12MP Center Stage (front)

Apple accessories

Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard Folio

Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard Folio

Dimensions

11-inch: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches

13-inch: 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches

11-inch: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches

13-inch: 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches

Weight

11-inch: 1.02 pounds

13-inch: 1.36 pounds

11-inch: 1.01 pounds

13-inch: 1.36 pounds

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-air-m4-vs-ipad-air-m3-the-few-new-things-in-apples-midrange-tablet-182701520.html?src=rss

The Analogue Pocket handheld retro console has proven to be extremely popular, as initial runs have sold out. The company just announced the system will be back in stock this week, along with the dock accessory. Preorders open up on March 4 at 11AM ET, with shipments going out this June.

Analogue Pocket & Analogue Dock - restock.

A tribute to portable gaming. Out of the box, Pocket is compatible with the 2,780+ Game Boy, Game Boy Color & Game Boy Advance game cartridge library and more.

Available March 4th, 8am PST.
Ships June 2026. pic.twitter.com/8XZ3fbh87a

— Analogue (@analogue) March 2, 2026

That's the good news. The bad news? The little console is getting slapped with a price increase. It's shooting up to $240 from the recent price of $220, with the company placing the blame squarely on President Trump's neverending tariffs. The device is assembled in China and Trump just hit the region with even more tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down the old ones. We love to suddenly pay more for gadgets that have been out in the wild for nearly six years, don't we folks?

For the uninitiated, the Pocket isn't an emulation machine. It plays actual Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges. It also integrates with various Game Boy accessories, like the camera and printer. The console can even handle Game Gear, TurboGrafx-16 and Atari Lynx games, but those require separate adapters.

We praised the Analogue Pocket in our official review, calling it "a clever little thing" that is sure to light up the nostalgia center of your brain. It even made our list of the best handheld consoles, which is notable given competition included stuff like the Steam Deck.

In any event, this drop will likely sell out quickly. We recommend parking a browser on the company website just prior to 11AM ET if you can stomach the new price.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-analogue-pocket-will-be-back-in-stock-this-week-but-theres-a-tariff-related-price-increase-182226016.html?src=rss

As AI-generated artwork becomes more commonplace, it still won't be able to be copyrighted, according to US courts. On Monday, the US Supreme Court declined to hear a case about whether an artwork generated with the help of AI can be copyrighted. The refusal means that a lower court's decision to reject the copyright request will stand.

The case dates back to 2018 when Stephen Thaler applied for a copyright of an artwork called A Recent Entrance to Paradise. Unlike using ChatGPT or Midjourney, Thaler, a computer scientist, created an AI system that generated the artwork in question. However, the US Copyright Office rejected his application in 2022 on the grounds that it wasn't made by a human author. Thaler sought appeals at higher courts, but ultimately had to escalate the case to the Supreme Court after both a federal judge in Washington and the US Court of Appeals ruled against him.

With a refusal from the highest court in the US, it's unlikely Thaler's case can continue. The US Supreme Court could always hear a related case in the future, but Thaler's lawyers said, "even ⁠if it later overturns the Copyright Office’s test in another case, it will be too late," adding that the decision will have negatively impacted the creative industry during "critically important years." It's worth noting that Thaler also filed applications to the US Patent and Trademark Office for AI-generated inventions, which were rejected for similar reasons.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-supreme-court-doesnt-care-if-you-want-to-copyright-your-ai-generated-art-171849407.html?src=rss

Nintendo has scheduled an Indie World Showcase livestream for tomorrow, March 3, at 9AM ET. The company says this event will include "roughly 15 minutes of news and updates on indie games coming to Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch." That's not a whole lot of time, but indie trailers tend to be on the shorter side.

We really don't know anything about what Nintendo and its partners could reveal tomorrow. It's entirely possible we'll see something big, like the previously announced Sea of Sorrow DLC for Silksong. More than likely, however, we'll get trailers and updates regarding a spate of unexpected indie games.

The previous Indie World Showcase took place in August and it gave us trailers and announcements for stuff like the excellent Ball x Pit and the upcoming Mina the Hollower. To that last one, Yacht Club Games said it would be launching the title for consoles this spring so we could get a release date announcement tomorrow.

Scott Pilgrim EX will be available for download tomorrow, so a launch trailer is almost certain. This is a new side-scrolling fighter with four-player co-op and music by Anamanaguchi. My personal white whale is Witchbrook, the long-gestating life-sim set in a magical school. It's being published by Chucklefish, the company that originally published Stardew Valley.

There's some stuff we absolutely shouldn't expect. This is an Indie World Showcase, and not a Nintendo Direct. There will likely be no appearances by Mario or Zelda, unless a character pops up in an indie game as DLC or something. The stream is also unlikely to spotlight Pokémon Pokopia, despite the life-sim launching on March 5.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-just-announced-an-indie-world-showcase-for-tomorrow-at-9am-et-164706666.html?src=rss

Paramount Skydance plans to combine Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming service following the completion of its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. CEO David Ellison confirmed the plan on an investor call Monday, saying the combined platform would serve over 200 million subscribers and position the company to compete with the biggest players in the streaming space.

“We think the combined offering, and given the amount of content and what we can do from the tech side, really will put us in a position to be able to compete with the most scaled players in DTC,” Ellison said. It’s not yet clear whether the app’s two libraries will be fully integrated, or whether one will exist as a standalone service within the other. Ellison signaled that the HBO brand will “operate with independence” during the call.

Also unclear is what the newly combined app would cost subscribers. The last year has seen nearly across-the-board increases in the cost of streaming services, including HBO Max.

The planned merger would unite Paramount’s CBS, MTV, Comedy Central and BET with Warner’s CNN, HBO, TNT and Food Network, along with franchises including Game of Thrones, Mission: Impossible, the DC Universe and SpongeBob SquarePants under one roof. The combined entity is expected to carry roughly $79 billion in net debt, according to Reuters, and could be considered the largest leveraged buyout in history. The deal is expected to close in the back half of 2026, pending regulatory approval.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/paramount-and-hbo-max-could-be-merging-into-a-single-streaming-service-163439653.html?src=rss

Apple’s most affordable iPhone just got an upgrade, but how does the new iPhone 17e compare to the iPhone 16e? Well, thankfully the price remains the same at $599, which is good news in our current economic climate. An immediate difference you might notice is that one of them now comes in a third color: pink. That’s at least one win for me because I am all for putting more color into tech.

There are a few differences under the hood as well, namely that the iPhone 17e is arriving with the A19 chip and double the storage. We’ve already seen what’s possible with an A19 chip in the standard iPhone 17 — it’s not a super exciting upgrade, but it is a boost nonetheless.

Pre-orders start at 9:15AM ET on March 4, and while we work on a full review, let’s take a deeper dive into what has changed on this year’s model and what that might mean in the real world.

iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Design and display

Of course, the biggest difference in the design for the iPhone 17e is the shiny new pink color. I’ve long complained about how many major tech companies stick to the safety of black, white or gray colorways. Thankfully, the iPhone 17e’s pink hue is a departure from that approach. It’s also an understated shade that’s elegant, compared to the typically brighter and louder tones reserved for cheap(er) phones.

Both the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e measure 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches. However, the iPhone 17e did get a bit heavier at 5.96 ounces compared to the iPhone 16e’s 5.88 ounces. It’s very unlikely you’ll notice the 0.08 ounce difference, though. (And if you do, you have a gift.)

In terms of durability, the iPhone 17e is outfitted with Ceramic Shield 2, which is a glass face that Apple said is three times more scratch-resistant than the iPhone 16e’s original Ceramic Shield. Ideally, it’ll survive falls to the ground (within reason) and spare you a scratched up display from casual wear and tear.

There doesn’t seem to be any change in the display — whether that be in its brightness or color rendering capability — but that isn’t too shocking. Both the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel with a 1,200-nit peak brightness. That’s bright enough to combat the ambient glare from the sun, so you should be able to read it outside relatively easily. They’re also specced out with a 2,532 x 1,170 resolution at 460 ppi — meaning text and lines will be clean and sharp.

iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Cameras

I didn’t expect a huge bump in camera technology, especially if Apple intended to keep the price the same. We’ve got upgrades in other categories for sure, but it would’ve been nice to see an extra camera on the back. Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e is kitted out with Apple’s 48-megapixel Fusion 2-in-1 camera with a 12MP 2x Telephoto setting. You also get digital zoom up to 10x. Take a look at our iPhone 16e review to see exactly what that looks like in practice, but to sum up our experience: it’s solid.

There’s a great level of detail and vibrancy, but like I said, it’s limited. Without a potential ultrawide camera, you cannot capture as much of your surroundings because you’re not getting that 0.5x zoom option. 

One major upgrade, however, is that the iPhone 17e is now capable of recognizing dogs and cats in Portrait mode. It also saves depth information so you can turn regularly captured photos into portraits after the fact. This might be a noteworthy upgrade, considering the iPhone 16e struggled in Portrait mode, incapable of capturing non-human faces and objects.

There’s also the 12MP TrueDepth camera on the front, which we didn’t have many complaints about, and don’t expect to disappoint on the iPhone 17e.

iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Processor, battery life and charging

Apart from the color, the biggest differences between the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e is their starting storage and overall performance. The new iPhone is packed with an A19 chip, while the latter comes with an A18 chip.

Yes, you’re getting a performance bump with the A19 chip, but casual users are unlikely to feel the difference. If you’re a power user trying to get the most out of an affordable iPhone and want to get crunchy about it, there’s roughly a 5 percent difference in CPU speed and over 10 percent in GPU performance (according to CPU Monkey).

Despite that bump, the battery life hasn’t changed. With both devices, Apple says you’re getting up to 26 hours of video playback and up to 21 hours streamed. The company doesn’t typically share specifics on battery sizes, but GSMArena is reporting that both models come with a 4,005mAh battery. What has changed, however, is being able to receive double the wattage from wireless charging. The iPhone 17e can now take up to 15W for Qi2 fast wireless charging — compared to 7.5W from the Qi support on the iPhone 16e.

iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence

At a glance, there does not seem to be any difference in what the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e offer in terms of iOS and Apple Intelligence capability. However, it’s relevant to note that you will likely get better performance out of the iPhone 17e with regards to AI features because of its superior A19 chip.

In case you wanted to do the numbers comparison yourself, we’ve compiled a nifty table here so you can eyeball them with ease. But for a sense of how the iPhone 17e holds up in the real world and whether it’s worth the money, stay tuned for our full review.

iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Specs at a glance

Spec

iPhone 17e

iPhone 16e

Price

$599

$599

Processor

A19 chip

A18 chip

Display

Super Retina XDR, 6.1‑inch, 2,532 x 1,170, OLED display at 460 ppi

Super Retina XDR, 6.1‑inch, 2,532 x 1,170, OLED display at 460 ppi

RAM

8GB

8GB

Storage

256GB, 512GB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Wireless charging

Up to 15W

Up to 7.5W

Rear camera

2-in-1 camera — 48MP Fusion main, 12MP 2x Telephoto, digital zoom up to 10x

2-in-1 camera — 48MP Fusion main, 12MP 2x Telephoto, digital zoom up to 10x

Front camera

12MP selfie cam

12MP selfie cam

SIM

Dual SIM (two active eSIMs)

Dual SIM (two active eSIMs)

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, NFC

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, NFC

OS

Launched with iOS 26

Launched with iOS 18

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/iphone-17e-vs-iphone-16e-whats-new-on-apples-latest-599-handset-162009364.html?src=rss

Anthropic has made switching to its Claude AI chatbot easier than ever. The company announced a new memory import tool that can extract all of a competing AI chatbot's memories and context of you into a text prompt that can be fed into Claude.

With Anthropic's prompt, you can then copy and paste the output into Claude's memories, and the AI chatbot will pick up where you left off with another AI chatbot, whether it's ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. Anthropic said it'll take about 24 hours for Claude to assimilate the new context, but you'll be able to see the change by clicking on the "See what Claude learned about you" button. Claude users can even tweak what the AI chatbot remembers in the "Manage memory" section in the app's settings. Anthropic pointed out that Claude is meant to focus on "work-related topics to enhance its effectiveness as a collaborator," adding that it might not remember personal details that are unrelated to work.

Anthropic's timing doesn't seem to be just a coincidence. Claude recently jumped to the number one spot in the App Store's free apps charts, dethroning ChatGPT in the process. The rise in popularity likely stems from its recent dispute with the Department of Defense, where Anthropic refused to budge on AI guardrails related to mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. On the other hand, OpenAI will be taking Anthropic's vacated role with the Department of Defense, leading to a trend of users boycotting ChatGPT and canceling their subscriptions.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropics-claude-can-now-absorb-your-past-conversations-with-other-ai-chatbots-153201656.html?src=rss

Apple has scheduled a product launch event, dubbed an "Apple Experience", for March 4 at 9AM ET. The company is reportedly holding this event in NYC, London and Shanghai.

Everyone loves shiny new products, so what can we expect to see at Apple's first launch event of 2026? We don't know anything for certain, but we have plenty of educated guesses that have been sourced from industry reports and speculation from analysts.

Editor's Note (on March 2 at 9:45AM ET): Apple has officially announced the iPhone 17e and iPad Air (M4). It's expected to continue to unveil new hardware in the following days, per the rest of this article.

Budget-friendly MacBook

There have been rumors swirling that Apple is preparing to launch a cheaper alternative to the MacBook Air. Bloomberg reported on this all the way back in November. Industry rumors indicate that Apple will be stuffing this laptop with an iPhone processor, the A18 Pro, to keep the price down.

Worth pointing out the three colors from the invite are light green, blue and yellow -- which just so happen to be the colors Apple has tested the low-cost MacBook with, as I wrote yesterday. Coincidence? We shall see. https://t.co/1FFVkfw9JZ pic.twitter.com/ssKDDzdJsw

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 16, 2026

It's also been suggested that this laptop will only include 8GB of RAM, which kind of flies against the company's recent stance to outfit all Macs with at least 16GB of RAM. However, that would certainly help with the cost. You might have heard about a little thing called AI that chomp chomps on all RAM it can find.

TechRadar has reported that this could be Apple's biggest laptop launch in years, with potential initial shipments hitting 8 million units. The price is likely to be somewhere in the $699 to $799 range, which is pretty nifty. However, I'd still go for an Air at $999. They are absolute workhorses.

MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and Max chips

It's likely that Apple will release more powerful MacBook Pro models this year and the timing seems to match up. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested a March launch and the event is on March 4.

The company has already released a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip, but both the M5 Pro and Max are likely on the horizon. We could be getting new laptops outfitted with these chips in various display sizes.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

There have also been reports that both of the higher-end M5 chips are getting a redesign to help improve heat dissipation and reduce defective chip rates. Additionally, the new chiplet design would allow the M5 Pro and Max to raise the total number of CPU and GPU cores. The Max is expected to have more cores than the Pro.

This idea is helped along by the fact that MacBook Pro M4 Max orders are currently delayed. This is typically the case with an outgoing model as stock dries up to make room for new releases. Also, the Pro and Max variants typically get announced in the Fall, so we are due. 

New iPads

Rumors have been circulating that we are about to get new iPads, including an update to the base model and the Air. The standard model, which would be the 12th-gen release, is expected to upgrade the A16 chip to an A18. This should also allow for the integration of Apple Intelligence tools, if that's your bag.

Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

As for that iPad Air, rumors suggest an upgrade to the M4 chip from the M3. An extremely light tablet with an M4 would be fairly notable in my estimation, as only the newest iPad Pro has that chip.

iPhone 17e

It was almost exactly a year ago that Apple announced the iPhone 16e, so you know what that means. It's time for a refresh. Recent reports have suggested that an announcement regarding the iPhone 17e is imminent, so this launch event seems like as good a place as any to reveal the latest "budget-friendly" smartphone.

As for specs, Mark Gurman has suggested that it'll be getting an upgrade to the A19 chip, which is nice. Also, it could be getting MagSafe support. That sounds like an iterative upgrade, but the price is expected to remain steady at $599.

Other Possibilities

The following stuff is less likely, though certainly possible. There have been rumors that Apple is currently preparing a revamped Studio Display and Mac Studio desktop. The reports suggest a release sometime in the first half of the year, and March is right in the middle of that timeframe.

It's also possible that the company will reveal an upgrade to the MacBook Air with the M5 chip. Reports indicate that this is unlikely to happen during this event, but it is worth noting that the M4 Air came out in March of last year. In other words, it's a toss up.

The inclusion of Shanghai essentially rules out Siri, as expected, given the delays. https://t.co/mgNLR4qCYy

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 16, 2026

What's not a toss up? You shouldn't expect anything regarding the long-anticipated Siri refresh. This looks to be a hardware event, so any software updates will likely have to wait until WWDC this summer. In any event, Engadget will be on hand to report on all of Apple's new products. 

Update, March 2 2026, 9:45AM ET: This story has been updated to add an Editor's Note with the latest news from Apple this week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/what-to-expect-at-apples-product-launch-event-on-march-4-173612816.html?src=rss

Samsung's newest feature turns your phone into your house keys. The company has created the Digital Home Key, a feature inside of the Samsung Wallet that should let you unlock any compatible smart door with your phone. The Samsung Wallet already offered digital car keys. 

"As we continue to evolve Samsung Wallet, delivering trusted mobile experiences remains at the core of our innovation," Woncheol Chai, EVP and head of Digital Wallet Team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement. "Through close collaboration with our partners and in alignment with the Aliro standard, Digital Home Key brings the same level of security and ease Samsung Galaxy users expect from Samsung Wallet to their homes."

Created by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Samsung calls Aliro an "industry-standardized communication protocol." The Digital Home Key will also get support from smart lock brands like Nuki and Schlage. It's also designed to meet EAL6+ security certification. 

According to Samsung, you'll also need biometrics or a PIN to use the Digital Home Key. You should be able to remotely manage or remove the tool through Samsung Find if you lose your phone.

Samsung is rolling out the Digital Home Key in select regions starting this month. It plans to expand its range as compatible smart lock brands become available in more locations. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/the-samsung-wallet-can-now-hold-your-house-keys-142944132.html?src=rss

Apple has just announced the addition of the iPhone 17e to its smartphone lineup. This model is kitted with the same A19 chip that powers the base iPhone 17, and it will support the Apple Intelligence suite of AI tools. As the rumors suggested, the iPhone 17e will indeed be priced at $599, same as last year’s iPhone 16e. The base model will come with 256GB of storage, and also be available in a new pink color.

The iPhone 16e was missing a few elements that are now being added to the 17e, most notably MagSafe charging at Qi2 speeds. This means it can charge wirelessly at 15W compared to the 7.5W on last year’s model.

Apple also gave the iPhone 17e its C1X cellular modem, which it said is “up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e.” This year’s entry-level iPhone also has Ceramic Shield 2 on its 6.1-inch Super Retina display, which Apple says offers “3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.”

Most of the other specs appear similar to the iPhone 16e, including the 48-megapixel Fusion camera that uses one single hardware sensor to provide two dedicated camera pipelines. It’s not yet clear whether there are specific changes here, but to use Apple’s words in its press release, “[The Fusion camera] also enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto — like having two cameras in one.”

The iPhone 17e is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, and will also support Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My via satellite. From the outside, the device looks very similar to its predecessor, with the same shape, notch and buttons as before. We’ll of course have to wait for a review unit and more information to know for sure, but Apple continues to state that the iPhone 17e delivers “all-day battery life,” though adding this time it’s aided by the C1X modem “and the advanced power management of iOS 26.”

Apple unveiled most of its iPhone 17 roster back in September, but its budget models usually are introduced a few months later. We're also still waiting on the official news of what’s colloquially being calling the iPhone Fold, which is rumored to arrive in the back half of this year.

The iPhone 17e will be available for pre-order on March 4, and will start arriving in stores on March 11.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-introduces-the-599-iphone-17e-with-magsafe-and-twice-the-storage-140612085.html?src=rss

Apple is kicking off multiple days of product announcements this morning with a new iPad Air. Unsurprisingly, it’s more or less like the iPad Air Apple announced one year ago, except it now has an M4 chip instead of last year’s M3.

Apple is also including its in-house networking chips, the N1 and C1X, which will cover Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread and cellular connectivity. This means the iPad Air supports the Wi-Fi 7 standard for the first time. The Air also now has 12GB of RAM standard, up from 8GB in the prior model.

The rest of the iPad Air appears unchanged at this point. It has the same display that the 2023 and 2024 models sported — either an 11- or 13-inch LCD that tops out at 500 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate. Storage options start at 128GB and go up to 1TB, same as last year. The dual stereo speaker configuration and both front- and rear-facing cameras are unchanged, as well.

For those keeping track, it’s been less than two years since Apple redesigned the iPad Air, adding a 13-inch model that had an M2 chip. I remain surprised the company is committed to releasing chip updates for the Air so frequently — even the M2 model is more than powerful enough for the target audience. But, getting a faster chip for the same money is hard to complain about.

Naturally, the iPad Air M4 is running iPadOS 26, which was released last fall. It was, without a doubt, the biggest iPadOS update we’ve seen, bringing a far more robust multitasking system than the iPad has ever had before. It’s most noticeable and useful on the larger 13-inch screen, but having greater freedom with window management and more robust background tasks is a huge step forward — even if the Liquid Glass visual redesign is a bit divisive.

Pre-orders for the new iPad Air M4 open on Wednesday, March 4, and the tablet will be fully available on March 11. As before, pricing starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for a 13-inch display.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apple-updates-the-ipad-air-with-an-m4-chip-141117569.html?src=rss