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JBL introduced two new headphones to its Live series lineup and both are fighting to live up to expectations. Don’t get me wrong, the JBL Live 780NC and 680NC are both a solid set of cans, but in a sea of noise-cancelling headphones, one of them definitely has more appeal. The biggest differences between these two headphones are the over-ear and on-ear cups, and surprisingly, their audio quality. Let’s get into what does and doesn’t make them so special.

Design and comfort

Outside of varying colors and cup sizes, the JBL Live 780NC and 680NC look practically identical. They have these hockey puck-looking ear cups that are divided from the leatherette pads. The design looks like someone’s idea of headphones from 10 years ago. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it feels a bit clunky. Despite that, the metal hinge and leatherette band are more pleasantly minimalist. The cups also fold up neatly in a heart shape so you can slot them easily in the included bag.

There’s a dedicated volume rocker on the left ear cup while the right holds room for a USB Type-C port, the active noise cancelling (ANC) button and a combo power/Bluetooth switch (yes, it’s a switch, not a button). Meanwhile, you get all of the touch controls available on the right cup of each set of headphones.

Both headphones felt a little uncomfortable to wear at first, but it usually takes time for me to get used to new cans. After spending several hours each with them, they eventually grew on me. They’re both a bit snug, but neither one left me aching at the end of the day. I felt more relief when taking off the 680NC because of the added pressure of on-ear cups, but I’m also not used to the on-ear design.

Seamless customizable features The ANC button and USB-C port on the Live 680NC Rami Tabari for Engadget

Despite the near $100 price gap, you get the same set of features for the JBL Live 780NC and 680NC, all wrapped up in the JBL Headphones app. It’s easy to set up and you don’t even need to make an account. 

The first thing you might want to do is hop over to the settings and add the “disable ANC” function to the rotation. Out of the box, you can either switch between ANC or Ambient mode on the headphones, which is super frustrating — I shouldn’t need an app to enable a basic action. Most headphones these days allow you to cycle between ANC, Ambient mode and off (neither). 

At the very least, the app offers a thorough suite of features. You can adjust the strength of the ANC and Ambient modes. Enabling Adaptive ANC allows automatic noise cancellation changes  based on the surrounding noise level, while Personal Sound Amplification makes everything around you sound louder than normal. The latter was incredibly helpful in writing this very headphone review, ironically, as I had to keep an ear out for my child potentially committing a crime (kidding… mostly).

The JBL Live 780NC and 680NC are packed with the features I’d expect from a pair of premium headphones. They offer 360-degree spatial sound, an adaptive EQ, Auracast, automatic pausing and simultaneous Bluetooth connections with automatic switching. 

You can also customize all of the controls, from the ANC Button to the Touch Panel, which includes two call shortcuts and four general shortcuts, one of which is already dedicated to native voice assistants like Bixby and Siri. You do need to put a little more pressure than you might expect in order for the touch controls to activate, though. This is a bit of a learning curve, so it would’ve been nice if it was more sensitive.

Sound quality The Live 780NC (left) and Live 680NC (right) Rami Tabari for Engadget

The JBL Live 780NC and 680NC both feature 40mm neodymium drivers, but they offer completely different soundstages. With the 680NC, I noticed the bass hit a lot harder during the DanDaDan soundtrack, but vocals and string instruments weren’t as crisp or bright as they were with the 780NC. I had a similar experience while schmoozing my way through everyday objects in Date Everything!, where vocals seemed more distant with the 680NC. However, when playing Helldivers 2, 680NC captured the bassy intensity of an explosive-intergalactic space war. 

Continuing to run through tracks like JVKE’s “her” and “Radio” by Bershy, I noticed a common theme amongst the headphones. The 680NC’s soundstage was narrow and bassy, while the 780NC was wide and hollow. Both reproduced one half of a great couple, but unfortunately, they’re currently separated and seeking lives of their own. No, but seriously, the audio quality on both of them is still decent individually. I can distinguish each instrument from each other, so they aren’t getting muddied in the mix. But I don’t think the 780NC is worth the extra $90 on sound quality alone, since you’re trading one issue for another.

ANC

The ANC system is slightly different in the JBL Live 780NC and 680NC. The former features six microphones that detect and monitor ambient noise while the latter is outfitted with four microphones. 

What difference does that actually make, though? Well… not much, at least not practically. If you stuck them in a lab and crunched the numbers, there might be, but in my testing using the JBL Live 780NC and 680NC as everyday headphones, there’s virtually no difference outside of the passive noise isolation you get from over-ear design.

My dog is quite the yapper, so I happened to test the ANC against her with both headphones, and they managed to block out most of her bark, but not all (she is quite loud). Unless you’re actively listening to something, it won’t kill all the sound around you — when everything was quiet, I still heard my fan running in the background. As a passenger, the car’s road noise and the other cars around me faded mostly into the background, but they were still present (when not actively listening to music).

Ambient modes for both headphones kept me alert while walking outside, and while checking to make sure nothing chaotic was happening in my home. I could clearly hear the ruckus my child and dog were causing in the next room, and I got even more of it when I turned up the Sound Amplification.

As I mentioned above, the most annoying thing about the ANC and Ambient mode systems is that you cannot disable both of them at the same time (out of the box); you need the app in order to make the “off” option available via the ANC button.

Calls and voice quality The volume rocker on the JBL Live 780NC Rami Tabari for Engadget

JBL wasn’t lying about calls: Both the JBL Live 780NC and 680NC were great at cancelling out the noise from my surroundings, whether it was busy traffic or me blasting music on my desk. The microphone picked up little things here and there, but it blocked out most background distractions. The problem, however, is the overall microphone quality.

Microphones on both sets were pretty rough. My voice sounded like it was underwater or in another room entirely. And while the microphones were able to cancel out the noise in the background, I noticed that it made me a little more muddied, like it was also cancelling out some of my voice as well. This is likely due to the signal processing to block background noise. My friend said, “You sound like you’re fighting an ocean.” If you’re looking for a great caller, these ain’t it.

Battery life

With a full battery, I didn’t have to charge the JBL Live 780NC or 680NC for the week I tested them. That’s with a combination of ANC on and off, as well as using them to chat with friends. JBL rates both headphones with the same battery life: 80 hours with ANC off (33 hours of talk time) and 50 hours with ANC on (28 hours of talk time). Those numbers lined up with my testing considering how long they lasted. Charging the headphones from empty does take two hours, though.

The competition

If you want a solid pair of over-ear ANC headphones in this price range, I’d recommend the Sony WH-CH720N. The ANC struggles a bit, but the headphones are much cheaper than the 780NC and offer great sound quality. It’s the best option if you want to save some money.

However, if you’re looking for alternative on-ear ANC headphones, you’ll be hard pressed to find premium competitors to the JBL 680NC. On-ear headphones tend to land in the mid-range or budget class. The JBL 680NC aren’t the best pair of headphones out there, but they’re good for what they are in those categories.

Wrap-up  Both of the new Live models fold for easy storage Rami Tabari for Engadget

To bass or not to bass? That’s one of the few questions you’ll need to ask yourself when choosing between the JBL Live 780NC and 680NC. Of course, on-ear and over-ear designs appeal to different consumers, but the fact is that the former sounds hollow and the latter is more bass-heavy. Both headphones are comfortable and offer great ANC and features.

Overall, however, the JBL Live 780NC falls in the middle of the overcrowded market for noise-cancelling wireless headphones, while the 680NC stands just tall enough to make you want to take a closer look. On a sale, I’d say you could grab either of these cans and be satisfied, but at their full price, I’d be wary. If you twist my arm, I could make an argument for the 680NC because there aren’t enough on-ear noise-cancelling headphones available these days.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/jbl-live-780nc-and-680nc-review-great-leaps-greater-missteps-120000508.html?src=rss

OpenAI is putting the brakes on Stargate UK, according to Politico and Bloomberg. That’s the company’s AI infrastructure project with NVIDIA that’s meant to help the UK build out its sovereign computing capabilities. The company announced Stargate UK back in September, but it launched a strategic partnership with the UK government months before that. Stargate UK would enable the government to run top AI models locally from data centers inside the region, “particularly for specialist use cases where jurisdiction matters.” But now OpenAI is pausing the project due to high cost of energy and regulatory issues.

In a statement provided to Bloomberg, the company said that it still sees a “huge potential for the UK‘s AI future.” It added that “AI compute is foundational to that goal” and that it continues “to explore Stargate UK and will move forward when the right conditions such as regulation and the cost of energy enable long-term infrastructure investment.”

Upon announcing Stargate UK, OpenAI said that it would offer the same deal to other countries that want to expand their sovereign AI capabilities. It’s unclear if those plans are affected, as well, but it’s worth noting that the initiative, OpenAI for Countries, is also working with Australia, Greece, the UAE, Slovakia, Kazakhstan and other regions.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-pauses-its-stargate-uk-data-center-plan-115626978.html?src=rss

Google has fully integrated NotebookLM, its AI-powered research tool, into the Gemini app. The company launched a standalone NotebookLM app last year, but as it said in its announcement, “keeping track of everything can be a challenge.” It added NotebookLM as a source in the Gemini app last year, but now you can create notebooks right inside the chatbot.

You can now find the option to create a new notebook in Gemini’s side panel and then select “Add sources” that the tool can use, such as PDFs, documents, website URLs, YouTube videos and even copy-pasted text. NotebookLM will use information from those sources to create a searchable repository of information for you, and you can ask Gemini to create things like reviewers, infographics and video and audio overviews that turn your uploaded information into an easy-to-understand format. Take note, however, that Google warns users within the NotebookLM interface that it can be inaccurate, and that it’s best if you double-check information it puts out.

The company is rolling out NotebookLM’s full integration into Gemini this week for Google AI Ultra, Pro and Plus subscribers on the web. It will be available on mobile, in more locations and to free users over the coming weeks.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-bakes-notebooklm-its-research-tool-into-gemini-101850634.html?src=rss

Dyson just announced its first-ever handheld fan, the HushJet Mini Cool. As the name suggests, it uses the company's proprietary HushJet air projection system. This tech first showed up on an air purifier that we found to be exceptionally quiet.

Dyson promises the fan can deliver focused airflow of up to 25m/s, which works out to 55mph. The brushless motor spins up to 65,000 RPM. This thing looks like a legitimate cooling system, despite its size. It also weighs just 7.5 ounces. 

It offers five speeds and a boost mode, which should be useful during that next heat wave. It charges via USB-C and ships with a charging stand. The fan can also stand on its own, making it a decent choice for a desk. The rechargeable battery can get up to six hours of use per charge.

Dyson

The HushJet Mini Cool costs $100, which is cheap for a Dyson product but expensive for a handheld fan. It's available in a trio of colorways. The gray model is available tomorrow. The red version goes on sale this May and the blue one will be available for purchase in June. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/dyson-just-announced-its-first-ever-handheld-fan-with-a-motor-that-spins-up-to-65000-rpm-000135028.html?src=rss

If you missed your chance to pay Samsung $2,900 for a phone earlier this year, we have great news for you. Android Police reported that what may be the final shipment of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold will be arriving in the US on April 10. The unique foldable was discontinued a mere three months after it first went on sale, and it seems like Samsung is clearing out whatever inventory it has left. So if you have a spare $3,000 that you're just desperate to get rid of, bookmark the TriFold's page where Samsung has a countdown ticking away. 

All jokes aside, our hands-on time with the TriFold at CES 2026 revealed a pretty snazzy device that managed to strike a decent balance between size and heft. But perhaps unsurprisingly for a phone with such an intricate design and high price tag, the company didn't appear to have any intention to make the TriFold widely available. Samsung may have sold out each batch of the smartphone that went to retail, but the device didn't offer much in the way of profit, according to reports in South Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/youll-have-one-more-chance-to-buy-samsungs-pricey-galaxy-z-trifold-this-friday-225222969.html?src=rss

DoorDash and Wing have announced a new partnership that will allow users in metro Atlanta to have food delivered by drone. Besides working with DoorDash in select regions of Virginia, North Carolina and Texas, Wing, Alphabet's drone delivery subsidiary, also recently expanded its agreement to make deliveries for Walmart.

Eligible customers near Tanger Outlets Locust Grove will be able to order food for drone delivery and receive it in "as little as 20 minutes," according to DoorDash. Orders are limited to a selection of restaurants including Molinos Mexican Grill, Koji Japanese Steakhouse and Sabrosos Mexican Restaurant, and eligibility for drone delivery will depend on the size and weight of the order and whether a customer lives close enough for delivery. To check, Wing offers a website where you can enter your address to see if you're in range. Anyone who doesn't live close enough for a drone delivery can enter their information to be notified if the delivery area expands.

DoorDash, like plenty of other gig work platforms, is no stranger to experimenting with automation and robotics. The company offers its own delivery robot called Dot, and has partnered with companies like Coco Robotics to offer deliveries in cities like Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago. Wing, for its part, has also been working to expand the kinds of things it can deliver. The company introduced a new drone design in 2024 that can carry payloads that weigh up to 5 lbs, the exact kind of improvement that's likely allowed for the delivery partnerships it's pursuing now. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/doordash-and-wing-are-expanding-their-drone-delivery-partnership-to-atlanta-201133191.html?src=rss

Microsoft is testing giving users more control over what games appear in their Xbox achievements and tweaking how achievements look when they're earned. The changes are being introduced via the company's free-to-join Xbox Insiders program, and will presumably roll out to all Xbox owners at some point in the future.

Coming later in April, select Xbox Insiders will be able to hide games from their achievement list, whether they've completed them or not. Hidden games will still count towards users' Gamerscore, but the option should serve as another way to curate your public profile. Microsoft is also experimenting with changing how it displays achievements. Xbox Insiders will receive redesigned achievements with new animations and notifications that match the custom color they've chosen for their Xbox interface. Games where Insiders have earned 100 percent of the achievements will also be highlighted in their achievements list, and insiders will be able to filter their list to only view the games they've fully completed.

Being able to hide games from the achievement list has been "one of the most requested features" from Xbox Insiders, according to Microsoft. The company's March update that allowed users to selectively exclude games from the Xbox's Quick Resume feature was similarly long-requested.  It would likely be wrong to characterize these changes as being downstream of new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma's stated desire to "recommit" to the Xbox, but they don't hurt when it comes to winning over fans — especially if the company's continued presence in the console space ends up hinging on an expensive box that plays PC and Xbox games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/youll-soon-be-able-to-hide-games-from-your-xbox-achievements-list-184719290.html?src=rss

The latest Triple-i Initiative Showcase is nearly upon us, as the indie-focused event returns for its third consecutive year on Thursday, April 9 at 12PM ET / 9AM PT. We’re being promised announcements for 40 games, including eight world premieres, so it’s well worth tuning in if you like your indies.

You’ll be able to watch the stream on The Triple-i Initiative YouTube channel, as well as Twitch, bilibili, niconico and on Steam. Co-streaming partners IGN and Gamespot will also host their own streams. The showcase will run for 45 minutes, and nine featured studios will also have post-show deep dives on their games if you want to know more. As previously, the mantra here is "no hosts, no ads, just games," so rest assured your attention will be rewarded. 

Confirmed featured games so far include Risk of Rain 2, the open-world survival game Windrose and Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. We also know that the studio behind the excellent sci-fi narrative adventure 1000xResist will be showing off what it’s been working on, and we can also expect news from Cairn developer The Game Bakers.

It sounds like a typically eclectic lineup, then, and given last year’s showcase gave us release dates for 2025 indie hits like The Alters and Rematch, you can be confident that plenty of notable news should come out of this one too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/how-to-watch-the-triple-i-initiative-showcase-on-april-9-170353957.html?src=rss

Following the icy reception to Llama 4, Meta is releasing the first in a new family of AI systems built by its recently formed Superintelligence team. The company is kicking off its new Muse era with Spark, a lightweight model geared toward consumer use. In the future, Meta plans to offer more capable versions of Muse, but for now, it's clear the company wants to nail the basics. 

To that point, many of Spark's capabilities are table stakes for a new model in 2026. For instance, it offers both "Instant" and "Thinking" modes. With the latter engaged, the model will take an extra few moments to reason through a prompt. Other consumer-facing AI systems have had this kind of flexibility for a while. Anthropic, for example, was one of the first AI labs to offer a "hybrid reasoning model" when it released Claude Sonnet 3.7 at the start of last year. That said, Meta plans to add an even more powerful "Contemplating" mode down the road.   

A GIF demonstrating Muse Spark's multi-agent capabilities. Meta

Muse Spark can also coordinate multiple AI subagents to tackle a request. Meta suggests users will see this capability in action when they ask for help with tasks like family trip planning. In such a scenario, one agent might compile an itinerary, while another finds kid-friendly activities everyone can enjoy. At the same time, Meta has built Spark to be natively multimodal, meaning the model can process images, video and audio. Like Google Lens, this gives you the option to snap a photo with your phone and ask Meta AI questions about what you see. 

Of course, it wouldn't be a 2026 AI release if Muse Spark didn't include a built-in shopping assistant. Like ChatGPT, Spark can compare different items for you, listing the pros and cons of each, with links to make it easy to buy the product that appeals to you.

Muse Spark is available today in the Meta AI app and meta.ai website everywhere where the company offers those services. Meta will begin rolling out the new features the model powers starting in the US. In the coming weeks, the company plans to bring Muse Spark to more countries and places where people can access Meta AI, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. 

Additionally, Meta says it "hopes to open source future versions of the model." We'll see if the company ends up doing that; last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared to flip flop on the company's open source stance, saying it would need to be more "rigorous" about such decisions moving forward.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/metas-muse-spark-model-brings-reasoning-capabilities-to-the-meta-ai-app-161456684.html?src=rss

Greece will ban children under the age 15 from using social media starting next year. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the announcement in a video posted to TikTok, in which he referenced anxiety, sleep problems and addictive design features as reasons for the ban.

Greece has been proactive in its approach to tackling excessive screen time for children, having already banned mobile phones in schools in 2024. While the PM chose not to name any platforms, he said he was concerned about children comparing themselves to others on social media and taking online comments to heart.

"Greece will be ​among the first countries to take ​such an initiative," Mitsotakis said. "I am certain, ​however, that it will not be the last. Our ⁠goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well."

As reported by The New York Times, Greece’s digital governance minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, said that social media companies would be legally required to uphold the new restrictions by verifying the ages of their users. Failure to comply would lead to fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Parents would also need to download an app called Kids Wallet, backed by the state, that could be paired to their child’s device and block access. The finer details of how the ban would be enforced are still being worked out by decision-makers.

The PM conceded that he would likely incur the wrath of his country’s young children, but there’s widespread support for the plans from Greece’s adult population, according to an opinion poll published by ALCO in February. Greece follows in the footsteps of Indonesia, Austria and Australia, all of which have introduced similar bans of their own in the last year. The UK is also considering bringing in tighter restrictions on children under the age of 16 using social media.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/greece-will-ban-all-kids-under-15-from-using-social-media-154850415.html?src=rss

Nintendo Switch 2 owners will have to wait a bit longer to check out IO Interactive's stab at a James Bond game on the console. The Hitman developer has delayed that version of 007 First Light until later this summer. The game is still slated to hit PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 27, which itself is a delay from the previous March release date.

"We're excited to see players discovering James Bond's reimagined origin story," IOI wrote on X. "[We] are looking forward to bringing you the best game experience possible across all platforms."

Earlier this year, IOI suggested that PC players would need quite a beefy rig to meet the recommended specs for 007 First Light. A week later, the publisher updated the specs with more modest requirements and apologized after eagle-eyed observers spotted inconsistencies in the original version. IOI said the error was "due to an internal miscommunication leading to an older version of the specs to be shared." Meanwhile, Sony has announced a limited-edition 007 First Light DualSense controller.

Developers and publishers have had difficulty in porting certain games to the Switch 2, as Kotaku notes. Gearbox Entertainment delayed — and ultimately shelved — a version of Borderlands 4 for the system. The long-awaited Switch 2 port of Elden Ring was delayed until sometime this year after the game had severe performance issues in a public demo at Gamescom 2025. Reports suggest the game is in better shape on Switch 2 now, but there's no firm release date for that version as yet.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-nintendo-switch-2-version-of-007-first-light-is-delayed-until-later-this-summer-151524487.html?src=rss

The free No Man’s Sky updates are still flowing. With the latest one, dubbed Xeno Arena, Hello Games has added a completely original feature. Players have long been able to adopt wild animals as companions. But now these can be deployed in simulated, turn-based battles against rival teams. As you win more battles, you’ll increase your reputation and perhaps be invited to take on more difficult opponents. 

Among other things, the creatures can launch powerful attacks, use healing abilities, dodge incoming salvos, power up their own abilities and turn enemies into more vulnerable forms. They can earn experience that allows them to grow stronger and genetically mutate into new forms. An evolution, if you will. You can also modify the progeny of your squad, with their personalities and physical characteristics affecting how they fare in battle. 

There are eight affinities (some might call them "types") that the creatures belong to, including ones concerning fire, ice and radiation. A fire-based beast might fare well against an ice-based one, but struggle to be effective against radiation. So you’ll need to choose your creatures for each battle strategically. Gotta catch em’ all first, though!

This all seems really neat and such a novel concept. It would be quite a shocker if there were a brand-new game out today that also features turn-based creature battles. 

The No Man’s Sky battles take place on Holo-Arena tables that are found in a range of structures throughout the universe. The creatures look quite small on these tables, almost pocket-sized. 

Wait a second, pocket monsters? Now, there’s an idea…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/no-mans-sky-now-has-pokemon-style-creature-battles-142020310.html?src=rss

GoPro will cut 23 percent of its global workforce by the end of this year, as the action camera pioneer looks to reverse its fortunes in a competitive market.

145 employees will be laid off, with the restructuring process commencing in the second quarter of 2026, the San Mateo company said in a Form 8-K filing. At the end of the first quarter, GoPro’s total number of employees stood at 631, and it expects the cuts to cost it between $11.5 million and $15 million. These charges include honoring severance packages and healthcare benefits.

GoPro’s last reported round of layoffs took place in the second half of 2024. The company posted a year-end revenue decline in its 2025 financial results, including a loss of $9 million in its fourth quarter.

Despite the layoffs, GoPro is seemingly optimistic about 2026, banking on its AI-centric GP3 processor to spearhead a "new era of performance and innovation" for the company. The first GP3-powered GoPro cameras will launch in the coming months.

GoPro launched its first action camera in the early 2000s and enjoyed huge success with extreme sports enthusiasts. But it no longer has the market to itself, facing stiff competition from the likes of DJI, Insta360 and smartphone cameras in general.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/gopro-to-lay-off-over-20-percent-of-staff-by-the-end-of-2026-131918779.html?src=rss

I've played a couple of hours of Forza Horizon 6, and so far I've enjoyed it in much the same way as its predecessor: by exploring and taking in the sumptuous world Playground Games has crafted. The preview build I played on my Xbox Series X was limited in terms of available activities — it was basically the game's prologue — but I was able to explore almost all of the open world. 

The on-rails intro takes you through some of the Japanese countryside and past landmarks like Tokyo Tower and Shibuya Crossing on the way to a race through the streets of the country's largest city. Once that was out of the way and a springtime version of the map opened up, I set a marker for the mountains in the north. I wanted to check out an area I'd seen in a screenshot, a pass where you can drive through snowdrifts that are dozens of feet tall. 

Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios

My goal was simple: to bury my car into these snowdrifts, just to find out if it was possible. Sadly, the piles of snow were steadfast barriers. What a shame. 

The journey to the mountains took me through rainstorms and falling cherry blossom leaves, small towns and forests. The environments, vehicles and weather effects all look pretty and polished, as you'd expect from this series at this point. (For what it's worth, I normally opt for performance mode in modern console games, prioritizing higher framerates over visual fidelity. This Forza Horizon 6 preview was locked to the 30fps quality mode.)

In the prologue, there are activities to complete ahead of the Horizon Qualifier, a "wristband" event that gates story progress, and I checked a few of those out on my way up north. Trying to go as fast as you can through speed traps, drag meets, time trials and drift zones are enjoyable enough, but it's the races that are the bread and butter of this series. 

I entered a challenging cross-country race in a GMC Jimmy with a tall suspension. Not my smartest move. Still, I managed to pull out the victory after drifting my way across rice fields and beaches. I would have had an easier time if I'd chosen my car more carefully – there'll be hundreds available in the full game. 

Playground Games has built on the very welcome slate of accessibility features from Forza Horizon 5 as well. Having options like autosteering should help ensure a broader range of folks can play the latest game. 

Other than only having access to a limited number of activities, the only aspects of the open world that were blocked off were The Estate (i.e. your home base) and Legend Island, which sounds like an endgame region. I didn't tinker with my vehicles in the garage either. I did, however, stumble across an aftermarket sale, where I was able to buy a tuned-up car at a discount. That's one of several neat additions in Forza Horizon 6.

Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios

Though I'm not much of a car guy, I dug my time with the last two Forza Horizon games. I'm looking forward to playing through this one. More than anything, though, Forza Horizon 6 is nudging me toward taking the step of actually booking my second trip to Japan, which I've been thinking about taking later this year. As pretty as the game is shaping up to be, it can't beat the real deal.

If I do take that trip this summer, I won’t get to see the aforementioned giant snowbanks in person. That area of the map is based on a real place, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, where the snow walls can reach 65 feet in height. I wouldn't want to travel between snowbanks like that in real life anyway, so driving through the pass in the game was a worry-free way to have that experience. Thanks for that, Playground.

Forza Horizon 6 is coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Steam and Xbox Cloud on May 19. It'll be available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The game is set to hit PS5 at a later date.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/forza-horizon-6-gives-would-be-racers-another-gorgeous-open-world-to-explore-130000365.html?src=rss

A new company needs to make a strong first impression. For Fender Audio, a new outfit owned by the legendary Fender Musical Instruments Corporation but operated by Riffsound, that introduction comes in the form of two speakers and a set of headphones. The Elie 6 ($300) and Elie 12 ($400) are portable Bluetooth speakers with sophisticated designs and unique features, offering similar functionality in two different sizes. These devices are essentially speaker/amplifier hybrids, since they both have ¼-inch/XLR combo inputs among their connections. Despite the unique mix of connectivity, the speakers still need to sound good and work well to compete with the many excellent portable options available today. 

The good: Design, inputs and overall clarity

The first time I saw the Elie 6 and Elie 12 in person, my eyes were immediately drawn to the design. These certainly don’t look like your typical Bluetooth speakers. That’s due in large part to the refined, almost retro look that’s consistent across both models. The Elie duo are products you won’t mind showing off, while many portable speakers are too flashy or brightly colored to be kept in a prominent place. 

All of the onboard controls are clearly labeled physical buttons or dials, so you’re not left wondering how anything works. Around back, both the Elie 6 and Elie 12 have combo ¼-inch/XLR inputs (with 48V phantom power) as well as buttons for two wireless inputs and a 3.5mm line out. That combo jack means both speakers can double as amps, and the dual wireless connections allow you to sync microphones for karaoke sessions or hosting trivia night. This expanded functionality speaks to Fender’s history as a guitar icon, but it also gives the Elie speakers an upper hand over much of the competition at these sizes. Typically if you want these types of inputs, you’ll need to consider a much larger party box-style speaker to get them. 

Before I move on from the controls and inputs, I need to mention the dedicated three-way mode switch for single, stereo and multi-speaker uses. This is so much easier than what’s on most portable speakers, which usually entails some weird dance with Bluetooth pairing or an app to sync multiple units together. Enlisting a physical switch so you know exactly where things stand is a much better and faster experience. 

Some of the Elie 12's controls Billy Steele for Engadget

In terms of sound, the best thing the Elie 6 and Elie 12 speakers have going for them is their overall clarity. The crisp, clear quality gives these Fender Audio units an advantage over the competition at these sizes. Throughout a range of genres — including bluegrass, alt-rock and heavy metal — both the Elie 6 and Elie 12 handled the varied styles with ease. The Elie 12 has twice the speakers as the Elie 6 (two full range, two tweeters and two subwoofers) and double the power output at 120 watts. So, of course, there’s more volume and bassy oomph on the larger speaker. 

Both the Elie 6 and Elie 12 have a wider soundstage than many speakers of similar sizes. You can really hear this on American Football’s debut album, where the guitars ring clear, interlaced with drums while the vocals float on top. All of the elements stand on their own, but are seamlessly blended throughout every track. The Elie 12 features more bass and volume, but the overall sound quality, and importantly, clarity, is pretty similar for both speakers. I did notice more instrumental separation on the larger model though, so the album is a bit more immersive there.

The not so great: Controls, no app and battery life

While I appreciate the physical controls on the Elie 6 and Elie 12, the playback options are limited, which means you’ll be reaching for your phone often. There’s only a play/pause button on both speakers, and no controls for skipping tracks. And no, you can’t skip forwards or backwards with a double or triple press on the play/pause button. Plus, only the Elie 12 has bass and treble dials, so there’s currently no option for adjusting the sound on the Elie 6. 

That’s because Fender Audio is still working on an app for its speakers and headphones. The lack of customization was an issue for me on the Mix headphones, and it continues to be one here. Customers need access to features and settings on devices like this, even if a company decides to offer audio presets instead of a full EQ. Some type of visual interface would also help when you’re using a few of those inputs at once. A basic mult-channel mixer maybe? Hey, a boy can dream.

Going back to the controls, the volume dials on both speakers could use refining. First, a listenable volume doesn’t happen until halfway. Anything below that and that excellent clarity isn’t present, and you can’t really hear the content well at all. There’s plenty of power at 50 percent and above, so that’s not a concern, but the control needs to be recalibrated for more even increases. What’s more, adjustments are slightly delayed: when you turn the dial, it takes a second or two for the speaker to catch up. To me, it feels like that should be instantaneous. 

The input panel on the Elie 6 Billy Steele for Engadget

When it’s time to venture outdoors, both the Elie 6 and Elie 12 are IP54 rated for dust and water splashes. However, both speakers have a wood panel on top, which certainly won’t withstand much moisture. As such, I find the IP ratings confusing, since it’s obvious the entirety of the designs aren’t up to that task. If you’re careful about water though, both speakers have enough volume for open-air use. 

One other consideration for the Elie 6 and 12 is their weight. The smaller speaker weighs just over five pounds, while the larger model is a whopping 8.8 pounds. For comparison, the Sonos Play is just 2.87 pounds and JBL’s Xtreme 4 tips the scales at 4.63 pounds. This means the Elie 6 and 12 are portable options, but they aren’t the grab-and-go type of speakers some of the competition offers — especially when weight matters. 

Battery life is one other area the Elie 6 and Elie 12 fall behind some of their competition. The smaller Elie 6 offers 15 hours of use while the larger Elie 12 should last up to 18 hours. That sounds like more than enough since it's longer than a full day, right? Well, JBL Bluetooth speakers at comparable prices last 24 and 34 hours. The new Sonos Play is rated at 24 hours, and one of my personal favorites, the Bose SoundLink Max, lasts up to 20 hours. 

Wrap-up The Elie 6 (left) and Elie 12 (right) Billy Steele for Engadget

There’s no doubt Fender Audio built two versatile, great-looking speakers here. Both the Elie 6 and Elie 12 are capable devices, and you don’t have to sacrifice much if you opt for the smaller of the two. The unique collection of inputs is typically only available on much larger speakers and the overall sound quality is well-suited for a range of genres. 

Speakers like these really need an app though, especially when a company offers four inputs to juggle. I’m sure would-be customers would also like to dial in the EQ to their preferences, too. Sure, you can find longer battery life elsewhere, but the blend of design, sound and connectivity stands out at these prices. I’d call that a solid first impression.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/fender-elie-review-handsome-speakeramp-hybrids-with-excellent-clarity-123000448.html?src=rss

If you’re using an older Kindle, you may want to check what year it was released. Amazon has sent out emails to some of its users, with a warning that it’s discontinuing support for Kindle ereaders and Fire tables released in 2012 or earlier. You can still read books you’ve already downloaded on those devices, but you’ll no longer be able to purchase, borrow or download new ones, starting on May 20, 2026. In addition, if the device has an issue that can only be solved by a factory reset, doing so will brick it. Deregestering it will also render it unusable. On Kindle Fire devices, users won’t be able to purchase or download content anymore, but other services would remain functional.

The affected models include the very first Kindle, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4, Kindle Touch, Kindle 5 and the first version of Kindle Paperwhite. We’ve asked Amazon why it decided to cut off support for those models, and the company told us: “These models have been supported for at least 14 years — some as long as 18 years — but technology has come a long way in that time…”

Amazon also told Engadget that this only affects approximately 3 percent of its current users, whom it’s now urging to upgrade. In its email, it gives them a promo code for 20 percent off select Kindle devices, as well as ebook credits if they purchase a new model by June 20. “Our newer Kindle devices bring meaningful improvements in screen quality, performance and accessibility — and you'll have access to your complete Kindle library and the Kindle Store,” the company wrote.

Update 04/08/26 8:23AM ET: Added information we received from Amazon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/amazon-is-cutting-off-support-for-older-kindles-115653205.html?src=rss

Insta360, the company best known for its action cameras, just released the Snap selfie screen. It's a small display that connects via USB-C and sits on the back of your phone, helping you to use your rear camera for higher resolution vlogging or selfies.

The 3.5-inch touchscreen allows you to adjust camera settings like zoom and focus and frame your selfies before you take them. The company has also released a model it co-developed with the beauty tech brand AMIRO that offers a built-in light with multiple color temperatures and brightness levels. The standard Snap costs $79.99, while the version with the light runs $89.99.

If you search "selfie screen" on Amazon, you'll see that this isn't a brand-new product space, but you'll also find that the most popular results are wireless screens. Insta360 claims that its USB-C-connected solution offers a more stable and lower latency feed.

The Snap is 6.8mm thick, a hair thinner than an iPhone 17, and attaches magnetically to the back of MagSafe-compatible iPhones. Insta360 says there is an included magnetic ring for other devices and that Snap supports Android phones that offer DisplayPort Alt Mode, a screen-mirroring function. Insta360 says Snap is compatible with all the major third-party camera and social media apps to make capturing and posting easier.

Phones like the iPhone 17 and Galaxy S25 feature rear cameras that offer roughly three to five times the resolution of their front cameras, or in the case of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, about 16 times as much. So, unless smartphone manufacturers start investing more heavily in front-facing cameras, Snap could find a market among creators and social media aficionados.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/insta360-releases-usb-c-selfie-screen-its-calling-snap-120001741.html?src=rss

If you live in Los Angeles, you may soon be able to hail a Volkswagen ID. Buzz robotaxi from the Uber app. The companies' previously announced "multi-year strategic partnership" is nearing a public launch, with on-road testing with a safety driver underway.

The vehicles use tech from MOIA America, the US wing of Volkswagen's self-driving subsidiary. Uber and MOIA plan to deploy thousands of ID. Buzz vehicles across the US over the next decade. LA is the pilot city, and if all goes well, it will spread to "multiple US markets." The companies say they're still on track for rides (with safety drivers) in LA in late 2026.

Uber / MOIA

The ID. Buzz is Volkswagen's modern take on the automaker's classic "hippie van" microbus. The head-turning EV has minivan-style sliding doors and seats up to seven people, making it a logical fit for larger groups hailing an Uber. The vehicle has a per-charge range of up to 234 miles.

After selling its in-house self-driving unit in 2020, Uber pivoted to a new strategy of partnering with multiple AV companies. It currently offers autonomous rides in the US with Waymo (Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta) and Avride (Dallas). Overseas, it has live service with WeRide in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Uber has a long list of other partners lined up for future services, including (among others) Rivian, NVIDIA and Zoox, the latter of which also plans to debut van rides in LA within the next year.

Correction, April 8 2026, 8:50AM ET: A previous version stated that driverless rides would be available in 2026; AVs are planned to be on LA streets in 2026, but with human safety drivers. Engadget regrets the error.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/uber-begins-testing-its-volkswagen-id-buzz-robotaxi-fleet-in-la-120000762.html?src=rss

Meta has released a new version of WhatsApp for CarPlay that has much better integration that its previous version. As MacRumors and 9to5Mac report, the new app gives users access to a native interface. The old WhatsApp for CarPlay is mostly limited to Siri-operated features. Users can, for instance, ask Siri to compose messages or place calls for them. The new interface has a contact info section, where they can see the profiles of people saved in their account, as well as a favorite contacts section that makes it easy to find users they usually message or call.

Users can also find a list of their recent chats and call history within the app. Plus, they’ll see new shortcut buttons for sending messages via dictation or for placing a call, in case they don’t want or can’t give verbal Siri commands. Meta has been beta testing the new app since at least last week. Now that it’s available, users can have access to all the features we’ve listed by updating their iOS app and connecting to their infotainment systems. OpenAI also recently rolled out ChatGPT's Voice mode to CarPlay, allowing drivers to hold a conversation with the chatbot while on the road.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/whatsapp-adds-a-better-native-interface-for-carplay-112127361.html?src=rss

This year at CES 2026 everybody was pretty confused about the new "Micro RGB" and "RGB Mini LED" TVs that use similar technology but carry different names. Now, Sony has come up with another label for its own Mini LED TVs with RGB backlighting: True RGB. The idea is to emphasize that the individual red, green and blue LED backlights allow for "purer color, greater brightness, and the largest color volume ever achieved in Sony’s home TV history," the company said. 

To be clear, this is not some new technology that Sony just came up with — it's the same Micro RGB tech we saw earlier this year from Samsung, LG, HiSense and others. These TVs use pure red, green and blue LED backlights along with an LCD layer (rather than solid blue LEDs and quantum dots like Mini LED TVs) to produce the final picture. This display tech is supposed to deliver better color accuracy and more brightness than regular Mini LED TVs. (It's not the same as OLED tech, in which each pixel acts as a light source.) 

Sony's True RGB backlight tech (right) compared to current Mini LED TVsSony

However, Sony says that the way it processes the image makes its True RGB TVs stand out from rivals. To control the LEDs more precisely, it borrowed algorithms from its wildly expensive professional reference monitors. That supposedly allows for more precise color control and higher brightness that allow movies and series to look more like the creators intended. It also reduces the "blooming" that occurs when light leaks into neighboring pixels, while improving color accuracy when viewing the TVs from an angle. 

Every TV maker claims to have the best technology, but Sony has a lot of credibility due to its history with cinema cameras, Hollywood productions and reference monitors. We'll have to wait until spring this year to see the new Bravia True RGB TVs for ourselves, but prior to that, the company has promised to release "additional details" about them in the near future.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sony-teases-its-next-gen-true-rgb-mini-led-tv-technology-064732375.html?src=rss