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With the arrival of the Pixel 10, the spotlight is on the cameras that Google's phones are known for. Compared to the Pixel 9's dramatic camera bump, however, this year's improvements are mainly iterative. The base model got the biggest hardware update with the addition of a third camera. Otherwise, Google focused mainly on AI processing this time, particularly with a new feature designed to help users improve their photos and a Gemini AI addition that lets you edit photos using only your voice.

For better or worse, a lot of Google's camera enhancements are on the AI side. A key new update is the Gemini AI-powered Camera Coach that aims to help users with photo composition. When enabled, it can read the scene and offer advice for the angle and lighting and even suggest the best mode (Portrait, Night Sight, etc.). Another new AI mode called Auto Best Take finds and combines similar photos into one so everyone in a group shot looks their best. And Google updated the "Add Me" feature from last year so you can include the photographer in even bigger groups.

Google

Google is also using AI to make it easier to edit Pixel 10 images The editor inside Google Photos now provides AI-powered suggestions that combine multiple effects for quick edits, even if you know nothing about photo touchups. Simply ask for a specific edit like "remove the cars in the background" or "restore this old photo." The AI will understand the change you're trying to make and use all the tools available to automatically do so. You can then add follow-up instructions for further improvements. Finally, all Pixel 10 models have an updated Portrait mode that offers "improved segmentation, detail, sharpness, and texture," so that photos shot in that mode look less, well, AI generated. 

The base Pixel devices have played second fiddle to the Pro models in the past. However, the Pixel 10 now has a triple-camera system just like the other models, thanks to the addition of a 10.8MP 5x telephoto lens. That boosts the maximum digital Super Res Zoom up to 20x, double that of the Pixel 9. It's worth noting that a 5x optical zoom is rare on a base model camera — the Galaxy S25 has just a 3x lens, for instance. 

The other two are a 48MP wide (main) camera with macro focus, compared to a 50MP version before, along with a 13MP ultra-wide. Unfortunately, the latter is a downgrade in terms of resolution from the 48MP ultra-wide shooter on the previous model. Google is promising optical quality at 0.6x, 1x, 5x and 10x zoom levels. The 10.5MP ultra-wide selfie camera with a 95-degree field of view is the same mediocre one as before, though. 

Google

Hardware-wise, the triple-camera systems on the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL models are unchanged in terms of resolution. Both have 50MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide with macro focus and 48MP 5x telephoto lenses, along with 42MP ultra-wide selfie cameras as before. One new feature on both models is the "Pro Res Zoom" optimized for the Tensor G5 chip that goes up to 100x, compared to 20x on the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL. Since that zoom is digitally enhanced, however, you may see some wonky artifacts. 

One other change is double the stabilization on the wide camera that's supposed to provide more cinematic footage, according to Google. Not much has changed on the video side, with 8K available on the Pro models only via the Video Boost feature that digitally upscales footage from 4K. 

Finally, the Pixel 10 Fold has a similar setup to the Pixel 10, with a 48MP wide camera, 10.5MP ultra-wide camera and 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. The front and inner cameras are both 10MP f/2.2 models.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Pixel 10 devices will also be the first to implement C2PA content credentials within the native camera app, whether they were created with or without AI. As a reminder, C2PA (Content Provenance and Authenticity) is a standard being used by Meta, Google and others to detect and label changes made by AI. Another key AI accessibility feature called Guided Frame describes what the camera is seeing for blind and low vision users. 

Finally, it's worth calling out the new Actua 360 display available on all models, particularly the 50 percent extra brightness (up to 3,000 nits peak). That makes photography easier on sunny days as you can better see details in your composition. 

In sum, it's good to see the Pixel 10 getting some love on the photo side with a triple camera system that matches or beats its competition. The Pixel 10 Pro models are mostly unchanged, however, removing some incentive to upgrade rom the Pixel 9 Pro — though the new AI features look more promising than usual. In any case, you'll get the full picture of the Pixel 10 lineup's cameras with Engadget's upcoming reviews. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/googles-pixel-10-camera-coach-uses-ai-to-help-you-take-the-best-photos-160032157.html?src=rss

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was a revelation. Not only did Google switch to a simpler design while adding a larger main display, the company caught up to Samsung's long-running foldable line in just two generations. However, for its third go — the Pixel 10 Pro Fold — Google is opting for a different strategy than we’ve seen recently on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Instead of focusing on thinness, Google may have just created the most rugged foldable on the market. That’s due in large part to the phone’s new IP68 rating. Now I will admit that certification might not sound like a huge deal because non-flexy flagships have had this kind of durability for years. But this is the first time any foldable has put both top-tier dust and water resistance together in one device. And when you consider that these kinds of gadgets are generally a bit more fragile than their glass-brick counterparts, that means something.

Furthermore, Google says the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s (P10PF from here on out) 8-inch Super Actua Flex display features a new titanium backplate that adds extra rigidity while a more robust layer of ultra-thin glass provides increased scratch resistance. On the outside, Google went with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 in front and back while installing a new gearless hinge the company claims is designed to handle more than 10 years of bending. Then to top things off, Google equipped the P10PF with a larger 5,015mAh battery, which is a significant jump up from the 4,650mAh cell in its predecessor.

Even with all these improvements, the P10PF’s overall dimensions are almost exactly the same as the previous model. Between its weight (9.1 ounces) and thickness (10.8mm folded) though, Google’s foldable is still rather chunky compared Samsung’s newly streamlined Z Fold 7 (8.9mm and 7.5 ounces). Following the major redesign we got last year on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, getting another all-new, super sleek chassis for the P10PF probably wasn’t going to happen. But given the increased durability on this year’s phone, I’m willing to give Google another 12 months to combine this newfound ruggedness with a thinner design. I just hope its engineers don’t get complacent and push things out further than that.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

On the inside, the P10PF also boasts upgraded specs and performance with its Tensor G5 chip leading the way. According to Google, its CPU features 34 percent better performance while its TPU fares even better with a 60 percent jump over what we got from the Tensor G4. And just like the rest of the Pixel 10 family, the P10PF supports Google’s Pixelsnap magnetic charging ecosystem, which is fully compatible with the Qi2 protocol. So not only is the Pixel 10 line the first batch of phones from a major Android OEM to support Qi2, the P10PF is also the first foldable phone with this industry standard. Wired charging speeds have increased slightly to 30 watts, but unfortunately wireless charging is staying pat at 15W. Base memory is also staying the same at 16GB of RAM, though there is a wider range of storage options from 256GB to 1TB.

Some other small details I appreciate are the P10PF’s slimmer bezels around the outside of its exterior display. It makes the curved corner in the top left look a lot less awkward and it allowed Google to increase its overall size a touch to 6.4 inches across (up from 6.3). On top of that, both of its displays are brighter too, topping out at 3,000 nits (up from 2,700 nits).

Aside from updated software and AI tools like Magic Cue and the Daily Hub, all of which will be available across the Pixel 10 family, the P10PF is getting two notable foldable-specific upgrades. The first is enhanced drag and drop support that works in tandem with expanded split screen functionality to improve multitasking and moving files between apps. That said, as I was using demo devices that were essentially fresh out of the box, it was difficult to tell how much of an impact this may have on everyday use. The other addition is a new dual-pane layout for the P10PF’s camera app, which takes better advantage of the extra screen space you have when the phone is unfolded. This allows you to see new photos as soon as you snap them on the left while the viewfinder stays open on the right.

The biggest potential shortcoming of the P10PF is that its camera hardware is largely staying the same. Granted, that's not a huge deal because the previous model had the best photo quality of any foldable phone. But sadly, because the P10PF doesn't have the same sensors as the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL, this means the P10PF also won’t have access to Google’s AI-powered 100x Pro Res Zoom or the ability to capture portrait shots in full resolution. Unfortunately, when I asked if these features would be ported to the P10PF in the future, a Google rep told me there are currently no concrete plans to do so.

Here's how last year's Pixel 9 Pro Fold (left) compares in size to the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold (right). Sam Rutherford for Engadget

In a lot of ways, it feels like Google is doing almost everything it can to improve the Pixel 10 Pro Fold without completely redesigning it with a thinner chassis. So if you’re the type of person who can handle a little extra junk in the trunk, there’s a lot to like about a foldable phone that comes with more robust durability.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold starts at $1,799 and is available for pre-order today in two colors: jade and moonstone. However, there will be a bit of delay until it actually arrives as official sales aren’t slated to start until October 9.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/pixel-10-pro-fold-hands-on-forget-thinness-google-is-going-hard-on-durability-160018609.html?src=rss

Most people don’t think of Google when they think about smartwatch makers, but the latest Pixel Watch might change that. A surprising number of updates are coming to the Pixel Watch 4, and I was impressed by how these changes add up to make it less of an iterative update than I initially expected.

Of all its new features, I found the Pixel Watch 4’s satellite communications capability, repairable design and improved charging speeds most compelling. Other changes, like the brighter, curved display, dual-chip architecture, upgraded haptics engine and speaker as well as Wear OS 6 and other software features are less exciting, but will matter more to the day-to-day experience. The redesigned Fitbit app, which will have a new AI experience at its core, will also impact your daily use more. 

At first glance and from a recent hands-on, I’m intrigued by the Pixel Watch 4 and how the individual improvements might add up to a more meaningful overall experience.

Satellite connectivity for emergency communications on a smartwatch

I want to jump right into the new feature I’m most interested in: emergency satellite communications. Google says the Pixel Watch 4 is the first standalone commercial smartwatch to support this feature, and that probably largely has to do with the chip that powers it.

The Snapdragon Wear 5 Gen 2, which Qualcomm announced today along with the Wear 5+ Gen 2, is the first wearable processor to offer satellite support, according to the company. It’ll use Skylo’s Narrowband Non-Terrestrial Network (NB-NTN) and allow for “two-way emergency messaging directly from the wearable device.” It’s worth noting that this will only work on LTE models and in the contiguous United States, though.

In a recorded demo of the feature at a hands-on event, I saw what it would look like on a Pixel Watch 4 when you try to connect to a satellite to send a message. Now, to be extremely clear, this was a pre-recorded video that played on loop on the device. All I did was hit play and watch. Still, it was nice to get an idea of what the process would require. It looked like you’d need to follow onscreen instructions to move your wrist around while the system searched for an available satellite to connect to. It was reminiscent of existing versions on phones. Whether it’s ultimately reliable or effective is something I can’t say until I get to actually test it.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget Improved charging dock and faster recharging

In contrast, I did get to see for myself just how quickly the Pixel Watch 4 recharges. On paper, the company says the new watch can go from 0 to 50 percent charged in 15 minutes or less. I sat next to a Pixel Watch 4 for ten minutes as it sat on a charging dock, and saw it go from 70 percent to 90 percent in that time. That’s impressive, and though that math doesn’t appear to match what the company promised, there’s a fairly straightforward reason.

A Google representative told me that past 80 percent, the charging changes from CC (constant current) to CV (constant voltage). Without getting too much into the technicalities of what’s happening, basically when CV kicks in, charging speeds slow down. This is a fairly standard battery optimization measure for most modern devices.

If the Pixel Watch 4 were starting off closer to 0 percent, it’s possible that it would have recharged to 50 percent in 15 minutes, but I don’t know for certain. I’m also not sure whether the fact that the demo unit was connected to a portable battery instead of a wall socket made any difference in this case. I am, however, glad to see that it was able to get 20 percent of juice in just 10 minutes — just about the time it takes for me to get ready for the gym every morning.

Google also redesigned the charging dock. Instead of a puck that sits under the watch (like you’ll find on almost all smartwatches today), the Pixel Watch 4 has a cradle that it can sit sideways in. The charger itself has a smaller footprint: instead of a round disc, it’s a rectangular dock about the size of a double A battery, with a groove in it to accommodate the watch. You can place the Pixel Watch 4 in there, knob side up with the screen facing either direction. When it’s connected, the watch will show the time and charge level and I could see that information from about six feet away. It’s basically the iPhone’s Standby mode but for a watch that’s propped up on its side.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

I’m not sure how much easier it is to drop a watch sideways into a cradle as opposed to straight onto a disc, but I do think having the charge level be viewable from a distance is helpful. I’m also glad that Google spent time thinking about faster charging and making the device last longer, since those were complaints we had with previous models. To be specific, the company says the new smartwatch lasts 25 percent longer than its predecessor, thanks to a dual-chip architecture and efficiencies via Wear OS 6.

New curved, brighter display

Google says the Pixel Watch 4 has all new hardware on both the inside and out. In fact, it went as far as to say it completely redesigned the Pixel Watch and that this is the biggest update to the device yet. One of the most visible changes is the display. Not only is it 50 percent brighter than the one on the Pixel Watch 3, but the screen itself is domed this time, not just the glass at the top.

I didn't really see a difference at first, but when looking a Pixel Watch 4 and 3 side-by-side, the new model was noticeably brighter, and watch faces seemed to stretch a bit closer to the edge of the case. Since the interface uses a black background, though, it was hard to tell whether the bezel was thinner.

There are quite a few new features that I didn’t get to test, which I’ve collected in a list at the bottom of this article. For now, it’s probably more relevant to talk about things like Gemini on Wear OS 6, Raise to talk (to the assistant), the redesigned Fitbit app and the AI-powered updates.

Raise to talk to Gemini and AI-generated message replies

The Pixel Watch 4 isn’t the first watch to launch with Google’s latest wearable platform (that honor belongs to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 series). But it does have an exclusive feature to make interacting with Gemini a bit easier: Raise to talk. Unlike on the Samsung wearable, where you have to verbally invoke the assistant or long press the knob on the side, on the Pixel Watch 4 you can bring your wrist to your face and Gemini will be ready for your requests.

When it recognizes the gesture, the Pixel Watch 4 will show a small animated icon at the bottom of its screen to indicate it’s listening. But on my repeated attempts to trigger it, the system only registered that I had brought my wrist up about half of the time. Granted, I was using a watch that belonged to a Google representative and was a bit loose on my wrist, so the accuracy might improve with a better fit.

I did notice other Google executives perform very deliberate movements to get the watch to listen and even then it seemed like Raise To Talk required multiple attempts to work. This is something I will have to wait till I get a unit in the real world to evaluate the efficacy of, but for now I am intrigued by the potential convenience but skeptical of the actual performance.

Senior director of product management for Google Wearables Sandeep Waraich later explained that the system is currently tuned to recognize more deliberate movements as a way to avoid false positives. Waraich said that over time, and possibly by the time the Watch 4 is on shelves in October, the motion required to trigger Raise To Talk should require less exaggeration.

When I did get Gemini to hear me, it responded fairly quickly to my question about activities to do in New York on a hot summer day. Again, I’d need more time with the device to judge how useful this would be in the real world.

There was another feature that had much more potential to be helpful though: AI-generated quick replies to messages. I only saw a quick demo on a Google rep’s watch, but in response to a message saying “How’d the basketball game go?” the system suggested responses of “We won,” “We lost, but it was fun” and “It was great” with a basketball emoji. That’s much better than the canned prompts from before that were more likely to be “Yes,” “No,” “Call me later” or some other generic variant. It did take a second for them to load, though.

A Google spokesperson at the event told us that this is possibly the first time an on-device language model has been deployed on a smartwatch, which might be noteworthy but it’s not anything that will materially impact the experience.

I will say that while I didn’t get to dive too deeply into the rest of Wear OS 6 with Material 3 Expressive on the Pixel Watch 4, we do already have a review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 up and in it we cover some of the changes to the platform. On Google’s smartwatches, I liked how the new software made better use of space in things like the Weather and Search cards, with an improved balance between putting more information within one page while still retaining a generous size for buttons and text.

Cherlynn Low for Engadget A closer look at the redesigned Fitbit app

One of the places any Pixel Watch owner will be spending much of their time is the Fitbit app, where their collected health and fitness data will be presented. I spent some time with a preview version of the redesigned app, which will be available in October to Premium users in the US. Aesthetically, the app looks quite different, with a customizable dashboard of stats at the top of the main page (aka the Today tab). At the bottom are new tabs “Today,” “Fitness,” “Sleep” and “Health.”

Though the font feels more reminiscent of recent Android and Material designs, existing Fitbit users will find the color scheme familiar. Purple is still what your sleep progress bar’s color is, while your steps are still shown in a teal bar. But below all those visual representations of data is a card with a prompt to chat with the new AI Coach, followed by what Google calls a “stream,” and a floating blue “Ask Coach” button at the bottom right.

The stream is separated into Upcoming and “Your day so far” sections, with the latter populated by cards summarizing your progress on areas like sleep and fitness. In a small demo, Google's director of product management for Fitbit and Health Andy Abramson walked us through the new product. He showed us his app, where a card titled “Less sleep than usual last night” said he had about 4 hours and 28 minutes of estimated sleep. It summarized the amount of time awake and interruptions during that period, and then asked “Given the shorter duration, how are you feeling energetically this morning?” A card further down, titled “Your body is well-balanced today” and tagged “Readiness,” talked about Abramson’s readiness score, what it means and showed a chart on his performance this week.

You can choose to continue conversations by tapping into each card, or simply ignore them and continue scrolling down the stream. Tapping through the tabs at the bottom brings you into similarly laid out pages with information specific to your activity, sleep and vitals (as measured by the wearable). That last one will show your heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen and other stats, followed by sections called “Health areas,” “Detection and self screening” and “Personal info.”

This presents a combination of information your fitness tracker collects, as well as data you enter. This all feeds into the new AI Coach, which will be a paid Fitbit Premium feature, that is meant to be your Gemini-powered “personal health coach.” It’s still a fairly new tool that’s going to be in limited preview as Google continues to assess its efficacy and evaluate necessary tweaks and guardrails, but at least it seems like the company is well aware of the potential pitfalls it might encounter in the development of any AI tool for health.

In a press release announcing the new personal health coach and the Fitbit redesign, Google said “We’re committed to building our personal health coach with leading industry experts and through scientific research.” To that end, it’s partnering with Stephen Curry “and his performance team” and “also working closely with our Consumer Health Advisory Panel, a diverse group of leading experts in medicine, AI and behavioral science.”

I remain skeptical of AI’s trustworthiness in general, but if there’s one thing Google and Fitbit have it’s an abundance of data from the years of experience they have in collecting health data from wearables. AI seems like a suitable method to make sense of the madness, as long as it’s done mindfully. And it does seem like the Pixel Watch and Fitbit teams are thinking carefully about their approach. I will need to wait till I get to use the new app and AI Coach on my own to see how personalized and useful it is, of course.

Repairability plus a list of other updates coming to the Pixel Watch 4

There were quite a few other updates I didn’t get to test during my time with the Pixel Watch 4, including the AI-powered activity recognition system, improved sleep-tracking and overnight skin temperature-sensing, as well as the accuracy of the new dual-frequency GPS. I didn’t get to check out the feature that streams your bike workout stats to your phone in real time so you can see the details more easily when your device is mounted to your handlebar.

I also didn’t go about measuring if the Watch 4’s vibrations were indeed 15 percent stronger than its predecessor’s, and I wasn’t able to verify if the speakers were clearer than before, either.

In addition, I can’t vouch for the durability of the Pixel Watch 4, which is rated IP68 for dust- and water-resistance and has a custom Gorilla Glass covering and aluminum housing. I doubt I will be putting those ruggedness claims to the test, but it’s heartening to know there is a respectable level of protection here.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The good news is, even if you do manage to break the screen somehow, you won’t need to buy a new Pixel Watch 4. It has a repairable design that allows you to remove the display and battery in case those parts need to be replaced. Again, I didn’t break out my screwdriver and fix a Pixel Watch 4, but I did scrutinize the (very small) screws along the case in the groove where the straps attach to the device. Theoretically, though, I applaud the notion of repairable devices and am pleased to see Google take this approach.

The Pixel Watch 4’s pricing, availability and value

One more thing that’s laudable: The Pixel Watch 4’s price remains unchanged from the Pixel Watch 3. It starts at $349 for the 41mm Wi-Fi model, and you can get the larger size or LTE-connected variants for more money. The smartwatch is available for pre-order today, though it’ll only start shipping and be in stores on October 9.

While I continue to recommend you wait till we can publish a full review before investing your hard-earned money on any device, I do think the list of improvements Google is bringing to the Pixel Watch series is a long, thoughtful and meaningful one. For a smartwatch that has faced its fair share of challenges across the generations, the Pixel Watch 4 finally feels like it’s both maturing and carving out a space for itself.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/pixel-watch-4-hands-on-a-long-thoughtful-list-of-improvements-160015292.html?src=rss

Amazon could finally be ditching its proprietary software on Fire tablets, according to a report by Reuters. The company is reportedly prepping a higher-end tablet that'll run on Android. This device could come next year and will reportedly cost around $400.

Amazon's Fire tablet software is itself a heavily modified version of Android, but the upcoming tablet will reportedly use the actual OS. This is great news for those who want easy integration with other Android devices.

It's also great news for app developers. The primary downside of Fire OS is that it mandates the use of its own app store. The custom nature of the OS requires developers to make separate versions of apps for Amazon tablets. This has severely limited the store's variety, especially when compared to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

The downside to all of this is likely the aforementioned $400 price tag. Fire tablets are known for being inexpensive. The Fire Tablet 7 costs $60 and sales can bring that down even further. The company's most expensive tablet is currently the Fire Max 11, which costs $230.

Amazon has declined to comment on the matter and we don't have any information regarding specs of the upcoming tablet. Hopefully the price increase translates to much better internals.

This isn't the first time the company has given up on a product that used a proprietary operating system. The Fire Phone was released back in 2014 but failed to win over consumers. Amazon stopped selling the device in 2015.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/amazon-may-abandon-its-fire-tablet-software-153454805.html?src=rss

Sony held out longer than Microsoft and Nintendo, but it too is increasing the prices of PlayStation consoles in the US starting on August 21. The standard PS5 (the one with with a disc drive) will now run you $550, up from $500. The Digital Edition is $500, up from $450. The PS5 Pro, meanwhile, will require you to fork over a whopping $750. That’s up from an already-eyewatering $700. In other words, each console got a $50 price bump.

Sony says it’s rolling out the price increases due to (you guessed it) market uncertainty. "Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment," it said in a blog post. "As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the US starting on August 21."

The silver lining to this is that Sony isn't increasing the prices of accessories for the time being. "We have no other price changes to announce for additional markets," the company added.

The company bumped up PS5 prices in the UK, Europe and Australia in April. It increased PS Plus prices in several markets that same month. So, it seemed the US was unlikely to be spared price hikes for much longer.

Normally by this point in a console’s lifecycle, we would have seen a price cut. But nope, nearly five years into this generation and those who haven’t snapped up a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S now face the prospect of having to shell out more money for the consoles. The same goes for the Nintendo Switch, but at this point you'd likely be better off with a Switch 2, which costs just $60 more.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-raises-ps5-console-prices-in-the-us-153429564.html?src=rss

8BitDo is predominantly known for its excellent gamepads of all shapes and sizes, but it makes other accessories too, including a charging dock for the Xbox Wireless Controller that is currently 20 percent off. Right now you can grab the officially licensed dock for $20, down from its regular price of $25.

8BitDo’s charging dock is compatible with the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One variants of the Xbox Wireless Controller and uses magnetic contact charging to juice up your pad. It comes with a 1,100mAh battery pack and a battery door for each version of Microsoft's controller. Note that you get a USB-C cable included, but not a power adapter.

Charging time is around three hours, and a light indicator tells you the status of your pad’s battery: It’s amber while charging, and white when the controller is fully charged.

The Xbox Wireless Controller is one of the few modern pads that still ships with AA batteries out of the box. While they tend to last for a while, you’ll likely want to upgrade to a rechargeable alternative eventually, and 8BitDo’s currently discounted accessory ensures you’ll never have a flat controller again.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/8bitdos-charging-dock-for-xbox-controllers-costs-just-20-right-now-143055632.html?src=rss

Google has announced a multi-year partnership with Steph Curry today prior to its Made by Google event, and as part of that team-up, it says the NBA superstar will use AI from Google Cloud to improve his performance on the court. Yep, the company is claiming that Google Cloud AI can help the four-time NBA champ, two-time MVP and two-time scoring champion get even better at basketball. According to the company, AI insights can analyze his shot quality as well as sharpen his workout plans. Google's AI Basketball Coach experience, its AI experiment that turns Gemini into a jump shot coach with help from Pixel cameras, will also analyze his form and give him visual feedback. 

The basketball icon already tried out AI Basketball Coach during Curry Camp, his three-day basketball camp where he mentors 30 student athletes from across the US. "Through interactive demos and challenges, the next generation of athletes learned how our technology can help them elevate their game," Google said.

Curry's partnership with Google goes beyond using AI to make him even better at his sport, though. Google is officially calling him a "Performance Advisor," and he and his team will actively work with the company's health experts and product and AI engineers to help shape the future of Google Health and upcoming Fitbit models. The athlete's team will be testing Google's personal health coach and giving the company feedback on how to improve its ability to create tailored advice for each individual. They will be using Pixel phones, watches and buds, as well. Their input, Google said, will be used to "fine-tune products, train algorithms and design future product experiences."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-says-steph-curry-will-use-its-ai-to-get-better-at-basketball-141532440.html?src=rss

The COSORI 9-in-1 air fryer is on sale for $90, cutting 25 percent off the retail price. Whether you've stumbled upon air fryers for health reasons, convenience or you're already a card-carrying member of the air fryer clan, a sale is a great time to pick one up.

We selected the COSORI as the runner-up for best air fryer overall, and were impressed with its six-quart capacity despite its relatively small footprint on the kitchen counter. Our reviewers found the basket was super roomy enough to fit quite a few chicken wings and a whole block of tofu without too much crowding.

With nine different preset cooking modes to work with, the COSORI is a true workhorse. It has a preheat mode for starting a cook at a precise temperature, a proof option for home bakers, a dedicated frozen setting and more, including standard broil, bake and roast modes.

The COSORI has some creature comforts that we really appreciated too, like an easy-to-use touchscreen, a basket release button and an auto-pause feature that turns off the cooking element when you release the basket.

The air fryer craze doesn’t look to die down any time soon, and if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon, now might be the right time to do so.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-air-fryers-is-on-sale-for-90-140000065.html?src=rss

Xbox gamers will have a new option for taking their library on the go this fall. During Gamescom 2025, ASUS revealed that the Xbox Ally handheld consoles will be on store shelves on October 16. We heard a thorough explanation of the specs and availability for the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X this summer, but the arrival date is the only new info to come from the major gaming event in Cologne.

There's still no price available for these handhelds, but we expect to receive that critical detail along with pre-order information some time in the coming weeks. For comparison, the 2024 ROG Ally X costs $800 while the simpler ROG Ally Gaming Console from 2023 costs $500. So if we were hazarding guesses, the ROG Xbox Ally might come in at a price tag around $650, while the spiffier ROG Xbox Ally X could be more in the ballpark of $900. 

The Official Xbox Podcast also included a segment about the upcoming handhelds, with a pair of Xbox execs talking about the devices and their experiences using them for titles like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Balatro. The chatter is unsurprisingly very positive about the hardware, but it might have enough tidbits to hold you over if you're super amped about getting your own hands on an Xbox Ally this fall.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-ally-handhelds-will-be-available-october-16-but-we-still-dont-know-the-price-134015698.html?src=rss

Last year, the most powerful geomagnetic storm in 20 years hit Earth. It produced stunning aurora displays in parts of the US that are normally too far south to see them. Normally, such storms are a headache for energy providers. In 1989, for example, the Canadian province of Québec suffered a nine-hour blackout following a series of plasma ejections from the Sun. This time around, power companies were better prepared, and in the US and Canada, there weren't significant service disruptions.

The episode highlighted the value of proper preparation against geomagnetic storms, and for the past couple of years, NASA and IBM have been working to give the scientific community and others a better way to predict solar weather. Today, they're releasing the result of their work, an open-source foundation model called Surya.

Named after the Sanskrit word for the Sun, Juan Bernabe-Moreno, director of IBM Research Europe, UK and Ireland, describes the system as an "AI telescope for the Sun." IBM trained the model on nine years of high-resolution images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), a satellite NASA has been using to study the Sun since 2010.

IBM

Effectively, Surya applies machine learning to solar image interpretation and forecasting, and the results are promising. In early testing, Bernabe-Moreno says IBM found the model was 16 percent more accurate at answering the question "will there be a solar flare in the next 24 hours?" than past systems. Additionally, the model can generate visual predictions of what the SDO might see ahead of time. So far, using data from the most recently completed solar cycle, IBM has found Surya can accurately predict what the sun will look like two hours ahead of time. "We’re exploring the accuracy of even longer lead time predictions," Bernabe-Moreno told me.

Two hours might not seem like a lot, but according to Bernabe-Moreno, who previously worked at one of Europe's largest energy companies, it could be a game changer for infrastructure providers, which have spent the last few decades building more responsive power grids. Moreover, Surya is a 366 million parameter model, meaning it's light enough to run on less powerful hardware.

The irony of today's announcement is that it demonstrates the value of NASA's science team exactly at a time when its very existence is threatened. If you haven't been following what's been going on at the agency, President Trump plans to cut NASA's science budget by nearly half. The Solar Dynamics Observatory would be among the missions affected by the proposed cuts. It won't be cancelled like New Horizons and OSIRIS-APEX, but according to an analysis by The Planetary Society, the mission would have its operating budget slashed from $14 million annually to $8 million per year.

IBM

Policymakers from both parties have pushed back on the proposal, but with the Senate and House not yet in agreement on the agency's 2026 operating budget, and the appropriations deadline quickly approaching, NASA's fate is uncertain. Even if the cuts don't go through, the agency is on track to lose close to 4,000 employees, or about 20 percent of its workforce, as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to trim the number of workers across the federal government.

Bernabe-Moreno says Surya wouldn't have come together without NASA's help. "From the very beginning, the science team at NASA have been informing us what the model should do, how to validate the model, and how to ensure it's robust," he said.

If there's a silver lining to the funding situation, it's that the science team's work will live on. "The beauty of this model is that we created a capability — an AI platform, if you want," said Bernabe-Moreno. "And this capability has applications beyond NASA."

If you want to check out Surya for yourself, you can download the model from Hugging Face.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ibm-and-nasa-made-an-open-source-ai-model-for-predicting-solar-weather-130013974.html?src=rss

Capcom’s Onimusha series has been on a long hiatus. Combining Resident Evil-style rendered backgrounds with more agile characters, adding in demons, magic and a feudal Japan setting, the series span multiple sequels — and consoles — til the fourth entry in 2006.

Roughly two decades (and console eras) later, Capcom has returned to the series, even getting the definitive samurai actor, Tom Cruise Mifune Toshiro, to play the hero, the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. At Gamescom, the company is now demoing an early slice of Way of the Sword, which covers most (but not all) of the game shown at SGF 2025 just a few months ago.

It’s an interesting time to return to the samurai-meets-demonic-threat universe of Onimusha, following a sudden boom in games tapping into feudal Japan. Most recently, the latest Assassin’s Creed was set there, while, Sony’s upcoming Ghost of Yotei (not to mention its predecessor) both tap bushido and swordplay in historical Japan.

While I played through the demo, I made a lot of mental comparisons to Sekiro – a game that’s now several years old and still unbeaten by me. Onimusha draws together similar themes of demon forces run amok, but has a more forgiving approach. Gameplay centers around blocks and parries, plus weak and strong attacks, all while pulling in orbs dropped by dying enemies that act as the game’s currency. (Health orbs are also dropped by certain foes.)

Capcom

The Oni gauntlet that absorbs these souls can also be used to see invisible demons and unlock areas that are spiritually blocked. It’ll also act like a sort-of demonic movie projector, showing what happened during the demon invasion in the area.

Early enemies were predictably sluggish demon swordsmen and archers, getting me back up to speed with how Onimusha fights play out. Even if it predictably looks lightyears ahead of its predecessors, Way of the Sword doesn’t reinvent how you cut up these demon hordes.

In comparison to other action games, guarding seems very forgiving. You can hold the guard button down, and it’ll block basic projectiles and melee attacks from all directions I spent some time leaning into exhausting stamina gauges, timing parries for one-hit Issen critical attack and batting away arrows back where they came from.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s satisfying and fun, but I’m itching to see how the series will build on what’s pretty basic attack flow. Musashi had acccess to a dual-short sword special attack, Two Celestials, that barrages the enemy with attacks and tops up his health levels. 

This suggests more special attacks and magical flourishes should open up later in the game. The preview during SGF 2025 also showed ways to utilize the environment for defensive attacks, holding up wooden boards to block arrows, for instance, although that didn’t trigger during my playthrough.

Capcom

The highlight of the demo was a confrontation with Musashi’s rival, Ganryu Sasaki. He’s great villain fodder — and has also been somehow gifted his own Oni gauntlet. The duel was the only time I felt under threat during the demo, and even then, I didn’t die once. There’s enough of a health meter to test yourself against Sasaki’s lavish sword attacks and lunges. Once you wear down more powerful enemies, you can make a single, concentrated attack to either glean more orbs from them or hit for heavy-duty damage.

The early taste of Way of the Sword is a fun, easy romp, so I’m curious to see how Capcom evolves the formula of Onimusha — and where the true challenges might lie.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set to be released in 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/onimusha-way-of-the-sword-might-be-a-more-forgiving-kind-of-samurai-epic-110020221.html?src=rss

Whether you're working on the go, gaming away from your desk or just want a second screen to boost your productivity, a portable monitor can be a handy solution. These lightweight displays are perfect for adding more screen space to your setup without taking up much room — especially useful if you're using a compact laptop or traveling often.

Many of the best portable monitors now support USB Type-C connections for easy plug-and-play setups, and some even run entirely on USB power, so you don’t need to carry extra chargers. You’ll also find models with handy extras like built-in speakers, touchscreen support and wide compatibility with Windows laptops and tablets. Whether you’re after a laptop screen extender or a creative companion for photo editing on the go, there’s a portable monitor out there for you.

Table of contents

• Best portable monitors for 2025

• Things to consider before buying a portable monitor

• What to look for in a portable monitor

• Portable monitor FAQs

Best portable monitors for 2025

Things to consider before buying a portable monitor

Before you start looking at specific products, it’s super important to think about how and where you plan on using a second monitor as a portable display. Larger panels are great for home use where you may only need to move it or put it away when you have company over. Meanwhile, smaller screens are great for travel and whipping out at a coffee shop or shared workspace. But if you go too small, you may be adding extra weight to your bag without providing a ton of extra utility, especially if it lacks a good USB-C cable or mini HDMI for connectivity. Screen size and compatibility with your existing devices should be top considerations.

It’s also important to consider your typical workload, as artists may get extra value out of monitors with higher maximum brightness, HDR, wider color accuracy and a higher contrast ratio. Those who spend all day looking at spreadsheets won’t get as much value from more vibrant displays or FHD displays with high refresh rates, but they may still benefit from having a basic plug-and-play second monitor for multitasking.

What to look for in a portable monitor

Aside from price and screen size, some of the most important specs in a portable monitor include panel type, pixels per inch, brightness, refresh rate and connectivity. Most portable monitors use IPS LCD displays, which generally offer good viewing angles, strong brightness and good power efficiency. However, some higher resolution models now feature OLED screens that support wider color gamuts, better color accuracy and contrast ratio, which can be a major benefit for artists and content creators. Some budget models may use TN panels, as that can help cut costs and reduce energy consumption. That said, we generally try to stay away from those as they often have worse image quality compared to IPS screens.

For brightness, 300 nits is the lowest we recommend — anything less can make the monitor hard to use even in some indoor environments. Ideally, we look for screens that are closer to 350 or 400 nits and above for better accuracy and visibility.

Connectivity is also important because if you can’t easily hook your phone, gaming console, or laptop to a monitor, it becomes an oversized paperweight. Most travel displays include an HDMI port or USB-C port(or both), which cover the large majority of devices. It’s rare to find a portable monitor these days with only USB-A, since the majority of devices have moved over to USB-C. However, we also like models that support passthrough power over USB-C connections, which reduces the complexity of your setup and decreases the number of cords and adapters you have to carry around.

Finally, most portable monitors feature 60Hz refresh rates, which is fine for most use cases. However, if you’re looking for a gaming monitor, there are models with 120Hz or even 240Hz refresh rates. These are excellent choices for gamers looking to maintain smooth fps while playing on the go.

Portable monitor FAQs What are the disadvantages of a portable monitor?

The main disadvantage of a portable monitor in comparison to a regular monitor is size. Most portable monitors sit in the 14- to 17-inch range to allow them to be as portable as their name suggests. While you can find some portable monitors sized at 20 inches or larger, they become less and less convenient to take on the go the larger they get.

What is the difference between a tablet and a portable monitor?

A tablet is essentially a portable computer that can run apps, games and more without a supporting device. Portable monitors are indeed supportive devices designed to expand your screen real estate; in order for them to have any use, they must be connected to a laptop or tablet.

What ports should I look for in a portable monitor?

The most important port to look for on a portable monitor is the one with which you'll connect the monitor to your computer. Most portable monitors will have either an HDMI or USB-C port to do this. After that, it's handy for a portable monitor to have other connectors such as a USB-A port, extra USB-C ports and others for you to hook up additional accessories.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-portable-monitor-120050851.html?src=rss

We may deliberate for days when buying a laptop or computer or spend hours lining up the most comfortable and stylish keyboard before aimlessly adding a utilitarian mouse to our basket. The impact of a good, feature-rich and — perhaps most importantly — ergonomic mouse can be huge. Not just to your productivity, but to the quality and comfort of your worklife overall. A good mouse has long offered some level of configuration and customization, but more modern options go beyond that with the ability to automate repetitive tasks or convoluted keypresses at the click of a button. Unsurprisingly, even mice haven’t escaped the wave of AI hype, with many flagship models bringing services like ChatGPT or Copilot to your fingertips.

Beyond the fancy features, there’s still a lot to consider to find the best mouse for work, creativity or even play. Will the mouse fit your grip style or handedness? Do you prefer the convenience of Bluetooth or stability of a 2.4Ghz USB dongle? Can it connect to more than one device easily? Is the smoothness of the scroll wheel going to be a dealbreaker? Perhaps the companion software unlocks new functionality you never knew you needed? If you hadn’t considered all of those things, the good news is, we have (and more). Below are our picks for the best wireless productivity mice you can buy right now.

Best wireless mice for 2025

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-wireless-mice-pc-gaming-mobile-150027822.html?src=rss

The White House has joined TikTok, the social media app that President Trump wanted to ban during his first term. Its first post shows clips of Trump in various events with Kendrick Lamar's track playing in the background. The New York Times notes that it references a popular video edit of Creed, a boxing movie starring Michael B. Jordan, on the app. In the TikTok post, Trump could be heard saying "I am your voice," while the caption reads "America we are BACK! What's up TikTok?" 

Trump's administration believes TikTok helped him win over young voters in the 2024 Presidential election, with the account he used to campaign having over 15 million followers. "President Trump's message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we're excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. 

The president wasn't always fond of the platform. He once vowed to ban the app in the US and signed an executive order to outlaw any transaction between the app and its China-based parent company ByteDance for national security reasons. TikTok's "data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans' personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage," the executive order read. 

After taking office earlier this year, however, Trump quickly put a pause on the law that was supposed to ban TikTok in the US. He even delayed the ban a couple more times to give ByteDance more time to sell its US business. Trump previously claimed that a "very wealthy" group is poised to buy TikTok, but the administration has yet to reveal the identities of the people in it. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-white-house-now-has-a-tiktok-account-032420845.html?src=rss

Indie game hit Cult of the Lamb has been keeping players (fittingly) enthralled since its original launch in 2022 with several free content updates, such as Unholy Alliance and Sins of the Flesh. At the Opening Night Live of Gamescom 2025, the roguelike unveiled its next update, titled Woolhaven. The paid DLC will arrive early next year, but no price has been set yet.

Woolhaven introduces a dangerous new mountain zone to the game, where you'll find two new dungeons to conquer and as well as a spreading corruption called Rot. And you'd expect from the main story, your choices about how to deal with the mountain's denizens have no right or easy answers. Things will also get frosty for your settlement with the addition of blizzards and freezing temperatures that create new reasons for followers to doubt your all-knowing guidance. But you can also keep them happy with the new ranching system for raising rare animals that can provide your cult with wool, food and a pretty sweet ride.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cult-of-the-lambs-next-dlc-is-woolhaven-out-in-early-2026-225129643.html?src=rss

Game Science Studio isn't resting on its laurels after the success of Black Myth: Wukong. The developer teased a follow-up project as the closer to Gamescom's Opening Night Live showcase with a brief but beautifully detailed glimpse at Black Myth: Zhong Kui.

There's no date attached to the cinematic teaser, and that's because the game is still very much a work in progress. According to the FAQ entry about a possible release window, the team says "Well, to be honest—even Yocar himself has absolutely no idea" when it'll be ready. But the same page does confirm that the plan is for Zhong Kui to launch on both PC and "all mainstream console platforms" whenever it is done.

From the title and the previous Black Myth game, this new project will once again be drawing inspiration from Chinese mythology. Legends around Zhong Kui dub him a conqueror of ghosts and evil spirits, so perhaps there will be some supernatural vibes in this entry to the emerging game series. Pretty much the only other thing we know besides the name and character is that Black Myth: Zhong Kui will once again be a single-player ARPG and it will be "following the same business model as before."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/black-myth-zhong-kui-next-221537956.html?src=rss

Things are ramping up for a return to the wasteland this winter. Season two of Prime Video's Fallout TV show will debut on December 17. The second season had already been loosely pegged for a December release when the news of a third season appeared earlier this year, and the studio shared a few still images of the cast in the upcoming New Vegas setting just yesterday.

The announcement during the Opening Night Live show for Gamescom 2025 also included a surprisingly lengthy teaser trailer with a few tidbits about what to expect in the next eight episodes of the hugely popular video game adaptation. It includes footage of the show's first Deathclaw, that well-known and oft-despised enemy from the world of the games. Alongside returning stars Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten and Walton Goggins, the teaser reveals that Justin Theroux has been cast as Mr. House, the enigmatic leader of New Vegas.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/fallout-season-two-has-a-teaser-trailer-and-a-december-17-release-date-211307692.html?src=rss

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026. This marks the first Xbox game to be ported specifically to the Switch 2. The game, which we thought made a better movie than a game, has been making its way to other consoles, starting with the PS5 on April 17.

We learned of this new port at the end of a trailer for a DLC called The Order of Giants. This all-new chapter will be released on September 4 and sees Indiana Jones uncover mysteries of the Roman Empire. The trailer aired during Gamescom Opening Night Live alongside a slew of other reveals, including the gameplay trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

New releases for the Switch 2, in the form of originals and ports, have been coming in quick succession in these early stages of the console life cycle. We learned earlier this summer that Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the 2006 Atlus classic, comes to Switch 2 in October. We just learned that Kirby Air Riders, the revival of the 2003 GameCube classic Kirby Air Ride, is coming exclusively to Switch 2 in November.

Neither specifics on pricing nor an exact release date for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Nintendo Switch 2 have been announced.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-is-coming-to-the-switch-2-203419271.html?src=rss

An Oregon man has been charged in a federal complaint today on allegations of operating a botnet for hire that conducted cyberattacks beginning at least in 2021. Ethan Foltz has been accused of running Rapper Bot, also known as Eleven Eleven Botnet and CowBot, and using it to execute coordinated distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. The complaint claims that Rapper Bot was used to target victims in more than 80 countries, and since April 2025, it has reportedly conducted more than 370,000 attacks against 18,000 unique victims.

"Rapper Bot was one of the most powerful DDoS botnets to ever exist," US Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska said. "Our office remains committed to disrupting and dismantling cyber criminals that threaten internet security and infrastructure in the District of Alaska and across the United States."

One of Rapper Bot's alleged victims was X, which was taken down by a DDoS attack in March. At the time, owner Elon Musk made unsubstantiated claims about the attack being perpetrated by a "large, coordinated group and/or a country" and that it stemmed from IP addresses in Ukraine, although security researchers said it was possible the social network had left servers unsecured.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/prosecutors-charge-man-who-allegedly-used-botnet-to-take-down-x-this-spring-202312254.html?src=rss

On Tuesday, Meta rolled out its new voice dubbing feature globally. The Reels feature uses generative AI to translate your voice, with optional lip-syncing. Mark Zuckerberg first previewed the feature at Meta Connect 2024.

At launch, the translations are only available for English to Spanish (and vice versa). The company says more languages will arrive later. At least at first, it's restricted to Facebook creators with 1,000+ followers. However, anyone with a public Instagram account can use it.

The tool trains on your original voice and generates a translated audio track to match your tone. The lip-syncing add-on then matches your mouth's movements to the translated speech. The demo clip the company showed last year was spot-on — eerily so.

Meta

To use the feature, choose the "Translate your voice with Meta AI" option before publishing a reel. That's also where you can choose to add lip syncing. There's an option to review the AI-translated version before publishing. Viewers will see a pop-up noting that it's an AI translation.

Meta says the feature works best for face-to-camera videos. The company recommends avoiding covering your mouth or including excessive background music. It works for up to two speakers, but it's best to avoid overlapping your speech.

The company frames the feature as a way for creators to expand their audiences beyond their native tongues. As such, it included a by-language performance tracker, so you can see how well it's doing in each language.

YouTube launched a similar feature last year. Apple has gotten in on the action, too: Messages, Phone and FaceTime apps have live translation tools in iOS 26.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/metas-ai-voice-translation-feature-rolls-out-globally-200945034.html?src=rss