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PUBG: Battlegrounds is finally ready to ditch last-gen consoles. On Wednesday, the developer said that the game will transition to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 13.

Although the battle royale has been playable on current-gen consoles all along, it was running as a PS4 or Xbox One game. That helped it cast a wide net (and probably make more money), but it also came with technical limitations. The company said the move to current-gen will "provide our players with a more stable gameplay environment on console and ensure a smoother, more seamless experience with future updates."

PS5 players can expect the new version to play in 1440p at 60fps. Both the PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X will reach 2160p at 60fps. However, the two high-end systems will support Dynamic 4K resolution. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S will run at 1080p at 60fps or 1440p at 30fps. (Your choice.)

Here's how PUBG: Battlegrounds currently looks on PS5.

PUBG / Krafton

And this is how it will look after November 13. It's a subtle difference at first glance, but you can see more detail, including pronounced shadows.

PUBG / Krafton

When the cutoff arrives, the game will no longer be downloadable or playable on PS4 and Xbox One. PlayStation users will need to download a separate PS5 version of the game on November 13. If you already have it installed on your Xbox Series X/S, the current-gen update will install automatically via Microsoft's Smart Delivery. On both systems, your existing account data and purchased items will transition automatically.

PUBG left its last-gen users a sentimental message that sounds a bit like a corporate layoff letter. "We still vividly remember the epic battles, the heart-stopping moments, and the camaraderie that brought us together," the company wrote. "We are deeply grateful for every moment you've spent with us over the past eight years."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pubg-battlegrounds-will-leave-ps4-and-xbox-one-behind-later-this-year-162932937.html?src=rss

Amazon is expanding its same-day grocery delivery service with the addition of perishable food items in over 1,000 US cities. Shoppers can now add fresh grocery items like produce, dairy, meat, seafood and frozen foods to their orders. Grocery and non-grocery items can be combined into one order, checked out from one cart and received together on the same day. The company had trialed this service in the Phoenix area last year.

Prime members continue to get free same-day delivery where available on orders over $25, and non-Prime members can still pay an additional $12.99 shipping fee to receive a same-day delivery.

Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market in 2017 and has been making strategic moves to capture grocery market share in the years since. The tech giant has experimented with self-checkout technology, and even opened its own Amazon-branded brick-and-mortar grocery stores.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassey is determined to grow the grocery side of the business to compete with the likes of Walmart and Instacart. Amazon says it plans to "expand to over 2,300 cities" by the end of 2025, with plans to continue adding more locations next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-adds-perishable-food-to-same-day-delivery-162144510.html?src=rss

Google is adding a temporary chat feature to Gemini. The equivalent of a browser's incognito mode, it lets you have one-off AI chats. They won't appear in your history, influence future chats or be used for training.

The temporary chats will be saved for up to 72 hours. Google says this is to give you time to revisit the chat or provide feedback. The feature begins rolling out today and will continue to do so over the coming weeks.

It arrives alongside a new setting that does, well, pretty much the opposite. The Gemini app can now learn from your conversations and remember details and preferences. It may then reference them in future chats. (For example, it might recall a hobby you once mentioned when you later ask it for party theme ideas.)

Google added the past chats feature to Gemini Advanced earlier this year. ChatGPT and Claude each have a similar memory option.

The memory setting is on by default, so you'll want to tweak your privacy settings as soon as it arrives if you don't want to use it. In the Gemini app, head to Settings > Personal context > Your past chats with Gemini to change it.

Google

Speaking of settings, Google is changing the name of its data-retention toggle. What was once "Gemini Apps Activity" is now labeled as "Keep Activity." Despite the semantic change, your previous setting will stick, so you shouldn't need to change this one.

Personalized conversations will first launch with Gemini 2.5 Pro in "select countries." It will make its way to 2.5 Flash and more regions in the weeks ahead.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-will-remember-more-or-less-of-what-you-say-160012521.html?src=rss

We got our first look at Lego Voyagers back at Summer Game Fest in June. As it turned out, Light Brick Studio (Lego Builder's Journey) and publisher Annapurna Interactive weren't kidding about the "coming soon" aspect of the reveal trailer. That's because Lego Voyagers is set to hit PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) on September 15.

Lego Voyagers is a physics-based, co-op puzzle game for two players. You and a buddy will each control Lego bricks as you attempt to rescue an abandoned spaceship. The blue and red pieces snap together with other blocks and can build structures to help navigate these worlds. You'll be able to play together locally on the same system or online. If you choose the latter route, only one of you needs to own the game for you both to play it, thanks to the Friend's Pass system.

According to Annapurna, Lego Voyagers "asks open questions about building friendships, sharing dreams and giving space. It reminds us that while playing and being creative is for all shapes and sizes, it’s always better when you share it with a friend." That sounds quite lovely to me.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/co-op-puzzle-game-lego-voyagers-will-arrive-on-september-15-153915915.html?src=rss

Since the original Tamagotchi landed on store shelves 28 years ago, not much has changed in the world of virtual pets. The basic gameplay remains, with players being asked to feed, groom and play with small digital creatures inside a handheld device. But new features have also been added, like Bluetooth connectivity and downloadable content (they're also a little bigger than before). This month, however, Hasbro is throwing its hat into the ring with the Nano-Mals, a $20 device that takes the standard features of a virtual pet and aims them toward a new purpose: fidget toy.

The first thing you’ll probably notice when you pick up one of the eight initial Nano-Mals models is how cute they all are: they’re styled after both common and uncommon animals, including two cows, two cats, a red panda, a narwhal, and a pair of unicorns.But the second thing you’ll notice is that there’s no screen to be found anywhere; instead, the sole “display” is a a light-up heart on the front of the toy that has three levels and changes color to indicate how satiated the toy is in terms of hunger, affection and play.

How you fulfill these needs is where the Nano-mals distinguish themselves from other virtual pets: Instead of pushing buttons and navigating through various menus, you interact instead with the various parts of the toy directly. Push down on its ear to “pet” it, flip its arms to “dance” and push its nose to “feed” it. The more you perform these actions, the more each color of the heart will fill up, eventually resulting in a rainbow kaleidoscope across the toy’s chest.

It’s incredibly easy to do, not just because these are simple actions, but because they’re engineered to be satisfying since it is a fidget toy. It feels good to flip the arms up and down and squish the ears. Not so much for pushing the shallow nose button though, meaning it was often the need that took the longest for me to fulfill. It just wasn’t fun to push the nose! I can only hope that future iterations improve on this.

Once you’ve figured out the basic functions, it becomes a game in itself to figure out the best way to hold and interact with the device. You don’t need to look at it and the entire thing can be operated with one hand, which is exactly what you want in a fidget toy. I found myself rotating it between my fingers while flipping the arms – the device also contains an accelerometer so any significant movement also counts as “play.”

If you have more than one Nano-mal – which is quite likely given the device’s low price – the toys will interact with each other, lighting up and talking to each other. It’s cute but also a bit unsettling, as it was very reminiscent of this year’s Black Mirror episode “Playthings” with the Nano-mals emitting mysterious bleats and chimes just like the Thronglets. Fortunately, there is an off switch, and the Nano-mals will burble happily before shutting down when you use it.

Kris Naudus for Engadget

However, the off switch isn’t absolute as, should you press any of the buttons, the Nano-mal will still react, though maybe not effusively as if the device were powered fully on. This is a problem given that the Nano-mal is meant to be taken out and about (there’s even a clip at the top), but will likely be banned from classrooms due to the possibility of it being accidentally triggered when a kid moves their stuff. The toys can be muted by holding down the nose for a few seconds, but it only works when the device is fully powered on, and resets every time the Nano-mal is turned off and on.

Aside from that and the fact that I couldn’t remove the attachment clip, which got in the way when I was trying to spin the device in my hand, I think the Nano-mal is a solid first try at this kind of toy. Kids will love how cute they are, especially when you dress them up in the included clothes, which double as protective cases for the devices. And adults will appreciate them too: Parents are big on screen-free devices, while the young-at-heart will appreciate having something to keep their hands busy that isn’t their phone.

The Nano-mals are available now at all major toy retailers, including Walmart and Amazon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/hasbros-nano-mals-are-a-virtual-pet-that-rewards-fidgeting-141553387.html?src=rss

At WWDC 2025, Apple announced it was replacing the sequential numbering for OS versions and with year numbers. So instead of watchOS 12, I’ve spent the past two weeks with the public beta of watchOS 26. The naming scheme shift is subtle, but helpful — which is how I’d describe the upgrades the new software brings to the Apple Watch. The AI-powered Workout Buddy better contextualizes your Fitness data and an added gesture gives the watch a fun trick that’s actually helpful. Other upgrades — including better smart replies and the Liquid Glass treatment — all combine to make the watch work and look a bit better than it did before. It’s not a game-changing shift, like other OS 26 releases, but it manages to make a great watch a touch better.

Luminous Liquid Glass

Every Apple operating system got the Liquid Glass treatment this year, including watchOS 26. The change is less noticeable on the Apple Watch than on the iPhone or iPad, though. You’ll notice the semi-transparent buttons and flowy movement when entering your password and opening the control center — the icons look like they’re surrounded in little drops of water, which is quite pretty. You’ll see it on the Photos watch face, too, especially if you select the “glass” color for the time readout. 

The Liquid Glass treatment for the Photos watch face. Amy Skorheim for Engadget

The Smart Stack now has a liminal glow and the app icons are likewise a touch more luminous than before. The effect is subtle and nicely unifies the look of the watch and its companion iPhone. Like all design upgrades, Liquid Glass made me feel like I was using a new watch — though, like everything, the novelty wore off after a week or two.

Revamped Workout app combines AI stats with a DJ

In addition to the Buddy, the Workout app has a new look with icons in each of the four corners of the screen that give you easier access to adjust your data view, play music, set goals and tweak Buddy settings. My favorite new feature is in the music menu and it’s limited to Apple Music for now. If you tap the music icon, you have the option to auto-play music. From there, you can also select “Picked for you” or “Choose media.” The former will select music that matches the type of workout you’re doing and what you like to listen to. As someone who gets derailed from pretty much all my tasks when I have to interact with my phone, I appreciate anything that can make decisions for me and prevent me from reaching for it.

I was presented with peppy beats that matched the cadence of my run, from bands and artists that were familiar as well as new-to-me selections that fit my tastes. Unfortunately, it didn’t always work correctly. Sometimes I’d get no music, other times the music would play but the Workout Buddy would fall silent. I realize I’m testing a public beta of watchOS 26, so I’m holding out hope the feature will work at launch. Because when it worked, it was glorious.

The new Workout app layout. Amy Skorheim for Engadget

The new Workout Buddy is probably the biggest AI play in watchOS 26. It uses historical and real-time data collected by your watch to give you a window into how you’re performing at the beginning, end and throughout a workout. It works for walking, running, cycling and other workouts but requires headphones and a nearby Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone. That gave me pause. I hate carrying stuff and/or sticking things in my ears when I run. But after acquiring some open earbuds and digging out my old Spibelt, I made it work.

There are three voices to choose from as of this writing, a bright feminine option, a British male-sounding one and another female-presenting version with a lower register. These were built on vocal data from Fitness+ trainers and have an authentic sound to them. At the start of a workout, you’ll get a brief pep talk along with some recent milestones. My pre-game walking and running talks included references to the day of the week, my location and accumulated fitness data. For example, “Way to get out there on a Wednesday morning walk in Albuquerque. So far this week, you’ve done three walking workouts. Let’s get in some steps!”

Depending on the type of exercise, you can set target ranges for cadence, heart rate, speed, distance, power (cycling), time and others. During a workout, the AI will let you know if you’re at, below or above those levels. The first time I tried Workout Buddy, my run was quite lonely. I didn’t realize I had to turn on the Buddy, as well as the various goal metrics within the Workout app. I did that and, on my next run, the AI delivered cadence and heart rate updates, and let me know when I hit milestones like distance and duration.

At the end of a workout, you’ll see a thinking animation as the AI assembles a summary. It’ll recap data like your pace, distance, average and peak heart rate, as well as progress on your Activity rings. It’ll also point out comparisons or cumulative milestones you may have hit. For example, after a longer walk, it told me that I’d just burned the most calories on a walk so far. Another day, it told me I’d walked ten miles so far this week. It closes the update by encouraging you to take the energy into the rest of your day or something similarly positive but measured.

That’s a big improvement over the first few times I used the feature. My first few pep talks were cloying, telling me something along the lines of “It’s not easy to get out there early in the morning!” and “Your effort is inspiring!" After I stopped a run early to fuss with settings, it told me I did a “Great job!” on a three-minute run. Thankfully, Apple appears to be tweaking the Buddy behind the scenes, calibrating the AI’s “personality.” Recent pep talks have become noticeably less sycophantic and therefore more enjoyable. I imagine the Buddy will only continue to evolve even more from here.

The Workout Buddy is not a coach

The Workout Buddy is a motivational experience that provides personalized insights you can use to gauge your performance. But I just finished trying out Samsung’s AI running coach on the Galaxy Watch and couldn’t help comparing the two. That coach pushed me to run five kilometers for the first time in my life. The Buddy made me feel like I’d accomplished something special just by taking my dog on a stroll. Both have their place, but I’d say Apple’s version is probably best for those who already know what their goals are and what they need to do to hit them. Samsung’s version may be better for beginners who want some help shaping their fitness journey.

In addition to the Buddy, the Workout app has a new look with icons in each of the four corners of the screen that give you easier access to adjust your data view, play music, set goals and tweak Buddy settings. My favorite new feature is in the music menu and it’s limited to Apple Music for now. If you tap the music icon, you have the option to auto-play music. From there, you can also select “Picked for you” or “Choose media.” The former will select music that matches the type of workout you’re doing and what you like to listen to. As someone who gets derailed from pretty much all my tasks when I have to interact with my phone, I appreciate anything that can make decisions for me and prevent me from reaching for it.

I was presented with peppy beats that matched the cadence of my run, from bands and artists that were familiar as well as new-to-me selections that fit my tastes. Unfortunately, it didn’t always work correctly. Sometimes I’d get no music, other times the music would play but the Workout Buddy would fall silent. I realize I’m testing a public beta of watchOS 26, so I’m holding out hope the feature will work at launch. Because when it worked, it was glorious.

More hands-free fun with wrist flick

I love the double tap gesture Apple introduced with the Apple Watch Series 9 — it’s a pleasure to stop timers, start auto-detected workouts and answer calls without getting my other hand involved. But it took some practice before I could reliably get the watch to recognize the gesture. (The trick is raising your wrist in an exaggerated checking-the-time motion then quickly, but not too quickly, tapping your thumb and finger together twice.)

Luckily, the new Wrist Flick motion introduced in watchOS 26 takes practically no effort to get right. It involves quickly turning the back of your wrist away from you and back up again. Doing that can silence a call, stop a ringing timer, dismiss notifications and return you to the watch face from any app you open. It also makes those irritating helpful “Time to stand!” reminders go away. The wrist flick doesn’t clear alerts, just dismisses them — so the red indicator dot disappears, but the notification remains and you can see it if you swipe down. Just note that it’s only available to Apple Watch Series 9, 10 and the Ultra 2.

Amy Skorheim for Engadget

Wrist flick is a great feature — though it's important to note that Android wearables since WearOS 2 had a similar feature for a while now. And I’d like to see Apple adopt more hands-free interactions like this. Apple already has many gesture-based controls as part of its existing AssistiveTouch feature. Actions like fist clenches, wrist tilts and single or double taps can control most of the navigation on the watch. Unfortunately, turning on AssistiveTouch turns off the universal double tap feature. I’d be interested in seeing something that splits the difference. Perhaps four or five gestures for basic functions that can be used in conjunction with screen input.

Smarter replies could make Messages a usable watch app

The Apple Watch is great for reading texts, but replying is awkward. That tiny keyboard is an interface for ants — even talk-to-text input is inefficient as it’s tough to correct mistakes. Smart Replies are little canned responses that appear as suggestions below the reply field. Those aren’t new, but now Series 9 watches and later will use an improved on-device language model to come up with relevant bits of text you can send with a tap.

In addition to the choices that are always offered — Okay, Yes, No, Thank you and Can I call you later? — I saw things like “Ok, let me know” and “That’s so sweet!” both of which applied to their respective conversations. I wasn’t always given Smart Reply suggestions, and some of them weren’t very relevant, but again, it’s a great feature that will save time when it works.

Another Messages update is a carryover from iOS 26 (and borrowed from countless other messaging apps). You can now set custom backgrounds for each of your (Apple-only) contacts. Just note that whatever you set will be seen by all participants in the conversation, once they update to iOS 26. On your watch, the photo, gradient or pattern you pick carries over to your conversations. Not only does it look nice, I find backgrounds help me to not accidentally text my mom something I meant to send to my sister.

Backgrounds are now available in Messages. Amy Skorheim for Engadget Notes have arrived

The Notes app is now on Apple Watch. I honestly hadn’t noticed the lack before this — I know there are plenty of Notes enthusiasts out there, but in my world, Alexa handles all reminder and shopping list duties. Still, I can see how the new integration could come in handy. After creating a simple shopping checklist in the iOS Notes app, I opened the list on my watch while I was shopping and found it far easier to check things off on my wrist than dragging out my phone every time I stuck something in my cart.

I’m curious to see whether Apple’s improved prediction algorithms for the new OS will eventually add Notes to my Smart Stack suggestions after I open the Notes app a few times at the grocery store. As it stands now, the Notes widget will pop up first in the Smart Stack if that’s the last app you used.

The rest of the new stuff Face Gallery

The iPhone Watch app has a new look and now organizes watch faces by category instead of by name. Groupings include New, Clean, Data-rich, Photos and Health and Fitness, among others. It’s certainly an improvement, but one that makes you wonder why it wasn’t always like this.

The Watch Face gallery is categorized now.Amy Skorheim for Engadget Adaptive sound

Another nice-but-obvious update adjusts the volume of pings and beeps to fit the environment — quieter in a noiseless office and louder at a raucous BBQ. I set a timer to go off when I was quietly working at my desk and then again with loud music playing and I couldn’t really tell the difference. But that’s a hard metric for the humble human ear to judge. Again, this is a feature reserved for Series 9 models and later.

Smart Stack

The Smart Stack will now add a small prompt to your watch face when it detects certain situations. For example, if you open the camera app on your phone, a small camera icon appears at the bottom of your watch screen, as a suggestion to open the remote shutter. Apple gives other examples, such as showing the workout icon when you arrive at your usual pilates studio or the Backtrack navigation feature when you journey away from cellular connectivity.

I didn’t see the prompt very often, but I did notice that the Smart Stack rearranged itself according to my habits — such as putting the medication widget at the top of the stack right around the time it was time to take my prescription, or shuffling Shazam to the top when it hears music playing.

Siri is still Siri

Coming fresh off of reviewing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, I can’t help but notice a stark difference between that wearable’s fully integrated, AI-powered Gemini and Apple’s same-old Siri. Gemini on the Samsung watch helped me find new stuff in my city, performed convoluted tasks and answered some pretty esoteric questions. I use Siri on my watch to reliably set timers, text people and add events to my calendar. But it’s not quite on the level of Gemini’s contextually-aware, generative capabilities that can interact with multiple apps. Asking something like “Where should I have lunch?” gave me a list of businesses with lunch in the name followed by Siri asking me: “Which one?” Not sure what that meant. Gemini, on the other hand, gave me local and relevant ideas for places I’d actually want to eat.

Even before AI swallowed everyone’s mind, I had a soft spot for digital assistants. When Alexa sings the “You’re very, very, oh so very welcome” song, I get a dopey smile on my face. I’ve tried to love Siri, but I get frustrated by being misunderstood, misdirected, misheard and flat-out ignored. I know Apple doesn’t like to release new tech until it’s fully up to snuff, and I’m looking forward to seeing what finally happens with new Siri. But for now, the disparity shows.

Wrap-up

The changes watchOS 26 brings to the Apple Watch are perhaps not as grand as those for other Apple devices. Liquid Glass here isn’t as all-encompassing as it is on the iPhone. The new watch features don’t make the wearable finally realize its full potential like iPad OS 26 does for the tablet. And there isn’t one major feature upgrade that transforms the watch experience, like macOS 26 does with Spotlight on Macs.

But the updates do push the experience of using the watch forward. Liquid Glass is pretty and nicely ties the wearable with its companion devices. The Workout app, which was already good at tracking fitness metrics, is even better with the Workout Buddy, providing stat summaries and automated playlists. Improved smart replies for Messages and the addition of the Notes app fix two of the watch’s previous shortcomings. And the wrist flick adds another option for hands-free interaction and — I hope — is a precursor to more such utility. I’m still holding out hope for an improved, personable and helpful Siri once Apple is ready, but for now, these are all welcome upgrades for what’s already the industry’s best overall smartwatch.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/watchos-26-preview-its-the-little-things-140035949.html?src=rss

Terraform co-founder Do Kwon has pleaded guilty to two US chargers of fraud after his actions wiped out $40 billion worth of crypto investments, The Guardian reported. Kwon's story is a wild one involving an immense crypto crash, an Interpol manhunt and Kwon's eventual extradition from Montenegro to the United States. 

Kwon, along with Sam Bankman-Fried and others, was a key player in 2022's crypto collapse. His company Terraform created a "stablecoin" called TerraUSD supposedly pegged to the US dollar, along with a floating crypto coin called Luna. When TerraUSD fell below its $1 peg in May of 2021, Kwon secretly arranged for a trading firm to buy the currency to boost its price. However, he lied to investors and said he stabilized the coin using a specialized algorithm. 

Those investors believed the story and bought up Luna (closely tied to TerraUSD), to the tune of nearly $50 billion, according to US prosecutors. Both currencies subsequently collapsed, taking $40 billion of investor money with it. As it often works with such things, many regular people lost their life savings, while venture capital firms profited before the rug was pulled. 

Following the collapse, Kwon was put on wanted lists in both the US and South Korea, with investigators in the latter country enlisting Interpol to find the entrepreneur. He subsequently posted on X that he "wasn't on the run" and was extradited to the US last year on New Year's Eve. 

Kwon was originally charged with nine counts including securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud and money-laundering conspiracy. Though facing up to 25 years, he may receive a reduced sentence of 12 years maximum provided he accepts responsibility for his crimes. "I made false and misleading statements about why [TerraUSD] regained its peg by failing to disclose a trading firm’s role in restoring that peg,” Kwon said. “What I did was wrong.”

Earlier, Kwon agreed to pay an $80 million civil fine and be banned from crypto transactions as part of a $4.55 billion US Securities and Exchange Commission settlement. Prosecutors will allow Kwon to be transferred to South Korea after half his US sentence is served. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/terraform-labs-founder-do-kwon-pleads-guilty-to-fraud-over-40-billion-crypto-collapse-134009107.html?src=rss

You'll soon be able to watch KPop Demon Hunters on the big screen. The Netflix animated film has become a global hit since it launched on the platform and has reportedly become the second most-watched movie on the service's history after Red Notice. Now, Netflix is holding a limited theatrical event, wherein fans can watch a sing-along version of the film. Aside from the movie itself being a hit, its songs have gained massive popularity, with the track Golden recently taking the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100. 

KPop Demon Hunters is a musical that revolves around the girl group Huntr/x, which as you might have guessed, are demon hunters. The group is the latest trio of women who uses the power of their singing voices to maintain the Honmoon, or the magical barrier that prevents demons from entering our world established generations ago by the first trio of singing demon hunters. In the film, they're in constant competition with a boy band called Saja Boys, who are made up of demons that look like pretty boys. The main antagonist, however, is Gwi-Ma, ruler of the demons. He was voiced by Lee Byung-hun, whom a lot of people might know as the Front Man in Squid Game. 

The film's limited theatrical release will only last for one weekend, from August 23 to 24, in select screens across the US and Canada. You can buy tickets starting today, August 13, at 9AM Eastern time, from the even't official website, where you can also view the full list of theaters and showtimes in your area.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflixs-kpop-demon-hunters-is-headed-to-theaters-for-two-days-124552307.html?src=rss

Sam Altman is preparing to co-found a new company funded by OpenAI that will go up against Elon Musk's Neuralink, The Financial Post reported. The startup, called Merge Labs, will use AI for its brain-computer interface and compete directly with Neuralink, along with other nascent companies in the field like Precision Neuroscience and Synchron. 

The name Merge Labs comes from a term Altman used in 2017 called "the merge" that describes the moment human brains and computers come together. The company will raise funds, most from OpenAI's ventures team, that will set its valuation at $850 million. Altman will co-found Merge Labs with Alex Blania (from World, an eyeball scanning company also backed by OpenAI) but won't invest any capital himself, according to three people with direct knowledge of the project. 

Altman has been interested in the topic of machine-brain interfaces for years and suggested in the 2017 article above that the merge could arrive as soon as 2025 (it didn't). More recently, he wrote in another blog post a "high-bandwidth brain-computer interface" could soon be developed with the aid of recent tech advances. 

Altman's Merge Labs will be a direct competitor to Musk's Neuralink, intensifying the rivalry between the two that kicked off when Musk left OpenAI's board in 2018. Mind link technology has existed for decades now, but recent advances in implant tech and AI have allowed researchers to collect and process higher signal levels from the brain. 

Neuralink started its first human trials in January 2024 with quadriplegic subject Noland Arbaugh and later implanted its tech into a second anonymous subject. That subject, "Alex," has reportedly been able to play FPS games and create 3D designs, while suffering from fewer issues and side effects as Arbaugh. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-sam-altman-are-reportedly-creating-a-startup-rival-to-elon-musks-neuralink-123022874.html?src=rss

ChatGPT will now allow you to choose between several GPT-5 variants and previous OpenAI models. In a post on X, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has revealed that the chatbot's model picker now comes with three GPT-5 choices: Auto, Fast and Thinking. He said most "will want Auto," which is most likely the standard version that's already a reasoning model. But users will be able to choose the fast-responding version or the Thinking version that implies it delivers longer, more comprehensive answers if they want to. GPT-4o is now also back in the model picker for all paying users by default. 

OpenAI removed GPT-4o with the launch of GPT-5: The company significantly simplified ChatGPT because GPT-5 was supposed to offer a unified experience for users. However, its decision was met by criticism from people who preferred GPT-4o's personality better, especially since it didn't give them notice that it was deprecating older models. In his post, Altman promised users that if the company ever does deprecate GPT-4o, OpenAI "will give plenty of notice." In addition to the GPT-5 and GPT-4o models, users can toggle to "Show additional models" in ChatGPT web settings if they want to access o3, 4.1, and GPT-5 Thinking mini. GPT-4.5 is only available to subscribers paying for the $200-a-month Pro tier, though, because it "costs a lot of GPUs."

Altman said that GPT-5 Thinking now has rate limits of 3,000 messages a week, after which users will only be able to use GPT-5 Thinking mini. He has also revealed that OpenAI is working to update GPT-5's personality to make it warmer, but "not as annoying (to most users) as GPT-4o."

Updates to ChatGPT:

You can now choose between “Auto”, “Fast”, and “Thinking” for GPT-5. Most users will want Auto, but the additional control will be useful for some people.

Rate limits are now 3,000 messages/week with GPT-5 Thinking, and then extra capacity on GPT-5 Thinking…

— Sam Altman (@sama) August 13, 2025

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/you-can-pick-chatgpts-older-ai-models-again-121549264.html?src=rss

Though a keyboard and mouse are the usual tools of choice for PC esports, some competitive PC gamers employ gamepads for things like fighting games and Rocket League. Razer is now catering to those folks with two new PC gamepads, the wireless Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC and wired Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition 8K PC. The key feature is right there in the names, with 8,000Hz polling speeds that promise high responsiveness for demanding pro or serious players. 

The Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC offers 8,000Hz polling in both wired and wireless modes, meaning player inputs are recognized nearly instantly. By contrast, Razer's Wolverine V3 Pro designed for Xbox and PC (which we liked) tops out at just 1,000Hz. The V3 Pro 8K PC model also uses Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) thumbsticks with swappable caps for long life, consistent tension and superior anti-drift performance over time. 

That model is also Razer's lightest wireless esports controller yet and features an ergonomic shape to reduce hand fatigue. Other features include 4 mouse click back buttons and 2 claw grip bumpers, Razer Pro HyperTriggers, Mecha-Tactile PBT Action Buttons, an 8-way floating D-Pad and Razer's Synapse customization. It comes with a carrying case and 2m braided cable and is now available for $200. 

Razer also launched a wired-only model called the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition PC. It offers most of the same features, like the 8,000Hz HyperPolling tech, TMR anti-drift thumbsticks, HyperTriggers, Mecha-Tactile PBT buttons and Synapse customization. It also comes with a 2m braided cable and is now available for $120 — a very reasonable price for a competition-level gamepad. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/razer-debuts-two-pc-gamepads-for-esports-120046977.html?src=rss

The best soundbars can completely transform your TV setup, turning flat, lifeless audio into something that actually sounds cinematic. Whether you're watching blockbuster movies, listening to music or gaming, a good soundbar delivers clearer vocals, deep bass and better overall playback than most built-in TV speakers ever could.

In 2025, there’s a soundbar for every kind of home entertainment setup — from compact all-in-one units to full surround systems with subwoofers and rear speakers. Some prioritize simplicity and sleek design, while others are packed with immersive features like Dolby Atmos and smart voice controls. No matter your budget or your space, we’ve picked the best soundbars you can buy right now to help elevate your audio experience.

Table of contents

• The post-CES soundbar outlook for 2025

• Best soundbars for 2025

• What to look for in a soundbar

• Other soundbars we tested

• Best soundbar FAQs

The post-CES soundbar outlook for 2025

I typically come out of CES with a pretty clear understanding of the new soundbars that are coming for the year, but that wasn’t exactly the case in 2025. LG decided to carry over its most premium soundbars from 2024, but it will add the compact S20A this year. The company only previewed the model at CES, so full specs are still forthcoming.

Samsung will once again keep the same overall design and features for its top-end Q990 soundbar. However, the company is adding a few new tools and it drastically reduced the size of the wireless subwoofer that comes in the box. Samsung does have one new model for 2025, the QS700F, that’s designed to sit on a table or automatically adjust to being mounted flat on a wall. Details are scarce on that soundbar for now and I anticipate a full spec sheet when the company is really to sell it.

Of the big three TV companies, Sony is the only one that didn’t announce any home theater gear at CES. The company has decided to focus mainly on its automotive efforts at the show recently, leaving TV and audio announcements for later in the year. The company debuted multiple soundbar options in 2024 and a four-speaker setup for the living room in the Bravia Quad. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me if Sony released new soundbars later in the year since its most recent models were only announced last April.

One company I would keep an eye on is Sennheiser. The original Ambeo model is nearly six years old and could use a refresh. The company has added medium and mini options to the Ambeo lineup since then, but it would be nice to see a refined version of the largest model too. The original Ambeo soundbar is huge, so no matter how good it sounds, it will always be a tough sell for some people.

Although I think it’s less likely, it’s also possible that Sonos has new soundbars this year. While the company’s next device will likely be the rumored set-top streaming box, the Sound Motion tech inside the Arc Ultra would offer a big improvement to bass performance in compact models like the Beam and Ray. The company may bring Sound Motion to standalone speakers first, but it’s destined for those smaller soundbars eventually.

The best soundbars for 2025

What to look for in a soundbar Features

When it comes to features, the more you pay the more you're going to get in your new audio system. Most affordable options ($150 or less) will improve your television's audio quality, but that's about it. Step into the $300 to $400 range and you'll find all-in-one soundbars with things like built-in voice control, wireless connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They're all helpful when you want to avoid looking for the remote control, but the best playback quality is usually only in the top tier and the formats those premium soundbar systems support. I’m talking about things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-resolution audio standards — essentials if you’re building a truly cinematic home entertainment setup. And not all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you'll need to look at the finer details carefully before you break into the savings account. If you're looking for one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, size, channels and subwoofer options will be important factors to consider. Some models even include a dedicated subwoofer to enhance bass performance, bringing an extra punch to action scenes and soundtracks.

Ports

This is a big one. A lot of the more affordable soundbars are limited when it comes to connectivity options. They either offer an optical port or one HDMI jack and, if you're lucky, both. Things get slightly better in the mid-range section, but that's not always the case. The Sonos Beam, for example, is $449, but only has a single HDMI port. Even at the higher-end, the $899 Sonos Arc still only has one HDMI port. If you plan to connect multiple devices like a set-top box, gaming laptop or console directly to your soundbar for the best audio experience, you’ll want an option with at least two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are critical for supporting Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital audio formats, as well as high-res passthrough for HDR and 8K/4K content.

Channels

Another big thing you’ll want to pay attention to when looking for the best soundbar is channels. That’s the 2.1, 7.1.2 or other decimal number that companies include in product descriptions. The first figure corresponds to the number of channels. A two would just be left and right while a more robust Atmos system, especially one with rear surround speakers, could be five or seven (left, right, center and upward). The second number refers to the dedicated subwoofer, so if your new soundbar comes with one or has them built in, you’ll see one here. The third numeral is up-firing speakers, important for the immersive effect of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled units have them, but if they do, the third number will tell you how many are in play and how they contribute to the overall soundstage.

Wireless

Most soundbars these days offer either Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or both. When it comes to Wi-Fi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice control (either built-in or with a separate device), Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. Depending on your preferences, you might be able to live without some of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are essentials, but the rest I can live without. Those two give me the ability to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps without having to settle for — or struggle with — a Bluetooth connection. For instance, Sonos speakers often offer seamless integration with iOS devices, making it easy to connect and stream music wirelessly. If you’re looking for a wireless speaker that can enhance your TV setup while also offering flexibility for audio throughout the house, it's worth considering a multi-room system.

Size

This one might seem obvious but humor me for a minute. Nothing is more soul-crushing than getting a pricey soundbar in your living room only to discover you have to rearrange everything to find a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Yes, that speaker is absurdly large (and heavy), and most soundbars aren't nearly as big. I learned a valuable lesson: Make sure the space where you want to put a soundbar will accommodate the thing you're about to spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on.

Basically, it all comes down to the TV you have (or are planning to get) and what the primary goal is for your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Do you want the best possible sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you just want to be able to actually hear your TV better? Or do you want a full home entertainment experience with crisp vocals, thunderous deep bass, and immersive surround system audio?

By paying attention to each of those areas, you should have a good idea of what to look for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo, Dolby Digital system or a more robust setup. With that said, we've put numerous products through their paces at Engadget and have a few favorites for best soundbar at various price points to get you started.

Other soundbars we tested Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6

There’s a lot to like about the Bravia Theater Bar 6, Sony’s new midrange option in its soundbar lineup. Sound quality is the speaker’s best attribute, even though it’s limited by its 3.1.2-channel configuration. The biggest two issues with this model are the lack of Wi-Fi connectivity — which means no AirPlay, Chromecast or Spotify Connect — and the need to use your computer and a thumb drive to install firmware updates. Neither of those should be things you have to consider on a $650 soundbar in 2025.

Sonos Arc

There’s no doubt that the Arc is Sonos’ best-sounding soundbar, but it’s also the company’s most expensive. With a new model based on the Arc rumored to be on the way, it’s difficult to recommend this product over the likes of Samsung and Sony. The Arc works well as both a soundbar and a speaker, and the device will fit in nicely with other Sonos gear you might already have for a multiroom setup. It only has one HDMI port though, where much of the competition allows you to connect streaming and gaming devices directly to their soundbars.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus

I don’t think Sennheiser’s medium-sized model offers enough to stand out from the more powerful Ambeo Soundbar Max or the Ambeo Soundbar Mini. The Mini is more affordable and does a solid job with immersive audio in its own right. Like the rest of the Ambeo lineup, there’s no option for satellite speakers as you can only add a subwoofer to the soundbars. However, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus does have RCA input, so you can use it with a turntable if you’re into vinyl.

Best soundbar FAQs Is a soundbar better than speakers?

It really depends on what you’re after. A soundbar is definitely a simpler, more compact solution compared to a full speaker setup. If you want better sound than your TV’s built-in setup but don’t want to deal with multiple speakers and wires everywhere, a soundbar is probably the way to go. Some soundbars can even deliver impressive surround sound effects, thanks to features like Dolby Atmos and virtual audio technology. 

However, if you’re an audiophile or want true surround sound for an at-home theater experience, a multi-speaker setup with a receiver, surround speakers and subwoofer will give you a richer soundstage and more control over your experience.

What connection do I need for a soundbar?

Most modern soundbars connect to your TV via HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the easiest and best option for achieving high-quality audio. If your TV supports this, all you need is an HDMI cable, and you’ll get not only great sound but also some extra features like controlling the soundbar with your TV remote. 

If HDMI ARC isn’t an option on your TV, you can use an optical cable, which also delivers solid audio quality. Some soundbars even offer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections for streaming music, and a few still have a 3.5mm aux jack for connecting to older devices. 

Do all soundbars come with subwoofers?

Not all soundbars come with subwoofers, but many do or at least offer one as an optional add-on that you can purchase separately. A subwoofer is what gives you that deep, booming bass, so if you like action movies or want a fuller sound for music, having one can make a big difference. Some soundbars have a built-in subwoofer, but these generally don’t provide the same punch as a separate one. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-soundbars-143041791.html?src=rss

Elon Musk has accused Apple of committing an "unequivocal antitrust violation" by favoring OpenAI in the App Store rankings. In a post on X, he claimed that Apple has made it impossible for other AI companies to reach number one in those rankings and that xAI "will take immediate legal action." Musk didn't clarify what he meant by that, and he also didn't provide evidence that would prove Apple's supposed antitrust violation. 

In an earlier post on X that's currently pinned to the top of his profile, however, he tagged Apple, asking the company why it "[refuses] to put either X or Grok in [its] "Must Have" section. He said X is "the #1 news app in the world," while Grok is ranked number five among all apps. "Are you playing politics? What gives?" he continued. In a statement sent to Bloomberg, Apple denied any wrongdoing and said that the App Store "is designed to be fair and free of bias." The spokesperson added: "We feature thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria. Our goal is to offer safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers, collaborating with many to increase app visibility in rapidly evolving categories."

Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted a response to Musk's accusation on X, calling it a "remarkable claim," given that he has heard allegations that Musk manipulates "X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn't like." To note, Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek became the top-rated free app on Apple's App Store back in January, overtaking even ChatGPT. 

Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation.

xAI will take immediate legal action.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2025

While Musk didn't mention it, Apple has an ongoing partnership with OpenAI. The company has integrated ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence to power cloud-based queries for its platforms. More recently, the company said that Apple Intelligence will leverage the capabilities of OpenAI's GPT-5 in iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, which are set to arrive sometime in September. 

Update, August 12, 2025, 8PM ET: This story has been updated to add Microsoft's statement.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/elon-musk-feels-apple-favors-openai-over-xai-in-app-store-rankings-123034234.html?src=rss

Apple has denied Elon Musk's accusation that it's favoring OpenAI in its App Store rankings and making it impossible for other AI companies to reach the top. In a statement sent to Bloomberg, Apple said the App Store is "designed to be fair and free of bias." The company's spokesperson explained that the App Store features "thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria." They added: "Our goal is to offer safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers, collaborating with many to increase app visibility in rapidly evolving categories."

xAI founder Elon Musk accused Apple of "unequivocal antitrust violation" by favoring OpenAI in a post on X, warning that his company "will take immediate legal action." In a separate post from his threat, he asked Apple why it "[refuses] to put either X or Grok in [its] 'Must Have' section." X, he said, is "the #1 news app in the world," while Grok is ranked number five among all apps. "Are you playing politics? What gives?" he continued. 

Musk didn't provide evidence to back his accusations. It's also worth noting that Chinese AI app DeepSeek reached the top of Apple's free app rankings back in January, overtaking even ChatGPT. As X's own Community Notes also mentioned in Musk's post, added hours after it went up, Perplexity reached the top of overall rankings in India's App Store back in July. Both apps were able to reach the top of their respective lists way after Apple and OpenAI announced their partnership last year. 

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to Musk's accusation, as well. He said it's a "remarkable claim," given that he has heard allegations that Musk manipulates "X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn't like." In response, Musk posted: "Scam Altman lies as easily as he breathes."

Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation.

xAI will take immediate legal action.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2025

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-says-the-app-store-is-fair-and-free-of-bias-in-response-to-musks-legal-threats-235555807.html?src=rss

The Federal Trade Commission announced that Match Group will pay $14 million to settle a complaint about deceptive practices. The settlement fee will be used to provide redress to injured customers of Match Group's dating services, which include Match.com, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, and PlentyOfFish.

The agency sued Match Group in 2019 on a series of allegations. According to the complaint, the dating service company had used misleading ads to encourage subscriptions and then made it difficult for customers to cancel those subscriptions. Match Group was also accused of locking customers out of their accounts when they attempted to dispute billing charges.

In addition to the payment, Match Group has agreed to clearly and conspicuously disclose the terms of its "six-month guarantee," as well as any conditions or limitations to those offers. It will also offer simple mechanisms for customers to cancel their subscriptions. Finally, Match Group will not retaliate or take action against customers who file billing disputes, and it won't deny those customers access to paid-for services or goods.

Match Group also drew scrutiny earlier this year after an investigation claimed that it had failed to act on reports of sexual assault and made little effort to keep abusive or dangerous users from rejoining other dating platforms it owns.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/match-group-will-pay-14-million-to-settle-claims-of-deceptive-business-practices-224505163.html?src=rss

Workers from Blizzard Entertainment's department for Story and Franchise Development have voted to unionize. Members of the team will become members of the Communication Workers of America and Microsoft has recognized the union. The SFD team is responsible for cinematics, animation and narrative in Blizzard's series, creating content such as in-game cutscenes and promotional videos. The department also includes archival workers and historians for Blizzard franchises, such as World of Warcraft and Overwatch. A spokesperson from CWA said that there will be about 169 workers from the company joining the local chapter.

"After more than a decade working at Blizzard, I've seen all the highs and lows. For years, Blizzard has been a place where people could build their careers and stay for decades, but that stability's been fading," Bucky Fisk, a principal editor and member of the organizing committee, said. "With a union, we're able to preserve what makes this place special, secure real transparency in how decisions are made, and make sure policies are applied fairly to everyone."

"These past couple of months have felt both important and cathartic given what's happened to video game workers across the industry," said Sammi Kay, another member of the organizing committee and an associate producer at Blizzard. "At multiple points in my life, I've always been told to accept the way things are, but with organizing, we're able to build a future better than we found it."

Blizzard is owned by Microsoft. Today's development marks the latest move for game developers under the tech giant's umbrella to pursue union representation. About 600 quality assurance workers from Activision joined CWA last March. The QA team from ZeniMax also ratified its union agreement in June and Raven Software finally secured a union contract earlier this month.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzards-story-and-franchise-development-team-has-voted-to-unionize-213818158.html?src=rss

Databases used by US federal courts for sharing and managing case documents have been hacked. Politico first reported on the hack last week on August 6; today, an investigation from The New York Times states that Russia is suspected to be involved in the attack. The Administrative Office of the US Courts initially identified the severity of the cyberattack in July, although the extent of the breach by "persistent and sophisticated cyber threat actors" has not been disclosed and may still not be known by national officials.

Both the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) and PACER systems have been impacted by the attack. CM/ECF is used by legal professionals and courts to store documents, while PACER grants the public limited access to those same files. Anonymous officials told Politico that chief judges for federal courts in the 8th Circuit were briefed on the attack, but were unable to confirm what agency provided the briefing. The 8th Circuit includes Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Politico's original report said the hack may have "compromised the identities of confidential informants involved in criminal cases at multiple federal district courts." The Times coverage added that some of the searches by the intruders "included midlevel criminal cases in the New York City area and several other jurisdictions, with some cases involving people with Russian and Eastern European surnames." However, there have been no additional details revealed about what entity is behind the attack, whether a branch of Russian intelligence may have been involved, or what evidence the investigators have discovered tying the hack to Russia.

The isn't the only time CM/ECF has been a hacking target. The courts introduced new protections for the system in 2021 in response to a cyberattack; a similar announcement arrived on August 7. At this time, the courts have been ordered to move files for cases that may have been of interest off the compromised systems, although some districts have ordered even more limited use of CM/ECF or PACER as a preventive measure.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/russia-reportedly-implicated-in-hack-on-us-federal-courts-databases-204029993.html?src=rss

Meta's X competitor, Threads, is continuing to add users at a brisk clip, with the social network now surpassing 400 million monthly active users. The news, reported by Fast Company, follows Threads reaching the 300 million mark in December 2024 and the 200 million mark in August 2024.

FC also cited data from Similarweb that showed mobile performance for Threads drawing closer to the figures from X. In June, Threads posted 115.1 million daily active users on mobile and X had 132 million. Those figures marked an increase of 128 percent on-year for Threads, but a slide of 15 percent from the previous year for X.

When Meta launched Threads in 2023, Mark Zuckerberg set a goal of making it "a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it." There was still plenty of progress left for the platform to make after its first year, on users and features. But already in 2025, Threads has added some pretty core features such as DMs and an increased emphasis on external links (although whether people will click those links is a separate question).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-up-to-400-million-monthly-active-users-190203754.html?src=rss

Previously, if you wanted a monitor for competitive gaming, you had to choose between an IPS or VA panel to get something with a super high refresh rate or opt for a slower OLED display with richer colors and better contrast. But today, Samsung is changing that with the Odyssey OLED G6, which is the first 500Hz OLED gaming monitor in the world.

Available for $1,000, the Odyssey OLED G6 (G60SF) only comes in one size (27 inches) and features a QHD resolution (2,560 x 1440) with a 16:9 aspect ratio and critically, that blisteringly speedy 500Hz refresh rate with a .03ms (GTG) response time. Its QD-OLED panel also has a matte anti-reflective coating and support for both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-Sync. And after seeing it in person, it really is a very pretty monitor, as it boasts vibrant colors and deep inky blacks while still being able to satisfy even the most demanding competitive gamers.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

That said, the Odyssey OLED G6 is a rather straightforward product. It doesn't come with any of Samsung's built-in smart features like an included remote or the company's Gaming Hub. And with a typical brightness of just 300 nits, while you do get VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 certification, it's not the best monitor to put in a sunny room.

But that's not exactly a deal-breaker, because from what I've seen, this thing is a purpose-built device that's meant to do one thing really well: display games super fast without sacrificing on image quality. And if for some reason you get tired of playing games, you could do some photo or video editing as the display is Pantone Validated and covers 99 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum.

Aside from the Odyssey OLED G6, today Samsung is also introducing a couple new additions to the Odyssey G7 line as well. The smaller of the two is the 37-inch Odyssey G7 which features more traditional dimensions including a 4K curved 16:9 VA panel with a typical brightness of 350 nits and a 165Hz refresh rate.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Alternatively, for those who prefer ultra-wide monitors, the 40-inch Odyssey G7 has the same brightness and 1000R curve as its smaller sibling, but with a 21:9 WUHD (5,120 x 2160) resolution and a slightly faster 180Hz refresh rate. Interestingly, despite being the wider of the two, due to its 16:9 aspect ratio, the 37-inch Odyssey G7 looks larger in person. And thanks to their slightly higher brightness, both the 37 and 40-inch Odyssey G7 have VESA Display HDR 600 ratings.

All three monitors are on sale today. The Odyssey OLED G6 costs $1,000 while the 37-inch Odyssey G7 is going for $900 or $1,200 for the larger 40-inch Odyssey G7.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-samsung-odyssey-oled-g6-is-the-worlds-first-500hz-oled-gaming-monitor-180534184.html?src=rss

Alien: Earth delivers everything you'd want from a series with "Alien" in the title: The iconic Xenomorphs hunting down hapless humans; gratuitous body horror; and androids who you can never fully trust. But writer/director Noah Hawley (Legion, Fargo) and his team also manage to push the franchise to new heights, delving into the philosophical questions that Ridley Scott's Prometheus and Alien Covenant couldn't fully explore. It's not just merely an Alien TV show — it's a meticulously crafted experience that elevates the entire franchise, even more so than the recent Alien: Romulus.

The series, which premieres today on FX and Hulu, takes place two years before the original Alien. It starts with the familiar: A group of astronauts awakening from cryosleep on a retro-futuristic-Weyland Yutani shipping vessel. We learn they're carrying precious extraterrestrial cargo, which predictably breaks loose and wreaks havoc throughout the ship. Meanwhile on Earth (somewhere we haven't seen at all in the franchise), we're introduced to a terminally ill child undergoing a radical new procedure: having her brain uploaded into a Synthetic body (played by Sydney Chandler).

This child takes the name Wendy — one of many Peter Pan references in the series — and embraces her new (and more mature) robotic body with childlike wonder. Instead of just being a frail kid, she becomes incredibly strong, with fast reflexes and the ability to jump down safely from great heights. It's like she's become an anime heroine a la Battle Angel Alita (at one point, she straps on a katana-like sword simply because it looks badass).

Wendy isn't human, but she's not a total android either since her personality and memories are uploaded from a human brain. She's something entirely new. She becomes a sort of older sibling to other sick kids going through the same human-Synthetic hybridization process, and together they form their own spin on the Lost Boys (including some girls). They even go so far as to take names from Peter Pan characters (one kid, unfortunately, gets stuck with the name Smee, after Captain Hook's cowardly lackey). And to her creator, Prodigy Corporation head Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), she's the key to a future where people can cheat death and practically live forever in synthetic bodies.

FX

The alien-filled spaceship ends up crash-landing in one of Prodigy's cities in Southeast Asia (in this universe, five mega-corporations run the world, nation states no longer exist), and Boy Kavalier recklessly decides to test his new hybrid superteam with a rescue mission. They discover one survivor, Morrow (Babou Ceesay), a loyal security officer with a badass robotic arm, as well as a classic Xenomorph and a slew of new species. I won't spoil much about them here, but I have a feeling the cheeky multi-eyeball parasite will quickly become a fan-favorite.

Alien: Earth finally immerses us in elements of the franchise the movies could only hint at. We see what a completely corporate-run Earth looks like, and it's as gross as you'd imagine. As usual, Weyland-Yutani prioritizes its extraterrestrial treasures over the lives of its workers. But it's even more sickening to see Boy Kavalier — the sort of obnoxious tech bro who defiantly puts his bare feet on desks during meetings — salivate at the opportunity to steal and study the alien cargo. Never mind the hundreds (and potentially thousands) of lives lost in his own city, or the inherent dangers in bringing deadly alien creatures into his research lab.

Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh.Patrick Brown/FX

The series is at its best when it interrogates the big questions posed (with more or less deftness) by the films about the nature of being human. And where does that leave the new hybrids, who combine human memory and emotion with Synthetic bodies, who are somewhat immortal? In many ways, Alien :Earth seems just as cynical about humanity's value to the world as Scott's films. Humans will sacrifice countless lives for greed — maybe the planet would actually be better off without us.

With Prometheus, Ridley Scott aimed to explore the hubris of humans attempting to meet their creator, and the possibility the Synthetics (like Michael Fassbender’s David) may be more of evolved lifeforms. But the broader themes were bogged down by weak scripts (and from what I’ve heard, Scott’s own interference in the story). Alien: Covenant was even less memorable. Both films suffered from the demands of being big-budget blockbusters – they couldn’t slow down long enough to let the audience think, instead they had to rush to the next set piece. An eight-episode TV series made for a streaming network doesn’t have to play by the same rules.

Babou Ceesay as Morrow in Alien: Earth.Patrick Brown/FX

Even if you don’t want to engage with bigger ideas, though, Alien: Earth remains an embarrassment of riches. It features entirely new ways for extraterrestrials, not just Xenomorphs, to dismember their victims. It’s filled with fantastic performances across the board — Sydney Chandler, who has more of Wendy’s spunky energy than her Peter Pan namesake, is a standout. Babou Ceesay’s Morrow is ostensibly an antagonist, but it’s heartbreaking to see what he gives up to become a dutiful corporate underling. (His robotic arm can also whip out a sick Wolverine-like blade. How can you not love that?!)

Fans of the great Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Deadwood) will certainly appreciate his performance as Kirsh, Boy Kavalier’s Synthetic security head. We don’t get the playful side of Olyphant that we saw in Justified, but it’s endlessly entertaining to see his contempt for all humans (including his own boss) simmering beneath the surface.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical that Noah Hawley could deliver a decent Alien TV series. Legion was all style and no substance in my opinion, and while I enjoyed the first few seasons of Fargo, the end of its run was uneven. But with Alien: Earth, he has made something special. It’s not the thematic upgrade that Andor was for Star Wars, but it’s a sign that there’s still plenty of life left in the aging Alien franchise.

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