How can organizations decide how to use human-in-the-loop mechanisms and collaborative frameworks with AI agents?Read More

Let's see how they stack up. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable Apple recently made its grand (re)entrance to the mid-range smartphone market with the iPhone 16e, replacing the older iPhone SE variant. Of course, now the only thing to do is see how it compares to one of the best mid-range smartphones around, the newly released Google Pixel 9a.Both phones provide a lot of value for those looking for a flagship-like experience for a much lower price, but there are benefits and drawbacks to each. Let's get into it.Google Pixel 9a vs. iPhone 16eTwo phones enter, but only one can fit in your pocket. Which will it be? You May Also Like Price and specs The Pixel 9a is a great value. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable When it comes to price, there is a clearly superior option here. The Pixel 9a starts at $499, while the iPhone 16e starts at $599. While $100 isn't the biggest difference in the world of flagships, it's a large number for anyone in the market for a budget phone.Here's what you get in the Pixel 9a for that price:6.3-inch display with 120Hz refresh rateGoogle Tensor G4 processor8GB RAM128GB storage5,100mAh batteryAnd for $100 more, this is what the iPhone 16e gets you:6.1-inch display with 60Hz refresh rateApple A18 chip8GB RAM128GB/256GB/512GB storage4,005mAh batteryWe'll get into display and performance analysis later, but Google is easily winning the value game so far. You get a bigger and (in some ways) better display and a bigger battery for less money. Apple, to its credit, offers more storage options, but those will only make the phone even more expensive; the 512GB iPhone 16e is $899, which makes it not even really a budget phone anymore. Design Apple kept it simple. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable Neither of these phones are on the cutting edge of smartphone design, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The iPhone 16e, for its part, looks like a slightly older iPhone model. It doesn't have the standalone Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the display like you'd see in a recent flagship iPhone, instead going for the classic notch look. There's no home button, which differentiates it from the old iPhone SE models, but there isn't one on the Pixel 9a, either. Unfortunately, it only comes in two very boring colors: black and white.Google's mid-range phone is slightly bolder in its design. Namely, Google went and removed the horizontal rear camera bar that had become such an iconic part of the Google Pixel look over the past few years. Now, the rear camera is barely noticeable, lacking even a bump to make it stand out. That's pretty nice if you like your phone to lie completely flat on a table, but it does make the Pixel 9a look like a generic phone prop in a TV show. Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! That said, the Pixel 9a offers four colors, twice as many as the iPhone 16e. There are black and white options, as well as one called "Iris" and a gorgeous pink colorway that should be the only one anyone buys, in my humble opinion.Display Google's display is superior. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable In my eyes, there's a pretty definitive winner in the display category.Pixel 9a's display is not only slightly bigger (though that can actually be problematic for folks with smaller hands), but its refresh rate is twice as high. Not everyone values this as much as I do, but smooth scrolling is very nice to have on a smartphone, and it's a little wild that Apple is still so behind the times on this issue in everything other than iPhone Pro models. You also get up to 2,700 nits of peak brightness, which makes it great for outdoor use.Apple's panel isn't bad, by any means. Its 2532x1170 resolution is slightly higher than what Pixel 9a offers (2424x1080), and it is an OLED screen with HDR support. However, with just 1,200 nits of peak brightness, it likely won't look as good under sunlight as the Pixel 9a.Performance Apple went with USB-C for this one, which is nice. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable When it comes to performance, there really isn't a losing choice here.Both phones are excellent in terms of day-to-day use. Apps load quickly and neither phone slows down too much when there are too many open. I did notice the Pixel 9a getting a little warm to the touch after prolonged use, but a case could easily alleviate that. If you want to put it in numbers and technically choose a winner, it would be Apple. The iPhone 16e's Geekbench benchmarking metrics are better than Pixel 9a's, with Apple netting a 7,423 multi-core score and Google coming in at just 4,358. However, on a practical level, either phone will do just fine for you.Battery life Both phones have good battery life. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable Battery life is another area where you can only win.In my testing, the Pixel 9a was more or less a 24-hour device between charges, and could probably last longer if you turned the refresh rate down to 60Hz or took other power-saving measures. I never directly tested the iPhone 16e myself, but our reviewer Stan Schroeder noted that he was able to go about two days between charges on what he described as "heavy use." It's possible, then, that the extra cash you pay for the iPhone 16e is getting you a better battery than what is available on Pixel 9a. However, I wouldn't describe the Pixel 9a's battery as "bad" by any means. It's just less good.Camera The iPhone 16e takes nice nighttime shots. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable Both the iPhone 16e and Pixel 9a have identical (in terms of megapixels) 48MP main shooters on the rear side. However, Apple only included the one camera lens on the phone's backside, while the Pixel 9a also has an additional 13MP ultra-wide lens. Since these are both budget phones, cameras are where the biggest compromises are to be expected. That said, you can definitely get nice-looking shots on either the Pixel 9a or iPhone 16e. One nice bonus that the Pixel 9a has over the Pixel 8a is the addition of Macro Focus, which lets you get up real close to tiny objects and capture them in great detail. Unfortunately, the iPhone 16e doesn't have this feature at all, due to the lack of an ultra-wide lens.Given that Google's phone has that extra lens and at least one feature the iPhone 16e can't claim, I'm inclined to think the Pixel 9a has a better camera system. Google Pixel 9a $499 at Google Store Apple iPhone 16e $599 at Apple.com Topics Google iPhone

Disney's Tron returns to the big screen in 2025, 15 years after the cult-classic reboot, Tron: Legacy, and more than 40 years after the original film. Naturally, a franchise about people pulled into a computer should also extend to video games, and while there have been many great Tron games over the years, the upcoming Tron: Catalyst might just be the best yet. I recently played some of the isometric action-adventure title ahead of its June 17 release, and its blend of immersive interactivity and intriguing storytelling left me ready for me.A New Tron TaleTron: Catalyst comes from acclaimed indie developer Mike Bithell, creator of Thomas Was Alone and Volume. This is actually Bithell's second Tron game, following 2023's Tron: Identity. However, that game was a visual novel, a beloved but niche genre that's almost entirely about story. Although Tron: Catalyst's gameplay is much more robust, it maintains that attention to narrative.(Credit: Bithell Games)You play as a program, Exo, stuck in Vertical Slice, a seedy city where everyone has their own agenda. There’s a surprising amount of Cyberpunk 2077 energy as you gather intel at nightclubs, distract guards to sneak through passages, and participate in underground gladiator fights. Multiple dialogue options suggest multiple ways to handle story scenarios. The demo featured high-quality voice acting as well as music that, while not up to Daft Punk standards, created an excellent and evocative mood for your shady cyber-shenanigans. Despite the unreal sci-fi setting, I felt as if I inhabited a cool and somewhat dangerous real place. Gameplay: Disc Battles and Light RacingTron: Catalyst is largely a top-down, action-adventure game. I spent much of the demo battling guards with my trusty Identity Disc. You can strike foes in melee combat or toss your disc from afar. Defensive options include parries and dodges. The combat isn't revolutionary, but it's satisfying. As you collect skill points and unlock upgrades, such as one that causes your disc to bounce between multiple enemies, Catalyst resembles an action scene from a Tron movie.Recommended by Our Editors(Credit: Bithell Games)Combat helps punctuate surprisingly elaborate missions, such as tracking down a specific program or transmitting valuable data. The quests take you across several locations, from the rain-slicked city streets up to rooftop pool parties, showing off the beautiful artifice of Tron’s iconic, dark-neon world. I played the demo at a steady 60 frames per second on Steam Deck.Exo has the ability to glitch the system and rewind time. Initially, I feared this might turn the game into a roguelike. Instead, rewinding time helps you solve puzzles. For example, you can know where a character appears ahead of time. You also maintain the shortcuts and passcodes you previously learned, making it less tedious to revisit old areas. (Credit: Bithell Games)One gameplay feature I was especially intrigued by, but didn’t experience much of, was the Light Cycle. You can summon the vehicle anytime you're on the streets to quickly travel between distant locations faster, as well as leave light trails to block off foes. It felt awesome, but served little purpose in the demo because my missions were mainly in interior locations, very close to each other. Hopefully, the cycle serves a larger role in the final game, and the full world is large enough to justify it. This might be too ambitious, but I yearn for an isometric open-world game in the style of classic Grand Theft Auto, just with more derezzing.Disney's Next Digital FrontierCatalyst has the elements to make you feel like you're living in a Tron reality worth exploring. If you’re looking for an exciting new digital adventure this year, Tron: Catalyst could be the low-key surprise you've been waiting to download. The game launches June 17 on PC, PlayStation 5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S; check back then for a full review.

Alongside the latest security fixes, Microsoft just added a number of new features to Windows 11 via the KB5058411 update. The new Copilot+ AI feature known as Windows Recall and the ability to use Phone Link in the Start menu have been mentioned in previous articles, so we don’t need to mention them again. One of the best improvements in the update is that Windows Search now supports AI, which means—among other things—that you can now use “natural language” in your search queries to find documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and images. File Explorer also got some boosts, like how it’s now possible to view Microsoft 365 content directly in File Explorer (but requires you to pay for the service). File Explorer should also open files and unpack ZIP archives much faster, and as for the colors in the bars, the shades of blue and green are now darker than before. Other goodies in the update include Microsoft removing the blue-colored background for shortcuts on the desktop, which users complained about, as well as numerous bug fixes, which should mean that the risk of running into “blue screen” crashes has gone down. Update KB5058411 should automatically download and install to your system, assuming you’re on Windows 11 24H2. If it hasn’t yet, you should be able to jump-start it with a manual check in Windows Update. Further reading: Windows 11 24H2 is now auto-downloading on PCs

Intel ARCade machines are often featured in major e-sports events, but who knows if a Battlemage edition appears at Computex?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Microsoft quietly rolls out new Advanced Settings for Windows 11, here is how to enable it Taras Buria Neowin @TarasBuria · May 18, 2025 07:42 EDT It was recently discovered that Microsoft is working on a new Settings section for Windows 11 called "Advanced Settings." Initially unearthed in a Windows Server preview build, the page is now rolling out to Windows Insiders turned off by default (you can easily make it work). The new "Advanced Settings" page is a rework of the "For Developers" section in Settings > System. There, you can tweak various options and settings for app makers and enthusiasts. However, some of them are also useful for regular consumers, as I explained in my recent "Do these five important things after installing Windows 11" article. The updated version of the page contains more features, some of which were brought from the now-killed Dev Home app. Plus, it now has a better structure that makes it easier to navigate and discover things. Microsoft has not announced "Advanced Settings" yet, but you can already make it work in the latest Windows 11 preview builds from the Dev and Beta Channels. Interestingly, Microsoft is rolling it out via a Microsoft Store update: head to the "Downloads" section, check for updates, and you will see the "Windows Advanced Settings" component. Here is how to enable the updated Settings section: Download ViVeTool from GitHub and unpack it wherever convenient. Launch Command Prompt as Administrator and navigate to the folder containing the ViveTool files with the CD command. For example, CD C:\Vive. Type vivetool /enable /id:56005157 and press Enter. Restart your computer. Microsoft is hosting its annual Build developer conference next week, so expect to hear a lot of developer-related news. Perhaps the new Settings page will appear among the announcements. Credit for the feature ID goes to @phantomofearth on X Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed

A new YouTube tool will let advertisers use Google's Gemini AI model to target ads to viewers when they're most engaged, reports CNBC: Peak Points has the potential to enable more impressions and a higher click-through rate on YouTube, a primary metric that determines how creators earn money on the video platform... Peak Points is currently in a pilot program and will be rolling out over the rest of the year. The product "aims to benefit advertisers by using a tactic that aims to grab users' attention right when they're most invested in the content," reports TechCrunch: This approach appears to be similar to a strategy called emotion-based targeting, where advertisers place ads that align with the emotions evoked by the video. It's believed that when viewers experience heightened emotional states, it leads to better recall of the ads. However, viewers may find these interruptions frustrating, especially when they're deeply engaged in the emotional arc of a video and want the ad to be over quickly to resume watching. In related news, YouTube announced another ad format that may be more appealing to users. The platform debuted a shoppable product feed where users can browse and purchase items during an ad. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Talking to an energy expert, I’ve learned how a big difference between Europe and US electric utilities is how in Europe you can almost always choose your electricity provider (the utility company) while in the US it’s almost always based on where you live: no choice.This encourages more competition across energy providers in Europe - as switching for customers *is* possible.

They’re better than the original designs.

Whichever way you cut it, mix it or remaster it, the Eurovision Song Contest is a deeply weird thing. Not weird in the sense of outlandish outfits, incomprehensible lyrics or fever-dream choreography (although that’s all there if you want it). Nor weird in the sense that a 69-year-old pan-European singing competition has become one of the few remaining water cooler events that pull people outside of their own bubbles and into a shared frame of reference.. But weird on a more fundamental level. An event, and a brand, that is unbelievably hard to pin down. On the one hand, it’s the Euros for people who don’t like football – big, bombastic, slick, chock-full of mini flag icons and low-level national biases. And on the other, it’s this gloriously bizarre exercise in high camp, a joyful gathering of relatively unknown musical acts in such a way that makes the music almost an afterthought. Basically, an excuse for one big, mad, everyone’s-welcome party. In an era where every European country has long-established talent shows; when the music industry is dominated by a handful of transnational mega-stars; when even the notion of “Europe” is itself under strain, it’s hard to understand quite why it still exists. Never mind that it reaches a global audience of 163 million. Its genius lies in how seriously it takes itself. And perhaps it offers a little insight into a much overlooked aspect of brand identity – self-perception. Make no mistake, Eurovision is a serious brand. From visual identity to marketing to international television rights to the experience itself, it’s very aware of the power it wields. It’s the world’s biggest live music event for a reason. But crucially, Eurovision is a brand that feels in on the game it’s playing. It comes brilliantly close to acknowledging how preposterous the whole thing is. Whether that’s including Australia, for the simple fact that it’s really popular 9,000 miles from Europe, or whether it’s the brooding figure of executive supervisor Martin Österdahl, smouldering and saying nothing as he helps count votes. Even the presenters (both on-stage and on our screens) feel in on the joke. Always seemingly one step away from breaking out into an unrecoverable fit of giggles. “Crucially, Eurovision is a brand that feels in on the game it’s playing.” This is exceptional, serious branding. It’s branding that creates just enough space to offer a wry wink at its audience. To say, “We get it. In the grand scheme of things, none of this truly matters, but you might as well enjoy it.” It’s a glint of mischief that simultaneously acknowledges that it’s a confection being broadcast to an audience of consumers, while drawing that same audience sincerely closer, warmer to the brand than before.Eurovision might be an extreme example, but great brands are masters at the glint of mischief. IKEA famously talks about their “twinkle in the eye” – a little dose of irreverence that manages to make the proposition of affordable, self-assembly furniture and aspirational style hold together against the odds. As a consumer, you can’t help but like them, even when the category conventions are pushing you to think the opposite. Method have harnessed the glint through packaging design. Just no-frills and minimalist enough to winkingly call bullshit on the garish, overhyped claims of the cleaning products category; never quite no-frills or minimalist enough to become either a self-parody or budget bleach. Even Ryanair, with its unrepentant take on budget customer service, employs the glint of mischief to make people dislike them that little bit less. How a brand views itself translates to how others view it. And if you view yourself with genuine self-awareness – you understand, however implicitly, that you are a brand, built to sell help sell things, and not a pioneering force for positive change, a cultural disruptor, or an essential part of a lifestyle identity – you can connect with an audience who themselves know, deep down, they are being sold to. A glint of mischief, a twinkle in the eye, a little touch of human self-awareness in a world of extreme creative and strategic self-seriousness. Eurovision gets this better than anyone – perhaps the most serious practitioners in the art of unseriousness out there. For a continent that feels deathly serious most of the time – economically, politically, socially – it might just offer a little dose of genuine mischief we can all relate to. Josh Dickins is head of consulting at Modern Citizens, a modular agency built to solve modern brand problems.