The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced this years Oscar nominees and Netflixs Emilia Prez leads the pack with 13. The musical crime drama has broken the record for the most nods for non-English language film, overtaking Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Roma (Netflix's first-ever best picture nominee), which each had 10.Emilia Prez scored nominations in the categories of best picture, international feature, supporting actress, cinematography, directing, editing, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song (with two in that category), sound, adapted screenplay and best actress. That last one has extra significance as Karla Sofa Gascn is the first openly trans performer to earn an acting nomination. Although Elliot Page received a nomination for Juno in 2008, that was long before the actor transitioned. (Curiously, I Saw The TV Glow, which has been praised for its abstruse portrayal of trans experiences, is nowhere to be found among this year's nominees.)Netflix had the most nominations of any distributor for the second year in a row. An animated feature film nod for Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, documentary short The Only Girl in the Orchestra and original song nominee Diane Warren (for The Journey from The Six Triple Eight) took Netflix's tally to 16. Perhaps Warren will finally win an Oscar this year at her 16th time of asking.Mubi, another streaming company, has six nominations this year, including five for the body horror film The Substance. Meanwhile, Disney+ scored one for Elton John and Brandi Carlile's song Never Too Late from the documentary Elton John: Never Too Late.This year's best picture nominees are Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part 2, Emilia Prez, Im Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance and Wicked. You can find out the winners of this year's Academy Awards when the ceremony takes place on March 2, with the wonderful Conan O'Brien taking on hosting duties.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/netflixs-emilia-perez-breaks-new-ground-with-its-oscar-nominations-173223767.html?src=rss

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is on sale for $280 via Amazon. This represents a discount of $120, though the promotion doesnt show up until checkout. Just pop the ring in your Amazon basket and start the checkout process to peep the discount. We were fairly positive about Samsungs first smart ring in our official review, calling it a surprisingly informative health-tracking device for those with compatible Samsung phones. We came away impressed by the comfort-forward design, which doesnt impede sleeping, writing that we barely feel it when trying to snooze. This is a boon for light sleepers. The health-tracking metrics are on point, especially when you consider that theres a new software update that uses compatible SmartThings devices to create a sleep environment report that takes factors like temperature, humidity, air quality and light intensity into account. Samsungs app lets users adjust any connected devices to improve local conditions. The major downside with the Galaxy Ring is the price, which has been somewhat alleviated by this sale. At least now its slightly lower than the rival Oura Ring. This is a great wearable for those already tied into the Samsung ecosystem, but not the best fit for everyone else. Some of the features require a Samsung phone. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-samsung-galaxy-ring-is-on-sale-for-120-off-174530918.html?src=rss

Google is paying HTC $250 million in cash for a deal that will give the bigger company's plans for Android XR a boost. Under the terms of their agreement, some members of the HTC Vive engineering team will be joining Google, which describes them as an "incredibly strong technical team with a proven track record in the VR space." HTC released the consumer version of its first Vive VR headset, designed in partnership with Valve, back in 2016. Last year, it launched the Vive Focus Vision more than a year after it released its first standalone headset for consumers, the Vive XR Elite.In addition to absorbing certain Vive team members, Google will also get a non-exclusive license to use HTC'S extended reality technologies. HTC can still use its own IPs, and it vows to continue developing and supporting its XR headsets. The companies will also "explore future collaboration opportunities." Google says the deal will help "its acceleration across the headset and glasses ecosystem." The company laid out its vision for a unified Android XR ecosystem in December, which will span a range of virtual and mixed reality headsets and glasses. We're bound to see the first Android XR devices this year, including one codenamed Project Moohan from a Google-Samsung collaboration.Google's and HTC's agreement is still subject to customary closing conditions and will be finalized sometime this first quarter.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-buys-part-of-htcs-vive-vr-team-for-250-million-130046567.html?src=rss

Get enough Star Trek fans in a room and the conversation inevitably turns toward which of the series cinematic outings is the worst. The consensus view is The Final Frontier, Insurrection and Nemesis are duking it out for the unwanted trophy. Each film has a small legion of fans who will defend each entrys campy excesses, boldness and tone. (Im partial to watching The Final Frontier every five years or so, mostly to luxuriate in Jerry Goldsmiths score.) Thankfully, any and all such discussions will cease once and for all on January 24, 2024, when Star Trek: Section 31 debuts on Paramount+.It is the single worst thing to carry the Star Trek name in living memory.Spoilers follow for Star Trek: Section 31.Star Trek: Section 31 is a made for TV streaming movie focusing on Philipa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) after her departure from Star Trek: Discovery. It was originally greenlit in 2019 as a series but, for a wide variety of reasons, it languished in development hell until 2022. In the interim, showrunners Bo Yeon Kim and Erika Lippoldt, along with credited screenwriter Craig Sweeny, sweated the idea. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi told SFX Magazine (via TrekMovie) that Sweeny would eventually write (and re-write) the project seven different times, first as a TV series, then as a movie. Trek head honcho Alex Kurtzman was eager to get production underway to take advantage of Yeohs 2022 Academy Award win for Everything Everywhere All At Once.The result is a film that, even if youre unaware of the pre-production backstory, sure feels like a series hastily cut down to feature length. Its not incoherent, but suffers from the same issue that blighted Discovery, where youre watching a dramatized synopsis rather than a script. There are thematic and plot beats that rhyme with each other, but the meat joining them all together isnt there. Its just stuff that happens.It doesnt help that the plot (credited to Kim and Lippoldt) is very much of the and then this happens variety that they warn you about in Film School 202. So many major moments in the film are totally unearned, asking you to care about characters youve only just met and dont much like. Theres a risible scene at the end where two people who havent really given you the impression theyre into each other have to hold hands and stare into their impending doom. The pair in question have shared their backstories with each other, but theres no suggestion that they are anything more than just people working together on a job, let alone friends.Michael Gibson/Paramount+Weak material is less of an issue if you have a cast who can elevate what theyve been given but, and it pains me to say this, thats not Michelle Yeoh. Yeoh is a phenomenal performer who has given a litany of underrated performances over her long and distinguished career. But she made her name playing characters with deep interiority, not scenery-chewing high-camp villains. Even in her redemptive phase, its impossible to believe Yeoh is the sort of monster Star Trek needs Georgiou to be. Rather than shrinking the scene, and the stakes, to suit her talents, the film makes the canvas wider and expects Yeoh to fill space shes never needed.The rest of the gang is similarly underserved by the material and the sheer volume of clutter the film has little time to get past. Making the Section 31 team six people deep before they meet Georgiou means every character beyond her is a thumbnail sketch at best. Theres the broody one, the funny one, the uptight one, the robot one, the hot one and the one with the bad Oirish accent.If Section 31 was a series, youd forgive the pithy introductions, knowing youd get to fill in these characters over the coming weeks, maybe even grow attached to them. In the space of a movie, it doesnt work since the shocking twists like an early character death to raise the stakes or a sudden heel-turn in a moment of crisis, dont work. Worse still, the dialog is so often indecipherable crosstalk that feels more like woeful improv than useful characterization. That, or its just characters reminding the audience of basic story points over and over again, like the fact Georgiou used to be a baddie.Olatunde Osunsanmis direction has always made an effort to draw attention to itself, with flashy pans, tilts, moves and Dutch angles. Jarringly, all of his flair leaves him when he needs to just shoot people in a room talking those scenes invariably default to the TV standard medium. Worse still is his action direction, that loses any sense of the space were seeing or the story being told. Theres a final punchfight that requires the audiences to be aware of who has the macguffin at various points. But its all so incoherent that youll struggle to place whats going on and where, so why bother engaging with it?And thats before we get to the fact that Osunanmi chose to shoot all of Michelle Yeohs Michelle Yeohs fight scenes in close-up. When Yeoh is moving, you want to capture the full extent of her talents and allow her and her fellow performers a chance to show off, too. And yet its in these moments that the camera pulls in tight with what looks like a digital crop with a dose of digital motion blur thrown in. All of which serves to obscure Yeohs talents and sap any energy out of the action.Jan Thijs/Paramount+Before watching Section 31, I re-watched the relevant stories from Deep Space Nine and tried to interrogate their ethics. That series asked, several times over, how far someone would, could or should go to defend their ideals and their worldview. The Federation was often described as some form of paradise, but does paradise need its own extrajudicial murder squad? It wasnt a wicked cool plotline, but a thought experiment to interrogate what Starfleet and its personnel stands for when its very existence is in jeopardy. If theres one thing that Section 31 isnt, its cool, and if you think it is, then your values are at least halfway in conflict with Star Treks founding ethos.Unfortunately for us, Trek honcho Alex Kurtzman does think Starfleet having its own space murder squad is wicked cool given their repeated appearances under his watch. Kurtzman has never hidden his love of War on Terror-era narratives, which remain as unwelcome here as they were in Star Trek: Into Darkness. Sadly, Section 31 is Star Trek in its face-punching, forced-interrogation, cheek-stabbing, eye-gouging thoughtless grimdark register. Fundamentally, its not a fun thing to sit down and watch, beyond its numerous deficiencies as a piece of cinema.The biggest tell that Section 31 wasnt going to be a winner was when Rob Kasinsky, who plays Section 31's Zeph, started getting his excuses in early. He said (via ScreenRant) he was worried the film would be received poorly given all the fans want is just 1,000 more episodes of TNG. Ill admit, there is a chunk of fandom who do just want to be fed a conveyor belt of memberberries. These are the people who thought season three of Picard was good and are clamoring for Star Trek: Legacy. I, and a lot of other people, just want something thats halfway thoughtful, entertaining and well-made, and this is none of those things.I keep checking my notes for anything positive and the best I can manage is that the costumes, co-created with Balenciaga, are quite nice. Theyre a bit too Star Wars, but I like the focus on texture and tailoring in a way thats better than Treks current athleisure trend. Oh, and the CGI is competent and doesnt slip below the standards set down by Strange New Worlds. There you go, two things that are good about Section 31.Fundamentally, I dont know who this is for. Its too braindead for the people who want Star Trek in any sort of thoughtful register. Its not shot through with the fan-service onanism that would pander to please the Star Trek: Legacy crowd. Its not quite shamelessly brutal enough for the gang who want Star Trek to turn into 24. And its not high camp enough for the folks whod like to coo over Michelle Yeoh in a variety of gorgeous costumes. Remember how Warner Bros. junked several movies for the tax break? I wish Paramounts accountants had been as ruthless here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/star-trek-section-31-review-an-embarrassment-from-start-to-end-150051501.html?src=rss

Google and Apple are having a bad day. The tech giants are facing a new investigation into their mobile ecosystems from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and growing pressure to adopt a new app store initiative in India.Let's start with the probe, which comes one day after the CMA named a former Amazon executive as its interim chair. The CMA is investigating whether Apple and Google's mobile ecosystems should have Strategic Market Status (SMS) and thus can be subjected to greater regulation and pro-competition directives. However, they're not fully clear what aspects exactly are being investigated. This new designation stems from the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act, which went into effect on January 1. Google is also the subject of the first SMS investigation, launched earlier this month and focusing on possible antitrust practices around the company's search services.The CMA's SMS investigations can last up to nine months, with both cases currently accepting comments on the investigation and possible interventions. The regulator is accepting submissions around the joint Google and Apple probe through February 12.Now to Apple and Google's other headache. In India, the technology ministry is pushing Apple and Google to offer the state-backed GOV.in app store in their marketplaces, Bloomberg reports. The Indian government also wants the suite of apps to be pre-installed on all mobile devices, available for third-party downloads and not labelled with warnings such as "untrusted source." It is billing the push as a means for further distributing public-welfare services. These apps are currently available on Apple and Google's app stores, but as separate entities.The initial request reportedly came in a meeting last month but, as it stands, Google and Apple are unlikely to say yes. The Indian government is reportedly discussing using mandates or taking legal steps to force compliance. In 2021, Apple began offering a similar option for Russian users due to regulations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/uk-investigating-google-and-apples-mobile-ecosystems-135204025.html?src=rss

A $2,000 video card for consumers shouldn't exist. The GeForce RTX 5090, like the $1,599 RTX 4090 before it, is more a flex by NVIDIA than anything truly meaningful for most gamers. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said as much when he revealed the GPU at CES 2025, assuming that it'll be for hardcore players who have $10,000 rigs. Personally, I don't know anyone who actually fits that bill, not unless you count parasocial relationships with streamers. (My own setup doesn't even cross $5,000.) But we all know why NVIDIA is hyping up the unattainable RTX 5090: It lets the company show off benchmarks that AMD can't touch, once again cementing itself as the supreme leader of the high-end video card market. It's not just about gaming, either. The RTX 5090 is also being positioned as an AI workhorse since it's powered by NVIDIA's new Blackwell architecture, which leans on the company's Tensor Cores for artificial intelligence work more than ever. Realistically, though, the $549 RTX 5070 is the GPU more gamers will actually be able to buy. I'll admit, I went into this review with a mixture of excitement and disgust. It's astonishing that NVIDIA was able to stuff 91 billion transistors and 21,760 CUDA cores in the RTX 5090, and I couldn't wait to see how it performed. Still, I find it genuinely sad that NVIDIA keeps pushing the bar higher for GPU prices, in the process making the gaming world even more unequal. A $2,000 graphics card, in this economy?! But after hours of benchmarking and playtime, I realized the RTX 5090 wasn't much of a threat to gaming accessibility. Wealthy PC gamers have always overspent for graphics performance I've seen people (unwisely) pay thousands more than consumer GPUs just to get extra VRAM from NVIDIA's Quadro cards. But the rise of PC handhelds like the Steam Deck, which are a direct offshoot of the Nintendo Switch's success, is a clear sign that convenience matters more than raw power to mainstream players today. I don't think many Switch 2 buyers are saving up for an RTX 5090. For the few who can afford it, though, NVIDIA's new flagship sure is a treat. Hardware: Leaning more on AI In many ways, the RTX 5000 GPU family is the convergence of NVIDIA's decades-long GPU expertise and its newfound role powering the AI hype train. Sure, they'll run games faster than before, but what makes them unique is their ability to tap into "neural rendering" AI for even better performance. It's at the heart of DLSS 4, the company's latest AI upscaling technology, which can now generate up to three frames for every one that's actually rendered by the RTX 5090. That's how NVIDIA can claim this GPU is twice as fast as the RTX 4090, or that the RTX 5070 matches the speed of the 4090. Does it really matter if these frames are "fake" if you can't tell, and they lead to smoother gameplay? Before I dive further into the AI side of things, though, let's take a closer look at the RTX 5090. Once again, it features 21,760 CUDA cores, up from 16,384 cores on the 4090, as well as 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM instead of the 4090's 24GB of GDDR6X. (I thought I was future-proofing my desktop when I equipped it with 32GB of RAM years ago, but now that video cards have caught up I'm almost convinced to go up to 64GB.) The 5090 also sports 5th-gen Tensor cores with 3,352 of AI TOPs performance, while the 4090 had 1,321 AI TOPS with last-gen Tensor hardware. RTX 5090 RTX 5080 RTX 5070 Ti RTX 5070 RTX 4090 Architecture Blackwell Blackwell Blackwell Blackwell Lovelace CUDA cores 21,760 10,752 8,960 6,144 16,384 AI TOPS 3,352 1,801 1,406 988 1,321 Tensor cores 5th Gen 5th Gen 5th Gen 5th Gen 4th Gen RT cores 4th Gen 4th Gen 4th Gen 4th Gen 3rd Gen VRAM 32 GB GDDR7 16 GB GDDR7 16 GB GDDR7 12 GB GDDR7 24 GB GDDR6X Memory bandwidth 1,792 GB/sec 960 GB/sec 896 GB/sec 672 GB/sec 1,008 GB/sec TGP 575W 360W 300W 250W 450W I tested the RTX 5090 Founders Edition GPU (provided by NVIDIA), which is dramatically slimmer than its 4090 counterpart. The 5090 has a sleek two-slot case that can actually fit in small form factor systems. The three-slot 4090, meanwhile, was so massive it felt like it was going to tear my PCIe slot out of my motherboard. NVIDIA also added another cooling fan this time around, instead of just relying on a vapor chamber and a single fan. The 5090's main PCB sits in the center of the card, and it's connected to other PCB modules at the PCIe slot and rear ports (three DisplayPort 2.1b and an HDMI 2.1b connection). Devindra Hardawar for Engadget DLSS 4: The real star of the show While multi-frame generation is the defining feature for the RTX 50 cards, there are several other DLSS 4 features that should help games look dramatically better. Best of all, those capabilities are also trickling down to earlier RTX GPUs. RTX 40 cards will be more efficient with their single-frame generation, while RTX 30 and 20 cards will also see an upgrade from AI transformer models used for ray reconstruction (leading to more stable ray tracing), Super Resolution (higher quality textures) and Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing (DLAA). These transformer models should also fix some rendering artifacts present in earlier versions of DLSS. At NVIDIAs Editors Day earlier this month, the company showed off how the updated version of Ray Reconstruction made a chainlink fence in Alan Wake 2 appear completely sharp and clear. An earlier version of the feature made the same fence look muddy, almost as if it was out of focus. In Horizon Forbidden West, the new version of Super Resolution revealed more detail from the texture of Aloys bag. DLSS 4 will be supported in 75 games and apps at launch, including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Cyberpunk 2077, according to NVIDIA. For titles that havent yet been updated with new DLSS menu options, youll also be able to force support for the latest features in the NVIDIA app. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget In use: An absolute powerhouse, with fake frames and without I could almost hear my motherboard breathe a sigh of relief when I unplugged the RTX 4090 and swapped in the slimmer 5090. Installation was a cinch, though I still needed to plug in four PSU connectors to satisfy its demand for 575 watts of power and a 1,000W PSU. If youre lucky enough to have a new PSU with a 600W PCIe Gen 5 cable, that will also work (and also avoid tons of cable clutter). I tested the RTX 5090 on my home rig powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and 32GB of RAM, alongside a 1,000W Corsair PSU. I also used Alienwares 32-inch 4K QD-OLED 4K 240Hz monitor to get the most out of the 5090, and honestly, you wouldnt want to run this GPU on anything less. Once I started benchmarking, it didnt take long for the RTX 5090 to impress me. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad test, which is a demanding DX12 demo, it scored 14,239 points, well above the 9,250 points I saw on the RTX 4090. Similarly, the 5090 hit 15,416 points in the 3DMark Speedway benchmark, compared to the 4090s 10,600 points. These are notable generation-over-generation gains without the use of frame generation or any DLSS sorcery its just the raw power you see with more CUDA and RT cores. None 3DMark TimeSpy Extreme Port Royal (Ray Tracing) Cyberpunk (4K RT Overdrive DLSS) Blender NVIDIA RTX 5090 19,525 36,003/166fos 246fps (4X frame gen) 14,903 NVIDIA RTX 4090 16,464 25,405/117fps 135fps 12,335 NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super 13,168 18,435/85fps 80fps 8,867 NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti Super 11,366 15,586/72fps 75fps 7,342 Once I started gaming and let DLSS 4 do its magic, my jaw just about hit the floor. But I suppose thats just a natural response to seeing a PC hit 250fps on average in Cyberpunk 2077 while playing in 4K with maxed-out ray tracing overdrive settings and 4x frame generation. In comparison, the 4090 hit 135fps with the same settings and single frame generation. Now I know most of those frames arent technically real, but its also the first time Ive seen any game fill out the Alienware monitors 4K 240hz refresh rate. And most importantly, Cyberpunk simply looked amazing as I rode my motorcycle down rain-slicked city streets and soaked in the reflections and realistic lighting from robust ray tracing. Like Cypher in The Matrix (far from the best role model, I know), after suffering through years of low 4K framerates, I couldnt help but feel like ignorance is bliss when it comes to frame generation. I didnt see any artifacts or stuttering. There wasnt anything that took away from my experience of playing Cyberpunk. And the game genuinely looked better than Id ever seen it before. And if youre the sort of person who could never live with fake frames, the RTX 5090 is also the only card Ive seen that can get close to 60fps in Cyberpunk natively in 4K with maxed out graphics and no DLSS. I hit 54fps on average in my testing, whereas the 4090 chugged along at 42fps in native 4K. You could also compromise a bit and turn on 2x or 3x frame generation to get a solid fps boost, if the idea of 4x frame generation just makes you feel dirty. And if you cant tell, I quickly got over any fake frame trepidation. When I used the NVIDIA app to turn on 4x frame generation in Dragon Quest: The Veilguard, I once again saw an average framerate of around 240fps in 4K with maxed out graphics. Ive already spent over 25 hours in the game, but running through a few missions at that framerate still felt revelatory. Combat sequences were clearer and easier to follow, possibly thanks to better Ray Reconstruction and Super Resolution, and I could also make out even more detail in my characters ornate costumes. On the 4090, I typically saw around 120fps with standard frame generation. The 5090s DLSS 4 performance makes me eager to see how the cheaper RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti cards perform. If a $550 card can actually get close to what I saw on the $1,599 4090, even if its relying on massive amounts of frame generation, thats still a major accomplishment. It would also be great news for anyone who invested in a 4K 120Hz screen, which is tough to fill with other mid-range GPUs. Outside of gaming, the RTX 5090 also managed to convert a minute-long 4K clip into 1080p using the NVENC H.264 encoder in just 23 seconds. Thats the fastest conversion Ive seen yet. In comparison, the RTX 4090 took 28 seconds. Add up those seconds on a much larger project, and the 5090 could potentially save you hours of repeated rendering time. Naturally, it also saw the fastest Blender benchmark score weve ever seen, reaching 14,903 points. The RTX 4090, the previous leader in our benchmarks, hit 12,335 points. 3Dmark Throughout benchmarks and lengthy gaming sessions, the RTX 5090 typically reached around 70 degrees Celsius with audible, but not annoying, fan noise. The card also quickly cooled down to idle temperatures between 34C and 39C when it wasnt under load. Aiming to push the limits of NVIDIAs cooling setup, I also ran several stress test sessions in 3DMark, which involves looping a benchmark 20 times. It never crashed, and achieved over 97 percent accuracy in most of the tests. There was just one Steel Nomad session where it scored 95.9 percent and failed 3DMarks 97 percent threshold. That could easily be due to early driver issues, but its still worth noting. The only time I really got the RTX 5090 cooking was during an exploration of the Speedway benchmark, where I could move the camera around the ray traced scene and look at different objects and characters. The card hit 79C almost immediately and stayed there until I quit the demo. During that session, as well as typical gaming, the 5090 drew between 500W and 550W of power. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Looking ahead: AI NPCs and neural shaders On top of DLSS, NVIDIA is also planning to tap into its RTX cards to power AI NPCs in games like PUBG and ZooPunk. Based on what I saw at NVIDIAs Editors Day, though, Im more worried than excited. The companys Ace technology can let NPCs generate text, voices and even have conversational voice chats, but every example I saw was robotic and disturbing. The AI Ally in PUBG makes a lot of sense on paper who wouldnt want a computer companion that could help you fight and find ammo? But in the demo I saw, it wasnt much of a conversationalist, it couldnt find weapons when asked and it also took way too long to hop into a vehicle during a dangerous firefight. As I wrote last week, I'm personally tired of being sold on AI fantasies, when we know the key to great writing and performances is to give human talent the time and resources to refine their craft. And on a certain level, I think I'll always feel like the director Hayao Miyazaki, who described an early example of an AI CG creature as, "an affront to life itself." NVIDIAs Neural Shaders are an attempt to bring AI right into texture shaders, something the company says wasnt possible on previous GPUs. These can be implemented in a variety of ways: RTX Neural Materials, for example, can use AI to render complex materials like silk and porcelain, which often have nuanced and reflective textures. RTX Neural Texture Compression, on the other hand, can store complex textures while saving up to 7 times the VRAM used from typical block compression. For ray tracing, theres RTX Neural Radiance Cache, which is trained on live gameplay to help simulate path-traced indirect lighting. Much like NVIDIAs early ray tracing demos, its unclear how long itll take for us to see these features in actual games. But from the glimpses so far, NVIDIA is clearly thinking of new ways to deploy its AI Tensor Cores. RTX Neural Faces, for example, uses a variety of methods to make faces seem more realistic, and less like plastic 3D models. Theres also RTX Mega Geometry, which can help developers make up to 100x more ray traced triangles, according to NVIDIA. Demos show it being used to construct a large building as well as an enormous dragon. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Wrap-up: The new unattainable GPU king The $2,000 GeForce RTX 5090 is not meant for mere mortals, that much is clear. But it points to an interesting new direction for NVIDIA, one where AI features can seemingly lead to exponential performance gains. While I hate that its pushing GPU prices to new heights, theres no denying that NVIDIA has crafted an absolute beast. But, like most people, Im more excited to see how the $549 RTX 5070 fares. Sure, its also going to lean into frame generation, but at least you wont have to spend $2,000 to make the most of your 4K monitor.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090-review-pure-ai-excess-for-2000-140053371.html?src=rss

We all want to protect our phones from the inevitable drops, scratches and tumbles of daily life, but what if your phone case could protect more than just your device? The best eco-friendly phone cases offer a great blend of durability and sustainability, helping to reduce plastic waste and better the planet.Made from natural materials like biodegradable plastics, recycled ocean waste or even sustainable bamboo, eco-friendly and compostable phone cases prove that you dont have to sacrifice style or protection to go green. Theyre designed to safeguard your device while actively combating plastic pollution, making them a win-win for both you and Mother Earth.Whether youre looking for something sleek and minimal or bold and artistic, theres an eco-friendly option out there that will fit your style. Instead of a standard plastic case, you can choose one thats both practical and planet-friendly. Eco-friendly phone case FAQs What makes a phone case eco-friendly? A phone case can be considered eco-friendly when its designed to protect not just your phone but also the planet. What sets these cases apart is the use of sustainable materials like biodegradable plastics, recycled plastic waste or even natural materials like bamboo or flax straw. Instead of contributing to plastic pollution, these materials break down naturally over time, or are made from recycled content that reduces waste. Eco-friendly cases can also go a step further by being compostable, meaning you can toss them in a compost bin at the end of their life and theyll decompose into the earth without leaving harmful residues. Plus, many brands behind these cases focus on sustainable practices, like reducing carbon emissions during production or offering recycling programs for old cases.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-eco-friendly-phone-cases-150016494.html?src=rss

Xbox is hosting its Developer Direct showcase today, and you'll be able to watch along live on YouTube, Twitch or our handy embed below.The stream starts as 1PM ET / 10AM PT and is supposed to feature updates from the developers of South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33and Doom: The Dark Ages. Xbox is also promising to "visit a surprise location to see another studios brand new game." Windows Central reports the mysterious unannounced game is "a new entry in a legendary Japanese IP which has decades of history," which certainly sounds intriguing. At the very least, the rest of the games featured are slated to launch in 2025.Xbox spent most of 2024 adjusting its strategy around releasing games, delaying some titles to this year, and bringing some formerly exclusive games to the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. The company seems like it's favoring timed exclusives over hoarding everything for Xbox and PC, so the job of this Developer Direct is a little bit different this time. Besides letting developers sell their games, the real test of the show is if it can get you excited about games that are coming to Xbox first, rather than only coming to Xbox at all.You can watch the Xbox Developer Direct showcase on YouTube, Twitch, or right here in the embed above when it starts at 1PM ET / 10AM PT.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/how-to-watch-the-latest-xbox-developer-direct-showcase-110013502.html?src=rss

For the second year in a row, the story of Samsungs new flagship Galaxy phones isnt about hardware changes. For better or worse, the Galaxy S25 features few material changes from its predecessor, and many of the most substantive enhancements come courtesy of new AI features Samsung has built into One UI.The highlight of those is something Samsung is calling the Personal Data Engine. Over time, One UI 7 will collect and analyze data about how you use your S25 to personalize the software experience. This customization will be most visible in two new features called Now Brief and Now Bar. The former will generate morning, midday and evening summaries of information that might be relevant to you. For instance, in a morning brief, you might see the days weather, a calendar of your upcoming meetings, and news stories that might interest you.The latter, on the other hand, is a new interface element you can access from both the S25s lock screen and just below the digital clock when the phone is unlocked. The Now Bar will automatically generate a Rolodex of reminders you can flip through throughout the day. One widget might include directions from Google Maps, while another could feature the 45-minute timer you set earlier in the day.Its all basic stuff, but Samsung is betting these features and the ones Im about to detail will save S25 users time by reducing the amount of jumping between apps they need to do. According to the company, any usage information the Personal Data Engine records is kept secure and private inside the S25s Knox Vault security enclave.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetThe Galaxy S25 also includes a series of interconnected features that broadly fall under a concept Samsung is calling AI agents. These agents are powered by multi-modal machine learning models, meaning they can parse images, videos, audio and text. Samsung has deployed these throughout One UI 7, though youre most likely to encounter them through the Samsung sidebar.The most interesting of the new agents is called AI Select. It builds on the Smart Select tool previous Galaxy phones featured. When evoked, AI Select will scan the screen and suggest actions based on what it sees. As mentioned, the model powering this feature is multi-modal, so its not limited to reading just text. For example, say you bring up AI Select while watching a YouTube video. In that context, the tool will offer to create a GIF for you. Again, the idea here is to simplify an action that previously may have required multiple apps and steps.At the same time, Samsung has polished existing AI tools to make them better. Most notably, Sketch to Image, now known as Drawing Assist, is more accurate and detailed and includes the option to import existing images.Separately, the Galaxy S25 series will ship with an improved version of Circle to Search. For the uninitiated, Circle to Search is a way to access Google Search from nearly anywhere on your phone without switching between apps. You activate the feature by long-pressing your phones Home button. Circle to Search arrived at the start of last year, with Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 owners among the first to get access. The latest version of Circle to Search can recognize phone numbers, emails and URLs, allowing you to call, email or visit a website with a single tap. Additionally, Circle to Search now also includes integration with Googles AI Overviews.These enhancements arent limited to Samsung devices, and Google is in the process of rolling them out to all Android phones.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-ai-becomes-more-personal-and-cohesive-180029521.html?src=rss

Which iPhone should I buy? Its a question you might have heard many times over the years. Much of the time, the answer is simple: Get the best iPhone you can afford. If youre happy with your current iPhone, meanwhile, dont feel like you have to make a change at all. But if youre ready to upgrade, allow us to help. Weve reviewed just about every iPhone ever released, so weve picked through all nine models in Apples current smartphone lineup and highlighted the ones that should satisfy most people below.Before we dive in, note that weve based our guide on the MSRPs of new, unlocked iPhones on Apple.com. If you can find a heavy discount from another trusted retailer or a good deal on a refurbished model, that could always change the value equation. With that disclaimer out of the way, here are the best iPhones you can buy as of early 2025. Table of contents Best iPhones for 2025 The rest of Apple's iPhone lineup in 2025 Recent updates Best iPhones for 2025 The rest of Apple's iPhone lineup in 2025 The iPhone 16. Billy Steele for Engadget Apple iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus As noted above, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have made genuine improvements over last years models and generally feel more Pro-like than they have in years past. They also come in a range of vibrant colors. If the iPhone 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max are just too pricey, especially if you want extra storage space, theyre fantastic compromises. Still, they are compromises. If you can afford it, the Pro should hold up a bit better over time. Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are fine phones in a vacuum, but we just dont have the stomach to recommend a $600 or $700 phone without USB-C in late 2024. You lose out on the Dynamic Island and Apple Intelligence as well. The 14 Plus may be justifiable if you just want the cheapest large-screen iPhone out there, but most should look for a trade-in or refurbished deal on an iPhone 15 or, if your budget allows it, iPhone 16 instead. Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) The iPhone SE (3rd gen) isn't just the cheapest iPhone that Apple sells, its also the smallest and lightest. It retains the look and feel of the iPhone 8, which was released all the way back in 2017, but some may appreciate the older design and tactile Home button. The SE uses the same A15 Bionic chip as the old iPhone 13, but it still runs fine for everyday tasks. It might be OK if you just want the cheapest route into iOS or youre buying a first iPhone for your kids. For most, though, the SEs small display, single-rear-camera setup and limited memory and storage are tough to accept in 2024. It also lacks ultra-wideband (UWB), so its not as adept at finding nearby AirTags. Bloombergs Mark Gurman has reported that Apple could release a new iPhone SE by early 2025, so anyone in need of a true budget iPhone should try to hold out for a little longer. Recent updates January 2025: We've made a few minor edits for clarity and ensured our recommendations are still up to date. December 2024: Weve made a few edits to reflect the release of Apple Intelligence, though our picks remain the same.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/best-iphone-160012979.html?src=rss

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra, and for the most part, the changes aren't massive. The jumbo-sized S25 Ultra has the most noticeable updates, including a more rounded titanium frame, slimmer bezels, new anti-reflective glass and an improved ultrawide camera. All three phones run on a faster Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip and promise better low-light video capture. The S25 and S25+ are slightly thinner than last year's models, too, while the base S25 now includes 12GB of RAM as standard. For the most part, though, much of Samsung's focus is on improving the phones' AI functionality. To that end, the company is touting features like an improved Circle to Search tool and better natural voice recognition, among other tricks.We spent some time with the new phones ahead of today's Unpacked event, so you can read our hands-on previews of the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra for more details on what to expect. The phones are up for pre-order now, with official sales starting on February 7. We'll have full reviews around then. However, for Galaxy owners who are already set on upgrading, we've laid out how the three devices compare on the spec sheet below. If you're wondering what the extra cost of the S25+ or S25 Ultra gets you, here's a quick breakdown.Samsung Galaxy S25Samsung Galaxy S25+Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraPrice (MSRP)$800 (128GB), $860 (256GB)$1,000 (256GB), $1,120 (512GB)$1,300 (256GB), $1,420 (512GB), $1,660 (1TB)Dimensions5.78 x 2.78 x 0.28 inches6.24 x 2.98 x 0.29 inches6.38 x 3.06 x 0.32 inchesWeight5.7 ounces6.7 ounces7.7 ouncesScreen size6.2 inches6.7 inches6.9 inchesScreen resolutionFHD+ (2,340 x 1,080)QHD+ (3,120 x 1,440)QHD+ (3,120 x 1,440)Screen typeDynamic AMOLED 2XUp to 120Hz (1-120Hz)Up to 2,600 nits (peak brightness)Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2Dynamic AMOLED 2XUp to 120Hz (1-120Hz)Up to 2,600 nits (peak brightness)Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2Dynamic AMOLED 2XUp to 120Hz (1-120Hz)Up to 2,600 nits (peak brightness)Corning Gorilla Armor 2SoCQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm, 8-core)Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm, 8-core)Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm, 8-core)RAM12GB12GB12GBBattery4,000mAh4,900mAh5,000mAhChargingUp to 25W wiredUp to 15W wireless ("Qi2 ready")4.5W reverse wirelessUp to 45W wiredUp to 15W wireless ("Qi2 ready")4.5W reverse wirelessUp to 45W wiredUp to 15W wireless ("Qi2 ready")4.5W reverse wirelessStorage128GB, 256GB256GB, 512GB256GB, 512GB, 1TBRear cameraMain: 50 MP, f/1.8, 85 FOV, OISUltrawide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 120 FOVTelephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 36 FOV, OIS, 3x optical zoomMain: 50 MP, f/1.8, 85 FOV, OISUltrawide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 120 FOVTelephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 36 FOV, OIS, 3x optical zoomMain: 200 MP, f/1.7, 85 FOV, OISUltrawide: 50 MP, f/1.9, 120 FOVTelephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 36 FOV, OIS, 3x optical zoomPeriscope telephoto: 50 MP, f/3.4, 22 FOV, OIS, 5x optical zoomFront camera12 MP, f/2.2, 80 FOV12 MP, f/2.2, 80 FOV12 MP, f/2.2, 80 FOVVideo captureRear: 4K at 60 fps, 8K at 30 fpsFront: 4K at 60 fpsRear: 4K at 60 fps, 8K at 30 fpsFront: 4K at 60 fpsRear: 4K at 120 fps, 8K at 30 fpsFront: 4K at 60 fpsWater and dust resistance ratingIP68IP68IP68Wi-FiWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7BluetoothBluetooth 5.4Bluetooth 5.4Bluetooth 5.4OSAndroid 15, One UI 7Android 15, One UI 7Android 15, One UI 7Colors and finishGlass front and back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frameNavy, Icyblue, Mint, Silver Shadow, Blueblack*, Coralred*, Pinkgold* (*Samsung.com exclusive)Glass front and back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frameNavy, Icyblue, Mint, Silver Shadow, Blueblack*, Coralred*, Pinkgold* (*Samsung.com exclusive)Glass front (Gorilla Armor 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), titanium frameSilverblue, Whitesilver, Gray, Black, Pinkgold*, Jetblack*, Jadegreen* (*Samsung.com exclusive)This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/heres-how-samsungs-new-galaxy-s25-phones-compare-to-each-other-180032319.html?src=rss

Alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25 series today, Samsung also made a slew of software updates that might not have gotten much attention during the keynote. Specifically, two updates are coming to Samsung Wallet that not only sound very similar to existing features on iPhones, but might also be better. The new features are called "Instant Installment," which is the company's take on "buy now pay later," as well as peer-to-peer payments, which it's named "Tap to Transfer." The latter is basically Apple's Tap to Cash, which allows iPhone owners to hold their phones together to send money to each other. Crucially, though, Samsung's method would support work with third-party digital wallets.At a recent briefing with members of the media, Samsung's reps said that Tap to Transfer "is not going to be limited to just Samsung Wallet." Instead of being tied to specific digital wallets, it will be linked to the associated debit card or account, and works via Mastercard and Visa.As for Instant Installment, it's not that Samsung is pivoting to becoming a credit provider and taking on loans. Instead, it facilitates your purchases and turns your payments into what the company's rep said is "the first offline payment plan experience." It's available at brick-and-mortar stores or online, with Visa or Mastercard credit cards. Samsung Wallet just helps you manage the payment plan on your device.Both of these features aren't launching with the Galaxy S25, but Samsung said at the briefing that they would be available "shortly thereafter." A spokesperson I talked to at the event indicated it would be closer to the second quarter of the year, and that the features would be backward compatible and work on older Galaxy phones, too. Details are scarce, though, and with seemingly months to go before launch, things could change. But if Samsung actually makes it possible to tap to transfer cash between friends with different devices and digital wallets, it could truly be a better, more seamless approach than Apple's version right now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-borrows-from-the-apple-wallet-playbook-with-layaway-and-tap-to-send-for-wallet-181052578.html?src=rss

Samsung's Galaxy S25 smartphones launched today, but when it comes to the all-important cameras, the company leaned on AI rather than making any meaningful changes. There is one welcome addition, though. Samsung finally caught up to to rivals like Honor by introducing log video to allow more precise color grading. Other key updates include improved low-light capability on all models, the new "ProVisual engine," a "virtual aperture" and a much higher resolution ultrawide camera on the high-end Ultra.Last year the Galaxy S24 Ultra's big selling point was the 200MP camera, which made the 12MP ultrawide look weak in comparison. Samsung remedied that with the Galaxy S25 Ultra by more than quadrupling that sensor to 50MP. That also helps Samsung match up better against Google's Pixel 9 Pro and its 48-megapixel ultrawide camera.Mat Smith for EngadgetWith that, the Ultra now has a formidable suite of cameras: a 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto and 50MP 5x tele. However, that makes the more mainstream Galaxy S25 and S25+ look a bit weak in comparison. Those only come with a 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide and 10MP 3x tele, just like the last two models. All phones have a front 12MP selfie camera with up to 4K 60p video.Samsung also rectified a weak point we addressed in our reviews on the S24: sub-par low-light performance. With Qualcomms new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, Samsung says the new cameras can analyze noise more effectively using a new "spatial-temporal filter," that can detect moving and static objects more precisely. That in turn allows for cleaner video, particularly with moving objects in dim environments. The downside is that applying stronger noise reduction can generate weird artifacts, something we'll test further in upcoming reviews. In fact, during Samsung's presentation, I couldn't help but notice a strange separation between the moving subject and background.Other key new camera features are also available across the S25 lineup. The most important one for content creators is Galaxy Log, which finally enables log video to improve dynamic range and allow more accurate color grading. That's a much-requested feature for Galaxy phones that was only available previously with third-party apps. It also records with 10-bits of color like the HDR mode. However, the new feature still falls short of the ability to capture ProRes log video on the latest iPhones.Samsung's new Galaxy Log featureSamsungI tested log on Honor's Magic smartphone series and it can meaningfully improve video by boosting dynamic range in tricky lighting situations (a backlit subject or sunny day, for instance). The problem is that transforming log into regular footage requires an editing app and some knowledge about things like LUTs so whether this will catch on with users depends on how Samsung implements it.Samsung also enabled 10-bit HDR video capture by default, which allows you to shoot more colorful and detailed images. However, be aware that such content might not display properly on apps and devices that don't support HDR (other smartphones, PCs, TVs, etc.).To treat photos after you take them, Samsung enhanced Portrait Studio with new features like personalized avatars with more true-to-life facial expressions. It also added new analog filters for a more film-like aesthetic for photos and videos.Mat Smith for EngadgetThere are two other new tricks: Audio Eraser and Virtual Aperture. Though all the cameras have a fixed aperture, the latter simulates having an adjustable one just like mirrorless cameras. However, the feat is accomplished through computational tricks, so it's likely to look a bit artificial.Audio Eraser, meanwhile, is an AI-powered noise reduction system designed to cut out background sounds in busy environments when shooting video, no doubt inspired by Apple's Audio Mix and the Audio Magic Eraser on Pixel devices. During the demo, Samsung showed how it could cut different types of noises like wind, waves and nature.The Galaxy S25 Ultra's new camera is great if you can afford that $1,300 model, while the improved low-light handling, Galaxy Log and AI should provide nice, but not spectacular, benefits. All told, Samsung didn't bring as much to the table as the iPhone 16 with its Camera Control button, or the Pixel 9 (Video Boost, Add Me, Auto Frame). For more on how the Galaxy S25's cameras work in the real world, check out our hands-on tests and stay tuned for full reviews.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-samsung-galaxy-s25-lineup-leans-on-ai-to-keep-its-cameras-fresh-181056862.html?src=rss

We've finished up with CES and now Samsung Unpacked has arrived to bring us new Galaxy phones it must be January. Like last year at this time, the world has just been introduced to brand new set of Galaxy S-series phones: The flagship Galaxy S25, the slightly larger Galaxy S25+ and the high-end, S-Pen-equipped Galaxy S25 Ultra. Specs, features and shipping dates have all been confirmed, so if what you've seen has you considering a new smartphone for yourself, here's how to pre-order.As was suggested by a couple of leaks, the look of the Ultra is indeed a little different this year, with slightly more rounded corners after years of sporting a decidedly squared-off look. All three models will run on a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset. The new processors were designed to double down on the AI skills Samsung introduced last year.The processors which Samsung is calling the most powerful ever used in a Galaxy device will allow more on-device handling of the AI functions inherent in the latest One UI 7 operating system. Getting at Google's Gemini is easier, too, with a side button that triggers the assistant. Other AI promises include a faster and more contextual Circle to Search function and a context-aware OS that makes it easier to switch between apps for follow up actions such as adding an event detailed in a picture to your calendar.The next generation of Samsung's AI-powered ProVisual Engine will help with mobile photography, enabling clearer low-light imaging, enhanced zoomed image quality and better color optimization. As for the cameras, those largely stay the same, except for a 50MP ultra wide lens on the S25 Ultra, up from a 12MP UW camera last year.Other changes to note include batteries with at least 50 percent recycled cobalt and more recycled materials in the frames and interior components. Every new S-series model will also get a promised seven years of OS and security updates.Pre-orders are open now and the phones will be widely available Friday, February 7. You can check out our comparison between the three models and we already have hands-on impressions with the Ultra model as well as the S25 and S25+. Our full reviews are coming soon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-pre-order-the-new-samsung-galaxy-s25-galaxy-s25-and-galaxy-s25-ultra-smartphones-180021435.html?src=rss

Amazon just announced it will be closing its Quebec facilities in the coming weeks, according to reporting by CBC. This move will cut more than 1,700 jobs. The company said it will begin outsourcing deliveries to smaller contractors, instead of relying on its in-house team."Following a recent review of our Quebec operations," the company said in a statement, "we found that returning to a third-party delivery model supported by local small businesses, similar to the one we had until 2020, will enable us to offer the same excellent service and deliver even greater savings to our customers in the long term."Amazon has announced it will shutter its facilities in Quebec in the coming weeks and cut more than 1,700 jobs. Quebec is home to Amazon's only unionized workforce in Canada. https://t.co/zG3XjTi1mH CBC News (@CBCNews) January 22, 2025 This follows a successful unionization bid at an Amazon warehouse in Quebec. The workers joined the Confdration des syndicats nationaux (CSN), which represents around 330,000 people across many industries in Canada. Amazon allegedly fought these efforts, going on to say that union accreditation would not respect the interests of its employees."This decision makes no sense whatsoever," CSN president Caroline Senneville said in a statement. "Neither from a business point of view, nor from an operational point of view. Amazon, one of the most integrated companies between the click of a mouse and home delivery, would entrust all its warehousing and distribution operations throughout Quebec to a third party?"Dont worry. Amazon says the massive layoffs arent because of the aforementioned union, indicating it was a simple cost-cutting measure. We should absolutely take the company at its word because it has always been particularly friendly to unions and a friend to workers everywhere. That was sarcasm.In any event, it is expected that the company will close the facilities within the next two months. Employees will be given a severance package of some kind, but the details have yet to be revealed. Apropos of nothing, Amazon is worth nearly $2.5 trillion dollars. It has doubled in value in the past year or so.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-to-close-quebec-facilities-but-says-its-not-because-of-that-new-union-185744378.html?src=rss

Samsung and Google are introducing a new Wear OS software experience called "Galaxy Watch for Kids" that's designed to make the Galaxy Watch 7 LTE (and presumably future wearables) safe and fun for children to use. The new software features and setup process is similar to Apple's "Apple Watch For Your Kids" just with Android devices rather than iOS ones.According to Samsung, parents will be able to set up their child's Galaxy Watch 7 directly from their phone and activate its eSIM. After that, kids don't need a phone to use the Galaxy Watch. The core features of Wear OS are available, just with added guardrails for kid's safety and parent's peace of mind. Those include the ability to enable location sharing, manage who kids can contact through the Galaxy Watch, and set up a Do Not Disturb mode that's enabled during school hours. Settings can be tweaked at any time from Google's Family Link app.To make being tracked more enticing, Galaxy Watch for Kids will come with new kid-friendly customization options, like a Rubik's Cube or Tech Deck watch face (admittedly right up my alley when I was 10), Wear OS apps featuring characters from Barbie, Marvel, or PBS Kids and new colorful watch band options. Activity tracking and health data are accessible in the Galaxy Watch for Kids experience, too.Samsung isn't reinventing the wheel with this feature Google's Fitbit Ace LTE kid smartwatch just launched in 2024 but parents love being able to keep track of their kids, and a smartwatch might ultimately be a healthier to make your children always-connected than a phone.Galaxy Watch for Kids is available to use now on Galaxy Watch 7 LTE models from Samsung, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/samsungs-galaxy-watch-for-kids-software-makes-wear-os-a-family-affair-190332986.html?src=rss

Extremely OK Games has cancelled its upcoming game Earthblade. The followup to the team's beloved indie sensation Celeste was announced in 2022 and expected to release last year. Maddy Thorson announced the news on the studio's website today."Noel and Ibegan to reflect on how the game has felt for us to work on day-to-day, and realized that it has been a struggle for a long time," she wrote. "Sure, working on one project for so long is bound to become a slog, but this feels like a deeper problem. Celeste's success applied pressure on us to deliver something bigger and better with Earthblade, and that pressure is a large part of why working on it has become so exhausting."The studio, led by Thorson and Noel Berry, parted ways with EXOK co-founder Pedro Medeiros in November. However, Thorson was clear in her message that the rift between team members was not the reason for cancelling Earthblade. In fact, all of the public conversation between the former colleagues thus far has remained amicable. Thorson offered firm support for Medeiros and his new game project Neverway in her post: "If you were excited about Earthblade and angry about its cancelling, Pedro and the Neverway team aren't the enemy and anyone who treats them as such isn't welcome in any EXOK community."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/extremely-ok-games-has-cancelled-its-follow-up-to-celeste-000352550.html?src=rss

Canon announced that it has created a new 410-megapixel, 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor, "the largest number of pixels ever achieved" in a sensor of its size.Because of the level of detail the new sensor can capture, Canon expects it to be used by"surveillance, medicine and industry," where there's demand for "extreme resolution." With 410 megapixels, Canon's sensor has a resolution of 24K, 198 times greater than HD, and 12 times greater than 8K. That makes it simple to crop and then enlarge a photo captured by the sensor without losing detail.Typically, sky-high megapixel counts are limited to cameras with medium-format sensors. But the beauty of Canon cramming this many pixels into 35mm is that it should be able to be used "in combination with lenses for full-frame sensors."Canon had to make more than a few design changes to make this happen. The new sensor has a redesigned circuitry pattern and a "back-illuminated stacked formation" where "the pixel segment and signal processing segment are interlayered." That translates to a readout speed of 3,280 megapixels per second, and video at eight frames per second. A monochrome version of the sensor can bin four pixels together at once to shoot even brighter images and capture "100-megapixel video at 24 frames per second," Canon says.It doesn't sound like this kind of sensor is going to make it into a consumer camera anytime soon, but the fact this level of miniaturization is possible means one day it could, for the photography sickos who want it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canon-has-developed-a-410-megapixel-full-frame-sensor-001851969.html?src=rss

Sega has introduced a new system for player accounts. A Sega Account will connect all of a player's games and services from both Sega and Atlus. It will also be a place for the two studios to share news, events, updates and promotions about their titles. The accounts are free and anyone can register.To sweeten the pot, Sega will also offer bonuses and goodies to account members. The first reward people can unlock is a Kazuma Kiryu Special Outfit DLC for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which is due out next month. The ensemble can be redeemed by anyone who sets up a Sega Account before March 7.With so many studios turning to games as a service, it's becoming standard practice to require players to create accounts or online profiles. Sega is a little slow to hop on this train, and there are some industry standard features in that are still in development for Sega Accounts, such as a page for records related to games played. There's no language on the website now about if or when an account might be required.In announcing this platform, Sega said there will be "various new services and features coming soon." We already know that Sega is working on a brand new Virtua Fighter game, but we've also said good-bye to other old-school classics from the company. Seems like Sega is in a phase of transition, so it should be interesting to see what else they've got in store for this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-unveils-a-player-account-system-221029962.html?src=rss

Ten video games have received nominations for the 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. This program celebrates media works that feature "fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community and the issues that affect their lives." There are nominees for television, film, music, theater, journalism and comics as well as video games.One of the 2024 nominees for outstanding video game is the re-release of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for the Nintendo Switch. The original Japanese version of the GameCube title included a minor character named Vivian who was transgender. The game contained dialogue about her challenges being misgendered and her journey to understanding her own identity. However, the 2002 international translations of the game, including the English version released in the US, erased that side to the character, removing language around Vivian's gender and pronouns. Last year's Switch re-release restored the character's original lines and story arc for English-speaking players to finally experience.The video game nominees also include Dragon Age: The Veilguard. BioWare has a long history of portraying queer characters and romance options in their games, and it's great to see them continuing that practice with the latest title. Horror film outfit Blumhouse's first foray into games, the fascinating indie project Fear the Spotlight, also received a nod. Here is the complete list of game nominees:Caravan SandWitch (Studio Plane Toast / Dear Villagers)Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts)Dread Delusion (Lovely Hellplace / DreadXP)Dustborn (Red Thread Games / Spotlight by Quantic Dream)Fear the Spotlight (Cozy Game Pals / Blumhouse Games)Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine / Square Enix)Minds Beneath Us (BearBone Studio)Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Intelligent Systems / Nintendo)Sorry Were Closed ( la mode games / Akupara Games)Until Then (Polychroma Games / Maximum Entertainment)This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/glaad-media-awards-nominates-paper-mario-after-nintendo-restored-trans-representation-232157090.html?src=rss

Samsung is making a thin version of the Galaxy S25. The Galaxy S25 Edge was teased at the end of the company's Unpacked event, and it does appear to be meaningfully thinner than the other phones Samsung launched today.There's very little to go off of in Samsung's tease. Voiceover describe the phone as "a culmination of our most innovative technology" and hypes up the device's apparent sleekness. Scrub through Samsung's livestream and you'll see components like a vapor chamber, cameras and metallic frames, but only the barest glimpse of the Galaxy S25 Edge's actual silhouette. At Samsung's live event in Korea, the new phone was actually on display. You can get a look at it in the embed below.Galaxy S25 Edgewww.... https://t.co/L1JBl8DCRD pic.twitter.com/zofJ3BLyGX (@chehonz201) January 22, 2025 Samsung didn't share any more details about when the Galaxy S25 Edge will come out at its event, but Bloomberg reports that the phone will launch "in the US and other markets by the middle of the year." The device will also "use some of the same technologies as the new Ultra model," just in a slimmer package. "Samsung hasnt settled on a price," Bloomberg writes, "but acknowledged it will be cheaper than the $1,299-and-up Ultra."The company won't be the only one trying to woo customers with thinness in 2025. Apple is also reportedly introducing the iPhone 17 "Air" later this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-teased-a-very-slim-phone-called-the-galaxy-s25-edge-193553033.html?src=rss

Dozens of subreddits have opted to block links to X in their communities over the last 24 hours in a movement that appears to be gaining momentum across Reddit. Hundreds more appear to be actively discussing or considering a similar move with their members.Engadget counted more than two dozen subreddits, which collectively have millions of members, that have already restricted their communities ability to post content from X in some way in recent days. These include large subreddits, like r/formula1, which has nearly 5 million members, and smaller communities like r/ultraman, which has 30,000.The movement seems to have been popularized, at least in part, by r/newjersey, whose mods announced a ban on X links Tuesday. Fuck this guy. X links are now banned from r/newjersey, they shared in a post that now has more than 65,000 upvotes. Accompanying the post was a photo of Elon Musk extending his arm, Musk made two apparent Nazi salutes during a speech at Donald Trumps inauguration which have been widely celebrated by fascists online.A number of other subreddits quickly followed suit, with many sharing a link to the r/newjersey post. X links have been barred from r/military (489,000 members), r/comics (2.7 million), r/casualnintendo (184,000), r/spiderman (1 million), r/pcgaming (3.8 million), r/rupaulsdragrace (1 million), r/KingdomHearts(345,000), r/therapists (142,000), and many others. We weren't trying to start a trend, and we never expected to go viral, the mods of r/newjersey said in a statement to Engadget. Not everyone will agree with our choice, but Reddit has always been a place where each community gets to decide these things individually. If our announcement has inspired discussions about the role social media is playing in our current times, we think that's a good thing.Many mods, in announcing their ban on X links have also cited the fact X has made it increasingly difficult for users to view posts if they arent logged in. Theres no doubt that over the past years Twitter has become a low-quality source: the login requirements, the flood of bots, the prioritization of content from paying users and promotion of sensationalist content, r/formula1s mods wrote in a post. But unlike with news sites in our source-rating system, for Twitter there wasnt really an alternative.The subreddit is instead encouraging members to share content from Bluesky, which doesnt require a login to view posts. The mods said they will allow screenshots of relevant posts by teams, drivers & F1 when the same content isnt available elsewhere.Moderators for r/antiwork, which has 2.9 million members, noted that their rules prohibit links and screenshots to X and all other social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram and even LinkedIn. We'd prefer for the message of antiwork to come organically from you, here, in OC form, but if it comes from a picture or post of something else, that catches hold, we want that, too, they wrote. Just not Twitter.Many other subreddits are considering similar measures. Mods of r/dnd (4 million members), r/baseball (2.8 million), r/AlanWake (80,000) and r/Xmen (270,000) are currently running polls among their members. Moderators in r/hockey (2.7 million), r/georgia (237,000) and r/popheads (2.8 million) have also shared that they are discussing a potential ban.Not all moderators have been receptive when such a ban has been raised. A mod in r/chess said that such a ban would pose a bit of a logistical problem for the community. The unfortunate reality is that Twitter is the source of a big portion of content on the subreddit, they wrote. A ban would thus require some rule changes. We're open to suggestions, but can't promise anything at the moment. Likewise, a moderator of r/fauxmoi, a subreddit dedicated to gossip, noted that we do prefer to still have the link so we can ensure that people are not submitting fake or doctored screenshots.While this is far from the first time that Redditors have joined together in a form of protest, its notable that so many are calling to remove a popular source for Reddit posts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/dozens-of-subreddits-are-banning-x-links-from-their-communities-215441510.html?src=rss

Samsungs first Unpacked event of 2025 delivered the Galaxy S25 series as expected. Although the phones dont have dramatically upgraded specs, the company stuffed you guessed it! more AI into the devices. This latest batch is more context-sensitive and predictive, and some of it even squeezes more out of the phones mildly upgraded hardware. Galaxy S25 Ultra Sam Rutherford for Engadget The Galaxy S25 Ultra is still the biggest, best and most expensive of the bunch. It has a 6.9-inch display and a more rounded edge for a comfortable grip. Samsung says its the slimmest, lightest, and most durable Galaxy Ultra device ever, rocking a titanium body with Cornings Gorilla Armor 2 for advanced drop protection and scratch resistance. Unlike the two smaller models, the Ultras camera sensors got a spec upgrade: Its ultrawide lens is now 50MP, up from the mere 12MP one in last years model. Like its siblings, the S25 Ultra is powered by a customized version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which lets the trio of phones process many of their AI experiences on-device. Of course, thats better for privacy. Although the phone continues the tradition of including an S Pen (its now essentially the Galaxy Note), Air Commands have bit the dust. Samsung told Engadget in a briefing that fewer than one percent of S Pen-toting customers used them. And those who did mostly used them as a camera shutter, which is easily replicated in other ways. Samsung says the removal let it shed some weight and boost the S Pens durability. Engadgets Sam Rutherford got an early hands-on with the Galaxy S25 Ultra and said it looks like a good phone and described Samsungs AI suite as much more cohesive and easier to get into. However, he also had a few reservations. But at the same time, it seems like the biggest phone maker in the world could be doing more for its most expensive non-folding phone. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has 12GB of RAM, and it ships in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage tiers. Its still quite the investment, though starting at $1,300. Galaxy S25 and S25+ Sam Rutherford for Engadget The Galaxy S25 and S25+ saw their RAM upgraded to 12GB (same as the Ultra), up from 8GB in their 2024 predecessors. It combines with the Snapdragon 8 Elite to better handle the phones many AI features. (More in a minute.) The rest of their hardware is remarkably similar to the S24 and S24+. They still have 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively. But Samsungs new ProScaler AI tool can upscale images in real time to perhaps make up for the unchanged specs. Samsung says it can boost the quality of what you see by 40 percent. Engadgets Mat Smith tried the Galaxy S25 and S25+ and praised the phones premium and solidly built slim designs and vivid, bright and gorgeous displays. However, he was skeptical of the phones AI-centric focus. In just a few years, Samsung has built up a substantial collection of artificial intelligence tricks, features and apps, he wrote. While some of them have been impressive, like live translation and annotation, others (often involving generative AI) arent actually helpful or notable enough to warrant regular use." Storage is also unchanged from the S24 series: 128GB or 256GB in the Galaxy S25 and 256GB or 512GB in the Galaxy S25+. Fortunately, pricing is also unchanged. Youll pay $800 or more for the S25 and $1,000 and up for the S25+. Galaxy AI Sam Rutherford for Engadget With most hardware upgrades (apart from the Snapdragon chip) coming in soft this generation, Samsung is leaning hard on AI features to make you want to throw down hard-earned cash on the new models. This year, Samsungs One UI 7 on top of Android 15 combines to create what Samsung calls a new AI-integrated OS. It aims for a more personalized and context-sensitive AI, rather than just a series of one-off tools. AI plays a central role in the phones camera features, with the Qualcomm chip making the phones better at analyzing noise leading to what Samsung says is better low-lit performance. Audio Eraser is an AI tool that separates audio channels, letting you cut out unwanted ones like wind or a random stranger talking. Samsung gathers its new collection of on-device AI tools into what it calls the Personal Data Engine. The series of multimodal (text, images, video, audio) machine learning agents leads to features like AI Select, which builds on Samsungs legacy Smart Select tool. The new AI-powered version can scan your screen and suggest context-aware tasks like creating a GIF from a YouTube video youre watching. Sam Rutherford for Engadget You could say the AI-powered Now Bar is Samsungs answer to the iPhones Dynamic Island. The pill-shaped bar sits at the bottom of the lock screen and below the digital clock when the phone is unlocked. It generates a series of reminders based on context. Within the Now Bar is another AI feature, the Now Brief, which generates morning, midday and evening summaries of info it thinks will be relevant to you. Samsungs Sketch to Image tool has been rebranded as Drawing Assist, and Samsung says the feature is more polished and accurate. It also adds an option to import existing images for your prompt. The S25 series also adds an upgraded version of Googles Circle to Search (activated by long-pressing the home button). It can now recognize phone numbers, emails and URLs, letting you trigger their corresponding actions with a single tap. Samsung Wallet updates Sam Rutherford for Engadget The company added two new payment features: Instant Installment and Tap to Transfer. As its name suggests, Instant Installment is a buy now, pay later service that lets you turn purchases into an offline payment plan experience. Its managed entirely on-device and available for Visa and Mastercard purchases. Engadgets Cherlynn Low was briefed by Samsung on the service. Its not that Samsung is pivoting to becoming a credit provider and taking on loans. Instead, it facilitates your purchases and turns your payments into what the companys rep said is the first offline payment plan experience. Meanwhile, Tap to Transfer is a peer-to-peer payment service, rivaling the likes of Apples Tap to Cash. Tap phones with someone you want to pay (or be paid by). It isnt limited to Samsung Pay; you can use it with third-party apps, too, since its tied to the associated card or account. It works with Visa and Mastercard. Developing... This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/everything-samsung-announced-at-the-galaxy-s25-unpacked-event-183331979.html?src=rss

Samsung just held its Unpacked event and the company announced all kinds of new products. The most notable of the bunch, however, was likely the Galaxy S25 Ultra flagship smartphone. It's the most powerful of the just-announced S25 line and Amazon is offering a pretty swell pre-order bonus, to the tune of a $200 gift card. Thats right. If you pre-order a Galaxy S25 Ultra handset, you get a $200 Amazon gift card that can be used on just about anything. This can help shave off some of the sticker shock of that $1,300 price tag. If the price still isnt right, Amazon is offering similar promotions for the standard S25 and the slightly beefier S25+. However, the gift card amount shrinks to just $100. The regular S25 starts at $700 and the S25+ starts at $1,000. Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S25 series are open right now. Deliveries should start going out on February 7. We have full reviews of all three phones coming soon, if you want to wait make sure the handsets are worth the cost. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-includes-a-200-gift-card-when-you-pre-order-the-samsung-galaxy-s25-ultra-195455473.html?src=rss

Samsung unveiled a bunch of new gadgets at its Unpacked event, but the baddest of the bunch were likely those Galaxy S25 smartphones. Smartphones are only as good as the chips that power them, and the S25 series features a custom version of Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Elite system-on-a-chip (SoC.)Qualcomm is calling it the worlds fastest mobile system-on-a-chip and it powers every Galaxy S25 version across the world, from the standard release to the Plus and the Ultra. This is the first time the same chipset has been used to power Galaxy S-series handsets globally since the S13. Typically, North America gets a Qualcomm SoC and the rest of the world gets Samsung's proprietary Exynos system.This SoC features the second-gen custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU, along with the Adreno GPU and the Hexagon NPU for AI tasks. The system includes a Snapdragon X80 5G modem and the Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 Mobile Connectivity System. The company promises ultra-fast cellular and Wi-Fi 7 speeds. The system also allows users to send and receive messages via satellite, via the Snapdragon Satellite service.The two companies worked closely together to create this custom version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite to reduce power consumption on Galaxy devices. Galaxy S25 handsets can even access Qualcomms Spatio-Temporal Filter (STF.)This allows for sharper-than-ever low light video capture capabilities, even at 8K 30fps, all while maintaining world-class power consumption efficiency. Of course, the SoC was also customized to take full advantage of Samsungs Gemini suite of AI tools.The Galaxy S25 isnt the only smartphone to use Snapdragon 8 Elite. The Xiaomi 15, Honor Magic 7 Pro, Asus ROG Phone 9 and Realme GT 7 Pro are expected to utilize the SoC, albeit not the custom version co-designed by Samsung.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s25-smartphones-are-powered-by-a-custom-snapdragon-8-elite-soc-180050277.html?src=rss

Last year Samsung embraced artificial intelligence with its suite of Galaxy AI features. And while the new S25 Ultra is a bit faster, a little curvier and has a slightly bigger display than before, its clear the companys primary focus was upgrading the software and machine learning capabilities of its top-spec flagship phone. But is that enough? Design: A curvier titanium frame with a handful of quirks Similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra features a titanium frame. However, for 2025, Samsung wanted to buck tradition by making the phone a bit less boxy. So instead of a totally angular chassis, Samsung rounded off its corners. This gives the Ultra a bit more of a familial resemblance to its less expensive siblings (both the S25 and S25+). That said, the Ultra still has flat edges that are a touch sharper than on last years phone, so it's more of a remix than a full revamp. For its front and back glass, Samsung moved to Cornings new Gorilla Armor 2, which features a "next-gen" anti-reflective coating that helps eliminate more glare than before. But perhaps the best new hardware upgrade is a larger 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED display (up from 6.8 inches) with 15 percent smaller bezels, allowing for more screen space without increasing the phones overall dimensions (6.41 x 3.05 x 0.32 inches). On the flip side, the S25 Ultras included S Pen is actually getting a tiny downgrade as Samsung is removing Bluetooth Low Energy support from the stylus. This might seem like a bit of a headscratcher, but Samsung claims only a tiny percentage of owners were using Air Actions (which was the only S Pen feature that required BT LE) and that by getting rid of it, the stylus is more durable than before because theres no need worry about equipping it with tiny radios. The company also says the only gesture that saw significant use was the one for remotely triggering the phones camera, which can be accomplished in a variety of other ways (e.g. holding up your palm or using a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Ring). Here's a quick design comparison between the new Galaxy S25 Ultra (left) and last year's Galaxy S24 Ultra (right). Notice the smaller bezels and more rounded corners on the S25U. Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Another design quirk is that while the S25 family (including the Ultra) supports wireless charging at up to 15 watts, its not technically fully Qi2 compliant. Instead, Samsung says the phone is Qi2 ready which means it will work with compatible chargers, but because there arent any alignment magnets inside of the handset, users will need to rely on aftermarket cases to provide a proper mounting point for magnetic accessories. The final noteworthy hardware addition is a new 50-megapixel sensor for the ultra-wide camera, which joins the three that return from last years phone: 200MP main, 10MP telephoto and 50MP telephoto cameras (with the latter two offering 3x and 5x optical zoom respectively). Samsung says there should be some general photo and image processing improvements thanks to the S25 Ultras new chip, such as improved noise reduction and a better spatial-temporal filter that can more accurately tell the difference between moving and stationary objects. But were going to wait until we can review the phone to say what these features can really do. Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite in every country Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Inside, the S25 Ultra is powered by Qualcomms Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip along with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. For buyers outside North America, Samsung says its using the same SoC across the globe instead of opting for its own Exynos chips in certain regions as it has in the past. The company claims general CPU performance is up 37 percent year-over-year. Meanwhile, GPU speeds are up 30 percent while the S25 Ultras NPU has gotten the biggest boost of around 40 percent. And to help provide improved sustained performance for things like gaming, Samsung claims the S25 Ultras vapor chamber is 40 percent larger than before. In real life, the phone felt expectedly responsive, though it was hard to tell if that was all thanks to the phones new chip or if it was due in part to the snappier animations in One UI 7, which will come pre-installed on the Galaxy S25 family. And as before, Samsung is continuing to offer seven years of OS updates and regular security patches. AI agents and more Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Of course, as with so many other recent gadgets, the S25s main focus is on expanded AI functionality and after introducing its first set of features on the S24 line last year, it feels like Samsung's goal was to make everything a bit more powerful and easier to use. For example, existing tools like Smart Select have been renamed to AI Select and transformed into what the company is calling AI agents. Generally, this means a single feature will support a wider range of abilities and improved contextual awareness. Now when you tap the AI Select icon after pulling up Samsung's side bar, the phone will analyze whatever youre looking at and provide an assortment of suggestions like taking a screenshot, performing a visual search, summarizing an article or even capturing a video clip and turning it into a GIF. Its a similar situation for Samsungs Sketch to Image tool which has been renamed to Drawing Assist, which not only provides more realistic results, it also allows you to add AI-generated art to photos by roughly sketching something with the S Pen or simply using text prompts. Even Googles Circle to Search feature has gotten a small upgrade as it now supports song identification either by listening to music or someone humming a tune. Alternatively, in order to surface information in a more timely manner, Samsung has created a Now Brief tool and Now Bar. The Now Brief is designed to provide a customized feed that appears periodically throughout the day (generally in the morning, afternoon and evening) populated by news and events relevant to you. This includes everything from appointments in your calendar to the weather and traffic. Meanwhile, the Now Bar is an offshoot of this functionality that will pop up on your lock screen or in your notifications so you can keep tabs on apps you may already have open or the score for your favorite sports teams. It's very similar in spirit to Apple's Live Activities. Samsung says it has also designed the phone to observe your habits and notice patterns so it can provide helpful shortcuts in the future. One example would be if you regularly turn on Bluetooth before getting in your car and then turn it off when you get home, which is a process the phone may be able to handle automatically. Theres also a new Audio Eraser tool in the camera app which functions a lot like what weve seen in recent Pixel phones. It uses AI to identify six different types of noise like wind or speech and then creates a custom EQ allowing you to turn down distracting ambient sounds or boost the volume of whoever is talking. Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget But, at least for me, the S25 lines most powerful new AI-based ability is improved natural voice recognition, which allows the phone to perform complex tasks that may involve more than one app at a time. During my brief hands-on time, I asked the phone to add the next Detroit Lions game to my calendar. That might sound like a simple request, but if you break it down, the AI first needs to figure out which game Im talking about based on a web search, when its being played, and then create an appointment inside the Samsung Calendar app. And the AI did add the relevant match to the calendar in the demo S25 Ultra I was using. Granted, weve sort of seen this before, but this implementation feels much more streamlined and cohesive. You can also search for images in the Samsung Gallery app with your voice, while the enhanced natural language recognition applies to generally controlling the device as well. This means you can ask the phone to adjust specific settings like changing screen resolution, which is nice for anyone who doesnt feel like scrolling through a seemingly endless list of options. Other features Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Lastly, some more niche improvements include support for logarithmic video capture (Galaxy Log) with exclusive look-up-tables. When watching movies or clips, Samsung is also borrowing some tech from its TV division to automatically upscale lower-res content. And for its Wallet app, the company is adding the ability to Buy now, pay later even when shopping at brick-and-mortar retailers or wirelessly transferring money to someone else just by tapping two devices together. However, the new Wallet features wont be available at launch (theyre coming sometime later) and they will only be available when using debit cards from Visa and Mastercard. After my short time with the S25 UItra, I came away with mixed feelings. Samsungs general approach to AI tools feels much more cohesive and easier to get into. But I still wonder how much value they really add and how much of a benefit they will provide on a day-to-day basis. The slightly curvier chassis makes the S25 Ultra fit in more with the rest of the lines design, but that feels like a minor change. I appreciate the new anti-reflective coating from Cornings Gorilla Armor 2 and Im happy to see a new sensor for the phones ultra-wide camera. But even so, Im left feeling like there are a handful of features Samsung could have given a little more attention to. Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget How about a bigger battery like the 6,000mAh pack in OnePlus 13 instead of the same 5,000mAh cell weve seen for several generations? Or what about something for the S Pen? And then theres Samsungs half-baked solution for supporting Qi2, which just seems a bit lazy. Dont get me wrong, the S25 Ultra still looks like a good phone and I like that Samsung hasnt bumped up its price for 2025. But at the same time, it seems like the biggest phone maker in the world could be doing more for its most expensive non-folding phone. Pre-orders for the Galaxy S25 Ultra are live now starting at $1,300 with official sales slated for February 7. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s25-ultra-hands-on-faster-curvier-and-way-more-ai-ier-180054396.html?src=rss

Google has decided to invest another billion into Anthropic, four sources told the Financial Times, bringing its total sunk cost to more than three billion dollars. Both companies have declined to comment. Google uses Anthropics Claude AI models on Vertex AI, an AI-powered development platform.Amazon has also invested four billion into Anthropic to integrate its Claude AI models into the next generation of Alexa speakers. Other sources say Anthropic is also in talks with Lightspeed Venture Partners to raise another two billion. This investment would make Anthropic worth 60 billion. Even so, investors dont believe that Anthropic or its rivals will be profitable soon due to the extreme costs of developing AI models.Google invented transformers, a type of neural network that became a backbone technology for AI models, back in 2017. Despite some success with models like Gemini, Imagen, Chirp, Veo and more, Google doesnt have as significant a foothold in the generative AI market.Having so many big tech companies backing AI start-ups alarmed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which investigated Google parent Alphabets first $2.3 billion investment in Anthropic. However, as the Financial Times notes, FTC commissioner Lina Khan, who had a reputation as an aggressive antitrust enforcer, has since stepped down from her post at the head of the agency as the Trump regime took power, which could mean similar deals might not receive the same scrutiny in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-investing-another-billion-dollars-in-anthropic-145548826.html?src=rss

Imagine: A switch is flicked and, in a heartbeat, every process spewing deadly pollution into the heavens is replaced with something clean and sustainable. Sadly, even then, the Earth would still tip towards being uninhabitable thanks to all of the carbon weve already dumped up there. If we as a species are to survive then all of that junk needs to be pulled back to Earth, and fast. Proponents of Direct Air Capture believe its a vital weapon to accomplish that task; its critics say its so inefficient that wed be better off trying anything else first.Direct Air CaptureMission ZeroPut simply, Direct Air Capture (DAC) is the practice of removing CO2 from the atmosphere by pulling air through a mechanical or chemical filter. Air is typically drawn through a DAC system via one or more fans, while filtering is done with a solid (known as a sorbent) or with a liquid (known as a solvent). Once captured, heat or electricity is applied to the filter material to remove the CO2, both to re-use the filter and get the CO2 ready to move on. Its this last stage thats often the most energy-intensive, and therefore costly, part of the process. Given the amount of air that will need to be cleaned (all of it) for this to work, DAC needs to be as energy efficient as possible.The most cost-effective way to do this is by capping the smokestacks of a carbon-intensive process, like a factory or fossil fuel power plant to prevent more CO2 release. But that does nothing to reduce the excess CO2 already in the atmosphere. Thats why some scientists and entrepreneurs are inclined to gamble on DAC plants in free air to scrub the heavens clean.The NOAA explains that in 1960, humanity was pumping out 11 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year. Half a century later, and that figure now stands closer to 40 billion, which is why emissions-reduction work is so vital. But even if we did manage to reduce all of our new emissions to zero, wed still have to address the 950 gigatons or so of CO2 lurking in the atmosphere already. At the time of writing, the CO2 in the atmosphere as recorded by the NOAAs Global Monitoring Lab at Mauna Loa is 422.38ppm. The scientific consensus is any figure over 350ppm will spell catastrophic doom for humanity and the state of the planet more generally.This June, the University of Oxford published research saying that if we want to limit warming to just 1.5 degrees (which would be catastrophic), humanity will need to extract between seven and nine billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the air each year by 2050. The COP28 declaration supports signatory nations throwing their weight behind carbon capture technologies. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says there is no viable pathway to averting climate change unless large volumes of CO2 are pulled from the air. This has been the status quo for a while: In 2017, a coalition of prominent scientists led by Professor Jim Hansen said it was imperative that humanity began mass-removing atmospheric CO2.What to do with all the CO2Once DAC has sucked the unwanted carbon out of the air, it needs to be put somewhere. One option, The British Geological Survey explains, is to easily and affordably convert CO2 to its supercritical form, which behaves like a runny liquid. This liquid can then be stored underground after being injected into porous rocks, with old oil fields and coal seams appearing to be ideal places. The oil and gas industry actually uses this approach to boost production in existing fields, as the liquid CO2 fills up the space, pushing more oil toward the extraction site. But the International Energy Agencys (IEA) briefing paper on Direct Air Capture suggests more than half of all atmospheric CO2 emissions recovered will need to be sequestered.Obviously, getting more fossil fuels out of the ground to burn does not do very much for the climate, and ideally the governments of the world would just invest in effective carbon capture to prevent us from boiling to death. Fortunately for humanitys fixation on market solutions, recycling some of the non-sequestered CO2 could become an industry unto itself.CO2 can also be turned into synthetic fuels in traditional combustion engines. Air travel is the most obvious example, especially given that the size and weight of batteries make it nearly impossible to build an electric jumbo jet. Recovered CO2 can also be used as the base for common non-fuel products including construction materials, in chemical and agricultural products, not to mention putting the fizz in our drinks.Holocene is one of many companies looking to turn CO2 extraction into a viable, long term business by selling carbon removal credits to big businesses. Its approach is to pull air through water which has been embedded with an amnio acid that binds to CO2. The water and CO2 mix is then combined with guanidine, which turns the CO2 into a solid that can be easily filtered out, allowing the amino acid water to be reused. The solid CO2 is then heated to a low temperature, which separates the guanidine from gaseous CO2, ready for use or sequestration. Holocene believes a reusable solvent (and reusable chemical treatment) combined with the low-temperature heat makes its approach far more cost-effective than that of its rivals.Mission Zero is also looking to develop a low-cost way of procuring large quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere. It draws air into its hardware and then applies a water-based solvent. But rather than treating this mix chemically, it uses electrodialysis and an ion exchange process to purify the liquid and extract the CO2. From there, the liquid can be reused and the CO2, again, can either be buried underground or, turned into viable products. The company says that its electro-chemical process is similarly far more cost and energy-efficient than many of the other companies operating in this space.Given the commercial sensitivities involved, its not easy to get a real handle on how much it costs to extract CO2 from the atmosphere using DAC in open air. Depending on where you look, the figure can be as much as $600 per ton, but a more common figure is between the $300 and $400 mark. For years, the received wisdom has been that DAC needs to reach a cost of $100 per ton in order to become economically viable.Earlier this year, a German climate-focused VC firm, Extantia Capital went digging into the source of that $100 shibboleth and traced it back to a paper from early DAC firm Carbon Engineering in 2018 when it published a paper projecting its long-term cost would fall to as little as $94 per ton. Suddenly, the phrase less than $100 per ton became the benchmark to which all other DAC companies were held. But, as Extantias Torben Schreiter wrote, that figure was also pegged to 2016 dollar prices, so it hasnt grown with inflation. In 2023, the World Economic Forum said the cost of Direct Air Capture had to fall below $200 per ton before it would be widely adopted.It doesnt matter if your aims are environmental or industrial, we know the volume of CO2 that needs to be extracted from the atmosphere is significant. For that to be viable, the cost of extraction needs to fall by a significant degree. A more mature metric would be that pricing falls in line with, or below, the perpetually in-flux cost of carbon dioxide as a commodity.HoloceneAll these DAC approaches use a bunch of energy, said Holocenes CEO Keeton Ross. Ross says its the cost of this energy that is keeping the price of Direct Air Capture higher than it needs to be. He believes heat-based systems (like Holocene's) will likely win out in the end because heat can come from any number of affordable sources. These claims of being able to cut the costs of DAC were compelling enough that in September Google invested in Holocene and pledged to buy carbon credits from it in future.Dr. Nicholas Chadwick, CEO of Mission Zero, told Engadget his company is targeting around $350 per ton by 2026, but that figure is dependent on a specific price of electricity. That price, he believes, is "substantially better than whats available in the commodity market, making it a no-brainer for industries that are reliant on CO2 to start buying from Mission Zero.RoadblocksThe obvious objection to Direct Air Capture is that while theres a lot of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, its still a relatively small proportion of the whole. Ive heard the process described as panning for gold in the ocean, and the energy costs alone will make it unfeasible on the scale necessary. In 2022, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis bluntly claimed the process simply wont work. Part of the objection was that it can be (and is) used for enhanced oil recovery, but also that when DAC facilities are up and running, theyre often far less effective at capturing CO2 than initially promised.In 2023, a piece published by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists expressed outrage that the US Department of Energy invested $600 million in one such project. Its authors said the energy costs required to filter that much air to extract just 0.04 percent of its total are far in excess of other, already less expensive ways to reduce emissions, and that there won't be any dramatic improvement in the physics and chemistry that will make Direct Air Capture dramatically more efficient. They said, bluntly, "Its just dumb to build today something that we wont need for 50 years, if ever."Chadwick said a lot of the criticisms around DAC center on its technical feasibility, which he says is the wrong point. There are tons of industrial processes where the thermodynamics are terrible, look at ammonia, he said, it took years and years to get the yields to where they are right now. What drove those otherwise inefficient processes was the economic imperative for it in the marketplace, he said. When someone proves they can do [Direct Air Capture] for $200 a ton, all of these arguments go away.Both Chadwick and Ross spoke about the importance of scale to help accelerate the still quite nascent industry. In 2023, Carbon Engineering, 1PointFive and Occidental broke ground on the Stratos plant in Texas that, when completed, is expected to suck 500,000 tons of CO2 out of the air per year. Both are optimistic, however, that the projects that are currency under construction will help engineers solve those questions. Its a long, long way to go before we get to the billions of tons experts believe well need to be extracting to have a hope of survival.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/can-our-climate-be-saved-by-vacuuming-carbon-out-of-the-skies-145944818.html?src=rss

Plex is kicking off the year with some updates that could make the streaming platform a more social place. Viewers will be able to leave public reviews on titles and to comment on other users' assessments. "To us, discovery isnt just about finding what to watch, but also about finding more friends and fans like you in the process," the company said in a blog post announcing the new features. Public reviews expand on the social features Plex introduced in October.The expanded reviews are paired with some new privacy options. Plex users can make their profiles visible to others in search, allowing anybody to see their reviews and ratings, as well as their watchlist and viewing history. Users will be findable in search by default unless they have previously changed that setting. Plex is also letting users set how broadly visible their ratings and reviews will be; this setting ranges from totally public to all logged in Plex users to friends of friends to friends only to private.Plex has been working on a redesign of its app for a long time, and today the company will begin previewing the new look on Apple TV. More platforms will be added to the preview "soon." The blog post cautioned that the Apple TV preview is still preliminary and encouraged users to provide feedback. The new look emphasizes more artwork and visuals, as well as offering more intuitive navigation through the library.Finally, Plex is ready to make its HEVC encoding available to members of its Plex Pass membership. This option offers improved visual quality at a lower bitrate, and it preserves HDR metadata.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/plex-update-adds-public-reviews-and-profiles-140050631.html?src=rss

Akai and Native Instruments are sort of like the Nintendo and Sega of music production. These long-time rivals offer many similar products, but some musicians get drawn to Akais MPC workflow while others choose NIs Maschine platform. Soon, folks may not have to choose at all. These two icons of the space are teaming up. The MPC platform will soon be home to Native Instruments sound packs.This means that if you currently use an MPC Live II or a Key 61, or any other number of standalone music-making machines by Akai, youll be able to pull up legit Native Instruments sounds for your tracks. This is a truly big deal. The MPC workflow is iconic and many genres of music wouldnt be the same without it. At the same time, NI is known for its top-tier instruments and sounds.AkaiThis collaboration bridges two iconic brands to provide creators with a fully integrated ecosystem, said Matt Dircks, CEO of Native Instruments. By combining Akais legendary hardware with our expansive sound libraries and tools, were pushing the boundaries of music creation.We spoke to legendary instrument designer Roger Linn, who originally invented the MPC platform all the way back in 1988, about this partnership. Hes no longer with Akai in an official capacity but said that putting NI instruments on Akai products will "really benefit both companies." He also said that the move perfectly positions MPC devices "to be the next standard musical instrument like the guitar or piano."Linn, who also invented modern digital music-making concepts like swing and quantization, heaped praise on newer MPC devices, as the platform has come a long way since the MPC60 in 1988. He says that products like the Live II are "still warm and fuzzy for the people who are familiar with the MPC, while moving toward a DAW (digital audio workstation)." The Native Instruments integration promises to make these products even warmer and fuzzier.The only caveat? MPC devices can only access Play Series instruments and official Expansions, which are genre-specific sound packs. You wont be able to pull up, say, the full Massive X synthesizer or Kontakt. All told, there are five instruments that will be available in the middle of February, along with five Expansions. These have all been expertly tailored for the MPC platform. More releases are likely to follow, assuming positive user feedback.We asked Native Instruments CPO Simon Cross if there are plans for compatibility in the other direction. Will the Native Instruments Maschine+ standalone groovebox be able to pull up Akai plugins and sound packs? There are no current plans, which is something of a bummer. Its a bit understandable, given that the company only has one standalone device, but still.AkaiFinally, the partnership extends to MPK controllers. Akais line of MIDI controllers will soon integrate with Native Instruments Native Kontrol Standard (NKS). This means that Akai controllers will be able to seamlessly control all NKS-compatible plugins. The integration allows for pre-mapped controls and intuitive navigation directly from MPK devices. The software update drops at end of February.This expands controller compatibility to over 1,800 new instruments and plugins. The NKS standard is also coming to third-party controllers in the near future from companies like M-Audio, Novation and Korg, among others.To celebrate the burgeoning partnership, all current MPK Series owners will receive a free copy of Komplete 15 Select. This is a curated bundle of Native Instruments instruments and effects. Again, this is free for all MPK Series owners, and not just new purchasers.As for Linn, his company currently manufactures the ultra-expressive MIDI controller LinnStrument. The device tracks finger movements in five ways, to bring acoustic-like expressiveness to digital instruments. He also (relatively) recently co-designed one of my all-time favorite drum machines, the Tempest, along with MIDI and synthesizer luminary Dave Smith, who passed away in 2022.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/many-akai-devices-will-soon-support-native-instruments-sound-packs-140059822.html?src=rss