Table of Contents Table of Contents Another step toward a true Sonos alternative Between HomePod and Era 100 Still no AirPlay Tomorrow, Wiim will announce its first wireless speaker, the Wiim Sound. It looks like a lot like Apple’s HomePod, with an almost cylindrical shape that’s wrapped in a fabric grille and topped with a set of touch controls. But the detail that will likely get the most attention is its built-in, 1.8-inch circular touchscreen. The hi-res screen offers the same album displays and controls as the one on the front of the Wiim Ultra, the company’s flagship network music streamer. As with all of Wiim’s products, its core feature set is designed to work seamlessly with the rest of the affordable Wiim ecosystem, giving Sonos owners even more reason to make a switch. Recommended Videos The Wiim Sound is set to debut at High End Munich 2025, an audiophile-centric audio show in Germany. Wiim hasn’t released pricing or specific availability yet, noting only that the Wiim Sound will arrive in “Q3 2025 on Amazon and at select retailers.” For now, it’s only available in black. Related Wiim The Wiim Sound isn’t the first Wiim-compatible wireless speaker. Earlier in 2025, the company announced it had partnered with Swedish brand, Audio Pro to create Wiim Edition versions of its A10 Mk II and C10 Mk II wireless speakers, which can be discovered and controlled natively within the Wiim Home app. However, the Wiim Sound marks an important milestone in the company’s evolution as it begins to build out an ecosystem of in-house designed products that let it compete more directly with Sonos. It’s not difficult to imagine that Wiim will continue this expansion, eventually working its way into the rest of Sonos’ categories, such as soundbars, Bluetooth speakers, and possibly headphones. Wiim Physically, the Wiim Sound straddles the line between the Apple HomePod and the Sonos Era 100. Its footprint (5.7 x 5.7 inches) is almost exactly the same as the HomePod, while its height, at 7.5 inches is slightly taller than the Era 100 (7.18 inches). The presence of the circular touchscreen will no doubt renew speculation about Apple’s next HomePod, which has been widely rumored to include some kind of display. Internally, the Wiim Sound is much closer to Sonos’ speaker, with a 4-inch woofer and two balanced-mode radiator (BMR) tweeters. Thanks to those dual tweeters, Wiim says the Sound can reproduce two-channel stereo, though like the Era 100, getting true stereo separation may be tricky. Wiim hasn’t revealed the amplifier layout details, but it claims there’s 100 watts of combined power on tap. On the bottom of the speaker are ports for power, and 10/100 Ethernet, plus a 3.5mm jack for analog inputs. Wireless connectivity is supported by both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Wiim calls the Sound a smart speaker, but since there’s no built-in mic and no native voice assistant, that might be stretching the term. You can, however, use it as Amazon Alexa device via the included voice remote. For the Wiim Sound, the company has created a modified version of it Siri-remote clone, the Wiim Voice Remote 2. Alternatively, the Wiim Sound is compatible with Google Assistant and can respond to those voice commands if you own an Assistant-capable smartphone or other device. As with the rest of Wiim’s ecosystem, the Wiim Sound has an impressive array of streaming and EQ features, including: Hi-res audio support up to 24-bit/192 kHz Chromecast (Google Cast), Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, DLNA, or Alexa Cast 24 preset EQ profiles, a 10-band graphic equalizer, and an optional parametric EQ interface Room correction via a smartphone running the Wiim Home app You can control the Wiim Sound as part of a larger multiroom audio system within the Wiim Home app. This includes grouping the Sound with other Wiim components for synchronized playback as well as the ability to stereo-pair two Wiim Sounds. Interestingly, a single Wiim Sound can be used as center channel speaker, or two can be used as surround speakers within a 5.1 configuration. To do this, you’ll need a 5.1 source of sound — either a 5.1 audio recording that lives in your personal library on your home network, or from a TV plugged into one of Wiim’s HDMI-ARC compatible devices (Wiim Ultra, Wiim Amp, Wiim Amp Pro). For reasons known only to Wiim and Apple, the Wiim Sound is now the third Wiim streaming product to launch without support for Apple’s AirPlay 2 wireless streaming protocol. When the Wiim Ultra debuted without AirPlay, it was believed to be a temporary omission — one that would be rectified with a firmware update. This failed to happen, and then Wiim launched the Amp Pro, also without AirPlay. While AirPlay is a useful feature for iPhone users, letting them stream audio on their home Wi-Fi networks from any any app that supports it, its popularity among Wiim’s users is unclear. AirPlay 2 introduces lossy compression, which audiophiles consider an unacceptable tradeoff. Moreover, the trend toward streaming apps building their own version of AirPlay (Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect) plus the availability of Google Cast, reduces the need for AirPlay under most circumstances. Even on an iPhone when streaming Apple Music, Bluetooth can serve as an acceptable AirPlay alternative on Wiim’s products. Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/exclusive-wiims-first-wireless-speaker-takes-on-apple-and-sonos/ #exclusivethis #wiims #first #wireless #speaker

During Amazon’s recent annual upfront presentation, MGM+ and Prime Video unveiled a first-look image from Spider-Noir, coming in 2026. The live-action series is based on the Marvel “Spider-Man Noir” comic, which follows an aging and down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero. The project will be available in both black and white and color. The cast includes Nicolas Cage, Lamorne Morris, Brendan Gleeson, Abraham Popoola, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, and Jack Huston. Guest stars include Lukas Haas, Cameron Britton, Cary Christopher, Michael Kostroff, Scott MacArthur, Joe Massingill, Whitney Rice, Amanda Schull, Andrew Caldwell, Amy Aquino, Andrew Robinson, and Kai Caster. Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) will direct and executive produce the first two episodes. Oren Uziel (The Lost City, 22 Jump Street) and Steve Lightfoot (Marvel’s The Punisher, Shantaram) will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers. Uziel and Lightfoot developed the series with the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse team of Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal. Lord and Miller executive produce for their shingle Lord Miller along with Aditya Sood and Dan Shear. Pascal will also serve as an executive producer via Pascal Pictures. Spider-Noir is produced by Sony Pictures Television exclusively for MGM+ and Prime Video. Hnedel Maximore serves as the visual effects supervisor for Amazon Studios. Spider-Noir will debut domestically on MGM+’s linear channel, then globally on Prime Video the next day. Source: Prime Video Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions. Source: https://www.awn.com/news/first-look-revealed-spider-noir-live-action-series #first #look #revealed #for #spidernoir #liveaction #series

In Brief Posted: 3:26 PM PDT · May 13, 2025 Image Credits:TechCrunch Google tests replacing ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ with ‘AI Mode’ Google is testing a redesign of its Search homepage in which “AI Mode,” the experimental AI-powered search feature the company rolled out earlier in May, replaces its longstanding “I’m Feeling Lucky” button under the Search bar. A company spokesperson confirmed to The Verge, which was the first to report the change, that the feature began rolling out to some users in Google’s experimental Labs environment. However, it may not launch publicly. The test comes just a week ahead of Google I/O, where the company is expected to announce some major updates to its AI-powered search offerings. Google rarely makes changes to its Search homepage, but may now feel pressure to do so. An Apple executive testified in court last week that Google Searches on Safari declined for the first time last month, attributing the change to the rise of AI tools such as ChatGPT. Topics AI, Google, In Brief Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/google-tests-replacing-im-feeling-lucky-with-ai-mode/ #google #tests #replacing #feeling #lucky #with #mode

Since the DMA took effect in Europe, Apple has been forced to loosen its grip by allowing third-party access to its platforms, devices, and operating systems. One key example is the iPhone’s NFC chip, which was once locked to Apple Pay but is now required to support third-party payment providers. It took longer than one would have guessed, but now PayPal is taking advantage of this wider access. Enn Eff Tseh, bitte Earlier this month, PayPal announced that German iPhone users would soon start earning cashback by making contactless payments using the PayPal app in select stores. As the company explained: In the coming weeks, PayPal’s first-ever contactless mobile wallet will launch nationwide, available to PayPal consumers in Germany before anywhere else in the world. The new contactless feature will be accessed through the latest version of the popular PayPal App (both iOS and Android). Consumers will be able to choose PayPal to pay safely and easily with a simple tap of their phone at any location that accepts Mastercard contactless payments. And, for the first time, the PayPal App will bring together a consolidated view of both online and offline purchases for the consumer.  Now, the system appears to be going live. As German site iPhone Ticker reported (via The Verge), PayPal’s direct contactless system has been intermittently appearing for users, in what looks like a soft rollout or limited trial ahead of an official launch. The system works on Mastercard-enabled payment terminals, allowing users to simply tap their iPhone and pay using the PayPal app. No Apple Pay required. Back in 2022, PayPal was one of the companies that backed the EU’s antitrust complaints against Apple’s control over the iPhone’s NFC chip, and now it appears to be one of the first to benefit from the outcome. At the time, as reported by Bloomberg, the company “was one of multiple companies making informal complaints about the situation to the commission,” and “helped spur a formal antitrust complaint,” that arguably (at least partially) led to the outcome of the DMA. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel Source: https://9to5mac.com/2025/05/13/paypal-iphone-nfc-support-rolling-out-in-europe/ #paypal #starts #rolling #out #direct #taptopay #support #for #iphone #users #europe

Equipping LLMs with external tools or functions has become popular, showing great performance across diverse domains. Existing research depends on synthesizing large volumes of tool-use trajectories through advanced language models and SFT to enhance LLMs’ tool-calling capability. The critical limitation lies in the synthetic datasets’ inability to capture explicit reasoning steps, resulting in superficial tool call training. In many cases, reasoning is either completely omitted during the training or deferred to inference through prompting techniques. This results in pseudo-reasoning: models merely learn to mimic surface-level patterns without truly understanding the underlying decision-making process. Existing research explores multiple approaches to enhance LLMs’ tool-use capabilities. Previous methods have focused on two key strategies for improving tool learning. The first approach concentrated on dataset curation and model refinement, involving the creation of large-scale supervised datasets and applying advanced training techniques such as SFT and DPO reinforcement learning. LLMs are combined with various external tools, including search engines, calculators, vision tools, and Python interpreters, to expand their functional capabilities. The second approach targeted reasoning improvement, shifting from traditional train-time scaling to more complex test-time scaling strategies. Earlier methods relied on step-level supervision and learned reward models to guide reasoning trajectories. Researchers from NVIDIA, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Washington have proposed the Nemotron-Research-Tool-N1 series to address the limitations of existing tool-use methods. It diverges from traditional SFT and reasoning trace distillation techniques by implementing a unique RL paradigm. Drawing inspiration from DeepSeek-R1’s success, a lightweight supervision method has been developed to focus on the structural validity and functional correctness evaluation of tool invocations. The Nemotron-Research-Tool-N1 model employs a binary reward mechanism that enables the model to autonomously develop reasoning strategies without relying on explicitly annotated reasoning trajectories. Researchers unify and preprocess data from existing tool-calling datasets, xLAM, and a subset of ToolACE, which provide single-turn and multi-turn synthetic tool-calling trajectories. A lightweight prompting template is created to guide tool call generation, featuring explicit instructions for intermediate reasoning within <think>…</think> tags and tool invocation enclosed in <tool_call>…</tool_call>. The template helps to minimize rigid formatting constraints and reduce the risk of overfitting to specific prompt patterns. The primary backbone model utilized is Qwen2.5-7B/14B-Instruct, and to evaluate the generalization ability of the proposed method, evaluations are performed on alternative backbone models, including multiple variants from the LLaMA family. Results on the BFCL and API-Bank benchmarks show Nemotron-Research-Tool-N1 models’ superior performance. On the BFCL benchmark, the Tool-N1-7B/14B models outperform closed-source models like GPT-4o and specialized fine-tuned models such as xLAM-2-70B and ToolACE-8B. The models surpass SFT baselines trained on identical data sources, highlighting the effectiveness of the R1-style RL approach. Further, the API-Bank benchmark validates these findings, with Tool-N1-7B/14B achieving 4.12% and 5.03% higher accuracy than GPT-4o. These results conclusively demonstrate the potential of the proposed method in enhancing large language models’ tool-calling capabilities through a novel reinforcement learning paradigm. In conclusion, researchers introduced Nemotron-Research-Tool-N1, a significant advancement in LLM tool-use capabilities. The research shows a paradigm shift from traditional SFT methodologies by introducing a novel rule-based RL approach. The proposed method enables models to develop sophisticated reasoning strategies without relying on explicitly annotated reasoning trajectories. Benchmark evaluations across BFCL and API-Bank consistently validate the approach’s effectiveness, showing substantial performance improvements over existing baselines. The findings open new avenues for developing more adaptable and intelligent language models that can autonomously generate reasoning strategies. Check out the Paper and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also, feel free to follow us on Twitter and don’t forget to join our 90k+ ML SubReddit. Here’s a brief overview of what we’re building at Marktechpost: ML News Community – r/machinelearningnews (92k+ members) Newsletter– airesearchinsights.com/(30k+ subscribers) miniCON AI Events – minicon.marktechpost.com AI Reports & Magazines – magazine.marktechpost.com AI Dev & Research News – marktechpost.com (1M+ monthly readers) Partner with us Sajjad AnsariSajjad Ansari is a final year undergraduate from IIT Kharagpur. As a Tech enthusiast, he delves into the practical applications of AI with a focus on understanding the impact of AI technologies and their real-world implications. He aims to articulate complex AI concepts in a clear and accessible manner.Sajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/RL^V: Unifying Reasoning and Verification in Language Models through Value-Free Reinforcement LearningSajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/Offline Video-LLMs Can Now Understand Real-Time Streams: Apple Researchers Introduce StreamBridge to Enable Multi-Turn and Proactive Video UnderstandingSajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/AI That Teaches Itself: Tsinghua University’s ‘Absolute Zero’ Trains LLMs With Zero External DataSajjad Ansarihttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sajjadansari/This AI Paper Introduce WebThinker: A Deep Research Agent that Empowers Large Reasoning Models (LRMs) for Autonomous Search and Report Generation Source: https://www.marktechpost.com/2025/05/13/reinforcement-learning-not-fine-tuning-nemotron-tool-n1-trains-llms-to-use-tools-with-minimal-supervision-and-maximum-generalization/ #reinforcement #learning #not #finetuning #nemotrontooln1 #trains #llms #use #tools #with #minimal #supervision #and #maximum #generalization

PayPal users in Germany say they can now complete contactless payments via iPhone, as Apple was forced to open up its NFC technology to third parties in the European Union.PayPal has made its contactless payment feature available to iPhone users in Germany.Before the EU's Digital Markets Act went into effect, contactless payments on iPhone were only available through Apple Pay. The company's NFC technology remained exclusive to its payment service until January 2024, when Apple was required to grant third-party companies access to the same NFC chip used for Apple Pay.Norwegian company Vipps MobilePay was the first in the region to implement contactless payments on iPhone, back in December 2024, and now it appears as though PayPal is following suit, though only in Germany. According to the website iPhone-Ticker.de, PayPal's "Tap to Pay" feature is now available on iPhones in Germany. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums Source: https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/05/13/paypals-tap-to-pay-contactless-payment-feature-is-now-available-to-iphone-users-in-germany?utm_medium=rss #paypal039s #039tap #pay039 #contactless #payment #feature #now #available #iphone #users #germany

Macworld Apple on Tuesday announced several new Accessibility features coming to macOS later this year. The features will be part of macOS 16, which will be revealed at WWDC25 on June 9. The features are highlighted by a new Magnifier app with Continuity Camera functionality. Mac users are already familiar with Continuity Camera and its ability to use the iPhone’s camera as a webcam. Now, with the Magnifier app, a Mac can use the iPhone camera (or any other USB camera) to view the surroundings and zoom in. For example, users in a lecture hall can use the Magnifier app and iPhone camera to get a closer look at a whiteboard at the front of the room. The Magnifier will also be able to display multiple live session windows where a user can watch a presentation and follow along in a book at the same time using Desk View. Brightness, contrast, color filters, and perspective are adjustable, and views can be captured, grouped, and saved to add to at a later time. The new Accessibility Reader is a system-wide feature for making text easier to read. Text can be customized for color, font, and spacing, and users can also switch to Spoken Content. Since Accessibility Reader is system-wide, it can be used in any app, including the new Magnifier. Other new Accessibility features coming to macOS 16 include: Braille Access: Users can use a built-in app launcher to open any app by typing with Braille Screen Input or a connected Braille device. Braille Access lets users take notes in Braille and do calculations using Nemeth Braille. Braille Ready Format (BRF) files can be opened directly from Braille Access. Live Captions integration lets users transcribe conversations directly on braille displays. Background Sounds: Can be personalized with new EQ settings, playback duration times, and new actions for automations in Shortcuts. Personal Voice: Uses on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence for a smoother, more natural-sounding voice. Support for Mexican Spanish will also be available. Vehicle Motion Cues: Available in the iPhone and coming to the Mac, this feature can help reduce motion sickness when riding in a moving vehicle by displaying animated dots that correspond to a vehicle’s movements. Vehicle Motion Cues can help prevent motion sickness for those times you’re using your Mac as a passenger on a bus, train, or car.Apple Apple is also updating iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 with several new Accessibility features. Apple often takes the opportunity to showcase new Accessibility features about a month before the WWDC keynote. Last year, the company highlighted Eye Tracking, Music Haptics, and other features in iOS 18. Source: https://www.macworld.com/article/2780261/macos-16s-new-magnifier-app-uses-an-iphone-to-see-far-away-objects-up-close.html #macos #16s #new #magnifier #app #uses #iphone #see #faraway #objects #close

Buried in the blog posts and videos that accompanied Google's The Android Show: I/O Edition announcements was a nugget of Nothing news: The Nothing Phone 3 is going to be expensive. In an Android marketing video showcasing the company's phones, Nothing CEO Carl Pei shared that the new phone will cost around £800 when it launches this summer. That new cost is thanks to Nothing's decision to go "all-in" on the new device by including "premium materials, major performance upgrades and software that really levels things up," according to Pei. The Nothing Phone 2 launched at £580 in the UK and $600 in the US, so selling the Phone 3 at £800 is a noticeable price jump. Assuming Nothing follows through on the premium upgrades it's promising, though, maybe it'll make sense that the Phone 3 costs as much as a Pixel 9 or iPhone 16. Nothing made its name on affordable phones that have unique, premium designs. For example, the company launched the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro in March 2025, the budget and mid-range counterparts to the Phone 3. Both phones use mid-range chips and camera sensors, but feature a futuristic design and clever AI features that you'd expect out of a much more expensive device. Switching to trying to compete with Apple and Samsung in terms of price suggests Nothing is confident, at the very least. We'll have to wait until this summer when the Phone 3 is actually released to see if that confidence is justified.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/carl-pei-teases-the-all-in-nothing-phone-3-with-a-flagship-price-213023983.html?src=rss Source: https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/carl-pei-teases-the-all-in-nothing-phone-3-with-a-flagship-price-213023983.html?src=rss #carl #pei #teases #the #039allin039 #nothing #phone #with #flagship #price

I am someone who is borderline obsessed with monitoring my health and fitness data. I use a smart scale, a calorie- and nutrient-tracking app, smart workout equipment, and my beloved Apple Watch to create a picture of my overall physical well-being that is as complete as possible. The only time I take my Apple Watch off is when I'm dressing up to go somewhere nice and even then, it pains me deeply. Just imagine the heart rate and calorie-burning data I'm missing out on while I waltz around in my fancy dress. It's sickening. All of these apps and devices work in concert to keep tabs on my every heartbeat and footstep, but there is a notable exception. I am usually against linking my Apple Watch to apps that track my workouts, as this has caused headaches in the past by double-importing data into my food-tracking app and daily Apple Health summary—this defeats the purpose of the monitoring altogether by significantly inflating my burned calories and total active minutes. Today, reluctantly, I linked my Apple Watch to my Peloton Bike, expecting it to cause the same problems—but it only impressed me. Now, I'm a believer in linking these two devices. I'll tell you why, plus how to do it. How to link your Apple Watch and Peloton deviceOn your Peloton app, select your Profile (on the right of the menu at the bottom of the home screen), then find the hamburger menu on the top right of your profile screen. Selecting that will bring you to a page called More and right there, under Add-Ons, you'll find Apple Watch. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson Tap that, grant the permissions in Apple Health when prompted, hit Set up, and you'll see three choices: Connect to Health App, Share Your Location, and Track Your Movement. For our purposes, with the Bike and other at-home workout equipment, you'll just toggle on that first one, but if you want your outdoor runs tracked privately, toggle on the second one, and if you want your pace for indoor runs and walks recorded, hit the third one, too. From there, I just opened the Watch app on my phone to double-check that the Peloton app was included in the apps installed on the device. I scrolled to the bottom of the Watch app, selected Peloton from the list under Installed on Apple Watch, and toggled on Show App on Apple Watch. Why I enjoy the link between the Apple Watch and PelotonAfter that, I hopped on my stationary bike and started up a workout. I opened up the Workout app on my watch and selected "indoor cycle," then opened the Peloton app on the watch. It showed me a blank screen with just a few words telling me to start a workout on the bike, so I did. Suddenly, the watch screen changed and began showing my heart rate. More interestingly, a small heart-rate tracker appeared on the upper left on my Peloton touch screen along with a power bar showing what "zone" I was in based on my heart rate. (My Peloton "power zones" are customized to my fitness level because I took the FTP test offered through the bike, which you should also do.) There's already plenty of information available on the screen, like cadence, resistance, and output, but I didn't find this distracting. It was actually pretty helpful to get a sense of what "zone" I was in. I only selected a 10-minute workout, so I didn't expect to be wiped out, but it was nice to gauge how much I was pushing myself so I could work to get the most out of those 10 minutes. When the class was over, I opened the Lanebreak app on the bike. Lanebreak is a virtual game offered by Peloton that I absolutely love and play every day, so I was interested in seeing if the heart rate monitor would pop up on the screen during a level, too. It did! After my five-minute cooldown Lanebreak level ended, I opened the Workout app on the watch again to mark down that I was done, like I always do. To my surprise, the Peloton app actually overrode it; the Workout app had stopped tracking my indoor cycle session as soon as the Peloton app took over. That made me nervous because I was afraid that the workout wouldn't be reflected in my Apple Health daily summary or Activity Rings, but when I opened that up on my phone, there they were: Two "indoor cycle" workouts under Sessions. Where they'd normally have the green Apple Workout logo next to them, they had the Peloton logo. They were tracked and categorized just like an indoor cycle session I would normally monitor using my watch. They counted toward the Move and Exercise portions of my Activity Rings and all. I opened my nutrition-tracking app to make sure the burned calories hadn't been double-entered. They hadn't! The Peloton App succeeds where other apps have failed: It doesn't make tracking your movement across various apps and devices a convoluted mess. Finally, I opened the Peloton app to look at the summary of my workouts. They usually include estimates of your burned calories and output, plus which muscles you worked and how long you were at it, but now, they included more detailed breakdowns of how long I spent in each heart rate zone and provided more information on my total output. What is the benefit of linking these devices?Like I said, the Peloton app tracked the same things my Apple Watch would track on its own using the Workout function: My heart rate, my burned calories, and the duration of my workout. So, you might wonder, what's the point of linking the bike (or Peloton Tread or Row) to the watch at all? There are a few benefits that are evident here. First, it was convenient to see my heart rate and power zone reflected on the Peloton screen. I didn't have to glance down at my wrist to see my heart rate like I usually do; I could stay focused on the screen, which is important for safety, and pace myself in real time to make sure I stayed in the zone I wanted to be in. Second, linking the Apple Watch and Peloton device enables you to see something called you "strive score." This is a personal metric that helps you understand and visualize how hard you worked during a class or ride, and it's based on a combination of your heart rate and how long you spent in each of Peloton's seven "power zones." (Lower zones correspond with a lower heart rate and higher zones correspond with a higher one.) Credit: Lindsey Ellefson Be warned: You have to toggle on the strive score separately, which I didn't know at first, so my 10-minute ride doesn't have one, but my Lanebreak level does. Doing this is simple: From that same More menu in your profile, hit Settings and scroll all the way to the bottom. Toggle on Track and Display Strive Score and then choose whether in-class participants can see it or not. I was annoyed that the only strive score I got for the day was a measly 2.2 on my five-minute cooldown, but that only inspires me to, well, strive for a higher one tomorrow. Overall, there is no downside to linking your Apple Watch and Peloton device, which isn't always true when it comes to other fitness apps. In fact, you can get even more comprehensive workout data by doing it and I, for one, think it's awesome. Source: https://lifehacker.com/health/connect-apple-watch-to-peloton-bike?utm_medium=RSS #how #and #why #connect #your #apple #watch #peloton

Table of Contents Table of Contents Still daring to be different Performance improves — but does it matter? More range, same charging speeds A refreshingly different interior with well-executed tech The base model is the one to have Electric cars have given automakers a rare opportunity to throw out design and engineering conventions in favor of something truly new, and few automakers have exploited that opportunity like BMW. The German automaker’s first attempt at a volume-production electric vehicle was the BMW i3, a small hatchback that dispensed with all expectations of what a car wearing BMW’s blue-and-white badge should be, with a novel shape and engineering to match its electric powertrain. While the i3 wasn’t a sales success, its spirit lives on in an EV at the opposite end of the price and size spectrum. Recommended Videos Introduced for the 2022 model year, the BMW iX is a large SUV that sits near the top of the automaker’s EV lineup. It’s now been on sale long enough to warrant a mid-cycle refresh — or Lifecycle Impulse (LCI), in BMW speak — that brings numerous improvements while carrying forward the ethos of the i3. Related Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends Like the i3, the iX is hard to ignore. The original model’s many detractors will be disappointed to learn that BMW has doubled down on the massive grille, which returns with optional illumination. More prominent air intakes on either side help balance it somewhat, though, while new headlights with prominent vertical elements give the refreshed iX a somewhat cross-eyed appearance. Still, it’s nice to see a design that doesn’t blend into traffic — from some angles at least. The real issue here isn’t the grille, it’s that there isn’t much about the rest of the car that stands out. The thin taillights are unusual but subtle, and in profile view the iX’s tall-but-curvy shape makes it seem like BMW’s designers weren’t sure whether they were working on an SUV or a minivan. The iX is hard to ignore. In addition to following a similar design path, the iX borrows some of the i3’s impressive engineering. Its chassis uses a mix of aluminum, steel, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) similar to what was pioneered by the i3. But while CFRP should help reduce weight while retaining structural rigidity, although here the benefit is harder to see. BMW quotes a base curb weight of 5,567 pounds, which is not far off from a Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV with more conventional chassis construction. For 2026, the iX lineup expands with a new iX xDrive45 base model priced below the xDrive60 and M70 xDrive, which are updated replacements for last year’s xDrive50 and M60 xDrive variants, respectively. The M70 xDrive has a slightly sportier appearance, with bigger front air intakes and a mini rear diffuser, but a similar look can be added to the other two models via an optional M Sport Package. Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends All three 2026 iX models have dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrains, hence the “xDrive” branding. The base iX xDrive45 uses a 100.1-kilowatt-hour (usable capacity) battery pack and is rated at 402 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. The other two use a larger pack, with different software that brings usable capacity to 113.4 kWh for the xDrive60 and 112.8 kWh for the M70. Either way, it’s more than the 109 kWh of all 2025 iX models. Output increases too. While there’s no 2025-model-year analogue for the base xDrive45, the xDrive60’s 536 hp is a 20-hp gain over the xDrive50 it replaces (torque remains unchanged at 546 lb-ft). The M70 produces 650 hp and 811 lb-ft, which are gains of 40 hp and 62 lb-ft over the M60 it replaces. However, this sportiest iX model isn’t any quicker, still doing zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, according to BMW. Precise steering makes getting the most out of the chassis easy. The M70 is still appreciably quicker than the xDrive45 and xDrive60, which reach 60 mph in a BMW-estimated 4.9 seconds and 4.4 seconds, respectively. But from the driver’s seat, all three models felt plenty quick. Even switching directly from the M70 to the xDrive45 didn’t feel like a downgrade; the base model was more than capable of mashing bodies into seats. There wasn’t a dramatic difference in handling and ride quality, but that’s because BMW set such a high bar with the pre-facelift iX. This isn’t the sportiest BMW, but corners gracefully, with precise steering that makes getting the most out of the chassis easy. And it does that while retaining the cushioned ride of a true luxury car — even on the newly-optional 23-inch wheels. Much of this is due to rear-axle steering and adaptive air suspension that are standard on the M70, but can be added to the two lower-tier models with the Dynamic Handling Package. So again, it’s hard to justify the top-dog M70 when it comes to real-world driving. Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends The iX also boasts range improvements across the lineup. BMW estimates 340 miles for the xDrive60, 312 miles for the xDrive45, and 302 miles for the M70 xDrive. To put that in perspective, the 2025 iX topped out at 309 miles with a pack slightly larger than the one in the xDrive45. And the M60 xDrive — the equivalent to 2026’s M70 — could only muster 285 miles per charge. BMW didn’t address charging, however. The xDrive60 and M70 still DC fast charge at 195 kilowatts like all 2025 models, while the xDrive45 reaches 175 kW. That’s still enough for a 10%-80% charge in 35 minutes, BMW claims, and the standard 11-kW AC onboard charger has a more competitive power rate. It should make overnight recharges at home a nonissue. Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends The interior and tech features haven’t changed much, but that’s because they were already far ahead of the curve. In the spirit of the i3, the iX shows off what’s possible, but this time it’s a lead the rest of BMW’s lineup actually followed. Since its 2022-model-year launch, the iX’s curved dashboard display — including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen in one housing — has cropped up in other BMW models. It returns for 2026 looking as good as ever, and the iDrive infotainment system is fairly easy to navigate (wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remain standard as well). The stage for this tech is a cabin radically different to other BMW models. An angled dashboard and door panels provide visual interest while opening up space, as does the minimal center console that floats between the front seats. Available crystal controls further add to the whimsical atmosphere. For 2026, those wanting a more stereotypically BMW appearance can also spec an M Sport Package with a chunky steering wheel and seats with extra bolstering. Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends The iX was a great luxury EV at its launch, and the enhancements for 2026 help it keep pace with rivals. But most significant is the iX xDrive45 model’s base price of $76,325—$11,920 less than the least-expensive 2025 model. That also makes the 2026 iX cheaper than rivals like the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and Volvo EX90, while offering more range than an equivalently-priced Rivian R1S. BMW also keeps pricing in check for the other two iX grades. The xDrive60 starts at $89,675—$1,430 less than the xDrive50 model it replaces. The M70 xDrive costs $112,675—the same as the equivalent M60 model from 2025. While the xDrive60 offers more range, and both it and the M70 offer more power and a higher DC fast-charging power rate, the actual driving experience isn’t different enough to warrant upgrading from the xDrive45. That model’s lower base price leaves plenty of headroom for options, so you can spec it how you want without FOMO. And in today’s car-buying environment, that feels like a major win. Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/2026-bmw-ix-first-drive/ #bmw #first #drive #expected #tone #things #down #but #thankfully #didnt