Engadget

17.04.2025 21:40 You might now be out of luck if you've been relying on Apple's AI tools to help you craft a Facebook post or generate a custom emoji to slap on an Instagram Story. As first reported by Sorcererhat Tech , Apple Intelligence features are not currently functional on Meta's iOS apps, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Threads. Engadget has confirmed that Apple Intelligence isn't working in the apps at the time of writing. As things stand, along with writing tools , Apple Intelligence features such as Genmoji aren't working in Meta's apps. While people were previously able to include keyboard stickers and Memoji in Instagram Stories, that's no longer the case. Developers can opt out of using Apple Intelligence in their iOS apps and Meta may have done just that. Perhaps it's looking to nudge folks to use its own Meta AI tools in Facebook et al. Engadget has contacted Meta and Apple for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-is-busted-on-metas-ios-apps-165620772.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 21:40 A federal judge has ruled that Google is a monopolist in online advertising. The New York Times reported on Thursday that Judge Leonie Brinkema of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia said the company broke the law to maintain its ad tech dominance. “In addition to depriving rivals of the ability to compete, this exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Google’s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web,” the judge said. The case stemmed from a January 2023 lawsuit from the US Justice Department and eight states. They accused Google of illegally monopolizing the ad market and using that power to charge more and take a higher portion of sales. "Competition in the ad tech space is broken, for reasons that were neither accidental nor inevitable," the government said in its complaint. "One industry behemoth, Google, has corrupted legitimate competition in the ad tech industry by engaging in a systematic campaign to seize control of the wide swath of high-tech tools used by publishers, advertisers, and brokers, to facilitate digital advertising." The government says Google holds an 87 percent market share in ad-selling tech. The judge also dismissed a portion of the government's case. “We won half of this case, and we will appeal the other half," Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, wrote in a statement. "The Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick, don’t harm competition. We disagree with the Court’s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple, affordable and effective.” The government claimed Google’s monopoly powers enabled it to force publishers to use its ad software, leaving online media organizations and other websites without much recourse. This reduced the revenue for news sites, especially those without paywalled subscriptions. The media industry is, by and large, in dire financial straits, with closures and layoffs multiplying in recent years. This also has a trickle-down effect, leading to snowballing clickbait headlines and other reader-hostile gimmicks as news orgs try to figure out how to recoup lost revenue and stay afloat. Judge Brinkema's decision follows another in August, when a federal judge ruled that Google monopolizes online search. Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia said in 2024 that the company "is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly." Judge Mehta is considering a DOJ request to break up the company based on that ruling. Now, Judge Brinkema will face a similar decision about the nearly $1.9 trillion company's dominance in advertising. The DOJ's lawsuit already asked the court to make Google sell portions of its ad tech business. Much of the company's future will rest on what those two judges decide in the coming months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-is-a-monopoly-in-online-ad-tech-federal-judge-rules-151531919.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 21:40  More details about Mario Kart World, the big first-party Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, were shown during a dedicated Direct on Thursday. The 17-minute presentation showcased some of the game's courses, such as the canal-based Salty Salty Speedway and spooky Boo Cinema, and revealed that some classic, reimagined courses will be dotted around the game's open world. Beyond regular races and the new Knockout Tour elimination mode, there are a bunch of other ways to play Mario Kart World. Team-based races will see you compete in squads of between six and 12, and you can test yourself in time trials. The classic Balloon Battle mode is here, and in Coin Runners, you'll compete to collect the most coins. Nintendo New tricks include a charge jump and a wall-riding option that was highlighted in the reveal trailer. A nifty Rewind feature in particular caught my eye. If you miss a jump or want another crack at making it to an elevated shortcut, you can hit a button that will send your kart backward a bit. You'll probably want to use this sparingly, as the Rewind function only affects your own kart. Your opponents can easily overtake you in the process, so there's a risk-reward balance to consider here. The Forza Horizon series has a similar rewind feature, so it's interesting to see Nintendo adopt that. Some of the fresh items look pretty nifty. You'll be able to embrace your inner Hammer Bro by peppering the track with an arc of hammers to either hit an opponent or block their progress. With the Ice Flower, you can freeze enemies, while deploying the Coin Shell, oddly enough, leaves a trail of coins that you can collect. It's nice to see the feather, which debuted all the way back in the original Super Mario Kart, make a return. The open-world aspect of the game looks pretty interesting. You can explore it with your friends and find some secrets. Hitting one of the hundreds of P Switches that are dotted across the world starts a minigame, such as collecting a number of blue coins in a certain period of time. In Free Roam, you'll also be able to make use of the photo mode. Nintendo Elsewhere in the first completely new mainline Mario Kart game since 2014, there are several assist options. The Smart Steering feature can help you avoid accidentally veering off a track, and there's a tilt control function for steering. On top of all of that, you can pick up food from drive-thrus. While I suspected that we might be taking a trip to The Snack Zone, the Dash Food that you pick up unlocks outfits that are inspired by your meal. Munch on some sushi, for instance, and you'll find yourself wearing a Japanese-influenced getup. Mario Kart World is slated to arrive on June 5, the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2. There's still no official update on when Switch 2 pre-orders will go live in the US and Canada after Nintendo delayed them. However, rumors suggest that you may be able to lock in a pre-order in either country in the coming days.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-for-switch-2-borrows-forzas-rewind-feature-160818661.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 21:40 Instagram is adding yet another way to liven up your Reels recommendations. The app is rolling out “Blend,” a feature that allows you to create a custom feed within a DM that combines your recommendations with a friend’s. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Blend has been in the works for some time. It was first spotted in the app more than a year ago, but was only an internal prototype at the time. Now, Meta is finally making it official, describing it as an “invite-only Reels feed for you and your friend .” Anyone can invite a friend or a group of friends to join a Blend from within a direct message or group chat on Instagram. Once someone accepts the invitation, Instagram generates a custom feed of Reels made up of video recommendations tailored to each person. As you scroll, you can view who each suggested clip is for, giving a window into what types of Reels Instagram’s algorithm serves your friends. The feature is the latest way Meta has been allowing instagram users to gain more insight into their friends’ Reels-watching habits. The company also recently introduced a dedicated tab that shows videos liked by your Instagram friends. Whether that sounds like an intriguing way to find new niches of content, or potentially massively embarrassing is another matter. But, if you’re Reels suggestions have been feeling a little stale, or you’re just curious about how some of your friends experience the app, it could be an entertaining way to spice up your recommendations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-now-lets-you-combine-your-reels-recommendations-with-friends-160023003.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 21:40 Looking for a good VPN service? ExpressVPN is offering one heck of a deal right now. You can snag a 28-month subscription, which is well over two years, for 61 percent off the typical price. This boils down to $5 per month, but there’s one catch. You have to pay up front, which comes out to $140. That’s a hefty initial payout, but having access to a good VPN service into late 2027 sounds pretty dang nice. To that end, ExpressVPN is one of the more reputable companies out there and it easily made our list of the best VPN providers. We appreciated the speedy connections offered by the service. This isn’t always the case with VPNs. We also didn’t encounter too much lag during our testing. It works on a variety of devices, so this isn’t just for the living room desktop. ExpressVPN integrates with mobile gadgets, smart TVs and game consoles, among other items. It’s really the best solution for gamers who travel a lot. It also comes with an in-house password manager, which would eliminate the need for a standalone subscription. Truly the only real downside of this service is the price. The regular cost is $13 per month, which is mighty steep. This sale alleviates this concern, at least for 28 months. Spending $5 per month for a VPN of this caliber is something of a no-brainer. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/expressvpn-two-year-subscriptions-are-61-percent-off-right-now-150758431.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 21:40 Wikipedia has been struggling with the impact that AI crawlers — bots that are scraping text and multimedia from the encyclopedia to train generative artificial intelligence models — have been having on its servers, leading to increased costs and slower load times for human users in some cases. Perhaps in an effort to stop the bots from pummeling the public Wikipedia website and soaking up too much bandwidth, the Wikimedia Foundation is offering AI developers a dataset they can freely use. The organization has teamed up with Kaggle, a data science platform, to offer up a beta release of a structured dataset in both English and French. According to Google — which owns Kaggle — the dataset is formatted for machine learning to make it more useful for training, development and data science. Wikimedia Enterprise notes that the dataset includes "abstracts, short descriptions, infobox-style key-value data, image links and clearly segmented article sections." There are no references or other "non-prose elements," such as video clips. The lack of references could make the issue of attribution for information in the dataset somewhat foggy. However, Wikimedia Enterprise says that the content in the dataset is freely licensed under Creative Commons, the public domain and so on since it's all from Wikipedia.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/wikipedia-offers-ai-developers-a-training-dataset-to-maybe-get-scraper-bots-off-its-back-143255593.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 21:40 Chinese authorities have banned automakers from using terms such as "smart driving" and "autonomous driving" for ads in the country, according to Reuters. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has tightened its rules for advertising driving assistance features following a fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SUV7 , which raised concerns about the technology's safety. Based on Xiaomi's report, the vehicle's driving assistance mode was switched on when the vehicle was approaching a construction zone, but the driver took control right before the SUV collided with a concrete barrier. The electric vehicle went up in flames, with the accident claiming three lives. Back in 2022, the California DMV accused Tesla of falsely portraying its vehicles as fully autonomous based on the language it used on its website, though that didn't lead to a ban on advertising terms. Chinese authorities announced the new rule at a meeting attended by 60 representatives from the automobile industry. In addition to the new advertising rules, they also announced that they're prohibiting automakers from testing and improving their driver assistance systems via remote software upgrades if they're already in the hands of customers. If the companies want to roll out updates over the air, they'll have to secure an approval for them after conducting a battery of tests. As Reuters noted, there's a growing competition in the Chinese automotive industry with companies launching vehicles promising "smart driving" capabilities. BYD, the top Chinese EV manufacturer based in Shenzhen, rolled out a whopping 21 models of electric vehicles in February, with the company's free "smart driving" features being one of their main selling points. These automakers may now have to alter their advertising materials in order to comply with the new regulations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/china-cracks-down-on-autonomous-car-claims-after-fatal-accident-143026741.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 16:20 Google is now offering Gemini live video and screen sharing to just about every Android user who wants them — totally free. The announcement comes just a couple weeks after Google first rolled out the features. They have been available to all Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 owners and through a Google One AI Premium plan for other Android users with the Gemini app. Now, Google says that "great feedback" has motivated the company "to bring it to more people." Gemini live video and screen share allows you to ask Gemini about anything on your screen or directly in front of you. For example, you can take a picture of an item of clothing and get info about its materials. You can also ask it about something you've found on the internet, like a word in a story that you've never heard before. We’ve been hearing great feedback on Gemini Live with camera and screen share, so we decided to bring it to more people ✨Starting today and over the coming weeks, we're rolling it out to *all* @Android users with the Gemini app. Enjoy!PS If you don’t have the app yet,… https://t.co/dTsxLZLxNI— Google Gemini App April 16, 2025 Google will be rolling the tools out over the coming weeks to all Androids that are compatible with the Gemini app. According to a Google spokesperson, this is all "Android devices with 2GB of RAM or more, running Android 10 and up." This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-live-video-and-screen-sharing-is-now-free-for-android-users-140051993.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 16:20 Sure, it's getting warmer outside but, if you ask me, there's no reason that should get in the way of watching TV. With that in mind, we're very excited to see that our favorite all-in-one streaming device is now on sale. Right now, you can get the Google TV Streamer 4K for $79, down from $100 — a 21 percent discount. This deal is the lowest price we've seen since the device went on sale in October of last year. The low price is available on Amazon, but is also the same if you purchase it directly from Google. We gave the Google TV streamer 4K an 87 in our review thanks to features like its great interface that keeps everything organized and clear, even across different streaming sources. It also has a simple, easy-to-use remote and switches between content very quickly. However, it does require an HDMI cord and doesn't work with Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-tv-streamer-4k-drops-to-a-record-low-of-79-133539395.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 16:20 Strava has exercised its right to expand. A bad pun, yes, but apt considering the exercise tracking app has purchased Runna, a UK-based company that provides its users personalized running plans and coaching. The deal proceeded for an undisclosed sum of money. Strava reports that interest in running has grown significantly, with 43 percent of its members wanting to do a big race or event this year. "Running is booming worldwide — nearly 1 billion runs were recorded on Strava in 2024. Runna’s mission to give every runner a personalised plan to achieve their goal is a perfect fit," Strava CEO Michael Martin stated. "Coming off Strava’s accelerated innovation and unprecedented growth last year, it was the right time to look for complementary businesses that could create even greater value for our users." Last year, Strava launched features such as a family plan and night heat maps. Runna launched in 2022, but has since grown to a team of 180 employees working on an app available in 180 countries. According to Martin, Strava and Runna will be kept as separate apps for the time being, with plans to expand the latter's team and resources. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/strava-buys-uk-based-personalized-running-plan-app-runna-133044850.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 16:20 Nike has teamed up with Hyperice, a company that specializes in products meant for muscle recovery and relaxation in athletes, to launch the Hyperboot. Originally introduced in the summer of 2024, the Hyperboot looks pretty much like a pair of chunky high-top shoes. The companies said it's more than that, however, calling it a "heat and dynamic air-compression massage tool" that you can walk in. It's equipped with dual-air bladders with heating elements throughout its entire upper. The Hyperboot was designed to massage its wearer's feet with sequential compression patterns designed to "drive heat deep into the muscle and tissue in the foot and ankle." Apparently, that helps athletes feel like they've already warmed up before they even start their warm-up routine. It also helps them recover much faster. Nike and Hyperice have been testing the Hyperboot with help from athletes, one of whom was Sha'Carri Richardson, Olympic gold medalist for track and field, who said that the device allowed her to "start warming up and recovering while still being mobile." Wearers will be able to synchronize their boots with the press of a button to make sure they're delivering compressions at the same time. They'll also be able to choose from three levels of compression and three levels of heat. And for those wondering why the boots' soles are so thick, it's because that's where the battery packs are located. They can power the footwear for one to one-and-a-half hours on maximum setting and up to eight hours in massage mode with no heat. It takes five to six hours to charge them. The Hyperboot might look like a concept, but it'll soon be something you can actually buy. It will be available from Nike's and Hyperice's websites, as well as from some of their retail partners, starting on May 17 in North America. They're also planning to release it worldwide later this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/nike-and-hyperice-to-release-the-hyperboot-warm-up-footwear-for-athletes-on-may-17-130019623.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 16:20 Pellet grills are great for the "set it and forget it" style of low-and-slow cooking things like brisket, pork shoulders and other barbecue meats require. And most of them will get hot enough to sear a steak, although not all models offer some type of direct-flame grilling. Recteq thinks it has finally cracked the code with its new X-Fire Pro, a smart pellet grill that the company says will replace a gas grill thanks to a 1,250-degree Fahrenheit maximum temperature. The X-Fire Pro has two separate modes for both of those styles of cooking: Grill Mode and Smoke Mode. The grill offers a temperature range of 225-1,250 degrees Fahrenheit, so it can do everything in between smoking and searing too. Adaptive Sear Control allows backyard cooks to adjust how much direct flame they want. Turn it all the way up to sear a steak or keep it at a lower level for "classic grilling." And Grill Mode has low, medium and high temperature settings, so using it will feel familiar to anyone who has used a gas grill. “This is a totally new grill concept for Recteq and the pellet grill category as a whole,” CEO Ralph Santana said in the X-Fire Pro announcement. “Our research indicated that while the majority of gas grillers enjoy their current grilling experience, they wish they could also cook low and slow. So, we challenged ourselves to replicate the hot, fast, open-lid convenience of gas while still delivering that additional control and versatility of pellet grill smoking." recteq With 825 square inches of cooking space, Recteq says you'll have enough capacity for 28 pork chops or 26 burgers, and that should be plenty of room for multiple chickens, briskets or pork shoulders. The hopper holds up to 20 pounds of pellets, which is enough fuel for up to 20 hours of use. Durable materials like stainless steel and cast iron were used for components like the barrel, heat deflector and grill grates. The X-Fire Pro is also equipped with Recteq's smart grilling tech, which includes precise PID temperature control for Smoke Mode and the ability to monitor temperatures from afar with Wi-Fi connectivity. This is done with the Recteq app, software that also allows you to make adjustments to the grill from your phone. The X-Fire Pro comes with two meat temperature probes, and those stats get beamed to the app as well. The X-Fire Pro is available now from Recteq, Amazon and other retailers in the US for $1,550. The company is also selling a rotisserie spit rod add-on for $250. That price is comparable to Traeger's new Woodridge Elite that comes with slightly more cooking space, enclosed storage and a side burner. That grill doesn't have an open-lid mode though. Weber's Searwood does, and the largest version of it clocks in at $1,199. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/recteq-debuts-the-x-fire-pro-dual-mode-pellet-grill-that-can-sear-at-1250-degrees-130007516.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 16:20 One of the more serious players in the air taxi game, Archer, has just unveiled routes for a potential service in New York City. Its Midnight aircraft would shuttle passengers from Manhattan to JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airpots in five to 15 minutes, potentially shaving an hour or more from typical driving times. However, Archer didn't provide any dates for the start of the service and all of this could be derailed by regulatory bodies, particularly the Federal Aviation Administration . Any news about air taxis should come with the caveat that no such services are operating yet, even though startups have been trying for a decade or more. With that said, Archer has partnered with a number of established aviation and other companies including Fiat Chrysler and United Airlines, along with fixed base operators like Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation. Archer also previously announced proposed air taxi networks in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. Archer's plan is to have you book air taxi rides as an "add-on" to traditional flights. You'd launch from existing Manhattan facilities, namely the East 34th Street Heliport, Downtown Skyport and West 30th Street Heliport. From there, you'd be able to fly to "vertiports" at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airpots, along with locations at other regional airports. Flights would be aboard the company's human-piloted, four-passenger Midnight aircraft with 12 rotors, six batteries and a range of 20-50 miles. Archer Archer does have United Airlines, New York's Port Authority and the New York City Economic Development Corportation all on board. However, it hasn't provided important details like the number of potential flights per day, operating hours and more. That information would be vital to the FAA, which must decide if the service is safe for passengers, other aircraft and people on the ground. That's an undertaking that could require a lot of time and cost, and Archer's VTOL aircraft still hasn't received its FAA type certification required for any operations. The company did receive the FAA's final airworthiness criteria, though, making it one of only two air taxi companies with that certification along with rival Joby Aviation. The only air taxi company to obtain type certification from an aviation regulator is EHang from China's Civil Aviation Administration . The air taxi game is risky for startups, too. Late last year one of Archer's VTOL rivals, Lilium ceased operations, laying off 1,000 people, despite successful flight tests. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/archer-outlines-its-plan-to-use-air-taxis-between-new-yorks-major-airports-123024903.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 16:20 Whether you're planning a long vacation or just want more peace of mind, a security camera can make a big difference in your life. Now, our choice for best budget security camera is half off, making safety all the more accessible. You can pick up the newest Blink Mini 2 for $20, down from $40 — a deal last seen during Amazon's Spring Sale. The Blink Mini 2 offers a great device for the price. It's easy to set up and can be used outside . It also has a 1080p HD live view with a built-in spotlight and night vision in color. If you're in need of multiple Blink Mini 2 cameras then you can take advantage of multi-pack deals. Right now, the two-pack of Blink Mini 2s is down to $38 from $70 — a 46 percent sale. A trio of the cameras is 45 percent off, down to $55 from $100. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-a-blink-mini-2-security-camera-for-half-off-right-now-125338630.html?src=rss

17.04.2025 01:20 American Airlines has announced plans to finally offer free Wi-Fi on flights. The company said that its AT&T-sponsored program will start offering free, high-speed Wi-Fi "across more than 2 million American flights per year" in January 2026. To be able to access free Wi-Fi you'll have to be a member of American's AAdvantage loyalty program, but once you're signed up, all you'll need to do is log in to access the internet. Wi-Fi will be offered on planes with "Viasat and Intelsat high-speed satellite connectivity", according to American, which includes 90 percent of the airline's fleet. "American is also on pace to outfit more than 500 regional aircraft with high-speed Wi-Fi by the end of 2025," the company says. Nearly every major US-based airline offer some kind of free Wi-Fi program, and they're all able to do so thanks to satellite connectivity. United started using Starlink for Wi-Fi earlier this year, and both Hawaiian Airlines and Delta ran tests with SpaceX's satellite internet service back in 2022. Delta ultimately went with Viasat for its T-Mobile-sponsored Wi-Fi program in 2023, with the same loyalty program requirement as American Airlines.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/american-airlines-will-provide-inflight-wi-fi-for-free-starting-next-year-211243870.html?src=rss